Update on the latest news, sports, business and entertainment:

CLinton-Russia UPDATE: Russian FM: 'considerable' progress on arms treaty

MOSCOW (AP) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) says the U.S. and Russia have made "considerable" progress toward reaching agreement on a new strategic arms treaty.

The 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, expires in December and negotiators have been racing to reach agreement on a successor.

Lavrov spoke Tuesday during a joint news conference with U.S.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is in Moscow for talks on a range of issues.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS NEW: Palestinian memo says hopes in Obama 'evaporated'

JERUSALEM (AP) An internal document circulated among members of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' political party says any hopes in the Obama administration "have evaporated." The Fatah Party document accuses the U.S. of backing off from its demands that Israel freeze settlement construction and failing to set a clear agenda for new Mideast peace talks.

The memorandum was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the memo reflects Abbas' views or was intended to pressure President Barack Obama to bear down harder on Israel.

The document says the Palestinians have lost hope in Obama, and accuses the American leader of caving in to pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists in Washington.

health care OVERHAUL Important health care vote today

WASHINGTON (AP) An important health care vote is on tap today in the Senate Finance Committee which is expected to approve the $829 billion package.

Democrats hold a 13-to 10 advantage and Chairman Max Baucus is confident, even though two Democrats on the panel have voiced some serious concerns.

West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller has numerous concerns, not the least of which is the lack of a public option.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, a longtime health care reform supporter, feels the bill falls short on affordability, cost control and patient choice.

Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe might vote for it and Democrats are hoping that even if she doesn't she might support it on the Senate floor.

Today's vote also comes on the heels of an insurance industry-funded study which says the bill would make insurance much more expensive.

WILDFIRES-STORM Calif. wildfire-area communities prepare for rain

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) Parts of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties that burned in recent California wildfires are facing a new threat flooding.

The National Weather Service says a flash flood watch is in effect from this morning through early tomorrow as a strong Pacific storm moves into California.

In August, the La Brea fire burned more than 87,000 acres in Los Padres National Forest and in May, the Jesusita fire burned 8,733 acres in the Santa Barbara foothills. That blaze destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and injured at least 28 firefighters.

Sandbags and concrete barriers have been placed on streets in suburbs northeast of Los Angeles to try to direct any debris flows away from homes.

The late summer Station Fire killed two firefighters and destroyed 89 homes. It was the biggest fire in Los Angeles County history.

TROPICAL WEATHER UPDATE: Tropical Storm Patricia approaches Mexico

MIAMI (AP) A tropical storm warning has been issued for the southern portion of Mexico's Baja California peninsula as Tropical Storm Patricia approaches.

The warning, issued early Tuesday, covers the area from Buenavista to Agua Blanca and includes Cabo San Lucas. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for an area along the east coast of the peninsula from Buenavista to La Paz and along the west coast from north of Agua Blanca to Santa Fe.

Patricia's maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 kph) with some strengthening possible. The tropical storm is centered about 155 miles (250 kilometers) south-southeast of the peninsula and is moving north near 6 mph (9 kph).

Patricia is expected to make its closest approach to the peninsula late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

ITALY-BARRACKS ATTACK NEW: Milan police arrest 2 in barracks attack

MILAN (AP) A prosecutor says police have arrested two more suspects in a bomb attack on an Army barracks in Milan and found a large quantity of explosives.

Anti-terrorism prosecutor Armando Spataro told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the two men a Libyan and an Egyptian were arrested overnight as suspected accomplices in Monday's bombing.

Police also found "a large quantity" of the same explosive used then. Sky Italia's TG24 TV says 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of the explosive were found, but Spataro would not confirm the amount.

Officials say the material is ammonia nitrate, an easily obtainable fertilizer ingredient.

A Libyan man on Monday exploded a bomb while trying to enter the barracks, seriously wounding himself. The motive is not known.

FRANCE-SARKOZY'S SON NEW: Conservatives defend Sarkozy son's bid for big job

PARIS (AP) President Nicolas Sarkozy's 23-year-old son and fellow conservatives are defending his bid for a highly visible job overseeing France's biggest business district.

Critics say Jean Sarkozy, a law student at the Sorbonne, is too inexperienced to become chairman of EPAD. The quasi-governmental agency oversees real estate and other administration in La Defense, a sprawling complex of skyscrapers west of Paris where 150,000 people work.

Jean Sarkozy told the Le Parisien newspaper on Tuesday that whatever he accomplishes, "my legitimacy will always be on trial." Government spokesman Luc Chatel said on LCI television that leftists were staging a "manhunt" for the president's son. Higher education Minister Valerie Pecresse called the young man "the natural candidate" for the post even though he has no college degree yet.

CUBANS-ESPIONAGE NEW: Cuban spy seeks reduced 20-year sentence

MIAMI (AP) A federal judge in Miami is weighing whether to approve a reduced 20-year prison sentence for a convicted Cuban spy.

An appeals court last year threw out as unjustifiably harsh the original life prison term imposed on 50-year-old Antonio Guerrero.

Guerrero is a member of the so-called Cuban Five who were convicted in 2001 of spying in the U.S.

U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard set a Tuesday hearing on a proposed 20-year sentence agreed to by federal prosecutors and Guerrero's attorneys. If Lenard approves, Guerrero would have about nine more years to serve in prison.

The appeals court vacated sentences for two other Cuban spies. A decision on their ultimate sentences will come later.

The Cuban Five are considered heroes in Cuba.

MAYOR-LOST CHECK NEW: Trial begins for mayor in Texas over missing check

McALLEN, Texas (AP) The outspoken mayor of a Texas border town faces trial after a $26,000 check for a city vendor was deposited into his personal account.

Opening arguments are scheduled for Tuesday in the trial of Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada. He is charged with abuse of official capacity, misapplication of fiduciary property and theft.

Ahumada says he has no idea how the check ended up in his account. The city began investigating after the vendor inquired about payment.

The 57-year-old mayor is known nationally for his vocal criticism of the border fence. Ahumada presides over a city of more than 170,000 in the southern tip of Texas across the Rio Grande from Matamoros, Mexico.

DOGFISH DILEMMA NEW: Greedy dogfish blamed for Mass. fishery's problems

CHATHAM, Mass. (AP) Massachusetts fishermen say the once-threatened spiny dogfish has rebounded under federal protections and is threatening their livelihoods.

They say the small shark devours more valuable and scarce fish that regulators are trying to restore, including cod. They say it destroys nets, steals bait and eats catch right off their hooks.

Cape Cod hook fisherman Peter Taylor says the schooling predator is like a plague of locusts that needs to be killed.

Federal regulators say dogfish have been well managed and fishermen aren't seeing the whole picture. But they plan to do a fresh assessment of the stock and how it's measured, beginning in January.

Conservationists say the despised dogfish is a scapegoat for decades of overfishing.

ROMANIA-Madonna'S SHOES NEW: Madonna shoes offered to Gypsy charity in Romania

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Madonna is putting her shoes where her mouth is.

The Queen of Pop has offered one of her favorite pairs of Christian Dior shoes to a charity supporting Gypsy child education.

Organizers said Tuesday the skyscraper gold heels, which are autographed by Madonna, will be sold at the Ovidiu Rom annual ball later this month.

Madonna drew international attention by saying during an August concert in Bucharest on her "Sticky & Sweet"' tour that widespread discrimination against East Europe's Gypsies, also known as Roma, should end.

Thousands of fans responded by booing her.

Guests at the ball will make donations to win raffle tickets for the auction of the donated prizes. This year's items also will include a gold chain donated by actress Vanessa Redgrave.



(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-13-09 0456CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list