/raid1/www/Hosts/bankrupt/CAR_Public/021105.mbx             C L A S S   A C T I O N   R E P O R T E R
  
           Tuesday, November 5, 2002, Vol. 4, No. 219

                         Headlines

ARKANSAS: Judge Says Immigration Questions Appropriate In Suit
BEHR PAINTS: Firm Pays $107.5M To Settle Faulty-Sealants Suit
BROADWING INC.: Shareholder Files Suit v. Firm, Senior Executives
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS: South Carolina Cable Customers Press Lawsuit
CIGNA: As SEC Launches Inquiry, Investors Sue

DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG: Firm Faces U.S. Shareholders' Suit
DYNEGY: University of California Named Lead Plaintiff In Fraud Suit
GEORGIA: Macon Woman Questions Loan Practices, Files Suit
HARRAH'S NEW ORLEANS CASINO: Workers' Lawsuit Granted Certification
HENRY SCHEIN INC.: Dentists' Suit Denied Certification

JAKARTA: Flood Victims Disenchanted by Delayed Court Verdict
LIFE UNIVERSITY: Students Sue Over School's Accreditation Loss
MENORAH GARDENS: Desecration Of Florida Cemeteries Spurs Industry Probe
METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE CO.: Hearing Tackles Deal Offer's Fairness
PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT: Allegations Ignite Grand Jury Probe

ROCK HILL BANK & TRUST: Shareholders Sue Directors, Approve Assets Sale
SAIPAN GARMENT WORKERS: Judge Approves Deal on Labor-Breach Suits
TENET HEALTHCARE: Assurances Fail to Placate Wary Investors
TRELLEBORG AB: Courts Said to Junk Asbestos Suits Against U.S. Unit

                    New Securities Fraud Cases  
                  
AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in OH
ATLAS WORLDWIDE: Abbey Gardy LLP Commences Class Action in New York
BROADWING INC.: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in S.D. Ohio
CIGNA CORP.: Abbey Gardy LLP Commences Class Action in Pennsylvania
CIGNA CORP.: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in Pennsylvania

CREDIT SUISSE: Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP Commences Suit in Massachusetts
ENDOCARE INC.: Milberg Weiss Files Class Action in California
LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES: Rabin & Peckel LLP Commences Class Action in CA
KINDRED HEALTHCARE: Weiss & Yourman Files Class Action in Kentucky
NUI CORP.: Brian M. Felgoise P.C. Commences Securities Suit in N.J.

NUI CORP.: Charles J. Piven, P.A. Files Class Action in New Jersey
RETEK INC.: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in Minnesota
ST. PAUL COMPANIES: Charles J. Piven Files Class Action in Minnesota
TENET HEALTHCARE: Wolf Popper LLP Files Securities Suit in New York
WILLIAMS COMMUNICATIONS: Rabin & Peckel Commences Class Action in NY

XO COMMUNICATIONS: Rabin & Peckel Commences Fraud Suit in New York
   
                          *********

ARKANSAS: Judge Says Immigration Questions Appropriate In Suit
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hispanic motorists who filed suit over traffic stops made by Rogers,
Arkansas, police will have to answer some of the same questions about
their immigration status that they objected to from the police, if they
are to participate in the lawsuit, a federal judge says.

Lawyers for the motorists had asked U.S. District Judge Jim Larry
Hendren to bar lawyers for the Rogers police from inquiring into the
immigration status or immigration history of plaintiffs or class
members, if the case was granted class-action status. The lawyers for
the plaintiffs also wanted to keep confidential the names of class
members who are unable to document their immigration status.

Judge Hendren, however, recently denied the request. He said the
matters the plaintiffs want to keep secret are relevant to their
credibility, "and credibility is always an issue."

Lawyers for those who filed the lawsuit had argued that the information
is irrelevant and that inquiries about immigration status would
constitute harassment, intimidation and possible violations of the
Fifth Amendment guarantee against self-incrimination. Allowing such
questions to be posed by defendants' lawyers could deter the
plaintiffs' right to assert their claims, their attorneys claimed.

"Plaintiffs are not required to submit to such inquiries," Judge
Hendren said. "To the contrary, by filing suit they have chosen to
submit to them."

The Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed the
lawsuit on behalf of three Rogers residents, who were stopped by the
Rogers police, and who claim the stops were made for no cause other
than their race. The lawsuit names Mayor Steven Womack, Police Chief
Tim Keck and several unnamed police officers as defendants.

The lawsuit claims Roger police have a policy, practice and custom of
making unfounded stops, detentions, investigations, searches and
seizures, primarily to investigate the immigration status of those
detained.  That practice, says plaintiffs' attorneys, violates the
Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable searches, and the
14th Amendment's promise of equal protection.


BEHR PAINTS: Firm Pays $107.5M To Settle Faulty-Sealants Suit
-------------------------------------------------------------
A Southern California paint company, Behr Paints, has agreed to pay
$107.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over faulty wood
sealants that left mildew damage on fences, decks and houses,
Associated Press Newswires has reported.

San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Carter Holly recently gave
preliminary approval to the settlement with the maker of Behr Paints.

Consumers who purchased Super Liquid Rawhide or Natural Seal Plus wood
sealants after January 1, 1991, may be qualified to share in the
settlement if they suffered mildew damage. Those who applied the
sealants but did not have damage may be eligible for discounts on other
Behr products.

Consumers have until February 7, to accept, object or opt out of the
settlement. A March 6 hearing is scheduled to determine lawyers' fees
and give final approval to the settlement.

Masco Corp., the parent company of Santa Ana-based Behr Process Corp.,
made no admission of liability or wrongdoing in the proposed
settlement.

Unfortunately, litigation is just part of doing business these days,
said Samuel Cypert, vice president of Masco, which is based in Taylor,
Michigan.

Stockton, California, lawyer James B. Brown represented Stockton
homeowner Judy Herum, the wife of his legal partner, in a lawsuit filed
in July 2000. Mr. Brown later was named liaison counsel in a nationwide
class-action lawsuit joining at least a dozen California lawsuits and
others from around the country.

Behr has stopped making the two sealants targeted in the lawsuit.


