White House sharpens criticism of farm bill

WASHINGTON -- The Senate opened debate on an overhaul of farm programs Wednesday amid warnings from the Bush administration that it could damage the agricultural economy.

The White House said it "strongly opposes" the Democratic bill but stopped short of threatening a veto. The administration says the increased crop subsidies would exacerbate problems with overproduction of crops and low commodity prices.

The subsidies also would likely break spending limits in a congressional budget agreement and an international trade deal, the administration said in a four-page statement.

Ex-Sotheby's chairman convicted in price-fixing

NEW YORK -- In a scandal that rocked the world's two biggest auction houses, the former chairman of Sotheby's was convicted Wednesday of plotting with his counterpart at Christie's to fix the commissions paid by sellers of fine art.

A. Alfred Taubman, 76, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., could get up to three years in prison at sentencing April 2.

Taubman showed no reaction as the federal jury came back with the verdict after less than two days of deliberations. He had no comment.

"We were, of course, disappointed in the verdict," defense attorney Robert Fiske said. "We'll review our options and decide what to do next."

Taubman had denied the price-fixing charges alleging he and former Christie's chairman Anthony Tennant stole as much as $400 million in commissions from 1993 to 1999.

Wal-Mart curtails Salvation Army bells

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- It's a holiday tradition at Wal-Mart stores nationwide -- as cash registers ring inside, Salvation Army volunteers ring donation bells outside.

But this year the world's largest retailer is curtailing bell ringers' collection efforts because of labor laws requiring store access to all groups if they allow just one organization to solicit on their property.

Bell ringers now are limited to no more than 14 days at each store and no more than three days in a row. The policy also calls for them to stay outside and at least 15 feet away from store entrances.

Under the guidelines set the National Labor Relations Board for retailers nationwide, Wal-Mart would have to allow equal access to The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which has attempted numerous times to unionize Wal-Mart's workers.

AFL-CIO considers dues hike for political budget

LAS VEGAS -- The AFL-CIO is creating a new political action committee to fund campaigns of union workers running for office, starting in next year's elections.

The new program, Target 5000, has a goal of electing 5,000 union members. A similar program, 2,000 in 2000, helped put 2,500 union members in office across the country.

"Where workers run, workers win," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. He said the PAC has raised $150,000 so far.

Union leaders at federation's biennial convention here also are keeping a close eye on Washington, where the House is preparing to vote on a bill expanding the trade negotiating authority of President Bush.

3 fired from USA Today for defacing sculpture

WASHINGTON -- USA Today fired a sports writer and two sports editors for scrawling words in what they thought was dust on a $100,000 sculpture.

The substance turned out to be pigment, and their actions were caught on security tape.

USA Today spokesman Steven Anderson confirmed Wednesday that the three employees --sportswriter Karen Allen, projects editor Denise Tom and database editor Cheryl Phillips -- had been fired after their Nov. 27 visit to "Aperture." The sculpture sits near the new executive offices of Gannett executives in the Virginia suburbs.

After noticing fingerprints and scrawls in what appeared to be dust covering the sphere, they touched the surface. Phillips and Allen traced the words, "Kilroy was here" and Tom's name.

--From wire reports