The European Union (EU) sent a clear warning to Turkey on Thursday over the trial of a well-known novelist, saying it would affect the Muslim country's EU accession process. The European Union (EU) sent a clear warning to Turkey on Thursday over the trial of a well-known novelist, saying it would affect the Muslim country's EU accession process. "The trial of a novelist who expressed a non-violent opinion casts a shadow over the accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU ," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a statement. The European Union said on Thursday that the trial of a leading Turkish novelist accused of insulting his country was a litmus test for Turkey's commitment to freedom of speech. The European Union said on Thursday that the trial of a leading Turkish novelist accused of insulting his country was a litmus test for Turkey's commitment to freedom of speech. "The trial of a novelist who expressed a nonviolent opinion casts a shadow over the accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU ," he said. BERLIN - The European Union official overseeing Turkey's admission to the 25-nation bloc warned Thursday that Turkey's prosecution of a bestselling author for insulting "Turkishness " could damage the country's chances of joining the EU. BERLIN - The European Union official overseeing Turkey's admission to the 25-nation bloc warned Thursday that Turkey's prosecution of a bestselling author for insulting "Turkishness " could damage the country's chances of joining the EU. "The trial of a novelist who expressed a nonviolent opinion casts a shadow over the accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU ," said Rehn, who is Finnish. Orhan Pamuk , who has won a number of international awards in literature, will go on trial in Istanbul on Friday for "insulting" Turkey. Pamuk will be tried Friday after Turkish prosecutors filed charges against him for insulting Turkish identity after telling a Swiss newspaper in February that "30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands and nobody but me dares to talk about it." Pamuk , 53 , Turkey's best-known novelist, is expected to go on trial Friday for stating in a Swiss magazine interview what most historians regard as unassailable facts: That some 1 million Armenians were slaughtered by Turks in the 1915-1918 genocide and that thousands of ethnic Kurds have lost their lives in more recent civil strife in modern Turkey. Pamuk , 53, Turkey's best-known novelist, is expected to go on trial Friday for stating in a Swiss magazine interview what most historians regard as unassailable facts: That some 1 million Armenians were slaughtered by Turks in the 1915-1918 genocide and that thousands of ethnic Kurds have lost their lives in more recent civil strife in modern Turkey. A Turkish court convened here Friday to try prominent Turkish author Orhan Pamuk on charges of insulting the Turkish nation , but it was not immediately clear whether the trial would proceed. The Istanbul court trying prominent Turkish author Orhan Pamuk on charges of insulting the Turkish nation on Friday suspended the trial until February 7 pending authorisation to proceed from the justice ministry. Pamuk , Turkey's best-known writer and winner of many international awards, appeared before court in Istanbul Friday on charges of denigrating Turkish national identity for telling a Swiss magazine that "one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds were killed in these lands and nobody but me dares talk about it." A prosecutor in Istanbul indicted 53-year-old Pamuk on the grounds that his remarks amounted to "public denigration of the Turkish identity " and has demanded a prison term of between six months and three years, according to the author's publishers Iletisim. Pamuk , who is to go on trial in Turkey on Dec. 16 on charges of insulting his country's national character , is this year's recipient of the German Book Trade's annual Peace Prize. Pamuk is charged under Article 301 of Turkey's recently revised penal code, which carries a jail term of between six months and three years for a person who "explicitly insults " the Turkish republic. Orhan Pamuk , who has won a number of international awards in literature, will go on trial in Istanbul on Friday for "insulting " Turkey. Novelist Orhan Pamuk, facing three years in prison for remarks he made that allegedly denigrated Turkey , said he was not surprised about facing trial and is confident he won't go to jail. Pamuk risks a jail term of six months to three years for "denigrating the Turkish national identity " for remarks published in a Swiss magazine in February concerning the Armenian massacres during World War One. Prominent Turkish author Orhan Pamuk said he regretted being unable to defend himself Friday in his trial for insulting the Turkish nation , which he said would stain Turkey's image. EU enlargement commissioner Ollie Rehn lent support Saturday to prominent Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who faces trial in December over controversial remarks about the Armenian massacres and could end up serving three years in jail. If convicted, he could be sentenced to as long as three years in prison. Pamuk , whose books have been translated into more than 20 languages, faces up to three years in prison for telling a Swiss newspaper in February that 30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed under Turkish rule in the early 20th century. Novelist Orhan Pamuk , facing three years in prison for remarks he made that allegedly denigrated Turkey, said he was not surprised about facing trial and is confident he won't go to jail. If convicted, Pamuk faces up to three years behind bars , although most analysts believe it extremely unlikely he will be imprisoned if found guilty in Sisly Primary Court No. Lawmakers from the European parliament and leading Turkish intellectuals were present for the trial in which Pamuk , 53, risks six months to three years in jail. Pamuk risks a jail term of six months to three years for "denigrating the Turkish national identity" for remarks published in a Swiss magazine in February concerning the Armenian massacres during World War One. Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in orchestrated killings nine decades ago during the last years of the Ottoman Empire, the precursor of modern Turkey. "I repeat, I said loud and clear that 1 million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds were killed in Turkey ," he told reporters Saturday at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The charges stem from his remarks in an interview with a Swiss newspaper in which he said "30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in Turkey" during World War I and in the 1980s and 1990s. Pamuk, whose books have been translated into more than 20 languages, faces up to three years in prison for telling a Swiss newspaper in February that 30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed under Turkish rule in the early 20th century. Pamuk will be tried Friday after Turkish prosecutors filed charges against him for insulting Turkish identity after telling a Swiss newspaper in February that "30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands and nobody but me dares to talk about it." Pamuk, 53, Turkey's best-known novelist, is expected to go on trial Friday for stating in a Swiss magazine interview what most historians regard as unassailable facts: That some 1 million Armenians were slaughtered by Turks in the 1915-1918 genocide and that thousands of ethnic Kurds have lost their lives in more recent civil strife in modern Turkey. The Istanbul court trying prominent Turkish author Orhan Pamuk on charges of insulting the Turkish nation on Friday suspended the trial until February 7 pending authorisation to proceed from the justice ministry. The Istanbul court trying prominent Turkish author Orhan Pamuk on charges of insulting the Turkish nation on Friday suspended the trial until February 7 pending authorisation to proceed from the justice ministry. With Justice Minister Cemil Cicek saying in remarks published Friday that he still had not received the prosecution file, the court was froced to suspend the trial until the ministry reaches a decision on whether to try Pamuk or not. The court hearing the trial suspended the case pending authorisation from the justice ministry , which it says is essential for it to proceed. The case was adjourned to February to await a decision by the justice ministry , whose authorization is needed to proceed with the trial. The trial is expected to start on December 16 , it added. EU enlargement commissioner Ollie Rehn lent support Saturday to prominent Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk , who faces trial in December over controversial remarks about the Armenian massacres and could end up serving three years in jail. Turkish prosecutors filed charges against Pamuk and he goes to court on Dec. 16. Pamuk , who is to go on trial in Turkey on Dec. 16 on charges of insulting his country's national character, is this year's recipient of the German Book Trade's annual Peace Prize. The United States and the European Union have called on Turkey to drop the charges to ensure freedom of expression. The United States and the European Union have called on Turkey to drop the charges to ensure freedom of expression. The United States has also called on Turkey to drop the case, which will be heard in an Istanbul district court. The United States has also called on Turkey to drop the case , which will be heard in an Istanbul district court. "It is not Orhan Pamuk who will stand trial tomorrow , but Turkey," the commissioner said. "It is not Orhan Pamuk who will stand trial tomorrow , but Turkey." "It is not Orhan Pamuk who will stand trial , but Turkey," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in an unusually blunt statement released in Brussels. The massacre of Armenians during World War I is one of the most controversial episodes in Turkish history. He was referring to Kurds killed over the past two decades during Turkey's conflict with autonomy seeking Kurdish guerrillas, branded as a terrorist group by the U.S. and European Union, and to Armenians killed around the time of World War I. Armenians and several country's recognize those killings as the first genocide of the 20th century, which Turkey vehemently denies. He was referring to Kurds killed over the past two decades during Turkey's conflict with autonomy seeking Kurdish guerrillas, branded as a terrorist group by the U.S. and European Union, and to Armenians killed around the time of World War I. Armenians and several countries recognize those killings as the first genocide of the 20th century, which Turkey vehemently denies. Kyrgyzstan is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on Feb. 27 , setting the stage for a presidential vote in October. Akayev was speaking ahead of Kyrgyz parliamentary elections on February 27 that will set the stage for presidential polls on October 30. Akayev's supporters won a landslide victory in the parliament elections held on Feb. 27 with runoffs in many regions on March 13. Akayev's supporters won a landslide victory in the parliament elections held on Feb. 27 with runoffs in many regions on March 13. They rallied, blocked roads and occupied several government buildings , demanding Akayev's resignation. The opposition rallied, blocked roads and occupied several government buildings , demanding Akayev's resignation. Thousands of opposition supporters , angered at what they say rigged elections, stormed government buildings in the southern Kyrgyz town of Jalal-Abad on Sunday , following protests Friday in nearby Osh. Protesters this week seized control of government buildings in two of Kyrgyzstan's seven regional capitals and a number of smaller locales. The opposition refused to accept the results and accused the authorities of fraud in the election. The opposition refused to accept the results and accused the authorities of fraud in the election. The opposition refused to accept the results and accused the authorities of fraud in the election. The opposition refused to accept the results and accused the authorities of fraud in the election. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev on Wednesday blamed the opposition leaders for inciting a civil war , said news from Bishkek, capital of the former Soviet republic. Akayev has blamed the opposition leaders for inciting a civil war. Akayev has blamed the opposition leaders for inciting a civil war. Hundreds of opposition activists rallied in the Kyrgyz capital Saturday to urge President Askar Akayev to step down at the end of his term in October , amid fears he might try and hold onto power. They rallied, blocked roads and occupied several government buildings, demanding Akayev's resignation. The opposition rallied, blocked roads and occupied several government buildings, demanding Akayev's resignation. The polls are being closely watched as a stepping stone to October 30 presidential polls at which President Askar Akayev has vowed to stand down -- a promise that some opposition figures distrust. Akayev has served the maximum two terms allowed by the constitution and has pledged to step down before the presidential election scheduled for October. Akayev has served the maximum two terms allowed by the constitution and has pledged to step down before the presidential election scheduled for October. Kyrgyzstan is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections on Feb. 27, setting the stage for a presidential vote in October. Akayev was speaking ahead of Kyrgyz parliamentary elections on February 27 that will set the stage for presidential polls on October 30. The parliamentary elections , which are a stepping stone to presidential elections on October 30 , have been surrounded by controversy, with protests in several parts of this mountainous country in the days leading up to the vote. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev on Wednesday blamed the opposition leaders for inciting a civil war, said news from Bishkek , capital of the former Soviet republic. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev fired the interior minister and prosecutor-general on Wednesday , his spokesman said, as a wave of opposition protests across the south kept up pressure on his government. Kyrgyzstan's President Askar Akayev insisted that voting in crucial parliamentary elections in the former Soviet republic on Sunday was being conducted fairly, but a leading opposition figure cried foul. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev Tuesday refused to resign and annul the results of a disputed parliamentary election , saying that talks were the only way out of the crisis. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev on Monday ordered authorities in the central Asian nation to investigate charges of fraud in a recent parliamentary poll that sparked a series of opposition protests in the country's volatile south. "He ordered them to carry out an investigation into all instances of violations that occurred in the election process," he said. As the world prepares to say a final farewell to Pope John Paul II at his funeral Friday , we shall move the following special package of stories: -- POPE JOHN PAUL II -- Vatican-pope,lead VATICAN CITY A vast security operation to protect world leaders attending the funeral of John Paul II goes into top gear as US President George W. Bush arrives to pay his last respects to the late pope. Vatican-pope-Poland WARSAW As the world prepared for the funeral of John Paul II , tens of thousands of the pope's Polish compatriots head to Rome to bid him adieu, and millions more in his homeland paid moving tributes to their greatest compatriot. Pictures Vatican-pope-mourning-critics PARIS As the world prepares for the funeral of Pope John Paul II , some Europeans have questioned the deluge of ecstatic praise for the pontiff as well as the participation of scores of heads of state. As the world prepares to say a final farewell to Pope John Paul II at his funeral Friday, we shall move the following stories: Vatican-pope,lead VATICAN CITY Vatican officials shut Saint Peter's basilica to the public and work late into the night to prepare for Friday's open-air funeral of Pope John Paul II , amid a security clampdown for visiting world leaders. As the world prepares to say a final farewell to Pope John Paul II at his funeral Friday , we shall move the following stories: Vatican-pope,lead VATICAN CITY Vatican officials shut Saint Peter's basilica to the public and work late into the night to prepare for Friday's open-air funeral of Pope John Paul II, amid a security clampdown for visiting world leaders. John Paul II , the voyager pope who helped conquer communism and transformed the papacy with charisma and vigor, died Saturday night after a long battle with Parkinson's disease that became a lesson to the world in humble suffering, the paper said. The Manila Times: The Pope is dead Pope John Paul II , spiritual leader of the world's 1.25 billion Roman Catholics, died on Saturday, two days after suffering heart failure brought by two months of acute breath-ing problems and other infections. Pope John Paul II , who died Saturday , is to be interred at St. Peter's Basilica after the Friday morning funeral. On the eve of John Paul II's funeral , around half a million people gathered Thursday in a vast field on the edge of the southern Polish city of Krakow for a mass in memory of the Polish-born pope. Some 800,000 people were gathering Thursday in a vast field on the edge of the southern Polish city of Krakow for a mass in memory of Pope John Paul II , a police spokeswoman said. The Catholic Patriotic Association of China and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College sent a telegram Sunday morning to Vatican to express "deep condolence " over the demise of Pope John Paul II. The Catholic Patriotic Association of China and the Chinese Catholic Bishops College sent a telegram Sunday morning to Vatican to express "deep condolence " over the demise of Pope John Paul II. 700 words 0200 GMT by Maja Czarnecka Vatican-pope-pilgrims-camp ROME Rome University's Tor Vergata campus has been turned into a tent city to welcome tens of thousands of young pilgrims from around arriving to pay their last respects to the late Pope John Paul II. We have also moved: Vatican-pope-US-Bush-kneel,2ndlead Vatican-pope-US-Bush-Clinton We will also move: Vatican-pope-funeral-list-region Vatican-pope-scene,new-series VATICAN CITY Pilgrims from across the world settle in for a night on the streets as they wait patiently in a line hundreds of thousands long to pay their respects at the body of Pope John Paul II lying in state. Pope John Paul II , who died Saturday, is to be interred at St. Peter's Basilica after the Friday morning funeral. 450 words 0200 GMT Vatican-pope-crypt VATICAN CITY Pope John Paul II is to be interred in the crypt of Saint Peter's Basilica in the company of many of his predecessors. "We sincerely express our deep condolence, on behalf of more than 5 million clergies and faithfuls of the Catholic Church in China, and pray God grant him an eternal reward," it reads. "We sincerely express our deep condolence, on behalf of more than 5 million clergies and faithfuls of the Catholic Church in China, and pray God grant him an eternal reward ," it reads. Pictures Vatican-pope-Poland-tribute,lead KRAKOW, Poland As tens of thousands of Poles headed to Rome for Pope John Paul II's funeral , those who stayed behind in his Polish homeland continue to pay tribute to him and prepared to bring the distant funeral into their city squares and living rooms. Pictures Vatican-pope-Poland ROME Amid cheers, applause and relief , six specially chartered trains arrive in the early hours of Friday at Rome's Ostiense station, delivering nearly 5,000 pilgrims from John Paul II's Polish homeland to the Italian capital for the pope's funeral. According to his final testament released Thursday by the Vatican , the pope left no personal property, instructing Dziwisz to burn all his personal notes. 500 words 0200 GMT Vatican-pope-health VATICAN CITY Pope John Paul II, who famously quipped he would not know where to address a letter of resignation, reveals in a last testament that he considered stepping aside toward his 80th birthday five years ago, a time when the globetrotting pontiff was suffering increasing ill health. Pictures Vatican-pope-mass VATICAN CITY The requiem mass for the funeral of Pope John Paul II will follow centuries of solemn ritual befitting the final farewell to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Pictures Vatican-pope-mass VATICAN CITY The requiem mass for the funeral of Pope John Paul II will follow centuries of solemn ritual befitting the final farewell to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. 'Dramatic rediscovery' The Interior Department touted the event as "the dramatic rediscovery of a species previously believed extinct. " For nearly 60 years, bird lovers have slogged through the swampwaters of the Deep South, along the bayous and rivers feeding the Mississippi River, searching in vain for a spectacular bird long thought to be extinct -- the ivory-billed woodpecker. The ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird long thought extinct , has been sighted in the swamp forests of eastern Arkansas for the first time in more than 60 years, Cornell University scientists said Thursday. ``Second chances to save wildlife once thought to be extinct are rare,'' she said at a news conference Thursday, where she announced $10 million in new funds to bolster restoration of the Big Woods of southern Arkansas, where the bird was spotted. The ivory-billed woodpecker, a magnificent bird long given up for extinct , has been sighted in the cypress and tupelo swamp of the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge here in Arkansas, scientists announced Thursday. The ivory-billed woodpecker , which was last seen in 1944 and feared extinct , has been seen in a protected forest in Arkansas, scientists said Thursday. "The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), long suspected to be extinct , has been rediscovered in the 'Big Woods' region of eastern Arkansas", researchers reported in the journal Science to be published. "This is a rare second chance to preserve through cooperative conservation what was once thought lost forever ," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton. The ivory-billed woodpecker , once prized for its plumage and sought by American Indians as magical, was thought to be extinct for years. The discovery of living examples of an animal believed to be extinct is rare, said Tess Present, director of science at the National Audubon Society. The bird , one of the largest species of woodpecker in the world, disappeared after large-scale logging felled thousands of acres of forest in the Southeast between the 1880s and 1940s. The ivory-billed woodpecker , long thought to have been pushed into extinction by massive logging of the American Southeast , has been spotted by scientists for the first time in 60 years soaring through the wild swamplands of southern Arkansas. Rarely seen after the mid-1800s, the largest woodpecker in North America was believed to have gone extinct after deforestation decimated its habitat in the swampy woodlands of the South. The rediscovery of a bird thought to have vanished due to overlogging of its swamp habitat electrified scientists and birders , and sharpened the long-standing debate over how best to conserve rare and imperiled species. It was last sighted in 1944 and was thought to have fallen victim of widespread logging in the region. That video of the bird's 3-foot (0.91 meters) wingspan and distinctive black-and-white markings confirmed the presence of the creature that seemed to have vanished after logging destroyed its habitat. After decades of legends, rumors and anecdotes, scientists Thursday announced something of an ornithological miracle: multiple confirmed sightings of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird whose last confirmed sighting dates back to World War II. The last documented sighting was in Louisiana in 1944. The ivory-billed woodpecker , which was last seen in 1944 and feared extinct, has been seen in a protected forest in Arkansas, scientists said Thursday. The ivory-billed woodpecker , which was last seen in 1944 and feared extinct, has been seen in a protected forest in Arkansas, scientists said Thursday. It was last sighted in 1944 and was thought to have fallen victim of widespread logging in the region. In news bound to electrify bird lovers worldwide , scientists are expected to announce today the "rediscovery" of the ivory-bill in a remote swampy area of northeast Arkansas known as the Big Woods. The ivory-billed woodpecker , a bird long thought extinct, has been sighted in the swamp forests of eastern Arkansas for the first time in more than 60 years , Cornell University scientists said Thursday. So the news that the magnificent bird has been found in an Arkansas swamp -- six decades after it was thought to be extinct in the United States -- hit the Nature Conservancy ecologist like a thunderclap. "The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), long suspected to be extinct, has been rediscovered in the 'Big Woods' region of eastern Arkansas ", researchers reported in the journal Science to be published. The striking bird, last seen in 1944 , has been rediscovered in the Big Woods area of Arkansas, scientists and conservationists reported Thursday. ``Second chances to save wildlife once thought to be extinct are rare,'' she said at a news conference Thursday, where she announced $10 million in new funds to bolster restoration of the Big Woods of southern Arkansas , where the bird was spotted. The ivory-billed woodpecker , a magnificent bird long given up for extinct, has been sighted in the cypress and tupelo swamp of the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge here in Arkansas, scientists announced Thursday. The ivory-billed woodpecker , which was last seen in 1944 and feared extinct, has been seen in a protected forest in Arkansas , scientists said Thursday. Ornitholigists said several sightings of the bird had been made in a refuge in Arkansas state and video of the bird made last year was released on Thursday. He was joined by Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton , who announced that the agency, along with the Department of Agriculture, had proposed to spend $10 million in federal money for research, habitat protection and law enforcement efforts to protect the bird. While jubilant bird lovers rejoiced Thursday over the "rediscovery" of the fabled ivory-billed woodpecker , the government promised to spend millions of dollars to protect the bird and its habitat , a remote Arkansas swamp. She said that the departments of Interior and Agriculture propose spending more than $10 million to protect the bird. The Interior Department and the Department of Agriculture said they would spend more than 10 million dollars to protect the Ivory billed woodpecker , a large, showy bird with a red head and cream coloured bill. In all, there have been 15 sightings of the bird since February 2004 during a period of more than 7,000 hours of searching. The woodpecker has been spotted independently several times in the past year and a half , including Feb. 27, 2004, when two researchers in search of the bird set out on a canoe in a bayou in Arkansas' Big Woods: 550,000 acres of bottomland forest, bayous and oxbow lakes. The first sighting of the spectacular bird is reported to be on Feb. 11, 2004, and has been followed by several others, including one on April 25, 2004, in which the bird was videotaped. Since early 2004 there have been several independent sightings, including one caught on videotape, of one or more of the birds , Fitzpatrick said. The ivory-billed woodpecker is one of six North American bird species thought to have gone extinct since 1880. The ivory-billed woodpecker is one of six North American bird species thought to have gone extinct since 1880. The ivory-billed woodpecker , one of the largest such birds in the world, is one of six North American bird species thought to have become extinct since 1880. The ivory-billed woodpecker, one of the largest such birds in the world, is one of six North American bird species thought to have become extinct since 1880. Bird experts, government agencies and conservation organizations involved kept the discovery secret for more than a year, while they worked to confirm the discovery and protect the bird's territory. Experts from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in New York and The Nature Conservancy kept the woodpecker's existence a secret for more than a year to allow time to protect the bird's habitat in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas. The Nature Conservancy and federal agencies have been buying land in the district to better protect the bird's habitat. The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups have bought land in the region of the refuge to help preserve a larger area. The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups have bought land in the region of the refuge to help preserve a larger area. The Nature Conservancy and federal agencies have been buying land in the district to better protect the bird's habitat. If confirmed, Miers , a former Dallas lawyer, would replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement plans earlier this year. US President George W. Bush has picked White House legal counsel Harriet Miers to be a new US Supreme Court justice , an administration official told AFP early Monday. Miers , who was previously Bush's deputy chief of staff, has been picked to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement in early July. President George W. Bush on Monday nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court , reaching into his loyal inner circle for a pick that could reshape the nation's judiciary for years to come. If confirmed, Miers would fill the seat of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court and often a critical swing vote on the nine-member panel. Not even a congressional recess nor Bush's preoccupation with hurricane recovery and affairs of state shrouded the continuing controversy surrounding his selection of Miers to replace the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. President Bush on Wednesday moved religion to the forefront of the debate over Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers , defending his administration's work behind the scenes to inform social conservatives about her Christian faith. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that Harriet Miers' religious beliefs figured into her nomination to the Supreme Court as a top-ranking Democrat warned against any "wink and a nod" campaign for confirmation. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that Harriet Miers' religious beliefs figured into her nomination to the Supreme Court as a top-ranking Democrat warned against any "wink and a nod" campaign for confirmation. So Bush and his minions have tried to reassure skeptical conservatives by pointing to her religious beliefs. President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court splintered the Republican Party's conservative base , with reaction from key senators and groups ranging from hostility to silence to praise. Conservative outrage over President George W. Bush's controversial pick of Texas lawyer Harriet Miers to fill a vacancy on the US Supreme Court was unabated Sunday as activists called on the White House to withdraw her nomination. The chaos surrounding President Bush's Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers gets curiouser and curiouser. The chaos surrounding President Bush's Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers gets curiouser and curiouser. Bush was defending attempts in recent days by Vice President Dick Cheney, political adviser Karl Rove and White House insiders, such as former Republican Party Chairman Ed Gillespie, to reassure social and religious conservatives about Miers' faith and conservatism. President Bush on Wednesday moved religion to the forefront of the debate over Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, defending his administration's work behind the scenes to inform social conservatives about her Christian faith. So Bush and his minions have tried to reassure skeptical conservatives by pointing to her religious beliefs. Bush sought to reassure at least the religious right by talking about Miers' strong evangelical religious beliefs , implying that she could be trusted to vote their way on culture-war issues, including overturning Roe vs. Wade, the 1983 abortion ruling. "I'm proud to nominate an outstanding woman who brings a similar record of achievement in private practice and public service," Bush said. "She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice," Bush said. "People ask me why I picked Harriet Miers," Bush said. And part of Harriet Miers' life is her religion. " And part of Harriet Miers' life is her religion. " "Part of Harriet Miers's life is her religion ," Bush said on Wednesday. President Bush Friday rejected conservative calls to withdraw his nomination of White House counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court and prepared to reassure skeptical Republicans and persuade the Senate to confirm her for the seat of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. President Bush Friday rejected conservative calls to withdraw his nomination of White House counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court and prepared to reassure skeptical Republicans and persuade the Senate to confirm her for the seat of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Conservative outrage over President George W. Bush's controversial pick of Texas lawyer Harriet Miers to fill a vacancy on the US Supreme Court was unabated Sunday as activists called on the White House to withdraw her nomination. But despite those efforts, a drumbeat in favor of withdrawing her nomination continued gathering strength among conservative activists and opinion leaders. If confirmed, Miers, a former Dallas lawyer, would replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement plans earlier this year. Miers, who was previously Bush's deputy chief of staff, has been picked to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement in early July. "She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice ," Bush said. "She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice ," Bush said, announcing his choice from the Oval Office with Miers at his side. The sixth novel in J.K. Rowling's blockbuster Harry Potter series , "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," will go on sale in several countries on July 16 , publishers said Tuesday. The sixth book in the hugely successful Harry Potter series , 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' , will be published on July 16 next year , its publisher said Tuesday. Less than 24 hours after publishers announced a July 16 release date for "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince " _ British author J.K. Rowling's sixth novel set in the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _ it had shot to No. British publisher Bloomsbury said Tuesday that Rowling, pregnant with her third child, had finished the latest and penultimate book in the series about the teenage wizard's adventures, and it will be published on July 16 next year. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ," to be published July 16 , has sparked massive interest, with bookmakers offering bets since author JK Rowling announced nine months ago that a character in the series would be killed off. As publication nears for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," to be unveiled to the world July 16 , expect some of the usual midnight madness and at least one new twist: less Potter merchandise. The 2005 publishing date means that fans will be spared the three-year wait between Potter IV, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and Potter V, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ," which came out in summer 2003. Amazon said it took 420,000 pre-orders for the fifth in the series, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ," released in the summer of 2003 , making it the largest ever pre-order item. In 2003 , CIBTC released the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in China , which sold more than half a million copies. The previous record holder was "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ," which came out in 2003 with a first run of 6.8 million. Potter paraphernalia, from cakes to capes, was on display everywhere when J.K. Rowling's last novel, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ," came out in 2003. British police said they arrested two men Friday in connection with the theft of the next instalment of the adventures of boy wizard Harry Potter , six weeks before its launch. A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said they arrested two men after being contacted about the book. A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said they arrested two men after being contacted about the book. Law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain issued a statement saying its client Rowling had won a court battle to stop the two men leaking details of her latest book after they were accused of attempting to sell copies of it. Police made the arrests after receiving reports of gunfire in the English city of Kettering where a journalist from the Sun newspaper reported he had met two men allegedly preparing to sell stolen copies of the new book. Police made the arrests after receiving reports of gunfire in the English city of Kettering where a journalist from the Sun newspaper reported he had met two men allegedly preparing to sell stolen copies of the new book. British publisher Bloomsbury said J.K. Rowling had finished the latest and penultimate book in the series about the teenage wizard's adventures that has captivated millions of childrens and adult and spawned a multi-million dollar film, merchandising and pulication industry. The books have captivated millions of children and adults and spawned a multi-million dollar film, merchandising and publication industry. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ," to be published July 16, has sparked massive interest , with bookmakers offering bets since author JK Rowling announced nine months ago that a character in the series would be killed off. About 250 million Harry Potter books have been sold around the world, and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix " became one of the fastest-selling books in publishing history in 2003. Harry's last outing , "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ," became the fastest selling book in US publishing history , selling five million copies in the first 24 hours after its release in June, 2003. ``Order of the Phoenix' ' was the fastest-selling in history , with 5 million copies purchased in 24 hours on June 21, 2003. Scholastic Inc. , the US publisher of the Harry Potter books has announced a record-breaking first print run of 10.8 million copies for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince " which will go on sale in the United States at midnight on July 16. Scholastic, Inc. , Rowling's American publisher, has announced a first printing of 10.8 million , seven times the first run of Bill Clinton's "My Life" and 4 million more than for "Order of the Phoenix." At Scholastic Corp., the U.S. publisher, executives are tracking the pre-order activity to determine the need for additional copies; the first printing totaled 10.8 million , up from 6.8 million for ``Order of the Phoenix.'' The magical exploits of Harry and his wizard school chums, and their struggle against evil Lord Voldemort, have sold some 250 million copies worldwide in over 50 languages. Worldwide sales have topped 250 million for the fantasy series , which has been translated into 62 languages. About 250 million Harry Potter books have been sold around the world , and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" became one of the fastest-selling books in publishing history in 2003. You already know a new Harry Potter book is coming this summer. You already know a new Harry Potter book is coming this summer. The sixth book in the hugely successful Harry Potter series , 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ', is already among the best-sellers on the Internet - more than six months before its publication , giant US online retailer Amazon said Wednesday. "Half-Blood Prince " has topped the best seller lists of Amazon.com and Barnes & ; Noble.com ever since its release was announced in December. Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly , Gazprom, plans to complete a new US$6 billion (euro4.6 billion) natural gas pipeline to Western Europe in 2010 , a delay of three years from initial estimates, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday. "The pipeline will be launched in 2010 ," Interfax quoted Gazprom chief Alexei Miller as telling German television after a meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Gazprom will build the pipeline with the German BASF company, and expects it to be operational in 2010. The first section of the pipeline is scheduled to begin operation in 2010 , ultimately pumping 55 billion cubic meters (72 billion cubic yards) of gas per year from Vyborg, in northwest Russia, to Greifswald, in northern Germany. The first section of the pipeline is scheduled to begin operation in 2010. The first section of the pipeline is scheduled to begin operation in 2010. The signature concerns about 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) of pipeline under the Baltic Sea from Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald in Germany, as part of a total network which is to extend for 3,000 kilometres. State-controlled Gazprom has partnered with German companies E.On AG and BASF AG to build the section of the pipeline that passes under the Baltic Sea and has said it will look for a third partner. Welders crouching on a snowy field sealed the first link Friday in a natural gas pipeline that will stretch along the Baltic seabed , linking the resources of Russia's gas fields with energy-hungry German consumers. Earlier in the day, officials sealed the first link in the natural gas pipeline, which will run along the Baltic seabed and bring the resources of Russia's gas fields to the German market. The 300-kilometer (186-mile) pipeline will run from Bursa in Turkey to Komotini in Greece and is designed to transport Caspian and Central Asian natural gas to Europe. Together, the three pipelines will enable Caspian and Central Asian natural gas to be transported to Europe. Kazakhstan, a key transit country for Central Asian gas exported to Europe , can transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. The idea for a north European gas pipeline originated with Gazprom of Russia. Russian gas giant OAO Gazprom, which will lead the consortium building the pipeline , is the world's largest gas producer and supplies a quarter of Europe's natural gas. Russian gas giant OAO Gazprom, which will lead the consortium building the pipeline , is the world's largest gas producer and supplies a quarter of Europe's natural gas. Welders crouching on a snowy field sealed the first link Friday in a natural gas pipeline that will stretch along the Baltic seabed, linking the resources of Russia's gas fields with energy-hungry German consumers. Earlier in the day, officials sealed the first link in the natural gas pipeline , which will run along the Baltic seabed and bring the resources of Russia's gas fields to the German market. The underwater section will be built by Greece's natural gas supplier Depa and Italy's second-biggest power group Edison , and is expected to be completed by 2010. The underwater pipeline will be built by Depa, Greece's natural gas supplier , and Italy's Edison SpA On June 24, Greek Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas and his Italian counterpart, Claudio Scagiola, signed a memorandum of understanding to connect their respective countries' natural gas networks. The two companies have been working together on the Nabucco project _ a plan for a natural gas pipeline that would run from Turkey through Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary to Austria. The 300-kilometer (186-mile) pipeline will run from Bursa in Turkey to Komotini in Greece and is designed to transport Caspian and Central Asian natural gas to Europe. The increase in capacity will take place once the pipeline is connected to two other planned gas pipelines. The pipeline will eventually be linked via another pipeline across northern Greece to a third that is being built between Greece and Turkey. OMV Gas supplies natural gas to Austria as well as to neighboring Germany, Italy, Hungary and Slovenia and to France and Croatia. OMV Gas supplies natural gas to Austria as well as to neighboring Germany, Italy, Hungary and Slovenia and to France and Croatia. The pipelines are all part of the Southern Europe Gas Ring project , due to be completed by end-2006. All three pipelines are part of the Southern Europe Gas Ring Project. The Spanish government on Friday approved a bill to legalise homosexual marriages , which will make it only the third country in Europe to condone same sex marriages. The Spanish government on Friday approved a bill to legalise homosexual marriages, which will make it only the third country in Europe to condone same sex marriages. The Spanish government Friday approved plans for homosexual marriage, including the right of gay couples to adopt, making the the country the most liberal in Europe, with Belgium and the Netherlands, in the field of gay rights. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer ruled that a state law limiting marriage as an exclusive union between a man and a woman violated a constitutional right to equal treatment. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer ruled that a state law limiting marriage as an exclusive union between a man and a woman violated a constitutional right to equal treatment. California, Hawaii and New Jersey also allow for domestic partnerships _ though California and Hawaii also have states laws that define marriage as between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriage was first authorized in Canada in June 2003 by an Ontario court , followed by court decisions in the provinces of British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, and the Yukon Territory. Same-sex marriage was first authorized in Canada in June 2003 by an Ontario court , followed by court decisions in the provinces of British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, and the Yukon Territory. Same-sex marriage was first authorized in Canada in June 2003 by an Ontario court , followed by court decisions in the provinces of British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, and the Yukon Territory. A US judge on Monday ruled that a California state law that effectively bans gay marriage is unconstitutional, a clerk of the court told AFP. A US judge on Monday ruled that a California state law that effectively bans gay marriage is unconstitutional , a clerk of the court told AFP. Voters in eleven US states voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to impose constitutional bans on gay marriage , one of the hottest issues in this year's presidential election, results showed. The midwestern state of Missouri approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage by a huge margin in August , as did Louisiana in September. A judge on Tuesday threw out an amendment to the Louisiana Constitution banning gay marriage , a ruling applauded by civil-rights advocates but dismissed by social conservatives as a temporary hitch in their campaign to limit the legal rights of gay and lesbian couples. A lesbian couple who wed in Canada can seek to have their union legally recognized in Ireland, a judge ruled Tuesday in a case he predicted would have deep consequences for this predominantly Catholic country. Poland's upper house of parliament approved a bill Friday that would allow gay couples to gain legal partnership rights, immediately drawing sharp criticism from the nation's powerful Roman Catholic Church. Poland's upper house of parliament approved a bill Friday that would allow gay couples to gain legal partnership rights , immediately drawing sharp criticism from the nation's powerful Roman Catholic Church. Same-sex marriage is now allowed in more than half of Canada's 10 provinces and three territories. Same-sex marriage is now allowed in more than half of Canada's 10 provinces and three territories. It will also give gay couples the right to adopt. - NETHERLANDS: The Dutch Senate adopted in December 2000 legislation authorising civil homosexual marriage and the adoption by two same-sex parents of children provided the children have Dutch nationality. Kansas on Tuesday became the latest and 18th state to pass a constitutional amendment barring gay marriage. Kansas on Tuesday became the latest and 18th state to pass a constitutional amendment barring gay marriage. Security experts warned Tuesday that terrorists could unleash electromagnetic bombs to cripple the nation, damaging electrical systems vital to everything from financial services to transportation and communications. In some scenarios, the e-bomb could be used to release an electromagnetic pulse that could disable and damage electrical power systems. The fear: In a worst-case scenario, terrorists or others could engineer an attack that sets off a widespread blackout and damages power plants , prolonging an outage. During mock terror attacks on plants , NRC officials assume electric power would be disrupted. Twenty-eight U.S. plants lack backup power for sirens that are supposed to alert residents in a 16-kilometer (10-mile) radius of trouble, the NRC said. Plants that lack any backup power for sirens include the Indian Point plant just north of New York City and the Davis-Besse plant near Toledo , Ohio. Plants that lack any backup power for sirens include the Indian Point plant just north of New York City and the Davis-Besse plant near Toledo, Ohio. ``Their effects on systems and infrastructures dependent on electricity and electronics could be sufficiently ruinous as to qualify as catastrophic to the nation ,'' said Lowell Wood, acting chairman of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, an advisory group set up by Congress. Experts have long warned that the nation's power, transportation and communications systems are vulnerable to "cyberattacks" that could devastate the economy and cause huge damage to life and property. Experts have long warned that the nation's power, transportation and communications systems are vulnerable to "cyberattacks " that could devastate the economy and cause huge damage to life and property. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission found that in 2003 a malicious, invasive program called the Slammer worm infected the computer network at a nuclear power plant and disabled its safety monitoring system for nearly five hours. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission found that in 2003 a malicious, invasive program called the Slammer worm infected the computer network at a nuclear power plant and disabled its safety monitoring system for nearly five hours. In 2003, for instance, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission revealed a computer worm on the Internet penetrated the control systems of a nuclear power plant, disabling its safety mechanisms for about five hours. Engineers monitoring the power grid in New York now have a better view of what is happening on transmission lines in neighboring states and can respond faster to offset problems that start elsewhere. Engineers monitoring the power grid in New York now have a better view of what is happening on transmission lines in neighboring states and can respond faster to offset problems that start elsewhere. Engineers monitoring the power grid in New York now have a better view of what is happening on transmission lines in neighboring states and can respond faster to offset problems that start elsewhere. More than two dozen nuclear power plants across the United States lack sirens that would warn of a nuclear emergency if electricity also was blacked out, according to a report by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. More than two dozen nuclear power plants across the United States lack sirens that would warn of a nuclear emergency if electricity also was blacked out, according to a report by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. More than two dozen nuclear power plants across the United States lack sirens that would warn of a nuclear emergency if electricity also was blacked out , according to a report by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. At Three Mile Island in Middletown, the site of a March 28, 1979, partial meltdown that remains the worst U.S. nuclear plant accident, only 19 of the 96 sirens would operate if power went out. In addition to encouraging more domestic oil and gas production , it provides money for research into technology to help burn coal with less pollution and creates federal risk insurance for companies that build a new generation of nuclear power plants. On a day when oil and gasoline prices hit record highs, President Bush on Monday signed into law a bill that encourages increased domestic oil and gas production and the building of new nuclear power plants while creating incentives for alternative energy sources and requiring modernization of the nation's electrical grid. As a fuel cell housed in a metal box about the size of a small SUV hummed quietly in the parking lot of the Babylon, N.Y., Town Hall with puffs of steam floating out of its exhaust pipe, the chairman of the Long Island Power Authority , Richard Kessel, announced early this month that the utility was seeking a company to build and operate a 10-megawatt fuel cell that would provide enough energy to power 10,000 homes. As a fuel cell housed in a metal box about the size of a small SUV hummed quietly in the parking lot of the Babylon, N.Y., Town Hall with puffs of steam floating out of its exhaust pipe, the chairman of the Long Island Power Authority, Richard Kessel, announced early this month that the utility was seeking a company to build and operate a 10-megawatt fuel cell that would provide enough energy to power 10,000 homes. They urged Congress and Homeland Security officials to craft plans to fend off such attacks and set up mechanisms to fix and restore power quickly. They urged Congress and Homeland Security officials to craft plans to fend off such attacks and set up mechanisms to fix and restore power quickly. Indicted on 17 counts of crimes against humanity , Taylor poses a clear and present danger to West Africa and U.S. interests. Taylor faces a 17-count indictment by the Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone. Within Liberia, however, there is less support than abroad for Taylor's extradition to next-door Sierra Leone to face a 17-count indictment for having armed and trained the rebel Revolutionary United Front in its decade of civil conflict considered among the most brutal wars in modern history. The court, set up in 2000 , had issued an arrest warrant for Taylor on 17 counts in 2003 but Nigeria ignored it. "Taylor can now face trial at the war crimes court in Sierra Leone where he is indicted on 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the armed conflict there," she added. Taylor is accused of masterminding a policy of murder, torture, pillage and rape in the 1990s in Liberia and neighbouring Sierra Leone, where prosecutors have lodged a 17-count indictment alleging crimes against humanity. In August 2003 , under siege militarily, Taylor fled to Nigeria under an asylum deal backed by the Bush administration and Britain's Tony Blair. Taylor gave up the presidency and fled to Nigeria in August 2003 , part of a peace deal brokered as rebels besieged the Liberian capital, Monrovia. Taylor, who was offered asylum in Nigeria in August 2003 for stepping down and ending a seven-year civil war in Liberia, has been accused by prosecutors at the UN-backed war crimes court for Sierra Leone of complicity in a January assassination attempt on the ailing Conte. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo , who was in Monrovia on Friday for a day-long visit, his first since accompanying Taylor into exile in August 2003 to end the civil war, has resisted all calls for his handover to Freetown, saying he will only offer up his unwelcome guest to an elected Liberian government. Under the terms of the asylum deal which brought Taylor to Nigeria in August 2003 , the former president is forbidden from giving interviews to the media. Obasanjo promised to turn Taylor over only if the new Liberian government requested it. Nigeria said Saturday that it would end the asylum of deposed Liberian dictator Charles G. Taylor and hand him over to the Liberian government for trial. Nigeria said Saturday that it would end the asylum of deposed Liberian dictator Charles G. Taylor and hand him over to the Liberian government for trial. The international pressure group Human Rights Watch on Saturday called on Nigeria to move quickly to make good its promise to surrender exiled former Liberian leader Charles Taylor to his home government. Unless Taylor is turned over quickly to the U.N.-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone to stand trial, he will never face punishment for the crimes he committed in the region at the cost of tens of thousands of dead and hundreds of thousands of lives destroyed. The U.N.-backed tribunal has increased calls in recent weeks for Taylor to be immediately handed over for trial , accusing Taylor of violating his asylum agreement by meddling in the affairs of Liberia and its neighbors. The U.N.-backed tribunal has increased calls in recent weeks for Taylor to be immediately handed over for trial , accusing Taylor of violating his asylum agreement by meddling in the affairs of Liberia and its neighbors. The prospect of the exiled former Liberian leader Charles Taylor being quickly sent to face trial appeared to recede Monday, as his country said it did not want him back and his host Nigeria said it had received no formal request to detain him. Al-Qaeda's network is actively seeking to destabilize West Africa, partly through its links with ex-Liberian president Charles Taylor , who has given sanctuary to its operatives, a UN-backed court said Tuesday. It continues to be in West Africa and Charles Taylor has been harboring members of Al-Qaeda ," said David Crane, a prosecutor with the warcrimes tribunal. Taylor has been harboring Al-Qaeda members, including those who participated in the 1998 US embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya, since the attack. Al-Qaeda's network is actively seeking to destabilize West Africa, partly through its links with ex-Liberian president Charles Taylor, who has given sanctuary to its operatives , a UN-backed court said Tuesday. Taylor , the former president of Liberia, is charged with warcrimes and crimes against humanity by the Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone for his role in that neighboring country's 1991-2001 civil war. Liberia's former president Charles Taylor , accused of war crimes for his role in Sierra Leone 's civil war, is a "menace to west Africa," Guinea's territorial administration minister said Wednesday. Taylor , who was offered asylum in Nigeria in August 2003 for stepping down and ending a seven-year civil war in Liberia, has been accused by prosecutors at the UN-backed war crimes court for Sierra Leone of complicity in a January assassination attempt on the ailing Conte. Cooper, the war crimes court spokeswoman, said Monday that Taylor "remains in contact with his political network in Liberia on a day-to-day basis," adding that he'll "remain a menace to West Africa until he is turned over for trial to the special court for Sierra Leone. " Liberia's former president Charles Taylor , accused of war crimes for his role in Sierra Leone's civil war, is a "menace to west Africa ," Guinea's territorial administration minister said Wednesday. "The Liberian warlord is a real menace for peace in west Africa. " In a statement released by Obasanjo's office on Saturday, the president said Liberia was free to take Taylor into custody. Earlier Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo had said in a statement that Nigeria would honour a request from Liberia that the former president and war crimes suspect be handed over, but did not say when this would happen. Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo had on Saturday raised the hopes of international prosecutors that Taylor might soon be brought to court, when his government said Liberia was free to take the war crimes suspect "into custody ". Taylor was later indicted by the war-crimes tribunal for backing Sierra Leone rebels in a vicious 10-year insurgency in the diamond-rich nation. Taylor was later indicted by the war-crimes tribunal for backing Sierra Leone rebels in a vicious 10-year insurgency in the diamond-rich nation. The war crimes court accuses Taylor of backing rebels notorious for hacking off hands and arms in the 1991-2002 Sierra Leone civil war , allegations Taylor denies. Sierra Leone for the first time last week called for Taylor to be handed to the war crimes tribunal. "Taylor can now face trial at the war crimes court in Sierra Leone where he is indicted on 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the armed conflict there," she added. Liberia would in turn be expected to hand over its former strongman to the special court in Sierra Leone. Although only the District of Columbia, New York state and New Jersey have passed legislation banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving , they have issued more than 400,000 tickets and warnings since New York enacted the first such law in 2001. A partial or full ban on cell phone use by drivers exists in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia and is being considered by 16 other states. New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia prohibit talking on hand-held cell phones while driving, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia prohibit talking on hand-held cell phones while driving , according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Since New York passed the nation's first statewide law banning hand-held cell phones while driving four years ago, New Jersey and Washington , D.C., have followed with laws that went into effect last summer. New York, New Jersey and Washington , D.C., have similar bans. Menendez's third bill would bar the use of cell phones while driving unless the driver is using a hands-free device or making an emergency call. Grisham had accompanied her mother, Dorothy Grisham, from Fort Worth to Austin to testify before the House State Affairs Committee on Monday on three bills restricting the use of cell phones while driving. He testified Monday to the House State Affairs Committee of the Texas Legislature in favor of several bills that would restrict the use of cell phones while driving. Menendez's third bill would bar the use of cell phones while driving unless the driver is using a hands-free device or making an emergency call. Grisham had accompanied her mother, Dorothy Grisham, from Fort Worth to Austin to testify before the House State Affairs Committee on Monday on three bills restricting the use of cell phones while driving. The measure that was adopted Wednesday also prohibits a new driver from wearing a headset and talking on the phone. The House tentatively passed a measure that prohibits a minor from using a wireless communications device, including cell phones and pagers, for six months after getting a driver's license. The House tentatively passed a measure that prohibits a minor from using a wireless communications device, including cell phones and pagers , for six months after getting a driver's license. The amendment adopted , though, also prohibits a person younger than 17 from using a wireless communications device while driving a motorcycle or moped during the first six months. New York, which has issued more than 360,000 tickets since December 2001 , has issued more each year. Although only the District of Columbia, New York state and New Jersey have passed legislation banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, they have issued more than 400,000 tickets and warnings since New York enacted the first such law in 2001. Some communities, such as Brookline, Massachusetts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Lebanon , Pennsylvania, require handsfree cell phones , but about a half-dozen states prohibit local governments from restricting cell phone use in motor vehicles. Some cities, like Santa Fe, have passed similar legislation , and more than a dozen states have partial bans or bills pending. The new study examined the cell phone records of 744 drivers who had accidents in Perth, Australia, where drivers are required to use hands-free devices. Currently, New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia require drivers to use a hands-free device. Brandon Grisham died in an automobile accident in 2001. Brandon Grisham died in an automobile accident in 2001. Several other states are considering hand-held bans, including Maryland, which may prohibit youthful drivers from using cell phones after a spate of fatal car accidents involving teenage drivers. Several other states are considering hand-held bans, including Maryland, which may prohibit youthful drivers from using cell phones after a spate of fatal car accidents involving teenage drivers. The National Transportation Safety Board said it wants all 50 states to ban those with learner's permits from using cell phones or other wireless devices while driving. The National Transportation Safety Board said it wants all 50 states to ban those with learner's permits from using cell phones or other wireless devices while driving. New Jersey and Maine are the only two that have passed such laws. New Jersey and Maine are the only two that have passed such laws. Obama , whose father was from Kenya and mother was from Kansas, rose to national prominence after delivering a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention this July. "There is not a black America, and a white America, a Latino America, and Asian America -- we are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America," Obama told the Democratic Convention. Then , Obama delivered a rousing keynote address at the Democratic National Convention and, in 20 minutes, his rising star was ascendant. "There is not a black America, and a white America, a Latino America, and Asian America -- we are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America," Obama told the Democratic Convention. The charismatic Obama, the son of a Kenyan father and American mother, was a relatively obscure Senate hopeful just a few months ago but he catapulted to prominence after giving an electrifying keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in July. The limelight, though, continues to seek out Obama , who became a political star after a rousing keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. "He is a democrat, bright like (former US president Bill) Clinton, articulate like Martin Luther King and good-looking like (fil If he is elected, Obama would be the only African-American in the US Senate and just the third to hold a seat there since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War of 1861-65. If he carries the day, Obama will become the only black Senator in Washington and only the third black Senator in 150 years , thanks not just to his considerable oratorical skills, but a solid legislative record and some impressive academic credentials. He would become the only black person in the Senate , and only the third since Reconstruction. Democratic rising-star Barack Obama Tuesday became the lone African American Senator , beating ultra-conservative talk show host Alan Keyes in a landslide in Illinois. Obama becomes only the third black Senator in 150 years. In the space of six weeks , Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes has branded his Democratic opponent an ``academic socialist '' and said Jesus would not vote for him. In the space of six weeks , Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes has branded his Democratic opponent an ``academic socialist'' and said Jesus would not vote for him. Obama, a mere state senator from the South Side of Chicago, is running against Alan Keyes, a Republican who is trailing him in one poll by 47 percentage points. FLORIDA In Florida, a key battleground state, Democratic educator Betty Castor is in a neck-and-neck battle with Republican Mel Martinez , the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the George W. Bush administration. In the past year, he has raised $14 million in campaign funds. His campaign has raised more than $14 million and has given $400,000 to various Democratic races. He is now on his way to losing the Illinois battle for the Senate by 45 percentage points, if recent polls are borne out. Perhaps the most glaring example of a candidate using the millionaire amendment was Barack Obama, an Illinois Democrat running for the U.S. Senate this year. Recent polls haven states to stump for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, as well as fellow congressional candidates. In the weeks since his much lauded convention speech, Obama came to have such star power that he was recruited to travel to more than a dozen states to stump for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, as well as fellow congressional candidates. Keyes and Obama are vying to replace retiring one-term Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald. Keyes and Obama are vying to replace retiring one-term Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald. He diverted $250,000 to support the party organizations in battleground states and helped raise $260,000 for Senate candidates in 13 states. He diverted $250,000 to support the party organizations in battleground states and helped raise $260,000 for Senate candidates in 13 states. Coors , a brewery executive, appears to be the fourth Senate candidate nationally who has at least reached the threshold of the amendment, Duffy said. Coors , a brewery executive, appears to be the fourth Senate candidate nationally who has at least reached the threshold of the amendment , Duffy said. Meanwhile , large areas of revived arrow bamboo also provide more food for giant pandas. About 100 giant pandas in northwest China's Gansu Province are suffering from hunger because large tracts of arrow bamboo have bloomed and died. Arrow bamboo in two areas of the reserve which they inhabit is flowering, which means the plant will seed and die at the end of its life span. By the end of 2004 , arrow bamboo , the favorite food of giants, had blossomed on 7,420 hectares at the Baishuijiang State Nature Reserve in southern Gansu Province, a major habitat of pandas in China, according to a recent survey conducted by the nature reserve administration. Flowering bamboo now covers more than 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of the 220,000-hectare (544,000-acre) preserve, Xinhua said. As of late last year, the flowering bamboo covered more than 7,000 hectares (17,290 acres) of the 220,000-hectare nature reserve and the blooming area has continued to expand. China now has approximately 1,600 giant pandas, which mainly live in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. China now has approximately 1,600 giant pandas , which mainly live in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Currently more than 1,500 giant pandas live wild in China , according to a survey by the State Forestry Administration. About 100 giant pandas in northwest China's Gansu Province are suffering from hunger because large tracts of arrow bamboo have bloomed and died. About 100 giant pandas in northwest China's Gansu Province are suffering from hunger because large tracts of arrow bamboo have bloomed and died. The number of giant pandas has increased to 102 in the Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve in the northwestern province of Gansu, according to the latest survey conducted by the reserve authority. The Baishuijiang State Nature Reserve is home to more than 100 giant pandas. Currently, they are threatened by a severe food shortage in the wake of the withering bamboo. Giant pandas in western China could be at risk of starvation because the bamboo plants that they eat are beginning to die off in a cycle that happens about every 60 years, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. Threatened pandas will be moved to areas that still have bamboo, with special attention given to older, feeble animals, it said, citing Zhang Kerong, the preserve's director. Twenty-two giant pandas living in parts of Baishuijiang State Nature Reserve in the northwestern province of Gansu will be moved to other locations with better food , the China Daily said, quoting Zhang Kerong, director of the reserve. Blooming happens about once every 60 years, with a new crop taking 10 years to mature. Giant pandas will not eat the bamboo after it blooms and it takes 10 years for a new supply to grow. The stage begins when the bamboo forms flowers, after which the pandas refuse to eat it. Giant pandas will not eat the bamboo after it blooms and it takes 10 years for a new supply to grow. However, the cycle seems to run along different schedules in different places and an earlier mass die-off of bamboo in the 1980s caused the deaths of about 250 pandas , Xinhua said. Bamboo blooming in the early 1980s caused the deaths of about 250 giant pandas , the report said. Former major league slugger Jose Canseco's new book "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits and How Baseball Got Big" includes claims he injected steroids into several of baseball's biggest, literally, stars. Canseco claimed to inject steroids into former one-season home run record setter Mark McGwire, New York Yankees star Jason Giambi plus Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez when they were teammates in Texas and Oakland. "Jose Canseco's allegations about steroid use by Mark McGwire and other baseball players have received enormous media attention. In his controversial new book , "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits and How Baseball Got Big," Canseco said he injected steroids into some of the baseball's biggest stars, including home run legend McGwire and New York Yankees superstar Jason Giambi. Former Major League Baseball all-star Ken Caminiti , who admitted taking steroids to boost his playing career , died of a heart attack on Sunday. He had admitted to using steroids during his Most Valuable Player season in 1996 , when he hit .326 with 40 homers and 130 runs batted in for the San Diego Padres. US lawmakers passed legislation allowing tighter government regulation of steroid precursors here Monday, one day after the death of former baseball star Ken Caminiti, an admitted steroid user. BALCO founder Victor Conte and vice president James Valente, athletics coach Remi Korchemny and Greg Anderson , the personal trainer for baseball star Barry Bonds, have all pleaded not guilty to steroid distribution charges in the case. BALCO founder Victor Conte and vice president James Valente, athletics coach Remi Korchemny and Greg Anderson , the personal trainer for baseball star Barry Bonds, have all pleaded not guilty to steroid distribution charges in the case. Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, is among four men charged in a steroid distribution ring in the BALCO case. Former Major League Baseball all-star Ken Caminiti, who admitted taking steroids to boost his playing career, died of a heart attack on Sunday. Caminiti , who played in the major leagues for 15 years, died of an apparent heart attack Sunday at age 41. A House committee has announced it will investigate steroid use in baseball, and Selig has been invited to testify along with a number of present and former players, among them Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. Steroid-tainted baseball stars Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and Jose Canseco were among 11 people issued subpoenas here Wednesday to testify next week before a US Congress hearing on steroids. Indeed, it was probably around 10 years ago that some people in baseball became aware that anabolic steroids were being used by some players. US lawmakers ripped into Major League Baseball's new drug testing plan, describing it as shamefully inadequate on the eve of a Congressional hearing into rampant steroid taking by stars. Selig was reacting to concerns that baseball's steroid testing program was not tough enough. US lawmakers ripped into Major League Baseball's new drug testing plan , describing it as shamefully inadequate on the eve of a Congressional hearing into rampant steroid taking by stars. Mark McGwire admitted taking andro during a record-breaking 70 home run season in 1998, back when the substance was not banned by the US baseball league , which only began steroid testing of players this season. Canseco admitted using steroids himself throughout a 16-year career in which they were not banned by Major League Baseball. The players have vehemently denied ever using performance-enhancing steroids. Many of the individuals have denied the accusations. Mark McGwire admitted taking andro during a record-breaking 70 home run season in 1998, back when the substance was not banned by the US baseball league , which only began steroid testing of players this season. Major League Baseball did not institute a full steroid-testing program until this season , but a steroid previously undetectable by testing was at the heart of the BALCO case. To teach intelligent design as science in public schools is a clear violation of the principle of separation of church and state. Eight Dover families are suing the school district, alleging that the policy violates the constitutional separation of church and state. Eight Dover families are suing the school district , alleging that the policy violates the constitutional separation of church and state. The parents and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said this policy violates the constitutional separation of church and state , which forbids teaching religion in public schools. Eight families are trying to remove the theory from the Dover Area School District curriculum, arguing that it violates the constitutional separation of church and state. The families contend that teaching intelligent design effectively promotes the Bible's view of creation, violating the separation of church and state. The families contend that teaching intelligent design effectively promotes the Bible's view of creation, violating the separation of church and state. Cox News Service ?WASHINGTON - A rule instructing high school?biology teachers to tell students that "intelligent design" is a viable scientific alternative to evolution faces its first challenge in a federal court this month. In a civil trial set to begin here Monday, the Dover Area School District will defend its policy requiring ninth-grade students to hear about "intelligent design" in a preamble to biology lessons on evolution. In October 2004 , the board voted 6-3 to require teachers to read a brief statement about intelligent design to students before classes on evolution. God and science are at war in Dover, a small community of cornfields, mud-spattered pickup trucks and country churches in southern Pennsylvania, where last fall, the School Board decided students should hear a four-paragraph statement on intelligent design at the beginning of their ninth-grade lesson on evolution. Under the policy approved by Dover's school board in October 2004, students must hear a brief statement about intelligent design before classes on evolution. The statement says Darwin's theory is "not a fact" and has inexplicable "gaps," and refers students to an intelligent-design textbook for more information. The statement says Darwin's theory is "not a fact " and has inexplicable "gaps," and refers students to an intelligent-design textbook for more information. "The theory is not a fact. The statement says Charles Darwin's theory is "not a fact" and has inexplicable "gaps. " The statement says Charles Darwin's theory is "not a fact " and has inexplicable "gaps." The disclaimer says that "intelligent design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin's view." This mandatory statement notes that intelligent design offers an alternative theory for the origin and evolution of life -- namely, that life in all of its complexity could not have arisen without the help of an intelligent hand. This mandatory statement notes that intelligent design offers an alternative theory for the origin and evolution of life -- namely, that life in all of its complexity could not have arisen without the help of an intelligent hand. Intelligent design is an explanation of the origin of life that differs from Darwin's view." ?Intelligent design holds that the development of life on Earth cannot be explained solely on the basis of chemical or biological facts, and instead appears to have been guided a supreme intelligence. "Intelligent design " holds that nature is so complex it must have been the work of an God-like creator rather than the result of natural selection , as argued by Charles Darwin in his 1859 Theory of Evolution. This mandatory statement notes that intelligent design offers an alternative theory for the origin and evolution of life -- namely, that life in all of its complexity could not have arisen without the help of an intelligent hand. Intelligent design holds that life on Earth is so complex that it must have been the product of some higher force. To teach intelligent design as science in public schools is a clear violation of the principle of separation of church and state. ?American Civil Liberties Union lawyers representing the plaintiffs have sought to depict the Dover matter as part of a national effort to install intelligent design in classrooms as a scientific rebuttal of evolution. A rural school board showed a clear bias against teaching evolution before it pushed through a plan to introduce "intelligent design " to students , a former board member testified in a trial over whether the concept has a place in public schools. Eight families are trying to remove the theory from the Dover Area School District curriculum , arguing that it violates the constitutional separation of church and state. Forrest reviewed drafts of the textbook as a witness for eight families who are trying to have the intelligent design concept removed from the Dover Area School District's biology curriculum. Forrest reviewed drafts of the textbook as a witness for eight families who are trying to have the intelligent design concept removed from the Dover Area School District's biology curriculum. It also argued that it does not teach intelligent design directly but simply makes students aware of its existence as an alternative to evolution. The school district argues it is letting students know there are differences of opinion about evolution, not endorsing any religious view. The school district argues it is letting students know there are differences of opinion about evolution, not endorsing any religious view. It requires teachers to read a statement that says intelligent design differs from Darwin's view and refers students to an intelligent-design textbook , "Of Pandas and People," for more information. It requires teachers to read a statement that says intelligent design differs from Darwin's view and refers students to an intelligent-design textbook, "Of Pandas and People," for more information. It also notes that a reference book on intelligent design is available to students. In states as diverse as Wisconsin, South Carolina, Kansas, Montana, Arkansas and Mississippi , school boards are arguing over whether to include ``intelligent design'' in their curriculums. In Harrisburg, Pa., lawyers are in court on Wednesday arguing whether intelligent design should be taught in biology class alongside evolution. India's unmanned lunar flight , Chandrayaan (Moon Journey), slated to launch by the end of 2007 or early 2008 , was on schedule, Nair said. India will launch more missions to the moon if its maiden unmanned spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 , slated to be launched by 2008 , is successful in mapping the lunar surface, a top space official said Tuesday. The U.S. space agency NASA is in talks with its Indian counterpart on whether to take part in New Delhi's first unmanned moon mission set for 2007 , an official said Saturday. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has short-listed experiments from five nations including the United States, Britain and Germany , for a slot on India's unmanned moon mission Chandrayaan-1 to be undertaken by 2006-2007, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Monday. "We have short listed scientific experiments from researchers in five countries - US, UK, Sweden, Bulgaria and Germany. "We have short listed scientific experiments from researchers in five countries - US, UK, Sweden, Bulgaria and Germany. An ambitious telemedicine system to connect through satellite doctors of some of the best hospitals across India with patients in Jharkhand will be launched, according to Indo-Asian News Agency. An ambitious telemedicine system to connect through satellite doctors of some of the best hospitals across India with patients in Jharkhand will be launched , according to Indo-Asian News Agency. They are equipped with a computer, video camera, clinical equipment and a satellite connection which allow doctors in another location to examine patients. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has short-listed experiments from five nations including the United States, Britain and Germany, for a slot on India's unmanned moon mission Chandrayaan-1 to be undertaken by 2006-2007 , the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Monday. The U.S. space agency NASA is in talks with its Indian counterpart on whether to take part in New Delhi's first unmanned moon mission set for 2007, an official said Saturday. India's lunar mission , named Chandrayan-1 , involves sending a 525-kilograms (1,157-pound) satellite a polar orbit 62 miles (100 kilometers) above the moon's surface. India will launch more missions to the moon if its maiden unmanned spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 , slated to be launched by 2008, is successful in mapping the lunar surface , a top space official said Tuesday. India's 590 kilogram (1,298 pound) Chandrayaan-1, which will map the lunar terrain for minerals and conduct scientific experiments , will also carry an "impacter" module, Nair said. The 590-kilogram (1,298-pound) Chandrayan-1 is expected to map the lunar terrain for minerals and conduct scientific experiments. Federal prosecutors investigating the smuggling of nuclear technology disclosed Friday that a South African businessman has pleaded guilty to arranging illegal exports of American-made equipment both to Pakistan and its regional rival, India. Federal prosecutors investigating the smuggling of nuclear technology disclosed Friday that a South African businessman has pleaded guilty to arranging illegal exports of American-made equipment both to Pakistan and its regional rival , India. Afghanistan's public health minister asked Indian officials on Friday to help bring modern health care to his war-ravaged nation , officials said. The satellite-based networks that will be established later this year with the help of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will offer connectivity to major hospitals in India to improve healthcare in the war-ravaged country. The Jharkhand Space Application Center (JSAC) of the Information Technology Department has proposed the telemedicine system to help poor people avail of diagnostic facilities from good hospitals. The Jharkhand Space Application Center (JSAC) of the Information Technology Department has proposed the telemedicine system to help poor people avail of diagnostic facilities from good hospitals. ISRO officials said a three-dimensional atlas of regions of scientific interest of the moon will be mapped with instruments on board the mission , besides exploring the lunar surface for elements such as magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, iron and titanium. NASA plans to put two sets of imaging equipment aboard India's spacecraft to study the moon's surface, said G. Madhavan Nair, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, or ISRO. The satellite -based networks that will be established later this year with the help of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will offer connectivity to major hospitals in India to improve healthcare in the war-ravaged country. The satellite-based networks that will be established later this year with the help of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will offer connectivity to major hospitals in India to improve healthcare in the war-ravaged country. The statement was issued in response to a story in The North County Times, a newspaper in Cunningham's district, reporting that Cunningham lives aboard a yacht owned by Mitchell J. The fact that for months Cunningham has lived on Wade's yacht , named the Duke Stir , berthed in the Potomac River, has raised further questions about improper financial links. The fact that for months Cunningham has lived on Wade's yacht , named the Duke Stir, berthed in the Potomac River, has raised further questions about improper financial links. Another report said Cunningham , while in Washington, has been living on a 42-foot yacht owned by Wade. Cunningham , who has also been criticized for living on the contractor's 42-foot yacht , the Duke Stir, said he paid $13,000 in the past year in berthing fees and maintenance costs. Wade put the home on the market a month later and in July 2004 sold it for $975,000 , a $700,000 loss. A month later, Wade put the house on the market where it remained for seven months before he sold it for $975,000 , a $700,000 loss. Mitchell Wade, 42, president and chief executive of Washington-based MZM Inc., bought the house for $1,675,000, then sold it seven months later for $975,000 , a $700,000 loss. Wade sold the home months later for $975,000 , a $700,000 loss. Rep. Randall ` `Duke'' Cunningham, R-Calif., promised Thursday to produce financial records to prove that he has done nothing inappropriate by living aboard a yacht owned by the executive of a defense company that he has supported in its bid to win government contracts. But the congressman said in written statements that he has done nothing wrong, did not sell his house at an inflated price and would disclose additional details about paying for his stay on the yacht as soon as he compiled them. But the congressman said in written statements that he has done nothing wrong, did not sell his house at an inflated price and would disclose additional details about paying for his stay on the yacht as soon as he compiled them. The 42-foot yacht is docked at a yacht club on the Potomac River at a boat slip rented by Cunningham. The California Republican also lives on a yacht berthed on the Potomac that is owned by the president of a local defense firm whose contracts Cunningham has supported. The boat, which Wade named the Duke Stir , apparently after the congressman , is docked on the Potomac River. Agents also served search warrants on the Washington offices of MZM Inc. and the yacht owned by MZM founder Mitchell Wade where Cunningham has been living for more than a year. Investigators searched MZM's headquarters, as well as Wade's and Cunningham's homes. Investigators last month searched the homes of both men, as well as Wade's office and his yacht on the Potomac River , where Cunningham had lived rent-free for more than a year. The contractor , Mitchell Wade of MZM Inc., bought the house for $1,675,000. At issue in the federal probe is the November 2003 sale of Cunningham's home in the Del Mar Heights neighborhood to Mitchell Wade, president and chief executive of MZM, for $1,675,000. Mitchell Wade, 42, president and chief executive of Washington-based MZM Inc. , bought the house for $1,675,000 , then sold it seven months later for $975,000, a $700,000 loss. MZM , one of Cunningham's top campaign donors, obtained millions in government contracts ; the congressman, who also sits on the House intelligence committee, acknowledged to Stern that he had helped MZM win contracts, as he said he has helped other firms. Records show that MZM has more than $66 million in at least 93 government contracts, enough to make the company No. According to the Defense Information Systems Agency, MZM has received $163 million in federal contracts , mostly for classified projects involving the gathering and analysis of intelligence. Cunningham said that he supported government contracts for Wade's firm, Washington-based MZM Inc., according to the San Diego Union-Tribune , which first reported the real estate transaction Sunday. The bicoastal buzz is an indication of how intense the scrutiny Cunningham has become as federal authorities probe the circumstances surrounding the home sale to see if it was an effort by the executive to repay Cunningham for his support in gaining federal contracts. His critics insist the price was inflated so that Wade could funnel money to a congressman who has been helpful in obtaining contracts for MZM. Wade bought Cunningham's home in the upscale Del Mar Heights section of San Diego in November 2003 for $1,675,000. Cunningham sold his home in the Del Mar Heights neighborhood of San Diego to Wade Mitchell , president and chief executive of Washington-based MZM Inc., for $1,675,000 in November 2003. Cunningham and his wife bought their 8,000-square-foot home in Rancho Santa Fe for $2.55 million soon after selling the Del Mar Heights house to Wade. Rep. Randy ``Duke'' Cunningham, R-Calif., is asking his contributors -- including the Washington defense contractor at the center of a federal grand jury probe -- for permission to use their campaign donations to pay for his legal defense. The Federal Election Commission has approved similar requests to use campaign donations to pay legal bills. Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war , in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitary and government troops fight each other, killing 3,500 people every year. Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war , in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitary and government troops fight each other , killing 3,500 people every year. Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war , in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitaries and government troops fight each other, killing about 3,500 people every year. Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war , in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitaries and government troops fight each other , killing about 3,500 people every year. Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war , in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitaries and government troops fight each other, killing about 3,500 people every year. The arrest came as the FARC said it is prepared to enter into talks with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to facilitate an exchange of hostages held by the rebels _ including three U.S. military contractors _ for imprisoned guerrillas. The FARC's hostages include politicians, police officers, soldiers and three U.S. contractors whose small plane crashed in rebel-held territory early last year. Colombia's hardline government said Friday it is willing to meet with members of the country's main leftist rebel group in an unprecedented offer aimed at freeing dozens of rebel hostages, including three Americans. An eventual humanitarian exchange deal would lead to the release of 22 politicians, 37 members of the military and three US citizens , in exchange for 50 FARC guerrillas in Colombian prisons. The FARC, with 20,000 combatants , is the country's largest and oldest rebel organization and allegedly finances itself through drug trafficking and kidnappings. The FARC, with 17,000 members , is the country's largest and oldest rebel organization. Florez said he suspects Colombia's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC , was behind the attack because the bomb was of the kind the group typically uses. With some 17,000 troops, the FARC is the largest and longest fighting rebel force in the Americas. President Alvaro Uribe said late Thursday he was ready to negotiate a prisoner swap with the country's largest rebel group , the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). After any initial prisoner exchange, the meeting, which could last up to five days, would take place in the Vatican's embassy in Bogota or at another diplomatic mission in the capital, according to the government proposal , which was first announced Thursday night and then amplified Friday. After any initial prisoner exchange, the meeting, which could last up to five days, would take place in the Vatican's embassy in Bogota or at another diplomatic mission in the capital, according to the government proposal , which was first announced Thursday night and then amplified Friday. Five members of a Colombian family were killed and another one injured in a deep night attack , which police said on Saturday was conducted by the country's largest rebel group FARC. Five members of a Colombian family were killed and another one injured in a deep night attack , which police said on Saturday was conducted by the country's largest rebel group FARC. Five members of a Colombian family were killed and another one injured in a deep night attack , which police said on Saturday was conducted by the country's largest rebel group FARC. The talks to exchange 59 hostages held by the rebels -- local politicians, military, police -- for some 50 jailed FARC members could last up to five days and be held at a foreign embassy or the Vatican's embassy in Bogota, Uribe said in a statement. The politicians are among 59 people held hostage by the FARC, including 22 politicians, 34 military personnel and police officers and three US nationals. The politicians are among 59 people held hostage by the FARC , including 22 politicians, 34 military personnel and police officers and three US nationals. The talks to exchange 59 hostages held by the rebels -- local politicians, military, police -- for some 50 jailed FARC members could last up to five days and be held at a foreign embassy or the Vatican's embassy in Bogota, Uribe said in a statement. The talks to exchange 59 hostages held by the rebels -- local politicians, military, police -- for some 50 jailed FARC members could last up to five days and be held at a foreign embassy or the Vatican's embassy in Bogota , Uribe said in a statement. After any initial prisoner exchange, the meeting , which could last up to five days , would take place in the Vatican's embassy in Bogota or at another diplomatic mission in the capital, according to the government proposal, which was first announced Thursday night and then amplified Friday. He said Front 35, a rebel group belonging to the FARC, did the attack. The Sucre authorities blamed FARC guerrillas for the killing , who has not yet claimed responsibility. The Colombian authorities on Wednesday captured a FARC member who was suspected of being involved in the Coloso killing. The trio remain in captivity despite a five-million-dollar US reward for information leading to their release and an August offer from Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to swap 50 imprisoned rebels for their freedom along with that of 22 politicians and 34 soldiers and police officers held by the FARC. The trio remain in captivity despite a five-million-dollar US reward for information leading to their release and an August offer from Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to swap 50 imprisoned rebels for their freedom along with that of 22 politicians and 34 soldiers and police officers held by the FARC. The proposal calls for a total of 50 jailed rebels to be freed in return for about 60 so-called political prisoners the FARC is holding in jungle hideouts. The FARC with about 17,000 fighters and a smaller leftist guerrilla group , the National Liberation Army (ELN) with some 6,000 members, have been locked in a 40-year civil war against the Colombian government. Toledo and Montano have been identified as members of the FARC's Teofilo Forero Column, an elite unit of the rebel group which has been waging guerrilla warfare in this Andean nation for 40 years. The FARC and another smaller rebel group have been fighting the government for 40 years in a conflict that claims more than 3,000 mostly civilian lives a year. It took 31 years and countless clues delivered by the killer himself, but jubilant Wichita police Saturday named a Lutheran church leader and government inspector as the notorious BTK strangler, a poetry-writing attention seeker who murdered at least 10 people and dared the authorities to catch him. It took 31 years and countless clues delivered by the killer himself, but jubilant Wichita police Saturday named a Lutheran church leader and government inspector as the notorious BTK strangler, a poetry -writing attention seeker who murdered at least 10 people and dared the authorities to catch him. Authorities allege BTK, the macabre name the killer gave himself for his preferred method of homicide -- Bind, Torture, Kill -- is linked to 10 murders. Although Rader has yet to be charged with any crime, authorities said Saturday they are confident the arrest will end the search for BTK, the serial killer who police now believe murdered 10 people between 1974 and 1991 and taunted authorities for their inability to catch him. A 31-year manhunt for a serial killer who taunted police with letters about his crimes ended when authorities said they finally caught up with the man who called himself BTK and linked him to at least 10 murders. Police say BTK _ the killer's self-coined nickname stands for "Bind, Torture, Kill" _ may have killed as many as 10 people between 1974 and 1991. On Sunday, the authorities here said that Rader, 59, had been booked into Sedgwick County's jail, where he was being held on a $10 million probable cause bond on suspicion of 10 first-degree murders , dating from 1974 until 1991. Officials also said they connected two more deaths to BTK _ a self-coined nickname that stands for "Bind, Torture, Kill" _ bringing his total to at least 10. Dennis Rader, 59, of Park City , Kan., a Wichita suburb, was arrested without incident during a traffic stop Friday afternoon. Inside a City Hall chamber packed with the families of victims, scores of police officers, some retired and gray now, and a long line of political leaders from the state, the police announced that they had arrested Dennis L. Rader, 59, of suburban Park City, as the suspect in the case of BTK , the name the killer had long ago selected for himself for his preferred method: bind, torture, kill. Authorities said they had arrested 59-year-old Dennis Rader , a citizen of Park City, Kansas, on Friday, after police pulled the man over in his vehicle during a "routine" stop. The suspect was identified as Dennis L. Rader, a 59-year-old city worker in nearby Park City, who was arrested Friday. Police arrested Rader on Friday and said Saturday they were confident he was the killer. Authorities wouldn't say where Rader , a Cub Scout leader who was active at his Lutheran church, is being held. Authorities wouldn't say where Rader, a Cub Scout leader who was active at his Lutheran church , is being held. On Saturday, as the authorities announced an arrest in one of the most notorious, puzzling string of crimes in recent history, they confirmed exactly what people in the Wichita area had feared: The man the police had arrested was a longtime neighbor, a leader at one of their churches, a father with a wife and two children, who had once, neighbors said, led a scouting troop for boys. Rader, a Cub Scout leader who was active at his Lutheran church , lived with his wife, neighbors said. He helped elderly neighbors with yard work, was active in his church and served as a Cub Scout leader. The other seven people were slain in the 1970s , with BTK claiming responsibility for those deaths in letters to the newspaper and a television station. Police have arrested the alleged serial killer suspected of at least seven brutal slayings in Kansas starting in the 1970s, Kansas authorities announced Saturday. Police have arrested the alleged serial killer suspected of at least seven brutal slayings in Kansas starting in the 1970s , Kansas authorities announced Saturday. The Kansas serial killer -- who once referred to himself as "BTK," for "bind, torture, kill" -- is accused of murdering four women, two children and one man between 1974 and 1977. "The bottom line: BTK is arrested ," Williams said. "The bottom line: BTK is arrested ," Chief Norman Williams of the Wichita police said , setting off only one of what would become multiple rounds of applause during the announcement that some law enforcement officials in the room said they had waited entire careers to hear. "The bottom line: BTK is arrested ," said Wichita police chief Norman Williams, describing the investigation as "the most intense and challenging" of his department's entire history. "The bottom line: BTK is arrested ," Wichita Police Chief Norman Williams said Saturday , setting off applause from a crowd that included family members of some of the victims. He was taken into custody without fuss, the police said, and was being held at an "undisclosed location" on Saturday. "He is being held in an undisclosed location ," Lieutenant Ken Landwehr said of the suspect, adding: "We will be approaching the district attorney's office next week ... to see if charges will be filed against this individual." Rader was being held at an undisclosed location , and it was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer. Rader was being held at an undisclosed location , and it was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer. Public records indicate they have two grown children. Public records indicate they have two grown children. Public records indicate he has two adult children. Public records indicate he has two adult children. Although Rader has yet to be charged with any crime, authorities said Saturday they are confident the arrest will end the search for BTK, the serial killer who police now believe murdered 10 people between 1974 and 1991 and taunted authorities for their inability to catch him. BTK began taunting police , bragging in the first of a series of letters to them that he had acted alone, after they arrested a suspect. A 31-year manhunt for a serial killer who taunted police with letters about his crimes ended when authorities said they finally caught up with the man who called himself BTK and linked him to at least 10 murders. But Dennis Rader, the man police believe is the BTK serial killer , wasn't well liked by some of his neighbors. Even as Wichita voiced relief at the prospect that one of the most notorious serial killers in recent history might finally be behind bars, those who knew Rader, the man the police have accused of being the city's "BTK" killer , said they were beginning to experience new waves of bewilderment, confusion, betrayal and fear. On Saturday , police identified Rader as a suspect in the BTK killings and announced an end to their 31-year manhunt. The killer has sent several letters to police since resurfacing last March after years of silence. Then the killer resurfaced about a year ago after 25 years of silence. The killer stopped writing in the late 1970s but resurfaced about a year ago with a letter giving details of a 1986 slaying that had not previously linked to BTK. The donations come on top of more than 120 million already handed over by Australia and a one billion dollar aid package pledged by the government. The donations come on top of more than 120 million already handed over by Australia and a one billion dollar aid package pledged by the government. World Vision Australia, the charity benefiting from the telethon, said it was overwhelmed by the public's response, which comes on top of more than 120 million already handed over in private donations and a one billion dollar aid package pledged by the government. World Vision Australia, the charity benefiting from the telethon, said it was overwhelmed by the public's response, which comes on top of more than 120 million already handed over in private donations and a one billion dollar aid package pledged by the government. An all-star international cricket match featuring the best of Asia versus the rest of the world to be held in Melbourne on Monday is expected to raise another five million for tsunami relief. An all-star international cricket match featuring the best of Asia versus the rest of the world to be held in Melbourne on Monday is expected to raise another five million for tsunami relief. An all-star international cricket match featuring the best of Asia versus the rest of the world to be held in Melbourne on Monday is expected to raise another five million for tsunami relief. An all-star international cricket match featuring the best of Asia versus the rest of the world to be held in Melbourne on Monday is expected to raise another five million for tsunami relief. A Canadian couple on Monday stunned the Canadian Red Cross by handing over a donation of five million Canadian dollars (4.1 million US) for the tsunami relief effort in South Asia. A Canadian couple on Monday stunned the Canadian Red Cross by handing over a donation of five million Canadian dollars (4.1 million US) for the tsunami relief effort in South Asia. Public and private aid pledged worldwide for the countries hit by the Asian tsunami disaster has surpassed 10 billion dollars , according to an AFP tally. Public and private aid pledged worldwide for the countries hit by the Asian tsunami disaster has surpassed 10 billion dollars, according to an AFP tally. The United Nations said Tuesday it had secured aid commitments worth 717 million dollars towards its appeal for emergency relief after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. The United Nations said Tuesday it had secured aid commitments worth 717 million dollars towards its appeal for emergency relief after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. The Chinese government has pledged 83 million dollars in relief aid and is forgiving four million dollars in government loans to Sri Lanka, one of the 11 countries battered by the tsunami. Public and private aid pledged worldwide for the countries hit by the Asian tsunami disaster has surpassed 10 billion dollars, according to an AFP tally. US President George W. Bush has donated 10,000 dollars from his personal funds to the relief effort of tsunami-hit nations , White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Wednesday. McClellan , White House press secretary, said Bush has written checks totaling 10,000 dollars to several organizations listed on a Web site set up to direct Americans to various charities collecting private contributions for tsunami relief. The largest contribution came from Japan which pledged 250 million dollars, the UN's emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland said here after a conference grouping donor nations and aid agencies. The largest contribution came from Japan which pledged 250 million dollars , the UN's emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland said here after a conference grouping donor nations and aid agencies. McClellan, White House press secretary, said Bush has written checks totaling 10,000 dollars to several organizations listed on a Web site set up to direct Americans to various charities collecting private contributions for tsunami relief. Plans are in the works for several big concerts, with the proceeds going to various charities involved in the tsunami relief effort. The figure includes government pledges and donations made by 42 countries, as well as debt relief and loans. The figure includes government pledges and donations made by 42 countries, as well as debt relief and loans. She will begin serving a 5-month sentence for lying to federal investigators about her suspiciously timed stock sale. She will begin serving a 5-month sentence for lying to federal investigators about her suspiciously timed stock sale. Martha Stewart , the American celebrity homemaker who had her own cooking and home improvement TV show, reported to a federal prison in Alderson, West Virginia, on Friday to serve a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale. American style guru Martha Stewart reported to a prison known as "Camp Cupcake" on Friday to start a five-month sentence for lying about a dodgy stock sale. Stewart reported to the jail on Friday to start a sentence for lying about a dodgy stock sale. Stewart reported to the jail on Friday to start a sentence for lying about a dodgy stock sale. Home fashion guru Martha Stewart said on Friday that she has adjusted to prison life and is keeping busy behind bars since reporting a week ago to a federal penal camp in West Virginia, where she is serving a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale. Stewart will complete the second week of a five-month prison term Friday for lying to the federal government about a stock transaction. Martha Stewart , 63, who was convicted of lying to investigators about a stock sale , is serving a five-month sentence and is expected to be released in March. She was convicted in March of lying to government investigators about the reasons for her sale of nearly 4,000 shares of ImClone Systems, a biotechnology company then run by her friend Samuel D. Waksal. Stewart , 63 , was convicted in March of obstructing justice and making false statements to federal agents investigating her sale of nearly 4,000 shares in the biotechnology company ImClone Systems. Stewart , 63 , was convicted in March of obstructing justice and making false statements to federal agents investigating her sale of nearly 4,000 shares in the biotechnology company ImClone Systems. Stewart , 63 , was convicted last March of lying to investigators about why she sold stock in a biotech drug maker in December 2001, just before its price plunged. As Martha Stewart arrives at the red-brick federal prison in Alderson, W.Va., on Friday to begin a five-month sentence , the company she founded is focused both on life without her and on life once she returns. American style guru Martha Stewart reported to a prison known as "Camp Cupcake " on Friday to start a five-month sentence for lying about a dodgy stock sale. Stewart and her former stockbroker , Peter Bacanovic, were each sentenced to five months in prison followed by five months of house arrest. Martha Stewart , the American celebrity homemaker who had her own cooking and home improvement TV show, reported to a federal prison in Alderson, West Virginia , on Friday to serve a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale. (c) 2004, Newsday= NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart says she has been deluged by ``thousands'' of letters from fans sent to her federal prison camp in Alderson , W.V., some of which have even included gifts and money. Stewart is in the first month of a five-month sentence at the minimum-security federal women's prison in Alderson , West Virginia. Stewart, who was sentenced to five months of home confinement after her prison term , announced last month that she would begin serving her sentence without waiting for the outcome of an appeal she plans to file in the next few weeks. After she is released from prison , Stewart will also have to undergo five months of home confinement. Stewart and her former stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic, were each sentenced to five months in prison followed by five months of house arrest. US style guru Martha Stewart was friendly with inmates on her first night in jail and appeared in "good spirits" as she began serving a five-month prison sentence in West Virginia, US media reported Sunday. Martha Stewart has been exercising, reading and making friends in prison , but the food at the minimum-security prison camp in West Virginia is "terrible," the domestic diva's daughter said Friday. Homemaking mogul Martha Stewart is using her prison time to figure out "innovative ways to do microwave cooking" to share with fellow inmates and is being treated with respect, her lawyer said Thursday. Walter Dellinger, the lawyer leading the appeal, said on NBC's "Today" that Stewart is exploring "innovative ways to do microwave cooking" with her fellow inmates. ``She's in very good spirits ,'' said a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. US style guru Martha Stewart was friendly with inmates on her first night in jail and appeared in "good spirits " as she began serving a five-month prison sentence in West Virginia , US media reported Sunday. (c) 2004, Newsday= NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart says she has been deluged by ``thousands'' of letters from fans sent to her federal prison camp in Alderson, W.V., some of which have even included gifts and money. She also says fans have sent her thousands of letters at Alderson, some including gifts and money. Homemaking mogul Martha Stewart is using her prison time to figure out "innovative ways to do microwave cooking" to share with fellow inmates and is being treated with respect , her lawyer said Thursday. Since she reported to prison Oct. 8, Stewart has posted at least one letter on her personal-defense Web site saying that she is being treated well in prison. A woman was killed in Mississippi when a tree crashed on her car, becoming the 11th fatality blamed on the powerful Hurricane Katrina that slammed the US Gulf coast after pounding Florida , local TV reported Monday. Rescue crews worked frantically Tuesday to save hundreds of people trapped by floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina , which devastated the US Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and reportedly left dozens of people dead. Hurricane Katrina , one of the worst natural disasters, hit the southern part of the United States on August 29 , causing heavy casualties and damages. The official death toll from Hurricane Katrina has risen to 118 people in and around the swamped city of New Orleans , officials said Thursday. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said the number of fatalities had risen from 83 since the last toll was announced on Tuesday. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said the number of fatalities had risen from 83 since the last toll was announced on Tuesday. Hurricane Katrina could leave the world's insurers facing a bill of up to 50 billion dollars (40 billion euros), British company Brit Insurance forecast on Tuesday. Swiss Reinsurance Co., the world's second largest reinsurance company on Monday doubled to 40 billion US dollars its initial estimate of the global insured losses caused by Hurricane Katrina in the United States. Hurricane Katrina caused a first fatality in southeastern Florida Thursday when it sent a tree crashing on the roof of a car in Fort Lauderdale, local television reported. Hurricane Katrina caused a first fatality in southeastern Florida Thursday when it sent a tree crashing on the roof of a car in Fort Lauderdale , local television reported. "The industry loss for Hurricane Katrina could be between 35 and 50 billion dollars ," Brit's chief executive Dane Douetil told reporters after the company posted a 61-percent rise in interim pre-tax profits. Hurricane Katrina could leave the world's insurers facing a bill of up to 50 billion dollars (40 billion euros ), British company Brit Insurance forecast on Tuesday. The Foreign Ministry on Friday reported the first confirmed death of a Guatemalan due to Hurricane Katrina in the United States. The Foreign Ministry on Friday reported the first confirmed death of a Guatemalan due to Hurricane Katrina in the United States. German reinsurance giant Munich Re has estimated that Katrina could cost the world's insurers up to 20 billion dollars (16 billion euros). Swiss Re had previously agreed with the world's largest reinsurer, Munich Re, that the total losses would be 20 billion dollars. The revised estimate has made Katrina the most costly hurricane in history. Katrina has become the most costly hurricane in history , overtaking Hurricane Andrew in 1992, when claims reached 22 billion dollars, according to Swiss Re figures. Several European insurance giants have meanwhile predicted a ceiling of 30 billion dollars. Several European insurance giants have meanwhile predicted a ceiling of 30 billion dollars. Rescue crews worked frantically Tuesday to save hundreds of people trapped by floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the US Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and reportedly left dozens of people dead. Hurricane Katrina , one of the worst natural disasters, hit the southern part of the United States on August 29, causing heavy casualties and damages. McCain, Campbell and other senators, wielding documents obtained via Senate subpoena, charged that Abramoff and public relations executive Michael Scanlon , a former aide to DeLay, have been running a crude political extortion racket that bilked tribes out of millions of dollars. Abramoff's prominent lobbying career crashed last year after the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs accused him and Scanlon of ripping off six Indian tribes who had paid them $66 million. The two are accused of diverting millions of dollars from Indian tribes for personal use. The two are accused of diverting millions of dollars from Indian tribes for personal use. In a widening scandal affecting Congress , the U.S. government charged a partner of a major Republican lobbyist with defrauding Indian tribes of millions of dollars in a scheme that lavished golf trips, meals and campaign donations on a member of Congress. Charges outlined in documents filed Friday said Scanlon and Lobbyist A cheated tribes in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Michigan of millions of dollars associated mainly with Indian casinos. The shuttering of the Speaking Rock Casino is being explored by investigators for the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, as well as a federal multi-agency task force and grand jury that are examining the actions of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and public relations associate Mike Scanlon. The investigations of Abramoff in Congress and by a federal grand jury in Washington have looked into allegations of fraud in his dealings with American Indian tribes , but two weeks ago, the ranking Democrat on the congressional committee that oversees the islands demanded that the investigation be expanded to include his work in the Northern Marianas. DeLay, of Texas, is under scrutiny for overseas trips organized by Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist , whose far-reaching political work is now the subject of a federal grand jury investigation. A federal grand jury is now investigating. As federal officials pursue a wide-ranging investigation into the activities of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff , his arrest on fraud charges in the purchase of a Florida casino boat company has increasingly focused attention on a little-known congressman from rural Ohio. A group of congressional figures has joined House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, under an ethics cloud stemming from foreign golf junkets arranged by a lobbyist facing influence peddling investigations. DeLay, of Texas, is under scrutiny for overseas trips organized by Jack Abramoff , the lobbyist, whose far-reaching political work is now the subject of a federal grand jury investigation. As federal officials pursue a wide-ranging investigation into the activities of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, his arrest on fraud charges in the purchase of a Florida casino boat company has increasingly focused attention on a little-known congressman from rural Ohio. Abramoff has been indicted in federal court on six counts of fraud and conspiracy for his role in the 2000 purchase of a fleet of Florida gambling boats. He privately raised tens of thousands of dollars for private jets and boasted of setting up golf junkets , according to documents, congressional testimony and interviews. In a widening scandal affecting Congress, the U.S. government charged a partner of a major Republican lobbyist with defrauding Indian tribes of millions of dollars in a scheme that lavished golf trips, meals and campaign donations on a member of Congress. Abramoff and Scanlon would allegedly work behind the scenes to scare Indian tribes into thinking that they were about to lose lucrative gaming franchises. LOUISIANA TRIBAL OFFICIALS TRYING TO PROTECT CASINO INTERESTS TESTIFY TO SENATE COMMITTEE THAT ACCUSED FORMER LOBBYISTS BETRAYED THEM WASHINGTON -- Leaders of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana on Wednesday accused two former lobbyists of scaring them into paying exorbitant fees by suggesting that Texas would legalize gambling , hurting their casino's attraction to patrons from the Houston area. Abramoff then arranged for his charity to pay for the trip, according to documents released by a Senate committee investigating the lobbyist. The tribal officials testified before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which is investigating the lobbying activities of Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon , a former spokesman for Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas. But the good news has overshadowed emerging revelations about a sleazy political extortion scheme , allegedly launched by big-shot Republican lobbyists , aimed at exploiting Indians. The lobbyists are at the center of a fraud and fund-raising scandal that has embroiled DeLay. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land , for weeks has been in an all-out political war, defending himself from allegations of ethical lapses , many of them connected directly or indirectly to the battle over tribal casinos. Those activities included a 1998 trip arranged for Tom DeLay, the House majority leader , who is facing ethical questions about his relationship with Abramoff. "Shortly after ... they solicited and received multimillion-dollar contracts, aided by the tribal council members they helped elect." The contract was one of several totaling about $9 million given to Abramoff and his associates that have provoked questions about the lobbyist's activities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Obesity can lead to increased likelihood of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep problems, high cholesterol, gallstones and other problems. Obesity can lead to increased likelihood of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep problems, high cholesterol, gallstones and other problems. Type II diabetes, which is linked to excess body weight , is being found in such high numbers among children that it can no longer be referred to as adult-onset diabetes. Schools, food makers, government agencies and families themselves must work together to reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity , a panel of scientists said Thursday. Surgeon General in 2001 issued a call to action to tackle the rise of childhood obesity. The Sarasota Family YMCA is opening a new fitness room aimed at promoting exercise and healthy habits for kids. The Sarasota Family YMCA is opening a new fitness room aimed at promoting exercise and healthy habits for kids. New Zealand's government ordered schools on Tuesday to ensure children take extra physical education in a bid to fight growing obesity. "We're giving them an atmosphere and environment that is kid-friendly, with their music, equipment that is their size and quality instruction to try to teach them to begin adopting healthy lifestyles ," said Pam Conner, fitness director of the Berlin branch. He called on food companies to do more to limit what they advertise to children. He called on food companies to do more to limit what they advertise to children. "It is now critical to alter social norms and attitudes" so that healthy eating behavior and physical activity become a routine part of life, Dr. Jeffrey Koplan of Emory University in Atlanta, chairman of the committee that prepared the recommendations, said Thursday at a briefing. "It is now critical to alter social norms and attitudes" so that healthy eating behavior and physical activity become a routine part of life , Dr. Jeffrey Koplan of Emory University in Atlanta, chairman of the committee that prepared the recommendations, said Thursday at a briefing. Approximately 30 percent of children ages 6 to 19 are overweight and 15 percent are obese , according to the American Obesity Association. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of overweight children in the United States has doubled in two decades, and 15 percent of American children are overweight or obese. "Things have changed . .. pushing kids to eat more and be less active ," observed Dr. Stephen R. Daniels of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Overexposure to food advertisements that promote high calories and lack of recreational activities. Cabinet secretaries fanned out across the country to promote healthier lifestyles , especially among young people. Cabinet secretaries fanned out across the country to promote healthier lifestyles, especially among young people. Schools across New Hampshire have yanked junk food from the vending machines and reduced the fat in cafeteria lunches. Analyzing cells from milk ducts doesn't reliably detect breast cancer, U.S. researchers reported Tuesday _ dashing hopes that the experimental technique could diagnose high-risk women sooner. This is why doctors recommend regular mammary screenings and why they are so keen on getting a tool to help identify women who could be genetically at risk. Dutch doctors believe that the new diagnostic can help pinpoint those women who are genetically more at risk of a recurrence than others, and this could spare low-risk patients from having to undergo unnecessary follow-up treatment. Dutch doctors believe that the new diagnostic can help pinpoint those women who are genetically more at risk of a recurrence than others , and this could spare low-risk patients from having to undergo unnecessary follow-up treatment. An Australian research suggests that taking oral contraceptives reduces the risk of breast cancer carrying breast cancer genes. An Australian research suggests that taking oral contraceptives reduces the risk of breast cancer carrying breast cancer genes. The latest findings from a large international study also found that the drug, called an aromatase inhibitor, appears to sharply reduce the chances that many breast cancer patients will develop a new cancer in the other breast or have the cancer spread elsewhere. A new type of drug shows growing promise as a more potent way for many breast cancer patients to significantly cut their risk of a recurrence , researchers reported Wednesday. Local researchers have found that radiation therapy likely no longer leaves breast cancer patients at an increased risk of potentially deadly heart disease. Local researchers have found that radiation therapy likely no longer leaves breast cancer patients at an increased risk of potentially deadly heart disease. "By studying sisters who share the same genes, often had similar experiences and environments, and are at twice the risk of developing breast cancer , we have a better chance of learning what causes this disease," Dr. Dale Sandler, the study's principal investigator, said in a statement Monday. Deficient DNA repair capacity was associated with a twofold increase in the risk of breast cancer. The two medicines have been tested on animals in the United States and have been shown to be effective in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, the officials said. The two medicines have been tested on animals in the United States and have been shown to be effective in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells , the officials said. Earlier studies have suggested that deficiency in cells' capacity for DNA repair contributes to the accumulation of DNA damage and accelerates the genetic changes leading to cancer. Earlier studies have suggested that deficiency in cells' capacity for DNA repair contributes to the accumulation of DNA damage and accelerates the genetic changes leading to cancer. Before the development of aromatase inhibitors , women whose breast cancers were promoted by the hormone estrogen -- which is true of most -- were given tamoxifen to reduce their risk of recurrence. Before the development of aromatase inhibitors, women whose breast cancers were promoted by the hormone estrogen -- which is true of most -- were given tamoxifen to reduce their risk of recurrence. Women who inherit an altered version of either gene have a higher risk of getting breast or ovarian cancer. Women who inherit an altered version of either gene have a higher risk of getting breast or ovarian cancer. A new U.S. study will investigate genetic and environmental causes of breast cancer by enrolling 50,000 sisters of women already diagnosed with the disease. Here they have no doubt that a mysterious illness that struck Yushchenko recently and has left traces on his face was an attempt to poison him. Here they have no doubt that a mysterious illness that struck Yushchenko recently and has left traces on his face was an attempt to poison him. He still bore marks from the mysterious poison -related illness, which paralyzed and scarred part of his face and threatened to sideline him from the campaign. He still bore marks from the mysterious poison-related illness , which paralyzed and scarred part of his face and threatened to sideline him from the campaign. He still bore marks from the mysterious poison-related illness , which paralyzed and scarred part of his face and threatened to sideline him from the campaign. One leading candidate has been debilitated by what he said was an attempt to poison him. One leading candidate has been debilitated by what he said was an attempt to poison him. His camp immediately said it was the result of a poisoning attempt by political rivals at a time when he had a strong lead over Yanukovich. If there had been an attempt to poison the politician it would likely have been done in a manner designed to look like an accident and leave no forensic trace. Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday refused to recognize the election of pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich , calling the decision proclaiming his victory illegal. Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday refused to recognize the election of pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, calling the decision proclaiming his victory illegal. Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko arrived at parliament Tuesday , demanding that deputies annul the results of a weekend election that handed victory to his pro-Russian rival. Ukraine's pro-Western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday rejected an offer by his rival for the presidency to appoint him prime minister or for both men to withdraw from new elections. Ukraine's opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko arrived at parliament Tuesday, demanding that deputies annul the results of a weekend election that handed victory to his pro-Russian rival. West-leaning Yushchenko, who Wednesday called for a fresh vote as official results showed Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovich had defeated him in Sunday's presidential election , was admitted to the private Austrian hospital in September suffering from a severe gastro-intestinal illness. Ukraine opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko Wednesday proposed holding a new round of presidential elections to resolve a standoff over a disputed weekend vote, Interfax reported. West-leaning Yushchenko , who Wednesday called for a fresh vote as official results showed Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovich had defeated him in Sunday's presidential election, was admitted to the private Austrian hospital in September suffering from a severe gastro-intestinal illness. "If nothing hits him again, or nothing else has appeared in the meanwhile, I guess he has a fair and great likelihood of making a full recovery," Dr Michael Zimpfer, the president of Vienna 's Rudolfinerhaus Hospital where Yushchenko was treated , told AFP. West-leaning Yushchenko , who Wednesday called for a fresh vote as official results showed Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovich had defeated him in Sunday's presidential election, was admitted to the private Austrian hospital in September suffering from a severe gastro-intestinal illness. You made your country dependent when you signed Chernobyl's closure," said Yanukovich , who is widely popular in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east and who has Moscow's backing. The session was boycotted by the pro-government majority that supports pro-Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich , who is leading the official count from Sunday's vote. Neither front-runner is expected to win an outright majority. Neither front-runner is expected to win an outright majority. They are still considering the theory of poisoning , but also finding difficulty in proving it," he said, declining to name the US hospital as he had not asked their permission. They are still considering the theory of poisoning , but also finding difficulty in proving it," he said, declining to name the US hospital as he had not asked their permission. The United States and France have been leading calls for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are trying to persuade Syria to accept a timetable to withdraw its 15,000 troops from Lebanon , maybe by the end of April, Arab diplomats said Tuesday. "The Syrians have indicated that they are planning to withdraw the troops from Lebanon ," Annan told reporters. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday announced a plan to withdraw troops from Lebanon. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday announced a plan to withdraw troops from Lebanon. UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said Sunday that the Syrian government has pledged to remove all Syrian troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon by April 30. "All Syrian troops as well as the intelligence apparatus will be completely withdrawn by April 30 ," said Larsen. UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said Sunday that the Syrian government has pledged to remove all Syrian troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon by April 30. Following are the main points of the resolution: UN Resolution 1559 , passed by the Security Council on September 2, 2004, called for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and respect for its sovereignty. A demand "that Syrian forces withdraw without delay from Lebanon " was changed to a demand "that foreign forces withdraw without delay from Lebanon. " A demand "that Syrian forces withdraw without delay from Lebanon " was changed to a demand "that foreign forces withdraw without delay from Lebanon. " Following are the main points of the resolution: UN Resolution 1559 , passed by the Security Council on September 2, 2004, called for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and respect for its sovereignty. In the interview, which is to be aired in full on Friday, Al-Arabiya said the UN chief warned that "the Security Council could take measures against Syria if it does not implement the resolution ," which calls for a withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon. He said through the move, Syria will fulfill its commitment to the Taif Accord and implementing UN Security Council resolution 1559 , which calls for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Lebanon. The killing of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri has triggered fresh calls for Syria to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and end its domination of its smaller neighbour. The killing of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri has triggered fresh calls for Syria to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and end its domination of its smaller neighbour. Following the killing of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafiq Hariri , Syria is under renewed pressure to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and end its political and military domination of its smaller neighbour. Pressure on Syria to withdraw its troops and intelligence agents has intensified since the slayings of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 16 others in a Feb. 14 bombing. Since the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri on Feb. 14, Syria has been under strong pressure to be out of Lebanon completely, though it decided to withdraw its troops to east part of Lebanon from Beirut. Following are the main points of the resolution: UN Resolution 1559 , passed by the Security Council on September 2, 2004 , called for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and respect for its sovereignty. Following are the main points of the resolution: UN Resolution 1559 , passed by the Security Council on September 2, 2004 , called for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon and respect for its sovereignty. The Security Council adopted a resolution Sept. 2 calling on Syria to pull all its troops from its smaller neighbor and urging Lebanon's parliament not to amend the constitution. The Security Council adopted a resolution Sept. 2 calling on Syria to pull all its troops from its smaller neighbor and urging Lebanon's parliament not to amend the constitution. Egypt and Saudi Arabia are trying to persuade Syria to accept a timetable to withdraw its 15,000 troops from Lebanon, maybe by the end of April, Arab diplomats said Tuesday. Egyptian and Saudi officials are discussing a formula to persuade Syria to declare a withdrawal timetable , "possibly as soon as possible," another Arab diplomat said. Lebanon's worst political crisis in years has increasingly isolated Syria, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia stepping in to encourage Damascus to withdraw. The UN envoy will tell Assad that Syria will face political and economic isolation if he does not completely and quickly withdraw from Lebanon , the paper said. Foreign ministers from all European Union (EU) member states , who gathered here for a meeting, on Wednesday urged Syria to withdraw its troops completely from Lebanon. The ministers called on Syria to implement rapidly the pledges made by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on March 12, 2005 to withdraw all Syrian troops from Lebanon. UN chief Kofi Annan has called for a Syrian troop pullout from Lebanon before April , warning that the Security Council could otherwise take "measures" against Damascus, in an interview with Al-Arabiya television, the news channel said Thursday. Annan "called on Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon before April , when he is due to present a report to the Security Council about Damascus' compliance with Resolution 1559," Dubai-based Al-Arabiya said. Larsen, UN special envoy for the implementation of UN Resolution 1559 which demands Syria to quit Lebanon , will also hold talks with senior Lebanese officials in Beirut on the withdrawal timetable on Monday. Syria , a key power broker of Lebanon, has been mounting pressure to withdraw its 14,000 soldiers from Lebanon since the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri last month. Syria is under mounting pressure to pull its troops out of Lebanon completely and quickly, or will face political and economic isolation in the world community, The Washington Post reported Friday. Syria is under mounting pressure to pull its troops out of Lebanon completely and quickly, or will face political and economic isolation in the world community, The Washington Post reported Friday. The announcement Thursday that Syria was to conduct a final pullback of its troops to the eastern Bekaa valley of Lebanon falls short of the demands of the international community. "Syrian troops will pull back to Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon and then to the Syrian-Lebanese border," Assad told the parliament in a speech delivered in Arabic. Since the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri on Feb. 14, Syria has been under strong pressure to be out of Lebanon completely, though it decided to withdraw its troops to east part of Lebanon from Beirut. The council "reaffirms its call for the strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence under the sole and exclusive authority of the government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon. " The council "reaffirms its call for the strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence under the sole and exclusive authority of the government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon. " First , Syria must honor the independent sovereignty of Lebanon and not undermine its spring elections for a new parliament. Bomb explosions tore through three subway trains and a red double-decker bus in a coordinated terror attack during London's morning rush hour on Thursday, killing at least 37 people, injuring about 700 and leaving the city stunned, bloodied but oddly stoic. London's perpetually busy streets, emptied since the attacks that blew apart three subway cars and a double-decker bus, were busy again, though the legendary traffic jams were eased by some people deciding to take the day off. Blair said efforts were still being made to establish the precise number of deaths from the blasts on three subway trains and one double-decker bus. Blair said efforts were still being made to establish the precise number of deaths from the blasts on three subway trains and one double-decker bus. Blair said efforts were still being made to establish the precise number of deaths from the blasts on three subway trains and one double-decker bus. One of the biggest manhunts in British police annals is under way to find the perpetrators of Thursday's bomb attacks on three Underground trains and a double-decker bus. Since Thursday's four bomb blasts on three subway trains and a bus , which killed at least 52 people in total, many have remarked about how quickly , and with how little fuss, people in the British capital resumed everyday life. Passengers returned to the city's subway trains and buses Friday, giving London some sense of normality, even as police announced that the death toll from Thursday's bombing attacks had reached at least 50. London's underground stations were hit by four bomb attacks at the rush hour on Thursday morning , which killed at least 50 people and injured 700. The terror attacks on London killed more than 50 people but an unknown number of bodies still lie in the underground railway, London's police chief said Friday. London Mayor Ken Livingstone, urging people to "carry on" as normal, rode the Underground to work on Monday, four days after bomb attacks on the British capital's transit system killed at least 52 people. British police are on the verge of identifying one person they believe was involved in the bomb attacks which killed at least 52 people in London , a report said Tuesday. Since Thursday's four bomb blasts on three subway trains and a bus , which killed at least 52 people in total , many have remarked about how quickly, and with how little fuss, people in the British capital resumed everyday life. Britain's Home Secretary Charles Clarke confirmed that there were four explosions in central London on Thursday. London's underground stations were hit by four bomb attacks at the rush hour on Thursday morning , which killed at least 50 people and injured 700. It was the deadliest of the four bomb blasts in London last week ; at least 21 people died on the train. The bus explosion was one of four co-ordinated bombings , the others on London Underground subway trains, which caused carnage in the morning rush hour. Forensic evidence indicates that the bombs each contained less than 10 pounds of high explosives -- the Madrid bombs weighed 17 to 22 pounds -- which could have kept them small enough to fit in rucksacks, Commissioner Blair said. Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman said forensic investigations suggested each one of the devices used in the attacks had probably contained less than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of high explosives. Hayman said each bomb likely contained less than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of explosives. On Thursday, the tunnel intensified the impact of a bomb containing about 10 pounds of high explosives , sending its force punching through the cars like a blast down the barrel of a shotgun. On Thursday, commuters on the city's subways were plunged into the nightmare of a subterranean bloodbath, when an explosion tore through a subway train 100 yards into the tunnel at Liverpool Street Station at 8:51 a.m., according to a police chronology. On Thursday, commuters on the city's subways were plunged into the nightmare of a subterranean bloodbath, when an explosion tore through a subway train 100 yards into the tunnel at Liverpool Street Station at 8:51 a.m., according to a police chronology. Twenty-one minutes later, at 9:17 a.m., a third blast ripped through a train coming in Edgware Road underground station, killing seven. The attack , he said, was timed to coincide with the summit meeting. The attack, he said , was timed to coincide with the summit meeting. The attacks , the deadliest ever carried out on London in peacetime, coincided with a summit of the Group of Eight in Gleneagles , Scotland. Latest reports said at least 10 people have been killed in the explosions and 185 injured in a wave of apparently coordinated bomb attacks across the British capital. Latest reports said at least 10 people have been killed in the explosions and 185 injured in a wave of apparently coordinated bomb attacks across the British capital. Latest reports said at least 10 people have been killed in the explosions and 185 injured in a wave of apparently coordinated bomb attacks across the British capital. According to The Times, a single bomb maker using military-grade explosives was most likely responsible for manufacturing all the bombs used in the attacks. According to The Times, a single bomb maker using military-grade explosives was most likely responsible for manufacturing all the bombs used in the attacks. Investigators believe that the materials used to make the rucksack-based bombs were manufactured using smuggled, military-grade explosives, possibly brought in from the Balkans , the paper said. London's police chief said on Friday there was still no evidence that Thursday's terror attacks on the capital had been carried out by suicide bombers. London's police chief said on Friday there was still no evidence that Thursday's terror attacks on the capital had been carried out by suicide bombers. The attacks were the worst in British memory since World War II. The attacks, the deadliest ever carried out on London in peacetime , coincided with a summit of the Group of Eight in Gleneagles, Scotland. Britain's Royal Navy is to join efforts to free the crew of a Russian mini-submarine trapped on the ocean floor, sending a remote control submersible to the scene , officials in London said Friday. A remote-controlled device was lowered to the stricken vessel "to cut the flexible tubes and cables of the coastal surveillance antenna in which the AS-28 vehicle is caught," Rear Admiral Vladimir Pepelayev was quoted by RIA-Novosti news agency as saying. Earlier , a British remote-controlled Super Scorpio cut away the cables that had snarled the 44-foot (13.2-meter) mini-submarine in Beryozovaya Bay, about 15 kilometers (10 miles) off the east coast of the Kamchatka peninsula. A Russian mini-submarine that was trapped for nearly three days under the Pacific Ocean surfaced Sunday with all seven people aboard alive after a British remote-controlled vehicle cut away the undersea cables that had snarled it. The Russian military was racing against time early Friday to rescue a small submarine that had become trapped on the seabed with seven crew aboard , the Ria-Novosti news agency reported. Seven Russian sailors are thought to be on the mini-submarine , designed for use in rescue, research and intelligence-gathering missions. There are seven crew members aboard the vessel , stranded on the ocean floor at a depth of around 190 meters (623 feet) in a bay off the coast of the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's Far East region. Russian navy officials said the mini-submarine, trapped at a depth of 190 meters (625 feet), had seven sailors aboard , and it was unclear how long their oxygen supply would last. Russian navy officials said the mini-submarine, trapped at a depth of 190 meters (625 feet ), had seven sailors aboard, and it was unclear how long their oxygen supply would last. British crews , who arrived some hours earlier at the remote Kamchatka Peninsula, were working with Russian naval authorities to maneuver the Super Scorpio unmanned robotic vehicle and untangle the AS-28, which was caught up by a military listening antenna 190 meters (625 feet) below the surface nearly three days ago. British crews, who arrived some hours earlier at the remote Kamchatka Peninsula, were working with Russian naval authorities to maneuver the Super Scorpio unmanned robotic vehicle and untangle the AS-28, which was caught up by a military listening antenna 190 meters (625 feet) below the surface nearly three days ago. The vessel rose to the surface at 4:26 p.m. local time, ending the crew's ordeal in the cold and darkness more than 600 feet below the surface off the Kamchatka Peninsula. Rescue crews on Sunday lowered a British remote-controlled underwater vehicle to a Russian mini-submarine trapped deep under the Pacific Ocean, hoping to free the vessel and its seven trapped crewmen before their air supply ran out. A small Russian submarine was freed on Sunday from its undersea entanglement of the Far East coast by an unmanned British rescue vehicle that cut away the nets that ensnared it. A small Russian submarine was freed on Sunday from its undersea entanglement of the Far East coast by an unmanned British rescue vehicle that cut away the nets that ensnared it. Britain's Royal Navy is to join efforts to free the crew of a Russian mini-submarine trapped on the ocean floor , sending a remote control submersible to the scene, officials in London said Friday. A top Russian naval commander said Friday that a tugboat had attached tow cables to a Russian mini-submarine trapped on the seabed off Russia's Pacific coast , but he and other officials afterwards backed away from that assertion and said they were still checking. A Russian mini-submarine that was trapped for nearly three days under the Pacific Ocean surfaced Sunday with all seven people aboard alive after a British remote-controlled vehicle cut away the undersea cables that had snarled it. The mini-submarine, designed for research, rescue and intelligence operations, was resting on the seabed at a depth of about 200 meters (656 feet). Japan on Friday dispatched four military ships to help Russia rescue seven crew members aboard a small submarine trapped on the seabed in the Far East , officials said. Rescue of a submarine stuck on the seabed off Russia's east coast is complicated because it is snagged in an underwater surveillance antenna system as well as snared in a fishing net, a senior Russian naval officer said Friday. The Russian military was racing against time early Friday to rescue a small submarine that had become trapped on the seabed with seven crew aboard, the Ria-Novosti news agency reported. The Russian navy worked desperately on Friday to save a small military submarine that had sunk to the seafloor off Russia's Pacific coast , and called for international help to rescue the crew. The Russian navy worked desperately on Friday to save a small military submarine that had sunk to the seafloor off Russia's Pacific coast, and called for international help to rescue the crew. Rescue of a submarine stuck on the seabed off Russia's east coast is complicated because it is snagged in an underwater surveillance antenna system as well as snared in a fishing net , a senior Russian naval officer said Friday. The Russian submarine had been tending an underwater antenna mounted to the sea floor when it became snagged on a wire helping to stabilize a ventilation cable attached to the antenna, the official said. The Russian submarine had been tending an underwater antenna mounted to the sea floor when it became snagged on a wire helping to stabilize a ventilation cable attached to the antenna, the official said. Specialists said it could have become tangled up with a metal cable or a sunken trawler , the report said. Specialists said it could have become tangled up with a metal cable or in sunken nets from a fishing trawler , according to Russian news reports. A Russian mini-submarine that was trapped for nearly three days under the Pacific Ocean surfaced Sunday with all seven people aboard alive after a British remote-controlled vehicle cut away the undersea cables that had snarled it. As the British sailors worked , Russian officials said the submarine's crew of seven men were alive and had donned thermal suits, huddled together in a single compartment and were minimizing their movements to conserve their remaining air. All seven crew members were alive and rushed aboard a Russian surface vessel, where they were being examined by a medical team, Russian news agencies and the U.S. Navy said. All seven aboard the AS-28 mini-submarine appeared to be in satisfactory condition , naval spokesman Capt. Twenty-three cars were gutted by fire and the windows of a shopping centre were smashed in the riot in Clichy-sous-Bois, which finally ended before dawn. Rampaging gangs have torched more than 200 cars in the past week , and dozens of firefighters and police officers have been injured, none seriously, since the deaths of two youths. Overnight Thursday, more than 600 vehicles and several businesses were set on fire , and 78 people arrested in the Paris area, according to police. Overwhelmed police have found themselves powerless to stop the conflagration, which has seen over 1,000 vehicles torched and more than 200 people arrested amid fears that the country's racial and social divisions were fuelling the violence, the worst seen since a 1968 student revolt. Police say 1,295 vehicles burned nationwide, including 35 in Paris. Police say 1,295 vehicles burned nationwide, including 35 in Paris. French police said Monday that a total of 1,408 vehicles were torched and 395 arrests made overnight in a riot across the country. At least 1,295 vehicles were burned and 312 people arrested during the night from Saturday to Sunday, police said in a statement. The decree came after the worst violence from Sunday to Monday when 1,408 cars were torched in nearly 300 towns. The tensions a little decreased overnight Monday with 1,173 vehicles burned in 226 towns , and 330 people arrested, compared with 395 on the previous night, according to National Police Chief Michel Gaudin. Dozens of youths went on a rampage, burning vehicles and vandalising buildings in a tough Paris suburb Friday in an act of rage following the death by electrocution of two teenagers trying to flee police. According to police, the violence erupted after two boys , aged 14 and 16, died when they scaled a wall of an electrical relay station and fell against a transformer. Police detained 14 people Saturday after a second night of rioting that broke out in a working-class Paris suburb following the deaths of two youths who were electrocuted while trying to evade police, officials said. The unrest was originally triggered when two teenagers, aged 15 and 17, died by electrocution on Thursday after they scaled the wall of an electrical relay station and touched a transformer. Angry French-Arab youths clashed with police and firefighters outside Paris late Wednesday in the worst of seven consecutive nights of violence set off by the accidental death of two teenagers. The violence was triggered after the accidental electrocution of two teenagers in an electrical substation when they tried to flee a police identity check in Clichy-sous-Bois, a northeast Paris suburb. Dozens of youths went on a rampage, burning vehicles and vandalising buildings in a tough Paris suburb Friday in an act of rage following the death by electrocution of two teenagers trying to flee police. Hundreds of angry youths torched parked cars and threw rocks at police overnight in Clichy-sous-Bois, north of the capital, lightly injuring 15 officers and a journalist, officials said. Local youths , who believed police had chased the boys into the transformer's enclosure, took to the streets, setting cars on fire in protest. Hundreds of youths riot , setting fire to cars and shops in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois. Police make over 200 arrests. French police said Monday that a total of 1,408 vehicles were torched and 395 arrests made overnight in a riot across the country. French police said Monday that a total of 1,408 vehicles were torched and 395 arrests made overnight in a riot across the country. At least 1,295 vehicles were burned and 312 people arrested during the night from Saturday to Sunday , police said in a statement. Three men were jailed Monday after police clashed with youths in a Paris suburb for a fourth straight night, as angry residents accused police of throwing a teargas grenade at a mosque. A police teargas grenade thrown into the local mosque -- near to which "100 to 150 youths were looking for a fight," according to departmental security spokesman Jean-Luc Sidot -- looked certain to worsen the running conflict. Muslims inside the building accused police of firing the weapon into a place of worship. Dozens of youths went on a rampage, burning vehicles and vandalising buildings in a tough Paris suburb Friday in an act of rage following the death by electrocution of two teenagers trying to flee police. Police detained 14 people Saturday after a second night of rioting that broke out in a working-class Paris suburb following the deaths of two youths who were electrocuted while trying to evade police , officials said. The latest violence began in the suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois a week ago after two teenagers were electrocuted by a power transformer while hiding from police. Twenty-three cars were gutted by fire and the windows of a shopping centre were smashed in the riot in Clichy-sous-Bois , which finally ended before dawn. In the clashes on Wednesday night , a police station was ransacked, a garage was set on fire and a shopping center and two schools were vandalized, Cordet said. _ Oct. 31 _ Unrest spreads to at least nine Paris suburbs, with youths lobbing gasoline bombs at cars, shops and municipal buildings. Gangs of youths have gone on the rampage since October 27, when two teenagers were electrocuted in a tough, low-income suburb north of Paris as they hid in an electrical sub-station to flee a police identity check. _ Oct. 27 _ Bouna Traore, 15, and Zyed Benna , 17, are electrocuted at a power substation where they hid from police. The violence began in Clichy-sous-bois, northeast of Paris, on Oct. 27 when two teenagers were accidentally electrocuted as the hid in an electrical sub-station to avoid a police identity check. According to police, the violence erupted after two boys, aged 14 and 16, died when they scaled a wall of an electrical relay station and fell against a transformer. Gangs of youths have gone on the rampage since October 27, when two teenagers were electrocuted in a tough, low-income suburb north of Paris as they hid in an electrical sub-station to flee a police identity check. _ Oct. 27 _ Bouna Traore, 15, and Zyed Benna, 17, are electrocuted at a power substation where they hid from police. Riot police forces have used tear gas and rubber bullets to repel the attacks. Riot police forces have used tear gas and rubber bullets to repel the attacks. Police respond with tear gas and rubber bullets. The judge and her husband briefly received protection last year during the trial of a white supremacist who later was convicted of trying to arrange her murder. CHICAGO - The police released composite sketches Wednesday night of two white men they want to question in connection with this week's execution-style slayings of a federal judge's mother and husband, in an investigation that has also included interviews with relatives, friends and sympathizers of a white-supremacist imprisoned for soliciting the judge's assassination. Evelyn Hutcheson and David Hale, the mother and brother of Matthew Hale, the man convicted last year of plotting the murder of the judge , Joan Humphrey Lefkow, said Wednesday that federal agents had asked them whether Hale might have communicated something from prison in code. Held in virtual isolation in a federal detention facility while awaiting sentencing for a 2004 federal conviction for trying to arrange the murder of U.S. District Court Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow , Hale told his mother in a brief telephone call Thursday that none of his followers played any part in Monday's murders of Lefkow's relatives. Matthew Hale , the white supremacist convicted last year of plotting to kill a federal judge , sent a statement through his mother on Thursday condemning the murder of the judge's husband and mother as a "heinous crime" that he had nothing to do with. Matthew Hale, the white supremacist convicted last year of plotting to kill a federal judge , sent a statement through his mother on Thursday condemning the murder of the judge's husband and mother as a "heinous crime" that he had nothing to do with. A federal jury last year found Hale , 33, guilty of trying to arrange Lefkow's murder. " Hale, 33, has emphatically denied any involvement in the killings, but the pressure on him has risen exponentially this week, as he faces an April 6 sentencing amid mounting sympathy for the judge he was convicted of conspiring to kill. These and other tidbits about Hale, the Aryan leader convicted last year of plotting to kill a federal judge whose mother and husband were slain this week, are in the cache of letters federal agents seized here on Thursday from the home of Kathleen Robertazzo, his frequent correspondent. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month. The extremist leader , Matthew Hale, is awaiting sentencing next month. He is scheduled to be sentenced in April. He is scheduled to be sentenced in April. My sentencing date is April 6. " Hale , 33, faces sentencing next month for soliciting an FBI informant to kill Lefkow after she ruled against him in a trademark lawsuit. A task force of federal agents and Chicago police detectives fanned out Tuesday through a residential neighborhood, searching for clues in the shooting deaths of the husband and mother of a federal judge who had been targeted for murder by a white supremacist group. A window shard, spent shell casings and a bloody mop emerged as key pieces of evidence Wednesday in the apparent execution-style murders of the husband and mother of a U.S. district court judge in Chicago. CHICAGO - The police released composite sketches Wednesday night of two white men they want to question in connection with this week's execution-style slayings of a federal judge's mother and husband , in an investigation that has also included interviews with relatives, friends and sympathizers of a white-supremacist imprisoned for soliciting the judge's assassination. Bearing down with grand jury subpoenas and teams of interrogators, federal agents and Chicago police sought two men for questioning Thursday in connection with the execution slayings of a federal judge's husband and mother , pressing for information from followers of a white supremacist who insisted from jail that he had no involvement in the murders. These and other tidbits about Hale, the Aryan leader convicted last year of plotting to kill a federal judge whose mother and husband were slain this week, are in the cache of letters federal agents seized here on Thursday from the home of Kathleen Robertazzo, his frequent correspondent. Monday night Lefkow returned from work to discover the bodies of her husband and her elderly mother in the basement of her home on Chicago's north side. Monday night Lefkow returned from work to discover the bodies of her husband and her elderly mother in the basement of her home on Chicago's north side. Authorities placed U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow under around-the-clock guard after she returned home from work Monday and found the bodies of Michael F. Lefkow, 64, and Donna Humphrey, 89. Lefkow found her husband, Michael F. Lefkow, 64, and her mother , Donna Humphrey, 89, shot to death in their basement when she returned home from work on Monday. She said they stayed until 5:30 a.m. Thursday, mainly working on the computer, but also quizzing her about her whereabouts Monday, when Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow of U.S. District Court returned to her Chicago home to find the bodies of her husband and mother. CHICAGO - The police released composite sketches Wednesday night of two white men they want to question in connection with this week's execution-style slayings of a federal judge's mother and husband, in an investigation that has also included interviews with relatives, friends and sympathizers of a white-supremacist imprisoned for soliciting the judge's assassination. Police gave little background about the sketches they released of two white men -- one believed to be in his 50s and the other in his 20s -- who were wanted for questioning. Chicago police also released a sketch of two men wanted for questioning in the crimes and sifted through photographs of Hale's followers in an attempt to identify the pair -- who reportedly were spotted in a car parked near the judge's home in the hours before the murders. While the Chicago police said they were investigating 271 tips that poured into a hot line by 5 p.m. Friday -- including 141 that followed the release of composite sketches of two white men seen near the judge's home -- Hale and his sympathizers clearly remain a focus of the investigation. But according to sources close to the probe and several people questioned by federal agents, investigators are concentrating on Hale's relatives and a hard-core group of supporters in Chicago and his base in East Peoria, Ill. as well as white supremacist sympathizers as far away as northern New Jersey. Bearing down with grand jury subpoenas and teams of interrogators, federal agents and Chicago police sought two men for questioning Thursday in connection with the execution slayings of a federal judge's husband and mother, pressing for information from followers of a white supremacist who insisted from jail that he had no involvement in the murders. FBI Agent Robert D. Grant said one avenue of investigation was white supremacist Matthew Hale and his associates. FBI Agent Robert D. Grant said one avenue of investigation was white supremacist Matthew Hale and his associates. CHICAGO - The police released composite sketches Wednesday night of two white men they want to question in connection with this week's execution-style slayings of a federal judge's mother and husband, in an investigation that has also included interviews with relatives, friends and sympathizers of a white-supremacist imprisoned for soliciting the judge's assassination. But according to sources close to the probe and several people questioned by federal agents , investigators are concentrating on Hale's relatives and a hard-core group of supporters in Chicago and his base in East Peoria, Ill. as well as white supremacist sympathizers as far away as northern New Jersey. Federal agents seized telephone and computer records from one residence in the Chicago area and interrogated relatives and supporters of Matthew Hale , the leader of an extremist faction known as the World Church of the Creator. Returning to her home on the city's north side Monday, Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow discovered the bodies of her husband , Michael Lefkow, 64, and mother, Donna Humphrey, 89. But in the days since the judge stumbled upon the carnage inside her north side Chicago home, discovering the bullet-riddled bodies of her husband , Michael Lefkow, 64, and her mother, Donna Humphrey, 89, Hale's racially obsessed ``Creativity'' movement again has drawn intense scrutiny. As scores of police officers stood guard, hundreds of mourners filled a church Saturday to bid farewell to a federal judge's slain husband, less than a week after the judge discovered his body in their home , along with that of her mother. Hale's mother, Evelyn Hutcheson, said her son also told her, in their weekly 15-minute telephone call, that he was moved to a different cell after the slayings were discovered on Monday and that FBI agents had visited the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago to question him and nearby prisoners. Police also are searching for two men whom they have described as ``material witnesses'' -- spotted near the Lefkow home hours before the bodies were found Monday evening. The family has been in protective custody since the judge discovered the bodies on Monday. White supremacist leader Matthew Hale, 33, was found guilty in April 2004 of soliciting someone to murder Judge Lefkow. Hale was convicted last April of soliciting his group's ''security chief`` to kill Judge Lefkow after she enforced a federal appeals court ruling that forced the ''creativity`` church to change its name. Hale, 33, faces up to 40 years in prison for two counts of obstruction of justice and one of soliciting his security chief to assassinate U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow. The French sports newspaper L'Equipe charged Tuesday that Lance Armstrong used an illegal performance-enhancing drug in 1999 to win his first of seven consecutive Tours. The French sports newspaper L'Equipe charged Tuesday that Lance Armstrong used an illegal performance-enhancing drug in 1999 to win his first of seven consecutive Tours. French sports daily L'Equipe reported Tuesday that Lance Armstrong used the performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win his first Tour de France in 1999 , a report the seven-time Tour winner vehemently denied. L'Equipe on Tuesday carried a front page story headlined "Armstrong's Lie" suggesting the Texan had used the illegal blood booster EPO (erythropoeitin) during his first Tour win in 1999. Claims by a French newspaper that seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong had taken EPO were attacked as unsound and unethical by the director of the Canadian laboratory whose tests saw Olympic drug cheat Ben Johnson hit with a lifetime ban. "For the first time _ and these are no longer rumors, or insinuations, these are proven scientific facts _ someone has shown me that in 1999 , Armstrong had a banned substance called EPO in his body ," Leblanc told the newspaper. A University of Texas scientist is coming to the defense of Lance Armstrong amid allegations that the Tour de France champion used a banned substance to help him win in 1999. A University of Texas scientist is coming to the defense of Lance Armstrong amid allegations that the Tour de France champion used a banned substance to help him win in 1999. L'Equipe quoted the Tour de France director, Jean-Marie Leblanc, as saying, "For the first time -- and these are no longer rumors, or insinuations, these are proven scientific facts -- someone has shown me that in 1999 , Armstrong had a banned substance called EPO in his body. " The French newspaper L'Equipe reported Tuesday that traces of the performance-enhancing drug EPO had been found in frozen samples of Armstrong's urine from 1999, the year he won the first of seven Tour de France titles. The seven-time Tour de France champion continues to try to beat back reports in the French media that he used a banned blood booster in his first tour victory in 1999. L'Equipe published a series of letters-to-the-editor in its weekend magazine Saturday in response to last week's cover story that Armstrong used a banned blood booster in his first Tour win in 1999. L'Equipe reported last week that Armstrong used the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win the 1999 Tour de France _ the first of his seven straight titles. L'Equipe reported last week that Armstrong used the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win the 1999 Tour de France _ the first of his seven straight titles. The French sports newspaper L'Equipe charged Tuesday that Lance Armstrong used an illegal performance-enhancing drug in 1999 to win his first of seven consecutive Tours. French sports daily L'Equipe reported Tuesday that Lance Armstrong used the performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win his first Tour de France in 1999, a report the seven-time Tour winner vehemently denied. L'Equipe on Tuesday carried a front page story headlined "Armstrong's Lie" suggesting the Texan had used the illegal blood booster EPO (erythropoeitin) during his first Tour win in 1999. The French newspaper L'Equipe reported Tuesday that traces of the performance-enhancing drug EPO had been found in frozen samples of Armstrong's urine from 1999, the year he won the first of seven Tour de France titles. L'Equipe reported last week that Armstrong used the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win the 1999 Tour de France _ the first of his seven straight titles. The exploits of seven-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, who is alleged to have used the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) in 1999 , are also down to the use of other banned substances according to one expert. The 33-year-old Armstrong , who retired on July 24 after his latest victory, strongly denied the charge. French sports daily L'Equipe reported Tuesday that Lance Armstrong used the performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win his first Tour de France in 1999, a report the seven-time Tour winner vehemently denied. Armstrong issued an immediate denial and on Wednesday L'Equipe's story came under fire from Christiane Ayotte, a director at Canada's National Research Institute. The cyclist has denied the charges. Armstrong responded by vehemently denying the accusations and claiming he is the victim of a "witch hunt." Armstrong responded by vehemently denying the accusations and claiming he is the victim of a "witch hunt. " L'Equipe reported Tuesday that six urine samples Armstrong provided during his first tour win in 1999 tested positive for the red blood cell-booster EPO. European reporters have searched out Coyle this week to comment on the report in the Paris newspaper L'Equipe that alleged Armstrong tested positive for EPO six times in 1999. L'Equipe reported Tuesday that new tests on six urine samples he provided during the 1999 tour resulted in positive results for the red blood cell-booster EPO. L'Equipe reported Tuesday that new tests on six urine samples he provided during the 1999 tour resulted in positive results for the red blood cell-booster EPO. On Aug. 23 , L'Equipe reported that it had evidence that six of Armstrong's urine samples from the '99 Tour tested positive for EPO. The paper alleged Armstrong had tested positive six times for EPO in that year's race. He said on RTL radio that the charge "appears credible. " He said on RTL radio that the charge "appears credible. " However, Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc said Tuesday that L'Equipe's report seemed "very complete, very professional, very meticulous" and that it "appears credible. " He also took to task the French newspaper that accused him , the laboratory that released the urine samples in question and any officials of the Tour and sports ministries involved in putting the story together. French fans directed harsh words at the newspaper that accused seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of doping, saying the report has no bearing on their respect for the American cyclist. The exploits of seven-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong , who is alleged to have used the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) in 1999, are also down to the use of other banned substances according to one expert. Alessandro Donati, a specialist in the fight against doping in sport, suggested the performances of the 33-year-old American appear to show he has used a range of banned substances, including anabolic steroids. The editor of French sports daily L'Equipe denied Tuesday that his paper accused Lance Armstrong of doping because he is American. The editor of French sports daily L'Equipe denied Tuesday that his paper accused Lance Armstrong of doping because he is American. The head of USA Cycling defended Lance Armstrong on Friday, saying that new doping charges were unfair and lacked credibility. The head of USA Cycling defended Lance Armstrong on Friday , saying that new doping charges were unfair and lacked credibility. Although frustrated by the report and the difficulty of proving his case, Armstrong said he sleeps well at night knowing that he's competed drug-free. _ Even facing the most serious drug allegations of his career, Lance Armstrong says he sleeps well at night. North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003 , three months after Washington accused Pyongyang of running a clandestine nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium. Key dates in the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program: _1993: North Korea shocks the world by announcing it is withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty amid suspicions that it is developing nuclear weapons. But North Korea has withdrawn from the treaty and says it has built nuclear weapons because of Washington's "hostile policies" toward it. 2003 Jan 10 : Pyongyang withdraws from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The United States and North Korea have met seven times in the past week amid wider international talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. The Korean negotiations -- bringing together the United States, North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia -- are to resume near the end of this month. The fourth round of talks , which involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan , broke off on August 7 for a three-week recess and were originally due to resume in the final week of August. South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia are trying to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons development in talks that may resume as early as next week in the Chinese capital of Beijing after going into recess last month. North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003, three months after Washington accused Pyongyang of running a clandestine nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium. North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003, three months after Washington accused Pyongyang of running a clandestine nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium. The nuclear standoff began in October 2002 when the United States accused North Korea of a secret uranium-enrichment program in violation of a 1994 arms control pact. The nuclear standoff began in October 2002 when the United States accused North Korea of a secret uranium-enrichment program in violation of a 1994 arms control pact. Talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programs will resume on September 13 , China said Thursday. South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia are trying to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons development in talks that may resume as early as next week in the Chinese capital of Beijing after going into recess last month. Aug 27-29: Six-nation nuclear talks start in Beijing. North Korea on Monday proposed resuming six-nation talks on its nuclear program during the week of September 12 , a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by the North's official KCNA news agency as saying. South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon said Wednesday six-nation nuclear disarmament talks on North Korea, due to reopen in Beijing next week , would be open-ended. But the Stalinist North delayed the talks for another two weeks, announcing they would resume sometime in the week beginning September 12. _1994 : North Korea and the United States sign nuclear agreement in Geneva. Key dates in the crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons drive: 1994 North Korea and the United States sign a nuclear safeguard accord after Pyongyang vows to freeze and eventually dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Six-party talks about North Korea's nuclear arsenal have recessed after a 13-day session in Beijing. The fourth round of talks , which involve the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan, broke off on August 7 for a three-week recess and were originally due to resume in the final week of August. Pyongyang suspends that decision three months later following negotiations with the United States. Pyongyang suspends that decision three months later following negotiations with the United States. This week , after rejecting a European Union compromise plan , it unilaterally ended an agreement it made last fall with the EU to suspend nuclear activities by resuming conversion of uranium into a gas, an early phase in a process that could lead either to civilian energy generation or production of nuclear weapons. But the road ahead -- with North Korea and with Iran, which has rejected a European proposal to curb its nuclear program in return for generous benefits -- looks bumpy at best. North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its nuclear weapons program in exchange for international aid to build two power-producing nuclear reactors. But the road ahead -- with North Korea and with Iran, which has rejected a European proposal to curb its nuclear program in return for generous benefits -- looks bumpy at best. Dating from Bush's first term, Democrats have used a filibuster or the threat of extended debate , to block 10 of the president's choices for the federal appeals courts , while approving 35 others. However, a senior Democratic aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Reid offered to end filibusters on three of seven nominations stalled by Democrats -- two judges from Michigan and a third judicial nominee of Republicans' choice. Democrats filibustered 10 nominees to the U.S. appeals courts during Bush's first term , and they have said they will do so again this year for the seven that Bush renominated. If a handful of Democrats broke with Reid, Nelson said, they could confirm some or all of the seven appellate court nominees thwarted by filibusters in Bush's first term and still awaiting action. During Bush's first term , Democrats used the threat of a filibuster to block votes on 10 of his choices for federal appellate courts , charging the nominees were ``extremist'' in their conservative views. Democrats prevented final votes on 10 of Bush's first-term appeals court nominees , and have threatened to do the same this year to seven whom the president renominated. In recent years, Democrats used the filibuster -- in which a senator's right to extended debate is used as a stalling tactic -- to block votes on 10 of Bush's nominations to federal appellate courts. To stop a filibuster requires 60 votes. It takes 60 votes to cut off a filibuster. It takes 60 votes to cut off a filibuster. At issue is the filibuster, a parliamentary device that can be overcome only by a majority of 60 votes or higher in the 100-member Senate. Currently , 60 votes are needed to end a filibuster and force a confirmation vote ; Republicans want to lower the threshold to 51 votes for judicial nominees. ---A member of the Senate, probably Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, will object to the ruling of the presiding officer as contrary to the rules and precedents of the Senate , which currently require a vote of 60 senators to invoke cloture, that is, bring an end to debate. Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee , the Republican leader, has warned with increasing ardor that he may seek to change the rules so that the Democrats, who are in the minority, would be unable to block Bush's judicial choices. Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee, the Republican leader, has warned with increasing ardor that he may seek to change the rules so that the Democrats , who are in the minority, would be unable to block Bush's judicial choices. As soon as Democrats call a filibuster on one of them , Frist has said he will move to change the rules of the Senate to prohibit use of the procedure to block the confirmation votes. As soon as Democrats call a filibuster on one of them, Frist has said he will move to change the rules of the Senate to prohibit use of the procedure to block the confirmation votes. Frist has threatened to change Senate procedures to strip them of their ability to do so. A divided Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday sent two controversial appeals court nominees toward a showdown vote in the Senate , setting the stage for what Democrats described as a looming "constitutional crisis" over President Bush's judicial nominations. A divided Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday sent two controversial appeals court nominees toward a showdown vote in the Senate, setting the stage for what Democrats described as a looming "constitutional crisis" over President Bush's judicial nominations. The Senate is getting closer to a confrontation between Republicans and Democrats over whether President George W. Bush's judicial nominees can be filibustered by senators who don't want them confirmed. The Senate's Republican and Democratic leaders called for a prompt showdown in the impasse over judicial nominations Tuesday , a move that would undercut moderates' efforts to find a compromise to the long-running dispute. In return, the aide said, Reid asked for a Republican commitment not to change the filibuster rules , along with promises to re-instate Judiciary committee procedures that would permit senators to block nominations during the committee vetting process. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., offered to end three of seven Democratic filibusters of President Bush's appellate court nominees if Republicans would pledge not to change Senate rules to end the use of the parliamentary tactic to stall votes on proposed judges. Under the proposal , circulated in writing, Republicans would have to pledge no change through 2006 in the Senate's rules that allow filibusters against judicial nominees. Democrats filibustered 10 nominees to the U.S. appeals courts during Bush's first term, and they have said they will do so again this year for the seven that Bush renominated. Earlier this year , Bush renominated seven of those who were blocked. Democrats prevented final votes on 10 of Bush's first-term appeals court nominees, and have threatened to do the same this year to seven whom the president renominated. Republican leaders said they would start the day's Senate session by fopening debate on President Bush's nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the federal appeals court in New Orleans. Republican leaders said they would start the day's Senate session by fopening debate on President Bush's nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the federal appeals court in New Orleans. Republican leaders said they would start the day's Senate session by fopening debate on President Bush's nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the federal appeals court in New Orleans. Both Owen , a justice on the Texas Supreme Court, and Brown, a justice on the California Supreme Court, have been blocked before by Democrats who have called them unfit for the federal bench, asserting that they are hard-line conservative ideologues. Although Democrats filibustered his nomination in the past , they have signaled that they will not do so again. Democrats previously used filibusters to block the nominations of Owen and Brown and have said they would seek to do so again, setting the stage for the Senate showdown. Nelson said senators would have to pledge to use filibusters only in ``extreme or extraordinary cases. '' For their part, Democrats would commit not to block votes on Bush's Supreme Court or appeals court nominees during the same period, except in extreme circumstances. The agreement under discussion would bind the Republicans to preserving Democrats' right to filibuster judges, on the condition that Democrats only use filibusters in "extreme circumstances ," Nelson said. They say the other four are conservative ideologues whose views against homosexuality, abortion, affirmative action, Social Security, labor rights or environmental standards are out of the mainstream. Democrats argued that those judges were conservative ideologues. Democrats argued that those judges were conservative ideologues. Libya and the African Union Tuesday invited Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir to a mini-summit in Libya on the Darfur crisis, due to be attended by Sudan's neighbors Chad and Egypt. In addition to Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir, Shalqam said Gadhafi also invited leaders of Darfur's two rebel groups and the presidents of Egypt, Chad and Nigeria. Sudan's neighbours Chad and Libya are seen as having a role to play in bringing the conflict travel to Tripoli on Sunday to meet Libyan leader Moamer Khadafi, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir and Chadian and Egyptian representatives for an AU mini-summit on the fighting. Sudan's ambassador to Nigeria , Abdel Rahim Kalil, said he expected the leaders of Chad, Sudan and Egypt to also be present at the summit , although Oyo would not comment on that. The five-way African summit, which was attended by leaders of Nigeria, Libya, Sudan, Egypt and Chad , stressed refusal of any foreign intervention in the Darfur issue. Peace talks between Darfur's rebels and the Sudanese government, which had been scheduled to restart in Nigeria next week , have been moved to the Libyan capital Tripoli, the African Union's chairman said Friday. "Talks on Darfur earlier slated for Abuja had to be switched to Tripoli to secure the attendance of neighbouring countries whose cooperation was crucial to lasting peace," it said in a statement, without elaborating. President Olusegun Obasanjo is to meet Gadhafi, Sudanese officials and other "brother heads of state to see how to jump-start" Darfur peace talks set to restart in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Thursday , said Obasanjo spokeswoman Remi Oyo. The Sudanese government and the Darfur rebels will resume peace talks on Thursday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja , head of the government delegation for the talks Majzoub El-Khalifa Ahmed said on Wednesday. Hefiana and Tanko delivered the invitation in letters from Khadafi and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the current chairman of the AU, which is sponsoring peace talks between Khartoum and Darfur rebels. The talks next week in Abuja are to be brokered by the African Union , which Obasanjo currently heads. Sudanese government envoys and the leaders of a rebellion in the western province of Darfur opened formal peace negotiations Monday at an African Union-sponsored conference in Abuja. Sudanese government envoys and the leaders of a rebellion in the western province of Darfur opened formal peace negotiations Monday at an African Union -sponsored conference in Abuja. The UN estimates that around 70,000 people have been killed and 1.5 million displaced in 20 months of war in Darfur. The UN estimates that around 70,000 people have been killed and 1.5 million displaced in 20 months of war in Darfur. The United Nations estimates that 1.5 million people have been driven from their homes during the fighting, and 70,000 have been killed. Clashes in Sudan's Darfur flared up in February 2003, and has so far caused thousands of deaths and sent about one million fleeing to neighboring Chad or internally displaced. Peace talks between Darfur's rebels and the Sudanese government , which had been scheduled to restart in Nigeria next week, have been moved to the Libyan capital Tripoli , the African Union's chairman said Friday. "Talks on Darfur earlier slated for Abuja had to be switched to Tripoli to secure the attendance of neighbouring countries whose cooperation was crucial to lasting peace," it said in a statement, without elaborating. "Talks on Darfur earlier slated for Abuja had to be switched to Tripoli to secure the attendance of neighbouring countries whose cooperation was crucial to lasting peace," it said in a statement, without elaborating. Hefiana and Tanko delivered the invitation in letters from Khadafi and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo , the current chairman of the AU, which is sponsoring peace talks between Khartoum and Darfur rebels. He added that he would hold a meeting in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia with Nigerian president and current AU Chairman Olusegun Obasanjo to map out an urgent plan to send more African troups to Darfur. President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria , who as the AU's current chairman hosted a first round of talks in Abuja in August and September, announced the switch at a briefing on the crisis for western ambassadors , his office said. "Talks on Darfur earlier slated for Abuja had to be switched to Tripoli to secure the attendance of neighbouring countries whose cooperation was crucial to lasting peace ," it said in a statement, without elaborating. Sudan's neighbours Chad and Libya are seen as having a role to play in bringing the conflict travel to Tripoli on Sunday to meet Libyan leader Moamer Khadafi, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir and Chadian and Egyptian representatives for an AU mini-summit on the fighting. Sudan's neighbours Chad and Libya are seen as having a role to play in bringing the conflict travel to Tripoli on Sunday to meet Libyan leader Moamer Khadafi, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir and Chadian and Egyptian representatives for an AU mini-summit on the fighting. The official Al-Anbaa daily on Tuesday quoted Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail as saying the letters also dealt with the situation in Darfur and efforts by the AU to resolve the 20-month conflict there. The UN estimates that around 70,000 people have been killed and 1.5 million displaced in 20 months of war in Darfur. The Khartoum governmnet and Darfur's two rebel groups have been at war for 20 months. Libya and the African Union Tuesday invited Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir to a mini-summit in Libya on the Darfur crisis , due to be attended by Sudan's neighbors Chad and Egypt. Hefiana and Tanko flew to Khartoum from Egypt where they delivered a message to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, also inviting him to the summit. Sudan's government said Tuesday that it will accept an invitation to a "mini summit " this month convened by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on the crisis in Sudan's western Darfur region. Nigeria's president meets Sunday with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to prepare for upcoming talks on the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region , said officials and diplomats. ``With the election too close to call, a hand count will finally determine the winner. '' ``With the election too close to call, a hand count will finally determine the winner. '' Exactly which ballots will now be recounted by hand is in dispute. According to Gregoire, state law allowing for a hand recount -- to be supervised by observers from both parties -- was designed for just this kind of cliffhanger election. Rossi had led the election by just 261 votes after the November 2 vote when 2.9 million voters cast their ballots, leading to an automatic hand recount. When the first recount, done by machine, ended last month, Rossi's lead had shrunk to 42 votes. Rossi's lead shrank to 42 votes following the recount , but a new review was ordered after authorities realized that 735 ballots from a county around Seattle were never counted. She refused, saying on Thursday that the most accurate count of the three conducted was the hand count the Democratic Party requested after an automatic machine recount gave Rossi an edge of only 42 votes. Far from conceding and bringing this long election to a close, though, her Republican opponent , Dino Rossi, who earlier led in the Nov. 2 election by 261 votes out of 2.9 million cast and was ahead in the first recount by 42 votes , made it clear that he was not willing to recognize that Washington now has a governor-elect. The second statewide recount , done by hand , had Rossi leading by 50 votes as of Friday. NORTHWEST WASHINGTON: REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE RECOUNT The head of the state Republican Party, Chris Vance, sharply criticized ballot-counting procedures in King County, where a manual recount completed last week nudged the Democratic candidate for governor , Christine O. Gregoire, ahead of the Republican, Dino Rossi, by 130 votes. NORTHWEST WASHINGTON: REPUBLICANS CRITICIZE RECOUNT The head of the state Republican Party, Chris Vance, sharply criticized ballot-counting procedures in King County, where a manual recount completed last week nudged the Democratic candidate for governor, Christine O. Gregoire, ahead of the Republican, Dino Rossi, by 130 votes. Republican Dino Rossi held a mere 261-vote lead over Democratic Attorney General Christine Gregoire after all counties reported their final tallies to the state. The day's events dealt a serious blow to state Republicans and Dino Rossi, 45, a real estate executive and former state senator, who had been certified the winner of the Nov. 2 vote after eking out a margin of 261 votes out of almost 3 million cast. Far from conceding and bringing this long election to a close, though, her Republican opponent , Dino Rossi, who earlier led in the Nov. 2 election by 261 votes out of 2.9 million cast and was ahead in the first recount by 42 votes, made it clear that he was not willing to recognize that Washington now has a governor-elect. The first machine vote count showed Rossi, 57 , a self-made businessman and former state senator who ran a strong campaign in this Democrat-leaning state, ahead by 261 votes over Gregoire, 45, whose three-terms as attorney general had made her a well-known name statewide and who had been widely expected to win the election. The initial count after the Nov. 2 election had the Republican candidate, Dino Rossi , ahead by 261 votes out of 2.9 million cast. In the initial count of the results and a mandatory recount , both conducted with machine readers, Rossi was declared the winner , in the latter case by 42 votes. When Secretary of State Sam Reed, a Republican, this week certified Rossi as governor-elect -- a certification that by law allowed the hand-count challenge announced here Friday -- he said the governor's election was uniquely tight: ``We have checked with experts around the nation, and nowhere has there ever been an election of this magnitude that is this close.'' According to Gregoire, state law allowing for a hand recount -- to be supervised by observers from both parties -- was designed for just this kind of cliffhanger election. But Gregoire , taking advantage of a state election law provision for a statewide hand recount of all the ballots, prevailed in the third round, as roughly 2,000 ballots that were not read by the machines helped give her herrazor-thin margin of victory. Fifty-eight days after the election , Christine O. Gregoire was declared the governor-elect of Washington on Thursday , the official winner by an infinitesimal margin after two recounts in a historically close race. Christine O. Gregoire , the Democratic attorney general, last week was declared the winner by just 129 votes of the nearly 2.9 million cast. The latest vote tallies in a gubernatorial cliffhanger , whose outcome will be determined by hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots yet to be counted, show Rossi and his Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Christine Gregoire, within a hair of each other. Alleging that dead people, felons and other ineligible voters cast ballots in Washington state's tortuously close election for governor , the Republican candidate filed a lawsuit Friday, seeking the extraordinary remedy of a new election. The election is reminiscent of the 2000 U.S. Senate race in Washington that took several weeks of counting and recounting before Democrat Maria Cantwell was declared the winner over Republican incumbent Slade Gorton. The statewide hand recount is expected to take about two weeks and seems certain to trigger court challenges from both Democrats and Republicans. The more high-profile race in Washington state evoked memories of the 2000 presidential election quagmire in Florida, as a recount gave Democrat Christine Gregoire a 130-vote lead over Republican contender Dino Rossi. After the latest recount , Gregoire , the state's attorney general, led by 130 votes. Saakashvili has said he will not rest until Georgia's wayward regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- are back under Tbilisi's control. Tensions have escalated between Tbilisi and the two provinces _ as well as Russia _ after Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili vowed to bring the regions back under central control. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili , who took office in January, has vowed to reunify the country by bringing South Ossetia and Abkhazia back under Tbilisi's control. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who took office in January, has vowed to reunify the country by bringing South Ossetia and Abkhazia back under Tbilisi's control. One year ago, young Georgian opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili led massive street protests that toppled the old regime after the parliament was stormed November 22, promising a breath of change to transform this troubled ex-Soviet republic into a modern state. One year ago , Mikhail Saakashvili led massive street protests that toppled the old regime in Georgia, promising to transform this impoverished former Soviet republic into a modern state. One year ago , Mikhail Saakashvili led massive street protests that toppled the old regime in Georgia, promising to transform this impoverished former Soviet republic into a modern state. Sunday's election was the first competetive vote in Abkhazia since the republic declared its independence from Georgia after winning a war 11 years ago , and was held up as proof of its democratic credentials and internal stability. At least 17 Georgian soldiers were killed this summer in clashes with South Ossetian forces, raising tensions to fever pitch in the rebel territory, which like Abkhazia declared independence following a civil war in the early 1990s. Abkhazia , bordering with southern Russia, announced independence in 1992 , which was not recognized by any country. Abkhazian separatists drove out Georgian government troops in a war in the early 1990s , displacing roughly 300,000 ethnic Georgians. South Ossetia proclaimed its independence after the former Soviet Union broke up and then fought a war with Georgia's government forces in early 1990s. South Ossetia proclaimed its independence after the former Soviet Union broke up and then fought a war with Georgia's government forces in early 1990s. Fears of a new conflict have resurfaced though, since Mikhail Saakashvili , a tough-talking US-trained lawyer backed by Washington, was swept to power in Tbilisi late last year in a bloodless revolution. Brought to power by a peaceful "rose revolution " a year ago , Saakashvili has said that reuniting his country is his most urgent priority. Brought to power by a peaceful "rose revolution " a year ago, Saakashvili has said that reuniting his country is his most urgent priority. No matter what the outcome, the vote is likely to increase tensions with Tbilisi , which, under President Mikhail Saakashvili's leadership, has sought to rein in renegade regions. Residents of the separatist Black Sea region of Abkhazia choose a new president Sunday in an election that will throw a new spotlight on tensions with Georgia. "The United States does not recognize Abkhazia as an independent state, so I don't really have any comment on these elections," he told reporters. Speaking before reporters in Tbilisi , Saakashvili said voters in Abkhazia who supported Sergei Bagapsh to be their leader "are expressing the will of the majority of the population of Abkhazia. Saakashvili said that some countries are not willing to see a strong Georgia or satisfied with Georgia's control over Abkhazia. Saakashvili said that some countries are not willing to see a strong Georgia or satisfied with Georgia's control over Abkhazia. "Our position is to support an international approach to a peaceful resolution of the Abkhaz conflict that respects Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and whatever leadership is in Abkhazia, we would hope that it returns to negotiations toward that end in the near future," he said. Zhvania said the talks would promote dialogues between the two sides and ensure a territorial integrity for Georgia. Abkhazian election officials said that opposition leader Sergei Bagapsh won the vote, and the region's highest court later confirmed it. Bagapsh was proclaimed winner of an October 3 election in Abkhazia to choose a new "president" to replace Vladislav Ardzinba, the man who led the republic's fight to break away from Georgia in the early 1990s. ``If Pluto is a planet, then anything larger than Pluto is a planet, and this is definitely larger than Pluto ,'' said Caltech astronomer Michael A. Astronomers announced Friday that they have found a lump of rock and ice that is larger than Pluto and the farthest known object in the solar system. The astronomers do not have an exact size for the new planet, but its brightness and distance tell them that it is larger than Pluto , the smallest of the nine known planets. "It's definitely bigger than Pluto ," he said of the body made up of ice and rock. It's either the nine planets we learned about in grade school, or those nine plus any newfound object orbiting the sun that turns out to be bigger than Pluto. Now Brown has found something orbiting the sun that's bigger than Pluto and even farther away. Now Brown has found something orbiting the sun that's bigger than Pluto and even farther away. In July , Brown announced the discovery of an icy, rocky object larger than Pluto in the Kuiper Belt , a disc of icy bodies beyond Neptune. Astronomers at the California Institute of Technology have discovered what they believe is the tenth and most distant planet in our solar system , a ball of rock that is about twice as big as Pluto and about three times as far out. A US astronomer announced Friday he had discovered what could be a 10th planet in the outer reaches of the solar system nearly 15 billion kilometers (nine billion miles) from earth. A US astronomer announced Friday he had discovered what could be a 10th planet in the outer reaches of the solar system nearly 15 billion kilometers (nine billion miles) from earth. The body is "the 10th planet of the solar system ," said Brown, a professor of planetary astronomy in a phone conference from CalTech in the town of Pasadena. Without any additional data, Brown knew he had discovered what could be the 10th planet. Last month, when scientists announced the discovery of a possible 10th planet , some 9 billion miles from the sun, they reignited a long-running debate about what a true planet is. If 2003 UB313 is a 10th planet , astrologers say it may have a profound influence over people's lives, and thus on the forecasts astrologers make. The new object, temporarily called 2003 UB313 , is currently at its farthest distance from the sun , about 97 times the distance between the sun and Earth. The new object -- as yet unnamed, but temporarily known as 2003 UB313 -- is now 9 billion miles away from the sun , or 97 times as far away as the Earth and about three times Pluto's current distance from the sun. Michael E. Brown (no relation to Richard), an astronomer and a member of the team that discovered 2003 UB313 , said he has been peppered with inquiries from astrologers seeking to know the exact moment he made his observation. They are grappling with whether the newly found celestial body, known for now as 2003 UB313 , should be granted planetary status, and if it is not, whether Pluto, a like-size ice ball in a far orbit of the sun, should be stripped of the title. Perhaps Pluto, small, distant and poorly observed, should be downgraded from true planet to a mere Kuiper Belt Object, or KBO, one of the thousands of icy bodies orbiting beyond Neptune that probably are leftovers from the creation of the outer solar system. But astronomers also have found about 1,000 other small icy objects beyond Neptune rotating around the sun. But astronomers also have found about 1,000 other small icy objects beyond Neptune rotating around the sun. The discovery will likely rekindle debate over the definition of "planet " and whether Pluto still merits the designation. But Brown conceded that the discovery would likely rekindle debate over the definition of "planet" and whether Pluto should still be regarded as one. But the newly discovered moon , nicknamed Gabrielle after Xena's faithful traveling sidekick in the TV series, likely will not quell the debate over what exactly is a planet and whether Pluto should keep its status. Astronomers announced Friday that they have found a lump of rock and ice that is larger than Pluto and the farthest known object in the solar system. The New York Times said in an editorial for Tuesday, Aug. 2: When a Caltech astronomer, Michael Brown, announced last year that his team had found a distant object three-fourths the size of Pluto orbiting the sun , he declined to call it a planet, and he even suggested that Pluto should not be considered a planet either. It's been 75 years since the discovery of Pluto , but it remains a mystery. If confirmed, the discovery by Professor Mike Brown of the respected California Institute of Technology would be the first of a planet since Pluto was identified in 1930. Last year , the same team announced the discovery of a distant body they named Sedna, which, until the latest discovery, had held the title of farthest known object in the solar system. The New York Times said in an editorial for Tuesday, Aug. 2: When a Caltech astronomer, Michael Brown, announced last year that his team had found a distant object three-fourths the size of Pluto orbiting the sun, he declined to call it a planet, and he even suggested that Pluto should not be considered a planet either. When a group of Spanish astronomers reported in July that they had discovered a spectacular addition to the solar system , a bright ball of ice almost as big as Pluto sailing the depths of space out beyond Neptune, Dr. Michael Brown of Caltech chalked it up to coincidence and bad luck. The astronomers who claim to have discovered the 10th planet in the solar system have made another intriguing announcement : it has a moon. Astronomers in recent years were having doubts. Astronomers have long debated whether Pluto is a planet because of its small size and odd orbit , although many scientists are content to retain its current designation. In 1998 , regulators alleged , Fannie improperly delayed booking $200 million of expenses, enabling Raines and other top executives to receive their maximum bonuses , a total of $27.1 million. Raines says the company strongly disagrees with the allegation that it willfully violated accounting rules to maximize executive bonuses in 1998 , according to the testimony. They specifically denied the allegation that, in an instance in 1998, accounting rules were deliberately violated so that top executives collect full bonuses. They specifically denied the allegation that, in an instance in 1998 , accounting rules were deliberately violated so that top executives collect full bonuses. They specifically denied the allegation that, in an instance in 1998, accounting rules were deliberately violated so that top executives could collect full bonuses. They specifically denied the allegation that, in an instance in 1998 , accounting rules were deliberately violated so that top executives could collect full bonuses. The company did this, OFHEO contended, to smooth out quarterly earnings, meet financial projections and in 1998, at least, earn larger bonuses for its top executives. Because the SEC backed OFHEO's key findings on Fannie's accounting, the Justice Department will continue its ongoing investigation into whether top Fannie Mae executives manipulated earnings to trigger multimillion-dollar bonuses for themselves , a source said. Raines says the company strongly disagrees with the allegation that it willfully violated accounting rules to maximize executive bonuses in 1998, according to the testimony. Fannie Mae , accused by regulators of deliberately flouting accounting rules , said Monday that it could not meet a deadline for a quarterly financial report and may be required to record $9 billion of previously unreported losses if the Securities and Exchange Commission determines that its accounting was wrong. OFHEO accused Fannie of violating two accounting rules. OFHEO accused Fannie of violating two accounting rules. That agency, known as OFHEO, had concluded in a report a few weeks earlier that Fannie Mae deliberately violated accounting rules and engaged in "cookie jar" accounting, dipping into reserves or postponing the recognition of expenses. But the Securities and Exchange Commission's Wednesday ruling, that Fannie Mae had seriously breached accounting rules , could touch off a chain reaction that results in stricter government controls, legislation limiting its growth, and possibly even a change in top management. Fannie Mae said in its filing with the SEC that the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, which is pursuing the criminal investigation, had asked it to preserve certain documents _ including papers related to a report by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight which alleged earnings manipulation to meet Wall Street expectations and accounting improprieties by the company. Regulators at the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight reported in September that they found pervasive accounting violations at Fannie. Regulators at the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight reported in September that they found pervasive accounting violations at Fannie. The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission has ordered Fannie Mae, the nation's largest buyer of mortgages, to restate its earnings over the last four years after concluding that it had violated accounting rules on its treatment of derivatives and loans. Fannie's primary regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, had expressed doubts about the company's management in September, when it issued a report alleging that Fannie had ignored accounting rules it didn't like and manipulated estimates to achieve desired financial results. Fannie faces investigations by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission and litigation by shareholders. Nicolaisen said that the SEC investigation of Fannie Mae was continuing. Nicolaisen said that the SEC investigation of Fannie Mae was continuing. The company remains under investigation by the SEC, the Justice Department and OFHEO , which is examining additional accounting issues. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae , gripped by an accounting scandal and under investigation by the Justice Department , disclosed Tuesday that prosecutors had asked the company to preserve documents as part of the criminal probe. Fannie Mae's accounting has been under investigation by the Justice Department and the SEC , and it has become the subject of investor lawsuits. The Justice Department is also looking at the company's accounting. Several such suits have been announced since since Sept. 22, when accounting questions at the company came to light amid news of a Securities and Exchange Commission inquiry into accounting at Fannie Mae , which finances one of every five home loans in the United States. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae is now the target of a formal inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its accounting practices , the company said in a regulatory filing Tuesday. Fannie Mae , which last week was ordered by the Justice Department to preserve documents as part of a criminal investigation, has been accused of manipulating its accounting practices in order to meet Wall Street earnings expectations. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae , gripped by an accounting scandal and under investigation by the Justice Department, disclosed Tuesday that prosecutors had asked the company to preserve documents as part of the criminal probe. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae, gripped by an accounting scandal and under investigation by the Justice Department, disclosed Tuesday that prosecutors had asked the company to preserve documents as part of the criminal probe. Fannie Mae , which last week was ordered by the Justice Department to preserve documents as part of a criminal investigation , has been accused of manipulating its accounting practices in order to meet Wall Street earnings expectations. In a regulatory filing , the government-sponsored company also reported that it has been informed of eight lawsuits on behalf of shareholders that are being prepared or have been filed against it, chairman and chief executive Franklin Raines and chief financial officer Timothy Howard. Fannie Mae said in its filing with the SEC that the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, which is pursuing the criminal investigation, had asked it to preserve certain documents _ including papers related to a report by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight which alleged earnings manipulation to meet Wall Street expectations and accounting improprieties by the company. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae is now the target of a formal inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its accounting practices, the company said in a regulatory filing Tuesday. Raines and Howard, testifying at a House hearing last week, insisted that Fannie Mae did nothing wrong in its accounting and insisted that the regulators' allegations represent an arguable interpretation of complex rules. Testifying before Congress earlier this month, chairman and chief executive Franklin Raines and chief financial officer Timothy Howard said Fannie Mae did nothing wrong in its accounting and insisted that the regulators' allegations represent an arguable interpretation of complex rules. Testifying before Congress earlier this month , chairman and chief executive Franklin Raines and chief financial officer Timothy Howard said Fannie Mae did nothing wrong in its accounting and insisted that the regulators' allegations represent an arguable interpretation of complex rules. And as the Justice Department investigation of Fannie Mae continues, other problems may surface. And as the Justice Department investigation of Fannie Mae continues , other problems may surface. Because the SEC backed OFHEO's key findings on Fannie's accounting, the Justice Department will continue its ongoing investigation into whether top Fannie Mae executives manipulated earnings to trigger multimillion-dollar bonuses for themselves, a source said. Woodward and Bernstein have said they will not reveal the identity of "Deep Throat" until his death. Woodward and Bernstein have said they will not reveal the identity of "Deep Throat " until his death. Woodward, Bernstein and Ben Bradlee, the Post's executive editor when the Watergate story broke in 1972, said they kept the identity of "Deep Throat" secret at Felt's request, saying his name would be revealed upon his death. Tom Brokaw, the former NBC anchor who covered the Nixon White House, said he deduced that Felt was the source because Woodward and Bernstein had pledged to keep Deep Throat's identity a secret until after he died -- and few credible candidates were left on a short list. When the Vanity Fair scoop broke, Woodward and Bernstein's initial reaction was to reiterate what they had said for years: that they would only reveal Deep Throat's identity when the source died. A retired FBI official, Mark Felt, was the "Deep Throat" source who leaked secrets to two Washington Post reporters about the Watergate scandal that brought down former president Richard Nixon , his family said Tuesday. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein confirmed Tuesday that former FBI number-two W. Mark Felt was the "Deep Throat" source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal and bring down President Richard Nixon. Felt's family and The Washington Post, which spearheaded press coverage of the Watergate cover-up in the early 1970s, confirmed that Felt was the celebrated anonymous source whose leaks helped bring down President Richard Nixon. Woodward has authored or co-authored 10 number one national non-fiction best-sellers, including the "All the President's Men" (1974) -- the definitive account of how he and fellow Post journalist Carl Bernstein unravelled the Watergate scandal that brought down president Richard Nixon. A retired FBI official , Mark Felt, was the "Deep Throat" source who leaked secrets to two Washington Post reporters about the Watergate scandal that brought down former president Richard Nixon, his family said Tuesday. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein confirmed Tuesday that former FBI number-two W. Mark Felt was the "Deep Throat" source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal and bring down President Richard Nixon. Aides to the late president Richard Nixon said Wednesday that former FBI deputy director Mark Felt, unmasked as the anonymous Watergate source known as "Deep Throat," had breached professional ethics by leaking information. In the volume, which will be published in July, Woodward will discuss how he first met Mark Felt and how the former FBI official became the legendary secret source whose insider guidance was so critical to The Washington Post's coverage of the Watergate scandal. "However, as the record shows, many other sources and officials assisted us and other reporters for the hundreds of stories that were written in The Washington Post about Watergate ," they added. Felt's family and The Washington Post , which spearheaded press coverage of the Watergate cover-up in the early 1970s , confirmed that Felt was the celebrated anonymous source whose leaks helped bring down President Richard Nixon. Deep Throat, the secret source whose insider guidance was vital to The Washington Post 's groundbreaking coverage of the Watergate scandal , was a pillar of the FBI named W. Mark Felt, The Post confirmed. Felt's grandson , Nick Jones, made the claim in a statement read to reporters outside the family home in Santa Rosa, California, following an article in Vanity Fair in which Felt told the magazine he was "Deep Throat." Felt's grandson, Nick Jones, made the claim in a statement read to reporters outside the family home in Santa Rosa, California, following an article in Vanity Fair in which Felt told the magazine he was "Deep Throat. " Felt's identity as Washington's most celebrated secret source had been an object of speculation for more than 30 years until Tuesday, when his role was revealed by his family in a Vanity Fair magazine article. They said they had decided to break their silence after Felt, now 91 and in declining health, was identifed as "Deep Throat " by his family and Vanity Fair magazine. Aides to the late president Richard Nixon said Wednesday that former FBI deputy director Mark Felt, unmasked as the anonymous Watergate source known as "Deep Throat ," had breached professional ethics by leaking information. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein confirmed Tuesday that former FBI number-two W. Mark Felt was the "Deep Throat" source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal and bring down President Richard Nixon. Woodward has authored or co-authored 10 number one national non-fiction best-sellers, including the "All the President's Men" (1974) -- the definitive account of how he and fellow Post journalist Carl Bernstein unravelled the Watergate scandal that brought down president Richard Nixon. W. Mark Felt wanted to become FBI director. Felt himself had hopes that he would be the next FBI director , according to the Post, but President Nixon instead appointed an administration insider, assistant attorney general L. Patrick Gray III, to the post. Former FBI deputy director Mark Felt was hailed as a hero and denounced as a villain Wednesday after confessing to being the Watergate scandal's "Deep Throat" -- a disclosure that startled even President George W. Bush. Felt's grandson , Nick Jones, described his grandfather as "a great American hero " and said his family hoped the country would see him the same way. A retired FBI official, Mark Felt, was the "Deep Throat" source who leaked secrets to two Washington Post reporters about the Watergate scandal that brought down former president Richard Nixon, his family said Tuesday. Felt revealed Tuesday that he had secretly fed to Washington Post reporters information about crimes committed by members of the presidential entourage, who spun an intricate web of illegal political espionage and vendettas against those perceived to be Nixon's enemies. Iraq's Christians , increasingly targeted by insurgents, are fleeing Baghdad for the safety of the Kurdish north or neighboring Syria and Jordan. Officials estimate that as many as 15,000 of Iraq's nearly one million Christians have left the country since August , when four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul were attacked in a coordinated series of car bombings. Poverty and consecutive wars let many Christians leave Iraq. The armed attacks led to the exodus of thousands of Christmas to Syria and Jordan. Many Christians have fled Iraq , fearing the Islamic insurgency. Pascale Isho Warda, a Christian who is the interim government's minister for displacement and migration, estimated as many as 15,000 out of Iraq's nearly 1 million Christians have left the country since August, when four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul were blown up in a coordinated series of car bombings. Officials estimate that as many as 15,000 of Iraq's nearly one million Christians have left the country since August, when four churches in Baghdad and one in Mosul were attacked in a coordinated series of car bombings. On November 8, at least three people were killed and 45 wounded when two suspected car bombs exploded within minutes of each other outside two churches in southern Baghdad. In a coordinated assault on August 1 , six car bombs killed 10 people and injured 50 others outside churches in Baghdad and Mosul. In a coordinated assault on August 1 , six car bombs killed 10 people and injured 50 others outside churches in Baghdad and Mosul. Armed men kidnapped a Catholic archbishop in Iraq's main northern city of Mosul Monday , a local priest said, prompting denunciations from the Vatican of what it called a "terrorist act". Gumen kidnapped a Catholic archbishop in Iraq's main northern city of Mosul Monday in what the Vatican condemned as a "terrorist act" as persistent violence dogged the run-up to landmark January 30 elections. The kidnapping of a Catholic bishop in Mosul last week is a sad reminder of the once robust but rapidly diminishing Christian community in Iraq. The kidnapping of a Catholic bishop in Mosul last week is a sad reminder of the once robust but rapidly diminishing Christian community in Iraq. But Yonadem Kana, secretary general of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, said the general security situation of the country _ car bombings, kidnappings and murders , which affect all of Iraq's religious groups _ had chased away many Christians. Iraq's Christians , increasingly targeted by insurgents , are fleeing Baghdad for the safety of the Kurdish north or neighboring Syria and Jordan. The former archbishop of Canterbury launched a campaign Monday to assure the future of Iraq's Assyrian community , which he said is facing persecution. Two churches in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul came under simultaneous attack on Tuesday, witnesses and clerics said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Gunmen stormed into the city's Chaldean and Armenian churches in the latest attacks on Iraq's minority Christian community , they said. At the same moment , gunmen attacked an Armenian church , forcing out a security guard and two other people inside the building, the guard said, adding: "I heard two explosions." Archbishop Basil George Casmusa , 66, leader of the city's Syrian Catholic community, was seized by gunmen at around 5 pm (1400 GMT) as he was about to enter his car, Father Faraj told AFP. Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa , 66, leader of Mosul's Syrian Catholic community, was seized by gunmen at around 5 pm (1400 GMT) as he was about to enter his car, local priest Father Faraj told AFP. Insurgents abducted Syrian Catholic Archbishop Basile Casmoussa apparently to frighten Iraqi Christians. Christians make up just 3 percent of Iraq's population of about 25 million. Religious minorities in Iraq , especially Christians, account for 3 percent of the population of 25 million, most of them Shiites and Sunnis. Already the victims of several church bombings since August, the country's 700,000 Christians , who make up just three percent of Iraq's 26 million people , are struggling to get their message across. After Saturday's bombings of five churches _ which damaged buildings but caused no casualties _ Christian leaders fear more will leave. After Saturday's bombings of five churches _ which damaged buildings but caused no casualties _ Christian leaders fear more will leave. On Oct. 16 , bomb attacks targeted five churches in Baghdad _ which damaged buildings but caused no casualties. Iraq , the largest Arab country with a Shiite majority, also has a tiny Christian minority ; most of its Jewish population was expelled after Israel's establishment. Numbers are hard to verify, but there are significantly fewer than two million Christians among the 24 million Iraqis today. George Carey said the Assyrians were the victims of systematic ethnic cleansing , which had worsened considerably since the fall of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. "It is systematic violence against Assyrian people , driving them out of their homes and pillaging them. CHENEY AIDE INDICTED; LIBBY RESIGNS OVER PERJURY CHARGES IN CIA LEAK CASE; ROVE PROBE GOES ON FACES CHARGES OF PERJURY, OBSTRUCTION IN CIA LEAK INVESTIGATION FACES CHARGES OF PERJURY , MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON - I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, was indicted Friday on charges of perjury, making false statements, and obstruction of justice in the investigation into the leaked name of a CIA operative. CHENEY AIDE INDICTED; LIBBY RESIGNS OVER PERJURY CHARGES IN CIA LEAK CASE; ROVE PROBE GOES ON FACES CHARGES OF PERJURY, OBSTRUCTION IN CIA LEAK INVESTIGATION FACES CHARGES OF PERJURY, MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON - I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, was indicted Friday on charges of perjury , making false statements, and obstruction of justice in the investigation into the leaked name of a CIA operative. Top White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted Friday on five counts of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff and a key architect of the Iraq war, was indicted Friday on felony charges of perjury , making false statements to FBI agents and obstruction of justice for impeding the federal grand jury investigating the CIA leak case. The indictment alleges that Libby lied to FBI agents who interviewed him on October 14 and November 26, 2003 about conversations he had with a reporter from NBC News and another from Time magazine concerning Plame's employment at the CIA. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff and a key architect of the Iraq war, was indicted Friday on felony charges of perjury, making false statements to FBI agents and obstruction of justice for impeding the federal grand jury investigating the CIA leak case. The five-count indictment alleges that Libby lied to FBI agents on two occasions , perjured himself during two appearances before the grand jury and obstructed justice when he "knowingly and corruptly endeavored to influence, obstruct and impede" the grand jury's efforts to find out who leaked Valerie Plame's status as a CIA covert agent to reporters in the spring of 2003. The five-count indictment charges that Libby lied to FBI agents and to the grand jury about how -- and when -- he came to learn classified information about a CIA operative, Valerie Plame. Fitzgerald has been investigating whether any administration officials -- including Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, who testified for a fourth time Friday -- broke the law by disclosing the identity of a covert CIA operative. US Vice President Dick Cheney was linked to a case involving a leak to journalists of an undercover CIA agent's identity , according to a report Monday in the New York Times. The indictment alleges Libby , in his role as a senior government official, had access to classified information and came to learn the identity of a covert CIA agent whose husband was a critic of the Iraq war. Libby, 55, resigned as Cheney's top aide last week after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he lied about his role in the leaking of the name of an undercover CIA agent to journalists. If convicted on all five charges, Libby could receive a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine. If convicted , Libby , who resigned immediately from his job as chief of staff to Vice President Dick Chency, faces up to 30 years in prison and a 1.24 million dollar fine. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine , although legal experts say it's unlikely Libby would face such a severe penalty if convicted. If convicted on each count, Libby faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine. Karl Rove , President Bush's deputy chief of staff and close political adviser, was not indicted but still faced the possibility of prosecution. Rove was not indicted but remains under investigation. Karl Rove , President Bush's senior adviser and deputy chief of staff, was not charged with any crime in the case , but his lawyers indicated that he still could be a target of the investigation. The grand jury did not indict Karl Rove , President Bush's top political strategist, who had also become entangled in the investigation. They said Rove's denial to Bush occurred during a brief conversation in the fall of 2003, shortly after media reports revealed that Valerie Plame, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife, worked as a covert CIA operative. The indictment alleges Libby, in his role as a senior government official, had access to classified information and came to learn the identity of a covert CIA agent whose husband was a critic of the Iraq war. At least seven Bush administration officials outside the CIA knew Valerie Plame was a CIA employee before the disclosure of her name in a newspaper column in July 2003 , according to Friday's indictment of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, told President George W. Bush and others that he never engaged in an effort to disclose a CIA operative's identity to discredit her husband's criticism of the administration's Iraq policy, according to people with knowledge of Rove's account in the investigation. Robert Luskin, Rove's attorney, refused to comment Friday on specifics of the discussions with Bush but confirmed his client maintains _ then and now _ he did not engage in an effort to disclose Plame's identity. Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald must determine whether the contacts were part of a concerted effort to illegally divulge Plame's CIA identity and undercut her husband's public criticism of the Iraq war or simply the trading of news and rumors that typically occurs inside the White House. The indictment alleges that Libby committed perjury while testifying under oath before the grand jury on March 5 and March 24, 2004. The five-count indictment alleges that Libby lied to FBI agents on two occasions, perjured himself during two appearances before the grand jury and obstructed justice when he "knowingly and corruptly endeavored to influence, obstruct and impede" the grand jury's efforts to find out who leaked Valerie Plame's status as a CIA covert agent to reporters in the spring of 2003. The five charges relate to Libby's testimony to the grand jury , and statements he made to authorities regarding discussions he had with Tim Russert of NBC News, Judith Miller of The New York Times, and Matthew Cooper of Time magazine. Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald said that even though Libby was not charged with violating the federal Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982 -- which makes it a crime to disclose the identity of intelligence agents working undercover -- the charges against Libby were significant. While the federal investigation had originally centered on who had leaked the name of Plame, no one has been charged with violating a 1982 federal law that prohibits revealing the identity of covert operatives. While the federal investigation had originally centered on who had leaked the name of Plame, no one has been charged with violating a 1982 federal law that prohibits revealing the identity of covert operatives. Fitzgerald said that his investigation was still ongoing. Rove was not indicted but remains under investigation. However, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special counsel in the case, said in announcing the indictment of Libby last week that the probe is "not over. " Florida's Governor Jeb Bush on Wednesday asked the US Supreme Court to intervene to keep a comatose woman alive, over the wishes of her husband , who wants to disconnect the feeding tube that has sustained her for 14 years. The decisions were the latest in a lenghty legal battle between Terri Schiavo's husband , who wants to remove the feeding tube that has been keeping the 41-year-old alive for 15 years , and her parents who want to prevent what they term "cold-blooded murder." A woman broke with courtroom decorum and called out ``Amen'' when an attorney for Schiavo's parents, who are trying to stop her husband from removing the feeding tube , announced in Pinellas County Circuit Court that the department has asked for a delay. Schiavo's husband , Michael, who has fought to have her feeding tube removed , said Congress was ``getting into something they know nothing about.'' The legal battle between Mrs. Schiavo's husband and parents began in 1993 and appeared to reach its climax in 2003 when Michael Schiavo won a court decision ordering that the feeding tube be removed. Terri Schiavo's parents have been in a long, bitter struggle with her husband , Michael Schiavo, to keep her alive. She left no living will or written instructions on what treatment she desired if she were to become incapacitated -- the reason for the protracted legal battle between her husband and parents. Schiavo's husband and legal guardian Michael Schiavo has engaged in a seven-year court battle with her parents. Terri Schiavo was 26 when she suffered brain damage in 1990 after her heart temporarily stopped beating because of an eating disorder. Fifteen years to the day after Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage , leaving her in a persistent vegetative state, a judge on Friday ordered that the feeding tube keeping her alive be removed in three weeks. The order by Judge David Demers of Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court came in response to efforts in the U.S. House and Senate to circumvent an order to remove the tube from the woman , Terri Schiavo , who suffered severe brain damage 15 years ago. With the clock running down on how much longer Terri Schiavo can remain alive, congressional leaders Saturday announced an unprecedented agreement that would allow Schiavo's parents to petition the federal courts to have a feeding tube replaced for their brain-damaged daughter. With the clock running down on how much longer Terri Schiavo can remain alive, congressional leaders Saturday announced an unprecedented agreement that would allow Schiavo's parents to petition the federal courts to have a feeding tube replaced for their brain-damaged daughter. With the clock running down on how much longer Terri Schiavo can remain alive, congressional leaders Saturday announced an unprecedented agreement that would allow Schiavo's parents to petition the federal courts to have a feeding tube replaced for their brain-damaged daughter. The Florida Supreme Court ruled that the law was an unconstitutional effort to override court rulings. Jeb Bush , already forcefully rebuked by Florida's supreme court for trying to override judicial orders and block the removal of a brain-damaged woman's feeding tubes , launched itself back into the case on Wednesday by asking for a delay to investigate abuse allegations. But the Florida Supreme Court ruled later that his rule was unconstitutional. Florida's Second District Court of Appeal on Tuesday formally issued the decision that effectively allows Michael Shiavo to have the life support tubes removed. But on Friday, Greer refused to further block his original order, issued in February 2000, that the tube be taken out. Schiavo has urged the removal of the feeding tube , saying his wife would rather die in her condition, and her parents insisted that Schiavo be kept alive. Most of the legal wrangling in the case has involved whether she is in a persistent vegetative state with no chance of recovery and whether her husband has a conflict of interest because he lives with another woman and has two children with her. Doctors have said that Schiavo has been in a persistent vegetative state for the last 15 years after suffering a heart attack and has no hope of recovering. Some doctors have testified that Terri Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state, after a sudden heart attack, with no hope for recovery , but Schiavo's parents would not give up any signs of hope. Florida's Governor Jeb Bush on Wednesday asked the US Supreme Court to intervene to keep a comatose woman alive, over the wishes of her husband , who wants to disconnect the feeding tube that has sustained her for 14 years. He said he would appeal the judge's denial of an extended stay; he also planned to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on the grounds that Terri Schiavo -- a Roman Catholic -- would not wish to be deprived of food and water in accordance with the latest papal teachings on how to care for the incapacitated. A Florida appeals court Tuesday cleared the way for a brain-damaged woman to be taken off her life support, but a lower court blocked implementation of the decision pending a further hearing. Florida's Second District Court of Appeal on Tuesday formally issued the decision that effectively allows Michael Shiavo to have the life support tubes removed. A judge extended an order keeping brain-damaged Terri Schiavo's feeding tube in place , saying he needed time to decide whether her parents should be allowed to pursue further efforts to keep her husband from removing her life support. A Florida judge has delayed an order to remove the feeding tube from a brain-damaged Florida woman at 1 p.m. Friday after Washington lawmakers intervened by issuing subpoenas for the woman and her husband to appear at congressional hearings later this month. Millions of people are asking that question as they consider Medicare's new prescription drug plan , which rolls out Jan. 1. The drug benefit will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2006 , and beneficiaries can continue signing up until May 15, 2006, without paying a penalty. People eligible for the Medicare prescription drug benefit that takes effect Jan. 1 can choose from a variety of plans that include the new coverage by itself or as part of a broader health insurance package. The new voluntary drug benefit begins Jan. 1 and is expected to be of financial help to many seniors who have no drug coverage. Scores of seniors throughout the nation are confused about the new Medicare prescription-drug benefit known as Part D. It's called that because the program is next in line after Part C, another plan that essentially provides HMO benefits to seniors. But a bit farther down came a warning, if deBottari was nonetheless tempted to give the new Medicare program, called Part D , a try: "Your Boeing prescription drug coverage is part of your Boeing retiree medical plan. The result is that beneficiaries must enroll in private plans - not in Medicare directly - for the prescription drug benefit known as Medicare Part D. In virtually every state, beneficiaries are confronted with more than 40 competing drug plans, many of them different options offered by the same company. Enrollees have to choose a plan and sign up through a private insurer or with Medicare , either on the agency's phone or its Web site. Enrollees have to choose a plan and sign up through a private insurer or with Medicare, either on the agency's phone or its Web site. Part D allows people on Medicare to get their drugs in one of two ways: by buying an individual drug policy or by signing up with a Medicare Advantage managed care plan. Medicare has a toll-free hotline and a Web site to help people sort through the new Part D drug coverage. Medicare has a toll-free hotline and a Web site to help people sort through the new Part D drug coverage. This was not necessarily what Congress intended when it passed the Medicare law two years ago, extending drug insurance to more than 40 million older and disabled Americans. After a two-year wait , on Tuesday more than 40 million Americans eligible for Medicare can start to sign up for Medicare Part D , the program's voluntary prescription drug benefit. Those eligible for the benefit can pick an insurance plan from dozens being marketed to them. People eligible for the Medicare prescription drug benefit that takes effect Jan. 1 can choose from a variety of plans that include the new coverage by itself or as part of a broader health insurance package. Scores of seniors throughout the nation are confused about the new Medicare prescription-drug benefit known as Part D. It's called that because the program is next in line after Part C, another plan that essentially provides HMO benefits to seniors. Millions of people are asking that question as they consider Medicare's new prescription drug plan , which rolls out Jan. 1. By the time the open enrollment period ends next May 15 , beneficiaries will have a better understanding of the program and "those polls will change," said Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, in a conference call with reporters last week. The drug benefit will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2006, and beneficiaries can continue signing up until May 15, 2006 , without paying a penalty. The voluntary program -- also known as Medicare Part D -- will allow seniors and the disabled who are covered under the Medicare program to get subsidized drug coverage. The voluntary program -- also known as Medicare Part D -- will allow seniors and the disabled who are covered under the Medicare program to get subsidized drug coverage. Enrollment starts Nov 15. The next enrollment period after May 15 will be in November 2006. Such emotional scenes were repeated perhaps thousands of times along the Gulf Coast last week as pet owners were forced to abandon their animals in the midst of evacuation. Thousands of people were forced to leave their pets behind when they evacuated New Orleans. The Humane Society volunteers sped though New Orleans answering calls from evacuees who left their pets behind , and rescue workers who found them in the floodwaters. ``Animals are trapped by the thousands in their homes , and the clock is ticking,'' he said. Sometimes when the helicopters and military vehicles go quiet in New Orleans, you can hear the howls and screams of the hordes of dogs and cats still trapped in homes and on rooftops. Hundreds of animal welfare workers and volunteers are in Louisiana and Mississippi with mobile veterinary units, vans, boats, pet food and supplies, as well as holding pens for farm animals. Hundreds of animal welfare workers and volunteers are in Louisiana and Mississippi with mobile veterinary units, vans, boats, pet food and supplies, as well as holding pens for farm animals. Animal lovers across the country are mobilizing to help thousands of pets and farm animals still stranded or left homeless by Hurricane Katrina and the floods that followed. Animal lovers across the country are mobilizing to help thousands of pets and farm animals still stranded or left homeless by Hurricane Katrina and the floods that followed. Molly was stranded in the floodwaters that submerged New Orleans East. Molly was stranded in the floodwaters that submerged New Orleans East. Soldiers assigned to rescue survivors of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans are turning their attention to saving pets as the number of people being plucked to safety dwindles. New Orleans -- A thoroughfare in New Orleans that ends where the water begins has become a launching point for rescue workers and for residents looking for anything left behind -- especially pets. Wayne Pacelle , president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, appealed Wednesday for immediate federal, state and local assistance in the Gulf Coast area to save animals he said will die in the next few days if they aren't found, fed and sheltered. The official Xinhua News Agency reported that the industry suffered 2,337 accidents that killed 4,228 people between January and September this year. According to earlier figures, fires, floods and other accidents in coal mines killed 4,153 people in the first nine months of 2004. Statistics show that China recorded some 2,700 mining fatalities in the first half of this year , 3 percent higher than last year. In the first eight months , the death toll of coal mine accidents across China rose 8.5 percent from the same period last year. Fatal coal mine accidents in China rose 8.5 percent in the first eight months of this year , with thousands dying despite stepped-up efforts to make the industry safer, state media said Wednesday. Official statistics said that from January to September this year, 4,228 people were killed in 2,337 coal mine accidents. In recent years, The government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve the country's coal mine safety situation. "The government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve the country's coal mine safety situation," the Xinhua said. "The government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve the country's coal mine safety situation ," the Xinhua said. In recent years , the Chinese government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve coal mine safety. In recent years, the Chinese government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve coal mine safety. The Conference on South African Coal Mining Safety Technology and Equipment held here Thursday provides an opportunity for Chinese coal mine production personnel to learn from their South African counterpart in the area of coal mining safety. The Conference on South African Coal Mining Safety Technology and Equipment held here Thursday provides an opportunity for Chinese coal mine production personnel to learn from their South African counterpart in the area of coal mining safety. At the conference , experts in the coal mining industry from South Africa showcased their technology and equipment in mining safety and shared their expertise and experience in coal mine management. The latest statistics were revealed Thursday at a Beijing conference focused on South African coal mine safety technology and equipment , Xinhua said. Two more mine accidents left at least 16 dead and 22 missing in China , state media said Wednesday, continuing a black week for the industry, which has been rattled by four deadly disasters. At least 10 miners were killed and 18 more were missing after a coal mine in southwest China flooded late Tuesday. So far this week, four mine disasters have claimed the lives of at least 60 workers and left 26 others missing. On Aug. 30 , China issued a circular requiring all officials and SOE leaders with coal mine investments to withdraw their stakes, setting Sept. 22 as the deadline. In August , China issued a circular requiring all officials who had invested in coal mines to retract stakes. In August, China issued a circular requiring all officials who had invested in coal mines to retract stakes. At least 34 miners were killed in a gas explosion in a coal mine in Hebi City , central China's Henan Province, early Monday morning. By 3:20 p.m. 34 people were found dead. On Monday , 34 miners were killed and 19 injured in a gas explosion at a pit in the central province of Henan. According to Wang, most provincial level authorities have submitted their specific steps for coal mine safety check to the bureau, "But many of them only give vague plans only with deadlines set as late December. " The small village-run mine had been ordered to shut down from October 1 to December 31 because it failed to meet safety standards and had expired production permits, Shanxi news website quoted local officials as saying. The small village-run mine had been ordered to shut down from October 1 to December 31 because it failed to meet safety standards and had expired production permits, Shanxi news website quoted local officials as saying. Violation of safety rules was attributed to Sunday's deadly colliery gas blast that killed 16 persons in Taiyuan of Shanxi Province, investigators said here Tuesday. Violation of safety rules was attributed to Sunday's deadly colliery gas blast that killed 16 persons in Taiyuan of Shanxi Province , investigators said here Tuesday. Zhao Tiechui , director of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety Supervision, has headed a team to central China's Henan Province to direct the rescue efforts of a coal mine gas explosion. On Monday, 34 miners were killed and 19 injured in a gas explosion at a pit in the central province of Henan. A total of 4,578 officials nationwide have admitted they have stakes in coal mines, with total capital of 653 million yuan. Xinhua revealed on Wednesday that a government investigation had found 4,578 officials nationwide had stakes in coal mines, with the amount of capital invested totalling 653 million yuan (80.5 million dollars). The eight-nation Arctic Council said the annual average amount of sea ice around the North Pole has decreased about 8 percent in 30 years because of global warming fueled by greenhouse gas emissions. It is unclear whether the man-made "greenhouse effect ", caused by the burning of fossil fuels , is entirely to blame, they said. Global warming , also called the greenhouse effect , is caused by carbon gases mostly discharged by burning oil, gas and coal, that trap the Sun's heat. Global warming , also called the greenhouse effect, is caused by carbon gases mostly discharged by burning oil, gas and coal, that trap the Sun's heat. If the permafrost goes away, the lakes are going to go away. '' If Arctic temperatures continue to rise, the scientists warned, many of the lakes that are now ubiquitous in high northern latitudes could eventually disappear. And the meltdown is spreading in wild areas: sinkholes, dying trees, eroding lakes. And the meltdown is spreading in wild areas: sinkholes , dying trees, eroding lakes. The study, by scientists from the universities of Durham, Edinburgh and from the British Antarctic Survey, or BAS, said the George VI Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula is the first to show that a currently 'healthy' ice shelf experienced an extensive retreat about 9,500 years ago, more than anything seen in recent years. The results revealed that about 9,500 years ago the shelf retreated, allowing the sea to flood into the lake. The results revealed that about 9,500 years ago the shelf retreated, allowing the sea to flood into the lake. The results revealed that about 9,500 years ago the shelf retreated , allowing the sea to flood into the lake. The collapse of a huge ice shelf in Antarctica in 2002 has no precedent in the past 11,000 years, according to a study to be published on Thursday that points the finger at global warming. The collapse of a huge ice shelf in Antarctica in 2002 has no precedent in the past 11,000 years , according to a study to be published on Thursday that points the finger at global warming. miles) in area and 220 metres (715 feet) thick, the Larsen B iceshelf broke away from the eastern Antarctic Peninsula in 2002 , eventually disintegrating into giant icebergs. The softening permafrost has already driven some polar animals further north. The softening permafrost has already driven some polar animals further north. An accelerating Arctic warming trend over the past quarter century has dramatically dried up more than a thousand large lakes in Siberia, probably because the permafrost beneath them has begun to thaw , according to a paper set to be published Friday in the journal Science. It is unclear whether the man-made "greenhouse effect ", caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is entirely to blame , they said. The collapse of a huge ice shelf in Antarctica in 2002 has no precedent in the past 11,000 years, according to a study to be published on Thursday that points the finger at global warming. The new study does not say that man-made global warming was responsible for the Larsen B's demise. As a result, huge glaciers in this and other remote areas of Antarctica are thinning and ice shelves the size of American states are either disintegrating or retreating -- all possible indications of global warming. Now that one mammoth Antarctic ice shelf has collapsed into the ocean , when might another, bigger one crumble and slip into a warming sea? miles) in area and 220 metres (715 feet) thick, the Larsen B iceshelf broke away from the eastern Antarctic Peninsula in 2002, eventually disintegrating into giant icebergs. Last month , scientists again sounded an alarm bell on the effect of global warming on Antarctica , saying that more than 200 coastal glaciers are in retreat because of higher temperatures. The conference, which runs to June 17, comes amid fresh warnings from scientists about the effect of climate change on Antarctica , the fifth largest continent in the world, which contains more than 90 percent of the world's ice. The research is the latest in a series of studies to sound the alarm about the effects of climate change in Antarctica , where the bulk of the world's freshwater is locked up. When the ice shelf breaks up, this can allow the inland ice to accelerate its march to the sea. The gradual removal of this ice shelf may be causing the glaciers inland to flow faster , which could lead to enhanced drainage of part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and a rise in sea level. The gradual removal of this ice shelf may be causing the glaciers inland to flow faster, which could lead to enhanced drainage of part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and a rise in sea level. But glaciers are different because they rest on land, and if that vast volume of ice slides into the sea at a high rate, this adds mass to the ocean , which in turn can raise the global sea level. Glaciologists like Casassa worry most about that western ice sheet, half a continent of frozen water believed enough, if gradually melted, to raise ocean levels worldwide by about five meters (15 feet). Glaciologists like Casassa worry most about that western ice sheet , half a continent of frozen water believed enough, if gradually melted , to raise ocean levels worldwide by about five meters (15 feet). So far, 13 airlines have placed firm orders for 139 of the new planes , which can seat between 555 and 840 passengers and which have a catalogue price of between 263 and 286 million dollars (200 and 218 million euros). Airbus has so far received orders for 149 of the new giant aircraft with the first delivery scheduled for 2006. Airbus has so far received orders for 149 of the new giant aircraft with the first delivery scheduled for 2006. So far, Airbus has 154 firm orders for the A380, 27 of them for the freighter version. The A380 , the new Airbus "superjumbo" which will be officially unveiled Tuesday , is the product of a decade of designing, drumming up of advance orders and dreams of knocking Boeing's 747 off its perch as the top bird in passenger transport. The A380 'superjumbo ', which will be presented to the world in a lavish ceremony in southern France on Tuesday , will be profitable from 2008, its maker Airbus told the French financial newspaper La Tribune. Airbus unveiled the world's biggest passenger jet Tuesday at a spectacular sound-and-light ceremony in Toulouse , southern France, where the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Spain cheered Airbus's latest victory over Boeing for aviation dominance. In a standard three-class cabin configuration , the A380 will carry 555 passengers _ one-third more than the plane it is designed to displace, the Boeing 747. Airbus is hoping the 550-seat A380 , the world's biggest jet, will revolutionize air travel. The A380 is designed to carry 555 passengers in three classes , but it can be expanded to 800 seats. March 2005: Scheduled first test flight of the plane. At the ceremony in Toulouse , where Airbus is based, the company's chief executive Noel Forgeard indicated the maiden test flight for the A380 would be held in late March or early April. At the ceremony in Toulouse, where Airbus is based, the company's chief executive Noel Forgeard indicated the maiden test flight for the A380 would be held in late March or early April. The break-even point is calculated to arrive when the 250th A380 is sold. Airbus says it needs to sell 250 planes to break even; some analysts believe the company must sell 325 to cover its investment. Airbus says it needs to sell 250 planes to break even ; some analysts believe the company must sell 325 to cover its investment. But access routes from terminals to runways will have to be widened and bridges underneath runways will have to be strengthened. He said a study was carried out which indicated each airport would have to spend about 80 million dollars to rebuild or widen taxiways and runway bridges for the A380. He said a study was carried out which indicated each airport would have to spend about 80 million dollars to rebuild or widen taxiways and runway bridges for the A380. March 2006: Forecast start of the A380 entering commercial service with Singapore Airlines using it between London and Singapore. The plane is scheduled to enter service for Singapore Airlines in the second half of 2006. The plane is scheduled to enter service for Singapore Airlines in the second half of 2006. With a whisper more than a roar, the largest passenger airliner ever built , the Airbus 380, took off on its maiden flight Wednesday. The figure makes the world's largest commercial jet "one of the loudest planes that will for decades fly over the heads of the four million people living in the area" outside Paris, Advocnar said in a statement. The A380 'superjumbo ', which will be presented to the world in a lavish ceremony in southern France on Tuesday , will be profitable from 2008 , its maker Airbus told the French financial newspaper La Tribune. After its glitzy debut, the new Airbus super-jumbo jet A380 now must prove soon it can fly, and eventually turn a profit. Here are some key dates in its development: Early 1990s: Airbus begins studying ideas for building an airliner capable of seating more than 500 passengers to compete against Boeing's 747, which started flying in 1970. European airplane maker Airbus "is likely to discuss before the end of the year" a possible increase in production capacity of its new super-jumbo A380 aircraft , Airbus' production chief Gustav Humbert said in a magazine interview released Tuesday. The court has barred capital punishment for those younger than 16 , but it ruled in 1989 that capital punishment for 16- and 17-year-old defendants does not constitute ``cruel and unusual punishment.'' In 1988 , the court prohibited the execution of those whose crimes were committed at 15 or younger, but refused the next year to extend that decision to 16- and 17-year-olds. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1988 barred the death penalty for those 15 and younger. It banned it for those 15 and under in 1988. The US Supreme Court abolished the death sentence for those aged under 16 in 1988. Nineteen states allow executions of killers who were 16 or 17 at the time of the crime. Using the Simmons case, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday on whether it is constitutional to execute killers who were juveniles when the crimes were committed. Still, 19 states permit prosecutors to seek a death sentence for murderers who are 16 or 17 , although fewer have done so of late. The Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled to assess the morality and propriety of states ' executing murderers who killed at age 16 or 17 _ the ultimate punishment carried out in few places outside the United States. The majority said such a system violates the Constitution's guarantee of a jury trial. The majority said such a system violates the Constitution's guarantee of a jury trial. That , the court ruled, violates the right to a jury trial guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled in Blakely v. Washington that the state system violated the constitutional right to trial by jury by permitting judges to make these essential findings. The justices will hear arguments in the Missouri case , Roper v. Simmons, on Oct. 13 and render their decision by the summer. Using the Simmons case, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Wednesday on whether it is constitutional to execute killers who were juveniles when the crimes were committed. The US Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments on the legality of the death penalty for criminals aged under 18 in a case that has received international attention. In taking the case of a man convicted of murder when he was 17 , the court will reconsider its 1989 decision in Stanford v. Kentucky that the Constitution permits the execution of 16-year-old killers. ``I'm very concerned about that,'' Kennedy told Seth Waxman, a former solicitor general of the United States who was arguing on behalf of Missouri death row inmate Christopher Simmons, who faces execution for a murder he committed at 17. He was 17 at the time of the murder and bragged to a friend that he would get off because of his age. The case before the court Wednesday came from Missouri. They heard arguments in a Missouri case involving Christopher Simmons, who at 17 kidnapped a neighbor and threw her off a bridge. They heard arguments in a Missouri case involving Christopher Simmons , who at 17 kidnapped a neighbor and threw her off a bridge. The court agreed to hear the case after the Missouri Supreme Court last year struck down executions of juveniles and re-sentenced Simmons, now 28, to life in prison, deciding that such executions violate "evolving standards of decency." The court agreed to hear the case after the Missouri Supreme Court last year struck down executions of juveniles and re-sentenced Simmons , now 28, to life in prison, deciding that such executions violate "evolving standards of decency." Simmons was sentenced to die, but Missouri's highest court overturned the sentence last year. Seventy-three people are currently on death row in 12 states -- one-third of them in Texas -- for crimes committed before the age of 18. Since the 1976 reinstatement of the death penalty, 22 people _ 13 of them in Texas _ have been executed for crimes committed as 16- or 17-year-olds. The Simmons case would decide the fate of 73 people currently on death row across the United States for crimes committed when they were minors. Four members of the court -- John Paul Stevens, David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer -- have already declared in a published opinion that they believe the death penalty for juveniles should be abolished. Four members of the court -- John Paul Stevens, David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer -- have already declared in a published opinion that they believe the death penalty for juveniles should be abolished. Three times in the last two years, the court refused to hear appeals from death-row inmates who had killed while juveniles -- despite a strongly worded dissent in one case from Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg and Breyer. A plea to declare capital punishment for juvenile offenders unconstitutional received a skeptical hearing at the Supreme Court Wednesday , as one of two justices likely to be pivotal to the outcome voiced repeated doubts. The Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled to assess the morality and propriety of states' executing murderers who killed at age 16 or 17 _ the ultimate punishment carried out in few places outside the United States. Air India flight 182 , a Boeing 747 on its way from Toronto to India via London, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985 , killing all aboard. Air India flight 182 , a Boeing 747 on its way from Toronto to India via London, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985, killing all aboard. Air India flight 182, a Boeing 747 named The Emperor Kanishka for the Indian ruler at the time of Christ, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985, killing all aboard. Air India flight 182 , a Boeing 747 named The Emperor Kanishka for the Indian ruler at the time of Christ, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985 , killing all aboard. The two are also charged with conspiring in an explosion that killed two baggage handlers at Narita airport outside Tokyo 54 minutes before Flight 182 went down. Air India Flight 182 , a Boeing 747 on its way from Toronto to India via London, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985 , killing all aboard. Air India Flight 182 , a Boeing 747 on its way from Toronto to India via London, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985, killing all aboard. Air India Flight 182 , a Boeing 747 on its way from Toronto to India via London, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985 , killing all aboard. Air India Flight 182 , a Boeing 747 on its way from Toronto to India via London, blew up off the Irish coast on June 23, 1985, killing all aboard. Less than an hour later , Air India Flight 182 exploded off the Irish coast , killing all 329 aboard. Less than an hour later, Air India Flight 182 exploded off the Irish coast, killing all 329 aboard. Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57, and Kamloops, British Columbia mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. The men, Sikhs who immigrated to Canada from India's northern state of Punjab, are each charged with eight counts of murder and conspiracy in what was the world's worst airborne terrorist act before September 11, 2001. Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57, and Kamloops, British Columbia mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first-degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The two Sikh immigrants , Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik, are each charged with eight counts of murder and conspiracy in the bombing , the deadliest single terrorist act until the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. Both defendants -- Ripudaman Singh Malik , a 57-year-old millionaire real estate entrepreneur, and Ajaib Singh Bagri , a 56-year-old sawmill worker and Sikh preacher -- pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the bombing of the jet, Air India Flight 182 en route from Toronto and Montreal to India, on June 23, 1985. Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57, and Kamloops, British Columbia, mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri , 55, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Bagri , a 55-year-old mill worker in Kamloops, British Columbia, and Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57 , are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act before the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Two men charged with murder and conspiracy in the Air India bombings , the world's most lethal terror strike prior to September 11, 2001, will wait until March to hear a verdict, a judge said Friday. Bagri and Malik , who were arrested in 2000, are each charged with eight counts related to two bombings on June 23, 1985. The two accused , immigrants from Punjab, were each charged with eight charges of murder and conspiracy. Lawyers were set to begin crucial final arguments Tuesday in the case of two Sikh immigrants from India accused of the 1985 mid-air bombing of an Air India plane which left 329 people dead. All 329 people on board died. The prosecution began final arguments Monday in the case of an Air India jumbo jet bombing that killing 329 people almost 20 years ago , saying the two men accused in the Canadian trial were guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Canadian prosecutors began wrapping up their final arguements here Monday in the trial of two Sikh immigrants from India charged with conspiring to bomb Air India passenger jets in 1985, resulting in the deaths of 331 people. The second bomb killed 329 passengers aboard Air India Flight 182 off the Irish Coast. Nearly 20 years after an Air India Boeing 747 from Canada exploded in the air and plunged into waters off the Irish coast, killing all 329 people on board , the trial to finally resolve what happened entered its climactic phase this week. Two fiery speeches delivered to Sikh groups in the early 1980s show Ajaib Singh Bagri had a motive to plant bombs on Air India jets killing 331 people , a prosecutor said in closing arguments Monday. Nearly 20 years after their loved ones died in the worst terror strike prior to the September 11 attacks, relatives of 329 people killed in an Air India jet bombing are at last in sight of justice. The second exploded 54 minutes later aboard Air India Flight 182, killing all 329 aboard. Malik and Bagri, who have been in custody since their arrest in late 2000, are also charged in connection with a blast on the same day that killed two baggage handlers at Tokyo's Narita Airport. On June 23 , 1985, a suitcase exploded at Japan's Narita airport, killing two baggage handlers as they transferred it to Air India Flight 301 for Bangkok and Delhi. Malik and Bagri, who have been in custody since their arrest in late 2000, are also charged in connection with a blast on the same June day that killed two baggage handlers at Tokyo's Narita Airport. A second bomb exploded at Tokyo's Narita Airport , killing two baggage handlers. A second bomb exploded at Tokyo's Narita Airport , killing two baggage handlers. Ripudaman Singh Malik , a 57-year-old millionaire, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, are charged with planting bombs that exploded June 23, 1985, aboard Flight 182, killing 329 people, and 53 minutes earlier at Tokyo's Narita Airport, killing two baggage handlers. On June 23, 1985 , the first bomb killed two baggage handlers at Japan's Narita airport , as they transferred it to Air India Flight 201. That will be nearly two decades after suitcase bombs , which allegedly originated in western Canada, killed two baggage handlers in Japan and 329 passengers on Air India Flight 182 off the Irish coast. British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Ian Josephson announced Friday he will deliver a decision on March 16, 2005. British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Ian Josephson announced Friday he will deliver a decision on March 16, 2005. Two men charged with murder and conspiracy in the Air India bombings, the world's most lethal terror strike prior to September 11, 2001 , will wait until March to hear a verdict , a judge said Friday. Justice Ian Bruce Josephson , who heard the case without a jury in this western Canadian city, said he will reveal his decision March 16. Two orthodox Sikhs will learn in March whether they will be found guilty of the 1985 outrage. Justice Ian Bruce Josephson , who heard the case without a jury, will rule on March 16. The prosecution began final arguments Monday in the case of an Air India jumbo jet bombing that killing 329 people almost 20 years ago, saying the two men accused in the Canadian trial were guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecution lawyer Robert Wright on Monday opened final arguments expected to last two weeks , saying the guilt of Bagri and Malik "has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt." The prosecution team will spend the next three weeks finalizing their case before Justice Ian Bruce Josephson. The prosecution team will spend the next three weeks finalizing their case before Justice Ian Bruce Josephson. But as prosecutors began their final arguments Monday to convict two Canadian Sikh activists accused of plotting the bombing, the outcome of the trial is far from settled because of years of bungled police work and the unexplained killings of an important witness and suspect. Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57, and Kamloops, British Columbia mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. The men , Sikhs who immigrated to Canada from India's northern state of Punjab, are each charged with eight counts of murder and conspiracy in what was the world's worst airborne terrorist act before September 11 , 2001. Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57, and Kamloops, British Columbia mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first-degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Vancouver millionaire Ripudaman Singh Malik, 57, and Kamloops, British Columbia, mill worker Ajaib Singh Bagri, 55, are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and first degree murder in the world's worst airline terrorism act prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The Air India bombing stood as the worst terror attack in modern history , until it was overtaken by the carnage of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the United States in 2001. The case in British Columbia Supreme Court has stretched for 13 months since hearings began in April 2003. The case in British Columbia Supreme Court has stretched for 13 months since hearings began in April 2003. Since the trial began in April 2003 , Canadian prosecutors have constructed a complex case against the pair, based on witness testimony, police interviews, phone records and surveillance. A verdict in the trial which began in April 2003 isn't expected until early 2005. The case has called 115 witnesses since it began in April 2003. Prosecutor Robin Wright said his team will drive home an arguement that the pair were part of a plot to check two suitcase bombs onto Air India aircraft departing Vancouver. Prosecutors said both bombs were placed on Air India aircraft in Vancouver. Prosecutors said both bombs were placed on Air India aircraft in Vancouver. The pair is accused of taking part in a plot by Sikh fundamentalists to build two bombs and plant them on two flights leaving Vancouver that connected with Air India flights to London and Delhi. Prosecutors say two suitcase bombs were checked onto planes leaving Vancouver , connecting with Air India flights to London and Bangkok and New Delhi. Prosecutors say both men were part of a group of extremist Sikhs bent on avenging India's attack on the Sikh Golden Temple at Amritsar in 1984. He told Judge Ian Josephson that the Indian government's 1984 attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sikhism's holiest shrine, was a pivotal event in Malik's desire for revenge. The prosecution alleges the motive was revenge against the Indian government's 1984 attack against separatists who had taken refuge in the Golden Temple of Amritsar, Sikhism's holiest shrine. The motive in targetting the Indian planes, said Gaul, was to fight for the cause of an independent Sikh homeland, to be called Khalistan, and avenge India's 1984 attack on the Sikh Golden Temple at Amritsar. Their motive in the bombings , said prosecution spokesman Geoffrey Gaul, was to avenge India's 1984 attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar , and fight for an independent Sikh homeland to be called Khalistan. An official of the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Wednesday that the government will closely monitor developments in mainland China's communications with the United States about its plan to enact an anti-secession law. The mainland's plan to promulgate an anti-secession law is not only a tremendous provocation of Taiwan but also a unilateral move to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Chiu told reporters. President Chen Shui-bian called for the nation Friday to seriously face Beijing's proposed anti-secession law which he said would undermine stability across the Taiwan Strait if enacted. President Chen Shui-bian called for the nation Friday to seriously face Beijing's proposed anti-secession law which he said would undermine stability across the Taiwan Strait if enacted. The enacting of an anti-secession law by Beijing will diminish cross-Taiwan Strait exchanges and thus will be harmful to the development of bilateral ties , a scholar said Monday. Both the United States and the European Union think mainland China's planned anti-secession legislation is counterproductive to peace across the Taiwan Strait , Minister of Foreign Affairs Tan Sun Chen said Monday. He said the government sent six delegations to the United States, Japan and EU countries last year to brief officials, academics and opinion leaders on the adverse impact on cross-strait relations of Beijing's planned anti-secession law, which targets Taiwan. Mainland China is pushing Taiwan to decide through a referendum whether to "separate from the mainland" if it makes the "one country, two systems" or "one China" principle a part of its proposed anti-secession law , Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu said Tuesday. The United States hopes mainland China will put off its plan to enact an "anti-secession law " to help temper the tension across the Taiwan Strait , an American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) official said Tuesday. Lai told Greene that the DPP has repeatedly displayed goodwill to Beijing to try to improve cross-strait relations but it has to show its resolve to defend Taiwan's sovereignty in the face of the mainland's plan to introduce the "anti-secession law. " MAC Deputy Chairman Chiu Tai-shan made the remarks a day after Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office under Beijing's State Council, arrived in Washington to discuss with U.S. officials the details of the planned anti-secession law targeting Taiwan. He said the government sent six delegations to the United States, Japan and EU countries last year to brief officials, academics and opinion leaders on the adverse impact on cross-strait relations of Beijing's planned anti-secession law , which targets Taiwan. The pro-independence activists called on the government to respond strongly to Beijing's proposal to enact an anti-secession law designed to frighten Taiwan into giving up moves toward independence. During the meeting, Wang said, legislative whips of ruling and opposition parties reached a consensus on adopting a resolution to voice opposition to Beijing's so-called anti-secession law targeting Taiwan. China's enactment of the Anti- Secession Law , as part of the overarching principle, is to closely focus on the theme of opposing and checking the secessionist activities of the "Taiwan independence" forces and promoting China 's peaceful reunification , a senior Chinese lawmaker said here Tuesday. China Tuesday said that "one country, two systems" is its basic approach to Taiwan as it outlined for the first time its anti-secession law aimed at the island. Mainland China is pushing Taiwan to decide through a referendum whether to "separate from the mainland " if it makes the "one country, two systems" or "one China" principle a part of its proposed anti-secession law, Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu said Tuesday. Speaking with a group of pro-Taiwan independence activists, Wu said Taiwan will have no choice other than to ask its people to decide in a referendum whether to unite with the mainland on Beijing's terms of "one country, two systems" or whether to accept the "one China" principle if Beijing enshrines either of them in its proposed law. Speaking with a group of pro-Taiwan independence activists, Wu said Taiwan will have no choice other than to ask its people to decide in a referendum whether to unite with the mainland on Beijing's terms of "one country, two systems" or whether to accept the "one China" principle if Beijing enshrines either of them in its proposed law. The mainland's plan to promulgate an anti-secession law is not only a tremendous provocation of Taiwan but also a unilateral move to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait , Chiu told reporters. The president reiterated remarks he made in his New Year's address in which he condemned Beijing's plans to enact an anti-secession law as a unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He warned Beijing that the enactment of the so-called "anti-secession law" is a provocation and an attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait , which Taiwan will not tolerate. The mainland's plan to promulgate an anti-secession law is not only a tremendous provocation of Taiwan but also a unilateral move to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, Chiu told reporters. The president reiterated remarks he made in his New Year's address in which he condemned Beijing 's plans to enact an anti-secession law as a unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He warned Beijing that the enactment of the so-called "anti-secession law" is a provocation and an attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, which Taiwan will not tolerate. Chen said such a move could draw a backlash and protests from the people of Taiwan and could hinder cross-strait rapprochement. Chen said such a move could draw a backlash and protests from the people of Taiwan and could hinder cross-strait rapprochement. He also expressed worry that cross-strait tension will escalate as a result of the enactment of the law and any move by Taiwan to retaliate, Lai said. The United States hopes mainland China will put off its plan to enact an "anti-secession law" to help temper the tension across the Taiwan Strait, an American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) official said Tuesday. The United States hopes mainland China will put off its plan to enact an "anti-secession law" to help temper the tension across the Taiwan Strait, an American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) official said Tuesday. The mainland's rubber-stamp parliament -- the National People's Congress -- is scheduled to screen the so-called anti-secession law in March. The proposed anti-secession law, which will be deliberated by China's top legislature , the National People's Congress (NPC), at its upcoming annual full session, is by no means a so-called "law on the use of force against Taiwan", nor a so-called "war mobilization order", a spokesman for the NPC session said here Friday. The Legislative Yuan will pass a resolution against Beijing's anti-secession legislation , Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng said Thursday. During the meeting , Wang said, legislative whips of ruling and opposition parties reached a consensus on adopting a resolution to voice opposition to Beijing's so-called anti-secession law targeting Taiwan. MAC Deputy Chairman Chiu Tai-shan made the remarks a day after Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office under Beijing's State Council, arrived in Washington to discuss with U.S. officials the details of the planned anti-secession law targeting Taiwan. He said the government sent six delegations to the United States, Japan and EU countries last year to brief officials, academics and opinion leaders on the adverse impact on cross-strait relations of Beijing's planned anti-secession law , which targets Taiwan. With a gentle shove on Christmas Eve, the Cassini spacecraft will launch the European Space Agency's Huygens probe on a course that should send it plunging into the atmosphere of Saturn's big moon Titan. The European-built space probe Huygens separated from its NASA mothership late Friday to begin a descent to Saturn's largest moon Titan, during which it will sample the atmosphere of Titan. The European-built space probe Huygens separated from its NASA mothership late Friday to begin a descent to Saturn's largest moon Titan , during which it will sample the atmosphere of Titan. The European-made space probe Huygens has successfully separated from the US spacecraft Cassini and headed toward Titan , a NASA official said on Saturday. ``Today's release was another successful milestone in the Cassini-Huygens odyssey,'' said David Southwood of the European Space Agency , which built the Huygens probe. The European Space Agency's Huygens probe is equipped with instruments to sample the chemistry of the planet-size moon's thick atmosphere, and may reveal whether it actually has lakes or seas of liquid methane and ethane that have been theorized by scientists. The European Space Agency's Huygens probe is equipped with instruments to sample the chemistry of the planet-size moon's thick atmosphere , and may reveal whether it actually has lakes or seas of liquid methane and ethane that have been theorized by scientists. The European-built space probe Huygens separated from its NASA mother probe on Friday to begin a descent to Saturn's largest moon Titan for an on-site study of the atmosphere of Titan. The European-built space probe Huygens separated from its NASA mother probe on Friday to begin a descent to Saturn's largest moon Titan for an on-site study of the atmosphere of Titan. The Huygens probe, designed and built by the European Space Agency, had been carried by NASA's Saturn probe Cassini , which entered the orbit of Saturn on June 30 after a nearly seven-year journey in the space. The European-made space probe Huygens headed Saturday for a historic up-close encounter with Titan , the only celestial body of the Solar system with an atmosphere resembling that of Earth, after successfully separating from the US spacecraft Cassini. The European-made space probe Huygens has successfully separated from the US spacecraft Cassini and headed toward Titan, a NASA official said on Saturday. "The probe successfully detached from the Cassini orbiter ," Rosemary Sullivant, a spokeswoman for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory told AFP. The Frisbee-shaped Huygens probe successfully separated from the Cassini spacecraft Friday and began a risky 2.5-million-mile journey to the surface of Saturn's bizarre, smog-choked moon Titan. The European -built space probe Huygens separated from its NASA mother probe on Friday to begin a descent to Saturn's largest moon Titan for an on-site study of the atmosphere of Titan. The European-made space probe Huygens headed Saturday for a historic up-close encounter with Titan, the only celestial body of the Solar system with an atmosphere resembling that of Earth, after successfully separating from the US spacecraft Cassini. "The probe successfully detached from the Cassini orbiter ," Rosemary Sullivant, a spokeswoman for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, told AFP in a brief telephone interview. Giant Titan , 3,200 miles in diameter, is the only moon in the solar system with an atmosphere all its own -- a dense one that has intrigued earthbound astronomers for decades. It is the only moon in the solar system with a substantial atmosphere , but scientists can only guess what kind of surface will greet Huygens -- a sea of liquid methane, ice, or a strange hydrocarbon. Titan is the only moon that has an atmosphere in the Solar system. Titan is the only moon that has an atmosphere in the Solar system. Titan is the only moon that has the atmosphere in the Solar system. Titan is the only moon that has the atmosphere in the Solar system. With a gentle shove on Christmas Eve, the Cassini spacecraft will launch the European Space Agency's Huygens probe on a course that should send it plunging into the atmosphere of Saturn's big moon Titan. The European-built space probe Huygens separated from its NASA mothership late Friday to begin a descent to Saturn's largest moon Titan, during which it will sample the atmosphere of Titan. The aim had to be good because Huygens has no maneuvering system to adjust its own course, and it was designed to remain dormant until just before hitting Titan's atmosphere Jan. 14. The 2.7-meter wide Huygens is planned to reach Titan's upper atmosphere on Jan. 14 , 2005 and go through the atmosphere in two and a half hours. The 2.7-meter wide Huygens is planned to reach Titan's upper atmosphere on Jan. 14, 2005 and go through the atmosphere in two and a half hours. Cassini entered orbit around Saturn in June and has made several passes by Titan in preparation for the probe's release. During the nearly seven years Cassini took to reach the ringed planet , the attached probe was powered through an umbilical cable and awakened from sleep mode every six months for tests. After a seven-year journey, a saucer-shaped probe prepared Friday night to detach itself from the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn to dive toward one of the most mysterious bodies in the solar system : the giant moon Titan. The Huygens probe, designed and built by the European Space Agency, had been carried by NASA's Saturn probe Cassini , which entered the orbit of Saturn on June 30 after a nearly seven-year journey in the space. If successful, the Huygens probe will be the first spacecraft to visit Titan, whose dense atmosphere and apparent soup of organic chemicals have led scientists to compare it to conditions on a young Earth , just before life began. Its chemistry is believed to be very similar to that of early Earth before life formed. Its chemistry is believed to be very similar to that of early Earth before life formed. Its chemistry is believed to be very similar to that of the early Earth before life is formed. It is scheduled to arrive at its destination on January 14. It is scheduled to arrive at its destination on January 14. The European probe is scheduled to arrive at its destination on January 14. The European probe is scheduled to arrive at its destination on January 14. Friday evening , tension-loaded springs will push Huygens away from Cassini on a free-fall toward Titan. At launch time , specially designed springs gently pushed Huygens away from Cassini onto a ballistic four-million-kilometer (about 2.5-million-mile) path toward Titan. Cassini was equipped with springs to gently push the 705-pound (320-kilogram) probe away at a rate of one foot per second and impart a stabilizing spin of seven revolutions per minute. At separation time , specially designed springs gently pushed Huygens away from Cassini onto a ballistic four-million-kilometer (about 2.5-million-mile) path toward Titan, officials said. The probe must be released precisely on course because it has no means of maneuvering and will remain dormant until a timer wakes it up for entry into Titan's hazy, hydrocarbon-laced atmosphere and a parachute descent to the surface on Jan. 14. The European probe will remain dormant until the on-board timer wakes it up shortly before it reaches Titan's upper atmosphere, after which the probe will begin sending data back to Earth. The European probe will remain dormant until the on-board timer wakes it up shortly before it reaches Titan's upper atmosphere. If the engineers have aimed correctly, Huygens will first reach the giant moon's dense nitrogen-methane atmosphere and then its surface on Jan. 14 -- to radio back what its six instruments find there, hopefully for as long as two hours. If the engineers have aimed correctly, Huygens will first reach the giant moon's dense nitrogen-methane atmosphere and then its surface on Jan. 14 -- to radio back what its six instruments find there, hopefully for as long as two hours. After it detaches from Cassini, the 9-foot Huygens probe will fall toward Titan and, if all goes as planned, enter the moon's opaque atmosphere Jan. 14. Cheng said the familiarization period will last for more than one month. Cheng said the familiarization period will last for more than one month. Hong Kong Disneyland will begin its rehearsal on Aug. 16 and it will last for approximately four weeks. The rehearsal period at HK Disneyland will last for approximately four weeks prior to the grand opening. Hong Kong Disneyland started its on-line tickets selling Friday and its spokesperson said the process had been smooth so far. Meanwhile, tickets for Hong Kong Disneyland's grand opening day and the first 90 days after its opening went on sale Friday. Hong Kong Disneyland will begin its rehearsal on Aug. 16 and it will last for approximately four weeks. Hong Kong Disneyland will stage its rehearsal from Aug. 16 to the theme park's opening on Sept. 12, the park said in a press release on Friday. Hong Kong Disneyland said Thursday it won't cut its daily maximum capacity of 30,000 people despite complaints of large crowds and long queues from visitors during rehearsal days. Many of the 29,000 visitors who visited Hong Kong Disneyland for a charity day last weekend complained of excessively long queues to enter the park as well as to get on rides, and critics have urged Disney to reduce its maximum daily capacity, local newspapers reported. Rehearsal days have been a long-standing tradition at Disney theme parks and present an opportunity for cast members -- Disneyland's term for employees -- to practice and adjust their performance. Rehearsal days have been a long-standing tradition at Disney theme parks and resorts around the world and present an opportunity for cast members, Disney's term for employees, to practice and adjust their performance. Rehearsal days have been a long-standing tradition at Disney theme parks and present an opportunity for cast members -- Disneyland's term for employees -- to practice and adjust their performance. Rehearsal days have been a long-standing tradition at Disney theme parks and resorts around the world and present an opportunity for cast members, Disney's term for employees, to practice and adjust their performance. From Sept. 12 , the theme park and hotels will be open to the public. But critics say Hong Kong Disneyland , which opens Sept. 12 , won't be the magic kingdom its supporters say it will be. Earlier , Disney said it was considering extending opening hours and adding more shows at the park _ due to open Monday _ as Hong Kong's financial chief expressed concern about the large crowds when the park is operating at its capacity. To start with the sharks: Disneyland said it was merely trying to honor local custom by selling shark fin soup at weddings in the park that opens Monday. The park's groundbreaking date and opening date of Sept. 12 were picked after conferring with feng shui specialists , she said. The feng shui experts even picked the opening date of the park _ Sept. 12. The theme park said that starting from Friday, guests can buy tickets for its grand opening day on Sept. 12 and the first 90 days after its opening. The theme park said that starting from Friday, guests can buy tickets for its grand opening day on Sept. 12 and the first 90 days after its opening. A man intent on committing suicide left his car on a railroad track in Glendale near downtown Los Angeles Wednesday , where it set off a collision that derailed two commuter trains, killing at least 10 people and injuring nearly 200, authorities said. Authorities said the SUV, a Jeep Cherokee, was left on the tracks by an apparently suicidal man, who jumped from the vehicle moments before the southbound commuter train plowed into it. Authorities said the SUV , a Jeep Cherokee, was left on the tracks by an apparently suicidal man , who jumped from the vehicle moments before the southbound commuter train plowed into it. A man whom police described as deranged and bent on suicide abandoned a light truck on a heavily traveled commuter rail track here early Wednesday , causing a violent wreck involving three trains that left at least 10 people dead and nearly 200 injured. Alvarez is accused of leaving a Jeep Cherokee on the tracks , causing the derailment of one train, which then crashed into another. Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams said Juan Manuel Alvarez , who intentionally parked his Jeep on the rail tracks and caused the train collision, will be facing at least 10 counts of homicide. A "deranged" man abandoned his SUV on railroad tracks when he aborted a suicide attempt , authorities said, and then watched as a Metrolink commuter train slammed into it, setting off a spectacular three-train collision that left at 11 least dead and more than 180 injured Wednesday. Alvarez, 25 , despondent over the breakup of his marriage, had planned to kill himself when he drove his green Jeep Grand Cherokee in the path of a Metrolink train , officials said, but he bolted from the vehicle at the last moment. He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle , causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train.'' A southbound commuter train heading to downtown Los Angeles hit the Jeep Grand Cherokee parked on the tracks , said Glendale Police Chief Randy G. Adams. The SUV was hit shortly after 6 a.m. Pacific time by a southbound Metrolink train , which then went off the rails and started a deadly chain reaction, authorities said. The SUV was hit shortly after 6 a.m. Pacific time by a southbound Metrolink train , which then went off the rails and started a deadly chain reaction , authorities said. "People were screaming, one lady was crying, people were moaning, all kinds of painful noises," said Richard Mendevil, who was on his way home to Santa Clarita from Los Angeles' Union Station in the northbound Metrolink train, when it was hit by a southbound train that had derailed after hitting the light truck and an idle Union Pacific work train. "He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle , causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train." "He exited the vehicle and stood by as a southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle , causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train," the police chief said. A man intent on committing suicide left his car on a railroad track in Glendale near downtown Los Angeles Wednesday, where it set off a collision that derailed two commuter trains, killing at least 10 people and injuring nearly 200, authorities said. At least 10 people were killed and more than 180 injured Wednesday when a commuter train derailed after crashing into a car parked on tracks north of Los Angeles, then sideswiped an oncoming train, knocking it off its rails. A man whom police described as deranged and bent on suicide abandoned a light truck on a heavily traveled commuter rail track here early Wednesday, causing a violent wreck involving three trains that left at least 10 people dead and nearly 200 injured. A 25-year-old man was arrested following Wednesday's commuter train collision that killed at least 10 people near downtown Los Angeles. Ten people were killed and more than 100 injured Wednesday when two commuter trains slammed into each other after one of them hit a car left on the lines by a suicidal man, police said. "We have 10 fatalities so far and well over 100 injured ," Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams told reporters, adding that the probe into the accident had turned into a homicide investigation. A man intent on committing suicide left his car on a railroad track in Glendale near downtown Los Angeles Wednesday, where it set off a collision that derailed two commuter trains, killing at least 10 people and injuring nearly 200 , authorities said. At least 10 people were killed and more than 180 injured Wednesday when a commuter train derailed after crashing into a car parked on tracks north of Los Angeles , then sideswiped an oncoming train, knocking it off its rails. At least 10 people were killed and hundreds were hurt in the crash that also disrupted morning rush hour commuter train traffic. But then in the early morning darkness of Wednesday, Alvarez introduced his troubled life to the world when he drove his Jeep Cherokee onto the commuter railroad tracks of Glendale in metropolitan Los Angeles, killing at least 10 people and injuring about 200 more. Another 200 people were injured. Eleven people died and about 180 were injured in the crash at 6:02 a.m. Wednesday. He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle, causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train.'' He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle, causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train.'' "He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle, causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train." "He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle, causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train." "He exited the vehicle and stood by as a southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle, causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train," the police chief said. Juan Miguel Alvarez, charged with murder with special circumstances in the deaths of 11 Metrolink passengers, slashed and stabbed himself after seeing the horrific train crash he caused , sources close to the investigation said Thursday. Adams said of Alvarez: ``I think his intent at that time was to take his own life , but changed his mind prior to the train actually striking this vehicle. "He's carrying a lot of baggage and talked about killing himself ," said Sheriff Lee Baca of Los Angeles County. He left his car there and instead of killing himself , he killed many innocent people." Alvarez had apparently meant to kill himself , investigators said, but changed his mind when he saw the train barreling down on him. "He was intent at that time on taking his own life but changed his mind," Adams told reporters. His intent was to kill himself , but he changed his mind after his SUV got stuck between the tracks in an area slightly away from the grade crossing. A man intent on committing suicide left his car on a railroad track in Glendale near downtown Los Angeles Wednesday, where it set off a collision that derailed two commuter trains , killing at least 10 people and injuring nearly 200, authorities said. Alvarez is accused of leaving a Jeep Cherokee on the tracks, causing the derailment of one train , which then crashed into another. Ten people were killed and more than 100 injured Wednesday when two commuter trains slammed into each other after one of them hit a car left on the lines by a suicidal man, police said. Ten people were killed and more than 100 injured Wednesday when two commuter trains slammed into each other after one of them hit a car left on the lines by a suicidal man, police said. 100 smashed into the SUV and derailed , then rammed a parked Union Pacific freight train and collided with another Metrolink train heading north out of Union Station. Key to the legal case, Cooley said, ``is the intent of the individual when he drove onto the tracks. '' Glendale police said that Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, of the Los Angeles suburb of Compton, drove around barriers at a grade crossing and then up the Metrolink commuter rail tracks , where his Jeep Grand Cherokee became wedged between the rails. Alvarez , who is on the suicide watch list, drove his Jeep Cherokee on the tracks , then changed his mind about taking his life and fled from the vehicle when the train was approaching. The driver allegedly manoeuvred his Jeep onto the tracks , where it became stuck, and waited for a train to end his life, according to Adams and other police officials. Authorities believe Juan Manuel Alvarez drove his Jeep Grand Cherokee around the rail crossing barrier and onto the Metrolink train tracks at Chevy Chase Drive in Glendale about 6 a.m. Wednesday. Police arrested a man who they said would be charged with homicide in the crash that left train cars mangled and seared. The driver of the SUV, identified as Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, of Compton, Calif., was taken into custody, and police said he would be charged with homicide. Meanwhile the driver of the vehicle that sparked the incident was expected to be charged with murder , police said. Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25 , of Compton, the driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, was found near the wreckage and arrested on suspicion of homicide. Within hours of the crash , Alvarez was arrested on suspicion of murder. Adams identified the suspect as Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25 , of Compton, adding that he had attempted suicide before. The driver of the SUV , identified as Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, of Compton, Calif., was taken into custody, and police said he would be charged with homicide. A 25-year-old man was arrested following Wednesday's commuter train collision that killed at least 10 people near downtown Los Angeles. Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, of Compton , the driver of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, was found near the wreckage and arrested on suspicion of homicide. The mission of the nonprofit foundation is to oversee and coordinate fund-raising and construction of the memorial and the cultural buildings at the trade center site. The mission of the nonprofit foundation is to oversee and coordinate fund-raising and construction of the memorial and the cultural buildings at the trade center site. That is a lot of responsibility, with many implications for the way the public will experience the memorial, the interpretive memorial center and the museums and the theaters, since the foundation is also charged with "encouraging the development of cultural facilities as part of the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site. " They have been given the task of raising $500 million (euro378 million) to build both a memorial to the victims of the 2001 and 1993 trade center attacks and adjoining cultural facilities. They have been given the task of raising $500 million (euro378 million ) to build both a memorial to the victims of the 2001 and 1993 trade center attacks and adjoining cultural facilities. "Reflecting Absence" by architect Michael Arad, which features two reflecting pools surrounded by gardens, was chosen from 5,201 entries submitted to an international design competition. "Reflecting Absence" by architect Michael Arad, which features two reflecting pools surrounded by gardens, was chosen from 5,201 entries submitted to an international design competition. "Reflecting Absence" by architect Michael Arad, which features two reflecting pools surrounded by gardens, was chosen from 5,201 entries submitted to an international memorial design competition. "Reflecting Absence" by architect Michael Arad, which features two reflecting pools surrounded by gardens, was chosen from 5,201 entries submitted to an international memorial design competition. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2009. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2009. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2009. The memorial is scheduled to open in 2009. Four US ex-presidents , a Hollywood legend, a retired fireman and a star TV journalist were among those appointed Wednesday to lead the project for a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Along with a slew of prominent business leaders, the list included actor Robert De Niro, veteran TV correspondent Barbara Walters and Canadian former prime minster Brian Mulroney. Because the board includes Robert De Niro and Barbara Walters , there were many cameras and microphones to capture that moment in the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center, overlooking ground zero. All four living former US presidents have agreed to become honorary directors of the project for a permanent memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. All four living former US presidents have agreed to become honorary directors of the project for a permanent memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Four US ex-presidents, a Hollywood legend, a retired fireman and a star TV journalist were among those appointed Wednesday to lead the project for a memorial to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Bush and Bill Clinton would serve as honorary members of the memorial foundation, which will raise money for the memorial and the cultural centers. Indeed , the foundation will be a fund-raising organization. Robert De Niro, Barbara Walters, David Rockefeller and other members of the foundation charged with raising money for a World Trade Center memorial held their first meeting. George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg were able Wednesday to name 31 members of the board of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation. George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg were able Wednesday to name 31 members of the board of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation. A total of 31 people were named to the board of directors of the memorial foundation , a non-profit corporation that will construct, own, operate and maintain the memorial. Bush and Bill Clinton had all pledged their support for the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation and would serve as honorary members of the board of directors. Bush and Bill Clinton would serve as honorary members of the memorial foundation , which will raise money for the memorial and the cultural centers. Bush and Bill Clinton were all named honorary members. And Pataki announced that the underground memorial interpretive center, where artifacts and exhibits will tell the story of the trade center and the 2001 and 1993 attacks, will be designed by the Manhattan firm Davis Brody Bond, which is already associated with Michael Arad and Peter Walker on the memorial itself; the Norwegian firm Snohetta, which is working on the museum complex at the trade center site; and Howard-Revis Design of Washington, which specializes in designing exhibits. And Pataki announced that the underground memorial interpretive center , where artifacts and exhibits will tell the story of the trade center and the 2001 and 1993 attacks, will be designed by the Manhattan firm Davis Brody Bond , which is already associated with Michael Arad and Peter Walker on the memorial itself; the Norwegian firm Snohetta, which is working on the museum complex at the trade center site; and Howard-Revis Design of Washington, which specializes in designing exhibits. That is a lot of responsibility, with many implications for the way the public will experience the memorial, the interpretive memorial center and the museums and the theaters, since the foundation is also charged with "encouraging the development of cultural facilities as part of the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site." A total of 31 people were named to the board of directors of the memorial foundation, a non-profit corporation that will construct, own, operate and maintain the memorial. But the foundation was given a broader range of powers in its April 2003 certificate of incorporation, beginning with its purpose: "To own, construct, operate and maintain a memorial and related structures and appurtenances on the site of the World Trade Center. " Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally sprayed a companion with birdshot while hunting quail on a private Texas ranch, injuring the man in the face, neck and chest, the vice president's office confirmed yesterday after a Texas newspaper reported the incident. Globe Staff WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a hunting partner Saturday in Texas , and the White House did not confirm the shooting until nearly 20 hours later. Cheney shot Harry Whittington, 78, a multimillionaire Austin lawyer, spraying his friend and hunting partner with shotgun pellets from head to chest. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and injured a hunting companion in Texas over the weekend , U.S. media reported Sunday. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a companion during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas , spraying the fellow hunter in the face and chest with shotgun pellets. Although he broke no laws, Vice President Dick Cheney did not have proper hunting credentials when he accidentally shot a fellow hunter at a private ranch last weekend , authorities said Monday. The White House on Monday carefully distanced itself from Vice President Dick Cheney 's delayed notification about his accidental shooting of a hunting companion. The White House sought with little success on Monday to quell an uproar over why it took the better part of a day to disclose that Vice President Dick Cheney had accidentally wounded a fellow hunter in Texas on Saturday and why even President Bush initially got an incomplete report on the shooting. Armstrong has said that Whittington came up noiselessly behind the vice president , who spun around to target a bird and shot his fellow hunter instead. US Vice President Dick Cheney did not have a legal permit to hunt quail when he accidentally shot a 78-year old hunting partner over the weekend , the White House said on Monday. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally sprayed a companion with birdshot while hunting quail on a private Texas ranch, injuring the man in the face, neck and chest , the vice president's office confirmed yesterday after a Texas newspaper reported the incident. Whittington was about 30 yards away when he was hit in the cheek, neck and chest , she said. Harry Whittington, Cheney's hunting companion during a quail hunting trip in Texas on Saturday, was mostly injured on his right side, with shotgun pellets hitting his cheek, neck and chest , the reports said. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a companion during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, spraying the fellow hunter in the face and chest with shotgun pellets. Armstrong in an interview with The Associated Press said Whittington, 78, was mostly injured on his right side, with the pellets hitting his cheek, neck and chest during the incident which occurred late afternoon on Saturday She said emergency personnel traveling with Cheney tended to Whittington until the ambulance arrived. Whittington, an Austin lawyer, was listed Monday in "very stable" condition at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he was undergoing treatment for multiple pellet wounds on the right side of his lower face, neck, shoulder and chest. Whittington was in stable condition in the intensive care unit at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, were he was treated for wounds to his shoulder, upper body, chest and neck, said hospital spokeswoman Michele Mora-Trevino. There was still no official account of the events on Katherine Armstrong's south-Texas ranch on Saturday, when Cheney missed his quail quarry but hit prominent lawyer Harry Whittington in the neck and chest with birdshot. Cheney shot prominent lawyer Harry Whittington in the neck and chest with birdshot on Saturday as the two were out quail hunting on a Texas ranch. Whittington's condition was improving and described as "stable" by doctors at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, where he was treated for wounds to his shoulder, upper body, chest and neck. He was in the intensive care unit at Christus Spohn Health System and listed in stable condition yesterday evening. The victim was described as being "peppered pretty good" with birdshot and was in stable condition Sunday. Whittington , an Austin lawyer, was listed Monday in "very stable" condition at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he was undergoing treatment for multiple pellet wounds on the right side of his lower face, neck, shoulder and chest. His condition remained listed as stable , with wounds to his face, neck, chest and rib cage from the pellets sprayed at him from 30 yards away by Cheney's shotgun. The man accidentally shot by US Vice President Dick Cheney while the two were hunting on a southern Texas ranch is in stable condition , a hospital spokeswoman said Monday. "He remains in stable condition in our ICU (intensive care unit )," Michele Mora-Trevino, a spokeswoman for Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial in Corpus Christi, Texas told AFP. Whittington was in stable condition in the intensive care unit at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial , were he was treated for wounds to his shoulder, upper body, chest and neck, said hospital spokeswoman Michele Mora-Trevino. The vice president's office did not publicly report the accident until mid-afternoon Sunday after the Corpus Christi Caller- Times had asked about it. Cheney's staff did not publicly confirm the accidental shooting until 3:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, more than 20 hours after the accident, when the Corpus Christi Caller-Times posted a story on its Web site. The White House drew fire Monday for not immediately disclosing that Vice President Dick Cheney had shot a 78-year-old hunting partner in a weekend incident not reported until a day after it took place. The White House drew fire Monday for not immediately disclosing that Vice President Dick Cheney had shot a 78-year-old hunting partner in a weekend incident not reported until a day after it took place. Whittington , 78, was "alert and doing fine " in the hospital, Katharine Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, was quoted by CNN as saying. Whittington , 78, was "alert and doing fine" in the hospital , Katharine Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, was quoted by CNN as saying. Harry Whittington , a millionaire attorney from Austin, was "alert and doing fine" in a Corpus Christi hospital Sunday, a day after he was shot by Cheney on a ranch in south Texas, said Katharine Armstrong, the property's owner. Harry Whittington , a millionaire attorney from Austin, was "alert and doing fine" in a Corpus Christi hospital Sunday , a day after he was shot by Cheney on a ranch in south Texas, said Katharine Armstrong, the property's owner. Cheney thought he was shooting at a covey of quail, according to an owner of the ranch. Cheney thought he was shooting at a covey of quail , according to an owner of the ranch. Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Cheney, Whittington and another hunter got out of the vehicle to shoot at a covey of quail. The accident occurred Saturday when the vice president wheeled to shoot at a covey of quail and accidentally sprayed his hunting partner, 78-year-old attorney Harry Whittington, with bird shot, authorities said. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and injured a hunting companion in Texas over the weekend, U.S. media reported Sunday. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a companion during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, spraying the fellow hunter in the face and chest with shotgun pellets. An incident report by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said that Whittington had gone to retrieve a downed bird when Cheney wheeled around with his 28-gauge Perazzi shotgun and shot him by accident. She said Cheney didn't see Whittington, and when he chose a bird to shoot , he accidentally hit Whittington , who was "in the in the line of fire." Cheney , 65 , was using a .28 gauge shotgun when he accidentally peppered Whittington with bird shot at a distance of about 30 yards while trying to shoot flushed quail. Harry Whittington , 78, was peppered with shotgun pellets after Cheney turned to shoot quail that had just been flushed out of the brush, Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride confirmed Sunday. Texas officials said on Monday night that Cheney would be issued a warning citation for hunting without a proper game stamp on his license. Texas officials said on Monday night that Cheney would be issued a warning citation for hunting without a proper game stamp on his license. Texas authorities said they would issue a warning citation to Cheney but impose no penalty or fine for failing to have the seven-dollar stamp. She said that Whittington shot a quail and went to look for it in the grass. Whittington shot a bird and was looking for it in the tall grass, while Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and found a second covey, Armstrong said. Whittington shot a bird and went to look for it in the tall grass, while Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and discovered a second covey. Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman ever appointed to the US Supreme Court, said Friday that she is retiring , giving US president George W. Bush his first opportunity to appoint a justice. Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman appointed to the US Supreme Court and a frequent swing vote, has announced her retirement , a court source said Friday. Bush made a statement in the White House Rose Garden, shortly after Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement. Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman appointed to the US Supreme Court and a frequent swing vote, announced her retirement Friday , setting up a fierce political showdown for her seat. US Republicans and Democrats geared up Saturday for a major political battle over a successor to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who has announced her retirement. As President Bush searches for someone to succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her resignation Friday , the experiences with Warren and many other members of the Supreme Court provide reminders that justices often don't vote the way presidents expect. Republicans and Democrats are geared up for a major political fight over a successor to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement last Friday. On Sunday, a seminar will focus on who will fill the Supreme Court seat that will be vacated by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement July 1. Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman ever appointed to the US Supreme Court, said Friday that she is retiring, giving US president George W. Bush his first opportunity to appoint a justice. Her resignation , which will result in the first opening on the US Supreme Court in 11 years, will allow Bush to make his first appointment to the nine-member court which makes many vital decisions concerning US society. Her retirement , which sets up a long-awaited political battle for a successor and gives President George W. Bush his first chance to select a justice for the high court , was confirmed by a Supreme Court official who requested anonymity. Her retirement gives Bush the chance to shape the ideological balance of the court , a fact that could spark a prolonged confirmation battle in the US Senate for a successor, touching on lightning bolt questions such as abortion and the separation of church and state. The move handed President George W. Bush his first chance to reshape the ideological balance of the court , which has immense influence over the lives of Americans, interprets the constitution and acts as a court of last resort. Her decision , announced Friday, handed President George W. Bush his first chance to reshape the ideological balance of the court , which has immense influence over the lives of Americans, interprets the constitution and acts as a court of last resort. Conservatives , who turned out in record numbers to cast votes last November for the Republican president, see in the retirement of moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor a historic chance to reshape the nine-member high court , and fulfill a fervent wish to overturn the watershed Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case which guaranteed women the right to an abortion. The vacancy handed Bush his first chance to reshape the ideological balance of the nine-member high court , which has immense influence over the lives of Americans as it interprets the constitution. Her retirement , which sets up a long-awaited political battle for a successor and gives President George W. Bush his first chance to select a justice for the high court, was confirmed by a Supreme Court official who requested anonymity. Her retirement gives Bush the chance to shape the ideological balance of the court, a fact that could spark a prolonged confirmation battle in the US Senate for a successor , touching on lightning bolt questions such as abortion and the separation of church and state. Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman appointed to the US Supreme Court and a frequent swing vote, announced her retirement Friday, setting up a fierce political showdown for her seat. Minutes after O'Connor's announcement , political leaders and lobby groups fired the first shots in a long brewing battle for the court's political soul. US Republicans and Democrats geared up Saturday for a major political battle over a successor to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who has announced her retirement. Minutes after O'Connor's announcement , political leaders and lobby groups fired the first shots in a long brewing battle for the court's political soul. Republicans and Democrats are geared up for a major political fight over a successor to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , who announced her retirement last Friday. In a statement confirming O'Connor's resignation , Bush said he will pick her successor in a timely manner so her vacancy can be filled by the time the court resumes work in October. President George W. Bush on Friday said he would nominate a new Supreme Court Justice in a timely manner , and called for a dignified confirmation battle, as rival political camps geared up for battle. "I will chose a nominee in a timely manner so the hearing and the vote can be compelted before the new Supreme Court term begins." Bush said he would pick a new justice in a "timely manner " but the White House said there would be no announcement before he returns from next week's G8 summit in Scotland. Bush said he would pick a new justice in a "timely manner " but the White House said there would be no announcement before he returns from next week's G8 summit in Scotland. Liberals warned Bush not to name an "extremist " while Republicans urged him to pick someone who would apply rather than interpret the constitution -- in other words a strict conservative. Liberals warned Bush not to name an "extremist " while Republicans urged him to pick someone who would apply rather than interpret the constitution -- in other words a strict conservative. Liberals , meanwhile, have sternly warned Bush not to name an "extremist" to the court and have vowed to put up a fierce fight to safeguard the right to legal abortion. Liberals warned Bush not to name an "extremist " who could undermine women's right to have an abortion, while Republicans have urged him to pick a strict conservative. Liberals warned Bush not to name an "extremist" who could undermine women's right to have an abortion, while Republicans have urged him to pick a strict conservative. Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman ever appointed to the US Supreme Court , said Friday that she is retiring, giving US president George W. Bush his first opportunity to appoint a justice. Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the US Supreme Court and a frequent swing vote , has announced her retirement, a court source said Friday. Bush also paid tribute to O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the top US court. Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the US Supreme Court and a frequent swing vote , announced her retirement Friday, setting up a fierce political showdown for her seat. President George W. Bush on Friday said he would nominate a new Supreme Court Justice in a timely manner, and called for a dignified confirmation battle , as rival political camps geared up for battle. "The nation also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate , characterised by fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote. "The nation also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate , characterised by fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote," Bush said in a statement delivered in the White House Rose Garden. "The nation also deserves a dignified process of confirmation in the United States Senate , characterised by fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote," Bush said in a statement delivered in the White House Rose Garden. O'Connor , 75 , who is considered a moderate conservative, was appointed to the court by president Ronald Reagan and took her seat in September 1981. O'Connor was appointed by president Ronald Reagan and took her seat in September 1981. O'Connor was appointed by president Ronald Reagan and took her seat in September 1981. O'Connor , named to the court in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan , was more conservative in her early years but gradually sided more often with the court's liberals. The move handed President George W. Bush his first chance to reshape the ideological balance of the court, which has immense influence over the lives of Americans, interprets the constitution and acts as a court of last resort. The move handed President George W. Bush his first chance to reshape the ideological balance of the court, which has immense influence over the lives of Americans, interprets the constitution and acts as a court of last resort. Her decision, announced Friday, handed President George W. Bush his first chance to reshape the ideological balance of the court, which has immense influence over the lives of Americans, interprets the constitution and acts as a court of last resort. "This is to inform you of my decision to retire from my position as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, effective upon the nomination and confirmation of my successor," she said in a letter to Bush. "It has been a great privilege indeed to have served as a member of the Court for 24 terms," she wrote in a letter to Bush. "It has been a great privilege indeed to have served as a member of the Court for 24 terms," she wrote in a letter to Bush. The Washington Nationals will make their debut in the nation's capital when they host the New York Mets in a major league baseball exhibition game on April 3. The Washington Nationals will make their debut in the nation's capital when they host the New York Mets in a major league baseball exhibition game on April 3. If anyone missed the nostalgic significance of the event, the Mets will travel to Washington for the Nationals' first game at RFK Stadium , an exhibition on April 3. The White House said Thursday it hoped that the city of Washington and Major League Baseball could still reach an agreement that would bring a professional team to the US capital city. The White House said Thursday it hoped that the city of Washington and Major League Baseball could still reach an agreement that would bring a professional team to the US capital city. The White House said Thursday it hoped that the city of Washington and Major League Baseball could still reach an agreement that would bring a professional team to the US capital city. Major League Baseball on Wednesday rejected as "wholly unacceptable" a stadium financing plan approved the day before by the Washington City Council , throwing into grave doubt the city's plans to bring the former Montreal Expos here next season. After the move was approved the team's future in the District of Columbia briefly seemed in jeopardy when stadium funding hit a snag, but local officials have since approved a plan for public funding of a 400 million-dollar stadium. After the move was approved the team's future in the District of Columbia briefly seemed in jeopardy when stadium funding hit a snag, but local officials have since approved a plan for public funding of a 400 million-dollar stadium. Under the deal Williams reached with baseball owners to bring the Expos to Washington next spring , less than 20 percent of the stadium would have been financed by private funds, specifically through rent payments from the team. Baseball's statement came in response to legislation the Council approved late Tuesday night requiring that half of the riverfront stadium's projected $280 million construction costs be paid for privately, delivering a stinging rejection of a deal struck by Mayor Anthony Williams and baseball officials to finance the ballpark almost entirely with tax dollars. "The Nationals are finally rounding third and heading for home," said Mayor Anthony A. Williams , who negotiated the move with major league baseball officials. The District of Columbia Council has voted to require private financing for at least half the construction costs of a new ballpark for the Nationals -- the former Montreal Expos, who are due to kick off next season in their new city against Arizona on April 14. The compromise reached late Monday assures that 50 percent of the stadium will be privately financed , said the mayor's spokesman Chris Bender. The city almost struck out a week earlier when the council amended Williams' deal with baseball officials to require that half the construction costs be paid privately , or it would be voided. Major League Baseball owners Friday conditionally approved the relocation of the Montreal Expos to Washington for the upcoming season. The Montreal Expos can move to Washington , change their name and never play the Canadian national anthem again, but they cannot seem to go anywhere without the New York Mets following along for a photo-op. Until a new ballpark is built, Washington will play at RFK Stadium. The game will be played at RFK Stadium, which will serve as the Nationals' temporary home before their new stadium is constructed. The District of Columbia Council has voted to require private financing for at least half the construction costs of a new ballpark for the Nationals -- the former Montreal Expos , who are due to kick off next season in their new city against Arizona on April 14. The city's new team, the Nationals, begins regular season play Monday, with a home opener set for April 14 , and it remains without a deal to televise its games. They said baseball had few alternatives, since the Nationals are scheduled to play next season in Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington while their new home is built. The measure allows the city to sell up to $584 million (euro436 million) in bonds for construction of a 41,000-seat stadium about a 1.6 kilometers (one mile) south of the Capitol, and for renovations to RFK Stadium , where the team will play next year. The season starts next week , and Washington's baseball-starved fans want to tune in. The city's new team , the Nationals, begins regular season play Monday , with a home opener set for April 14, and it remains without a deal to televise its games. Egypt might host a funeral service for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the event of his death , Palestinian delegate to the Arab League (AL) Ahmed Sobeih told Xinhua late Tuesday. As Arafat had struggled for life, there has been wild guess as to where he might be buried and where to hold the funeral service. Egypt is reportedly to have offered to hold a funeral service for Arafat, partly to spare Arab leaders from Israeli security measures they have to go through if they go to the Palestinian territories to pay their last respect to the Palestinian leader. Egypt is reportedly to have offered to hold a funeral service for Arafat , partly to spare Arab leaders from Israeli security measures they have to go through if they go to the Palestinian territories to pay their last respect to the Palestinian leader. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would be buried at his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah , well-informed Palestinian sources said Tuesday. The sources told the Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV that France reached a compromise with Israel to bury Arafat in Ramallah after his death. He refused to give further details about the agreement, and in particular whether Israel had given the go-ahead for the Palestinian leader to eventually be buried in his battered Muqataa compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah. An agreement on funeral arrangements to be made in the aftermath of Yasser Arafat's death was reached Tuesday by Israeli and Palestinian officials, a senior Palestinian official said on condition of anonymity. An agreement on funeral arrangements to be made in the aftermath of Yasser Arafat's death was reached Tuesday by Israeli and Palestinian officials, a senior Palestinian official said on condition of anonymity. "Senior Palestinian and Israeli officials have reached an agreement in principle on the arrangements to be made after the death of president Arafat," the official told AFP. Palestinian officials refused to comment on the report, saying it was still too early to talk about the burial place as long as Arafat was still alive. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was not dead at 3:30 pm (1430 GMT), a French official said. An official at the army medical service said that Arafat "is not dead. " However, a high-ranking Palestinian security official in Gaza , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said that he expects that Arafat's death would be announced within the coming few hours. "The first contacts should take place in the night with the aim of reaching an agreement on the organisation of the funeral for Yasser Arafat," the official said on condition of anonymity. An agreement on funeral arrangements to be made in the aftermath of Yasser Arafat's death was reached Tuesday by Israeli and Palestinian officials, a senior Palestinian official said on condition of anonymity. Israeli and Palestinian officials will begin talks overnight to discuss funeral arrangements for Yasser Arafat , a senior Israeli official told AFP Tuesday. "The first contacts should take place in the night with the aim of reaching an agreement on the organisation of the funeral for Yasser Arafat," the official said on condition of anonymity. The 13 main Palestinian factions held an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss arrangements to follow an official announcement that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has died , an Islamic Jihad leader said. "Senior Palestinian and Israeli officials have reached an agreement in principle on the arrangements to be made after the death of president Arafat ," the official told AFP. Senior Palestinian official Yasser Abed Rabbo denied on Tuesday reports saying that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has died in a French hospital. Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath denied a claim by a fellow cabinet minister Tuesday that Arafat has died in a French military hospital but said he was very ill. - Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei says Arafat is in critical condition. Yasser Arafat is in a "very difficult and serious" situation , the Palestinian foreign minister said Tuesday after he and other officials met their critically ill leader's doctors. Top Palestinian officials abruptly postponed a trip to Paris on Monday to ascertain the real condition of ailing leader Yasser Arafat after critical comments by his wife, a spokesman said Monday. Top Palestinian officials abruptly postponed a trip to Paris on Monday to ascertain the real condition of ailing leader Yasser Arafat after critical comments by his wife , a spokesman said Monday. Australian researchers announced a breakthrough Thursday in the search for the cause of schizophrenia, linking the impaired thought processes involved with the disorder to thinning grey matter in the brain. The computer analysis showed impaired thought processes and inability to problem solve among those with the debilitating mental illness were directly related to the thinning outer layer of grey matter and reduced activity of the affected part of the brain. Children of older fathers face an enhanced risk of developing schizophrenia when they grow older, according to research published on Friday. Children of older fathers face an enhanced risk of developing schizophrenia when they grow older , according to research published on Friday. Among the harmful effects to be highlighted in the campaign are memory loss, concentration lapses, altered perception and alienation from friends and family. Alarmed by the rising consumption of cannabis among French teenagers, the government on Wednesday launched a 10-million euro (13 million dollar) campaign to warn of the drug's harmful effects on physical and mental health. Yet as they grow older , they may begin to display subtle differences. But differences in the epigenome emerge as the twins grow older and become greater the longer they live apart, say a team of researchers led by Dr. Manel Esteller of the Spanish National Cancer Center in Madrid. The scientists hope that by expanding the project, nicknamed the Blue Brain Project, to model other areas of the brain, they will eventually build an accurate, computer-based model of the entire brain. The scientists hope that by expanding the project, nicknamed the Blue Brain Project, to model other areas of the brain, they will eventually build an accurate, computer-based model of the entire brain. And a growing body of research indicates that, at least in teenagers, heavy marijuana use over a period of years significantly increases the risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia. And a growing body of research indicates that, at least in teenagers , heavy marijuana use over a period of years significantly increases the risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia. The term refers to natural chemical modifications that occur in a person's genome shortly after conception and that act on a gene like a gas pedal or a brake, marking it for higher or lower activity. The term refers to natural chemical modifications that occur in a person's genome shortly after conception and that act on a gene like a gas pedal or a brake, marking it for higher or lower activity. Schizophrenia is a severe disease of the brain , characterised by hallucinations and delusions that give a distorted view of reality. The mental disorder, which usually strikes people aged between 15 to 25, alters the way the brain functions and causes symptoms including hallucinations, hearing voices, delusions and impaired thinking. Recent studies have established that cannabis can be a contributory cause in triggering schizophrenia. Recent studies have established that cannabis can be a contributory cause in triggering schizophrenia. Researchers in Iceland have discovered a region in the human genome that, among Europeans, appears to promote fertility, and maybe longevity as well. Kenya is being swamped with a flood of discarded plastic shopping bags that pose a growing public health risk and should take steps to ban the popular lould be banned and a hefty levy slapped on thicker ones to rid Kenya of an increasing environmental and health menace," the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said. Kenya is being swamped with a flood of discarded plastic shopping bags that pose a growing public health risk and should take steps to ban the popular lould be banned and a hefty levy slapped on thicker ones to rid Kenya of an increasing environmental and health menace," the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said. Kenya is being swamped with a flood of discarded plastic shopping bags that pose a growing public health risk and should take steps to ban the popular lould be banned and a hefty levy slapped on thicker ones to rid Kenya of an increasing environmental and health menace," the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said. The abandoned plastic bags and containers can be spotted in many towns, blamed for clogging sewage and drainage systems. More than 90 percent of consumers choose plastic bags, which are blamed for everything from clogging recycling machines to killing marine life and suffocating infants. More than 90 percent of consumers choose plastic bags, which are blamed for everything from clogging recycling machines to killing marine life and suffocating infants. City officials are considering charging grocery stores 17 cents apiece for the bags, 90 percent of which are plastic -- and are blamed by environmentalists for everything from clogging recycling machines to killing marine life and suffocating infants. Minister of State for Trade Richard Nduhura was quoted as saying that the rampant use of polythene bags has led to environmental disasters like blockage of drainages, suffocation of children and animals and soil degradation. The Ugandan government is considering a total ban on polythene bags after a 50 percent excise duty has failed to reduce their production and usage, reported local press on Tuesday. "An excise duty of 50 percent was imposed on plastics in June 2002. City officials are considering charging grocery stores 17 cents each for grocery bags to discourage use of plastic sacks. San Francisco officials are considering a fee of 17 cents per bag in a bid to encourage Bay Area shoppers to bring their own sacks. It has not deterred indiscriminate use of the plastics , prompting us to take drastic measures," Nduhura said at a meeting on plastics waste management and development of environmentally- degradable plastics in Kampala which was attended by delegates from eight African countries. The Ugandan government is considering a total ban on polythene bags after a 50 percent excise duty has failed to reduce their production and usage , reported local press on Tuesday. But the fee would also apply to paper bags to help reduce overall waste. Although the environmentalists are not as concerned about the effect of recyclable paper bags on the environment, the proposal would include them, too, with the idea of reducing waste in general. The San Francisco proposal parallels efforts in Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Shanghai and Taiwan , which ban plastic bags or charge a fee to use them. Mugisha said a ban on plastic bags is among proposals aimed at reducing the use of polythene, adding that but the tax imposed on the plastic bags about two years ago has not helped in restricting their use because their price is still very low. He added that the government was still looking at optional measures like controlling importation, production, usage and disposal of polythene bags. He added that the government was still looking at optional measures like controlling importation, production, usage and disposal of polythene bags. The San Francisco proposal parallels efforts in Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Shanghai and Taiwan , which ban plastic bags or charge a fee to use them. Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Shanghai and Taiwan are just a few of the places where the government either bans plastic bags outright or charges a fee to use them. Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Shanghai and Taiwan are just a few of the places where the government either bans plastic bags outright or charges a fee to use them. Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Shanghai and Taiwan are just a few of the places where the government either bans plastic bags outright or charges a fee to use them. The government expressed skepticism Thursday over a claim by an Iranian opposition group that Abdul Qadeer Khan, the disgraced father of Pakistan's nuclear program, had given Iran a blueprint for a nuclear bomb and some weapons-grade uranium. Musharraf denied ''200 percent`` that any Pakistani government or the military had any knowledge that Khan was making nuclear weapons information available to other nations. Abdul Qadeer Khan , the father of the Pakistani atomic bomb, delivered weapons grade highly enriched uranium to Iran in 2001 , and Iran aims at getting a nuclear bomb next year, an Iranian opposition group said in Vienna Wednesday. Investigators looking into illicit transfers of nuclear weapons technology have recently uncovered a South African-based scheme to deliver a complete uranium enrichment plant to Libya, The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. Investigators looking into illicit transfers of nuclear weapons technology have recently uncovered a South African-based scheme to deliver a complete uranium enrichment plant to Libya , The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. Nearly a year after Khan's arrest, secrets of his nuclear black market continue to uncoil, revealing a vast global enterprise. Pakistani government said on Monday that Abdullah Q. Khan , the founder of the nation's nuclear program, will not be interrogated by concerned agencies from the United States. The CIA began to infiltrate Khan's network in the late 1990s , according to the account Tenet is now spelling out in his speeches. A new report from the CIA says the arms trafficking network led by the Pakistani scientist A.Q. The magazine said Pakistani scientists were giving information to be used by US commandos searching for underground nuclear installations in eastern Iran. Khan, the rogue Pakistani scientist accused of peddling nuclear secrets around the world. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency still wants to interview Khan, who has been pardoned by Musharraf , as well as his assistant, who is being held in Malaysia. The discovery gave the experts a new appreciation of the audacity of the rogue nuclear network led by A.Q. Since the invention of nuclear weapons 60 years ago, no one has done more to spread those weapons to more countries than Khan. The International Atomic Energy Agency _ the United Nations' nuclear watchdog _ has been investigating Iran's nuclear activities for about 18 months, but the agency remains unable to determine if nearly two decades of Iranian nuclear activities were purely peaceful or if the government had a secret weapons agenda. Analyzing the report, The New York Times said it indicates that bomb-making designs provided by Abdul Qadeer Khan to Iran in the 1990s were more significant than Washington has said. "Iran's nuclear program received significant assistance in the past from the proliferation network headed by Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan, the Pakistani nuclear scientist who oversaw the spread of nuclear weapons to U.S. adversaries , possibly including al-Qaida, bin Laden's terrorist group. While the Pakistani spokesman dismissed the claim, he said its investigations into the unauthorized spread of nuclear technology were yet not closed. But the detailed design represented a new level of danger, particularly since the Libyans said he had thrown it in as a deal-sweetener when he sold them $100 million in nuclear gear. Some Texas geologists believe the best way to get rid of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is to simply put it back where it came from. Driving their case is the fear that time is running out for dealing cheaply with the carbon pollution spewed out by fossil fuels. These include "clean" coal and carbon sequestration, in which carbon dioxide gas is pumped into geological chambers and stored there, rather than released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned in power stations. Nevertheless, projected economic growth over the next few decades imply drastic increases in the atmospheric concentrations of the dominant greenhouse gas , CO2, which is produced by the combustion of coal, petroleum and natural gas. Less than a decade ago , the idea of capturing and storing the carbon gases blamed for driving the Earth towards climate-change peril was usually dismissed with a laugh. President Bush, in one of the least-noticed gestures of his European visit, has pledged to help developing nations such as China and India cut back on their fast-growing output of the greenhouse gases linked to global warming. "We know that increased need and use of energy from fossil fuels, and other human activities, contribute in large part to increases in greenhouse gases associated with the warming of our Earth's surface. " Nearly all atmospheric scientists believe that increases in CO2 and other "greenhouse gases " have caused the Earth's surface temperature to rise. Their focus is on power stations which burn oil, gas and coal, and whose pollution is set to soar in coming years as China and India , the two world's most populous countries, meet surging needs for energy. Nevertheless, projected economic growth over the next few decades imply drastic increases in the atmospheric concentrations of the dominant greenhouse gas , CO2, which is produced by the combustion of coal, petroleum and natural gas. WASHINGTON -- With the world poised to generate huge volumes of carbon dioxide in the next 25 years , experts say the need to capture the planet-heating gas and store it in safe places is becoming urgent -- and increasingly feasible. If the geological storage tank leaks or is breached by an earthquake the outpouring of CO2 would instantly damage the world's climate system. These emissions trap the Sun's heat and disrupt Earth's fragile climate system , with potentially catastrophic effects a few decades from now. They had demanded a deadline and a target for cuts in the fossil-fuel gases that are warming Earth's atmosphere and disrupting its climate system. Britain is to study whether global warming can be curbed by "capturing" carbon dioxode from power stations and storing it underground in old oil and gas fields , ministers said Tuesday. Under the British plan , the captured gases would be pumped underground into spent oil and gas fields. The G8 on Friday declared climate change a "serious and long-term challenge ," pointed a finger of blame at fossil fuels and looked to smart technology and cooperation with big emerging economies to tackle the problem. "Climate change is a serious and long-term challenge that has the potential to affect every part of the globe ," the world's eight most powerful countries said in a declaration here at the end of their three-day summit. Less than a decade ago , the idea of capturing and storing the carbon gases blamed for driving the Earth towards climate-change peril was usually dismissed with a laugh. Less than a decade ago , the idea of capturing and storing the carbon gases blamed for driving the Earth towards climate-change peril was usually dismissed with a laugh. Schroeder and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are pressing Bush to join them in creating an ambitious aid program to help developing nations adopt new technologies that reduce emissions from coal power plants and save energy. Bush signed a pact with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Wednesday to help poorer countries adopt more energy-efficient technologies in power generation, transportation and industry. Capturing a major chunk of those emissions, and storing them deep below ground , could ease global warming problems , scientists say, while giving the world time to move away from fossil-fuel dependency. WASHINGTON -- With the world poised to generate huge volumes of carbon dioxide in the next 25 years, experts say the need to capture the planet-heating gas and store it in safe places is becoming urgent -- and increasingly feasible. The BP-led project would convert natural gas to hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases, then use the hydrogen gas as fuel for a 350 megawatt power station near Peterhead, northern Scotland, and export the carbon dioxide to a North Sea oil reservoir for increased oil recovery and ultimate storage. BP said the project, which would make use of a power station in northern Scotland and export the carbon dioxide to a North Sea oil reservoir , would require total capital investment of some US$600 million (euro497 million). US National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield warned that people in some areas still recovering from Hurricane Katrina should be watching Rita. Hurricane Rita strengthened to category two, packing winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) early Tuesday afternoon, the Miami-based National Weather Center announced. An evacuation order was issued Monday for Florida Keys as a tropical storm is moving quickly towards the southern US island chain. Hurricane Rita strengthened to category two, packing winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) early Tuesday afternoon, the Miami-based National Weather Center announced. Hurricane Rita strengthened to category two, packing winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) early Tuesday afternoon, the Miami-based National Weather Center announced. We've already evacuated two busloads of individuals," Nagin said as Rita barreled near southernmost Florida, heading west on a track that could take it close to the devastated Louisiana city. "This is definitely becoming a concern for the northwestern Gulf of Mexico," he said , noting that Rita could pose a threat to Texas and Louisiana within days. Emergency services began evacuating residents of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans once again Tuesday due to the threat posed by Hurricane Rita , Mayor Ray Nagin said. Hurricane Rita strengthened to category two, packing winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) early Tuesday afternoon, the Miami-based National Weather Center announced. The Texas coastal county of Galveston will order a mandatory evacuation on Wednesday in preparation for Hurricane Rita , the office of emergency management said Tuesday. Hurricane Rita brushed past Key West on Tuesday and was forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane later in the week , prompting residents and rescuers to begin evacuating this feeble city, as well as parts of Louisiana and Texas. The Miami-based National Weather Center said the hurricane strengthened Tuesday, packing winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph). More than 7,000 Hurricane Katrina survivors taking refuge in Texas shelters were being uprooted again Tuesday as Hurricane Rita threatened the state neighboring Louisiana , officials said. Hurricane Rita barreled near southern Florida islands and headed toward the Gulf of Mexico , threatening Texas and Louisiana with winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph). Nearly 97,000 Katrina survivors are being housed in shelters across the United States , according to figures released Tuesday. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco declared a state of emergency in western Louisiana on Tuesday and urged people to evacuate as strengthening Hurricane Rita headed toward the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters warned that once it hits the warm Gulf of Mexico waters , Rita could gain further strength and reach category three on the five-level Saffir-Simpson hurricane intensity scale. Authorities warned people who had not evacuated Key West and the rest of the Florida Keys to remain indoors and hunker down until the storm has passed. Rita is the 17th named storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season , which started June 1 and will end Nov. 30. Local schools have already closed and government offices will be closed Wednesday amid fears the hurricane could strike the region. The retrial of two top Tyco International executives accused of stealing $600 million (euro458 million) of company money to finance lifestyles of gaudy excess is set to begin next week. Defense attorneys are scheduled to give their opening statements Thursday. A judge refused to combine a retrial of larceny charges against former Tyco International Ltd. chief executive L. Dennis Kozlowski with a trial on charges that he failed to pay sales taxes on $13 million worth of art. If convicted of the current top charge, first-degree grand larceny, and the other more serious counts , the defendants each face up to 30 years in prison. Kozlowski and Swartz are accused of stealing $170 million (euro130 million ) by hiding unauthorized bonuses and secretly forgiving loans to themselves, and pocketing $430 million (euro329 million) more by pumping up Tyco stock with lies about the state of the company's finances. NEW YORK - Defense lawyers took a decidedly new approach in their opening arguments in the retrial of L. Dennis Kozlowski and Mark H. Swartz in state Supreme Court on Thursday , lashing out at the former directors of Tyco and attacking their credibility. A judge refused to combine a retrial of larceny charges against former Tyco International Ltd. chief executive L. Dennis Kozlowski with a trial on charges that he failed to pay sales taxes on $13 million worth of art. The retrial of two top Tyco International executives accused of stealing $600 million (euro458 million) of company money to finance lifestyles of gaudy excess is set to begin next week. Tyco , which has about 270,000 employees and $36 billion (euro27.5 billion) in annual revenue, makes a wide range of products including electronics, medical supplies and security devices. Jury selection began Tuesday for the second trial of two former top Tyco International Ltd. executives charged with looting the company of $600 million (euro459 million) to subsidize their lavish lifestyles. The tax indictment charges Kozlowski, 57, with conspiracy , falsifying business records and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors are saying the two men had illegally awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses and concealed them from the company's board and shareholders. Ebbers is charged with fraud and conspiracy in the WorldCom collapse , the largest bankruptcy in US history. In a 3 1/2-hour opening argument , assistant Manhattan district attorney Owen Heimer said L. Dennis Kozlowski and Mark Swartz earned almost $300 million in legitimate pay between 1999 and 2001, but took the additional money to finance sumptuous lifestyles that included purchases of lavish apartments and fancy artwork. But U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro on Thursday struck down a related claim that sought damages on behalf of Tyco stemming from allegations of fraud and corporate looting. "This case is the story of how two men -- the defendants in this case -- stole $150 million from a company named Tyco and that corporation's owners, its shareholders," said Owen Heimer, an assistant Manhattan district attorney, in his opening statement in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Legal experts say prosecutors should, and probably will, focus less on items like the $6,000 (euro4,580) gold-threaded shower curtain bought with company money and concentrate more on the alleged thefts. The company is based in Bermuda. Tyco , managed from West Windsor, New Jersey, is registered in Bermuda. In denying the prosecution's consolidation request on Monday , state Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus noted that the larceny trial, set to begin Jan. 18, includes Tyco's former chief financial officer Mark Swartz , 44. "World News Tonight" anchor Peter Jennings has lung cancer , ABC announced Tuesday, but plans to remain on the job throughout his treatment. Peter Jennings , the last of the three major anchors of his era who is still working on a nightly newscast, revealed Tuesday that he has lung cancer and that he will begin chemotherapy next week. Peter Jennings , the sole anchor of the ABC evening newscast for the past 22 years, announced Tuesday that he was suffering from lung cancer and had begun treatment. Peter Jennings revealed that he is suffering from lung cancer and plans to continue on "World News Tonight" as much as possible after beginning chemotherapy next week. Peter Jennings revealed that he is suffering from lung cancer and plans to continue on "World News Tonight" as much as possible after beginning chemotherapy next week. Peter Jennings , the last of the three long-dominant network anchors still on the job, said Tuesday he has been diagnosed with lung cancer. ABC News anchor Peter Jennings has been diagnosed with lung cancer , the network announced Tuesday, and will immediately begin a round of outpatient chemotherapy that is expected to keep him from the anchor desk at times in the coming months. The future of the iconic American anchorman was on the minds of many this week as the news that Peter Jennings had been diagnosed with lung cancer raised concerns that he wouldn't be able to continue as anchor at ABC News. The first message was posted just six minutes after the news broke April 5 that ABC anchor Peter Jennings had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The news that Peter Jennings will be absent from "World News Tonight" for an indeterminate period while he is being treated for lung cancer has, at least from a business perspective, had its most profound impact on Jennings' ultimate boss, David Westin, the president of ABC News. "World News Tonight" anchor Peter Jennings has lung cancer, ABC announced Tuesday, but plans to remain on the job throughout his treatment. He added that Jennings would undergo outpatient treatment in New York and would continue to work on the newscast "to the extent he can do so comfortably." Peter Jennings revealed that he is suffering from lung cancer and plans to continue on "World News Tonight" as much as possible after beginning chemotherapy next week. Jennings , 66, plans to begin chemotherapy and to continue to anchor ABC's ``World News Tonight' ' when he can, but specialists said the decision to forgo surgery suggests a more advanced form of cancer for which long-term survival rates are relatively low. Jennings , 66, plans to begin chemotherapy and to continue to anchor ABC's ``World News Tonight '' when he can , but specialists said the decision to forgo surgery suggests a more advanced form of cancer for which long-term survival rates are relatively low. "World News Tonight" anchor Peter Jennings has lung cancer, ABC announced Tuesday , but plans to remain on the job throughout his treatment. ABC News anchor Peter Jennings has been diagnosed with lung cancer, the network announced Tuesday , and will immediately begin a round of outpatient chemotherapy that is expected to keep him from the anchor desk at times in the coming months. Peter Jennings , the sole anchor of the ABC evening newscast for the past 22 years, announced Tuesday that he was suffering from lung cancer and had begun treatment. The 66-year-old anchorman had announced on April 6 that he was diagnosed with the disease and shortly thereafter began treatment. Jennings , ABC's chief anchorman since 1983, was replaced by Elizabeth Vargas on Tuesday but taped a message telling viewers about his diagnosis. Peter Jennings, in a statement read Friday night on ABC's ``World News Tonight ,'' shared with viewers his feelings about his battle with lung cancer and expressed gratitude for the support he has received from fans and friends. He and ABC News President David Westin sent e-mails to their newsroom colleagues about the diagnosis , which Jennings received Monday. The 66-year-old newsman , who smoked when he was younger, had been feeling ill during the last several days and was diagnosed Monday afternoon. By the end of the week , more than 3,400 e-mails offering him prayers and good wishes had filled the network's online message board -- many of them expressing an intensely personal sense of grief. By the end of the week, more than 3,400 e-mails offering him prayers and good wishes had filled the network's online message board -- many of them expressing an intensely personal sense of grief. Jennings decided late Tuesday not to anchor Tuesday night's program and was replaced by "20/20" coanchor Elizabeth Vargas. Jennings , ABC's chief anchorman since 1983, was replaced by Elizabeth Vargas on Tuesday but taped a message telling viewers about his diagnosis. He and ABC News President David Westin sent e-mails to their newsroom colleagues about the diagnosis , which Jennings received Monday. E-mail messages released Tuesday by Jennings and ABC News president David Westin stressed that Jennings, who is 66 and who has anchored ABC's "World News Tonight" since 1983, will continue to work during treatment , provided he feels well enough. Jennings was unable to anchor the ABC newscast on Tuesday night , though he had originally planned to. Jennings had planned to anchor Tuesday night's newscast , but decided an hour before airtime that his voice was too weak. - estimated speed: 250 knots (285 miles per hour/460 kilometers per hour) - flying altitude : 45,000 feet or 13,000 meters (typical altitude for commercial flights is 33,000 to 37,000 feet) The aircraft: - designed by Burt Rutan's California-based Scaled Composites, which recently won the 10 million dollar "X Prize" for sending a privately-designed three-person craft into space twice in two weeks. American adventurer Steve Fossett flew over Africa on Tuesday after battling a series of equipment problems in the early stages of his bid to make the first solo non-stop flight around the world without refueling. Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett has taken off on his attempt to become the first person to complete a solo trip around the world in an airplane without making a single stop. American adventurer Steve Fossett likes to joke that his attempt to fly around the world without stopping or refueling has no "practical" purpose. American adventurer Steve Fossett flew over Africa on Tuesday after battling a series of equipment problems in the early stages of his bid to make the first solo non-stop flight around the world without refueling. Fossett crossed the Atlantic and was over Africa on Tuesday. It was a dangerous moment and an enormous relief when it got off the ground and left Salina," said British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, whose Virgin Atlantic Airways is funding the daring venture. US adventurer Steve Fossett was approaching the coast of Pakistan late Tuesday after overcoming a navigation equipment problem that threatened to derail his historic bid to make the first non-stop flight around the world without refueling. US adventurer Steve Fossett was approaching the coast of Pakistan late Tuesday after overcoming a navigation equipment problem that threatened to derail his historic bid to make the first non-stop flight around the world without refueling. Fossett , who took off from here in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer on Monday for a flight expected to last between 60 and 80 hours, said he had to deal with a number of "dramas" during takeoff but the flight was going well overall. It was his sixth attempt. Fossett , who took off from here in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer on Monday for a flight expected to last between 60 and 80 hours , said he had to deal with a number of "dramas," particularly during takeoff, but the flight was going well overall. He said the takeoff of the GlobalFlyer , which is essentially a flying gas tank -- 83 percent of the total weight is fuel -- had been difficult. "This was my sole source of navigation so this was very serious," he said , adding that the GPS had not functioned for about half of his flight over Canada. The three-day journey will test Fossetts endurance and his abilities as a pilot. Virgin Atlantic Airways of Sir Richard Branson is funding the GlobalFlyer and the British entrepreneur is in Salina monitoring the flight. American adventurer Steve Fossett flew over the Middle East on Tuesday after overcoming a navigation equipment problem that threatened to derail his historic bid to make the first non-stop flight around the world without refueling. American adventurer Steve Fossett flew over the Middle East on Tuesday after overcoming a navigation equipment problem that threatened to derail his historic bid to make the first non-stop flight around the world without refueling. After weeks of rumors and speculation, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs told software engineers at the company's annual developer conference that Intel microprocessors would power Macintosh computers beginning next year , with Intel inside all Apple computers by 2007. Starting next year , future Macs will use Intel Corp. processors , the same kinds of chips found in millions of PCs running software from Apple's archrival Microsoft Corp. Apple plans to have its first Intel-based computers available a year from now, and its entire line of desktop and notebook computers are to feature Intel chips by 2007. Starting next year, future Macs will use Intel Corp. processors, the same kinds of chips found in millions of PCs running software from Apple's archrival Microsoft Corp. Apple plans to have its first Intel-based computers available a year from now , and its entire line of desktop and notebook computers are to feature Intel chips by 2007. Starting next year, future Macs will use Intel Corp. processors, the same kinds of chips found in millions of PCs running software from Apple's archrival Microsoft Corp. Apple plans to have its first Intel-based computers available a year from now, and its entire line of desktop and notebook computers are to feature Intel chips by 2007. Apple announced on Monday plans to deliver models of its Macintosh computers using Intel microprocessors in 2006 and to convert all of its Macs to use Intel microprocessors by the end of 2007. Apple Computer Inc. began a historic transition Monday: The Cupertino, Calif., firm plans to switch to Intel Corp. microprocessors for its Macintosh lineup starting next year. Under the alliance with the world's biggest chip maker , all Apple Macs will be equipped to handle Intel rather than IBM processors by the end of 2007. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to announce Monday morning at the company's software developers conference in San Francisco that Apple will discontinue using microprocessor chips made by IBM in favor of Intel chips , according to CNET Networks Inc.'s News.com and The Wall Street Journal. Apple Computer is expected to announce Monday that it will begin using Intel chips in its Macintosh machines next year , ending a 14-year alliance with IBM and its processors, according to US media reports. Monday's announcement that Apple Computer Inc. will use Intel Corp. chips in its PCs made the Mac faithful think : different. Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel, hailed Apple 's decision to adopt Intel chips , saying his company is "thrilled to have the world's most innovative personal computer company as a customer." Apple Computer , for years a niche operator, took another step toward the market mainstream Monday by abandoning IBM chips in favour of Intel ones to power its trendy Macintosh machines. In a risky move that could further shrink its minuscule slice of the PC market, Apple Computer Inc. announced plans Monday to switch its Macintosh computers to the same Intel Corp. chips used in systems that run Microsoft Windows. While Apple Computer Inc.'s new embrace of Intel Corp. microprocessors leaves IBM in the cold , the news really isn't bad for Big Blue, which may have found the Apple account more trouble than it was worth. Apple's intention to shift to Intel chips beginning in 2006 was reported Friday by CNET News.com, a technology news service. Apple announced on Monday plans to deliver models of its Macintosh computers using Intel microprocessors in 2006 and to convert all of its Macs to use Intel microprocessors by the end of 2007. Some Macs with Intel inside are scheduled to be released in June 2006 , with most of the lineup to be converted by June 2007. Jobs said Apple will begin offering Macs with Intel processors by June 2006 and will switch its entire product line by the end of 2007. Jobs said Apple will begin offering Macs with Intel processors by June 2006 and will switch its entire product line by the end of 2007. Jobs is expected to announce the transition to Intel chips at Apple's annual developer conference , which will begin here Monday. Jobs is expected to announce the transition to Intel chips at Apple's annual developer conference, which will begin here Monday. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to announce Monday morning at the company's software developers conference in San Francisco that Apple will discontinue using microprocessor chips made by IBM in favor of Intel chips, according to CNET Networks Inc.'s News.com and The Wall Street Journal. Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs is set to announce the switch Monday at Apple's annual developer's conference in San Francisco , the reports said. Apple Computer is expected to announce Monday that it will begin using Intel chips in its Macintosh machines next year, ending a 14-year alliance with IBM and its processors , according to US media reports. Apple Computer Inc. Monday dumped IBM Corp. as the supplier of processor chips for its Macintosh computers. Apple Computer , for years a niche operator, took another step toward the market mainstream Monday by abandoning IBM chips in favour of Intel ones to power its trendy Macintosh machines. After weeks of rumors and speculation , Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs told software engineers at the company's annual developer conference that Intel microprocessors would power Macintosh computers beginning next year, with Intel inside all Apple computers by 2007. The deal, revealed at Apple's annual San Francisco conference for software developers , had been widely rumored in recent weeks. Ending weeks of speculation , Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs confirmed plans to dump its current lineup of PowerPC chips , which Apple has long touted as superior to Intel chips. Apple previewed a version of its operating system, Mac OS X Tiger, running on an Intel-based Mac to the over 3,800 developers attending its Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco. Chief executive Steve Jobs told 3,800 software developers attending an annual Apple conference here that new Macs will come with Intel microprocessors "by this time next year". Chief executive Steve Jobs told 3,800 software developers attending an annual Apple conference here that new Macs will come with Intel microprocessors "by this time next year ". Apple previewed a version of its operating system, Mac OS X Tiger, running on an Intel-based Mac to the over 3,800 developers attending its Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco. Apple announced the availability of a Developer Transition Kit, consisting of an Intel-based Mac development system along with preview versions of Apple's software , which will allow developers to prepare versions of their applications which will run on both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs. Apple announced the availability of a Developer Transition Kit, consisting of an Intel-based Mac development system along with preview versions of Apple's software, which will allow developers to prepare versions of their applications which will run on both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs. "It's been 10 years since our transition to the PowerPC, and we think Intel's technology will help us create the best personal computers for the next 10 years ," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "It 's been 10 years since our transition to the (IBM) PowerPC, and we think Intel's technology will help us create the best personal computers for the next 10 years ," he said. "It's been ten years since our transition to the PowerPC, and we think Intel's technology will help us create the best personal computers for the next ten years. " Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel , hailed Apple's decision to adopt Intel chips, saying his company is "thrilled to have the world's most innovative personal computer company as a customer. " "We're so happy the world's most innovative computer company and the world's most innovative chip company have finally teamed up," Otellini told the crowd at San Francisco's Moscone Center West. "We are thrilled to have the world's most innovative personal computer company as a customer ," said Intel chief executive Paul Otellini, who was introduced to the conference here by an exuberant Jobs. Merck announced a global withdrawal Thursday of Vioxx , a blockbuster arthritis drug, after a study showed it increased the risk of strokes and heart attacks. The European Medicines Agency is to review all drugs in the same class as Vioxx after US pharmaceutical giant Merck withdrew the arthritis drug , a spokesman for the agency said Friday. Last week's decision by Merck to halt sales of Vioxx , its blockbuster painkiller, could lead to an onslaught of new lawsuits against the company. The pharmaceutical group decided on September 30 to pull its anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx off the shelves after three years of clinical studies showed that there was an increased risk of stroke or heart attack after 18 months of treatment. Net income plunged 29 percent for pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. in the third quarter due to costs for withdrawing its arthritis drug Vioxx from the market , and the company on Thursday said hundreds of lawsuits have been filed related to the drug. Merck , one of the world's top five drug makers, pulled the arthritis and acute pain drug from the market worldwide on Sept. 30, saying it was acting in patients' best interest. A study sponsored by the US Food and Drug Administration estimates that Merck painkiller Vioxx , withdrawn from the market in September , could have caused 27,785 heart attacks or deaths since it was approved in 1999. Even before Merck pulled Vioxx from the market on Sept. 30 , citing what it said was new evidence that the drug increased the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other serious ailments, hundreds of patients had filed lawsuits around the country. Merck announced a global withdrawal Thursday of Vioxx, a blockbuster arthritis drug, after a study showed it increased the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Merck & Co. removed Vioxx from use Thursday after new study results showed increased risk of heart attacks and stroke in people who used it for longer than 18 months. The pharmaceutical group decided on September 30 to pull its anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx off the shelves after three years of clinical studies showed that there was an increased risk of stroke or heart attack after 18 months of treatment. That's despite the fact that the company did not announce until the final day of the third quarter that it was withdrawing Vioxx, a popular treatment for arthritis and acute pain, because a study found it increased risk of heart attack and stroke. A rash of lawsuits also now plagues the firm because of the global Vioxx withdrawal on September 30, prompted by a study showing it increased the risk for strokes and heart attacks. Merck pulled the 2.5 billion dollar-a-year-seller Vioxx off the market on September 30 when an internal study found it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke after 18 months of continuous use. The study concluded that Vioxx , known under the chemical name rofecoxib, "increases the risk of serious coronary heart disease defined as acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death," the FDA study concluded. Hundreds of lawsuits had been filed against Merck , which is based in Whitehouse Station, N.J., long before last week's recall decision. Net income plunged 29 percent for pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. in the third quarter due to costs for withdrawing its arthritis drug Vioxx from the market, and the company on Thursday said hundreds of lawsuits have been filed related to the drug. Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Merck over Vioxx and one analyst believes it could cost the company up to $12 billion. Even before Merck pulled Vioxx from the market on Sept. 30, citing what it said was new evidence that the drug increased the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other serious ailments, hundreds of patients had filed lawsuits around the country. Even before Merck pulled Vioxx from the market on Sept. 30, citing what it said was new evidence that the drug increased the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other serious ailments, hundreds of patients had filed lawsuits around the country. The European Medicines Agency is to review all drugs in the same class as Vioxx after US pharmaceutical giant Merck withdrew the arthritis drug, a spokesman for the agency said Friday. The European Medicines Agency carried out a review of the drug class which includes Vioxx -- known as COX-2 inhibitors -- at the request of French authorities, but concluded in November 2003 that the products did not need to be withdrawn from the market. On Wednesday , the European Medicines Agency in London announced it would review all drugs of this type. The pharmaceutical firm Merck faces a new class-action lawsuit in Canada, filed on behalf of two people who suffered heart attacks after taking the company's pain medication Vioxx, which was taken off the market worldwide because of such risks , plaintiffs' lawyers said Friday. A study sponsored by the US Food and Drug Administration estimates that Merck painkiller Vioxx, withdrawn from the market in September, could have caused 27,785 heart attacks or deaths since it was approved in 1999. A study sponsored by the US Food and Drug Administration estimates that Merck painkiller Vioxx , withdrawn from the market in September, could have caused 27,785 heart attacks or deaths since it was approved in 1999. The pharmaceutical firm Merck faces a new class-action lawsuit in Canada , filed on behalf of two people who suffered heart attacks after taking the company's pain medication Vioxx, which was taken off the market worldwide because of such risks, plaintiffs' lawyers said Friday. In addition to the personal injury suits, a number of purported class action suits had been filed by shareholders and by former employees with company retirement plans, alleging Merck and some current or former officials had made false and misleading statements about Vioxx. A study sponsored by the US Food and Drug Administration estimates that Merck painkiller Vioxx, withdrawn from the market in September, could have caused 27,785 heart attacks or deaths since it was approved in 1999. The study concluded that Vioxx, known under the chemical name rofecoxib, "increases the risk of serious coronary heart disease defined as acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death," the FDA study concluded. The lawsuit says that Strong's client suffered ministrokes and a number of heart problems from taking Vioxx. The pharmaceutical firm Merck faces a new class-action lawsuit in Canada, filed on behalf of two people who suffered heart attacks after taking the company's pain medication Vioxx , which was taken off the market worldwide because of such risks, plaintiffs' lawyers said Friday. Last week , a consumer group in Quebec filed suit against Merck , charging that it kept Vioxx on the market despite the risks. Last week, a consumer group in Quebec filed suit against Merck, charging that it kept Vioxx on the market despite the risks. Merck had argued that a comparison between Vioxx and a generic anti-inflammatory drug called naproxen was misleading because the latter could help protect against heart attacks or strokes. Merck had argued that a comparison between Vioxx and a generic anti-inflammatory drug called naproxen was misleading because the latter could help protect against heart attacks or strokes. The Real ID Act , which restricts illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses and tightens asylum laws , is expected to be approved or rejected by House and Senate negotiators Thursday. A bill that would enact hotly contested immigration rules, including one that would bar illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses , is marching toward approval with the backing of the White House. The measure, which restricts illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses and tightens U.S. asylum laws , was approved by House and Senate negotiators Tuesday. The rules are aimed at stopping illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses to prevent them from boarding planes or entering protected federal buildings. The 9/11 Commission Report called for a secure, standardized national identification system as a way to reduce the threat of terrorism and improve homeland security. Creating a nationwide secure system of identification is an important national security issue. Creating a nationwide secure system of identification is an important national security issue. The law , some say, would effectively turn the new driver's license into a national identification card. The law, some say , would effectively turn the new driver's license into a national identification card. This would essentially create a national ID card , an idea that should be thoroughly debated on its own, not slipped through a back door. The bill is urgently needed to fund military operations and rebuilding efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as tsunami relief efforts in Asia. The bill is urgently needed to fund military operations and rebuilding efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as tsunami relief efforts in Asia. The House had included the rules and other the immigration provisions in its version of the bill paying for the U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also is pushing a temporary guest worker program to make it easier for illegal immigrants to work in the United States and is working hard to improve U.S.-Mexico relations. Such changes are being drafted by several senators and are expected to include a proposed guest worker program that would allow immigrants already in the United States to work legally. Such changes are being drafted by several senators and are expected to include a proposed guest worker program that would allow immigrants already in the United States to work legally. Calvo said that language currently in the bill would require states to verify the authenticity of each identification document -- including birth certificates and utility bills, with the original sources. Calvo said that language currently in the bill would require states to verify the authenticity of each identification document -- including birth certificates and utility bills , with the original sources. Calvo said that language currently in the bill would require states to verify the authenticity of each identification document -- including birth certificates and utility bills, with the original sources. State legislators and governors say that the Real ID Act would lead to horrific delays at motor vehicle bureaus, that it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than Congress thinks, and that it would impose an unrealistic three-year deadline for having the verification system in place. State legislators and governors say that the Real ID Act would lead to horrific delays at motor vehicle bureaus, that it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than Congress thinks, and that it would impose an unrealistic three-year deadline for having the verification system in place. This would require states , within three years , to upgrade 3,000 departments of motor vehicle offices, train workers, and add employees to handle all the extra phone calls to utility companies, immigration offices, and 30,000 vital records offices, some of which are small and don't have any full time employees, he said. WASHINGTON - Congress is poised to pass a law that would make sweeping changes to the nation's system for issuing driver's licenses by imposing stringent requirements on states to verify the authenticity of birth certificates, Social Security cards, legal residency visas, and bank and utility records used to obtain a license. WASHINGTON - Congress is poised to pass a law that would make sweeping changes to the nation's system for issuing driver's licenses by imposing stringent requirements on states to verify the authenticity of birth certificates, Social Security cards, legal residency visas, and bank and utility records used to obtain a license. The Real ID Act , which restricts illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses and tightens asylum laws, is expected to be approved or rejected by House and Senate negotiators Thursday. The Real ID Act , which restricts illegal immigrants from getting driver's licenses and tightens asylum laws, is expected to be approved or rejected by House and Senate negotiators Thursday. Last month , House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner succeeded in attaching his Real ID Act to a must-pass Iraq appropriations bill. The Real ID Act was added to the spending bill in the House in an effort spearheaded by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. With key elements of the Patriot Act set to expire at the end of 2005 , President Bush has urged Congress to renew the law as a valuable weapon in tracking terrorists. A number of measures in the act that expand the government's ability to conduct secret surveillance and use other law enforcement powers will expire at the end of the year unless Congress extends them. He noted that many key elements of the law are set to expire at the end of the year and said Congress must act quickly to renew it. Fran Townsend said White House support for extending the entire USA Patriot Act , which expires at the end of the year , is "unequivocal." Long wary of the act's enhanced police powers, the conservatives announced they had formed the organization Patriots for Checks and Balances with the liberal American Civil Liberties Union in time for hearings in the Republican-controlled Congress next month on whether it should renew 16 Patriot Act provisions that expire at year's end. Key provisions of the bill are scheduled to expire Dec. 31 , so Congress must deal with the issue this year. With key elements of the Patriot Act set to expire at the end of 2005, President Bush has urged Congress to renew the law as a valuable weapon in tracking terrorists. Bush's renewed call for an extension met with skepticism from the American Civil Liberties Union, which called on "cooler heads" in Congress to scrutinize and fine-tune the law to meet civil liberties concerns. President George W. Bush on Monday urged Congress to reauthorize the USA Patriot Act , the Justice Department's widely criticized anti-terrorism law. President Bush and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have called for renewal of the Patriot Act , the government's post-Sept. 11, 2001, law that expanded its surveillance and prosecutorial powers against suspected terrorists, their associates and financiers. The Patriot Act , passed by Congress a few weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 , terror attacks, gave federal law enforcement officials broader powers of surveillance and prosecution against suspected terrorists, their financiers and their sympathizers. That law, which was passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks , gives the government broad surveillance and law enforcement powers in terror cases. Bush and new Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have said in recent speeches that one of their priorities this year is to win congressional renewal of all expiring sections of the controversial anti-terrorism law, enacted just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. Washington -- An unusual left-right coalition opened a campaign Tuesday to sharply curtail controversial provisions of the USA Patriot Act, showing that Congress and President Bush face a pointed debate over renewing the law enacted just 45 days after the Sept. 11, 2001 , terrorist attacks. President Bush on Monday urged the nation to stay the course in its "urgent mission" to fight terrorism, and he called on Congress to move quickly to extend sweeping law enforcement powers under the USA Patriot Act. "To protect the American people, Congress must promptly renew all provisions of the Patriot Act this year. " He noted that many key elements of the law are set to expire at the end of the year and said Congress must act quickly to renew it. He noted that many key elements of the law are set to expire at the end of the year and said Congress must act quickly to renew it. Long wary of the act's enhanced police powers, the conservatives announced they had formed the organization Patriots for Checks and Balances with the liberal American Civil Liberties Union in time for hearings in the Republican-controlled Congress next month on whether it should renew 16 Patriot Act provisions that expire at year's end. Barr, leader of the new group dubbed Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances , concedes that the group faces a difficult fight in making changes to the 4-year-old law. The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Conservative Union, Americans for Tax Reform and the Free Congress Foundation are among several groups that formed a coalition _ Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances _ to lobby Congress to repeal three key provisions of the USA Patriot Act. The Patriot Act , passed by Congress a few weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, gave federal law enforcement officials broader powers of surveillance and prosecution against suspected terrorists, their financiers and their sympathizers. The Patriot Act , passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, bolstered FBI surveillance and law-enforcement powers in terror cases , increased use of material witness warrants to hold suspects incommunicado for months, and allowed secret proceedings in immigration cases. That law , which was passed in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, gives the government broad surveillance and law enforcement powers in terror cases. In his speech to the bar association, Comey defended two aspects of the Patriot Act that he said have come under unfair attack: a provision that allows authorities to conduct so-called "sneak and peek" searches without immediately notifying the target; and a separate section allowing them to demand business records on terror and espionage suspects from bookstores, libraries and other institutions. Critics says among the law's more controversial powers is the FBI's ability to obtain library and bookstore records in terrorism cases, and so -called "sneak and peek" search warrants in which agents need not immediately tell suspects their home or business had been searched. The coalition wants Congress to repeal or let expire prosecutors' Patriot Act ability to easily obtain records in terrorism-related cases from businesses and other entities, including libraries; the provision that allows "sneak and peek" searches conducted without a property owner's or resident's knowledge and with warrants delivered afterward ; and what they called an overbroad definition of "terrorists" that could include non-terrorism suspects. The Senate and House Judiciary Committees plan Patriot Act hearings starting later in the spring. Lawmakers set a 2006 expiration date on many of the wiretapping and surveillance measures, and will begin holding hearings starting in April on whether they should be renewed. Lawmakers set a 2006 expiration date on many of the wiretapping and surveillance measures, and will begin holding hearings starting in April on whether they should be renewed. Civil liberties groups and privacy advocates have lambasted the Patriot Act because they believe it undermines freedom. Civil liberties groups and privacy advocates have lambasted the Patriot Act because they believe it undermines freedom. Administration officials have said the Patriot Act has kept America safe, but opponents have called the law intrusive and contend that it undermines civil liberties and threatens to let the government snoop into the lives of innocent Americans. Conservative libertarians launched a campaign Tuesday to persuade President Bush and Congress to fix the sections of the anti-terrorism Patriot Act that they say intrude on privacy and harm civil liberties. Conservative libertarians launched a campaign Tuesday to persuade President Bush and Congress to fix the sections of the anti-terrorism Patriot Act that they say intrude on privacy and harm civil liberties. A son of late acting legend Marlon Brando was implicated in an alleged plot by Michael Jackson to kidnap the boy who accused him of child molestation, a court heard Friday. Jackson , freed on a 3-million-dollar bail , is scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 31 on a 10-count indictment that charges him with child molestation and conspiracy to kidnap. Jackson and attorney Mark Geragos sued XtraJet Inc. in November, alleging they were videotaped without their knowledge on a flight to Santa Barbara so Jackson could surrender on the charges. "The DNA swab was done on Saturday in Michael's house at the ranch ," the source said. State Attorney General Bill Lockyer called the request "baseless" and said it was premised on "conjecture and unfounded speculation. " Jackson, 45, has pleaded not guilty to a 10-count indictment that included charges of child molestation. Count one on the 10-count criminal indictment alleges that Jackson and co-conspirators planned to abduct a child, to falsely imprison someone and to extort someone. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Marc Schaffel, who is seeking 3 million US dollars for unpaid loans, cash advances and producing fees. Trial is set for Jan. 31. The "King of Pop " was arrested last November and the scheduled start of his trial is January 31. A 26-year-old Canadian man has pleaded guilty to emailing a death threat to pop superstar Michael Jackson, police said Tuesday. Investigators took DNA from pop star Michael Jackson's mouth Saturday , a day after raiding his Neverland Ranch to prepare for his trial on child molestation charges, a family source said Sunday. A son of late acting legend Marlon Brando was implicated in an alleged plot by Michael Jackson to kidnap the boy who accused him of child molestation , a court heard Friday. A judge Thursday agreed to postpone the trial date for a lawsuit brought by Michael Jackson and his former lawyer over the alleged secret recording of them on a charter jet as the singer flew to be booked on child molestation charges. Michael Jackson's feud with Eminem spilled on to the streets of New York on Thursday as the self-styled King of Pop's fans listened to their hero slam the rapper during a protest over a music video depicting a Jackson look-alike in a bed with children. They contained messages from Bigley's family and from prominent British Muslims, including Yusuf Islam, the singer once known as Cat Stevens. Puzzled and angry at being barred from the United States, Yusuf Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens , returned to London vowing to find out why. Ask Loeffler and his bandmates/siblings Sam and Pete to list the music that influenced the band's sound, and they'll list Helmet, Tool, Sinead O'Connor and Yusuf Islam -- the artist once known as Cat Stevens and most recently in the news as being on the United State's no-fly list for alleged ties to terrorism, an accusation the artist vehemently denies. The singer once known as Cat Stevens , now a peace activist whose name was on a U.S. list of people suspected of having terrorist links, will receive a peace prize from a foundation headed by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, organizers said Monday. A similar incident involving British singer Yusuf Islam , formerly known as Cat Stevens , occurred in September, when his Washington-bound flight from London was diverted to Bangor. He was joined at the event by British music stars Annie Lennox, Brian May from the group Queen, Peter Gabriel and Yusuf Islam , formerly known as Cat Stevens. Islam's United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport was diverted to Maine's Bangor International Airport when U.S. officials reviewing the passenger list discovered he was aboard. A similar incident involving British singer and peace activist Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, occurred in September, when his Washington-bound flight from London was diverted to Bangor. The flight was diverted to Bangor , in the northeastern state of Maine, late Saturday, said Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Yolanda Clark. A similar incident involving British singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, occurred in September, when his Washington-bound flight from London was diverted to Bangor. US authorities asked that the Boeing 777 carrying 263 people be diverted to Bangor, in the northeastern state of Maine, late Saturday after discovering that a passenger was on the list of people deemed a security risk. "I request you, in the name of Allah ... to release the British citizen Ken Bigley for the good name of our religion and according to the sayings of Allah in the Glorious Quran," said Islam , who was taken off a Washington-bound plane last month and expelled from the United States after his name turned up on a list of people suspected of having terrorist links. "Yusuf Islam has been placed on the watch lists because of activities that could potentially be related to terrorism," Doyle said. The singer once known as Cat Stevens, now a peace activist whose name was on a U.S. list of people suspected of having terrorist links , will receive a peace prize from a foundation headed by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, organizers said Monday. The government ordered U.S. airlines Friday to turn over personal information about passengers so it can test a system for identifying potential terrorists. The government ordered U.S. airlines Friday to turn over personal information about passengers so it can test a system for identifying potential terrorists. The TSA order gives 72 airlines until Nov. 23 to turn over computerized data for passengers who traveled on domestic flights during June. Cat Stevens , who abandoned his music career when he converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam 30 years ago , is making a surprise comeback with a single that could top the charts at Christmas. The singer , now named Yusuf Islam , is expected to attend the ceremony on Rome's Capitoline Hill on Wednesday, said Enzo Cursio, a spokesman for the Gorbachev Foundation. Under the system, called "Secure Flight," the Transportation Security Administration will compare passenger data with names on two government watch lists: a "no-fly" list comprises known or suspected terrorists , and a "watch" list names people who should face tighter scrutiny before boarding planes. US authorities diverted a Washington-bound Air France flight after discovering that a passenger was part of a "no-fly" list of people deemed a security risk , a US security official said Sunday. Islam was deported from the United States last month after being denied entry on "security grounds " and was released without charge. In September , the British musician was expelled from the United States after authorities diverted his London-to-Washington flight to Maine to remove him , saying he was suspected of ties to terrorism. The Islamic militants claiming responsibility for Bigley's abduction have demanded the release of female Iraqi prisoners. The Islamic militants claiming responsibility for Bigley's abduction have demanded the release of female Iraqi prisoners. A similar incident involving British singer and peace activist Yusuf Islam , formerly known as Cat Stevens, occurred in September , when his Washington-bound flight from London was diverted to Bangor. A similar incident involving British singer Yusuf Islam , formerly known as Cat Stevens, occurred in September , when his Washington-bound flight from London was diverted to Bangor. The singer , who gave up his successful pop career in the late 1970s and converted to Islam , was deported back to Britain after being denied entry into the United States on "security grounds." The singer , who gave up his successful pop career in the late 1970s and converted to Islam , was deported back to Britain after being denied entry into the United States on security concerns. Charles dated Camilla many years before he married Diana in 1981. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, on Thursday welcomed the news that Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles are to marry. Charles was previously married to Princess Diana , who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday congratulated Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles after the heir to the throne announced he will marry his long-time partner. In a surprise announcement , Britain's heir to the throne , Prince Charles, declared on Thursday that he will marry his lover, Camilla Parker Bowles , in a spring ceremony at Windsor Castle. Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday congratulated Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles after the heir to the throne announced he will marry his long-time partner. "I am pleased that Prince Charles and Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles have decided to take this important step ," said the archbishop, who is the spiritual leader of the Anglican communion. "These arrangements have my strong support and are consistent with Church of England guidelines concerning remarriage which the Prince of Wales fully accepts as a committed Anglican and as prospective Supreme Governor of the Church of England ," Williams said. ``The duke of Edinburgh and I are very happy that the prince of Wales and Mrs. Parker Bowles are to marry. Parker Bowles will never become Queen Camilla, nor will she take over the title of princess of Wales that was bestowed on her predecessor, Diana, whose marriage to Charles ended in divorce, partly over her. Parker Bowles will never become Queen Camilla, nor will she take over the title of princess of Wales that was bestowed on her predecessor, Diana, whose marriage to Charles ended in divorce, partly over her. Charles and Camilla are both divorcees. It will be the first time in the history of the English monarchy that such a title has been used, according to Vernon Bogdanor, professor of politics at Oxford University, and the first time an English king's wife has not been queen. Charles was previously married to Princess Diana , who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Parker Bowles will never become Queen Camilla, nor will she take over the title of princess of Wales that was bestowed on her predecessor , Diana, whose marriage to Charles ended in divorce, partly over her. She was divorced from Charles when she died. (Queen Victoria did have Albert as Prince Consort. ) Charles was previously married to Princess Diana , who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," Diana said in a 1995 TV interview. "There will subsequently be a service of prayer and dedication in St. George's Chapel at which the Archbishop of Canterbury will preside." Her emphatic belief that women should have equal rights -- but not at the expense of alienating men -- distinguished her from many feminist leaders who emerged later. She said Friedan had been in failing health for some time. Betty Friedan , the feminist crusader and author whose searing first book, "The Feminine Mystique," ignited the contemporary women's movement in 1963 and in so doing permanently transformed the social fabric of the United States and countries around the world, died Saturday, her 85th birthday, at her home in Washington. Betty Friedan , the writer, thinker and activist who almost single-handedly revived feminism with her 1963 book ``The Feminine Mystique,'' died of congestive heart failure Saturday, her 85th birthday, at her home in Washington. Betty Friedan, the visionary, combative feminist who launched a social revolution with her provocative 1963 book , ``The Feminine Mystique,'' died Saturday, which was her 85th birthday. The Feminine Mystique " jump-started the women's movement more than 40 years ago with its expose on the discontent among American women over the tyranny of domesticity. Betty Friedan, the writer, thinker and activist who almost single-handedly revived feminism with her 1963 book ``The Feminine Mystique,'' died of congestive heart failure Saturday , her 85th birthday, at her home in Washington. Betty Friedan, the visionary, combative feminist who launched a social revolution with her provocative 1963 book, ``The Feminine Mystique,'' died Saturday , which was her 85th birthday. Betty Friedan , the feminist crusader and author whose searing first book, "The Feminine Mystique," ignited the contemporary women's movement in 1963 and in so doing permanently transformed the social fabric of the United States and countries around the world, died Saturday , her 85th birthday, at her home in Washington. Last month , Adelphia Communications became the first American cable company to offer its subscribers triple-X-rated pornography. Betty Friedan , the visionary, combative feminist who launched a social revolution with her provocative 1963 book, ``The Feminine Mystique,'' died Saturday , which was her 85th birthday. Then, at 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT), the cardinals are scheduled to gather in the Vatican palace and process into the Sistine Chapel, where they are to swear an oath, pledging secrecy, and to hear a meditation delivered by a retired cardinal, Tomas Spidlik. There, seated atop a false floor hiding electronic jamming devices designed to thwart eavesdroppers, they were to take an oath of secrecy , hear a meditation from a senior cardinal and decide whether to take a first vote or wait until Tuesday. Led by Ratzinger, the cardinals pledged ``secrecy regarding everything that in any way relates to the election of the Roman Pontiff and regarding what occurs in the place of the election....'' They swore ``not to break this secret in any way , either during or after the election of the new Pontiff, unless explicit authorization is granted by the same Pontiff,'' and they promised to resist any intervention by ``secular authorities'' or anyone else in the election of the pope. The first vote came more than two hours after the cardinals had locked themselves inside the Sistine Chapel following a solemn oath-taking in which they pledged to maintain the conclave's traditional secrecy. They were to take an oath of secrecy and hear a meditation before deciding whether to take their first vote or wait until Tuesday. In a particular way, we promise and swear to observe with the greatest fidelity and with all persons, clerical or lay, secrecy regarding everything that in any way relates to the election of the Roman Pontiff and regarding what occurs in the place of the election, directly or indirectly related to the results of the voting; we promise and swear not to break this secret in any way , either during or after the election of the new Pontiff, unless explicit authorization is granted by the same Pontiff; and never to lend support or favour to any interference, opposition or any other form of intervention, whereby secular authorities of whatever order and degree or any group of people or individuals might wish to intervene in the election of the Roman Pontiff." Then , at 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT), the cardinals are scheduled to gather in the Vatican palace and process into the Sistine Chapel , where they are to swear an oath, pledging secrecy, and to hear a meditation delivered by a retired cardinal, Tomas Spidlik. In solemn procession , walking slowly in pairs, they proceeded into the chapel as a choir chanted the Litany of Saints , passing between a pair of Swiss guards in full regalia. Cardinals from around the globe began their secret conclave to elect a new pope Monday, filing into the Sistine Chapel in a solemn procession hours after the putative front-runner to succeed Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, inveighed against ideological fashions and urged his fellow cardinals to hold fast to church doctrine. Cardinals from six continents made their solemn procession to the Sistine Chapel on Monday to convene the new millennium's first conclave _ a secret and sacred gathering to elect a pope who will guide the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics into a new era. Clad in crimson vestments and caps, the 115 voting "princes" of a church stung by priest sex-abuse scandals and an exodus of the faithful walked slowly from the Apostolic Palace to sequester themselves inside the chapel decorated with frescoes by Michelangelo. And the 115 cardinal-electors - those under age 80 - Sunday left apartments and hotels and seminaries around Rome and moved into the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the $20 million residence where they will stay while participating in the conclave that begins Monday. In a historic gathering steeped in intrigue, cardinals from six continents on Monday open their first conclave of the new millennium to elect a pope who will inherit John Paul II's mantle and guide the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics into a new era. Cardinals from around the globe began their secret conclave to elect a new pope Monday , filing into the Sistine Chapel in a solemn procession hours after the putative front-runner to succeed Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, inveighed against ideological fashions and urged his fellow cardinals to hold fast to church doctrine. Cardinals from around the globe began their secret conclave to elect a new pope Monday and later cast their first ballots, failing to reach agreement on a successor to Pope John Paul II. Cardinals from around the globe began their secret conclave to elect a new pope Monday, filing into the Sistine Chapel in a solemn procession hours after the putative front-runner to succeed Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, inveighed against ideological fashions and urged his fellow cardinals to hold fast to church doctrine. Earlier, the putative front-runner to succeed John Paul, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, inveighed against ideological fashions and urged his fellow cardinals to hold fast to church doctrine. Several European cardinals are known to be sympathetic to Opus Dei, among them Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Italian prelate who runs the Diocese of Rome on behalf of the pope, and a contender to succeed John Paul. Black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel Monday evening as cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church signaled that they had voted inconclusively in their first attempt to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II. Soon , however, the smoke turned decisively black as it wafted from a stovepipe chimney , blowing in the winds at dusk. Shortly after 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. EDT), black smoke emerged from a metal chimney atop the tile roof of the Sistine Chapel -- the traditional signal that the cardinals have voted but that no new pope has been elected. "The new pope has already been chosen by the Lord. For a few moments, the first wisps of smoke looked white to the many spectators drawn to St. Peter's Square in the Vatican and hopes rose that a pope had already been chosen. The smoke momentarily appeared white -- the sign that a pope has been chosen -- and a crowd in St. Peter's Square burst into applause. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists were expected to converge on St. Peter's Square to watch the chapel chimney for the white smoke that ultimately will tell the world that the church's 265th pontiff has been elected. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists were expected to converge on St. Peter's Square to watch the chapel chimney for the white smoke that ultimately will tell the world that the church's 265th pontiff has been elected. For a few moments, the first wisps of smoke looked white to the many spectators drawn to St. Peter's Square in the Vatican and hopes rose that a pope had already been chosen. There, seated atop a false floor hiding electronic jamming devices designed to thwart eavesdroppers, they were to take an oath of secrecy, hear a meditation from a senior cardinal and decide whether to take a first vote or wait until Tuesday. At that point , the cardinals were to decide whether to hold a first round of voting Monday night or not. They were to take an oath of secrecy and hear a meditation before deciding whether to take their first vote or wait until Tuesday. The cardinals, who stopped granting on-the-record interviews more than a week ago, have offered few indications as to whom they will choose to replace John Paul II , who died April 2 after a 26-year papacy. He died April 2 at 84 after a pontificate that lasted more than 26 years, history's third-longest papacy. He died April 2 at 84 after a pontificate that lasted more than 26 years , history's third-longest papacy. Text of the oath taken by the 115 cardinals voting in the conclave to elect a new pope. Text of the oath taken by the 115 cardinals voting in the conclave to elect a new pope. Carroll was abducted in western Baghdad on Saturday, by kidnappers who killed her Iraqi interpreter , the paper said in a statement, calling for her release. The Christian Science Monitor newspaper on Monday pleaded for the release of American reporter Jill Carroll, seized in Baghdad by abductors who gunned down her Iraqi translator. US-Iraq-journalist-kidnap WASHINGTON: The Christian Science Monitor newspaper pleaded for the release of American reporter Jill Carroll, seized in Baghdad by abductors who gunned down her Iraqi translator. Her interpreter , Allan Enwiyah, 32, was shot dead and his body abandoned nearby by the kidnappers, while her driver got away. Her interpreter , Allan Enwiyah, 32, was shot dead and his body abandoned nearby by the kidnappers, while her driver got away. Her interpreter , Allan Enwiyah, 32, was shot dead and his body abandoned nearby, while her driver got away. Her interpreter was shot dead during the abduction , while her driver got away. The Christian Science Monitor on Monday named a US journalist kidnapped in Iraq as freelancer Jill Carroll , who was on assignment for the US-based paper when she was seized. US- Iraq-journalist-kidnap WASHINGTON: The Christian Science Monitor newspaper pleaded for the release of American reporter Jill Carroll, seized in Baghdad by abductors who gunned down her Iraqi translator. Iraqi and US investigators were hunting Tuesday for a US journalist kidnapped in Baghdad as a French hostage who escaped after five weeks of captivity in Iraq arrived back in France. Sunni Arab Muslims protested Tuesday a raid by US forces on a Baghdad mosque reportedly linked to the kidnapping of a US reporter. Arabic television Al-Jazeera said Tuesday the kidnappers of a US woman journalist abducted in Baghdad had threatened to kill her if female prisoners in Iraq were not freed within 72 hours. The family of Jill Carroll, a US woman journalist abducted in Iraq , issued an emotional appeal Monday for her release after her captors threatened her with execution. Jill Carroll, 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor , was seized by gunmen on Saturday after calling by the office of a prominent Sunni politician, the US newspaper confirmed on Monday. Carroll, 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor , was seized by gunmen on Saturday after calling by the office of a prominent Sunni politician in the neighbourhood. The US military said the raid was linked to the hunt for kidnapped Jill Carroll, a freelance journalist working for the Christian Science Monitor. Although the 28-year-old Christian Science Monitor reporter appeared to be talking on the tape , her words were not audible. The station broadcast a brief videotape of the journalist Jill Carroll, 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor who was seized by gunmen in Baghdad on January 7. Carroll, 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor , was seized by gunmen in Baghdad on January 7. Jill Carroll, 28 , a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor, was seized by gunmen on Saturday after calling by the office of a prominent Sunni politician , the US newspaper confirmed on Monday. Carroll , 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor, was seized by gunmen on Saturday after calling by the office of a prominent Sunni politician in the neighbourhood. "This raid was conducted as a direct result of a tip by an Iraqi civilian that activities related to the kidnapping were being carried out inside the mosque," said Lieutenant-Colonel Barry Johnson, speaking of the abduction Saturday of Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll. The 28-year-old reporter was seized by gunmen on Saturday after calling by the office of a prominent Sunni politician in the neighbourhood. Most recently , Jill Carroll , an American freelance reporter, was kidnapped in Baghdad shortly after she was leading office of a leading Sunni politician. An Arab television network ran a video showing kidnapped journalist Jill Carroll Tuesday with an accompanying message from her unnamed captors that she would be killed unless the United States freed all female prisoners in Iraq within 72 hours. Arabic television Al-Jazeera said Tuesday the kidnappers of a US woman journalist abducted in Baghdad had threatened to kill her if female prisoners in Iraq were not freed within 72 hours. The family of Jill Carroll , a US woman journalist abducted in Iraq, issued an emotional appeal Monday for her release after her captors threatened her with execution. Earlier, the Qatar-based Arabic television station Al-Jazeera showed a videotape of Carroll taken by her kidnappers , who said they would kill her if female prisoners in Iraq were not freed within 72 hours. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq , including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq , including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq , including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq , including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American , a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American , a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American , a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American , a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage by insurgents in Iraq, including an American, a Briton and two Canadians who are members of a Christian peace group. Carroll was the 31st media worker to have been kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war in 2003 , according to watchdog group Reporters without Borders. Carroll was the 31st media worker to have been kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war in 2003 , according to watchdog group Reporters without Borders. Carroll was the 31st media worker to have been kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war in 2003 , according to watchdog group Reporters without Borders. Carroll was the 31st media worker to have been kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war in 2003 , according to watchdog group Reporters without Borders. The Christian Science Monitor newspaper on Monday pleaded for the release of American reporter Jill Carroll, seized in Baghdad by abductors who gunned down her Iraqi translator. The station broadcast a brief videotape of the journalist Jill Carroll, 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor who was seized by gunmen in Baghdad on January 7. Carroll , 28, a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor, was seized by gunmen in Baghdad on January 7. Insurgents killed at least 19 Iraqis and bombed polling stations on Thursday in a fierce campaign to wreck Sunday's general elections. Three small bomb blasts occurred at polling stations in Iraq's southern city of Basra on Thursday , but no one was hurt, according to a British army spokesman. With about 40 polling stations destroyed by insurgents , even the distribution of ballot boxes for Iraq's 13 million eligible voters, about half of the country's population, underscored the grim security situation. Insurgents set off a car bomb and attacked polling stations and security forces in several Iraqi cities Friday , killing at least six people as Iraqi exiles across the globe began voting in their country's landmark election. On Thursday, with some 40 polling stations already destroyed by insurgent attack , even the distribution of ballot boxes for Iraq's estimated 14.1 million eligible voters underscored the tension hanging over the poll. Insurgents set off a car bomb and attacked voting stations and security forces in several Iraqi cities Friday , killing at least six people as campaigning for the election wrapped up and voters began casting their ballots abroad. Dozens of voting stations have been attacked by insurgents who have put up posters and handed out leaflets warning Iraqis not to vote. Elsewhere in the country, several bombings and attacks on polling places marred the day before elections. As part of that campaign, insurgents have escalated their attacks on polling stations. Four hundred Iraqis have been killed so far this month and dozens of voting stations attacked across Iraq on Friday , a senior US military officer said Saturday. Eight soldiers and three civilians were killed, police said. Seven Iraqis were killed and five others wounded, police said. An Iraqi soldier was killed and another wounded when their patrol vehicle went over a mine near Samarra, in the Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad, police said. A suicide car bomber killed five people Saturday in an attack on a political party's offices in the Iraqi town of Khanaqin near the border with Iran, police said. Insurgents attacked a police patrol at Salman Pak, just south of Baghdad, on Saturday killing two security forces, police said. Four police were shot dead just before midnight Friday on the main road between the towns of Baiji and Shorgat, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of the capital, police said. Insurgents attacked a police patrol at Salman Pak, just south of Baghdad, on Saturday killing two security forces, police said. Eight soldiers and three civilians were killed , police said. One man was wounded in an attack on another polling station at Al-Dur and another civilian was injured in a mortar attack on a voting centre in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown. We lost three comrades and one civilian was also killed in the blast ," said the policeman. We lost three comrades and one civilian was also killed in the blast ," said the policeman. Iraqi troops traded fire with the Sunni Muslim insurgents Friday, in a gunfight in which a soldier and a civilian were killed , Lieutenant Colonel Mahmud Mohammed said. US forces clashed with insurgents in the Sunni stronghold town of Ramadi, west of Baghdad, and one civilian was killed , a hospital doctor said. Several guerrilla groups, including a faction led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have declared war on the poll , vowing to kill anyone who votes. Several guerrilla groups, including a faction led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi , have declared war on the poll, vowing to kill anyone who votes. An Islamist group linked to Al-Qaeda warned it would attack Iraqis involved in the general election even after voting was over. Insurgents, including Al-Qaeda frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have vowed to wreck the country's first democratic vote in decades. The group of Al-Qaeda's frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility Saturday for a suicide attack at an Iraqi polling station and vowed to spill more blood on election day , according to a statement posted on an Islamist website. In Sulimaniyah , an official with the Kurdistan Patriotic Union said the attacker had been identified as a Sudanese member of Iraq's most wanted man Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's network. "It was a Sudanese member of Al-Qaeda ," Molla Bakhtiar, a member of the party's political bureau, told reporters. An official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in the Kurdish town of Suleimaniyah said the attacker had been identified as a Sudanese member of Zarqawi's network. An official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in the Kurdish town of Suleimaniyah said the attacker had been identified as a Sudanese member of Zarqawi's network. "It was a Sudanese member of Al-Qaeda ," Molla Bakhtiar, a member of the party's political bureau, told reporters. Insurgents set off a car bomb and attacked polling stations and security forces in several Iraqi cities Friday, killing at least six people as Iraqi exiles across the globe began voting in their country's landmark election. Insurgents set off a car bomb and attacked voting stations and security forces in several Iraqi cities Friday, killing at least six people as campaigning for the election wrapped up and voters began casting their ballots abroad. A car bomb attack went off near a school to be used as a polling station in the same Baghad neighbourhood where the power station was targeted. A car bomb attack went off near a school to be used as a polling station in the same Baghad neighbourhood where the power station was targeted. Four other polling stations in Baiji faced bomb attacks on Saturday and two on Friday night in Shorgat. A suicide bomber wearing an explosives belt walked up to an Iraqi polling station on Saturday and set off a blast that killed a child and seven adults, including three soldiers, said police and the US military. Four polling stations in Baiji faced bomb attacks on Saturday and two on Friday night in Shorgat. The group of Al-Qaeda's frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility Saturday for a suicide attack at an Iraqi polling station and vowed to spill more blood on election day, according to a statement posted on an Islamist website. A suicide bomber wearing an explosives belt walked up to an Iraqi polling station on Saturday and set off a blast that killed a child and seven adults, including three soldiers, said police and the US military. A suicide bomber wearing an explosives belt walked up to an Iraqi polling station on Saturday and set off a blast that killed a child and seven adults, including three soldiers, said police and the US military. Iraqi police and the US military said that a suicide bomber wearing an explosives belt walked up to an Iraqi polling station in Khanaqin, a town near the border with Iran, and set off a blast that killed eight people, including a child and three soldiers. Seven Iraqis were killed and five others wounded, police said. Five US soldiers and at least eight Iraqis were killed Friday in a string of attacks , two days before Iraq's landmark elections which insurgents have vowed to drench in blood. The bullet-riddled bodies of six Iraqi soldiers were found Friday in the western city of Ramadi , where two more people were killed and eight wounded in fighting between Iraqi forces and insurgents. Four people were killed in a suicide car bomb attack at a power station in the southern Baghdad neighbourhood of Dura , while an Iraqi soldier and a policeman were killed in separate attacks in Samarra and Kirkuk Campaigning by candidates for Sunday's election officially ended on Friday, as Iraqi expatraites in 14 countries -- from the Middle East to Australia to the United States -- began voting in a three-day process. Four people were killed in a suicide car bomb attack at a power station in the southern Baghdad neighbourhood of Dura , police and medical sources said. Earlier Friday, four people were killed in a suicide car bomb attack at a power station in the southern Baghdad neighbourhood of Dura , police and medical sources said. Israeli Police said that at least 30 people had been killed in the blast, mostly Israeli tourists. Israeli Police said that at least 30 people had been killed in the blast , mostly Israeli tourists. At least 30 people have been killed and 100 wounded in the three explosions along the Red Sea coast, an area popular with Israeli holidaymakers. A suspected car bomb ripped through a hotel on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, one of three explosions targeting Israelis that left at least 30 people dead and scores more wounded. Suspected car bombs ripped through a hotel and two beachside tourist sites on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, killing at least 30 people, most of them Israelis. Egyptian Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Maghrabi put the toll at more than 30 dead and 100 wounded from the three explosions in Taba and two other resorts on the south Sinai coast , an area popular with Israeli holidaymakers. Suspected car bombs ripped through beach resorts packed with Israeli tourists on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, killing at least 30 people and causing carnage and chaos. Egyptian Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Maghrabi put the toll at more than 30 dead and 100 wounded from the three explosions in Taba and two other resorts on the south Sinai coast. Egyptian security officials said there was no evidence of terrorism, but Israel's army radio said officials believed the Taba explosion was a car bomb , and witnesses at the other two sites told relatives that cars had exploded. A suspected car bomb ripped through a hotel on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, one of three explosions targeting tourists that left at least 35 people dead and scores more wounded. "From the first information that we have received it could have been a car bomb attack ," a senior Israeli foreign ministry official told AFP. Two explosions in tourist camps in Egypt's Sinai desert which followed a massive blast at a hotel in the resort of Taba late Thursday were probably caused by car bombs , the region's governor said. A suspected car bomb ripped through a hotel on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, one of three explosions targeting Israelis that left at least 30 people dead and scores more wounded. Suspected car bombs ripped through a hotel and two beachside tourist sites on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday , killing at least 30 people, most of them Israelis. Suspected car bombs ripped through beach resorts packed with Israeli tourists on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, killing at least 30 people and causing carnage and chaos. Israeli police said the explosion was caused by a powerful car bomb detonated near the entrance to the four-star Hilton, destroying a wing of the building. The Hilton was badly damaged by the blast and an ensuing fire , and 10 floors in part of the complex collapsed. An explosion ripped through the Hilton Hotel in the Egyptian resort town of Taba in the Sinai Desert on Thursday evening, close to the border with Israel. A blast ripped through the Hilton hotel in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Taba on Thursday evening, with medical sources saying at least 100 people had been killed or wounded. "An explosion caused by gas took place at a Taba hotel ," Al-Akhbar news channel said, without citing its sources. A suspected car bomb ripped through a hotel on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday , one of three explosions targeting tourists that left at least 35 people dead and scores more wounded. Two explosions in tourist camps in Egypt's Sinai desert which followed a massive blast at a hotel in the resort of Taba late Thursday were probably caused by car bombs, the region's governor said. A suspected car bomb ripped through a hotel on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday , one of three explosions targeting Israelis that left at least 30 people dead and scores more wounded. The explosion at the Hilton hotel in the Red Sea resort of Taba on the border with Israel was caused by at car bomb , Israeli public TV reported, citing a police source. The source said the car bomb detonated close to the entrance of the hotel , destroying a large part of the building. Israeli public television , citing a police source, said a car bomb detonated close to the entrance of the Hilton Hotel in the resort of Taba just across the border from Israel , destroying a large part of the building. Earlier , Israeli public television , citing a police source, said the explosion at the Hilton hotel in Taba was caused by a car bomb. Israeli public television , citing a police source, said a powerful car bomb detonated close to the entrance of the Hilton hotel in the beach resort of Taba just across the border from Israel , destroying a 30 minutes ago that smashed all the windows. Israeli investigators believe a powerful car bomb detonated near the entrance to the four-star Hilton , destroying much of the building. Israeli police said the explosion was caused by a powerful car bomb detonated near the entrance to the four-star Hilton , destroying a wing of the building. Three explosions shook three Egyptian Red Sea resorts popular with vacationing Israelis on Thursday night, killing at least 35 people and wounding about 100 , according to officials from Egypt, Israel and nearby hospitals. A blast ripped through the Hilton hotel in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Taba on Thursday evening, with medical sources saying at least 100 people had been killed or wounded. At least 35 people were killed and 125 injured in three explosions targeting tourists in Egypt's Sinai desert region late Thursday, an Egyptian police source said. An Egyptian police source said the three explosions killed at least 35 people and left another 125 wounded. An Egyptian police source said the three explosions killed at least 35 people and left another 125 wounded. At least 30 people have been killed and 100 wounded in the three explosions along the Red Sea coast , an area popular with Israeli holidaymakers. In the wake of three explosions that had killed at least 35 people in Egypt's Sinai Desert , Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Friday asked his Egyptian counterpart to help rescue Israeli wounded. At least 35 people were killed and 125 injured in three explosions targeting tourists in Egypt's Sinai desert region late Thursday, an Egyptian police source said. At least 35 people were killed and 125 injured in three explosions targeting tourists in Egypt's Sinai desert region late Thursday, an Egyptian police source said. A suspected car bomb ripped through a hotel on the Red Sea coast of Egypt's Sinai desert late Thursday, one of three explosions targeting tourists that left at least 35 people dead and scores more wounded. An Egyptian police source said the three explosions killed at least 35 people and left another 125 wounded. Three explosions shook popular resorts on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Thursday night as many Israelis vacationed at the close of a Jewish holiday. Three explosions shook popular resorts on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Thursday night as many Israelis vacationed at the close of a Jewish holiday. Israelis on Thursday night wound up the Jewish holidays of Sukkot. The explosions occurred as Israelis were celebrating the end of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot , and followed warnings from the country's intelligence services that Israelis should keep out of the Sinai desert. The explosions occurred as Israelis were celebrating the end of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and followed intelligence warnings that Israelis should keep out of the Sinai because of possible attacks. Last month , Israeli intelligence warned Israelis to keep out of the Sinai desert , citing vague but solid information about possible attacks. Israeli intelligence services have been warning Israeli holidaymakers to keep out of the Sinai desert , where Taba is located. The explosions occurred as Israelis were celebrating the end of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and followed warnings from the country's intelligence services that Israelis should keep out of the Sinai desert. The explosions occurred as Israelis were celebrating the end of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and followed intelligence warnings that Israelis should keep out of the Sinai because of possible attacks. The explosions occurred as Israelis were celebrating the end of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, and followed intelligence warnings that Israelis should keep out of the Sinai because of possible attacks. Avi Dichter, the head of Israel's Shin Beth domestic security agency, told the cabinet on September 19 that prompt action had thwarted a plot by Palestinian militants to strike Israeli tourists in the Sinai. Avi Dichter, the head of Israel's Shin Beth domestic security agency, told the cabinet on September 19 that prompt action had thwarted a plot by Palestinian militant group Hamas to strike Israeli tourists in the Sinai. Avi Dichter, the head of Israel's Shin Beth domestic security agency, told the cabinet on September 19 that prompt action had thwarted a plot by Palestinian militant group Hamas to strike Israeli tourists in the Sinai. Ties between security agency, told the cabinet on September 19 that prompt action had thwarted a plot by Palestinian militant group Hamas to strike Israeli tourists in the Sinai. Ties between security agency, told the cabinet on September 19 that prompt action had thwarted a plot by Palestinian militant group Hamas to strike Israeli tourists in the Sinai. The two other explosions took place to the southwest , in the resort villages of Ras al-Sultan and Nuweiba. Two other blasts occurred about two hours later at nearby resort towns of Ras Satan , a camping area full of Israeli tourists, and Nueiba, witnesses said. Shortly after the hotel blast , a second explosion was heard in the Sinai desert region of Nuaiba , between the Red Sea resorts of Taba and Sharm el-Sheikh, an Egyptian police source said. Shortly after the hotel blast, another two explosions rocked tourist camps at Shitani and Ras Soltan which lie on the coast road of the desert peninsula to the south of Taba. The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday with the politically charged issue of whether prominent display of the Ten Commandments at government buildings violates separation of church and state. The justices of the Supreme Court appeared to wrestle with contradictory impulses as they heard arguments on Wednesday in two cases challenging government displays of the Ten Commandments. Justices peppered both sides with pointed questions as the court confronted church-state cases that could affect the display of religious symbols at public sites across the country. The US Supreme Court on Wednesday was to review the displaying in public spaces of the Ten Commandments , the fundamental moral precepts of Judeo-Christian religions, in a case that could define the extent of separation of church and state in American society. The US Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on the constitutionality of displaying in public spaces the Ten Commandments , in a case on the officially mandated separation of church and state in US society. While about 100 people from opposing groups protested outside the court, lawyers and court justices debated two challenges to the use of public property for displaying the commandments , fundamental moral precepts Jews and Christians believe God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. A granite monument of the Ten Commandments outside the Texas Capitol amounts to an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion , a lawyer favoring a high wall between church and state told the Supreme Court on Wednesday. A granite monument of the Ten Commandments outside the Texas Capitol amounts to an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion, a lawyer favoring a high wall between church and state told the Supreme Court on Wednesday. How then can it be unconstitutional to have a monument with Ten Commandments sitting outside the Capitol , she asked. In a Texas case, the court heard a challenge to a granite monument depicting the biblical Ten Commandments that sits near the entrance to the state Capitol in Austin. The Texas case involves the legality of a stone monument inscribed with the commandments installed on the grounds of the state legislature. But lawyers supporting the monument and other similar displays argued that the Ten Commandments are a historically recognized symbol of law. But supporters of the displays argued that the Ten Commandments serve a secular historic function as well as a religious one. The Ten Commandments monument on the Texas Capitol grounds should remain because it is a cultural and historical symbol that does not violate the separation of church and state, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott told the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday. The Ten Commandments monument on the Texas Capitol grounds should remain because it is a cultural and historical symbol that does not violate the separation of church and state , Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott told the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday. The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday with the politically charged issue of whether prominent display of the Ten Commandments at government buildings violates separation of church and state. Cols 2-5: The Supreme Court struggles with the politically charged issue of whether prominent display of the Ten Commandments at government buildings violates separation of church and state. One of the cases originated when Thomas Van Orden , a homeless former lawyer, sued Texas officials in 2001, claiming that a Ten Commandments monument near the rear entrance to the state Capitol violated the constitutional separation between church and state. The Kentucky case involves the constitutionality of Ten Commandments displays in two county courthouses. The Kentucky case involves a recent effort to exhibit the Ten Commandments in a county courthouse as part of a "Foundations Display" along with political and patriotic texts that are not religious in nature. The justices also heard a challenge to Ten Commandments exhibits in Kentucky courthouses. Opponents say that because the monument is on the Capitol grounds under the authority of the Texas legislature, it constitutes government endorsement of Christianity -- and in particular Protestant faiths , from which the display's Ten Commandments text is derived. Because placing the Ten Commandments in front of the Capitol ``conveys a powerful message'' that the government itself ``is endorsing religion ,'' said Duke law professor Erwin Chemerinsky on behalf of Thomas Van Orden, a homeless Texas man who sued to have the monument removed. The challengers say the biblical commands show the government to be endorsing religion , a violation of the First Amendment's ban on an ``establishment of religion.'' And they noted that in a 1983 case, the Supreme Court found it was constitutional for a state legislature to begin its session with prayer. If legislatures can open their sessions with prayers , O'Connor wondered how displaying the Ten Commandments in the same hall could be unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court itself has upheld the practice of beginning a legislative session with a prayer , O'Connor pointed out. WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court Wednesday wrestled with whether the Constitution allows displays of the Ten Commandments on government property , bringing to a climax the latest battle in the culture war over the role of Christianity in the nation's public life and the exact line between church and state. In the coming weeks, the court is expected to decide under what conditions, if at all , such displays are permitted under the US Constitution. Arguments in the Texas case and a similar one from Kentucky pose the question of whether and how the Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. Arguments in the Texas case and a similar one from Kentucky pose the question of whether and how the Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. In a Texas case , the court heard a challenge to a granite monument depicting the biblical Ten Commandments that sits near the entrance to the state Capitol in Austin. The Texas case involves the legality of a stone monument inscribed with the commandments installed on the grounds of the state legislature. Two senior White House aides met here on Saturday with the angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier, but they rejected Cindy Sheehan's demand for a direct accounting from President Bush for the way he has conducted the war in Iraq. Her meeting with two of Bush's top aides came amid a spike in U.S. casualties in Iraq , accompanied by sagging public support for the president's conduct of the war. The mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq led a protest march on President Bush's ranch here on Saturday, prompting the White House to send two senior officials to meet her after she was blocked by the authorities from approaching Bush's home. Later on Saturday afternoon , the two senior officials -- Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, and Joe Hagin , a deputy White House chief of staff -- went out to meet with Sheehan and several other protesters , said Trent D. Duffy, a spokesman for the White House. Sheehan , 48, didn't get to see Bush, but did talk about 45 minutes with national security adviser Steve Hadley and deputy White House chief of staff Joe Hagin , who went out to hear her concerns. Bush National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and a deputy White House chief of staff talked to Sheehan on Saturday. Sheehan , a 48-year-old Vacaville, Calif., woman, was accompanied by more than 50 placard-wielding anti-war activists. The mother , Cindy Sheehan, who has made regular public appearances in opposition to the war, was accompanied by several dozen chanting anti-war activists, including other parents who had lost children to the war, as she walked down a country road toward Bush's ranch. Supported by more than 50 demonstrators who chanted, "W. killed her son!" Dozens of people have joined her and others have sent flowers and food. Sheehan , who began her vigil Saturday, has been joined by several dozen protesters from across the country , including some others who have had loved ones killed in Iraq. By Thursday , about 50 people had joined her cause , pitching tents in muddy, shallow ditches and hanging anti-war banners; two dozen others have sent flowers. Sheehan was among grieving military families who met with Bush in June 2004 at Fort Lewis, near Seattle , Washington. Sheehan was among grieving military families who met with Bush in June 2004 at Fort Lewis, near Seattle, Washington. Two months later , Sheehan was among grieving military family members who met with Bush at Fort Lewis, near Seattle , Washington. Two months later , Sheehan was among grieving military family members who met with Bush at Fort Lewis, near Seattle, Washington. The mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq led a protest march on President Bush's ranch here on Saturday , prompting the White House to send two senior officials to meet her after she was blocked by the authorities from approaching Bush's home. The angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier has met with advisers of President George W. Bush after staging a protest near his ranch to demand an accounting of how the president has conducted the war in Iraq. The angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier has met with advisers of President George W. Bush after staging a protest near his ranch to demand an accounting of how the president has conducted the war in Iraq. The surprise meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes, took place on a roadside several miles from the president's ranch , where federal and local law enforcement officials had halted Sheehan's advance toward the 1,600-acre estate. The mother of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq who started a quiet roadside peace vigil near President George Bush's ranch last weekend is drawing supporters from across the nation. The California mother has been camping out along a road near his ranch since Saturday , vowing to remain until his Texas vacation ends later this month. In a telephone interview after her conversation with National Security Adviser Stephen J. Hadley and White House deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin , Sheehan said she would remain in Crawford and continue to seek a meeting with Bush. `` Sheehan, a co-founder of the antiwar group Gold Star Families for Peace, has said that she will remain in Crawford until she gets to see Bush face to face. But, Sheehan said , she has no plans to end her vigil until Bush meets with her to discuss the war , he goes back to the White House or she is arrested. Sheehan's son , Casey, 24, was killed in the Sadr City section of Baghdad on April 4, 2004. Her son , Casey, 24, was killed in Sadr City , Iraq, on April 4, 2004. That was just two months after her son, Casey, was killed in Sadr City , Iraq, on April 4, 2004. The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President George W. Bush's ranch shares the same grief as relatives mourning the deaths of Ohio Marines, yet their views about the war differ. Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq who has been camped outside President Bush's ranch near Crawford , Texas, has taken her antiwar protest to the Internet, joining a conference call with bloggers around the country, along with a stray congresswoman. Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq who has been camped outside President Bush's ranch near Crawford, Texas, has taken her antiwar protest to the Internet, joining a conference call with bloggers around the country, along with a stray congresswoman. The mother of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq who started a quiet roadside peace vigil near President George Bush's ranch last weekend is drawing supporters from across the nation. I want the troops home," Cindy Sheehan, 48, of California , who staged a protest that she vowed on Sunday to continue until she can personally ask Bush: "Why did you kill my son? As a roadside anti-war vigil initiated by a California woman who lost a son in Iraq continued near his ranch Thursday, President Bush said that he sympathizes with her loss but that agreeing to her demand to immediately withdraw troops ``would be a mistake for the security of this country.'' Fischer , 62 , is being held in detention just outside Tokyo pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging the deportation order. Chess genius Bobby Fischer, now in a Japanese detention cell awaiting deportation to the United States , will be allowed to leave Japan for Iceland if that country grants him citizenship, an opposition party leader said Wednesday. Fischer , 62, is in a Japanese detention cell awaiting deportation to the United States , where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. A parliamentary committee met here Thursday to discuss granting citizenship to Bobby Fischer, but made no decision, saying it needed more information from Japan , where the mercurial chess genius is being held in custody. Fischer , 62, is in a Japanese detention cell awaiting deportation to the United States , where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. Fischer , 62 , has been detained in Japan awaiting deportation to the United States , where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. Fischer , 62 , has been detained in Japan awaiting deportation to the United States , where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. "We are most happy," said Einar Einarsson, a spokesman for a committee that has been trying to free Fischer from Japan , where he is being detained while he fights deportation to the United States. Fischer , 62, who is in detention in Japan , faces prison if he returns to the United States. He said Fischer, 62, would be informed of the vote Tuesday morning in Japan , where he has been detained awaiting deportation to the United States on a warrant for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a chess match there in 1992. Fischer is wanted by Washington for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia when he played a high-profile chess match at a resort there in 1992. Fischer is wanted by Washington for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia when he played a high-profile chess match at a resort there in 1992. Fischer, 62, is in a Japanese detention cell awaiting deportation to the United States, where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. Fischer, 62, is in a Japanese detention cell awaiting deportation to the United States, where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. Fischer, 62, has been detained in Japan awaiting deportation to the United States, where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. Fischer, 62, has been detained in Japan awaiting deportation to the United States, where he is wanted for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a highly publicized chess match there in 1992. Chess legend Bobby Fischer was on Monday granted citizenship by the parliament of Iceland, a move which could allow him to avoid deportation from Japan to the United States where he is wanted for violating sanctions against the former Yugoslavia. He said Fischer, 62, would be informed of the vote Tuesday morning in Japan, where he has been detained awaiting deportation to the United States on a warrant for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a chess match there in 1992. He said Fischer, 62, would be informed of the vote Tuesday morning in Japan, where he has been detained awaiting deportation to the United States on a warrant for violating economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by playing a chess match there in 1992. Fischer became world chess champion in a 1972 match in Iceland against the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky , and some of his Icelandic supporters have campaigned to help him out of gratitude for putting Iceland in the global spotlight. There is widespread support for Fischer in Iceland , where he played the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in a world championship match in 1972. There is widespread support for Fischer in Iceland , where he played the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in a world championship match in 1972. There is widespread support for Fischer in Iceland , where he played the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in a world championship match in 1972. There is widespread support for Fischer in Iceland , where he played the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in a world championship match in 1972. It was in Reykjavik in 1972 that he defeated the Russian world champion , Boris Spassky, in an electrifying Cold War chess contest that pitted east against west. It was in Reykjavik in 1972 that he defeated the Russian world champion , Boris Spassky, in an electrifying Cold War chess contest that pitted East against West. Fischer's link to Iceland dates back to 1972, when he defeated Russian Boris Spassky in a world championship match , which ended a long domination of the game by Soviet players and was hailed as a Cold War victory in his native United States. There is widespread support for Fischer in Iceland , where he played the Soviet Union's Boris Spassky in a world championship match in 1972. Iceland's parliament voted Monday to grant Icelandic citizenship to the American chess champion Bobby Fischer , laying the groundwork, his supporters said, for his release from the Japanese prison where he has been detained since last summer. It is partly for that reason, said Bjarni Benediktsson, chairman of the parliamentary committee, who last week recommended that Fischer be granted Icelandic citizenship, that the full parliament voted in favor of his request on Monday. Iceland's Parliament voted Monday to grant Icelandic citizenship to the American chess star Bobby Fischer , laying the groundwork, his supporters said, for his release from the Japanese prison where he has been held since last summer. It is partly for that reason, said Bjarni Benediktsson, chairman of the parliamentary committee that recommended last week that Fischer be granted Icelandic citizenship, that Parliament voted in favor of his request on Monday. Iceland's parliament voted Monday to grant citizenship to fugitive U.S. chess star Bobby Fischer. Iceland's parliament voted Monday to grant citizenship to fugitive U.S. chess star Bobby Fischer. But even if Iceland offered Fischer citizenship , his case would still be in legal limbo because of his US nationality. Mizuho Fukushima, head of the opposition Social Democratic Party, told a press conference that Japanese immigration officials are opting to deport Fischer to the United States unless Iceland grants him nationality. The socialist leader said of the prospect of Fischer going to Iceland: "Mr Miura told us that it would be okay if Iceland gives him citizenship. Chess genius Bobby Fischer, now in a Japanese detention cell awaiting deportation to the United States, will be allowed to leave Japan for Iceland if that country grants him citizenship , an opposition party leader said Wednesday. Chess legend Bobby Fischer was on Monday granted citizenship by the parliament of Iceland , a move which could allow him to avoid deportation from Japan to the United States where he is wanted for violating sanctions against the former Yugoslavia. But last week Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Japanese opposition Social Democratic Party, told a press conference that Japanese immigration officials would not deport Fischer to the United States if Iceland grants him nationality. Iceland's parliament voted two weeks ago against granting Fischer citizenship , and it's unclear whether lawmakers plan to reconsider this. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship , offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship , offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship , offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship , offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship , offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. A parliamentary committee voted Friday to grant citizenship to fugitive U.S. chess star Bobby Fischer , putting the issue up for a vote by all legislators. A parliamentary committee in Iceland voted to grant citizenship to fugitive U.S. chess star Bobby Fischer , putting the issue up for a vote by all legislators. A parliamentary committee in Iceland voted to grant citizenship to fugitive U.S. chess star Bobby Fischer, putting the issue up for a vote by all legislators. It is partly for that reason, said Bjarni Benediktsson, chairman of the parliamentary committee , who last week recommended that Fischer be granted Icelandic citizenship , that the full parliament voted in favor of his request on Monday. It is partly for that reason, said Bjarni Benediktsson, chairman of the parliamentary committee that recommended last week that Fischer be granted Icelandic citizenship , that Parliament voted in favor of his request on Monday. Iceland has offered residency to Fischer , who is famous in Reykjavik for dethroning the Soviet Boris Spassky there in 1972 at the height of the Cold War. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship, offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship, offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Iceland had already agreed to issue a resident's permit and special passport to Fischer , but that had not proved enough for the Japanese authorities. Iceland's parliament voted last month against granting Fischer citizenship, offering him a special foreigners' passport and residence permit instead. Since being taken into custody in July for allegedly trying to leave the country on a revoked U.S. passport , Fischer has lived up to his reputation as unpredictable. Since being taken into custody in July for allegedly trying to leave Japan on a revoked U.S. passport , Fischer has lived up to his reputation for unpredictability. Since being taken into custody in July for allegedly trying to leave Japan on a revoked U.S. passport , Fischer has repeatedly denounced the U.S. deportation order as politically motivated, demanded refugee status, renounced his U.S. citizenship and said he wants to become a German national instead. He was taken into custody in Japan last July for trying to leave the country on an invalid US passport. Since being taken into custody in July for allegedly trying to leave Japan on a revoked U.S. passport , Fischer has repeatedly denounced the U.S. deportation order as politically motivated, demanded refugee status, renounced his U.S. citizenship and said he wants to become a German national. Monday's vote appears to be a resolution -- of sorts -- to the curious legal limbo that Fischer fell into in 1992, when, the U.S. government says , he violated economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by accepting a $3.3 million fee to play an exhibition match there that year. Monday's vote appears to be a resolution -- of sorts -- to the curious legal limbo that Fischer fell into in 1992, when, the U.S. government says, he violated economic sanctions against the former Yugoslavia by accepting a $3.3 million fee to play an exhibition match there that year. Monday's vote appears to be a resolution of sorts to the curious legal limbo that Fischer fell into in 1992 when, the United States says , he violated economic sanctions against Yugoslavia by accepting a $3.3 million fee to play an exhibition match there. Monday's vote appears to be a resolution of sorts to the curious legal limbo that Fischer fell into in 1992 when, the United States says, he violated economic sanctions against Yugoslavia by accepting a $3.3 million fee to play an exhibition match there. The LTTE has blamed the government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga for the delay in reviving negotiations which the rebels themselves suspended in April last year. The peace talks between the government and the LTTE rebels have been on hold since April last year when the rebels walked out following six rounds of direct negotiations under the Wickremesinghe regime. Internecine clashes between rival factions of Tamil rebels have hampered the government efforts to revive the stalled peace negotiations on hold since April last year. Internecine clashes between rival factions of Tamil rebels have hampered the government efforts to revive the stalled peace negotiations on hold since April last year. Peace talks between the government and the LTTE rebels have been on hold since April last year after six previous rounds which started in September 2002. Peace talks between the government and the LTTE rebels have been deadlocked since April last year after six previous rounds which started in September 2002. Internecine clashes between Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels' rival factions continued in the east and one of the members of the mainstream rebel group has been killed, defense officials said on Thursday. Internecine killings have become a feature mainly in the east of the country ever since Karuna broke ranks with the LTTE in March this year. Two more killings took place in Sri Lanka's eastern area on Thursday night amid continuous internecine clashes between Tamil Tiger rebel rival factions, police said Friday. The split has caused an escalation of violence in the east of the country. The east of the country has been a scene of continuous internecine clashes between the main LTTE rebel group in the north and their renegade eastern commander known as Karuna. A total of 10 Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels were released on bail on Thursday in the eastern Batticaloa district , the pro-rebel Tamilnet said. The group of rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Tiger rebels (LTTE) were release under the orders of the country's Court of Appeal on cash bail, 50,000 rupees (about 485 US dollars) for each and with two sureties, each signing a bond for the same amount. The release of the two homeguards comes after a group of 10 LTTE rebels charged under the Offensive Weapons Ordnance were set free on bail on Thursday in the eastern Batticaloa district under a court order. Japanese special envoy Yasushi Akashi will arrive here later this month to push for the early resumption of peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels, the state-owned Sunday Observer newspaper reported. Japan's special envoy Yasushi Akashi arrived here on Wednesday to start a seven-day visit to push for an early resumption of peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels , governmental sources said. Akashi will stay in the country until Nov. 2 to persuade the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE) to resume peace talks as soon as possible. The Swiss foreign ministry said in a statement that it "welcomes the LTTE's continuing willingness to negotiate, and calls for peace talks to be resumed as soon as possible ". Japanese special envoy Yasushi Akashi will arrive here later this month to push for the early resumption of peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels , the state-owned Sunday Observer newspaper reported. Akashi will stay in the country until Nov. 2 to persuade the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE) to resume peace talks as soon as possible. Dharmalingam Thyagalingam, a 37-year-old loyalist of the mainstream Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) faction was killed Wednesday night at Welikanda area in the east by members loyal to the renegade rebel eastern commander known as Karuna. The LTTE's renegade eastern commander known as Karuna was suspected for the killings, police said. The east of the country has been a scene of continuous internecine clashes between the main LTTE rebel group in the north and their renegade eastern commander known as Karuna. Akashi , who is due to be here on Oct. 27, will hold talks with high ranking officials of both the government and the opposition in capital Colombo and the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in the rebel-held northern town of Kilinochchi. He is expected to raise the issues of LTTE's recruitment of child soldiers and political killings in the north and east as well as in Colombo when he meets the LTTE leadership. Akashi will also visit the rebel-held northern town of Kilinochchi and meet with the leaders of the LTTE rebels. The LTTE mainstream group accuses the military of providing cover to Karuna but the charges have been denied by the government. "We've been accused of siding with Karuna's group , but what we have shown that all we are interested is in maintaining law and order in areas where we are present," Leuke said. The LTTE rebels have accused the government of colluding with Karuna to fight against them but the accusation was vehemently denied by the government. Sri Lanka's elite police commandos Saturday shot dead a renegade Tamil rebel who killed a regional commander from the main guerrilla group, an official said. The breakaway faction of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) shot dead a local commander known as Jude in the eastern Akkaraipattu region and minutes after commandos gunned down the assassin , police Special Task Force chief Nimal Leuke said. Sri Lankan Tamil rebels have said that they will release two homeguards held captive by them on Monday at the earliest possible date after they were produced before a rebel court in Sampur in the east of the country, the official Daily News said on Saturday. He said that the two homeguards will be released on bail by LTTE on Monday and handed over to their family members. But he said the pact's key goal _ a joint Catholic-Protestant administration _ would be revived only "in the context of a complete end to IRA paramilitarism and criminality and the putting beyond use of their weapons. " These included a total end to IRA paramilitarism and related criminality and full decommissioning of the IRA's arms and explosives arsenals. Any public pledge by the Irish Republican Army to cease all activities, including crime , should be weighed over time to test whether it's genuine, the British governor of Northern Ireland said Tuesday. "For that trust to be restored there must be a clear, definitive and permanent end to paramilitary activity and its associated criminality ," Hain said in a speech to the annual conference of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Protestant factions in Northern Ireland are adamant that there can be no political progress toward a lasting peace settlement without a move by the IRA to end all criminal and paramilitary activity. Protestant factions in Northern Ireland are adamant that there can be no political progress toward a lasting peace settlement without a move by the IRA to end all paramilitary and criminal activity and a decommissioning of its weapons arsenals. Protestant factions in Northern Ireland are adamant that there can be no political progress toward a lasting peace settlement without a move by the IRA to end all paramilitary and criminal activity and a decommissioning of weapons arsenals. Hopes are rising in Northern Ireland that the IRA will, by the end of June, announce a plan for a complete and swift process of disarmament. Hopes are rising in Northern Ireland that the IRA will, by the end of this month, announce a plan for a complete and swift process of disarmament. Hopes are rising in Northern Ireland that the IRA will, by the end of this month, announce a plan for a complete and swift process of disarmament. Ian Paisley, the top Protestant politician in Northern Ireland, called Wednesday for the outlawed IRA to disarm and disband. Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said the government was soon expecting the IRA to issue a new peace declaration that would address a long-standing demand for the outlawed group to disarm fully and disband. Northern Ireland's Good Friday peace accord of 1998 proposed the creation of a joint Catholic-Protestant administration involving Sinn Fein, the IRA-linked party that represents most of the province's Catholics. The agreement paved the way for a Protestant-Catholic power-sharing assembly that was suspended more than two years ago amid a crisis of confidence and allegations of IRA espionage. The 1998 Good Friday peace deal largely ended three decades of intercommunity violence in Northern Ireland and established a power-sharing executive and assembly. The 1998 peace deal paved the way for a Protestant-Catholic power-sharing assembly , but that was suspended more than two years ago amid allegations of IRA espionage. The 1998 Good Friday peace deal paved the way for a Protestant-Catholic power-sharing assembly , but that was suspended more than two years ago amid allegations of IRA espionage. Northern Ireland has seen a virtual end to more than 30 years of violence since the landmark 1998 Good Friday peace deal, but Dublin and London, as well as an independent monitoring body, have accused paramilitary groups of continued criminal activities. Northern Ireland has seen a virtual end to more than 30 years of violence since the landmark 1998 Good Friday peace deal, but Dublin and London, as well as an independent monitoring body, have accused paramilitary groups of continued criminal activities. The 1998 Good Friday peace deal largely ended three decades of intercommunity violence in Northern Ireland and established a power-sharing executive and assembly. The Irish and British governments hope for an answer before the August holiday period from the IRA, which declared a ceasefire in its campaign to end British rule in Northern Ireland ahead of a 1998 Good Friday peace deal which largely ended 30 years of violence. London and Dublin are awaiting for an Irish Republican Army response to a call from Gerry Adams , leader of the group's Sinn Fein political wing, for an end to violence. The London summit was taking place as all sides in Northern Ireland wait to see if the Protestant marching season passes peacefully and if the Irish Republican Army (IRA) will respond positively to an appeal from Gerry Adams , leader of its Sinn Fein political wing, to disarm and fully embrace democracy. The Irish and British governments hope for an answer before the August holiday period from the IRA , which declared a ceasefire in its campaign to end British rule in Northern Ireland ahead of a 1998 Good Friday peace deal which largely ended 30 years of violence. The Irish and British governments hope for a response before the August holiday period from the IRA , which declared a ceasefire in its campaign to end British rule in Northern Ireland before a 1998 peace deal which largely ended 30 years of violence. Last month , Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams , a reputed IRA commander, appealed to IRA members to leave behind their "armed struggle" in favor of democratic politics. In April , Adams called on the IRA to "fully embrace and accept" democratic means and end all paramilitary activities. In April , Adams appealed to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) to end violence and fully embrace democratic means. In April, Since Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams made a direct appeal to IRA "volunteers" to give up all violence and adopt democratic methods , since then the Catholic paramilitary group has been holding meetings to discuss a response. Northern Ireland's 7-year-old peace accord will eventually work but requires the Irish Republican Army to deliver a "clear and decisive" end to all its activities , Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said Friday. Speaking to reporters earlier Monday, Blair repeated his call for republicans to unequivocally give up violence and commit themselves to wholly democratic methods. Ian Paisley , the top Protestant politician in Northern Ireland, called Wednesday for the outlawed IRA to disarm and disband. Ian Paisley , the top Protestant politician in Northern Ireland, called Wednesday for the outlawed IRA to disarm and disband. Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said the government was soon expecting the IRA to issue a new peace declaration that would address a long-standing demand for the outlawed group to disarm fully and disband. Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said the government was soon expecting the IRA to issue a new peace declaration that would address a long-standing demand for the outlawed group to disarm fully and disband. The pair would meet at the House of Commons on Wednesday, officials in Dublin said , with Ahern also holding talks with Ian Paisley, leader of Northern Ireland's biggest Protestant political group , the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He will also be holding talks with Ian Paisley , leader of Northern Ireland's biggest Protestant political group, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The leader of Nepal , King Gyanendra, unexpectedly dissolved the government and claimed absolute power Tuesday, justifying the moves as necessary to restore peace and democracy in the face of a Maoist insurgency that has spread to nearly every corner of the picturesque Himalayan nation. In a rare televised address , Gyanendra , 58, said he had decided to dissolve the government -- the second time he has done so in the past three years -- because it had failed in its duty to hold parliamentary elections or end the Maoist rebellion. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday expressed deep concern over events in Nepal and urged a return to democracy, after King Gyanendra dismissed the country's coalition government and imposed an indefinite state of emergency. The United States said Tuesday it was "deeply troubled" by an apparent setback to democracy in Nepal, where King Gyanendra has dismissed the government and imposed a state of emergency. Beijing said Gyanendra's move to dismiss the government and impose a state of emergency in Nepal last Tuesday was an "internal matter." But the king also imposed a state of emergency and suspended a number of constitutional liberties, including the rights to free speech, assembly and privacy, according a statement that was summarized by the Associated Press. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday expressed deep concern over events in Nepal and urged a return to democracy, after King Gyanendra dismissed the country's coalition government and imposed an indefinite state of emergency. The British government expressed grave concerns Tuesday about political developments in Nepal, after the king dismissed the prime minister and declared a state of emergency. The United States said Tuesday it was "deeply troubled" by an apparent setback to democracy in Nepal, where King Gyanendra has dismissed the government and imposed a state of emergency. The British government expressed grave concerns Tuesday about political developments in Nepal, after the king dismissed the prime minister and declared a state of emergency. In announcing his decision on Tuesday , Gyanendra said he was dissolving the government and firing the prime minister -- for the second time in three years -- because the government had failed in its duty to hold parliamentary elections and curb the Maoist insurgency, in which about 10,000 people have died. King Gyanendra on Tuesday sacked prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for the second time in three years and assumed control. Muni, a former Indian ambassador to Nepal, said Beijing has become increasingly concerned by growing U.S.-Nepal ties, which the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba _ dismissed by Gyanendra on Tuesday _ had actively sought. He said he would form a new cabinet under his leadership and vowed to restore ``effective democracy within the next three years. '' He said he would form a new cabinet under his leadership and vowed to restore ``effective democracy within the next three years.'' He made this remark when asked to comment on Nepal's King Gyanendra's Tuesday announcement of dissolving the coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and forming a new government under his own "chairmanship ". He made this remark when asked to comment on Nepal's King Gyanendra's Tuesday announcement of dissolving the coalition government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and forming a new government under his own "chairmanship ". The leader of Nepal, King Gyanendra, unexpectedly dissolved the government and claimed absolute power Tuesday, justifying the moves as necessary to restore peace and democracy in the face of a Maoist insurgency that has spread to nearly every corner of the picturesque Himalayan nation. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday expressed deep concern over events in Nepal and urged a return to democracy , after King Gyanendra dismissed the country's coalition government and imposed an indefinite state of emergency. Nepal's King Gyanendra named a new Cabinet Wednesday, a day after dismissing the government and declaring absolute power in a surprise move that he said was aimed at restoring democracy and ending a nine-year Maoist rebellion. The leader of Nepal , King Gyanendra, unexpectedly dissolved the government and claimed absolute power Tuesday , justifying the moves as necessary to restore peace and democracy in the face of a Maoist insurgency that has spread to nearly every corner of the picturesque Himalayan nation. Nepal's King Gyanendra named a new Cabinet Wednesday, a day after dismissing the government and declaring absolute power in a surprise move that he said was aimed at restoring democracy and ending a nine-year Maoist rebellion. King Gyanendra on Tuesday sacked prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for the second time in three years and assumed control. The European Union on Wednesday joined international condemnation of Nepalese King Gyanendra's dismissal of his government and swearing in of a new cabinet dominated by royalists. "The EU is deeply concerned about the dissolution of the multiparty government in Nepal and the decision by the king to assume executive powers," it said in a statement. Joining a chorus of international condemnation over the king's sacking of the government , Japan said it hoped "Nepal will recover its peace and stability as soon as possible on the basis of democracy and constitutional monarchy." We call for the immediate restitution of multiparty democracy , and appeal for calm and restraint on all sides during this difficult time." The EU calls for the speedy restoration of multiparty democracy in Nepal to better meet the aspirations of the Nepalese people ," it said. The EU's Luxembourg presidency called for a "speedy" return to multi-party democracy. But the king also imposed a state of emergency and suspended a number of constitutional liberties, including the rights to free speech, assembly and privacy , according a statement that was summarized by the Associated Press. "The secretary general is deeply concerned at the actions taken by the constitutional monarchy in Nepal on Tuesday to dissolve the government, impose a state of emergency and suspend civil liberties and freedom of expression ," UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said in a statement. In addition to dissolving the government, Gyanendra suspended a number of key civil liberties, including freedom of the press. In a rare televised address, Gyanendra, 58, said he had decided to dissolve the government -- the second time he has done so in the past three years -- because it had failed in its duty to hold parliamentary elections or end the Maoist rebellion. In announcing his decision on Tuesday, Gyanendra said he was dissolving the government and firing the prime minister -- for the second time in three years -- because the government had failed in its duty to hold parliamentary elections and curb the Maoist insurgency , in which about 10,000 people have died. Gyanendra said he fired the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for failing to hold elections or to bring peace to a country racked by an increasingly deadly Maoist revolt. In that January 2002 memorandum he advised Bush that the Geneva Conventions did not apply to fighters captured in Afghanistan. Bush's order also said the Geneva treaty's references to prisoners of war did not apply to al-Qaida or "unlawful combatants " from the Taliban. Bush's order also said the Geneva treaty's references to prisoners of war did not apply to al-Qaida or "unlawful combatants" from the Taliban. But while working for the Department of Justice after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Yoo helped write a series of legal memos redefining torture and advising President Bush that the Geneva Convention does not apply to members of al-Qaida and the Taliban. As a result, a major area of questioning at his confirmation hearing is expected to be the role he played in the production of the other documents, like the August 2002 memorandum. Gonzales' role in seeking a legal opinion on the definition of torture and the legal limits of how much force could be used on terrorist suspects in captivity is expected to be a central issue in the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings , which are scheduled to begin on Thursday on his nomination to be attorney general. His confirmation hearing Thursday offered Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee a fresh chance to criticize Gonzales and the advice he gave Bush. A Justice Department lawyer wrote a secret memo to the White House in 2001 concluding that President George W. Bush has the authority to wage preemptive war against terrorists and countries even if they were not linked to the September 11 attacks, Newsweek magazine reported Saturday. One item was described as a ``memorandum from James Ho, attorney-advisor, (Justice Department) Office of Legal Counsel, to John Yoo, deputy assistant attorney general , OLC, re: interpretation of Geneva Conventions' Common Article 3 (Feb. 1, 2002).'' A Justice Department lawyer wrote a secret memo to the White House in 2001 concluding that President George W. Bush has the authority to wage preemptive war against terrorists and countries even if they were not linked to the September 11 attacks , Newsweek magazine reported Saturday. "The President may deploy military force preemptively against terrorist organizations or the states that harbor or support them, whether or not they can be linked to the specific terrorist incidents of Sept. 11," the memo reads, according to Newsweek. Alberto R. Gonzales, the White House counsel, intervened directly with Justice Department lawyers in 2002 to obtain a legal ruling on the extent of the president's authority to permit extreme interrogation practices in the name of national security , current and former administration officials said Tuesday. The request by Gonzales produced the much-debated Aug. 1, 2002, memorandum by the Justice Department that defined torture narrowly and said that Bush could circumvent domestic and international prohibitions against torture in the name of national security. John Yoo , who helped write the memos while at the department's Office of Legal Counsel , said that while Gonzales was briefed on drafts, he and other officials did not attempt to influence the content. But while working for the Department of Justice after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks , Yoo helped write a series of legal memos redefining torture and advising President Bush that the Geneva Convention does not apply to members of al-Qaida and the Taliban. Among the most contentious matters is a memo Gonzales wrote in January 2002 in which he argued that the fight against terrorism "renders obsolete" the Geneva Conventions' prohibitions against torture. Among the most contentious matters is a memo Gonzales wrote in January 2002 in which he argued that the fight against terrorism "renders obsolete" the Geneva Conventions' prohibitions against torture. Some of Gonzales' critics say that decision and his memo lead to the torture scandal at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison and abuses of detainees in U.S. custody in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay , Cuba. