White House submits Clinton 9/11 papers

The Bush administration yesterday gave the federal panel reviewing the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, access to thousands of classified counterterrorism documents from the Clinton administration. Bush officials granted the Sept. 11 commission's request to review the material after Bruce Lindsey, former legal adviser to President Clinton, said the administration did not turn over all of Clinton's records to the panel. (AP)

Airline reaches deal in discrimination case

The government announced a settlement yesterday with Continental Airlines over allegations the carrier discriminated after the Sept. 11 terror attacks against travelers thought to have been of Arab, Middle Eastern, or Southeast Asian descent. In the weeks after the attacks, four passengers said they were removed from flights because of ethnic background or national origin, a Transportation Department spokesman said. Continental denied wrongdoing but agreed to provide at least $500,000 in civil rights training to pilots and cabin crew. (AP)

MICHIGAN

Judge sets timeline for breast implant deal

DETROIT -- Thousands of women who said Dow Corning silicone breast implants made them sick could soon receive checks from a $2.35 billion settlement fund after a judge yesterday set a date for the company to emerge from bankruptcy. The federal judge's order was issued about two weeks after a Nevada lawyer dropped a challenge that had held up payments for years. In a settlement approved by a federal judge, Dow Corning agreed to pay women $2,000 to $330,000 each. About 170,000 women who received breast implants have filed claims. (AP)

MARYLAND

Bird flu limits to be lifted on poultry farms

ANNAPOLIS -- Agriculture officials said yesterday they plan to lift restrictions on nearly 2,000 poultry farms in Delaware and Maryland after a month without any reports of avian influenza. The virus, also known as bird flu, has forced the killing of more than 400,000 birds since February. Starting Monday, farmers will be allowed to spread manure made from chicken litter and receive new baby birds from poultry companies. The virus spreads easily on manure and feathers. (AP)

CALIFORNIA

Firm says city contract was improperly denied

LOS ANGELES -- A company said it lost a multimillion-dollar airport contract for refusing to donate $100,000 to the mayor's campaign against a secession effort in the city, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday. Two other companies that contributed a combined $140,000 to Mayor James K. Hahn's anti-secession campaign are instead being considered by the city's airport commission for the contract, the newspaper said. The newspaper reported that engineering firm URS Corp. told federal prosecutors the president of the city's Airport Commission, an appointee of Hahn, solicited funds from URS's former lobbyist in 2002. Hahn has said he knew of no pressure on contractors to contribute to the the mayor's campaign against a movement in the San Fernando Valley to break away from the city. (AP)

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