Around The Nation

Jury selection slowed; arguments could begin Monday in Sniper case\nVIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Jury selection in the trial of sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad slowed Thursday as several would-be jurors said they believe he is guilty in the string of shootings that terrorized the Washington area a year ago.\nOnly four of nine potential jurors interviewed by mid-afternoon Thursday qualified for the panel. Of the five who were disqualified, four were removed at the defense's request.\nFacing a series of questions from defense attorneys, several potential jurors said they think Muhammad is guilty, even though they had previously said they had not formed an opinion about his guilt or innocence.\nPotential jurors have been quizzed individually about their views on the death penalty, their exposure to pretrial news accounts and whether they felt terrorized by the sniper spree that killed 10 people over a three-week span.\nBush meets with Schwarzenegger; both praise alliance\nSAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- President Bush and California Gov.-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger met privately Thursday then praised each other in a joint appearance. The movie actor called Bush "the greatest ally this golden state has in Washington."\nBush said he was glad to have met Schwarzenegger, then joked about "how much we have in common."\nBoth "married well," said Bush, and "some accuse both of us of not being able to speak the language."\nBush and Schwarzenegger met privately in the president's hotel suite Thursday in Riverside before they rode together in the president's limousine to nearby San Bernardino, where Bush gave a speech designed to set the stage for his Asia trip, which will focus on trade and the war on terror.\nBoth the president and the California governor-elect drew tumultuous applause as they were introduced at an economic forum.\nSocial Security recipients to get 2.1 percent hike in benefits next year\nWASHINGTON -- Social Security beneficiaries will get a 2.1 percent cost-of-living increase next year, providing an extra $19 a month for the typical retiree.\nNext year's boost, announced Thursday by the Social Security Administration, is up from this year's increase of 1.4 percent, but still reflects an economy with low inflation.\nThe cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, begins in January and covers more than 51 million Americans. It is tied to an index of consumer prices, the government's chief measure of inflation.\nMonthly benefit checks have been adjusted automatically since 1975 to protect retirees' income from erosion by rising inflation.\nThe average monthly benefit for retirees will rise from $903 to $922. For the average couple receiving benefits, the monthly check will jump from $1,492 to $1,523, an increase of $31.