New York: Olympics ceremony highest-rated ever

The Salt Lake City Games had the highest-rated Olympic opening ceremony ever, with a quarter of the country tuning in.

NBC’s broadcast drew a 25.5 national rating and 42 share Friday night, with Nielsen Media Research reporting that 72 million people watched all or part.

The Salt Lake City opening ceremony was highlighted by the entrance of a tattered American flag that flew at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, and it was capped by the lighting of the Olympic cauldron by members of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey team.

Florida: President’s niece starts drug treatment

Noelle Bush, the governor’s daughter who was accused of prescription drug fraud, has been admitted to a drug treatment program, her lawyer said.

Bush, 24, a daughter of Gov. Jeb Bush and niece of President George W. Bush, will spend whatever time is needed in the treatment program before returning to Tallahassee to face the charge, attorney Peter Antonacci said Friday.

Bush waived her right to a speedy trial and probably will be sent to drug court after her release from treatment, said Leon County State Atty. Willie Meggs.

Bush was arrested at a pharmacy drive-through window Jan. 29 on charges of trying to buy Xanax with a fraudulent prescription.

New York: Six teen-agers accused in attack on counselor

A counselor at a center for troubled teens was in critical condition Saturday after six girls allegedly burned and beat her and poured bleach on her face, police said.

The 32-year-old victim, whose name was not released, was the only adult in a 16-girl cottage at Pleasantville Cottage School when she was attacked Thursday night, police Chief Louis Alagno said.

The girls punched, kicked, stomped and scratched the counselor, then “doused her with rubbing alcohol and set it on fire,” Alagno added.

Six girls, ages 15 and 16, were arrested and arraigned Friday on second-degree attempted murder charges. All six were ordered held without bail.

Virginia: Teen-ager tells police demons told him to kill

Police said a teen-ager with a history of mental illness confessed to the sword slaying of a prominent scientist, saying fantasy creatures gave him permission to kill the man in order to protect a friend.

Authorities made public Friday a statement in which Kyle Hulbert, 18, of Millersville, Md., said he believed biophysicist Robert M. Schwartz, 57, was trying to kill his own daughter Hulbert’s friend by lacing lemons with sulfuric acid and poisoning her pork chops.

Hulbert, who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and treated in psychiatric hospitals, said he was angered by 19-year-old Clara Jane Schwartz’s accounts of her father’s abuse.

Hulbert said after he stabbed Schwartz with a 27-inch sword at the scientist’s rural farmhouse, he drank his victim’s blood and went “into a frenzy.”

SAN ANTONIO: Study: Surprises may be triggers of strokes

Ringing doorbells and other jolts that make people jump appear to be powerful and surprisingly common triggers of strokes, a study concluded.

Researchers found that sudden movements, usually ones caused by being startled, increase the risk of stroke by 33 times over the usual level.

Dr. Nathan Bornstein noted that many people live with the underlying causes of strokes, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, for years.

Bornstein presented the results of the study, conducted at Tel Aviv University, at the annual meeting of the American Stroke Assn.