NATION IN BRIEF : NEW YORK : Agent Orange Cash Awards Accelerated

A lump-sum payment of as much as $8,900 will be sent before Christmas to 9,300 Vietnam War veterans disabled by Agent Orange, according to an order signed in New York by a federal judge. The payments, totaling about $30 million, won’t significantly change the total award an eligible veteran will receive but provide a large share of the compensation in a single payment, court officials said. In 1984, seven chemical companies--without admitting guilt--agreed to pay $180 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by Vietnam veterans and their families.