BROADWING INC.: Shareholder Files Suit v. Firm, Senior Executives
------------------------------------------------------------------
A shareholder recently filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Broadwing
Inc. and senior executives of the telecommunications company of
misleading investors and causing them to buy stock at artificially
inflated prices, the Associated Press Newswires has reported.

Shareholder Alan Gallow of New York City asked U.S. District Court to
declare the lawsuit a class action representing all investors who
bought Broadwing stock between January 17, 2001, and May 20, 2002.  
That could include hundreds or thousands of investors, the lawsuit
said.

The lawsuit requests unspecified monetary damages and costs of trying
the lawsuit, including fees for attorneys and expert testimony.

The lawsuit lists as defendants the Cincinnati-based company; Richard
Ellenberger, who was Broadwing's chief executive officer until he
resigned in September; and Kevin Mooney, the chief financial officer
who succeeded Ellenberger as CEO in September.

The lawsuit alleges that Broadwing and the executives told investors
that Broadwing had increasing revenues, was financially strong and had
attributes setting it apart from struggling telecommunications
competitors.

"The truth was that Broadwing was a severely undercapitalized entity
with insufficient cash from operations to service its massive debt,"
the lawsuit said.

The company was known as Cincinnati Bell Inc. until it acquired IXC
Communications Inc. of Austin, Texas, in 1999, and began operating
under the new name of Broadwing.

The shareholder lawsuit accuses Broadwing and its management of hiding
the company's problems by inflating revenue through manipulated
reporting of revenues from lease transactions and the acquisition of
IXC Communications.

The company said it would eliminate 500 jobs as part of a restructuring
of its Broadwing Communications unit, an action which is intended to
reduce expenses by $200 million annually and make the unit profitable.

Mr. Gallow said he bought 100 shares of Broadwing stock in August 2001
at $21.25 per share.  Broadwing's stock closed last Wednesday at $2.36,
down 4 cents on the New York Stock Exchange.


CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS: South Carolina Cable Customers Press Lawsuit
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Charter Communications Inc. soon may be facing a class-action lawsuit
by 250,000 of its South Carolina customers seeking millions of dollars
in damages, reported Associated Press Newswires.

The state Court of Appeals recently dismissed the cable company's
appeal of a circuit judge's decision in favor of residents Nikki
Nicholls and Geraldine M. Barber.  The women charged that St. Louis-
based Charter Communications required them to rent unnecessary
equipment and pay a bogus wire maintenance fee.

Amy Willbanks, one of the attorneys representing the women, said the
legal team will move forward to gain certification of a class-action
lawsuit.  "We believe we are entitled to class-action certification and
an immediate trial afterward" to determine the amount of damages to be
paid to Charter's customers.

Circuit Judge Donald Beatty cited procedural errors by Charter's
attorneys in September and therefore found the company in default and
ruled in favor of the two plaintiffs. The company then appealed Judge
Beatty's decision to the Court of Appeals, which ruled in accordance
with the Circuit Court.

William U. Gunn, Charter's Spartanburg attorney, said: "We remain
confident that we are right on the default issue, but we may wait until
the end of the case" to pursue it. "We would have 30 days after the
final order to appeal the damages, the default judgment [issue], class
certification and any other issues."

And if Charter loses at the Court of Appeals level again, Mr. Gunn said
that Charter could then appeal to the state Supreme Court. "We have a
lot of options still open to us," added Mr. Gunn.


CIGNA: As SEC Launches Inquiry, Investors Sue
---------------------------------------------
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that it was
launching an inquiry into Cigna, the third-largest U.S. health plan,
after the insurer recently reported a third-quarter loss, which was
accompanied by a subsequent stock selloff which chopped $3.5 billion
(40 percent) off the company's market value, according to a report by
The Globe and Mail.

At least one law firm filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of
investors against Cigna after the SEC inquiry was announced. More such
filing are expected to follow.

The SEC is likely to look at "who knew what and when, and it is
probably going to start with the company and then go out to where the
trades were," said David Shove, a Prudential Securities analyst, who
owns no Cigna shares.

The SEC often looks at unusual stock activity ahead of the news and
will ask a company to hand over information voluntarily. If the company
drags its feet, the SEC can upgrade the inquiry to formal status,
thereby giving it subpoena power. The Philadelphia-based insurer is the
latest health-care concern to come under scrutiny from regulators.
Medical facility operator HealthSouth Corp., for example, is under a
SEC probe concerning a cash flow shortfall and executive stock sales.

Not all informal inquiries reach the formal level, and not all
investigations result in charges of wrongdoing.

Cigna is struggling to price its health plans at a level that covers
medical costs and yet yields a profit. The cost of prescription drugs,
hospital stays and other underlying health expenses are rising at
double-digit rates. Cigna officials said recently that an unspecified
number of job cuts may be the part of a restructuring to bring the
company back to health.


DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG: Firm Faces U.S. Shareholders' Suit
-------------------------------------------------------
Deutsche Telekom AG is facing a class-action lawsuit in the United
States from U.S. shareholders, after a U.S. court ruled recently that
there are sufficient grounds for the action to go ahead, the Financial
Times Deutschland (FTD) reported without citing sources.

The U.S. shareholders accuse Telekom of having kept quiet its plans to
acquire U.S. wireless operator Voicestream when selling its ADRs in the
United States, the FTD said.

The acquisition, said the newspaper, caused Telekom's debt to swell, a
major reason behind the sharp fall in its share price.

The Financial Times Deutschland cites a German lawyer as saying that he
expects Telekom to have to pay out a three-digit million-euro amount.


DYNEGY: University of California Named Lead Plaintiff In Fraud Suit
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The United States District Court recently named the University of
California (UC) as lead plaintiff in a securities fraud class action
lawsuit against Dynegy, reported Associated Press Newswires.

Judge Sim Lake of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
Texas in Houston based his 27-page ruling on a combination of factors,
including the amount of losses that the UC sustained as a result of its
Dynegy investments; the characterization of its claims as "typical" of
those of other class members; and UC's ability to litigate the case on
behalf of the other shareholders.

