NATIONAL BRIEFS

WASHINGTON/U.S.: Miners being tipped off to surprise inspections

Some mine companies are tipping off their underground workers before federal officials make surprise inspections, an illegal practice that has become more prevalent since a West Virginia explosion killed 29 miners, the nation's top mine official said Thursday. "We're looking at this as a chronic problem . . ." Mine Safety and Health Administration director Joe Main told The Associated Press. "We have found enough evidence to know that we need to act to beef up enforcement of the law to prevent this advance notice." The government has stepped up surprise inspections nationwide since the April explosion at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia.

ILLINOIS/Feds drop all charges for Blagojevich brother

By dropping all charges against Rod Blagojevich's brother Thursday, the federal government removed what had become an obstacle to their primary mission: convicting the impeached governor in a retrial now set for early next year. Jurors who deadlocked last week on all but one of 24 charges in the first trial described the case against Robert Blagojevich as by far the weaker. Blagojevich said he was surprised when the government dropped the charges. "When it comes to my brother I've become accustomed to being an afterthought," he said as he celebrated at his son's Chicago condo. "I've been an afterthought in this whole trial, this whole process. I was a very small part of the six-year investigation." Legal analysts said it was a rare but strategic step by the government.

FLORIDA/2 hurricanes developing

Forecasters say Hurricane Danielle is expected to become a major hurricane as it churns across the open Atlantic, headed for Bermuda, several hundred miles away. Danielle has developed a well-defined eye and had maximum sustained winds Thursday near 110 mph. Farther east at sea, Tropical Storm Earl has maximum sustained winds near 45 mph and is likely to become a hurricane by early Saturday.