Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 2

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES A2 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2001 NATION WORLD 1 Ailing Strom Thurmond faints in Senate chamber 'I Kenneth Lamberlr he associated press Stephen J. Boitano the associated press An ambulance transDortina Sen. Strom Thurmond. to the Thurmond on Jan. 1 8 in Wash- hospital, drives past the Senate side of the Capitol after Thur-Ington.

mond collapsed in the Senate Tuesday in Washington. Senator hospitalized Local reaction What is your reaction to U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina fainting Tuesday on the Senate floor? Ridge vows to balance liberty, security in job HARRISBURG, Pa. Gov.

Tom Ridge, bidding farewell to lawmakers more than a year early Tuesday, promised to strike a balance between protecting civil rights and ensuring national security in his new role as the country's anti-terrorism chief. "Liberty is a precious gift. It is what the terrorists fear most, what they hate most. It's what they tried to take away from us on Sept. he told a joint session of the House and Senate in the state Capitol.

"We must also reject the false choice of liberty versus security. We can and we must have both. We will be safe. And we will not let the terrorists change our essential way of life." Ridge, whom President Bush has named as the head of a new Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security, also issued a stern warning that ethnic and religious harassment or intimidation will not be tolerated. Fla.

secretary of state to run for Congress SARASOTA, Fla. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who was vilified by Democrats and feted by Republicans for her central role in the Florida recount that gave George W. Bush the presidency, announced Tuesday she is running for Congress. "In light of the recent tragedy, I am more committed than ever to serving the president and our nation," she said, referring to the terrorist attacks. "I can't put on a uniform.

I can fight for this president in another capacity." Harris, 44, wants to succeed GOP Rep. Dan Miller, who is not seeking a sixth term in 2002. The Democrats, who have yet to field a candidates, reacted with glee, saying they wanted Harris to run so they can use her as their poster girl for everything that was wrong with the election last fall. Creator of Heathcliff cartoon dies at 72 RIDGEWOOO, NJ. George Gately, the creator of the "Heathcliff" newspaper comic about the antics of a rotund cat, has died.

He was 72. Gately died Sunday of a heart attack at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, his brother John Gallagher said. Gately's real name was George Gately Gallagher. Gately created his "Heathcliff" cartoon in 1973, predating "Garfield" by five years. It featured the stylish cat, who often wore a black leather jacket and sunglasses.

The comic was later turned into an animated TV show. "He was pretty jolly, very outgoing," Gallagher said Tuesday. He had hoped to become a musician, his brother said, but "Heathcliff" became so popular that he was too busy drawing to pursue music full-time. Man convicted of murder spared death KANSAS CITY, Mo. A man who dragged a 6-year-old boy to his death during a carjacking was spared the death penalty Tuesday when the jury sentenced him to life in prison without parole.

Kim Davis, 36, was convicted of murder last week in the death of Jake Robel. The boy died last year after he became tangled in a seat belt outside his mother's Chevy Blazer as Davis drove it out of a sandwich shop parking lot. Davis' attorney argued Davis was unaware the boy was being dragged. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Russia, Iran sign pact on weapons supplies MOSCOW Russia and Iran signed a framework agreement on new weapons deliveries Tuesday, burying a six-year-old secret deal between Washington and Moscow to deny arms supplies to Tehran. The defense ministers of the two nations also expressed solidarity in supporting Afghanistan's opposition northern alliance, which is fighting the ruling Taliban militia.

Both nations insist, however, on United Nations approval for any military retaliation for the Sept. attacks against the United States. Afghanistan, where suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden is based, is expected to be a target. "If this were within the framework of the international community and in the framework of the United Nations, then, of course, we would support such action," Iranian Defense Minister All Shamkhani was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. U.S., British hit artillery site in Iraq RIYADH, Saudi Arabia U.S.

and British aircraft fired on an anti-aircraft artillery site in Iraq's southern "no-fly" zone Tuesday, a U.S. military official said. An Iraqi military spokesman confirmed the attack, accusing the allied aircraft of bombing "civilian and service installations." All U.S. and British aircraft returned safely to base after the strike at Al-Hallah, 260 miles southeast of Baghdad, said Chief Petty Officer David Nagle, a spokesman for the U.S.-British Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, which is responsible for patrolling the southern "no-fly" zone. Nagle said the strikes were provoked by Iraqi threats but did not specify their nature.

Iraqi sites have fired on or otherwise threatened U.S.British aircraft at least 400 times this year, according to the United States and Britain. Abortion bill raised in Ireland DUBUN, Ireland Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern on Tuesday reopened one of the most divisive arguments in this predominantly Roman Catholic country when, if ever, doctors should be allowed to perform abortions. After nearly a decade of political debate and delay, Ahern published the Human Life and Pregnancy Bill, which, if approved, would allow doctors to terminate pregnancies when women's lives were at risk. Ahern said the bill was designed to reconcile conflicting demands in the country's constitution, which bars all abortions, and a 1992 Supreme Court judgment that an abortion should be permitted when a woman might otherwise die. Ahern expressed confidence he would win cross-party support from lawmakers by December.

