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i # % Iraq protests U.S.and British airstrikes ■Saddam Hussein explores ways to protect Iraq from Ui .and British air raids. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BAGHDAD, Iraq—Thousands of Iraqis marched in the rain Sunday to protest U.S. and British airstrikes, and Iraqi television showed damaged houses and shops in a town where one man was killed when allied missiles hit nearby. President Saddam Hussein met with his top air defense commander to explore ways of protecting the country from allied attacks in the wake of the raid, which targeted radar and command-and-control sites. Friday nighds strikes around Baghdad - which killed two people and wounded at least 20-have raised strong condemnations from Arab allies of the United States. And Iraq warned that it raised tensions ahead erf key talks with the United Nations. Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf is due to meet U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan for Feb. 26-27 discussions seen as a chance to restart dia logue on resuming weapons inspections and lifting economic sanctions. In a letter to Arman and the Security ' Council, al-Sahhaf said the U.N. chief should “condemn the dangerous aggres sion and the increaseof tension” and should take “speedy steps to prevent such attacks from taking place again,” the official Iraqi News Agency said Sunday. On Sunday, Saddam met with Minister of Military Industrialization Abdel-T&wab MuflaHuwaish and Lt. Gen. Shaheen Yassin Mohammed, commander of air defense units, according to Iraqi News Agency. “The meeting discussed improving means of defending the great Iraq and its steadfastness in order to protect toe brave Iraqis from harm,” said toe agency The news agency reported Saturday that Saddam ordered the training of about 300,000volunteers for what he called the Al Quds - or Jerusalem -Army aiming to free Jerusalem from Israeli control. “If little Bush considers his aggression a message to Iraq, then we have the answer, which is the formation of al-Quds Army... ready for jihad (holy war) and liberating Palestine,” the official Iraqi daily Al-Thawra said in a front-page editorial Sunday. The United States and Britain said the strikes were needed to thwart Iraq's improv ing capabilities in targeting allied jets patrolling a southern no-fly zone. They said five military facilities were hit Iraq's state-run satellite station repeat edly broadcast footage showing civilian buildings in two towns it said were damaged by die raids. In the farming village of al-Hafriya, 25 miles south of Baghdad, houses had shat tered windows and doors tom off after a missile struck on the outskirts of town. TWo stores, for agricultural supplies and automotive spare parts, suffered similar damage. A 28-year-old man from die town was killed. "This is an agricultural area and there are no military installations here,” Fawzia Ibrahim, a resident of one of the damaged houses, told the television station. In al-Rashdiya, 12 miles north of the capital, a witness said the missile had land ed in a field of mud, softening the explosion. Foreign media have not been allowed access to the bombed sites. It was not known where the strikes’ otherreportedvic tim-a woman-was from. More than 2,000 people - including Deputy Foreign Minister NabilNajim-took part in Sunday’s protest in central Baghdad, and at least 1,000others gathered across the city near the offices ofthe ruling Baath party "This dangerous aggression shows how much the Americans and Britons hate Iraqis and do not respect any international law,” Najim told the demonstrators. “This aggres sion must be condemned.” The demonstration came amid renewed Arab condemnation of the airstrikes. Egypt a key U.S. ally that rallied behind the drive to oust Iraqi troops from Kuwait 10 years ago, sent Economy Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali and Public Sector Minister Mokhtar Khattab to Baghdad to show solidarity with Iraq. “We are here to support the Iraqi people and promote economic and financial rela tions between our countries,” Boutros Ghali told reporters. Umbilical cords could be alternate for stem research THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO—Umbilical cords discarded after birth may offer a vast new source of repair material for fixing brains damaged by strokes and other ills, bee of the ethical concerns surrounding the use of fetal tissue, researchers said Sunday. fa animal experiments, at least cells bom umbilical cords appear to greatly speed recovery after strokes. They work with a simple infusion into the blood stream without the need for direct implantation into the brain. Although many details need to be worked out, Eh. Paul R. Sanberg of the University of South Florida said he hoped to hy the approach on stroke vic tims within the next year or two. Sanberg described the research at a meeting in San Francisco of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It was financed by the state of Florida and Cryo-Cell International Inc of Clearwater, Fla. Many experts believe that primitive tissue called stem cells will someday be routinely used to make human spare parts. They might replace tissue dam aged by many different diseases, espe cially such brain ailments as strokes and Alzheimer's disease. These generic cells can be nudged to develop into all sorts of specialized tissue to repopulate every part of the body from head to toe. Sanberg said his research suggested that umbilical cords could be an excel lent source of stem cells without die eth ical headaches of fetal tissue. He noted that 4 million babies were bom in the United States each year, and 99 percent of their cord blood was tossed away. He said one or two cords could prob ably provide enough stem cells to treat one human stroke victim, if the current approach proves useful. The cells could be frozen for use when needed. In