REGION

REGION
Timken and unionagree to discuss pact
CANTON -- Timken Co. and the Steelworkers union have agreed to discuss the possibility of renegotiating a labor agreement to try to save jobs.
The Canton-based steel and bearings maker said May 14 that it planned to close three Canton area bearings plants over the next three years because the plants were not competitive. A shutdown would eliminate 1,150 union jobs and 170 salaried positions, about a third of the company's local work force.
The company and union met for the first time since the announcement.
NATION
Prosecutor: Executivesravaged Adelphia
NEW YORK -- Four former executives ravaged Adelphia Communications Corp. "like their own ATM machine," driving it into bankruptcy and covering their tracks with lies, a prosecutor said Wednesday in closing arguments.
Prosecutor Christopher Clark cited lavish examples of how he said the men spent looted cash -- including 17 cars, a golf course and $6,000 to have two Christmas trees flown to New York. Clark told jurors the men had robbed investors of life savings.
John Rigas, sons Michael and Timothy, and former assistant treasurer Michael Mulcahey are accused of hiding more than $2 billion in company debt and stealing with gusto from company coffers.
WORLD
OPEC to boost production
LONDON -- OPEC signaled it would boost oil production and said it would ask other major oil producers outside the group such as Mexico to do so as well to make up for lost crude exports from sabotaged pipelines in Iraq.
But analysts said pumping the extra oil would strain the world's limited spare production capacity and leave a wafer-thin cushion with which to absorb any future supply disruptions.
An attack on the two southern pipelines serving as Iraq's main export route for oil forced the suspension Wednesday of about 1.5 million barrels in daily Iraqi shipments from the gulf.
From Vindicator staff and wire reports