NEWS BRIEFS
RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
Arafat says he is ready to work for immediate cease-fire
Associated Press
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said yesterday that he is ready to work for "an immediate cease-fire" with Israel.
"We are ready," Arafat told a news conference in the West Bank town of Ramallah. "I am assuring our readiness to work on a cease-fire, an immediate cease-fire."
Arafat said he told U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni, whose truce efforts are continuing despite Wednesday's suicide bombing that killed 20 people in Israel, that he was ready for a cease-fire "without any conditions."
But he did not say whether the Palestinians now accept Zinni's specific detailed timetable, which they effectively rejected two days ago.
Arafat alluded to reports that Israel is planning a massive military retaliation to Wednesday's attack.
"Unfortunately, there are some aggressive preparations by the Israelis to do a wide military operation against our civilians, our cities and our refugee camps that is targeting mainly the peace process and peace initiative declared in the Arab summit and targeting our people and our Palestinian Authority."
WASHINGTON
Some American Airlines pilots want government to ground Airbus planes
Associated Press
Federal safety officials are reviewing a request by eight American Airlines pilots to ground the Airbus A300-600, one of which crashed in New York last year.
Spokesmen for the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board said they have received a 70-page report from the pilots.
"Serious consideration must be given to grounding the entire A300-600 fleet until its airworthiness can be assured," said a letter accompanying the report, signed by eight pilots. A copy of the report was obtained by The Associated Press.
American Airlines and Airbus Industries say the plane is safe. The FAA has ordered new inspections of Airbus A300-600s but has not ordered the aircraft not to fly.
The pilots presented the report Wednesday to their union, the Allied Pilots Association. Union representatives are helping the safety board's investigation of the Nov. 12 crash, which killed 265 people. The union has not endorsed the report.
Some American pilots in January signed an e-mail petition asking the company to ground the Airbus, but the effort failed. This is the first time that any American pilots have taken their request to the federal government. But the pilots union has not taken a position.
"The flying public must have assurances that every aircraft they board is designed and maintained to the highest standards," the pilots said.
TEMPE
Regents expected to name Columbia vice provost as ASU's 16th president
Associated Press
A nationally prominent science policy expert is expected to be formally named president of Arizona State University.
The Arizona Board of Regents plans to meet today to appoint Michael Crow, who is executive vice provost at Columbia University, ASU said in a statement.
Crow, who has a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and a doctorate in public administration from Syracuse University, has come to know ASU as a strategic planning consultant in the past decade.
Crow, 46, was the board's top choice for the job during a six-month search. He told the Board of Regents on Monday that he wanted the job, pending a legal review of his contract.
The new president will succeed Lattie Coor, who retires June 30.