The University of California's Dynegy losses totaled $112.4 million,
based on 4.16 million shares purchased between November 1, 2000, and
May 7, 2002.  The current value of UC's diversified portfolio, which
includes both pension and endowment funds, stands at approximately $51
billion.

The university's treasurer, David H. Russ said that its Dynegy losses,
while substantial,  represented less than one-quarter of one percent of
total funds under management.  "As a result," said Mr. Russ, "the loss
will have no impact upon retirement benefits provided to UC retirees
and the endowment's support of the university's academic and research
mission. Nonetheless, the university feels a strong obligation to
recover assets that rightfully belong to the university, its employees
and the other class members."

The University of California filed its motion to be named lead
plaintiff on June 25, 2002.  The lead plaintiff in such cases helps
manage and monitor the litigation process on behalf of others who
bought the securities.  To litigate the class-action lawsuit and work
with other shareholders, the university has retained on contingency the
services of Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP, one of the
country's largest and most experienced class-action law firms, as its
counsel for the Dynegy case. In his ruling, Judge Lake concurred that
the firm "is fully capable of representing the lead plaintiff and the
class."

The other plaintiffs who sought lead-plaintiff status included the New
York Hotel Trades Council and Hotel Association pension funds;
Banknorth Investment Management Group; RRZ Investments Management;
Tennant Group; Daniel Rascoe; Brian Lindquist; and Michael Kvetnoy.


GEORGIA: Macon Woman Questions Loan Practices, Files Suit
---------------------------------------------------------
A Macon, Georgia woman recently filed a class action against a chain of
payday loan and check-cashing stores, a day after the state ordered the
company to stop making loans in Georgia, Associated Press Newswires has
reported.

Shakendra Jolley filed the lawsuit in Bibb County against the company,
which uses the names "Cash in Advance" and "Cash "N Advance."  In court
papers, Ms. Jolley said she got a $200 loan from the company in May,
but was required to buy four phone cards a month for a year, at a total
cost of about $1,170.

Her lawsuit alleges the loan violated Georgia loans against lending
money at exorbitant rates and racketeering. She has asked the court to
grant the lawsuit class-action status.

On Wednesday of last week, the Georgia Insurance Commission ordered the
company to stop making loans. State officials said the company has no
Georgia industrial loan license and has been charging usurious rates by
"selling" the phone cards to the borrower.


HARRAH'S NEW ORLEANS CASINO: Workers' Lawsuit Granted Certification
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A lawsuit brought against the owner of Harrah's New Orleans Casino,
brought against the owner on behalf of 148 workers who were laid off in
July 2001, has gained class-action certification.

The action by Civil District Judge Louis DiRosa brings all 148 workers
who lost their jobs on July 21, 2001, into one case.  The workers claim
the company promised that they would keep their jobs if the Legislature
approved a large tax cut for the casino in the spring 2001.  Lawmakers
approved the decrease.

Right now, we have gone through the most difficult part of the case,"
said Peter Butler Sr., an attorney representing the former casino
workers.  "We now get ready for trial to see what damages, if any, the
workers are due."

Although JCC Holding Co., the casino's ownership company, is being
acquired by Harrah's Entertainment Inc., the Las Vegas company that
operates the casino, Mr. Butler said the lawsuit becomes part of the
transaction.

The former workers claim that JCC Holding pressured them into lobbying
for the tax decrease.  Because the casino company made a four-year
agreement with the state that its taxes would be paid, the casino's
promise of employment amounted to a four-year contract, the lawsuit
says.  The former workers are asking for damages equivalent to four
years of salary, tips and benefits for each worker who lost a job, the
lawsuit says.

The casino employs about 2,500 people and is required by law to keep at
least 2,400.  While granting the tax cut, the Legislature required that
Harrah's keep at least 90 percent of its March 2001 workforce, which
has been determined to be 2,667 employees.


HENRY SCHEIN INC.: Dentists' Suit Denied Certification
------------------------------------------------------
The Texas Supreme Court recently ruled that a case involving 20,000
dentists against a software supplier should not have been certified as
a class action, the Houston Chronicle has reported.

The dentists failed to demonstrate that they had sufficient issues in
common, wrote Justice Nathan Hecht.

Claims in the case, which involved dentists from all 50 states against
Henry Schein Inc., could have reached $1.5 billion. Schein is a New
York-based health care products supplier. The lawsuit was filed in
Travis County by Austin-area dentists.

The ruling continues a two-year trend by the Texas high court to clamp
down on class-action lawsuits.  "The court has been trending toward
following the stricter standards of federal court opinions coming out
in the last several years," said Jerry Clements, a Dallas lawyer who
represents Schein.

Mr. Clements said the dentists were unable to show that the class-
action lawsuit was a better vehicle than having dentists present
individual claims. One group of 5,000 dentists alleged that Schein sold
them defective Windows office management software. Another group of
15,000 alleged they were billed for unsolicited DOS-based software. A
state district judge certified the two classes in 1999.

Joseph Longley, lawyer for the dentists who received the DOS software,
said some dentists paid up to $1,000 for software upgrades they did not
order. "It is the kind of consumer rip-off that the class-action
procedure was devised for," said Mr. Longley.

But Judge Hecht wrote that the issues were more complex. For example,
the judge wrote, some purchasers' license agreements permitted Schein
to send upgrades unsolicited, and others did not.


JAKARTA: Flood Victims Disenchanted by Delayed Court Verdict
------------------------------------------------------------
Flood victims who filed a class-action lawsuit against the President,
the Jakarta governor as well as the West Java governor, were
disappointed recently when the judges postponed the verdict because
they had to attend a law course in Central Java, the Jakarta Post has
reported.

Presiding Judge Kornel Sianturi of the Central Jakarta District Court
said that the trial was adjourned for two weeks.  About 100 flood
victims, who packed the court room, booed the postponement.  Many of
them also expressed their disappointment.

The flood victims had filed a class-action lawsuit demanding
compensation of more $125 million (Rp 1.2 trillion) for the material
and non-material damage and losses caused by the flooding, which
inundated most of the city earlier this year.

