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From The Associated Press

Proposed prohibitionon ID standards advances

PHOENIX — The Arizona Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would prohibit Arizona’s participation in new federal security standards program for driver’s licenses.

The 21-7 vote sends the proposal to the House, which had approved a milder version of the bill in March but will now consider a key change made by the Senate.

The House version would prohibit the state’s participation in the “Real ID” program without the approval of the Legislature. The Senate made it a flat prohibition that doesn’t require the Legislature’s approval.

The Real ID law requires all states to bring their driver’s licenses under a national standard and to link their record-keeping systems. It draws criticism because of the costs. Other criticism centers on the federal mandate and whether it’d be effective.

Baskin-Robbins co-founder dies

LOS ANGELES ?— The man who helped build the 31-flavor craze at ice cream store Baskin-Robbins has died at age 90.

Irvine Robbins died Monday at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Daughter Marsha Veit said Tuesday. He had been in ill for some time.

Generations of kids trooped to Baskin-Robbins stores to buy ice cream flavors like Pralines ‘n Cream, Daiquiri Ice and Pink Bubblegum.

Robbins opened his first ice cream store in Glendale, Calif., in December 1945, following his discharge from the Army.

Robbins offered 21 flavors at that store. His brother-in-law, the late Burton Baskin, opened his own ice cream store in neighboring Pasadena a year later. The two eventually joined forces.

75 students arrested in San Diego drug bust

SAN DIEGO?— Dozens of San Diego State University students were arrested after a sweeping drug investigation found that some fraternity members openly dealt drugs and one even sent a mass text message advertising cocaine, authorities said Tuesday.

Two kilograms of cocaine were seized, along with 350 Ecstasy pills, marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, hash oil, methamphetamine, illicit prescription drugs, several guns and at least $60,000 in cash, authorities said.

Of the 96 people arrested, 75 were students. Eighteen of the students were arrested Tuesday when nine search warrants were executed at various locations including fraternities, said Jesse Rodriguez, San Diego County assistant district attorney.

The undercover probe, dubbed Operation Sudden Fall, was sparked by the cocaine overdose death of a student in May 2007, authorities said. As the investigation continued, another student, from Mesa College, died Feb. 26 of a cocaine overdose at an SDSU fraternity house, the DEA said.

Those arrested included a student who was about to receive a criminal justice degree and another who was to receive a master’s degree in homeland security.

Volcano eruption increases; total evacuation ordered

SANTIAGO, Chile —The Chaiten volcano spewed lava and blasted ash 12 miles into the sky on Tuesday, prompting officials to order a total evacuation of nearby area.

More than 4,000 people had already fled and Palena province Gov. Fernando Aguilar ordered 280 more to leave immediately.

The volcano’s five-day eruption already has sent a column of ash streaming across the narrow southern stretch of the continent and over the Atlantic.

Iraqi civilians flee fighting in Baghdad

BAGHDAD—A rocket slammed into Baghdad’s city hall and another hit a downtown park Tuesday as more frightened civilians fled a Shiite militia stronghold where U.S.-led forces are locked in fierce street battles.

The American push in the Sadr City district — launched after an Iraqi government crackdown on armed Shiite groups began in late March — is trying to weaken the militia grip in a key corner of Baghdad and disrupt rocket and mortar strikes on the U.S.-protected Green Zone.

One rocket — apparently U.S. forcing used airstrikes and tank fire against suspected militia positions following a rocket attack late Monday in Sadr City, the military said. At least six people were killed.

An attack aircraft later fired two Hellfire missiles and killed three militants who were planting a roadside bomb in the Shiite neighborhood of New Baghdad on Tuesday, the military added.

Steel pennies, nickels may be coming

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Further evidence that times are tough: It now costs more than a penny to make a penny. And the cost of a nickel is more than 7? cents.

Surging prices for copper, zinc and nickel have some in Congress trying to bring back the steel-made pennies of World War II, and maybe using steel for nickels, as well.

Copper and nickel prices have tripled since 2003 and the price of zinc has quadrupled, said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., whose subcommittee oversees the U.S. Mint.Keeping the coin content means “contributing to our national debt by almost as much as the coin is worth,” Gutierrez said.

A penny, which consists of 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper, cost 1.26 cents to make as of Tuesday. And a nickel — 75 percent copper and the rest nickel — cost 7.7 cents, based on current commodity prices, according to the Mint.

The House moved to vote Tuesday to directs the Treasury secretary to “prescribe” — suggest — a new, more economical composition of the nickel and the penny. The Constitution delegates power to Congress “to coin money (and) regulate the value thereof.”