Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Friday, April 27,2001 %\\Z (5aiHCC0Ck - Page 5 Pentagon suspects China gleaned secret information BY SUSANNE M'. SCHAFER Associated Press WASHINGTON — U.S. secrets were lost when a Navy surveillance plane made an emergency landing in China, despite the best efforts of the crew, the Pentagon said Thursday. “We feel there was a loss of secret information,” Rear Adm. Craig Quigley told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. He wouldn’t characterize the size or type of damage done. “Our understanding is not complete,” Quigley said, adding that the plane’s 24 crew members will be questioned again after they return from their leaves of absence next month. The crew of the EP-3E plane, following procedures, tried to destroy sensitive data and equipment after the plane \yas damaged in a collision with a Chinese plane. “We still feel the crew did the best job they could. It wasn’t perfect,” Quigley said. China has refused to release the damaged aircraft, which landed on Hainan island on April 1, after colliding with a Chinese F-8 fighter jet over the South China Sea. The American crew members on board the reconnaissance plane were released 11 days later. U.S. officials debriefed them for two days to glean information about the incident. The National Security Agency, the government office responsible for collecting electronic intelligence, is conducting a review of the potential damage done by the loss of the top-secret aircraft, said two government officials familiar with the study. “The damage assessment is still ongoing, but it’s clear some stuff was lost,” one of the officials said. All spoke on condition of anonymity. “They weren’t able to get everything,” the official added, speaking of the crew. The crew worked quickly to destroy their computerized gear and its contents in the minutes between the collision and the time they were taken off the plane by Chinese soldiers, one Defense » Department official said. “They did get a lot of stuff. ... They started through their checklist, which had five or six steps. They had everything electronically zeroed out,” the official said. Another military official, who also spoke privately, said the crew was able to change “key codes” for computerized information and smash hardware with hammers. Even so, there wasn’t enough time to destroy everything, the official said. “It was physically impossible to smash it all up,” he said. A better assessment of the damage will only be possible after the plane is returned to U.S. hands, the official said. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, speaking after the crew was released, said they had gone through their checklist and did as much as possible. The United States has demanded that the plane be returned, but talks with the Chinese about the incident have not resolved the situation. Breast implants don’t increase most cancer risks, study finds by Paul Recer Associated Press WASHINGTON—Wbmen who have had silicone breast implants do not face an increased risk for most cancers, according to a National Cancer Institute study of 13,500 women who had implant sutgery for cosmetic reasons. “The findings are generally reassuring,” said Dr. Louise A. Brinton, an NCI researcher and lead author of the study. “This does not raise a red flag. It helps lay to rest much of the concern” about silicone breast implants. The study, published in the Annals of Epidemiology, compared die incidence of cancer between women who had received cosmetic breast implants and >4,000 other women of similar age who had received other types of plastic surgery. Health histories for the patients covered an average of 13 years, much longer than most of the earlier breast implant health studies, Brinton said. Early studies had shown that a comparison between breast implant patients and those receiving other cosmetic suigery was the best way to determine the specific effects of the silicon implants, she said. Incidence rates for “nearly every cancer” were not elevated among the implant patients, Brinton said. This included cancers of the mouth, stomach, large intestine, breast, cervix, uterus, ovaiy, bladder, thyroid, connective tissues ;uid immune system. Brinton said there were slightly elevated rates of cancer for the respiratory system and brain, but she said diere is no clear connection between these cancers and the silicon implants. Only the difference in respiratory cancer rates reached “statistical significance,” Brinton said, principally because of lung cancers. She said there were 33 lung cancers among the implant patients, compared to 13 among the other cosmetic suigery patients, but the connection between this cancer and implants is not clear. Brinton said the cause of death for these patients was obtained from death certificates, and it was not possible to determine the