News Currents

UNITED STATES

In LaCrosse, Wisconsin, six of nine school board members faced opposition July 14 in a recall election forced by opponents of a plan passed in January that would use busing to mix students of different economic backgrounds. It is believed to be the nation's first such plan. ECONOMY AND BUSINESS

Consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in June, the US government reported July 14. Inflation is running at an annual rate of 3.1 percent.... During June, retail sales rose 0.5 percent, the government said July 14. ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

South Korea July 14 hailed President Bush's decision to halt production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium. Bush said he made the move to discourage the further spread of weapons of mass destruction. Plutonium and uranium are the key ingredients of nuclear bombs. A statement said Seoul hoped the US move would jump-start stalled negotiations between North and South Korea on proposed mutual inspections of nuclear facilities to verify the absence of atomic weapons.... The Tokyo Stock Exchange said Jul y 14 it would fine three Japanese brokerages for improperly compensating clients for investment losses. ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENCE

An international scientific team has drilled to the bottom of Greenland's two-mile ice-sheet for the first time and uncovered traces of acid rain dating to the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 and dust from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It will provide new information on environmental conditions in ancient times, a spokesman said.