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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Panel close to health care deal

From Wire Reports

WASHINGTON – Senate health care negotiators said Monday they’ve narrowed their differences on a host of difficult issues with just a day or so left to seal an elusive bipartisan deal that could change the course of the contentious debate.

After months of closed-door negotiations, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said, “We’re getting very close.”

The negotiators pared the cost of their 10-year coverage plan to under $880 billion, and also reported progress on several issues.

With or without Republican support, Baucus said he’ll have a formal proposal in time for a Wednesday deadline.

Possible al-Qaida link spurs raid

WASHINGTON – FBI agents and police raided three apartments in New York City before dawn Monday during an investigation of a man suspected of being an al-Qaida associate.

The searches came after the man, who was under surveillance for possible links to the terror network, visited New York City over the weekend and left the area, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said after receiving a briefing on the operation from federal law enforcement officials Monday.

No arrests were announced. Neither the FBI nor the NYPD would discuss the whereabouts of the al-Qaida suspect or whether anyone was being held for questioning in New York.

Insider suspected in Yale killing

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Clues increasingly pointed to an inside job Monday in the slaying of a Yale graduate student whose body was found stuffed inside a wall five days after she vanished from a heavily secured lab building accessible only to university employees.

Police on Monday said the death of 24-year-old Annie Le was a targeted act. “We’re not believing it’s a random act,” said Officer Joe Avery, a police spokesman. No one else is in danger, he said, though he would not provide details other than to say that police believe no other students were involved. He also denied reports that police had a suspect in custody.

Yale officials said the building where Le worked would reopen under increased security. Police found Le’s body about 5 p.m. Sunday, the day she was to marry Columbia University graduate student Jonathan Widawsky.

Police have said Widawsky is not a suspect and helped detectives in their investigation.

The university held a candlelight vigil Monday evening.

Faculty senate wants leaders out

URBANA, Ill. – The University of Illinois faculty senate has voted on a resolution supporting the removal of President B. Joseph White and Chancellor Richard Herman from office in the wake of an admissions scandal.

The Senate briefly considered an altered resolution that didn’t mention either leader and called for a review of leadership, but voted 98-55 in favor Monday to support an “orderly transition” removing both leaders from office.

The nonbinding resolution will go on to Gov. Pat Quinn and the school’s board of trustees.

The leadership debate was prompted by revelations that university admissions gave special consideration to applicants with political connections.