The plaintiffs accused the authorities of failing to give adequate
warnings of the approaching flood and failing to provide necessary
assistance in dealing with the flooding, which forced more than 97,000
families, or 365,000 people, to abandon their homes and take shelter
elsewhere for weeks.


LIFE UNIVERSITY: Students Sue Over School's Accreditation Loss
--------------------------------------------------------------
Some 75 current and former students of Life University, a chiropractic
school, are seeking class-action status for a lawsuit they recently
filed over the school's loss of accreditation, the Associated Press
Newswires has reported.

The lawsuit, filed in Superior Court, in Fulton County Georgia, asks
for a jury trial and damages. The plaintiffs' attorney, Joseph Hoffman,
says the students have suffered emotionally and financially because
former president Sid Williams and the university trustees were
negligent in losing Life University's accreditation.

"They have broken a contract," Mr. Hoffman said. "They have been
negligent in their duties; they misled and misinformed the students,"
added the attorney.  The importance of accreditation lies in the fact
that graduates of unaccredited chiropractic schools cannot get a
license to practice in most states.

The university lost accreditation on October 20 after an appeals panel
of the Council on Chiropractic Education refused to restore the
school's accreditation. Several students began filing lawsuits against
the university in September.

Will Hurst, a spokesman for the university, declined comment.


MENORAH GARDENS: Desecration Of Florida Cemeteries Spurs Industry Probe
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal investigators have started a national review of the funeral
industry after the widely publicized allegations of desecrated graves
and piled up corpses at two cemeteries in Florida, the Menorah Gardens,
owned by Houston-based Service Corporation International (SCI), reports
Associated Press Newswires.

The investigation, launched by the federal General Accounting Office
(GAO), follows upon the class-action lawsuit filed in Florida against
SCI by 1,400 families who are accusing the defendants of grave
desecration at the two Menorah Gardens cemeteries.  The families claim
corpses were jammed together in unmarked graves, separating couples who
paid to be buried together and squeezing new graves between old ones,
among other things.

The federal investigation will look at the federal and state government
roles of handling human remains, protecting consumers and providing
information to help them understand funeral-related costs, said John
Mortin, the GAO's assistant director of justice issues.

The review will study rules in all states but focus on Florida,
Georgia, California, Hawaii and New York.

The investigators, for example will be looking at the desecration in
Georgia, where more than 300 corpses were discovered dumped in pits,
left in sheds and stacked in vaults at Tri-State Crematory in northwest
Georgia, where the authorities charged the operator with theft and
deception.  In another example, the investigators will be looking at a
case in California's Riverside County, where a funeral home operator
was arrested for allegedly selling body parts, scheduled for cremation,  
to research institutions.


METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE CO.: Hearing Tackles Deal Offer's Fairness
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A February hearing will assess whether the proposed settlement of a
lawsuit alleging Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. discriminated against
blacks and other minorities in the selling of insurance policies, is
fair, reports Associated Press Newswires.

The settlement calls for Metropolitan Life to pay between $52 million
and $90 million, depending on how many people eventually file claims in
the class-action lawsuit.  The company would also contribute up to $5
million to the United Negro College Fund.

The February 7 hearing will help U.S. District Judge Harold Baer decide
whether to give final approval to a deal reached August 29, between the
company and lawyers for a class that includes blacks and other
nonwhites. Public notices seeking reaction to the settlement from those
who bought policies between 1901 and 1972 are being posted nationwide.

Missouri Governor Robert Holden said recently that about $4.8 million
could be shared by as many as 50,000 minorities in his state.

The lawsuit, brought in 2000, focused on the company's sales of
industrial or "burial" insurance policies from the late 1800s through
the 1970s.  The lawsuit was first brought by individuals who bought
policies beginning in the 1940s or 1950s with the goal of affording a
decent burial.

Premiums for the policies were small and were collected door-to-door by
MetLife employees on a weekly or monthly basis, a collection system the
company helped less affluent policy owners who could not make larger
payments.

"However, in practice, the policies appear to have been less than
advantageous for the policyholders," Judge Baer wrote in a ruling last
year.  He said the small policy payments when added together made the
policies "substantially more expensive" than others sold by the
company.


PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT: Allegations Ignite Grand Jury Probe
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Egan, a Washington environmental lawyer, who filed a
"whistleblower" lawsuit alleging false environmental reports were
produced at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, said workers who may
have witnessed violations have been subpoenaed to appear before a
federal grand jury, The Paducah Sun reported recently, according to a
report by Associated Press Newswires.

Mr. Egan told The Paducah Sun newspaper that he learned last Thursday
that subpoenas were being issued for several current and former
workers.

Mr. Egan's class-action lawsuit received national attention, and Energy
Secretary William Richardson came to Paducah, Kentucky, and admitted
that workers in the past had been exposed to toxic chemicals that
caused illness and death. Congress subsequently approved a compensation
program to pay sick workers $150,000 each.

Bill McMurry, a Louisville, Kentucky, attorney, who has filed a
separate class-action lawsuit seeking $10 billion for workers who
became ill because of contamination at the plant, said he also had been
informed that a grand jury will launch a criminal investigation [of the
Paducah plant].

"It is very refreshing that government officials are finally realizing
the criminality of the conduct of those who have operated the plant,"
Mr. McMurry said.

Lockheed Martin Corp., which operated the plant from 1982 to 1992, has
strongly denied allegations that false environmental reports were
produced at the Paducah plant.

Harold Hargan of Pulaski County, Illinois, who worked at the plant for
39 years, said he was notified recently that he will be subpoenaed to
appear before a grand jury Wednesday morning in Louisville.

Mr. Hargan said that while working at the plant, he witnessed workers
and supervisors diluting samples of chemicals and radionuclides for
dumping purposes; leaving deteriorating drums of highly radioactive
substances leaching into a ditch; handling a hazardous degreaser
carelessly throughout the plant; and drinking on the job. Mr. Hargan
said his complaints about such activity were ignored.

Since retiring, Mr. Hargan has been outspoken about former plant
operation, and he has talked with federal investigators who have been
looking into allegations made in the lawsuits, including the one filed
by Joseph Egan.


