CHICAGO: Report: McDonald’s close to fry settlement

McDonald’s is close to paying more than $12 million to settle lawsuits filed by vegetarians who accused the chain of concealing the use of beef flavoring in its french fries, according to a published report.

Citing a confidential draft of the proposed settlement, the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday that McDonald’s will pay $10 million to charities that support vegetarianism and $2.4 million to plaintiffs’ attorneys. The fast-food chain would also publicly apologize and form a board to advise the company about vegetarian dietary issues.

The lawsuits were filed last year on behalf of any vegetarian who ate McDonald’s fries after 1990. That was the year the company announced its restaurants would no longer use beef fat to cook fries and that only pure vegetable oil would be used. But McDonald’s continued to add a small amount of beef tallow to its fries for flavoring.

WASHINGTON: Inmates win ruling on sacramental wine

Denying Catholic federal prison inmates wine during communion services may violate their constitutional rights, the U.S. Court of Appeals said in returning a case to a lower court for review.

Even if wine is not an essential part of the rite, the panel of three judges agreed, if the Justice Department wants to deny the practice it must show how it would impede prison management.

The decision released Friday sends the case back to the lower court for reconsideration.

According to Catholic teaching, in the rite of Holy Communion the priest consecrates bread and wine and transforms them into the body and the blood of Christ. Consuming the bread and wine is sacred part of the rite.

Nebraska: Buffet takes blame for investment losses

The Berkshire Hathaway Inc. investment empire controlled by billionaire Warren Buffett lost book value last year for the first time since 1965, in part because of the Sept. 11 attacks, according to its annual report issued Saturday.

Earnings plummeted to $795 million, or $521 per share, after the company suffered more than $4 billion in insurance underwriting losses, the report said. About half the losses were a result of the terrorist attacks.

Until last year, the company’s value had always reflected growth. But in 2001, the company’s net worth loss was $3.77 billion a drop of 6.2 percent from the year before. Even so, it outperformed the S&P 500, which showed an 11.9 percent loss for that year.

Buffett seemed to blame himself as much as the attacks in his letter to shareholders included in the report.

New York: ‘Star Wars’ trailer to be unveiled tonight

The force is with diehard Star Wars fans tonight. The never-before-seen trailer for “Episode II Attack of the Clones” will make its worldwide premiere on the Fox network.

The two-and-a-half minute trailer will air between episodes of “Malcolm in the Middle” at 7:30 p.m. and “The X-Files” at 8.

Moviegoers can experience the trailer exclusively in theaters with “Ice Age,” opening Friday.

“Attack of the Clones” is set 10 years after the events of “The Phantom Menace.”

Written and directed by George Lucas, “Attack of the Clones” stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson. It is due for release in May.