experiments so far, his team removed stem cells from cords and then used retinoic add and growth hormones to transform them into immature nerve cells. They then injected 3 million of these cells into the Wood streams of rats that had suffered strokes. In experiments on about 60 rats, die team found that after one month, those given the cells had recovered about 80 percent from their strokes, compared with about 20 percent in untreated rats. Sanberg said the treatment worked best when given within 24 hours of a stroke but would still help up to a week later. Just how the new cells rewire the damaged parts of the brain is unclear, although the cells can take on the form of distinctly different types of brain tissue, and they also appear to prompt dam aged cells to repair themselves. TODAY TOMORROW Partly cloudy Cloudy high 43, low 21 high 33, low 9 C Editor Sarah Baker WManaglag Editor Bradley Davis Associate News Editor Kimberly Sweet Assignment Editor JilIZeman Opinion Editor Jake Glazeski Sports Editor Matthew Hansen V# Assistant Sports Editor David Diehl Arts Editor Samuel McKewon Jw Copy Desk Chief: Danell McCoy mm Copy Desk Chief: Jeff Bloom Art Director Melanie Falk JZM Art Director Delan Lonowski 4|t Photo Chief: Scott McClurg OJ Design Coordinator Bradley Davis ZWob Editor Gregg Stems Assistant Web Editor Tanner Graham General Manager Daniel Shattil Publications Board Russell Willbanks Cbalrmsn: (402)436-7226 •-TT Professional Advisor Don Walton ^ (402) 473-7248 W Advertising Manager Nick Partsch (402)472-2589 Assistant Ad Manager Nicole Woita Classified Ad Manager Nikki Bruner Circulation Manager. Imtiyaz Khan Fax nui.toer (402) 472-1761 World Wide Web: www.dailyneb.coni The Doily Nebraskan (USPS144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board# Nebraska Union, 1400 R St, Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, Monday throt^jh Friday during the academic year; weekly during the summer $essions.The pubfic has access to the Publications Board. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by calling (402) 472-2588. Subscriptions are $60 for one year. Postmaster Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, 20 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St, Lincoln NE 6&88-0448. Periodical postage paid at Lincoln, NE. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 2001 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN OMSbOOS? CWMMCtS? Ask for An appropriate section editor at (4t2) 472-25M or e-mail d^snl.fds._ Relatives demand answers from U.S. Navy in fishing boat accident T1IE ACC/V'IATCn DDCCC Farm mfnmanHpr of thp Pacific -g HONOLULU — Japanese family members examined a videotape of the sunken ship Ehime Maru sitting upright on the ocean floor as atop U.S. Navy official announced a high-level investigation into why a U.S. submarine surfaced directly underneath it, leaving nine of their relatives missing. The videotape, taken by robot submersibles, shows the exterior of the fishing vessel seemingly in pristine condition, with no signs of the nine men and boys who have been missing since Feb. 9 when the USS Greeneville collided with the ship during an emergency sur facing drill. Damage to the bottom of the boat was not visible because of the downward angle of the video, taken 2,033 feet below the ocean surface, Coast Guard spokesman Lt Greg Fondran said Saturday. Relatives have demanded answers as to why the 360-foot nuclear-powered submarine sta tioned two civilians at key con trols during the emergency drill. As the 6,900-ton submarine sur faced, its rudder superstructure knifed through the hull of the 500-ton Ehime Maru, which sank within minutes. Twenty-six survivors were plucked from the waters near Pearl Harbor. The remaining nine crew and passengers’ are missing and presumed dead. “The court of inquiry will provide a full and open account ing for the American and Japanese people,” Adm. Thomas Fleet, said during a news confer ence Saturday. Fargo said the Navy expected to convene the inquiry - the Navy’s highest form of adminis trative investigation - at Pearl Harbor on Thursday. The hearing could result in a recommendation for courts martial of the USS Greeneville’s officers, Fargo said. The submarine’s command er, executive officer and officer of the deck have been named par ties to the inquiry. Three Navy flag officers will make up the court, Fargo said. “The seriousness in which I view this tragic accident is reflected in the level of investiga tion and the seniority of the court members,” Fargo said. The submarine’s command er, Cmdr: Scott Waddle, was reas signed to a staff position after the incident. The other two officers named were Lt Cmdr. Gerald K. Pfeifer and Lt.j.g. Michael J. Coen. “The families have been a great concern of ours throughout this past week,” said Fargo. “I've got a great empathy for the Japanese people and their fami lies and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure we have a full accounting on this accident and take care of their needs here in Hawaii.” As for the families’demand for an apology from Waddle, the admiral noted that because Waddle’s actions are under inves tigation “there are legal implica tions, I think, with respect to that It will certainly be his judgment” I Clinton defends Marc Rich pardon ■ Clinton denies he gave pardon because Rich's former wife made political contributions. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON—Former President Clinton gave his fullest defense yet of the Marc Rich pardon on Sunday, but failed to silence critics who argue that political donations and connections helped the fugi tive financier’s cause. “I want every American to know that, while you may disagree with this decision, I made it on the mer its as I saw them, and I take full responsibility for it,” Clinton wrote in an op-ed column in The New York Times. “The suggestion that I granted the pardons because Mr. Rich’s former wife, Denise, made politi cal contributions and contributed to the Clinton library foundation is utterly false.” Clinton also wrote that three well-known Republican lawyers who once represented Rich “reviewed and advocated” the case for his pardon. All three denied that assertion. “I was astounded,” one said. The former president’s last-minute pardon of Rich, who has lived in Switzerland since fleeing a 1983 indictment on tax evasion and other charges, has prompted an investigation by federal prosecutors in NewYork and congressional hearings. Investigators want to know if Rich bought his par don by passing money through his ex-wife, Denise Rich, who has acknowledged making large contribu tions both to Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate race and to die presidential library. Sen. Aden Specter, R-Pa., a senior member of a Senate Judiciary Committee, which is reviewing the pardon, said there were "a great many questions which the former president has left unanswered.” “He does not say why he did not talk to the prose cuting attorneys. He does not say why he didn't talk to the pardon attorney for die Department of Justice” and didn’t follow their regulations, Specter said on nbc s Meet me ness. “Nobody's questioning that the president had the power to pardon whomever he wanted to,” said Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., whose House Government Reform Committee also held hearings on the pardon. “The American people want to know why one of the most wanted fugitives in the world was granted a pardon," he said on CNN’s “Late Edition.” “This edito rial doesn't explain it” Clinton cited eight reasons for his decision, five of which he said were directly related to his conclusion that the case was improperly handled when criminal charges were filed in 1983. He wrote that he pardoned Rich only after con cluding that a civil court should have handled the case, and he fashioned the pardon to allow for the pursuit of new civil charges. Clinton added that many high-ranking Israeli officials and Jewish community leaders urged the pardon because of Rich’s contributions to Israeli charities. The former president also wrote that “the case for the pardons was reviewed and advocated” by former White House counsel Jack Quinn and three Republican attorneys: Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff; Leonard Garment, a for mer Nixon White House official; and William Bradford Reynolds, who ran the Justice Department’s civil rights division under President Reagan. The three attorneys denied Clinton's statement The Associated Press ■ Wisconsin 10-year-old boy accused of sexual assulting 4-year-old MILWAUKEE — Police have arrested a 10-year-old boy accused of sexually assaulting a 4 year-old girl The boy was taken into cus tody Friday. Police said he admit ted to having sex with the girl in his house on Feb. 11. "They're getting younger, but at 10, this one is unique,” Police Sgt Donald Derge said. Erin Thornley, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, said many sexual assaults occur between preteen children, but the cases usually were shrouded in the anonymity of juvenile courts. "It's more common than what we usually talk about,” Thornley said. The boy is due in juvenile court March 5. ■ Minnesota Two women ski 2300 miles across Antarctic land mass MINNEAPOLIS—TWo polar explorers who were stranded on an Antarctic ice shelf for two days have been airlifted to McMurdo Station where they were quickly snowed in again. Arm Bancroft, 45, of Scandia, Minn., and Liv Amesen, 47, of Oslo, Norway, became the first women to ski 2300 miles across the Antarctic land mass when they reached the frozen ocean of the Ross Ice Shelf on Sunday. They had hoped to ski and parasail the remaining 470 miles to the sta tion, but poor weather conditions convinced them to call for an air plane rescue instead. The women and their rescue team arrived at McMurdo Station on Saturday evening but a severe snowstorm delayed their depar ture via helicopter to a waiting ship bound for Tasmania, Australia, said Charlie Hartwell, president of your expedition.com, the company supporting the trip. ■ Missouri Washington University human sexuality researcher dies ST. LOUIS — William H. Masters, one of die first and lead ing researchers in the field of human sexuality, died in a Tucson, Ariz. hospital Friday of complications from Parkinson's disease, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was 85. Masters gained an interest in sexuality while a medical student in New York in the 1940s. He established himself as1 a researcher in obstetrics and gyne cology and moved on to study human sexuality at Washington University in St Louis, where he cofounded the Masters and Johnson Institute Partnered with Virginia Johnson, his future wife, Masters conducted interviews and observed sex in the act, research ing biological responses and monitoring the physiology of sex ual arousal. Based on that research, the pair published “Human Sexual Response" in 1966, which became a best-seller despite its technical language. ■ Florida Wildfire bums out of control, residents evacuated POLK CITY—An 8,500-acre wildfire burning out of control closed a 10-mile section of Interstate 4 on Sunday and forced the evacuation of dozens of homes. The wind-driven fire near Polk City in central Florida had grown overnight from 2,000 acres and jumped to the south side of I 4, a heavily traveled route between Orlando andTbmpa. “This is very intense and erratic fire behavior," said Paul Palmiotto, assistant chief of forest protection at die Florida Division of Forestry. Fire officials were assessing whether to also evacuate the Polk County Correctional Institute. Another 30 homes about a mil$ away also remained evacuated after residents were told to leave Saturday. The fire was 20 percent con tained and firefighters were dig ging ditches for a fire line south of the blaze, Polk County emergency