But before it could become )aw, the measure would need majority support in a.public referendum, probably next spring. The legislation must go to a public vote because it proposes a change to the constitution. He appealed for voters on both sides' of the debate to "be informed by a spirit of reason, tolerance and open-mindedness." Colombia rebels reject peace concessions BOGOTA, Colombia Colombia's main leftist rebel army said "warmongers" were conspiring against the peace process, and issued an angry refusal Tuesday to accept any conditions on how it uses a huge guerrilla sanctuary in the country's south. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, took the stand as its envoys met inside the safe haven with delegates of President Andres Pastrana's government for talks to save embattled peace talks. Meanwhile, bloodshed increased Tuesday with the slaying of Congressman Octavio Sarmiento, of the opposition Liberal Party.

He was shot dead near his ranch in eastern Arauca State, home to leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitaries. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TO REPORT AN ERROR The Citizen-Times strives to be accurate in all of the stories we publish. If you know of an error in a story, please call Executive Editor Bob Gabordi at (828) 232-5954 or write him at P.O. Box 2090, Asheville, NC 28802. "He needs to retire.

He's old. His time has passed. He can't do his job anymore." Shelley MrtcheU, 33, of Arden "I have mixed feelings, I guess. I'm a sentimental old fool, and it's tradition to have him in the Senate. He's been there forever.

But it's probably time he retired." Donna Henderson, 38, of Weaverville "It's a strong statement for term limits. People shouldn't be able to just keep running and running and running and running." W.D. Reed, 42, of 1 Candler "It's too much pressure going on in the Senate right now, and that can't be good for his health. You need someone who can physically do the job." W.G. Foster, 59, of (Keen Thurmond's fainting spell in the Senate chamber Tuesday was "much ado about nothing," his estranged wife said.

Nancy Thurmond, who has not lived with her husband since 1991, said she spoke with the senator's doctors and was told the collapse was "a matter of fainting, a weak spell." Doctors said Thurmond probably was suffering from dehydration, said his spokeswoman, Genevieve Erny. She said they didn't know how long he would remain in the hospital. The Senate recessed for 20 minutes after Thurmond fainted, and Majority Leader Tom Daschle, ordered the chamber cleared. Capitol Police also clamped an extraordinary ring of security around the chamber, the corridors surrounding it and even the parking lot outside the Capitol, refusing to allow people near. Born in December 1902, Thurmond was first elected to the Senate in 1954 as a Democrat.

He switched to the Republican Party in 1964. In 1996, at the age of 93, he became the oldest person ever to serve in Congress. Thurmond has gradually scaled back his duties in recent years as his health declined. Until June, when Democrats regained majority status in the Senate, he was third in the line of succession to the presidency, behind Vice President Dick Cheney and House Speaker Dennis Hasten. Thurmond has had bouts of dizziness before and has been to the hospital several times, the most recent in February, when he spent a weekend in Walter Reed suffering from By Jesse J.

Holland THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, 98 and ailing, fainted in the Senate chamber Tuesday and was staying overnight in a hospital for observation and tests. While Thurmond has been to the hospital several times including a February stay for fatigue this was the first time health problems affected him while in the Senate chamber. Thurmond reported feeling weak to colleagues and then slumped over at his desk shortly after 10:30 am, said Sen. Ben Nelson, who was presiding over the Senate at the time.

After an aide called for help, the senior Republican was moved to the floor in the aisle between the Senate desks, where Sen. Bill Frist, a heart surgeon, and several medical personnel worked on him for several minutes. Frist checked his response and the best way to describe his condition was that he was woozy," said Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo. After Thurmond's legs were raised, "he started getting less woozy," Allard said.

"Senator Thurmond was conscious the entire time." Thurmond was later taken from the Senate in a wheelchair. He waved before being taken away in an ambulance to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "Are they really making all this fuss for me?" Thurmond said, according to Frist spokeswoman Margaret Camp. Despite causing a collective gasp among South Carolinians, "With the Congress so united right now, I don't think it's really going to create much of an issue if he does have to step down." LOTTERY NUMBERS Kelly Welch, 35, of Asheville ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES A Gannfit newspaper News tips (828)232-5883 Home delivery rates Dairy Fri. Florid Tuesday Cash 3: 31 Tuesday Cash 4: 144-2 Monday Fantasy Five: 33-23-27-17-20 Friday Mega Money: 9-7-2-4 7) Saturday Lotto: 31-4-32-49-29-53 Georgia Tuesday Cash 3: Midday 8-8-1 Evening 3-2-2 Tuesday Cash 4: Midday 5-7-0-1 Monday evening 2-1-9-9 Monday Fantasy Five: 11-13-14-18-20 162.00 127,92 106.60 119.60 Virginia Tuesday Pick 3: Midday 6-6-0 Monday evening 1-7-2 Tuesday Pick 4: Midday 84-94 Monday evening 04-2-4 Tuesday Cash 5: Midday 34-15-17-28 Monday evening 24-15-25 Big Ganw (Georgia ft Virginia): i Friday 1-9-16-21-25 (14) Saturday Lotto South: 2-24-27-38-4041 Find previous lottery numbers at www.

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