ROCK HILL BANK & TRUST: Shareholders Sue Directors, Approve Assets Sale
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholders recently rebuked directors of Rock Hill Bank & Trust for
not keeping watch as the bank lost millions because of unlawful
dealings by its officers and bad loans, reported the Charlotte Observer
(NC).

The shareholders have filed two lawsuits, each seeking class action
status, against the bank, its executives and auditors, and its former
president Robert Herron.

The shareholders also voted overwhelmingly to sell the bank's assets
and deposits to Greenville, S.C.-based South Financial Group Inc. The
vote comes after the bank was rocked in July by the firing of its
president over loan irregularities. In August, it announced a second-
quarter loss of $13.3 million.

During its short life, the eight-year-old bank also has faced the
alleged wrongdoing of a former trust officer, bad loans connected to
the textile industry and, most recently, investigations into the
actions of its former president, Robert Herron, 38, who has agreed to
plead guilty to one of a dozen counts of federal bank fraud.
Prosecutors accuse Mr. Herron of approving bank mortgages for far more
money than the properties securing them are worth.

Under the terms of the sale, the bank's three branch offices will
become branches of Carolina First, a wholly owned subsidiary of South
Financial, which currently has one Rock Hill branch. With the
acquisition complete, Carolina First plans to add branches and return
money to investors in the years to come.


SAIPAN GARMENT WORKERS: Judge Approves Deal on Labor-Breach Suits
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A judge in Saipan has granted preliminary approval to the proposed
settlement offered by seven U.S. retailers to federal and California
class-action lawsuits alleging violations of workers' rights in Saipan
garment factories in United States' Northern Mariana Islands, Dow Jones
Business News has reported.

They are the last of 26 retailers that buy garments manufactured in
Saipan to settle claims against them in a federal class-action lawsuit
alleging violations of wage and hour laws and other workers' rights.
Twenty-three manufacturers settled previously.

The agreement adopts a code of conduct and funds independent monitoring
of factories on Saipan. The parties have agreed to explore using the
International Labor Organization, an adjunct of the United Nations, as
a monitoring body.

In addition, all the manufacturers and retailers will provide a total
of $20 million to a settlement fund $8.75 million from the retailers
who previously settled and $1l.25 million from the manufacturers and
the seven retailers involved in the latest agreement.  The current
group of retailers are: Gap Inc., Target Corp., Abercrombie & Fitch
Co., Talbot's Inc., J.C. Penney Co., Limited Brands Inc. and Charming
Shoppes Inc.  None of the companies admitted any wrongdoing as part of
the settlements.

One defendant, Levi Strauss & Co., has yet to settle. However, the
company buying garments from Saipan after the lawsuit was filed.

Plaintiffs' attorneys' spokeswoman Valerie Holford said that notices
asking for comments will soon be sent out to some 30,000 current and
former workers in the garment factories.  A fairness hearing has been
set for March, during which any comments will be discussed.  If the
judge grants final approval at that time, Ms. Holford said, the code of
conduct and settlement fund payments would go into effect within 60
days.

The federal class-action lawsuit was filed in January 1999, in Los
Angeles, alleging on behalf of some 30,000 workers on the Northern
Mariana Islands, that they worked in sweatshop conditions for up to 12
hours a day.

When the proposed settlement involving the seven retailer was announced
in September, Target said there was no evidence of the "egregious"
violations alleged in the lawsuit.  James Hale, Target's general
counsel, added at the time that the lawsuits "were simply one more
instance of class-action lawyers acting as publicity profiteers by
using the media to smear a company's reputation without regard for the
truth."


TENET HEALTHCARE: Assurances Fail to Placate Wary Investors
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tenet Healthcare Corp.'s troubles began last Monday when a Wall Street
analyst questioned whether the company would be able to sustain its
current growth rate, according to a report by Associated Press
Newswires.  With the introduction of this question, linked as it was to
a prospective shrinkage of revenues, a series of events came together
that culminated in a class-action suit filed by the investors.

The UBS Warburg analyst noted that Tenet hospitals receive a large
amount of supplementary Medicare payments, called outlier payments.  
The analyst said those additional revenues may be lower in coming years
because the government is scrutinizing the program.

Then news broke about trouble in Redding, California, where a federal
investigation was starting of two doctors who allegedly performed
unneeded heart operations. Federal agents are investigating Dr. Chae
Moon, director of cardiology at Redding Medical Center, and Dr. Fidel
Realyvasquez Jr., chairman of the center's cardiac surgery program, for
ordering costly surgeries for healthy patients and then billing
Medicare.

When news broke about the charges at the Redding Medical Center, it
fueled a number of rumors, including that FBI agents had raided Tenet's
corporate headquarters and that the problems in Redding might be
connected to that hospital's receipt of the Medicare outlier payments
and the fear that the government was going to cut back on the program.

Tenet executives went on the offensive during a conference call with
investors on Friday, denying rumors and answering questions about the
UBS Warburg analyst's downgrading comments and about the federal
investigation of the two cardiac surgeons at Redding Medical Center --
both developments that had sent the company's stock plunging a total of
37 percent since Monday of last week.

Executives of the company fielded questions for more than two hours on
the conference call, apologizing to investors for not reacting quickly
when rumors of accusations of unnecessary surgery first began.  "We
value our investors and try to be as open as we can," Tenet chairman
and chief executive Jeffrey Barbakow said during the call. He placed
the cause for the failure of speedy disclosure on the fact that he and
other executives were traveling around the country during the critical
week attending to investor business: appearing at investor meetings,
and therefore did not come together quickly enough to react to
developments.

Nonetheless, on Friday last week, a New York law firm filed for
class action status on a lawsuit alleging that Tenet management failed
to promptly notify investors of the federal investigation at Redding,
harming investors who bought stock on Thursday. Trading in Tenet stock
was halted Thursday afternoon as news of the investigation spread and
the stock fell 26 percent.

Another piece of bad news came Tenet's way on Friday, as nurses
employed at Tenet hospitals in San Francisco said they would strike on
Monday in a contract dispute.


