Around the world
UKRAINE: President Leonid Kuchma named a longtime supporter as his new prime minister Tuesday, after ousting the previous premier and accusing him of jeopardizing reforms for personal gain. Pavel Lazarenko, a 43-year-old Soviet-era collective farm boss and former vice premier, is the new prime minister. Kuchma dismissed Yevhen Marchuk on Monday after an emergency government meeting during which he reproached the premier for bringing the country to a state of "economic crisis."
FAHD: Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said on Tuesday that King Fahd, the subject of recent abdication speculation, is well and carrying out his responsibilities. "Thanks be to God, he is very well," Prince Saud told Reuters in Tokyo when asked about the king, who suffered a stroke in November. "He is now carrying out his responsibilities," he said. Asked about reports that the king might leave Saudi Arabia for rest or treatment, Saud said: "The custodian of the holy mosque has not left the country for the last seven years."
Across the nation
HIT AND RUN: Three young girls who sneaked out of a slumber party to visit a boy were killed by a hit-and-run driver as they walked along a dark rural road, police in Crete, Ill., said. Sheena Acres and Courtney Lauer, both 12, were staying over at the home of 11-year-old twins Cari and Sara Sanaghan when they decided to visit Jason Noll, 13, who lives about a mile away, police said. The girls and Jason were heading back to the Sa-na-ghan home just before midnight Sunday when the accident happened only a few dozen feet from the Sa-na-ghans' driveway. Sheena, Courtney and Cari were killed; Sara was treated and released from a hospital. Jason was not injured.
SCAM: Scores of elderly south Florida residents insist they haven't been dialing 1-900 phone sex numbers - even though they've been billed for hundreds of dollars worth of calls. "Sex?" said Harriet Jacobs. "I'm 71. My husband's 82. Believe me, sex is the last thing on our minds." Jean Slo-mack got a bill for $99.75 for 30 minutes' worth of risque conversation and said the shock nearly killed her. "If I didn't get a heart attack then, I figure I'm safe for a while," she said. American TelNet, the 900-number company doing the billings, says it suspects hackers are behind the scheme.