smoking habits of the deceased. "Smoking is known to be the leading cause of lung cancer. “We could not rule out smoking as a factor” in the lung cancer deaths, Brinton said. Between 1.5 and 2 million women have received breast implants since 1962, about 80 percent for cosmetic reasons and the rest as breast reconstruction after cancer. The study did not include women who had received implants following breast cancer. The study follows an earlier study that found no increased risk for breast cancer among patients who received implants. Further analysis of the study data will evaluate risks linked to other causes of death and to the risk of connective tissue disorders among implant patients. Annan demands worldwide increase in spending to halt AIDS pandemic by Glenn McKenzie Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria — U.N. Secretaiy iGeneral Kofi Annan called Thursday for a huge boost in global spending to halt the AIDS pandemic and prevent the disease front striking die rest of the world as hard as it has hit sub-Saharan Africa. Annan said a “war chest” of $7 billion to $10 billion annually would be needed to combat the disease and prevent a catastrophic spread through major developing nations such as India, Cltina and Russia. Current spending on AIDS in developing countries totals about $ 1 billion annually. “It sounds a lot, and it is a lot,” Annan said during opening remarks at a two day African AIDS summit in Abuja, I Nigeria’s capital. “But it is not at all impossible, given the amount of wealth in the world. In fact, it is little more than 1 percent of the world’s annual military spending.” He proposed the creation of a global fund to fight the spread of AIDS and other infectious diseases, improve health care systems and provide research, education, testing, drug treatments «utd condoms, as well as care for orphans. The money would come from governments, foundations, academics and the private sector, U.N. officials said in New York. Several major donors, whom Anmui declined to identify, have promised to contribute to the fund, he told journalists. U.N. Development Program Spokesman Djihril Diallo called Annan's estimate of the amount needed conservative. , ‘So this is a moment of hope, and potentially a turning point. Africa is no longer being left to face this disaster alone.’ Kofi Annan Secretary-General, United Nations “The secretary-general is a very cautious man. These figures have come after extensive consultation” with the international community, governments, nongovernment organizations and private enterprise, Diallo said. More than a dozen African leaders are attending the summit, organized by the Organization of African Unity and the Nigerian government. Former President Clinton also addressed the gathering. Nancy Powell, acting secretary of suite for African affairs, led the official U.S. delegation. Of the 36 million people infected with HIV around the world, 26 million live in Africa. Globally, the virus has killed 23 million people, including 17 million in sub-Saliariui Africa. Annan said a window of global interest in fighting the spread of AIDS marks “a moment of hope” for Africa. “In the last year or so the world has begun to realize that HiV/AIDS is indeed a world-scale pandemic, which has spread fastest and farthest in Africa,” he said. “So this is a moment of hope, and potentially a turning point. Africa is no longer being left to lace this disaster alone.” Clinion noted that the U.S. government doubled spending on AIDS programs in Africa during his administration and said America could help in the fight. “I am convinced that, with the secretary-general’s leadership, we can get the American people to do their part,” Clinton said. “We have the money all right. The question is, do we have the will?” Annan outlined five goals: preventing further spread of the epidemic, reducing the transmission of HIV from mother to child, ensuring that care mid treatment arc witliin reach of all stricken, delivering scientific breakthroughs and protecting those most vulnerable, especially orphans. He called on Africa’s loaders to take the lead “in breaking the wall of silence mid embarrassment” that surrounds the disease. While stressing that prevention is key, Annan also called for measures to improve access to expensive treatments in Africa. Six sub-Saharan nations have signed deals with leading pharmaceutical companies that oll'cr low-cost HIV drugs for Africa. But even at cut rates, the drugs remain far beyond the monthly minimum wage in much of the region. Pope’s pilgrimage stirs controversy by Donna Bryson Associated Press CAIRO, Egypt — Pope John Paul II’s visit to Syria next week will be a balancing act in the war of symbols and rhetoric that shadows the other Mideast conflict of hurled stones and bullets. His May 4-9 pilgrimage, which also takes him to Greece and Malta, is