One fatality in single-engine plane crash in Matagorda County
BAY CITY, Texas (AP) – Authorities today were investigating the crash of a single-engine aircraft 10 miles north of the Bay City Airport in Matagorda County.

Four escape from Union County jail
EL DORADO, Ark. – Four Union County Jail inmates, including a man charged with capital murder, used a hacksaw to escape this morning, authorities said.

China's president begins stay in communist ally Cuba
HAVANA – Embraced by Fidel Castro upon his arrival, Chinese President Jiang Zemin started out on a warm note during his visit to Cuba, Beijing's only communist ally in the Western Hemisphere and a strong supporter during its diplomatic flap over a U.S. spy plane.

Powell bringing Bush message of support to Kosovo, Bosnia
SKOPJE, Macedonia – Secretary of State Colin Powell cautioned today that outbreaks of violence sponsored by ethnic-Albanian terrorists are eroding international support for Kosovo's Albanian leaders.

Rapper Jay-Z arrested for alleged gun possession near nightclub
NEW YORK – Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z was arrested for illegal gun possession near a Manhattan nightclub early today, police said.

Curfew restores calm to Cincinnati streets for one night
CINCINNATI – Scores of people were arrested overnight for curfew violations, but peace was largely restored to the city's streets after three days of rioting over the shooting death of a black man. Officials said today that the curfew would extend at least one more night.

Report: After staff cuts, IRS letting hundreds of thousands of tax cheats slide
NEW YORK – The Internal Revenue Service has virtually given up trying to go after more than a million tax delinquents – a move that effectively wrote off more than $2.5 billion in taxes owed to the government last year alone, The New York Times reported today.

Meat plant recalls 14.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat products
CLINTON, Okla. – A meat plant is recalling 14.5 million pounds of meat and poultry products that may be contaminated, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. Bar-S Foods Co. voluntarily recalled the meat, which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Thursday. Recalled products include lunch meats, whole hams, sausages, hot dogs and corn dogs.

Inventories post biggest drop in almost five years
WASHINGTON – Inventories of unsold goods held by U.S. businesses in February registered the biggest decline in almost five years. The Commerce Department reported today that stocks of goods on shelves and backlots fell by 0.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted $1.22 trillion.

Kaiser Foundation settles discrimination lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO – The nation's largest not-for-profit health maintenance organization has settled a lawsuit accusing it of failing to provide disabled patients with accessible facilities and equipment. The suit, filed in July and settled Thursday, had charged that Kaiser Permanente does not offer accessible examination tables, toilets, scales and other medical devices in its California hospitals and clinics.

California pension fund's assets dropped $9 billion in February
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California Public Employees' Retirement System lost $9 billion in February, led by a $6.7 billion drop in its U.S. stocks, according to information published on its Web site. The decline of 5.3 percent of the pension fund's assets is equivalent to $7,500 for each of the 1.2 million state and local employees the system covers.

Napster sees 7% decline in visitors after blocking some songs
NEW YORK – Napster Inc.'s free music-sharing Web site had a 7 percent decline in visitors in March from the previous month, after the closely held company began blocking access to copyright-protected songs, a study found. Napster had 15.7 million visitors last month, compared with 16.9 million in February, Internet researcher Jupiter Media Metrix Inc. said in a release issued by PR Newswire. Napster was the 14th-most popular Web site in March and No. 13 in February, the study said.

Yahoo will remove adult-related products from sites
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Yahoo! Inc., owner of the most-used Internet search site, will remove adult- related products such as videos and digital video disks from its shopping, auction and classified Web sites. The company said in a statement that it made the decision because of requests from its members. Yahoo also said it will not sign new agreements for adult-related banner advertisements on its network. Yahoo officials weren't immediately available to comment.

Woman settles hot pickle lawsuit against McDonald's
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A woman who claimed she was permanently scarred by a hot McDonald's hamburger pickle has settled her lawsuit against the restaurant chain. MAR Inc., which does business as McDonald's in Knoxville, admitted no wrongdoing in the agreement signed by a judge Thursday. Other details of the settlement are to remain confidential.

UT regents, state lawmakers face off over excellence fund
AUSTIN – University of Texas System regents normally don't spend hours at the Capitol negotiating with lawmakers, especially over $16 million – pocket change in terms of higher education funding. But in recent weeks, some regents have been attempting to do just that, trying to get the UT System's smaller schools included in a bill that would provide $16 million for research at other state universities.

Well rig blows out, injures three men
CARLSBAD, N.M. – A towering oil rig that erupted in flames, critically injuring three workers, burned for a second day today and could spew fire for another day, authorities said.

Baseball, Aggies and award for Gorbachev but no hot dogs
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Getting a taste of Texas, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev took in a high school baseball game, spoke to students at Texas A&M University and picked up an award from fellow elder statesman George Bush.

Tax time more difficult than ever
WASHINGTON – Some evidence that the tax code is getting impossibly complicated: More than half a million taxpayers paid the federal government an average of $610 apiece more than they owed in 1998 because they chose the standard deduction when they could have itemized.

President returns to Texas after hectic week
WACO, Texas – His first foreign policy test behind him, President Bush and his family returned to their central Texas ranch for an Easter weekend of relaxation.

Central Texas police crack 13-year-old murder case
SAN ANTONIO – More than a decade had passed since a fatal drive-by shooting, with the investigation stalled until Central Texas law officers received a tip.

Texas energy company owed hundreds of millions in California
HOUSTON – Texas-based-Enron Corp.'s executives say financially troubled utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co. owes them $570 million, according to a letter to the utility's bankruptcy trustee.

Park Service to ban jet skis
WASHINGTON – Only two more summers for jet skis in the national parks. The personal watercraft are to be banned in all national parks and recreation areas by Sept. 15, 2002, unless the Park Service can prove the machines don't harm the environment on a site-by-site basis.

Bill aims to cover defense workers exposed to beryllium
SAN ANTONIO – Evidence that workers at Kelly Air Force Base handled beryllium has prompted a San Antonio lawmaker to craft a bill that would help Defense Department workers receive compensation if they become ill from exposure to nuclear materials.

Earthquake jolts southwestern China; two killed, 190 injured
BEIJING – An earthquake struck a mountainous area of southwestern China near the Myanmar border, collapsing homes, killing two people and injuring 190 others, officials said today.

Rescued U.S. hostage denies allying with Philippine rebels
MANILA, Philippines – In his first public comments since the end of his seven-month ordeal as a hostage of Muslim rebels, a California man today denied persistent rumors that he had joined the guerrillas and said he lost 100 pounds while in captivity.

Chinese jet broke in two after striking spy plane, diplomats say
BEIJING – Senior U.S. diplomats today gave new details of the collision between a U.S. spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet, saying the Chinese pilot crashed into the Navy EP-3E's left engine after twice flying within three feet of the aircraft. The officials said the Chinese jet then struck the plane's nose, snapped in half and plunged into the sea.

Palestinians accuse Israel of plotting to assassinate Fatah member
JERUSALEM – Palestinians today blamed Israel for the botched attempt to kill a leading member of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement and said they arrested suspected informers who delivered a booby-trapped car to the intended victim.

Remains of Americans killed in Vietnam helicopter crash flown home
HANOI, Vietnam – In a poignant echo of earlier services for long-lost soldiers, U.S. officials held a repatriation ceremony today for seven Americans killed last weekend while searching for the remains of Americans missing since the Vietnam War.

Seven killed in Philadelphia group home fire
PHILADELPHIA – Seven people were killed today in a fire at a group home for the physically and mentally disabled, according to fire officials and a neighbor.