World News in Brief

PLO, Netanyahu strike deal

Israeli and Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) negotiators signed an agreement on Wed., Jan. 15, extending Palestinian rule to Hebron in the West Bank. According to PLO officials, the agreement calls for Israeli troops to withdraw from 80 percent of Hebron within 10 days. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to cede part of the biblical Land of Israel to the Palestinians, contrary to his earlier vows.

"The agreement is a suicide pact," David Wilder, a spokesman for Hebron's settlers, said. "It's like having somebody hold a gun to your head and having someone else pull the trigger." President Bill Clinton, LAW '73, said the Hebron deal shows that the forces of peace have prevailed over a history of division.

Crashed plane had replaced engine

Investigators revealed that the scrutinized right engine of the ComAir commuter plane that crashed in Monroe County, Mich., on Thurs., Jan. 9 had been replaced five days before the crash that killed 26 passengers and three crew members. Meghan Glynn, a ComAir spokeswoman, said the company does not believe the engine change was a factor in the crash. National Transportation Safety Board investigators have said previously that the right engine's propeller may have been racing out of control shortly before the crash. NTSB officials also noted that another pilot in the vicinity reported icing conditions 20 minutes after the crash. Icing conditions can wreak havoc on a plane's ability to maintain lift and control.

Saliva HIV test

Using the fact that saliva of HIV-infected individuals contains low levels of HIV antibodies, scientists have devised a new method of testing for HIV. In the new test, OraSure, a cotton fiber pad is placed between the gum and cheek for 20 minutes, allowing a fourfold antibody concentration. The pad is then placed in a preservative solution to prevent degradation. The simplicity of the test and the non-invasiveness of the needles used in drawing blood can increase access to HIV testing, counseling, and health care worker safety.

The test would give one false reading in every 100,000 people tested, co-author of the study Dr. John Fitchen said. The test is 99.9 percent accurate in determining those who are HIV- infected and 99.9 percent accurate in determining those who are not. Currently the test is designed to be used in a doctor's office with the oral samples then sent to a laboratory for testing.

--Compiled by Aprille Russell from the Yahoo! News Service

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