2 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 21, 2003 NATION/WORLD U.S. troops pursue al-Qaida fugitives BAGRAM, Afghanistan (AP) - As the war began in Iraq, U.S. soldiers mounted one of the biggest searches in a year for Taliban and al-Qaida fugitives in Afghanistan. The military said the timing was coin- cidental, adding that it was acting on new intelligence from radio intercepts. Anti-U.S. groups had threatened to intensify attacks on the multinational coalition in Afghanistan if war breaks out in Iraq. Operation "Valiant Strike" began at 6 a.m. yesterday (8:30 p.m. EST Wednes- day) and involved nearly 1,000 U.S. troops and their Afghan allies invading the south by foot and by helicopter. Military spokesman Col. Roger King said the raids focused on areas east of Kandahar, the former spiritual headquarters of the Taliban, which is allied with al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. He declined to say whether bin Laden was the tar- get of the hunt. Khalid Pashtun, a spokesman for the Kandahar provincial government, said the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has tribal links in the area. "Operations in Afghanistan are conducted completely independent of any operations in other sectors." - Khalid Pashtun Kandahar provincial government spokesman "Operations in Afghanistan are con- ducted completely independent of any operations in other sectors," King told reporters at Bagram Air Base. "We have done a series of major operations - this is one more in a continuing series. In Washington, officials dismissed suggestions the offensive, coming so soon after the start of the war in Iraq, was intended to show the war against Saddam Hussein was not taking away attention from the war on terror. 'Friendly fire' charges may be dismissed NEWS IN BRIEF: HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE WORLD- WASHINGTON U.S. tightens domestic, border security Federal agencies increased inspections at borders and of the food supply, put nuclear plants on heightened alert and stepped up the search for possible Iraqi terrorist "sleeper cells" in a move to war footing yesterday. As the U.S. assault on Iraq intensified, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told members of Congress that there had been no incidents in the United States in retaliation. He said the "code orange" alert status imposed this week would stay in effect. FBI agents, in an attempt to head off possible retaliation for the war, began fanning out across the country to interview thousands of people born in Iraq, the agency said. The FBI also said it also wanted to try to prevent hate crimes against people of Iraqi heritage. The FBI's 56 bureaus were put on around-the-clock operation. "We are running down every lead, responding to every threat," Director Robert Mueller said. Federal meat and poultry inspectors, in their routine inspections, began testing for chemical or biological agents that terrorists might use, said Jesse Majkowksi, head of the Agriculture Department's food security office. WASHINGTON Racial gaps in education cause income tiers Educational gaps between men and women and whites and blacks have nar- rowed in recent years, but this much has not changed: A highly educated white man still makes much more money than anyone else. On average, a white man with a college diploma earned about $65,000 in 2001. Similarly educated white women made about 40 percent less, while black and Hispanic men earned 30 percent less, according to Census Bureau estimates being released today. Almost half of Asiah residents 25 and older have graduated from college, nearly twice the rate of whites. Still, Asians earned about 8 percent less than whites. "There's a wedge between minority education gains and the payoff, and that's discrimination and the kinds of job opportunities available," said Jared Bern- stein, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute. There were similar disparities between white men and women on other educa- tional levels. Income gaps have narrowed slightly since 1991 at the high school level and grown a bit at the college level. 0 NEW ORLEANS (AP) -A military hearing officer recommended yesterday that charges be dismissed against two U.S. pilots who mistakenly dropped a bomb in Afghanistan last spring, killing four Canadian soldiers conducting live- fire exercises. Col. Patrick Rosenow said that although there was enough evidence to court-martial both pilots for the friend- ly-fire accident, administrative punish- ment would maintain "the interests of good order and discipline." Rosenow presided over the nine- day investigative hearing in January, and his recommendation is a key step in determining whether Majs. Harry Schmidt and William Umbach will face a military trial on the involuntary manslaughter and other charges that could put each of them in prison for up to 64 years. The final decision is up to Lt. Gen. Bruce Carlson, commander of the 8th Air Force. There was no immediate indication when Carlson might rule. Capt. Denise Kerr, an Air Force spokeswoman, said administrative pun- ishment could include a written repri- mand, discharge or the loss of two months' pay. Schmidt answered the door at his home in the Springfield suburb of Sherman, Ill., but declined to com- ment. His mother, Joan Schmidt, said from her home in St. Louis County, Mo., that she was relieved. "It's absolutely wonderful and I'm grateful and I'm thankful," she said. Relatives of the victims had no com- ment on the recommendation, said Jae Malana, a spokesman for the Depart- ment of National Defense and Canadian Forces. In a statement, Canadian Lt. Gen. Mike Jeffery, the Chief of Land Staff, said it would be "inappropriate" to com- ment until Carlson makes a decision. Health offi-cials trace flu- 112-e 9erafd' CJor,