Briefs of the Nation and World

Bush seeks 2004 target date for basic missile defense

WASHINGTON -- Pentagon advisers are trying to devise a preliminary missile-defense system that could be assembled at maximum speed for deployment before the end of President Bush's term, according to sources familiar with the research.

As Bush prepares for a speech Tuesday that will formally inaugurate his campaign to sell an anti-missile system, Pentagon advisers and independent experts said the team advising Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld believes it is vital to field a system by 2004 if possible, even if the system has limited effectiveness in destroying incoming warheads.

U.S. reports progress in battle against terrorism

WASHINGTON -- The United States made significant strides against international terrorism during the past year by bringing extremists to justice and opening new dialogue with state supporters of terrorism, an annual State Department report said Monday.

Hollywood strike going strong

HOLLYWOOD -- Writers and studios are expected to take their talks to the wire Tuesday on the final day of their contract, as sources continued to report the two sides are inching toward a settlement.

While saying progress is being made, sources close to both the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers acknowledge that some issues continue to bog down the talks.

World Bank panel backs plan for fighting AIDS

WASHINGTON -- The world's richest countries inched a step closer Monday to committing billions of dollars a year to the fight against AIDS and other infectious diseases in parts of Africa, Asia and the Carribean where they have reached pandemic proportions.

The governing committee of the World Bank Monday added its official support to the idea of a global "trust fund," operating under the auspices of the Bank and the United Nations, that would finance the campaign.

Officials decry IBM's guerrilla ad campaign

SAN FRANCISCO -- City officials here are steamed over a major computer company's sidewalk graffiti advertising campaign that they say has left them to clean up a mess.

Public works teams on Monday scoured the city for the cartoonish stencils of peace symbols, hearts and the smiling Linux penguin mascot that are part of a "Peace, Love & Linux" promotion International Business Machines hopes will jump-start sales of a new workstation using the Linux operating system.

Briefs compiled from L.A. Times/Washington Post wire service.