James Baker

The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader for Tibetan Buddhists, will speak in May at the University of Maryland as part of the Sadat Lecture for Peace, an annual series that has drawn world leaders such as Madeleine Albright, Nelson Mandela and Jimmy Carter. The event will be held at 10 a.m. May 7 at the Comcast Center on the College Park campus. Tickets are free but required. "It is very important that we expose our students to the broadest cultural and international diversity possible, and help them become global citizens," University of Maryland President Wallace Loh said in a statement.

WASHINGTON -- The Soviet Union's former East European allies joined the United States and Western Europe yesterday in refusing to move forward on new conventional forces talks until the Soviets comply with an arms treaty signed last year.As talks opened in Vienna, Austria, on troop levels in Europe, the United States said it would not engage in substantive negotiations until problems with the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty were solved.Secretary of State James A. Baker III discussed the problems Wednesday with Soviet Foreign Minister Alexander A. Bessmertnykh.

WASHINGTON -- Two key senators have crafted a compromise loan guarantee proposal for Israel, but it appears to fall short of Secretary of State James A. Baker III's requirement of a halt in new construction in the Israeli occupied territories. The plan would provide up to $1 billion worth of loan guarantees to Israel immediately, without making them subject to presidential discretion, according to a source familiar with the plan. The Bush administration would be able to block future sums, depending on whether Israel met conditions in the bill.

James K. Baker, 83, a civil rights lawyer and the first black department head for the city of Birmingham, Ala., died Tuesday of a pulmonary embolism. Mr. Baker was credited for working to integrate everything from jury boxes to cemeteries in the Birmingham area. In one of Mr. Baker's hallmark cases, he argued successfully for a mother who was told she could not bury her son, a Vietnam War casualty, in Elmwood Cemetery because he was black. Michael Jendrzejczyk, 53, a human-rights expert whose advocacy on behalf of victims in Asian nations made him an unlikely power broker in Washington, died Thursday after collapsing during a walk near his office in Washington.

On February 4, 2005, JAMES JACOB BAKER, beloved husband of Naomi Baker; devoted father of Jackie Baker-Johnson, June Baker-Kane, Jay L., Jerold L. and Jimmy Baker. On Wednesday friends may call at the new VAUGHN C. GREENE FUNERAL SERVICES (Randallstown), 8728 Liberty Rd. from 3:00 to 8:00 P.M., with Masonic Service to begin at 6:30 P.M. On Thursday, Mr. Baker will lie instate at the Bethel AME Church, 1300 Druid Hill Ave. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 10:30 A.M., with services to follow.

On July 4, 2003, JAMES E., SR.; beloved husband of the late Mabel B. (nee Backert); loving father of Beverly A. Brooks and James E. Baker, Jr. Also survived by five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; dear brother of Richard T. Baker. Relatives and friends will gather at Charles S. Zeiler and Son Funeral Home, Inc., 6224 Eastern Avenue (at Folcroft St.), on Monday, 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. A Prayer Service will be held on Tuesday, at 9 A.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, on Tuesday, at 10 A.M. Interment in Oak Lawn Cemetery.

TOKYO -- Japan will increase its share of the costs of stationing U.S. troops here at the start of the new fiscal year in March in response to requests by the U.S. government.President Bush and Secretary of State James A. Baker III made formal requests for additional payments last month.According to a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official, Japan will submit legislation to the Diet that would allow the government to pay the basic salary of Japanese employees and utility costs at U.S. military bases.

Helen Forrest, 82, who sang with the big bands of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, died Sunday of heart failure. She was "the most famous of all the big band singers" and recorded more than 500 songs, said Alan Eichler, her publicist.Born Helen Fogel in Atlantic City, N.J., she had several well-known recordings, including "All the Things You Are" with Shaw, "The Man I Love," with Goodman, and "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" and "I Had the Craziest Dream," with Harry James.Joel Baker Sr., 94, who designed several surgical techniques and was chief of surgery at the Virginia Mason Medical Center for more than 30 years, died July 4.Pub Date: 7/13/99

One teen-ager was killed and three others were seriously injured yesterday afternoon in a car accident on Route 24 in Bel Air.State police said Michael Joseph Napoli, 18, of Bel Air was driving north on Route 24, south of Singer Road, about 2 p.m. when a 1988 Oldsmobile driven south by James Clayton Baker, 17, crossed the median strip and struck Napoli's 1996 Honda. Napoli was killed and his passengers, Alison Vignola, 17, and Matthew Lemaire, 18, also of Bel Air, were injured.Vignola and Lemaire were flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where they were in stable condition last night.