USA

September 10, 2002

President Bush was expected to argue for Canada's support on possible action against Iraq at a meeting with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, one of many US allies who has been cool to the idea so far. Border security and bilateral trade also were on the agenda for the talks in Detroit. En route to the meeting, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said a proposal from French leader Jacques Chirac for a UN ultimatum for Iraq to readmit weapons inspectors reflects a budding movement "to put some force into previous UN resolutions."

The discovery of a videotape of the Washington Monument, the Pentagon, and other high-profile Washington structures prompted security agencies to go on alert for a possible new terrorist attack, The Washington Times reported. Citing unnamed sources, it said the alert was issued last Wednesday after the tape, by a man said to be of Middle Eastern origin, was obtained by intelligence officials. Meanwhile, a terminal at New York's Kennedy Airport was evacuated Sunday night after a security breach. Passengers were allowed to reenter the area following a police search and rescreening.

Pete Sampras beat longtime rival Andre Agassi to win his fifth US Open men's tennis championship in New York Sunday. It was a record 14th Grand Slam title for Sampras, who hadn't won a major tournament in two years. At 31, Sampras also is the oldest US Open victor since 1970.

The Roman Catholic diocese of Providence, R.I., reportedly agreed to settle some or all of the 38 lawsuits by alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse. A joint news conference by Bishop Robert Mulvee and plaintiffs' attorneys was scheduled after the Monitor went to press. Earlier this year, the lawyers had asked for an immediate $15 million and a further $8 million over four years. Rhode Island leads the nation in Catholic residents per capita, at 63 percent.

A tropical storm warning was issued from Cape Fear, N.C., north to the state's Currituck Beach as "Gustav" churned toward the mid-Atlantic coast. With sustained winds of 45 m.p.h., it was expected to gain strength overnight as it moved northwest. Forecasters warned of rain, high surf, and dangerous rip currents from New Jersey to the central Florida coast. It's the seventh named storm of the hurricane season.

Before a capacity crowd, in a new stadium, and in the first game of their first season, the NFL's Houston Texans defeated cross-state rival Dallas, 19-10. Only one other expansion team has won its inaugural game: the Minnesota Vikings in 1961. Houston's last NFL team, the Oilers, moved away in 1999.