grating on ancient animosities between Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox and arousing suspicions among some Muslims. • John Paul is tracing a route associated with St. Paul, a Jew who converted to Christianity in the 1st century after hearing the voicexif Jesus on the road to Damascus. St. Paul traveled widely to passionately spread the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The pope exhibits similar spiritual fervor and is sometimes as little welcome as the saint, who was persecuted and then executed by the Romans. When it was announced the papal journey would start in Greece, some Orthodox monks campaigned unsuccessfully to block the visit. They labeled John Paul “a heretic,” harking back to the split between the Orthodox and Roman churches a millennium ago in a dispute over papal authority. The trip also has stirred passions in Syria. In die early stages of planning, there was talk the pope and local Islamic leaders would hold a joint.prayer at the historic Omayyad Mosque in Damascus. But the idea was dropped, apparently to calm any Muslims upset about a Chrisrian leader encroaching on Islamic holy ground. John Paul now is to visit die mosque only briefly for a tour and a look at what is believed to be the tomb of St. John tire Baptist. That alone is a big step; no other pope has entered a mosque. A Vatican expert on Islamic affairs, Monsignor Michael Fitzgerald, said the Omayyad visit should not be compared to John Paul’s historic 1986 visit to a Jewish synagogue in Rome because the pope’s main interest this time is in the saint’s tomb, which regularly draws Christian pilgrims. Fitzgerald said it would be a “historic first” for the pope to be met at the mosque by Syria’s highest Muslim leaders. That “will hopefully be considered a positive overtures Muslims worldwide,” he said. House passes bill protecting fetuses by Janelle Carter Associated Press WASHINGTON—Armed with the support of the White House, abortion foes moved their first bill of the year through the House on Thursday — legislation that would make it a federal crime to harm a fetus. The House, by a 252-172 vote, passed the measure after a lengthy and chaiged debate. Moments earlier, Republicans held off a Democratic amendment that would have stiffened penalties for assaulting a pregnant woman but not made harming the fetus a separate crime. In the end, 53 Democrats, more than one-fourth of the party’s members in the House, joined Republicans in voting for the bill. “Life and death should not be subsumed beneath a semantic fog,” said House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R Texas. Republican sponsors who brought the bill to the House floor Thursday shunned the word abortion. Rather, they characterized the measure as an effort to get tough with criminals who harm “unborn children.” “This is not an abortion bill,” said Rep. F. Janies Sensenbremier, R-Wis„ chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “Without this bill, crimes against these innocent victims will go unpunished.” Abortion rights advocates derided the GOP measure as a bid to get a fetus declared a separate person — an idea they say was rejected by the Supreme Court in its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion. “This would be the first time in the federal legal system that we would begin to recognize a fertilized egg, a zygote, an embryo or a fetus. That’s what the bill is trying to do,” said Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. “No sneaking around today, fellas. We’re going to have to put it all on the table.” Tire measure would apply only to crimes in federal jurisdiction, but 24 states have similar statutes. The House passed virtually identical legislation last session by a 254-172 vote, but the Senate never took it up. President Bush has said he would sign the bill. “The administration supports protection for unborn children and therefore supports House passage,” the White House said in a statement Tuesday. Rep. Lindsey Graham, who wrote the bill, said the legislation lias safeguards ■ to prohibit the prosecution of mothers or people who perform or assist in abortions. - - “It only applies to criminal activities,” said Graham, R-S.C. “America is deeply divided about government interfering with the right to choose, but that doesn’t mean we consider the unborn child an enemy.” Abortion rights advocates say opponents are treading on ground already covered by the Supreme Court. Palestinians mourn resistance martyrs by Mark Lavie Associated Press JERUSALEM t— Thousands -of Palestinians marched in a funeral procession in Gaza on Thursday, blaming Israel for the bombing death of four activists, as police and soldiers guarded picnic spots on Israel’s independence day. Dozens of masked gunmen fired rifles in the air as Palestinians carried the bodies, covered with white sheets because of