U.S., Russian students discuss nuclear missiles
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. (AP) - A group of American and Russian students met at a military installation in southern New Mexico to discuss nuclear missiles.
White Sands Missile Range was the setting for the annual "Critical Issues Forum 2002" conference on Friday and Saturday.
The conference was sponsored by the Center for Nonproliferation studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.
Fred Wehling, senior education coordinator, said the conference gives the students an opportunity to present their information on missiles.
"The students from Russia were selected because their cities are considered nuclear cities. They know firsthand what (nuclear) threats there are," Wehling said.
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Fifteen schools took part in the forum. Representatives from California, Texas, Ohio and Washington, Russia and New Mexico gave presentations.
The topics ranged from missile capabilities and guidance systems to the history of missiles, to missile capabilities worldwide. The students discussed the directions in which technology is leading missile manufacturing and design.
For most of the Russian students it was their first time in the United States.
Tatiana Shchekaleva, of Novouralsk, said it was a very good experience.
"I think the scenery is beautiful here in Las Cruces," she said. "The people have been very kind and made us welcomed here."
As happens with most teen-agers, shopping was a must-do thing on their agenda.
Mikhail Pletenev, from Snezhinsk, said he was able to buy some items that he found very inexpensive here.
"I bought a pillow for myself and some quilts for my mother. I bought a lot of stuff that we don't have in Russia," he said.
The students and their teachers also visited the Gila cliff dwellings and went on a hot-air balloon ride.
The warm weather in southern New Mexico was a pleasant surprise for the Russian kids and their teachers.
"We are amazed that the sun is shining and every day has been filled with beautiful weather," Shchekaleva said.
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Gas prices drop despite international skirmishes
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) - Gasoline prices edged down more than half a cent in the past two weeks despite tensions in oil-producing regions in the Middle East and South America.
Friday's weighted price per gallon for all grades and taxes was about $1.46, according to the Lundberg survey of 8,000 gas stations nationwide.
The decrease - the first since Feb. 8 - could be a sign that gasoline prices, which generally spike during the summer months, may have peaked, said analyst Trilby Lundberg.
"At the very least the gasoline price hikes have been stalled," Lundberg said. "And this is despite dramatic headlines out of two key oil producing countries - Iraq and Venezuela."
Iraq and Venezuela jointly export about 4.5 million barrels a day, or about 6 percent of global supplies.
But Iraq stopped all oil exports on April 8 in an attempt to force Israel to withdraw its troops from the West Bank. President Saddam Hussein said the cut would last until Israel withdrew or for 30 days, at which stage the decision would be reviewed.
Venezuela's largest business and labor groups called a general strike in early April to support an oil workers' protest against bosses appointed by the president, virtually choking production. Venezuela is the third-largest supplier of oil to the United States.
Despite a brief fluctuation, crude oil prices have remained steady, Lundberg said.
"The oil market ended up yawning at both those developments," Lundberg said. "The result is price stability at the pumps at least for now."
From Feb. 8 to April 7, gasoline prices jumped 32 cents. Prices remain more than 21 cents a gallon lower than they were at this time last year, when gas cost $1.67 per gallon.
The national weighted average price of gasoline, including taxes, at self-serve pumps Friday was about $1.42 per gallon for regular, $1.52 for mid-grade and $1.61 for premium.
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Illegal immigrant detainees in standoff against guards
PERTH, Australia (AP) - More than 300 detainees armed with knives and sharpened broomsticks were in a standoff against security guards Sunday night at an illegal-immigrant detention center in Australia's remote northwest, officials said.
Federal justice minister Chris Ellison said authorities were trying to negotiate with the illegal immigrants carrying curtain rods, sharpened broomsticks, knives and cleavers at the Curtin Detention Center in Western Australia state.
The nationalities of the protesters, whose numbers make up most of the 340 people being held inside the compound in the town of Derby, were not immediately available.
Ellison said the government has not ruled out using force to end the standoff.
"Our patience is not limitless and we will not see this situation go for any lengthy period of time. If this situation cannot be resolved peacefully, then we will use other means to resolve it," Ellison said.
"But I stress that we will not reach any agreement without first having the weapons handed over and those responsible for this disturbance being handed over as well," he added.
The standoff comes two days after asylum seekers whose applications to stay in Australia were rejected rioted at the center and injured 14 security guards, one seriously.
Foreigners who illegally enter Australia seeking refugee status are held at such centers while their applications are considered, a process that sometimes takes years. Rejected applicants are usually deported to their home countries. The detention system has been heavily criticized in Australia and abroad.
