Sharpton leaves prison Bush aide quits AIDS 'Superbug' feared Bottled water recalled

The Rev. Al Sharpton walked out of a federal prison today to thebeat of a Latin band, a gospel choir and several hundred supporterswaving Puerto Rican flags and chanting "free at last."

Sharpton hugged his wife, Kathy, and made his way through thehorde of reporters and television cameras jockeying to capture theend of his 90-day sentence.

"We'll come again, if we have to, to stop the bombing," saidSharpton, convicted of trespassing on U.S. Navy property whileprotesting bombing exercises on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques."We went in this jail struggling and we're going to come outstruggling." Sharpton, bearded and thinner, lost 30 pounds during a43-day hunger strike staged to pressure the government into end theexercises. President Bush has said he will withdraw the Navy fromVieques in 2003, but opponents want it to leave now.

The leader of President Bush's effort to open government programsto religious groups is resigning after seven months of controversy.John DiIulio, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based andCommunity Initiatives, said today that he will leave as soon as atransition team can be put into place. Democrat and academic, DiIuliowas regularly frustrated by the politics of Washington as he tried tosteer the Bush initiative through Congress. His initiative wasattacked by conservatives and liberals alike, who for differentreasons opposed sending tax dollars to churches, synagogues and otherreligious groups.

A prominent doctor in Vancouver is warning that two of hispatients have been stricken by a strain of HIV that is unusuallystrong and resistant to all three main classes of drugs used to treatAIDS. It's unclear if the tiny Canadian outbreak is isolated or asign that a much-dreaded AIDS "superbug" has evolved. Either way, Dr.Julio Montaner says the cases are disturbing. "There is no full-blown epidemic, but the possibility of a multiple-drug resistant HIVstrain is becoming a real concern," says Montaner, a leading AIDSexpert and professor of medicine at the University of BritishColumbia. Montaner says 5 percent to 10 percent of his newly infectedpatients are resistant to one or more classes of AIDS drugs. He sayshe is not aware of similar cases.

Nearly 20,000 gallons of bottled water sold in parts of Michigan,Illinois and Indiana are being recalled because of possiblecontamination. The recall involves Bareman Dairy Crystal ClearDrinking Water in one-gallon containers coded with the sell by date"Dec 8 JD," the company said. The dairy, based in Holland, Mich.,said the recall involves 19,700 gallons of water sold in the lowerpeninsula of Michigan and in northwestern Indiana and Illinois. Ifconsumed, the water may cause burning of the mouth and stomach, thecompany said. People experiencing these symptoms should dilute it bydrinking several glasses of tap water and contact their physician,the company said. Do not induce vomiting. The water can be returnedto the place of purchase for a refund. Customers with questions cancall the company at (800) 968-6600.