TWO STEEL COLUMNS RISE AT WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE

Two steel columns riseat World Trade Center site
NEW YORK -- Two 25-ton steel columns -- one bearing signatures of American steel workers who helped make it -- rose at ground zero Tuesday, a milestone in prolonged efforts to build the skyscraper that will replace the twin towers of the World Trade Center. As construction workers, politicians and architects applauded, a massive crane lifted the first 31-foot-high column, which was painted with an American flag and the words "Freedom Tower," and set it over steel bars on the southern edge of the tower's base. A second column set a few feet away carried the signatures of steel workers and politicians from Virginia, where it spent time at a steel company before being shipped to New York. A third column lay on its side, plastered with signatures of New Yorkers and Sept. 11 victims' relatives as well as pictures of some firefighters killed in the 2001 attack. It will be installed in the next few days. By next spring, 27 of the jumbo steel columns to anchor the skyscraper are expected to rise to street level -- about 70 feet from the bottom of ground zero. "Today the steel rises. The Freedom Tower rises from the ashes of Sept. 11, and the people of New York and the people of America can be proud," Gov. George Pataki said.
Talks with North Koreaproduce no breakthroughs
BEIJING -- U.S. and North Korean diplomats met face-to-face Tuesday to discuss international efforts to get the communist regime to give up its nuclear arms program and the North's demand for Washington to stop trying to freeze it out of the global banking system. U.S. officials gave no indication of any progress after two days in the latest round of six-nation talks, which have failed over more than three years of meetings to dismantle the North's atomic weapons program -- or prevent its first nuclear test explosion Oct. 9. "We don't have really any breakthroughs to report," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said after meeting with a North Korean delegation on the nuclear weapons issue. Financial experts discussed the banking restrictions separately. The North entered the talks by restating its long-held demands, emboldened by its confirmed nuclear status and raising doubts about chances for a quick resolution of the standoff that began in late 2002.
Shuttle crew heads home
HOUSTON -- The shuttle Discovery backed away from the international space station and started a two-day journey home after its crew bade farewell to the residents of the orbiting outpost and left behind U.S. astronaut Suni Williams for a six-month stay. Discovery is scheduled to return to Earth on Friday after a 13-day mission to rewire the space station and complete other tasks. Under the control of pilot William Oefelein, the shuttle pulled about 450 feet back from the space lab before its jets were fired. Discovery will stay about 46 miles from the station for an inspection of its heat shield Wednesday, allowing the astronauts to return to the space lab in case damage is found. "From the crew of Discovery, we wish you smooth sailing," Discovery commander Mark Polansky radioed the space station crew.
Iran asks U.N. to condemnIsraeli nuke development
UNITED NATIONS -- Iran demanded Tuesday that the U.N. Security Council condemn what it said was Israel's clandestine development of nuclear weapons and "compel" it to place all its nuclear facilities under U.N. inspection. If Israel refuses to comply, Iran said the council must take "resolute action" under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which authorizes a range of measures from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military action. Iran insists its own nuclear program is a purely peaceful effort to develop energy, but the United States and many European nations believe Tehran's real aim in enriching uranium is to produce nuclear weapons. The Security Council is currently debating a resolution that would impose sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend its enrichment program.
Second suspect detainedin murder of 5 prostitutes
IPSWICH, England -- Police pursuing the killer of five prostitutes arrested a second suspect Tuesday and seized a dark blue Ford that a neighbor in Ipswich's red-light district said the 48-year-old man had repeatedly cleaned. A one-time auxiliary police constable arrested Monday in a village outside Ipswich remains in custody. A court gave police permission to hold the 37-year-old supermarket clerk and part-time taxi driver for an additional 36 hours while officers scoured his back yard on hands and knees for possible clues. Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull said both men were suspects in the murders of Tania Nicol, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell, Gemma Adams and Annette Nicholls.
Associated Press