TRELLEBORG AB: Courts Said to Junk Asbestos Suits Against U.S. Unit
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Trelleborg AB said 90 percent of asbestos claims against its United
States subsidiary Goodall Inc., which have been ongoing since the
1990s, already have been rejected by the U.S. courts, and insurance
should cover the remainder, reported AFX News.

"Since the early 1990s, and together with hundreds of other U.S.
companies, one of Trelleborg's United States subsidiaries, the
distribution company Goodall Inc., has been involved in lawsuits
relating to asbestos-containing products from the 30s and 40s," said
Trelleborg.

"The lawsuits concerned are class actions, and Goodall's involvement is
viewed as being only peripheral. All claims have been dismissed for
lack of connection with Goodall. Consequently no settlement have been
made."

Trelleborg added that "Goodall has insurance to cover for asbestos
claims, and the company's insurers carry the costs of litigation.  More
than 90 percent of the claims already have been dismissed, and we
intend to continue to handle the [asbestos] issues in the same way we
have until now."

                    New Securities Fraud Cases  
                        

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in OH
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced that a securities class
action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders who acquired
American Electric Power Company (NYSE:AEP) securities between April 24,
2001 and October 9, 2002, inclusive.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the
District of Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, against
defendants AEP, E. Linn Draper, Jr. and Susan Tomasky.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market throughout the Class Period which statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

No class has been certified in the above action.

For more details, contact the Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven by Mail:
The World Trade Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525,
Baltimore, Maryland 21202, by E-mail at hoffman@pivenlaw.com  or by
Phone: 410-986-0036.


ATLAS WORLDWIDE: Abbey Gardy LLP Commences Class Action in New York
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The law firm of Abbey Gardy, LLP has filed a class action against Atlas
Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CGO) in the United States District
Court for the Southern District of New York, on behalf of all persons
or entities who purchased securities during the period from April 18
2000 and October 15, 2002, inclusive. The suit names Atlas and certain
of its officers and directors.

The Complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated
thereunder, by issuing a series of material misrepresentations to the
market during the Class Period thereby artificially inflating the price
of Atlas securities. The complaint alleges that during the Class
Period, defendants reported materially false and misleading earnings.
On October 16, 2002, defendants disclosed that Atlas would have to
restate its financial results for its fiscal years 2000 and 2001, in
the areas of obsolescence, maintenance expense and allowance for bad
debt. On this news the Company's stock price dropped to $1.80. Shares
of Atlas common stock had traded as high as $45.69.

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all those who purchased
or otherwise acquired Atlas securities during the Class Period.

For more details, contact Nancy Kaboolian, Esq. of Abbey Gardy, LLP by
Phone: 800-889-3701 or by E-mail: Nkaboolian@abbeygardy.com .


BROADWING INC.: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in S.D. Ohio
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced that a securities class
action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders who purchased,
converted, exchanged or otherwise acquired the common stock of
Broadwing, Inc. (NYSE: BRW) between January 17, 2001 and May 20, 2002,
inclusive.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio, Western Division, against defendants
Broadwing, Richard G. Ellenberger and Kevin W. Mooney.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market throughout the Class Period which statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

No class has been certified in the above action.

For more details, contact the Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven P.A. by
Mail: The World Trade Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite
2525, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, by E-mail: hoffman@pivenlaw.com  or by
Phone: 410-986-0036.


CIGNA CORP.: Abbey Gardy LLP Commences Class Action in Pennsylvania
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Abbey Gardy, LLP commenced a Class Action lawsuit in the United States
District Court for the District of Pennsylvania on behalf of a class of
all persons who purchased securities of Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI)
between May 2, 2001 and October 24, 2002, inclusive. The Compliant
names as defendants Cigna, H. Edward Hanway, James G. Stewart and James
A. Sears.

The Complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated
thereunder by issuing a series of material misrepresentations to the
market during Class Period thereby artificially inflating the price of
Cigna securities. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class
Period defendants issued press releases announcing CIGNA's quarterly
and annual results of operations and filed reports with the SEC, which
reported its financial performance and seemingly impressive earnings
growth and represented that operating income in 2002 was expected to be
$1.1 billion.

On October 24, 2002, the Company revealed that it would not meet its
third quarter and year 2002 guidance, even excluding the recent $720
million and $315 million 2002 guidance, even excluding the recent
$63.60 per share close on stock plummeted by 42%, falling from a $63.60
per share close on October 24, 2002 to trade as low as $36.81 per share
on October 25, on extreme heavy trading.

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all those who purchased
or otherwise acquired Cigna securities during the Class Period.

For more details contact Nancy Kaboolian, Esq. of Abbey Gardy, LLP by
Phone: 800-889-3701 or by Email: Nkaboolian@abbeygardy.com .


CIGNA CORP.: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in Pennsylvania
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced that a securities class
action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders who acquired CIGNA
Corp. (NYSE: CI) securities between May 2, 2001 to October 24, 2002,
inclusive.

The action is pending in the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania, against defendants CIGNA, H. Edward
Hanway, James G. Stewart and James A. Sears.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market (including failing to disclose that it had been under-reserving
for its reinsurance obligations) throughout the Class Period which
statements and omissions had the effect of artificially inflating the
market price of the Company's securities.

No class has been certified in the above action.

For more details, contact the Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. by
Mail: The World Trade Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite
2525, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, by E-mail: hoffman@pivenlaw.com  or by
Phone: 410-986-0036.


CREDIT SUISSE: Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP Commences Suit in Massachusetts
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A securities fraud class action suit has been filed in the United
States District Court for the District of Massachusetts against Credit
Suisse First Boston Corporation, a subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group
(NYSE:CSR), and one of its technology analysts, by the law firm of
Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP.

The case was filed on behalf of all persons who purchased common stock
of AOL Time Warner Inc. during the period from April 3, 2001 through
January 30, 2002.

The complaint alleges that the defendants violated section 10(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder,
and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, by issuing a series of favorable
research reports on AOL that were materially false or misleading in
that they did not reflect Credit Suisse's true opinion of AOL and they
did not disclose conflicts of interest of Credit Suisse. In particular,
the reports did not disclose the practice of Credit Suisse to use its
research coverage as part of its marketing efforts to gain lucrative
investment banking business.

