PHOENI

-- Dozens of female travelers have filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration and state officials, alleging that male airport security screeners groped them under the guise of random body searches. The complaints include 18 filed with the FAA by women who said they were singled out for pat-down searches when they were traveling alone, then groped or fondled by male agents, according to spokesman Jerry Snyder.
At least 35 women have contacted Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano about being improperly touched during pat-down searches, spokeswoman Pati Urias said, although none has filed a criminal complaint. The complaints were made from Oct. 11 to Jan. 31. The use of random body searches has been increased since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Three teens wounded inshooting outside school
CHICAGO -- Three 16-year-olds were wounded in a shooting outside a Chicago high school, police said. The shooting, which left one boy in serious condition, occurred about 2:50 p.m. Thursday in between two dismissals at Roosevelt High School, said Sgt. Craig Cristoe of the Chicago Police Department's school patrol division. A 16-year-old boy was being sought as the shooter, Cristoe said. The motive wasn't immediately known.
A boy who was shot in the back was in serious condition Thursday night at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, a nursing supervisor said. The two other injured students -- a boy and a girl -- were treated and released. None of the students was identified. The girl was a student at Roosevelt, Cristoe said. The two boys who were wounded were students at Schurz High School, another nearby Chicago public school, Cristoe said.
Church reveals namesof suspended priests
BOSTON -- The Roman Catholic Church's Boston Archdiocese, complying with its promise to report past abuse accusations, revealed the names of six more priests who have been suspended amid charges they molested children. The six were among at least 22 more accused priests whose names were forwarded to prosecutors Thursday. In all, the archdiocese has now turned over the names of at least 60 priests accused of sexually abusing children over the past 40 years. Also Thursday, the archdiocese was hit by two new lawsuits alleging the church knew of the abuse but failed to stop it.
Bush plan for veteranscomes under attack
WASHINGTON -- President Bush's proposal to require veterans with incomes as low as $24,000 to pay a $1,500 deductible for using the Veterans Affairs health care system is drawing heat. The government has to adequately fund the system, said Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, "but pricing people out of it with a high deductible isn't a viable way."
The deductible was included in Bush's 2003 budget plan as a means of coping with rapidly growing participation in VA health care programs. The administration estimated savings of more than $1 billion from the deductible, predicting reduced costs of $885 million and increased collections of $260 million.
Associated Press