mutilation from the explosion, through the town of Rafail. About 8,000 people walked alongside, shouting anti-Israel slogans and burning Israeli ;uid American Hags. The four, including Ramdiui A/nm, leader of the Popular Resistance group, were killed Wednesday when a bomb went oil near the Ga/u-Egypl border. At the funeral, Palestinians said the blast was an Israeli operation aimed at killing the group members. They said the bomb was planted in a concrete block used to mark the border with Egypt. Palestinians say that since violence erupted Sept. 28, Israel has targeted and killed at least 15 other Palestinian activists. At an independence day reception Thursday evening, an Israel TV reporter asked Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer if Israel was involved in the explosion. “I don’t have ;uiy idea what you are talking about,” he replied, “but I c;ui say that we are fighting a biller struggle iigiiinst terrorism.” A Popular Resistance leaflet threatened that the group would rcudiate by firing mortals at Isr.icli Uugcts, though Arafat has b;umed mortar attacks. Nciirly seven months of P;dcslini;ui Isracli violence has killed 418 people on the Palcsliniiui sidp and 70 people on the Israeli side. World Briefs ■ China says Bush wrong in promising to defend Taiwan BEIJING (AP) —China said Thursday that already badly strained relations with .Washington were dam aged even further by President Bush’s blunt warning about America’s will to defend Taiwan. “The Chinese govern ment and people are strongly indignant and opposed” to Bush’s comments, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said. She noted that Bush’s “mistaken remarks” came on the heels of an American arms package to Tai wan, announced Tuesday, which China strongly opposes. “This shows that it has drifted further on a dangerous road,” Zhang said, referring to the United States, hi strong remarks aimed at Beijing, Bush told The Associated Press on Wednesday that U.S. military force is “certainly an option” if China acts on its long-standing tlireats and strikes Taiwan. The two sides split amid civil war in 1949, and China doesn’t rule out using force to assert control over the island it claims as a breakaway province. ■ CIA questioned early whether target was drug plane WASHINGTON (AP)-Shortly after a CIA anti-drug team told the Pe ruvian Air Force about an unidentified plane over the Amazon jungle, the plane’s flight pattern made the Ameri cans question whether it was a drug plane, U.S. officials say. The single-en gine Cessna was flying straight, level and at a reasonably high altitude deep into Peru’s air space instead of sticking low to the ground and near the border and taking evasive maneuvers, the offi cials said Wednesday. They spoke on condition of anonymity. Despite the Americans’ expressed uneasiness, and their expectation that the Peruvian fighter would make a concrete identifi cation before attacking, the jet opened fire on the pontoon plane within min utes Friday night. American missionary Veronica “Roni” Bowers and her 7 month-old daughter were killed in the attack. Bowers’ husband, Jim, and their 6-year-old son, Cory, survived, as did pilot Kevin Donaldson, who was wounded and has undergone surgery on both legs. ■ Maverick elected premier of Japan, promises reforms TOKYO (AP) — Populist maverick Junichiro Koizumi was elected prime minister Thursday, storming to power on promises to reform the stumbling economy and overhaul the country’s hidebound ruling party. The vote in Parliament’s powerful lower house capped Koizumi’s remarkable — and resounding — defeat of the conserva tive old-guard to win control of the Liberal Democratic Party. The upper house then confirmed his election in a largely ceremonial vote. The Parlia ment vote came after his predecessor, Yoshiro Mori, and the Cabinet re signed en masse, bringing an end to a year-old scandal-riddled government widely blamed for failing to repair the troubled economy and driving the ap peal of the ruling party to record lows. The new premier immediately made good on promises of an unorthodox government, naming five women to the 17-member Cabinet, including the outspoken and popular Makiko Tanaka as foreign minister. ■ Ukraine ousts prime minister KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - The Communist-dominated parliament dis missed reform-oriented Prime Minis ter Viktor Yushchenko and his govern ment on Thursday, plunging the nation into political chaos. The ouster of the most successful Cabinet since Ukraine’s independence in 1991 was likely to slow reforms in this largely impoverished nation and dtunage its in ternational standing. In the flnal vote •on a iKi-confidcncc motion, parliament by a 263-69 margin approval a Com munist-sponsored resolution accusing the government of failing to improve the economy and leading the country to ruin.