According to an administrative complaint filed by the Secretary of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on one occasion Credit Suisse issued an
analyst report stating Credit Suisse believed AOL could achieve the
earnings guidance AOL had given the market, when Credit Suisse in fact
believed (as expressed in internal communications) that AOL could not
make its numbers. The Massachusetts complaint alleges that Credit
Suisse "purposely misled investors" with its analyst reports.

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages suffered by class members.

For more details, contact Ted Hess-Mahan, Esq. or Liz Hutton,
paralegal, by Mail: Shapiro Haber & Urmy LLP, 75 State Street, Boston,
MA, 02109, by Phone: 800-287-8119, by Fax: 617-439-0134, or by E-mail:
cases@shulaw.com .


ENDOCARE INC.: Milberg Weiss Files Class Action in California
-------------------------------------------------------------
Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP announced that a class action
has been commenced in the United States District Court for the Central
District of California on behalf of purchasers of Endocare Inc.
(Nasdaq:ENDO) publicly traded securities during the period between Oct.
23, 2001 and Oct. 30, 2002.

The complaint charges Endocare and certain of its officers and
directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Endocare develops, manufactures, and markets cryosurgical and stent
technological devices for the treatment of prostate cancer and benign
prostate hyperplasia. Endocare is also developing cryosurgical
technologies for treating tumors in organs such as the kidney, breast
and liver.

The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants caused
Endocare's shares to trade at artificially inflated levels through the
issuance of false and misleading financial statements. As a result of
this inflation, Endocare was able to complete a public offering of 4
million shares, raising proceeds of $68 million on Nov. 16, 2001.

On Oct. 30, 2002, the Company issued a press release entitled,
"Endocare Will Delay Release of Third Quarter Results Until Completion
of Its Review Process." On this news the stock dropped below $3 per
share.

Plaintiffs seek to recover damages on behalf of all purchasers of
Endocare publicly traded securities during the Class Period. The
plaintiffs are represented by, who has expertise in prosecuting
investor class actions and extensive experience in actions involving
financial fraud.

For more details, contact plaintiffs' counsel, William Lerach or Darren
Robbins of Milberg Weiss by Phone: 800-449-4900 or by E-mail:
wsl@milberg.com .


LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES: Rabin & Peckel LLP Commences Class Action in CA
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Rabin & Peckel LLP has filed a class action complaint in the United
States District Court for the Northern District of California, on
behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired
securities of Liberate Technologies (Nasdaq:LBRT) between September 20,
2001 and October 15, 2002, both dates inclusive. Mitchell E. Kertzman,
Nancy J. Hilker and Liberate Technologies are named as defendants in
the complaint.

The complaint charges defendants with violations of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, the plaintiff claims that
defendants' material omissions and the dissemination of materially
false and misleading statements regarding the nature of Liberate's
revenue and earnings caused Liberate's stock price to become
artificially inflated, inflicting damages on investors.

The Complaint also alleges that during the Class Period, defendants
artificially inflated revenue by recognizing certain software license
fees in violation of GAAP and the Company's own stated policies. On
October 15, 2002, after the market closed, defendants disclosed that
the "appropriateness and timing" of certain software license fees had
been called into question and that the Company would likely restate its
fourth quarter and fiscal year 2002 financial results.

Liberate Technologies' stock price plummeted 16% in after-hours trading
as a result of the disclosure of its accounting problems. On the next
day, October 16, 2002, the fallout from the announcement continued as
Liberate Technologies stock dropped more than 22% from the previous
day's close.

For more details, contact plaintiff's counsel, Eric J. Belfi or Sharon
Lee by Mail: Rabin & Peckel LLP, 275 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
10016, by Phone: 800-497-8076 or 212-682-1818, by Fax: 212-682-1892, by
E-mail: email@rabinlaw.com, or visit the firm's Website:
www.rabinlaw.com.


KINDRED HEALTHCARE: Weiss & Yourman Files Class Action in Kentucky
------------------------------------------------------------------
The lawfirm of Weiss & Yourman initiated a class action lawsuit against
Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ:KIND), and certain of its officers and
directors in the United States District Court for the Western District
of Kentucky, Louisville Division, on behalf of those who purchased
Kindred securities between August 14, 2001 and October 10, 2002.
The complaint charges the defendants with violations of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint alleges that defendants issued
false and misleading statements, which artificially inflated the stock.

For more details, contact Mark D. Smilow, David C. Katz, or James E.
Tullman by Phone: 888-593-4771 or 212-682-3025, by E-mail:
info@wynyc.com, or by Mail: Weiss & Yourman, The French Building, 551
Fifth Avenue, Suite 1600, New York, New York 10176.


NUI CORP.: Brian M. Felgoise P.C. Commences Securities Suit in N.J.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices of Brian M. Felgoise, P.C. today announced that a
securities class action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders
who acquired NUI Corporation (NYSE:NUI) securities between November 8,
2001 and October 17, 2002, inclusive.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the
District of New Jersey, against the company and certain key officers
and directors.

The action charges that defendants violated the federal securities laws
by issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to
the market throughout the Class Period which statements had the effect
of artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

No class has been certified in the above action.

For more details, contact the Law Offices of Brian M. Felgoise P.C. by
Mail: 230 South Broad Street, Suite 404, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
19102, by E-mail: goise@comcast.net , or by Phone: 215-735-6810.


NUI CORP.: Charles J. Piven, P.A. Files Class Action in New Jersey
------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced that a securities class
action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders who acquired NUI
Corporation (NYSE:NUI) securities between November 8, 2001 and October
17, 2002, inclusive.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the
District of New Jersey, against defendants NUI and John Kean Jr.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market throughout the Class Period which statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

No class has yet been certified in the above action. Until a class is
certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. If
you are a member of the Class, you may move the court no later than
December 30, 2002 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the Class. In order
to serve as a lead plaintiff, you must meet certain legal requirements.
To be a member of the class you need not take any action at this time,
and you may retain counsel of your choice.

For more details, contact the Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven by Mail:
The World Trade Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525,
Baltimore, Maryland 21202, by E-mail at hoffman@pivenlaw.com  or by
Phone: 410-986-0036.


