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Mike Shiloh News:                        
Mike Shiloh  is  a  20-year  veteran  of  broadcast  and  print  news  covering  politics,  economics  and  American  culture.

April 3, 2001:

AMERICAN DIPLOMATS HAVE MET WITH THE CREW OF A DOWNED NAVY PLANE that was forced to land in Chinese territory after colliding in mid-air with a Chinese warplane Saturday. Meanwhile, President Bush warned Chinese officials Tuesday that the incident could threaten a "productive relationship" between the two countries.

Chinese officials want an apology for the incident and a stop to all nearby US surveillance flights. Analysts say the Chinese are testing the will of the new Bush Administration.

The plane is an intelligence coup for Chinese, offering a look at secret US radar, radio monitoring and surveillance equipment. There's speculation Chinese agents have removed some of the devices from the E-3 plane for study.

The crew was under orders to destroy certain intelligence materials aboard the plane before it landed, limiting Chinese seizure of US secrets.

Crew members are said to be in good health, in "protective custody." US diplomats are seeking release of the 24 crewmembers and to have the plane returned.  A propellor, the nose cone and other portions of the plane were heavily damaged in the collision; analysts say it's a surprise the pilots were able to land the plane.

STOCK MARKETS DOWN TUESDAY after uneasy dealings on Wall Street.  Investors were concerned about the Chinese-US spyplane incident and continuing reports of lowered earnings expectations by automakers, who say sales are down nine-percent in March; General Motors was off more than a dollar.

The Treasury Department says industrial production has fallen to its lowest level in 16 months.

The Dow closed down 292 at 9,485, losing about three-percent, now down to its lowest point in two years; the Nasdaq was down 110 to 1672, a loss of more than six-percent.

BURGER KING FOLLOWS MCDONALDS, insisting its meat suppliers adhere to "ethical treatment of animals," including the use of Taser (stun) guns on animals before slaughter; McDonalds instituted the guidelines nearly two years ago.

REPEALING THE DEATH TAX -- President Bush is being joined by many black business leaders in the effort, many of whom feel the tax will keep the current generation of black millionaires from passing on their wealth to heirs.

STRAIGHT PRIDE: Sixteen-year-old Elliott Chambers is suing his high school because he says he's not being allowed to wear a sweatshirt emblazoned with the words, "Straight Pride."

Chambers says his high school principal banned the sweatshirt from his school, even though gays and lesbians are allowed to wear "gay pride" shirts. Chambers also points out the "sexual double standard" at the school, which includes "safe zones," designated areas where gay, lesbian and trans-gendered students can sit "without harassment," according to Fox News.

Chambers is now wearing a new t-shirt, reading "Help I'm being repressed."    

ACTRESS VALERIE BERTINELLI is joining the cast of CBS-TV's "Touched By An Angel."

THE INTERNET POLICE? A 13-year-old boy mentioned in an Internet chatroom that he's being bullied at school and has "plans" to do something about it, one wire service reports. In response, Missouri Highway Patrol officers arrested a boy in Sparta, Missouri, who met the description of the boy in the chatroom. 

Of course, after reportedly questioning the boy for five hours, they realized he's not the boy in the chatroom. Him, they're still looking for.

So help me.

--Mike Shiloh