Nation briefs 10/26/03

Four people killed in Idaho bar shooting

OLDTOWN, Idaho -- A man fatally shot his ex-girlfriend and three other people in a small-town tavern, then killed himself hours later as sheriff's deputies approached him in his car, authorities said.

Friday's shooting at the Stateline Bar apparently stemmed from a dispute between the suspect, Ralph Reeves, 53, and the ex-girlfriend, Tiki Danielle Wiese, 41, of Oldtown.

Reeves was homeless and lived in his gray Ford Crown Victoria, the sheriff said.

Protesters gather on both coasts to condemn war

WASHINGTON -- To chants of "Impeach Bush," thousands of anti-war protesters rallied in the nation's capital Saturday for a scathing critique of President Bush and his Iraq policy.

Demanding an end to the U.S.-led occupation and the quick return of American troops, the demonstrators gathered on a sunny fall day at the Washington Monument to listen to speeches and songs of peace.

Hundreds of anti-war protesters also took to sun-drenched streets in San Francisco.

The rallies on both coasts were organized by International ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and United for Peace and Justice.

S. California agency calls for smog sensors

LOS ANGELES -- A new proposal to clean Southern California's air would bring new technology to the war on smog, using roadside sensors to measure pollutants vehicle tailpipes.

Under a regional plan approved Thursday by state regulators, a camera would photograph the license plates of vehicles whose emissions are too high.

A notice would then be sent to the owner, requiring that the vehicle be brought in for a smog check.

The sensor, an infrared beam that changes color if pollutant levels are too high, could snag vehicles that passed their last smog checks but fell out of compliance before their next check is up. Smog checks, which cost about $50, are required every two years.

-- From wire reports