BRASILIA, Brazil
Gloria Trevi claims cops raped her
Associated Press
Mexican singer Gloria Trevi charged yesterday that she was raped repeatedly by federal police while being held in jail, a congressional leader said.
Trevi, who is seven months pregnant, has been held in Brazilian jails since she was arrested 19 months ago at the request of Mexican police who want her extradited on charges of corrupting a minor.
"Gloria Trevi told us about a series of abuses she suffered in Brasilia's federal jails and asked for the intervention of human rights groups to protect her," said Inaldo Leitao, president of the Congressional Commission on Constitution and Justice.
Trevi told the congressmen who visited her in jail that she had been raped in prison on numerous occasions by federal agents, Leitao said.
Leitao called for a congressional investigation into the entire penal system. The public prosecutor's office and Brazilian Bar Association are already looking into how Trevi got pregnant in jail.
Federal police claim Trevi artificially inseminated herself while in prison in an attempt to stay in the country.
Prosecutors in Mexico's Chihuahua state have accused Trevi, her manager and her choreographer of corrupting a 17-year-old girl.
Brazil has approved Mexico's request for extradition and denied her request for political asylum. Her appeal is pending.
PHILADELPHIA
Students protest state plan to take over school district
Associated Press
Hundreds of high school students walked out of class yesterday protesting a planned state takeover of their school district and Gov. Mark Schweiker's plan to privatize dozens of the worst-performing schools.
The largest exodus took place at Strawberry Mansion High School, where up to 500 students left about 9:30 a.m., district spokesman Paul Hanson said. They were dispersed by police, he said.
"They're not looking out for our best interest. It's a struggle at our school already, and they're making it worse," said Shereen Davis, 15, a William Penn High School sophomore, who was among dozens of students protesting at City Hall after leaving school.
State and city education officials are negotiating a sweeping reform plan for the school district, which is plagued by dismal test scores, a teacher shortage, a $216 million budget deficit and crumbling buildings.
Schweiker and Mayor John F. Street are trying to reach agreement by this afternoon's deadline. After that, the state could take control of Pennsylvania's largest school system.
"The fact that we're still talking, we consider that progress," said Schweiker's spokesman, Steve Aaron.
Activists have complained about Schweiker's proposal to hire private companies like Edison Schools Inc. to run 60 schools.
Under pressure from Street, Schweiker backed off his demand that Edison run the central administration of the school district. But opponents reject participation by Edison or any other private company in the school district.
A group called the Coalition to Keep Our Public Schools Public filed a lawsuit yesterday asking the state Supreme Court to block Schweiker's plan and declare Act 46 - the state takeover law - unconstitutional.
PHOENIX
Tourism and Sports Authority hopes to have alternative sites soon
Associated Press
The state's Tourism and Sports Authority said yesterday it hopes to have about 20 site proposals in hand during the next two weeks for a new Arizona Cardinals football stadium.
Nine sites have already been proposed, including several that were submitted to the board last year. That's twice as many as were originally proposed.
Authority chairman Jim Grogan said he thinks more awareness about the benefits a stadium could bring to the area is responsible for the surge of interest.
"The entire (Phoenix area) saw what the magical week of the World Series did for the area," said Grogan. "There's better communication about what an economical engine this is."
The sites that have already been proposed include one at the Arizona Exposition and State Fair grounds in Phoenix, two in Mesa and three in the Gila River Indian Community. The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation offered a 320-acre patch of land near Fountain Hills, and private developers from Tempe and Phoenix also expressed interest.
Several people showed up at the public meeting and asked Grogan and the authority's president, Ted Ferris, to resign.
"There seems to be a good deal of distrust," said Scottsdale resident Don Smith. "I don't care where that stadium is. I just want the process to work."
The board is not giving any concrete deadlines, but said it still expects to make a final site selection in February and possibly begin construction in March.
"This process will take as long as necessary to get the job done right," said Grogan.
The proposals were discussed at the board's first public meeting since the Federal Aviation Administration said the Tempe sight would be a flight hazard to planes using nearby Sky Harbor International Airport.
