News briefs

U.S. retrieves final

pieces of spy plane

MANILA, Philippines - The last disassembled parts of a U.S. spyplane that collided with a Chinese fighter jet, sparking a crisis inU.S.-China relations, were flown off southern China's Hainan islandtoday, the Navy said.

The fuselage of the EP-3E and equipment used to dismantle theplane were packed onto an AN-124 cargo aircraft that arrived in thePhilippine capital of Manila this evening to refuel before flying toHonolulu, Hawaii.

"Things went extremely smoothly," said Navy Cmdr. John Fleming ofthe U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii. "It was a very well-orchestrated operation."

He said the work crew was able to finish well before its July 11target date, and added that Chinese officials had been helpful.

"By every measure, the cooperation from the host nation wasoutstanding," Fleming said.

Pa. mayor faces

trial in riot death

YORK, Pa. - The mayor and five other white men will be tried forthe death of a black woman during the city's 1969 race riots, ajudge ruled today.

Prosecutors presented enough evidence at a preliminary hearing towarrant going to trial, Common Pleas Judge Emmanuel Cassimatis said,noting that they only had to prove there was evidence of a crime andprobable cause to charge the defendants.

"A mere conflict of testimony will not defeat the commonwealth'scase," Cassimatis said of the defense's efforts to contradict theprosecution.

Mayor Charlie Robertson was a police officer when Lillie BelleAllen was killed the night of July 21, 1969. He was arrested in Mayand charged with murder as an "accessory before the fact," in partfor allegedly handing out ammunition shortly before Allen waskilled.

The mayor, who has denied involvement in Allen's death, showed noimmediate reaction to Cassimatis' ruling. The six defendants werescheduled to be arraigned July 23 and remain free on bail.

EU blocks GE plan

to buy Honeywell

STRASBOURG, France - The European Union blocked General ElectricCo.'s $41 billion purchase of Honeywell International Inc. today, EUsources said.

Rejection of the deal marks the first time a proposed mergerbetween two U.S. companies has been blocked solely by Europeanregulators.

The veto of the world's largest corporate merger by the EU's 20-member executive Commission was widely expected after the Americancompanies failed to allay European fears the deal would create anunfairly dominant position in markets for jetliner engine andavionics.

The Commission's decision was unanimous, the source said. It cameafter a one-hour meeting during which EU antitrust chief Mario Montipresented the issues to his colleagues.