RETEK INC.: Charles J. Piven P.A. Files Class Action in Minnesota
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced that a securities class
action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders who acquired Retek,
Inc. (Nasdaq:RETK) securities between October 17, 2001 and July 8,
2002, inclusive.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the
District of Minnesota, against defendant Retek and certain of its
officers and directors.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market throughout the Class Period which artificially inflated the
market price of the Company's securities.

No class has been certified in the above action.

For more details, contact the Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven by Mail:
The World Trade Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525,
Baltimore, Maryland 21202, by E-mail at hoffman@pivenlaw.com  or by
Phone: 410-986-0036.


ST. PAUL COMPANIES: Charles J. Piven Files Class Action in Minnesota
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced that a securities class
action has been commenced on behalf of shareholders who acquired The
St. Paul Companies, Inc. (NYSE: SPC) securities between November 5,
2001 and July 9, 2002, inclusive.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the
District of Minnesota, against defendants St. Paul, Chief Executive
Officer J. S. Fishman and Chief Financial Officer Thomas A. Bradley.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the
market throughout the Class Period which statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

No class has been certified in the above action.

For more details, contact the Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven P.A. by
Mail: The World Trade Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite
2525, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, by Email: hoffman@pivenlaw.com  or by
Phone: 410-986-0036.


TENET HEALTHCARE: Wolf Popper LLP Files Securities Suit in New York
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Wolf Popper LLP has filed a securities fraud class action complaint
against Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) and its CEO, Jeffrey C.
Barbakow, on behalf of purchasers of THC securities from the opening of
trading on October 31, 2002 through the halt of trading on October 31,
2002 at 2:41 p.m. (EST).

Plaintiff has alleged that defendants knew on October 30, 2002, that
forty agents from the FBI, Office of Inspector General and Internal
Revenue Service had executed search warrants on Tenet's Redding Medical
Center, but failed to disclose this information to investors.
Defendants had a duty to promptly disclose this material information to
investors for the following reasons:

(i) As of October 28, 2002, Tenet was already under a cloud of
suspicion after an analyst at UBS Warburg downgraded its
rating on the Company and issued a report calling into
question Tenet's Medicare outlier payments;


(ii) On October 28, 2002, defendants proclaimed to investors in
no uncertain terms that "Tenet is confident that its
hospitals are fully compliant with Medicare rules and
regulations, including those governing outlier payments";

(iii) On October 29, 2002, defendants proclaimed, "(W)e are
confident that Tenet hospitals are fully compliant with
Medicare rules and regulations;" and (iv) On October 30-31,
2002, defendants continued making analyst presentations, and
publicly discussed the Company's business, prospects,
revenues and earnings from Medicare, and results of
operations, with full knowledge of what had transpired on
October 30, 2002, and after making the conscious decision to
withhold from the market the existence of the FBI raid on
one of its hospitals.


For more details, contact Wolf Popper LLP, Michael A. Schwartz, Esq.,
by Mail: 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022-6689; by Phone:
212-451-9668, Toll Free: 877-370-7703; by Fax: 212-486-2093, Toll Free:
877-370-7704; or by Email: irrep@wolfpopper.com .


WILLIAMS COMMUNICATIONS: Rabin & Peckel Commences Class Action in NY
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Rabin & Peckel LLP filed a class action complaint in the United States
District Court for the Southern District of New York, civil action
number 02-cv-8757, on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased
or otherwise acquired securities of Williams Communications Group Inc.
(Nasdaq:WCG) between October 27, 1997 through November 2, 2001, both
dates inclusive. Jack Grubman and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. are named
as defendants in the complaint.

The complaint charges Jack Grubman and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. with
violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, the
complaint alleges that defendants issued and maintained "Buy"
recommendations on WCG securities without any rational economic basis;
failed to disclose that they were issuing and maintaining "Buy"
recommendations to obtain investment banking business; and concealed
significant, material conflicts of interest that prevented them from
providing independent objective analysis.

For more details, contact Eric J. Belfi or Sharon Lee, Rabin & Peckel
LLP by Mail: 275 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, by Phone:
800-497-8076 or 212-682-1818, by Fax: 212-682-1892, or by E-mail:
email@rabinlaw.com or visit the firm's Website: www.rabinlaw.com .


XO COMMUNICATIONS: Rabin & Peckel Commences Securities Suit in New York
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A class action complaint has been filed by Rabin & Peckel, LLP in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York,
civil action number 02-cv-8758, on behalf of all persons or entities
who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of XO Communications,
Inc. (Nasdaq:XOXO) between October 11, 1997 through November 1, 2001,
both dates inclusive. Jack Grubman and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. are
named as defendants in the complaint.

The complaint charges Jack Grubman and Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. with
violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Specifically, the
complaint alleges that defendants issued and maintained "Buy"
recommendations on XO securities without any rational economic basis;
failed to disclose that they were issuing and maintaining "Buy"
recommendations to obtain investment banking business; and concealed
significant, material conflicts of interest that prevented them from
providing independent objective analysis.


For more details, contact Rabin & Peckel LLP, Eric J. Belfi, or Sharon
Lee by Phone: 800-497-8076 or 212-682-1818 by Fax: 212-682-1892 by E-
mail: email@rabinlaw.com or visit the firm's Website: www.rabinlaw.com.


                              *********


S U B S C R I P T I O N   I N F O R M A T I O N

Class Action Reporter is a daily newsletter, co-published by
Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., Trenton, New Jersey, and
Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C.  Enid Sterling, Aurora Fatima
Antonio and Lyndsey Resnick, Editors.

Copyright 2002.  All rights reserved.  ISSN 1525-2272.

This material is copyrighted and any commercial use, resale or
publication in any form (including e-mail forwarding, electronic re-
mailing and photocopying) is strictly prohibited without prior written
permission of the publishers.

Information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be
reliable, but is not guaranteed.

The CAR subscription rate is $575 for six months delivered via e-mail.  
Additional e-mail subscriptions for members of the same firm for the
term of the initial subscription or balance thereof are $25 each.  For
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