The Week April 24-30

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NATION

Nixon Farewell

Former President Richard Nixon was buried Wednesday after a ceremony at his boyhood home in Yorba Linda, California. Among the 3,000 mourners were delegates from more than 80 countries and five U.S. Presidents, including Bill Clinton, who delivered one of four eulogies. The service, led by the Rev. Billy Graham, focused on Nixon's foreign policy achievements, touching only obliquely upon the Watergate scandal. "He achieved greatly, and he suffered deeply," said former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. "But he never gave up." Earlier, an estimated 42,000 visitors had stood for hours in chilly, damp weather to pay their respects to the former President.

Ames Cuts a Deal

Two months after his arrest for spying for Moscow, CIA agent Aldrich Ames was sentenced to life in prison without parole after agreeing to a plea bargain that will guarantee a five- to six-year prison term for his wife Rosario. The shortened sentence will allow her to return more quickly to caring for the couple's five-year-old son Paul. In exchange, Ames will cooperate with authorities in ascertaining the extent of the damage caused by his nine years of spying.

Civil Rights Act Limited

Ending several years of conflict and speculation, the Supreme Court voted 8 to 1 Tuesday against applying the Civil Rights Act of 1991 retroactively to cases , that were pending when the law was enacted. The court ruled that the law, passed by Congress to restore rights narrowed by previous Supreme Court rulings and to allow victims of employment bias to collect compensatory and punitive damages, was not intended to apply to cases already in the legal pipeline at the time of Congress's vote.

Smoking Gun?

Antismoking activists gained new ammunition when two former scientists for Philip Morris testified before a House panel that the cigarette company had suppressed research on the effect of nicotine on rats. According to the scientists, Philip Morris refused to allow them to publish studies on the addictive potential of nicotine, barred them from discussing the research, and ultimately closed down their lab, also halting research on a possible nicotine substitute.

Haiti Envoy Ousted

After months of turmoil over U.S. policy in Haiti, Lawrence Pezzullo, the U.S. special envoy to Haiti, was forced to resign.The Administration has come under increasing fire for its unsuccessful policy, enduring public protests by members of Congress and harsh criticism from the deposed Haitian President, the Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Kevorkian Case to Jury

A jury began deliberation Thursday in the case of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who is on trial for assisting in the suicide last year of a 30-year-old man suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease. Kevorkian testified that "when your conscience says ((a)) law is immoral, you don't follow the law. That's what Gandhi said and Gandhi got what I'm getting."

Killer Twisters

Tornadoes raged through several states, killing four people in Texas and two in Indiana. Overall, more than 80 people were injured while scores of homes and businesses were destroyed.

TECs Begone