The nation in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY “The U.S. is slowly

issuing these cards

to users. It’s harder

to commit fraud against these cards.

You have to steal the

chip information, and that’s a lot more difficult.” Joram Borenstein, vice president of Nice Actimize, which helps companies analyze their security systems, on the security of embedded microchips in credit cards.

Article, 14AFamilies remember Lockerbie bombing

ARLINGTON, Va. - Families of some of the 270 people who died in an airliner bombing 25 years ago gathered for memorial services Saturday in the United States and Britain.

Bagpipes played and wreaths were laid in the Scottish town of Lockerbie and mourners gathered for a moment of silence at London’s Westminster Abbey, while U.S.

Attorney General Eric Holder told victims’ relatives at Arlington National Cemetery that they should take comfort in their unity even if time cannot ease their losses.

The events marked the 25th anniversary of the explosion of Pan Am 103, a New Yorkbound flight that exploded over Lockerbie less than an hour after takeoff from London on Dec. 21, 1988. Many of the victims were American college students flying home for Christmas.

One man - former Libyan intelligence official Abdel Baset al-Megrahi - was convicted of the bombing, and a second Libyan suspect was acquitted of all charges.

Many questions remain unanswered about the attack, but the governments of Britain, the U.S. and Libya on Saturday issued a joint statement saying they will cooperate to reveal “the full facts” of the case.

More video sought in gym-mat death

VALDOSTA, Ga. - A federal prosecutor is seeking more surveillance videos from a gymnasium where a south Georgia teen was found dead inside a rolled-up exercise mat in a case his relatives contend was no accident.

The Valdosta Daily Times reported Saturday that U.S. Attorney Michael Moore issued a subpoena for computer hard drives containing the original surveillance videos of the old gym at Lowndes High School in Valdosta.

Moore’s office is investigating the death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson, whose family does not accept conclusions of local and state investigators who say the teen died accidentally after being trapped upside down in a mat in January.

Relatives have questioned the authenticity of surveillance videos released last month.

Transit system hits deal with 2 unions

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit officials and labor union leaders announced a new deal early Saturday, saying the final issue in their ongoing dispute had been resolved.

The transit system and its two largest unions have been involved in months-long negotiations that stalled recently over paid medical leave time for employees.

Transit officials and labor leaders approved a deal in October after six months of negotiations and two strikes that caused problems for hundreds of thousands of people who ride the nation’s fifth-largest commuter rail system.

That deal fell apart last month when transit officials said the provision giving workers six weeks of paid annual leave to care for sick family members had been mistakenly included in the contract.

Bay Area Rapid Transit general manager Grace Crunican said in a statement Saturday that she will recommend the company’s board of directors approve the new agreement as soon as possible.