Briefs: Five arrested for 50-foot protest

CHICAGO -- Protesters draped a 50-foot banner on the Chicago Board of Trade building Wednesday, accusing several agricultural businesses of destroying rainforests to produce renewable fuels, authorities said. Chicago police arrested four men and a woman on charges of reckless conduct, criminal trespass and criminal damage to property. Police said four of them scaled the outside of the building to the 23rd floor to hang the banner, while the fifth person coordinated the effort from the ground. Streets around the landmark building were gridlocked as morning rush hour traffic was diverted, and pedestrians gawked at the banner, which eventually became tangled in the wind before authorities removed it. The situation raised concerns about the building's security, which has been heightened since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Halted plan eyed illegal workers

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge Wednesday granted a request by labor and civil liberties organizations to temporarily block the U.S. government from proceeding with a program to crack down on businesses that may be employing illegal immigrants. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security could not go ahead with their plan to send joint letters warning businesses they'll face penalties if they keep workers whose Social Security numbers don't match their names. Breyer said the new work-site rule would likely impose hardships on businesses and their workers.

Adobe software vulnerable

BOSTON -- Adobe Systems, whose software is used by millions of people to read documents sent over the Internet, said Wednesday some of its programs contain yet-to-be-fixed flaws that make computers vulnerable to attack.

Buss Ford to sell Mercury line

McHENRY -- On Monday, Buss Ford, 111 S. Route 31 in McHenry, will start offering the Lincoln Mercury product line. The Buss family first began selling Fords in McHenry County in 1928. "We are so excited to have the opportunity to offer a luxury line of vehicles to customers," said Steve Buss, president and owner of Buss Ford.