UPS Strike Drags On

It's day two of the nation-wide strike against United Parcel Service, and the company is acknowledging that the walkout by 185,000 Teamsters workers is having a big effect. UPS says it has been able to handle about 10 percent of its usual load of parcels and packages. A U.S. government mediator says he plans to contact representatives from both sides today, to measure prospects for resuming contract talks. "I am going to be in touch with both sides ... as I was yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon and we just have to see where it goes," John Calhoun Wells told CNN. But he emphasizes that to his knowledge, no new talks are scheduled.

Clinton to Sign Historic Bills

President Clinton today is to sign legislation meant to balance the U.S. budget by 2002 and cut taxes by $95 billion at the same time. Clinton will sign the legislation at a White House ceremony to be attended by lawmakers from both parties. Emphasizing the legislation's bipartisan nature, House Speaker Newt Gingrich has been invited to make remarks during the ceremony. The deficit-reduction and tax-cut legislation cleared Congress last week. The bills include a $500-per-child tax credit and the largest spending hike for education in three decades.

US Federal Smoking Ban Widened

President Clinton reportedly plans to toughen the crackdown on smoking on federal property. The U.S. military and many federal agencies already restrict smoking in their facilities. But the Washington Post reports that Clinton plans to sign an executive order that would ban smoking in virtually every building owned or leased by the federal government. The Post says the order also would forbid outdoor smoking in courtyards and near building entrances. Exceptions would include rooms with separate ventilation systems and residential units such as military barracks.

More Problems Pop Up on Mir

Even as a relief crew prepares to blast off for the Russian space station Mir, the aging orbiter is having more problems. Russian space officials say Mir's oxygen-generating systems are not working -- and the crew has been unable to fix the problem, despite several days of repair efforts. For now, the crew is using canisters to maintain its oxygen supply. Russian space officials express confidence that once the relief crew arrives Thursday and begins the repair work it's been practicing, "the whole complex will start its work almost as it was before."

Court Blocks Calif. Execution

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the conviction of Thomas Thompson in a 1981 rape and murder, blocking an execution that was to take place early today. The justices provided the reprieve just six hours before the 42-year-old was to be executed in California's San Quentin State Prison. The Supreme Court acted after California appealed a lower court ruling throwing out Thompson's death sentence and reversing his rape conviction. The Supreme Court is to hear Thompson's case during its next term, starting in October.

Trade Center Trial Delayed

Opening statements in the trial of the accused mastermind in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing have been rescheduled for today. The statements were postponed yesterday after a juror called in sick. At the request of defense lawyers, U.S. District Court Judge Kevin Duffy questioned all of the jurors and each of the alternates about whether their impartiality had been affected by last week's suicide bombing in Israel and the discovery of five pipe bombs in a Brooklyn raid. The trial of Ramzi Yousef and his co-defendant, Eyad Ismoil, comes just days after authorities said they had foiled an alleged suicide bombing attack on New York's subway by Middle Eastern men.

N. Korea Peace Talks Set

After more than a year of haggling, North Korea is to open talks in New York today with China, the United States and South Korea. The session is aimed at securing lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. North Korea created a positive mood for the talks with a goodwill gesture yesterday, handing over the remains of four U.S. soldiers killed during the 1950-1953 Korean War. Today's meeting of officials from the four countries at Columbia University has a limited purpose: to set a date, time, place and agenda for the opening of substantive negotiations, which probably will begin next month.

Alleged CIA Gunman in Court

A pre-trial hearing is to be held today in the case of CIA shooting suspect Mir Aimal Kansi. His lawyer has filed a motion challenging the use of the death penalty in the case. The prosecutor has vowed to seek the death penalty if Kansi is convicted. Kansi is accused of killing two CIA workers and wounding three others in a 1993 attack outside the spy agency's headquarters in suburban Washington. Kansi was apprehended in Pakistan by FBI agents and brought back to the United States last month. His trial has been set for November.

New Treatment for Parkinson's

A promising new treatment is on the way for those who suffer from Parkinson's disease and another disorder. The Food and Drug Administration has approved an implanted electronic device that controls the muscle shaking caused by disorders of the nervous system. The Activa system, made by Medtronic, is described as the first all-new therapy to hit the market in 30 years for controlling "essential tremor." That neurological movement disorder affects at least one million Americans. Parkinson's disease affects about 500,000 Americans, including former boxer Muhammad Ali and Attorney General Janet Reno.

American Now is Oldest Human

Danish-born American Christian Mortensen now is believed to be the world's oldest person. The 114-year-old assumed the status after yesterday's death in France of Jeanne Calment, who was 122 years old. She was born in 1875. Mortensen lives in a nursing home in San Rafael, Calif., just north of San Francisco. Mortensen was born in Denmark in 1882 and came to the United States in 1903. He worked as a tailor, milkman and streetcar repair man. An official at the nursing home says Mortensen is "doing pretty well." He marks his 115th birthday in 11 days.

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