UA students were nearly arrested yesterday after staging a sit-in in the ROTC building to protest the war in Iraq, the military recruitment of young people and President Bush's State of the Union address.

Students, alumni and members of The World Can't Wait left their anti-war rally on the UA Mall to march to the ROTC building and sit on the lobby floor with their arms locked.

Gabriel Matthew Schivone, an undeclared freshmen and member of The World Can't Wait, watched as police surrounded the building, declaring it a "crime scene." He said he was worried his friends would be arrested. [Read article]

When Robert Shelton visits the UA in the next few months to plan for his presidency, faculty and staff members said they look forward to taking advantage of his strength in sciences and challenging him to improve issues of diversity.

Shelton, who will succeed President Peter Likins, is finishing out his last semester as executive vice chancellor and provost of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. [Read article]

Some people spend their spare time watching TV or reading, but one UA scientist found a different way to utilize his free time.

He built a death ray.

Mike Bushroe, senior staff engineer at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, began building his ancient weapon of doom after the TV show "MythBusters" challenged viewers to reconstruct Archimedes's legendary solar weapon.

Each week, "MythBusters" tries to debunk ancient myths and legends by restaging them in modern times. [Read article]

Football declares 2006 recruiting class today

Head coach Mike Stoops and the Arizona football team will announce the 2006 recruiting class today at 2:30 p.m. in McKale Center.

The Wildcats have 25 verbal, non-binding commitments, and athletes can start signing national letters of intent with their teams of choice today.

Three prospects - lauded junior college transfers Louis Holmes, Gabe Long and James Tretheway - have already inked letters of intent. [Read article]

Congressional hopeful Patty Weiss told UA students last night that President Bush's State of the Union Speech spent little time addressing the concerns of most Americans.

Weiss, a Democrat who has entered the race to succeed Rep. Jim Kolbe in Arizona's 8th Congressional District, watched the state of the union address with about 15 students in Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall and afterwards gave students her take on the speech. [Read article]

PHOENIX - An expected pay raise for UA employees could be delayed if Republican leaders challenge the bill Gov. Janet Napolitano signed into legislation Monday.

Napolitano signed a bill that would give a $1,650 raise to state employees, but her use of a line-item veto to remove five lines of the bill has enraged Republicans. They said her veto to negate portions of the bill, which removed protection from newly hired state employees, violated the Arizona Constitution. [Read article]

In yesterday's article "UA's $60M debt 'black hole' concerns faculty," university employee salaries will be adjusted to include an increase in salary of $1,650 for all employees, and a 2.5 percent increase in salary that will be distributed according to a pay plan currently being developed by the university. [Read article]

Things you've always never wanted to know

As late as 1820, the universe was thought by European scientists to be 6,000 years old. It is now thought to be between 15 billion and 20 billion years old.

In many ways the U.S. does not measure up to its image of advanced medical care. There are 16 other countries, including the Scandinavian countries, France and Spain, in which a newborn baby has a better chance to survive its first year. [Read article]