Nation digest 01/06/03

Kinks singer wounded chasing purse snatcher

NEW ORLEANS -- Singer-songwriter Ray Davies of the celebrated British rock band the Kinks was shot in the leg while chasing thieves who snatched a purse from a woman he was with, police said Monday. He was not seriously injured. Police said Davies, 59, and the woman were walking near the edge of the French Quarter at 8:30 p.m. Sunday when a passing car stopped and a gunman jumped out and demanded the purse. Police said Davies got the license number of the car, which officers were able to trace. They arrested Jerome Barra, 25, as he drove up to a house hours after the shooting. The Kinks, part of the 1960s British invasion, had a string of hits including "You Really Got Me," "All Day and All of the Night" and "Lola."

Colin Powell doing well after prostate surgery

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Colin Powell was examined Monday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center three weeks after his cancerous prostate gland was removed. Powell is "OK," said State Department spokesman Adam Ereli. Powell was in his office at the State Department Monday and discussed the situation in Iraq by telephone with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Tennessee lottery to start earlier than expected

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The first tickets for Tennessee's new lottery will go on sale Jan. 20, three weeks sooner than expected, the state's lottery chief, Rebecca Paul, said Monday. The lottery will start by offering scratch-off tickets known as instant games. The online games -- the pingpong ball drawings of numbers that offer the biggest prizes -- are scheduled to begin 60 days after the instant games launch. Tennessee voters approved a lottery in November 2000.

S.C. high court upholds conviction for urine sales

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The conviction of a man who sold his urine in kits that allowed others to beat drug tests should stand, the South Carolina Supreme Court said Monday. Kenneth Curtis was arrested for selling the kits and sentenced to six months in jail. Curtis argued that there was no credible evidence that anyone bought his product to defraud a test for illegal drug use. However, the justices said it was clear from materials tied to the operation that the kits had a purpose. Curtis and his attorney said they plan to appeal.

Principal at drug-raid high school resigns

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. -- A high school principal announced his resignation Monday after coming under fire over a November drug sweep in which police with guns drawn ordered students to the floor. George McCrackin will be reassigned to a still-undetermined position. School officials asked Goose Creek police to come into the school Nov. 5 after receiving reports of marijuana sales on campus. Police said dogs sniffed drug residue on 12 book bags but found no drugs. No one was arrested. The raid led to allegations of excessive force and racism, because many of the students were black.

Philly mayor sworn in for second term

PHILADELPHIA -- Mayor John Street was sworn in for a second term Monday. Street, criticized during the campaign for his patronage practices, said he would not improperly reward campaign contributors. In November, he handily beat Republican businessman Sam Katz, who campaigned against a city hall culture he called corrupt and crippled by patronage. A federal investigation became public with a disclosure in October that the FBI had planted a bug in Street's office. Authorities have declined to say what they are investigating.

-- From wire reports