FBI tells TWA 800 families its criminal probe is suspended
    NEW YORK - November 12, 1997 9:53 p.m. EST - The FBI told famil-
 ies of victims of TWA Flight 800 that it found "absolutely no evi-
 dence" that a criminal act caused the plane to crash, and the
 federal agency is suspending its probe, a relative told The Associ-
 ated Press on Wednesday.
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         Arms deal with U.S. ruffles feathers in Moldova
     KISHINEV, Moldova - November 12, 1997 1:06 p.m. EST -- Moldovan
 lawmakers asked the government Wednesday to provide details of the
 deal in which the United States purchased 21 MiG-29s from this
 former Soviet country.
     "It was a dubious deal," said deputy Nicolae Andrei, one of the
 40 opposition deputies who signed the document sent to the
 government.
     Those who signed the request include 18 lawmakers from the re-
 formist Democratic Convention party, as well as 22 from the Social-
 ist Unity Alliance of former communists.
     Earlier this month, the United States paid $40 million for the
 MiGs to keep them out of Iranian hands. The deputies claim the deal
 was illegal, as sales of army property must be approved first by
 the parliament.
     However, the ruling Agrarian Party does not have a majority of
 the 104 seats in parliament.
     By law, the government has to answer to the lawmakers' query
 within a month.
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 Families of victims in Cuban shootdown of plane to get day in court
     MIAMI - November 13, 1997 02:35 a.m. EST -- In the first trial
 under a new anti-terrorism law, families of three Americans killed
 when Cuban military jets shot down two civilian planes in interna-
 tional airspace are seeking damages against the communist government.
     Cuba has refused to recognize U.S. jurisdiction and is not ex-
 pected to have representatives at the defense table in the civil
 case set to start today. The U.S. District Court in Miami found the
 island nation in default for not responding.
     The families of fliers Mario de la Pena, 24, Carlos Costa, 29,
 and Armando Alejandre, 45, are using a 1996 federal law that allows
 victims of terrorist nations to seek damages in U.S. court. They are
 seeking an unspecified damages.
     Cuban MiGs shot down the planes Feb. 24, 1996. A fourth man
 killed -- Pablo Morales -- was not a U.S. citizen and is not covered
 under the law.
     A United Nations aviation panel ruled last year that the planes
 were shot down over international waters and Cuba violated interna-
 tional law. The U.N. Security Council agreed with the panel's find-
 ings but refused to condemn Cuba.
     Diaz said there are various means to satisfy any judgment, noting
 that the U.S. government is holding enough frozen assets from Cuban
 bank accounts.
     The families received $300,000 each last November that the U.S.
 government took from frozen Cuban accounts. The government called it
 a humanitarian gesture and lawyers said it would have no bearing on
 damages in this case.
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         Airline asks FAA to issue rules on baggage limit
     DALLAS - November 12, 1997 7:47 p.m. EST -- American Airlines on
 Wednesday asked the Federal Aviation Administration to issue rules
 creating a uniform two-bag carry-on baggage limit for U.S. airlines.
     The request, made to FAA Administrator Jane Carvey, said that
 carry-on baggage policies need to be uniform for all carriers and
 taken out of the realm of competition.
     The FAA had no immediate comment on the request, which American
 made in a joint letter with the Association of Professional Flight
 Attendants and the Allied Pilots Association.
     Most carriers limit passengers to two carry-on bags, but with
 flyers carrying more roll-on luggage and laptops, overhead bins are
 filling up more quickly in the past, the airlines say.
     That means the last passengers to board a flight often are
 stymied in their search for a bin, which in turn can slow take-off
 times for the airplanes.
     In a test to combat the problem, United Airline passengers who
 pay the lowest fares and fly out of Des Moines will be restricted to
 only one carry-on bag, effective Dec. 1.
     United said it eventually hopes to initiate the policy system-
 wide. The airline's goal is to free up space for business travelers,
 who usually pay more for their tickets and sometimes complain that
 they can't find room for their carry-on bags when flights are full.
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