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., demanded from the Senate floor last month that Yoo and other civilian officials be held accountable for their part in what he called the ``torture scandal'' over treatment of Iraqi detainees by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Besides, Ho and Yoo have both left the department. Besides, Ho and Yoo have both left the department. The 15-page document , dated September 25, 2001, was written by conservative Justice Department lawyer John Yoo and addressed to White House counsel Alberto Gonzales. The 15-page document , dated September 25, 2001, was written by conservative Justice Department lawyer John Yoo and addressed to White House counsel Alberto Gonzales. A fourth day of thrashing thunderstorms began to take a heavier toll on southern California on Sunday with at least three deaths blamed on the rain, as flooding and mudslides forced road closures and emergency crews carried out harrowing rescue operations. A fourth day of thrashing thunderstorms began to take a heavier toll on southern California on Sunday with at least three deaths blamed on the rain , as flooding and mudslides forced road closures and emergency crews carried out harrowing rescue operations. Usually sunny southern California has been whipped the past few days by storms that have killed at least two and caused floods, mudslides, power blackouts and deadly traffic accidents. Super-saturated land tumbled down a mountain Monday in the coastal community of La Conchita, Calif., killing at least one person and injuring many more , fire officials said. A man and his two children were rescued from the rubble of their hillside home in Studio City after it collapsed in a heavy downpour. A man and his two children were rescued from the rubble of their hillside home in Studio City after it collapsed in a heavy downpour. Part of a rain-saturated hillside gave way on Monday, sending a Mississippi-like torrent of earth and trees onto four blocks of this oceanfront town and killing two men. Part of a rain-saturated hillside gave way on Monday , sending a Mississippi-like torrent of earth and trees onto four blocks of this oceanfront town and killing two men. As stormy weather continued to pound Southern California on Saturday , about 170 people were freed from cars near Big Bear where they had been trapped for up to 15 hours in deep snow, several of the state's major arteries were closed and rescue workers pulled two people from raging streams. Southern California has been drenched by a string of storms that began in late December and have been only sporadically interrupted by clear skies. Los Angeles will get a much-needed break early Monday from the unforgiving rain that has pounded Southern California since Thursday , but a new front will move in Monday night, bringing with it an additional 2 inches to 4 inches of rain. While there might be blue skies on the horizon, the relentless storm system that has hovered over Southern California since Thursday caused massive flooding, mudslides, power outages, several evacuations, school closures and disrupted commuter rail service. At least 12 people were known to be missing. At least 12 people were known to be missing. About 12 people were known to be missing. About 12 people were known to be missing. On average, Los Angeles receives 18 inches of rain in the first six months of each year, but more than 15 inches have fallen in the first nine days of 2005. Downtown Los Angeles has had more than 15 inches of rain since Jan. 1 , more than its average rainfall for an entire year, including 2.6 inches on Sunday, a record, the National Weather Service said. Downtown Los Angeles has had more than 15 inches of rain since Jan. 1 , more than its average rainfall for an entire year, including 2.6 inches on Sunday, a record, the National Weather Service said. Los Angeles has already had some 5 inches more than its annual rainfall in the last two weeks, including a record 2.6 inches on Sunday. Southern California has been drenched by a string of storms that began in late December and have been only sporadically interrupted by clear skies. The disaster was the latest caused by rain and snow that has battered California since Dec. 25. The disaster was the latest problem caused by the rain and snow that have battered California since Dec. 25. Rescuers expected to work through the night searching for the missing people. Rescuers expected to work through the night searching for the missing people. Rescuers expected to work through the night searching for the missing people. A fourth day of thrashing thunderstorms began to take a heavier toll on southern California on Sunday with at least three deaths blamed on the rain, as flooding and mudslides forced road closures and emergency crews carried out harrowing rescue operations. Usually sunny southern California has been whipped the past few days by storms that have killed at least two and caused floods, mudslides, power blackouts and deadly traffic accidents. A fourth day of thrashing thunderstorms began to take a heavier toll on southern California on Sunday with at least three deaths blamed on the rain, as flooding and mudslides forced road closures and emergency crews carried out harrowing rescue operations. Rescuers were searching through the mud for survivors , she said. The three were taken to hospital with minor injuries. A spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department, Joe L. Luna, said that nine people had been recovered from the wreckage of their homes and that seven of them had been taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries. Wind turbines have been hailed as an environmentally friendly way to reduce the world's dependence on fossil fuels. There is a "think globally, act locally" rightness to the fact that the environmental report for the Cape Wind power project came on the same day scientists laid out the dramatic effects global warming is having on the Arctic. Cape Wind Associates, the project's developer, says that in normal weather conditions, 40-story high towers could generate 170 megawatts -- 75 percent of the power used by Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. An amendment to the 2005 defense authorization bill currently before Congress could immediately halt the development of offshore wind-power facilities in the United States, including a controversial project planned for coastal Massachusetts, environmental groups and developers said this week. Depending on who is talking, the results would be either a hideous blot on the landscape or a significant step toward clean power and energy independence. Colorado utilities will have to sell a lot more electricity from wind power in years to come under a statewide ballot initiative approved by voters on Nov. 2, and if they want some pointers they might talk to Adam T. Kremers, a 19-year-old sophomore at Colorado State University here. Green Mountain Energy is offering Texas electricity consumers an environmentally friendly service at a rate matching that of Reliant Energy -- a sign of a growing interest in green energy and the rising price of traditionally produced power. Reliant Energy does not offer a renewable energy plan in the Houston area -- state electricity deregulation laws allow it to offer only one plan here until Jan. 1, 2005 -- but it has offered a plan to Dallas-area customers for several years. But a wind farm with hundreds or even thousands of large turbines removes an enormous amount of energy from the air. The four-year study by 300 international researchers advances the consensus among scientists that industrial society's increasing production of greenhouse gases , especially carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, is causing climate change. Touted as a "pollution free" plan, Green Mountain Energy gets the power it sells from wind turbines and hydroelectric plants and will cost about 11.1 cents per kilowatt-hour , the same price current Reliant Energy customers are paying. Some environmental groups, including the Conservation Law Foundation and Greenpeace believe the trade-off in terms of energy and pollution savings is worth it. Under the plan, Taipower will install at least 200 wind power generators with a total installed capacity of 300,000 kilowatts , the spokesman said, adding that the wind power generators will first be set up in coastal regions in western part of the island. Monday , the Army Corps of Engineers said few projects are blocked because of aesthetic considerations, in part because it is such a subjective matter. The 454-megawatt project would provide a source of pollution-free, renewable power that could displace fossil fuel sources in the region. The Corps of Engineers' draft concluded that the project, proposed by Cape Wind Associates of Boston, would not unduly hinder ferry operations, commercial and sport fishing, boating, aviation or other activities at its site, a 24-square-mile area in the part of Nantucket Sound called Horseshoe Shoals. Governor Mitt Romney , who opposes the project on aesthetic grounds , says the report downplays a key consideration for Massachusetts residents. The Green Mountain plan , a 10 percent wind- and 90 percent water-generated mix, is about $9 per month less expensive than the 100 percent wind plan Austin-based Green Mountain currently offers, based on the use by a typical customer. The 4,000-page draft gives new support to environmental groups that praise the project as a safe, nonpolluting and desperately needed alternative to fossil fuel power plants. And that raises a question: With government under pressure to develop renewable energy, will controversial alternatives be foisted solely on poorer, less politically influential areas? White supremacists clashed with an angry crowd outside Faneuil Hall , where Holocaust survivors and their families were commemorating the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. If the Ku Klux Klan were killing blacks the way blacks kill blacks , we'd be up in arms. Already , some white supremacists were celebrating the killings on the Internet , while others spun conspiracy theories that the crime was committed by Hale's enemies to poison the atmosphere before his sentencing next month. In the days leading up to a white supremacist march, ministers pleaded with residents in the predominantly black neighborhood to stay calm and community leaders organized peace rallies. He said the book was also meant to appeal to white supremacists. Rioting erupted Saturday in an impoverished neighborhood of Toledo , Ohio after hundreds of counter-protestors broke up a planned march by a neo-Nazi group, Toledo police confirmed. For Joan Humphrey Lefkow, the nightmare began shortly after her 2000 appointment as a federal judge, when an Oregon group's lawsuit to block white supremacists from using a name it had trademarked, World Church of the Creator, landed in her lap. "My understanding is that the KKK doesn't even ban members by race," Rep. Stacey Campfield , a lawmaker from Knoxville, told The Associated Press, adding that the KKK "has less racist bylaws" than the black lawmakers' group. For Joan Humphrey Lefkow, the nightmare began shortly after her 2000 appointment as a federal judge, when an Oregon group's lawsuit to block white supremacists from using a name it had trademarked , World Church of the Creator, landed in her lap. The violence broke out after a group of nearly 80 white supremacists of the Virigina-based National Socialist Movement assembled for a march against what they called black gang violence against whites in the Toledo neighborhood. Two people were arrested during Sunday's confrontation , officer John Boyle said. Rioting erupted Saturday in an impoverished neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio after hundreds of counter-protestors broke up a planned march by a neo-Nazi group, Toledo police confirmed. Hale , who is representing himself, faces up to 40 years in prison, and has been held for two years in the Metropolitan Correctional Center here under special administrative measures, reserved for terrorists , that limited contact with the outside world. Scores of rioters rampaged through streets wrecking cars and setting a building on fire in north Toledo after police fired tear gas on the anti-Nazi group. Six people were arrested , according to Fox News. The neo-Nazi group , known as "America's Nazi Party ," said they came to the city because of a dispute between neighbors, one white and the other black. Inside the historic meeting house, Holocaust survivors, their children and grandchildren lit white candles to commemorate the estimated 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis. At least 65 people were arrested on charges including assault, vandalism, failure to obey police and failure to disperse, Navarre said. Those leaders, in turn, keep others in check by keeping the anti-war and pro-Bush sides separated and discouraging verbal sparring. In all , 114 people were arrested on charges including assault, vandalism, failure to disperse and overnight curfew violations. Yet these dire developments have been a boon for companies that make devices like silicon wafers and rooftop panels that convert solar energy. A team from Holland , known more for its windmills than its sunshine, on Wednesday won a four-day international solar-powered car race across Australia's deserts , notching up their third straight victory. Spain has provided a US$54.4 million (euro43.4 million) long-term loan to fund a solar power project for remote villages in the central and southern Philippines , officials said Friday. "Taiwan is very suitable for solar power development because it has the world's best wafer fabrication plants and a large number of skilled engineers. He urged the government to invest more in solar energy research and provide incentives to encourage private investment in the field so that Taiwan can develop a complete solar energy supply chain soon. The solar-power industry needed stability to become competitive , the Vice President of Royal Dutch Shell's Hydrogen Business Jeremy Bentham said here on Wednesday. Both can charge your GPS unit and other gadgets while you hike, bike or sit using an internal battery, and both can charge direct from the solar cells in daylight. It was an invention just waiting to be patented. Yet these dire developments have been a boon for companies that make devices like silicon wafers and rooftop panels that convert solar energy. The plant will have 350,000 solar panels spread over 114 hectares (280 acres) near the southern town of Moura and will be able to produce 62 megawatts, more than six times the largest existing solar power station in Germany. The Philippines will provide a US$8.7 million (euro6.9 million) counterpart fund for the project , which will also help the country diversify its energy sources. The solar panels on the train's roof do not drive it but provide energy for its air conditioning, illumination and safety systems. The plant is expected to be completed in 2009 and will have a total cost of 250 million euros (307 million dollars). With electronic devices hitting the trails, someone had to put on the market a neat, portable source of electricity. "The construction of the station will begin in 2006 , it is irreversible," Moura mayor Jose Maria Pos-de-Mina was quoted as saying by Lusa news agency. Cheng said Motech Solar plans to further expand its production capacity by the end of 2005. The project will provide electricity for the first time to more than 277,900 rural households, plus schools, potable water systems and health, village and livelihood centers , said Dioscora Tobias of the government's Solar Power Technology Support project. Interest in solar energy is increasing rapidly in California , said Mark Stout, a clean-energy consultant from Fresno and coordinator of the tour. Tobias , who monitors and evaluates the solar power project , said it also will provide schools in remote areas with television sets and video players to be used as teaching aids. Shunning petrol, sucking up the sun and racing at speeds up to 120 kilometres (74 miles) an hour, 20 cars from 10 countries set out from Darwin in Australia's far north on Sunday in the eighth World Solar Challenge. Now that company, Barr Pharmaceuticals, has submitted a second proposal _ to sell its Plan B brand to people 16 and older , but to require anyone younger than that to consult a physician. The drug's makers are again asking for FDA approval; this time they propose to sell Plan B (the drug's trade name) only to people 16 and older without restrictions. The company's new application would make the drug available over the counter for women older than 16 , and by prescription-only for those who are younger. That proposal would allow the drug to be sold to women over 16 without a prescription but would require a doctor's order for girls below that age. That proposal would allow the drug to be sold to women over 16 without a prescription but would require a doctor's order for girls below that age. Fierce arguments have gone on inside and outside the Food and Drug Administration, which may decide as soon as this week whether drug stores can sell the emergency contraception known as Plan B without a prescription to women age 16 and older. Mazzetti said the pill, which contains the hormone levonorgestrel and is sold in Lima pharmacies under the brand-name Postinor-2, prevents pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation. A stronger dose of regular hormonal contraception, the morning-after pill can prevent pregnancy by delaying a woman's ovulation or keeping sperm from fertilizing an egg. The morning-after pill acts by impeding ovulation, fertilization and implantation. To be effective, it must be taken within 72 hours of intercourse. Such access , some argue, would make it easier to get emergency contraception on evenings and weekends, allowing more women to take it in the recommended 72-hour window after unprotected sex. Plan B can prevent pregnancy for up to 72 hours after sex. Some see easy access to emergency contraception as a way to drastically reduce teen pregnancy, already on the decline in the United States since the early 1990s. Such access , some argue, would make it easier to get emergency contraception on evenings and weekends , allowing more women to take it in the recommended 72-hour window after unprotected sex. The women, part of a noisy protest in favor of making the morning-after pill available without a prescription, were taken away by officers of the Department of Homeland Security and charged with disorderly conduct. The women, part of a noisy protest in favor of making the morning-after pill available without a prescription , were taken away by officers of the Department of Homeland Security and charged with disorderly conduct. Ultimately, it will be up to Food and Drug Administration officials to decide: Should older teens be able to buy emergency contraception without a prescription? Ultimately, it will be up to Food and Drug Administration officials to decide : Should older teens be able to buy emergency contraception without a prescription? The protesters said they wanted to speak with Steven Galson, acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, who in May rejected an application to allow Plan B to be sold over the counter. "These issues are beyond the scope of our drug approval process, and I have not considered them in this decision," wrote Galson , who last spring rejected the first application for Plan B's sale over the counter. "This is not based on personal beliefs, but in technical and scientific studies that show the pill is not abortive. " "This is not based on personal beliefs, but in technical and scientific studies that show the pill is not abortive. " The findings led the study authors to conclude that easy access to Plan B , also called the morning-after pill, could cut the number of unwanted pregnancies while posing no apparent risk to women. The findings led the study authors to conclude that easy access to Plan B, also called the morning-after pill, could cut the number of unwanted pregnancies while posing no apparent risk to women. Now that company , Barr Pharmaceuticals, has submitted a second proposal _ to sell its Plan B brand to people 16 and older, but to require anyone younger than that to consult a physician. The study contradicts a key claim made by opponents of easier access to Plan B at a time when the Food and Drug Administration is preparing to decide on a second application to allow nonprescription sales of the drug. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with Kashmiri political leaders on Thursday during a rare visit to the Himalayan region aimed at ending half a century of separatist violence that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. "Yes, it certainly is a violation. A third round of talks with India's government can't start until it agrees to let Kashmiri leaders visit Pakistan to discuss peace proposals with its government and guerrilla commanders in the part of Kashmir under Pakistan's control , Farooq said. The leader of moderate Kashmiri separatists warned Thursday that lasting peace between India and Pakistan would be impossible unless his people were seated at the negotiating table. Interestingly, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had recently put forth a new formula on Kashmir that was seen as a climb down from the previous Pakistan position on Kashmir. India's prime minister will personally flag off the first bus to travel between the Indian and Pakistan zones of divided Kashmir in almost six decades when the service resumes next month , an official said Saturday. ``Both things have to be addressed,'' he told reporters here, after insisting Hurriyat leaders were not setting conditions for resuming negotiations. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with Kashmiri political leaders on Thursday during a rare visit to the Himalayan region aimed at ending half a century of separatist violence that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , who arrives here on a two- day visit next week, announced on Thursday that orders had been given for the reduction of troops inside Kashmir. Crying, waving and throwing letters wrapped around stones to each other, hundreds of Kashmiris gathered on either side of a river that separates the disputed Himalayan region between Pakistan and India. The emotional reunion Wednesday across the Neelum River came on the final day of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr _ and as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid a rare visit to Indian-controlled Kashmir , his country's only Muslim-majority state. Farooq said Hurriyat leaders would travel to New Delhi next week to meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz , who is expected to discuss new efforts to advance a peace process that began last year. Earlier, Singh offered to hold talks on Kashmir "with anyone and everyone" but ruled out any redrawing of the disputed territory's frontier , which separates Indian- and Pakistan-controlled portions of the region. The Indian- and Pakistan-controlled portions are separated by the so-called Line of Control. Aziz has said he will use his visit with Indian leaders to seek progress in peace efforts that began last year. "The prime minister will be in (the Indian Kashmir summer capital) Srinagar to flag off the first bus on April 7," Singh's spokesman said. Aziz has said he will use his visit with Indian leaders to seek progress in peace efforts that began last year. "No one from Pakistan has fired and there is no ceasefire violation by Pakistan ," Pakistan military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP in Islamabad. Two militants were killed and two soldiers and a civilian wounded in the attack near the rally site, security forces said. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistani and Indian officials will on Tuesday exchange lists of passengers for the first buses. Police launched a new search for a missing Alabama teenager Tuesday after a man detained earlier in the investigation said another suspect told him in jail the girl was not taken back to her hotel. In Alabama, a friend of Holloway's family said Natalee's relatives, not Aruban police, first identified and located Joran and the Kalpoe brothers _ less than a day after the young woman disappeared, and only three hours after family members started looking. Natalee Holloway's family, not Aruban police , first identified and located a Dutch youth now held as a suspect in the disappearance of the Alabama teen, according to a friend who helped with the search. A judge on Saturday ordered the teen son of a prominent justice official and his two friends to stay in jail for at least a week more while investigators continue their search for clues in the disappearance of a young U.S. woman. Her passport and packed bags were found in her room. ARUBA: Police search for clues of missing U.S. teen after seizing items from young man's home NOORD, Aruba (AP) _ Police on Thursday searched for clues into the disappearance of an Alabama teen a day after conducting a late-night helicopter flyover of the Dutch Caribbean island and seizing items from the home of a Dutch justice official whose son was with her the day she went missing. A helicopter equipped with infrared technology searched unsuccessfully for the body of a missing American teenager, an official said Thursday, as investigators sifted through items seized from the island home of a justice official whose son was with the young woman the night she disappeared. On Monday, the latest suspect, tour boat disc jockey Steve Croes, 26, is expected to come before a judge who will rule whether prosecutors have enough information to hold him on suspicion of premeditated murder, murder, and kidnapping with fatal consequence. Three young men who acknowledged partying with an 18-year-old honors student from Alabama before she went missing last week told police that a man dressed in a security uniform approached her as they dropped her off at her hotel, a source close to the investigation said Thursday. Three young men who acknowledged partying with an 18-year-old honors student from Alabama before she went missing last week told police that a man dressed in a security uniform approached her as they dropped her off at her hotel, a source close to the investigation said Thursday. ARUBA: Police search for clues of missing U.S. teen after seizing items from young man's home NOORD , Aruba (AP) _ Police on Thursday searched for clues into the disappearance of an Alabama teen a day after conducting a late-night helicopter flyover of the Dutch Caribbean island and seizing items from the home of a Dutch justice official whose son was with her the day she went missing. Holloway disappeared the day she was to return from a five-day trip with 124 other students celebrating their graduation from high school in Mountain Brook , Ala., a suburb of Birmingham. Following the approximately four-hour search , Janssen , the attorney general, clarified that Paul van der Sloot was not under investigation. Natalee Holloway's family, not Aruban police, first identified and located a Dutch youth now held as a suspect in the disappearance of the Alabama teen, according to a friend who helped with the search. The men were arrested Thursday in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway , who they said they last saw in front of the Holiday Inn shortly before 2 a.m. on May 30. Her U.S. passport and packed bags were found in her room. Also Thursday, a judge postponed to Friday a ruling on a petition from the justice official, Paul van der Sloot, to see his jailed 17-year-old son , Joran, said Attorney General Caren Janssen. In Alabama, a friend of Holloway's family said Natalee's relatives, not Aruban police, first identified and located Joran and the Kalpoe brothers _ less than a day after the young woman disappeared, and only three hours after family members started looking. On Wednesday, investigators brought in from Holland and police using a German Shepherd searched the van der Sloots' one-story, yellow-beige home, where Joran lived in an attached apartment. A fourth man detained in the case was to appear before a judge Monday, said Attorney General spokeswoman Mariaine Croes. KUALA LUMPUR , Malaysia (AP) -- Six masked assailants have taken more than 20 people, including Americans and Europeans , hostage on a remote resort island in eastern Malaysia, police said Monday. JOHANNESBURG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- South African Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday confirmed that two South Africans are among the 21 people taken hostage by gunmen in Malaysia's famed diving island of Sipadan. MANILA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Joseph Estrada Monday ordered the Philippine military forces to go after the six armed pirates who reportedly kidnapped some 20 people , mostly foreigners, in eastern Malaysia, a senior Philippine official said. KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Xinhua) -- About 20 people, including foreign tourists , were taken hostage by armed pirates on Sipadan island off the Sabah coast, East Malaysia, Sunday night, according to police sources Monday. Six gunmen stormed the Sipadan Island Resort off the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah late Sunday, taking 20 people, including 10 foreign tourists, hostage on two boats. ZAMBOANGA , Philippines (AP) -- Muslim rebels who have been holding 27 Filipinos hostage at a remote mountain stronghold in the Philippines claimed responsibility Tuesday for also abducting about 20 people from a nearby Malaysian tourist island. As that assault progressed, about 20 people, including foreign tourists , were abducted Sunday night by heavily armed attackers on a nearby Malaysian island and taken by boat toward the Philippines. As that assault progressed, about 20 people, including foreign tourists , were abducted Sunday night by heavily armed attackers on a nearby Malaysian island and taken by boat toward the Philippines. The 20 hostages, including foreign tourists and local resort workers , were abducted late Sunday from Malaysia's Sipadan Island by six heavily armed men and taken on two fishing boats toward the Philippines, officials said. The attack began when six masked gunmen, carrying AK-47s and a rocket launcher and speaking a Philippine language, grabbed tourists and workers and confiscated their cash and jewelry, Norian said. SEMPORNA, Malaysia (AP) -- Rescue teams were searching Southeast Asian seas on Tuesday for assailants who abducted 20 hostages from a Malaysian diving resort -- an attack that Philippine Muslim rebels claimed they carried out. SEMPORNA, Malaysia (AP) -- Authorities hunted the seas between Malaysia and the Philippines today for two fishing boats controlled by heavily armed men holding 21 hostages they abducted from a Malaysian diving resort two days earlier. The attack on Sipadan began Sunday when six masked gunmen , carrying AK-47s and a rocket launcher, grabbed tourists and workers and confiscated their cash and jewelry. Citing the Malaysian police report, Puno said 10 of those kidnapped were foreign tourists, which include French, German, South African, Lebanese and Finnish nationals. It was however confirmed that among the hostages, there are 11 foreigners -- three Germans, two South Africans, two French nationals, two Finns, one Lebanese and one Filipino while the rest nine are Malaysians comprising four workers of the Wildlife Department , three workers of the Sipadan resort center, a policeman and a staff of Syarikat Borneo Divers. It was however confirmed that among the hostages, there are 11 foreigners -- three Germans, two South Africans, two French nationals, two Finns, one Lebanese and one Filipino while the rest nine are Malaysians comprising four workers of the Wildlife Department, three workers of the Sipadan resort center, a policeman and a staff of Syarikat Borneo Divers. The hostages include two French nationals, three Germans, two South Africans, two Finns and one Lebanese, all tourists , he told a news conference here. Most of the hostages are foreign tourists , police said. Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak said Monday that an air-and-sea search team had determined where the hostages -- half of whom were foreign tourists -- were being held , following their abduction on the lush Sipadan Island in eastern Malaysia. Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak said Monday that an air-and-sea search team had determined where the hostages -- half of whom were foreign tourists -- were being held, following their abduction on the lush Sipadan Island in eastern Malaysia. The hostages were said to have been taken onto a boat and are now at sea. Puno said the hostages were reportedly taken by boats heading toward Philippine waters early Monday morning. Puno said the hostages were reportedly taken by boats heading toward Philippine waters early Monday morning. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said a special team has been set up by the police to rescue the hostages who were taken in boats by the pirates. Confirming the news in Kuala Lumpur Monday afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said a special team has been set by the police to rescue the hostages who were taken in boats by the pirates. The 20 hostages, including foreign tourists and local resort workers , were abducted late Sunday from Malaysia's Sipadan Island by six heavily armed men and taken on two fishing boats toward the Philippines , officials said. KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A total of 20 people were taken hostage by six heavily armed men Sunday night from Sipadan island off Sabah, East Malaysia, but their motives behind the abduction are yet to be confirmed , Malaysian Police said Monday. KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A total of 20 people were taken hostage by six heavily armed men Sunday night from Sipadan island off Sabah, East Malaysia, but their motives behind the abduction are yet to be confirmed, Malaysian Police said Monday. Philippine Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said the military is still determining whether the Abu Sayyaf is actually responsible for the Malaysian abductions. Philippine Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado said the military is still determining whether the Abu Sayyaf is actually responsible for the Malaysian abductions. The abductors surprised and captured the group on a beach on Sipadan Island late Sunday , and two foreign tourists managed to escape the men, Semporna police chief Sulaiman Junaidi told The Associated Press by telephone. The gunmen , believed to be Filipinos, apparently surprised the tourists on a beach on Sipadan Island on Sunday night. The tourists were reportedly taken hostage late Sunday on a remote resort island of Sipadan off the Sabah coast, eastern Malaysia. They were taken Sunday night from lush Sipadan Island off the northern Borneo state of Sabah. The abductors surprised and captured the group on a beach on Sipadan Island late Sunday, and two foreign tourists managed to escape the men , Semporna police chief Sulaiman Junaidi told The Associated Press by telephone. According to Norian, an American couple , both aged 51, who were captured together with the 20 people, managed to escape before they were forced into a boat. Two of the captives -- James and Mary Murphy, both 51, of Rochester , N.Y. -- managed to escape. An American couple escaped the Sunday evening attack in Malaysia by refusing to swim out to the kidnappers' boats and then hiding overnight in nearby bushes. Eyewitnesses said the hostages were forced to swim to the boats. The attackers then forced their hostages to swim a distance to two fishing boats , which then sped away and appeared to be heading into Philippine waters, officials said. An American couple escaped the Sunday evening attack in Malaysia by refusing to swim out to the kidnappers' boats and then hiding overnight in nearby bushes. The gunmen then forced their hostages to swim to two fishing boats , which sped away and appeared to be heading toward Philippine waters. According the report, five staff members of the Sipadan resort, and a Filipino, a Malaysian policeman and four staffers of the Malaysian wildlife department, were also among the abducted. According the report, five staff members of the Sipadan resort, and a Filipino , a Malaysian policeman and four staffers of the Malaysian wildlife department, were also among the abducted. It was however confirmed that among the hostages, there are 11 foreigners -- three Germans, two South Africans, two French nationals, two Finns, one Lebanese and one Filipino while the rest nine are Malaysians comprising four workers of the Wildlife Department, three workers of the Sipadan resort center, a policeman and a staff of Syarikat Borneo Divers. Police said some of those arrested were former employees of the Sipadan resort and were tied to the Filipino fishing community along Sabah's eastern coastline. He did not rule out the possibility that the kidnapping was connected to the Abu Sayyaf rebel group which was holding several hostages in southern Philippines. ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) -- Muslim rebels who have been holding 27 Filipinos hostage at a remote mountain stronghold in the Philippines claimed responsibility Tuesday for also abducting about 20 people from a nearby Malaysian tourist island. The claim came as troops battled their way up the densely forested mountain in the Philippines where the Muslim extremists were holding their captives. Muslim rebels in the Philippines who are seeking the release of militants jailed in the World Trade Center bombing case claimed responsibility Tuesday for the Malaysian kidnapping. Muslim rebels in the Philippines who are seeking the release of militants jailed in the World Trade Center bombing case claimed responsibility Tuesday for the Malaysian kidnapping. The kidnapping might be tied to Muslim rebels in the Philippines who are seeking the release of militants jailed in the United States, although some authorities said the Abu Sayyaf rebels were just trying to attract attention. WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumers who have purchased meat products manufactured at Thorn Apple Valley's Forrest City, Ark., plant in the last six months are being urged to return them because of concerns of possible contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. In addition to causing miscarriages and stillbirths, listeria can cause fatal blood infections and meningitis. IBP, the world's largest processor of fresh beef, said in a report the recall involved 556,226 pounds of ground beef produced at its plant in Dakota City, Nebraska. A recall of meats made by a Sara Lee Corp. subsidiary, Bil Mar Foods in Zeeland, Mich., began on Dec. 22. The outbreak led to the recall on Tuesday of certain lots of hot dogs and packaged meat produced at the Bil Mar Foods plant in Zeeland, Mich., and sold throughout the United States. He said experts are trying to determine whether the incidents are due to better reporting or whether the listeria really is appearing more frequently. Five tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. The Agriculture Department announced the recall Friday night. The culprit , investigators say, is a strain of air and soil-borne bacteria known as Listeria monocytogenes, which is carried in the intestines of animals and can easily come into contact with raw vegetables, dairy products or uncooked meat. Doctors now say the prospective mother was struck by listeriosis, a disease caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne pathogen often found in hot dogs, luncheon meats, soft cheese, even milk. According to an advance text of his Saturday radio address, the president will also ask Congress to give the Food and Drug Administration ``greater authority to halt imports of fruits, vegetables and other food products that are produced under safety conditions that do not match our own strict standards,'' and to give the Department of Agriculture ``new authority to impose tough fines on businesses who violate those standards and to issue mandatory recall of unsafe meat and poultry.'' About 1,800 cases of food poisoning caused by listeria are reported in the United States each year. There have been many large outbreaks of food-borne illness in the last year, including one just last week that made a New York woman ill and resulted in the recall of 172,000 pounds of ground-beef patties contaminated with the deadly bacteria E. coli O157:H7. But consumers may have a difficult time understanding why those recalls were announced by the government and Bil Mar 's was not. There have been many large outbreaks of food-borne illness in the last year, including one just last week that made a New York woman ill and resulted in the recall of 172,000 pounds of ground-beef patties contaminated with the deadly bacteria E. coli O157:H7. Dr. Elizabeth Koch, acting state epidemiologist in Ohio, said the DNA of the bacteria involved in the outbreak showed ``a very rare pattern,'' called Pattern E. Seeking the source, health officials from New York, Connecticut, Ohio and Tennessee worked with the agency to examine the diets of affected patients. Researchers said E.coli O157:H7 accounts for more than 20,000 infections and 200 deaths annually in the United States. Unlike salmonella and E. coli 0157:H7, which have become household words in the United States , listeria is not well known. But the company decided Wednesday to recall it. But health officials find it especially troubling because, based on the number of reported cases, the percentage of people who die from it is much higher than from most other food-borne bacteria. As part of the agreement, Lafave will also plead guilty to three sex charges in Marion County, including one count of lewd and lascivious exhibition. A female teacher pleaded guilty Tuesday to having sex with a 14-year-old student, avoiding prison as part of a plea agreement. Peter Griffin, the loutish lead character in the animated TV series The Family Guy , gets liposuction in one episode and discovers that beautiful people enjoy a secret and privileged existence. Her name is being withheld to protect her son's identity. Her name is being withheld to protect her son's identity. Debra Lafave, 25 , whose sensational case made tabloid headlines, will serve three years of house arrest and seven years' probation. The former middle school teacher achieved instant notoriety when she was accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student. The boy told investigators he and Lafave had sex in a classroom at the school, located in Temple Terrace near Tampa, in her Riverview town house and once in a vehicle while his 15-year-old cousin drove them around. By the time the meetings broke off in August 2004, the two had engaged in sexual activities more than 50 times, the girl , now 17, told Tampa police. Founder of the university's Sexual Disorders Clinic, Berlin said that Lafave, like most female offenders, is unlikely to repeat her behavior, but her battle with mental illness and the scrutiny of her case will present extra challenges. A female teacher pleaded guilty Tuesday to having sex with a 14-year-old student , avoiding prison as part of a plea agreement. A hitch has developed in a plea deal agreed to by a former teacher who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 14-year-old student, a spokesman for the prosecutor said. A hitch has developed in a plea deal agreed to by a former teacher who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 14-year-old student, a spokesman for the prosecutor said. Prosecutors released Thursday photographs and secretly recorded tapes to support their accusation that Debra LaFave, formerly a schoolteacher, had sex with a 14-year-old student. Prosecutors released Thursday photographs and secretly recorded tapes to support their accusation that Debra LaFave, formerly a schoolteacher, had sex with a 14-year-old student. Japan says it will seek approval to expand its catch at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) opening on May 30 in South Korea. Japan says it will seek approval to expand its catch at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) opening on May 30 in South Korea. Japan plans to go to the meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in South Korea in June asking to double its kill of about 440 minke whales a year for so-called scientific purposes, and also add humpback and fin whales to the list. Japan announced in early April it intends to seek permission to conduct a "broader and more comprehensive" research whaling program in the Antarctic at the commission's annual meeting in South Korea in mid-June. Japan announced in April it plans to seek permission to extend its research whaling program in the Antarctic when the IWC meets later this month. Tokyo has applied to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for permission to nearly double its annual catch of Minke whales , currently set at 440, and to catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union. Tokyo will reportedly tell the IWC at a meeting starting this month in South Korea that it intends to nearly double its annual catch of minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean, currently set at 440. The Japanese plan is due to go before the International Whaling Commission (IWC) when it meets in South Korea next month. The Japanese plan is due to go before the International Whaling Commission (IWC) when it meets in South Korea next month. Japan has said it will push for a widening of its scientific whaling program at a meeting of the IWC that also began Friday in Ulsan, South Korea. It has applied to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for permission to nearly double its annual catch of Minke whales , currently set at 440, and to catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union. Japan has said it will push for a widening of its research whaling program at a meeting of the IWC that began in Ulsan, South Korea last week. Howard said he would prefer to use diplomatic measures to encourage Japan not to kill whales in Antarctic waters , and said Australia was working with the United States, New Zealand and England to urge Tokyo to reconsider its proposal. Australia said Tuesday it was engaged in an unprecedented diplomatic campaign to disuade Japan from trying to escalate its killing of whales. Australia said Tuesday it was engaged in an unprecedented diplomatic campaign to disuade Japan from trying to escalate its killing of whales. Tokyo will not yield to foreign pressure seeking to stop it from whaling , a fisheries official said Tuesday after Australia stepped up a campaign against Japan's annual hunt in the name of scientific research. Australia last week warned Tokyo it was embarking on an unprecedented diplomatic campaign to dissuade Japan from trying to escalate its killing of whales. Australian government officials have refused to support the group, saying they will use diplomacy to urge Japan to curb its whaling activities. Japanese media reports have said it will seek nearly to double its annual catch of Minke whales, currently set at 440, in the Antarctic and to catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union. Environment Minister Ian Campbell said Japan risks damaging its reputation in the eyes of most Australians if it persists with plans to hunt humpback whales. Howard also criticized Japan _ which kills about 400 minke whales in Antarctic waters each year _ for reported plans to harvest humpback whales , which were severely depleted by commercial whaling in the early part of last century. Tokyo has applied to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for permission to nearly double its annual catch of Minke whales, currently set at 440, and to catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union. It also aims to catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union, Japanese news reports said. It has applied to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for permission to nearly double its annual catch of Minke whales, currently set at 440, and to catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union. Tokyo has repeatedly failed to muster the three-fourths majority of IWC member nations needed to overturn the commercial whaling ban which took effect in 1986. The International Whaling Commission, or IWC , banned commercial whaling in 1986 , but grants limited permits to countries such as Japan that maintain whaling programs for scientific purposes. The International Whaling Commission imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986 , but Japan's scientific hunt, in which hundreds of whales are killed each year, is widely regarded as a way of circumventing the moratorium. Whaling opponents fear that pro-whaling countries like Japan and Norway may have a voting majority at the commission for the first time since the 1986 whaling ban was imposed. Commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1986 , but a small number of countries _ including Japan _ maintain scientific whaling programs in which hundreds of whales are killed each year. Japan , where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with a 1986 IWC moratorium. Japan , where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with a 1986 IWC moratorium, but the next year resumed catches under a loophole that allows "research whaling". Japan , where whale meat is part of the traditional cuisine, reluctantly accepted a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Japan , where whale meat is part of the traditional cuisine, reluctantly accepted a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling by the IWC. Japan , where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with an IWC moratorium in 1986 , but the next year resumed catches under a loophole that allows "scientific research whaling". The next year it resumed catches under a loophole that allows "research whaling ," despite international protests. Japan, where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with a 1986 IWC moratorium, but the next year resumed catches under a loophole that allows "research whaling ". But it resumed catches in 1987 using a loophole that allows "research whaling" and selling the meat on the market , a practice condemned by environmentalists as commercial whaling in disguise. But it resumed catches in 1987 using a loophole that allows "research whaling" and selling the meat on the market , a practice condemned by environmentalists as commercial whaling in disguise. Japan, where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with an IWC moratorium in 1986, but the next year resumed catches under a loophole that allows "scientific research whaling ". The next year it resumed catches under a loophole that allows "research whaling," despite international protests. Japan, where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with a 1986 IWC moratorium, but the next year resumed catches under a loophole that allows "research whaling". But it resumed catches in 1987 using a loophole that allows "research whaling" and selling the meat on the market, a practice condemned by environmentalists as commercial whaling in disguise. But it resumed catches in 1987 using a loophole that allows "research whaling" and selling the meat on the market, a practice condemned by environmentalists as commercial whaling in disguise. Japan, where whale meat is part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with an IWC moratorium in 1986, but the next year resumed catches under a loophole that allows "scientific research whaling". The Australian government on Friday foiled a court bid by international animal rights activists to stop a Japanese company from killing whales inside the country's Antarctic sanctuary. An animal rights group on Friday lost a bid to sue a Japanese whaling company for allegedly killing hundreds of whales inside an Australian whale sanctuary. Humane Society International was denied permission by Australia's Federal Court to sue Japanese whaling company Kyodo Senpaku for allegedly killing around 400 minke whales in Antarctic waters the Australian government has declared a whale sanctuary. Humane Society International was denied permission by Australia's Federal Court last week to sue the Japanese whaling company for allegedly killing hundreds of whales in Antarctic waters the Australian government has declared a whale sanctuary. Howard also criticized Japan _ which kills about 400 minke whales in Antarctic waters each year _ for reported plans to harvest humpback whales, which were severely depleted by commercial whaling in the early part of last century. The group accuses the company of unlawfully hunting more than 400 minke whales over the past four years in Australian waters near Antarctica. Humane Society International was denied permission by Australia's Federal Court to sue Japanese whaling company Kyodo Senpaku for allegedly killing around 400 minke whales in Antarctic waters the Australian government has declared a whale sanctuary. Humane Society International was denied permission by Australia's Federal Court last week to sue the Japanese whaling company for allegedly killing hundreds of whales in Antarctic waters the Australian government has declared a whale sanctuary. Prime Minister John Howard intervened personally, writing to his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi at the weekend to urge Tokyo to reconsider its position on whaling, Environment Minister Ian Campbell said. In his letter to Koizumi , Howard challenged the Japanese claim that it needs to expand its whale kill for research purposes. Earlier this week Prime Minister John Howard personally wrote to his Japanese counterpart , Junichiro Koizumi, urging him to scrap the plan to increase Japan's whale kill. Prime Minister John Howard intervened personally, writing to his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi at the weekend to urge Tokyo to reconsider its position on whaling. Rescue workers have recovered at least 17 injured, seven of whom required intensive care. The latest torrent of snow smashed into the town of Valzur, where two people were killed and two survivors were pulled from the snow and debris. Six remained missing , Austrian state radio said. Some 20 people went missing while rescuers are continuing the searching work. The 1978 statute is due to expire June 30. They were still looking for 20 to 30 other missing people , feared dead under the snow. Some 20,000 tourists were stranded in Tyrol province , and thousands of others in Vorarlberg. He said 31 people were still missing in the village in the Tyrol province , near the Swiss border. Rescue workers have recovered at least 17 injured , seven of whom required intensive care. After heavy snows over the past two weeks set off avalanches that killed seven people near the southern Swiss village of Evolene and 19 people in France , the mood Wednesday at the height of this Alpine vacation season is edgy. Seven miles away, in Galtuer, the death toll rose to 16, with 15 still missing. The ``Titanic'' ballad ``My Heart Will Go On'' won three, including song of the year, and Madonna also won three. Four of the 10 who were swept away were pulled out of the snowslide -- shaken but alive -- by rescuers. All three survived, climbing out of the house through a hole where the roof had been, and were flown out to an emergency center in Landeck Wednesday afternoon. 1 Dead in Avalanche in Austria LANDECK, Austria (AP) -- Helicopters rescued stranded tourists in western Austria and another killer avalanche brought new heartache today. AUSTRIA-AVALANCHE (Galtuer, Austria) _ Avalanche developments: The death toll has risen to 16 ; 29 missing. Avalanche Hits Austria Again LANDECK, Austria (AP) -- Another killer avalanche struck Western Austria today , striking just miles from where rescuers were digging for victims of Europe's worst snowslide this winter. The European Union (EU) noted that the six-nation Contact Group on the former Yugoslavia allowed the signing of agreement before March 15, according to the statement issued by Germany , which is holding the rotating presidency of the EU. ROME _ An avalanche crashed through a small Austrian resort on Tuesday, killing at least eight people and leaving dozens missing , in what officials feared could turn out to be Austria's worst snow disaster in years. Officials at Khartoum Teaching hospital said 10 people were injured in the raid, including four in critical condition. Officials at Khartoum Teaching hospital said 10 people were injured in the raid, including four in critical condition. Officials at Khartoum Teaching hospital said 10 people were injured in the raid, including four in critical condition. Khartoum Hospital officials said 10 people were being treated for injuries, including four in critical condition. Khartoum Hospital officials said 10 people were being treated for injuries, including four in critical condition. Addressing the same press conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf condemned Thursday's attack on the north Khartoum factory , in which hospital officials say 10 people were injured. Khartoum Hospital officials said 10 people were being treated for injuries, including four in critical condition. Khartoum Hospital officials said 10 people were being treated for injuries, including four in critical condition. About a dozen Sudanese soldiers lounged on the ground at the entrance of the destroyed factory, which the Sudanese say made pharmaceuticals , but which the Americans contend was a cover for the making of chemical weapons. U.S. officials said the factory in Sudan made chemical weapons agents; Sudan maintains it's a pharmaceutical plant. ``If there was a 1 percent chance that this was a pharmaceuticals plant , then it should have held off.'' Erwa told the Arab Group on Friday that the factory was a pharmaceutical plant that had no links to bin Laden. Erwa told the Arab Group on Friday that the factory was a pharmaceutical plant that had no links to bin Laden. Sudan said it produced pharmaceutical products. Sudan said it produced pharmaceutical products. U.S. officials have said the cruise missile attack on the Khartoum factory was designed to wipe out a terrorist chemical plant linked to Osama bin Laden , whom U.S. officials accuse in the embassy bombings. U.S. officials have said the cruise missile attack on the Khartoum factory was designed to wipe out a terrorist chemical plant linked to Osama bin Laden, whom U.S. officials accuse in the embassy bombings. U.S. officials have said they were targeting a terrorist chemical plant linked to a suspect in the U.S. embassy bombings in east Africa. U.S. officials have said they were targeting a terrorist chemical plant linked to a suspect in the U.S. embassy bombings in east Africa. U.S. officials have said the cruise missile attack on the Khartoum factory was designed to wipe out a terrorist chemical plant linked to Osama bin Laden , whom U.S. officials accuse in the embassy bombings. U.S. officials have said the cruise missile attack on the Khartoum factory was designed to wipe out a terrorist chemical plant linked to Osama bin Laden, whom U.S. officials accuse in the embassy bombings. American intelligence officials have called Turabi a close comrade of bin Laden, whom the administration has accused of being the mastermind of the bombings of two American embassies in East Africa that left hundreds dead. U.S. officials have said the cruise missile attack on the Khartoum factory was designed to wipe out a terrorist chemical plant linked to Osama bin Laden, whom U.S. officials accuse in the embassy bombings. Such a committee could also check whether the factory was owned by Osama Bin Laden, the Afghanistan-based extremist whom the Americans have blamed for the bombings of its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on Aug. 7 , the foreign minister said. Such a committee could also check whether the factory was owned by Osama Bin Laden, the Afghanistan -based extremist whom the Americans have blamed for the bombings of its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on Aug. 7, the foreign minister said. U.S. officials have said the cruise missile attack on the Khartoum factory was designed to wipe out a terrorist chemical plant linked to Osama bin Laden, whom U.S. officials accuse in the embassy bombings. U.S. missiles also struck suspected camps of Muslim militant Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Clinton said the missiles hit terrorist camps in Afghanistan run by Osama bin Laden , the Saudi millionaire blamed by Washington for the Aug. 7 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and a factory linked to bin Laden in Sudan. American missiles also struck suspected bases of Muslim extremist Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The attack in Khartoum and the simultaneous strike on Bin Laden's camps in Afghanistan were a ``totally unwarranted act of aggression ,'' al-Sahhaf said. U.S. missiles also struck suspected camps of Muslim militant Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) _ Hundreds of Sudanese trudged through the mud on a rainy Friday to gather by the twisted rubble and concrete of the factory heavily damaged by U.S. missiles. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) _ President Omar el-Bashir on Friday recalled Sudan's diplomats from Washington to protest the U.S. missile strike on a factory in the Sudanese capital a day earlier. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) _ Diplomats from more than a dozen nations were taken on a tour Friday of the Sudanese factory struck a day earlier by U.S. missiles. The foreign minister spoke to reporters after arriving in Baghdad a day after U.S. missiles devastated a factory in the Sudanese capital. CAIRO, Egypt (AP) _ Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi _ still on crutches from a recent hip operation _ led hundreds of chanting Libyans in a Friday rally condemning U.S. missile strikes on Sudan and Afghanistan. The Cairo-based Arab League condemned the attack in Sudan , calling it ``an unjustified and flagrant aggression on ... an Arab country.'' CAIRO, Egypt (AP) _ In mosques and in McDonald's, Arabs on Friday criticized U.S. missile strikes in Sudan and Afghanistan as driven more by President Bill Clinton's need to escape scandal than by a battle against terrorism. ``We will retain the right to protest, and will ask the Security Council to investigate the truth ... about this factory ,'' el-Bashir said on Sudanese television. UNITED NATIONS (AP) _ Sudan will ask the Security Council to consider authorizing a U.N. investigation into the U.S. airstrikes on a Khartoum factory , Sudan's ambassador said Friday, calling the attack a breach of international law. UNITED NATIONS (AP) _ Sudan asked the Security Council to convene an urgent meeting to authorize a fact-finding investigation into the ``barbaric, unjust'' U.S. airstrikes on a Khartoum factory. President Clinton ordered the attack on the El-Shifa Pharmaceutical Industries Co. on Thursday on grounds the factory was producing precursors for the deadly VX chemical weapon. The United States said the plant produced the ingredients of chemical weapons. The United States said the plant produced the ingredients of chemical weapons. Bashir said that he would prove that the pharmaceutical plant hit by the American missiles was not a cover for making the precursors of nerve gas as Washington claimed. He said Sudan could ``prove that the factory is specifically for pharmaceutical production'' and not the chemical weapons facility described by U.S. officials. He said Sudan could ``prove that the factory is specifically for pharmaceutical production'' and not the chemical weapons facility described by U.S. officials. Fish and Wildlife Service is preparing to remove Yellowstone's grizzly bears from the endangered species list later this year. As the Bush administration prepares to remove Yellowstone's grizzly bears from the endangered species list , a schism has emerged in the environmental movement over whether the bears remain at risk. But other powerful organizations, including the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice, are threatening to sue the Bush administration if, as expected, it removes Yellowstone grizzlies from the list. Fish and Wildlife Service is poised to remove the park's renowned bears from the endangered species list. Fish and Wildlife Service is poised to remove the park's renowned bears from the endangered species list. Grizzly bears in areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park would be removed from the endangered species list under a proposal to be announced next week, officials said. The Bush administration on Tuesday is to take the first step toward removing Yellowstone's grizzly bears , a living icon of the American West, from the nation's endangered species list. If the administration goes ahead with taking Yellowstone's grizzlies off the list , it will become the 18th endangered species to recover under the Endangered Species Act. Grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park should be removed from the endangered species list after 30 years of federal protection , the U.S. Department of Interior said Tuesday. Despite the record number of dead bears last year, the Fish and Wildlife Service believes the grizzlies, whose population has more than doubled in the three decades it has been on the list , no longer need the special protection afforded by the law. The 5-year-old male was the first of 19 grizzly bears to die in the region surrounding Yellowstone National Park and one of 50 killed in the lower 48 states, making 2004 the worst year for grizzly mortality since the animal was added to the endangered species list in 1975. Twenty-one grizzlies have been illegally killed here in northwest Montana in the past two years, a record pace for poaching since the bears were listed 30 years ago as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, according to the U.S. Twenty-one grizzlies have been illegally killed here in northwest Montana in the past two years, a record pace for poaching since the bears were listed 30 years ago as threatened under the Endangered Species Act , according to the U.S. The number of grizzlies in the Yellowstone area has grown at a rate of 4 to 7 percent per year since the bear was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 , Interior Secretary Gale Norton said. Their range encompasses Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park and nearby lands in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. France said Montana, Wyoming and Idaho -- working with federal agencies -- are well prepared to guarantee the long-term health of Yellowstone's grizzlies. Federal wildlife officials estimate that more than 600 grizzly bears live in the region surrounding Yellowstone in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Federal wildlife officials estimate that more than 600 grizzly bears now live in the region , which includes parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The death rate here, where the grizzly population is estimated at 600 , was 2 1/2 half times greater than the 15-year average. Now their population is estimated to be about 600 , and growing about 4 to 7 percent a year, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Since 1983, the bear population has roughly tripled to 600 animals roaming the 5.8 million acre recovery zone. Federal wildlife officials estimate that more than 600 grizzly bears live in the region surrounding Yellowstone in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. "The Yellowstone grizzly is the Endangered Species Act's best recovery story ," said Chris Servheen, a University of Montana professor and head of the federal agency's grizzly bear recovery team. Norton said grizzly bear recovery has been a success story because of cooperation between state and federal governments, along with biologists and conservation groups. Norton said grizzly bear recovery has been a success story because of cooperation between state and federal governments, along with biologists and conservation groups. While the National Wildlife Federation is backing the delisting of the grizzly bear , other environmental groups including the Sierra Club and the Natural Resource Defense Council are opposed and threaten to sue the federal government to block the move. While the National Wildlife Federation is backing the delisting of the grizzly bear, other environmental groups including the Sierra Club and the Natural Resource Defense Council are opposed and threaten to sue the federal government to block the move. Other conservation groups, however, including the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council , oppose delisting. Who's killing the great bears of Montana? As for who is killing the grizzlies , investigators say they are making little or no progress in their search for suspects or witnesses. A nine-year study coinciding with burgeoning development in and around Banff National Park has found the area's grizzly bears have the lowest reproductive rate ever recorded in North America, scientists at the University of Calgary said. That study, which is based on nine years of research plus monitoring in 2003 and 2004 , will include policy recommendations. Grizzly bears in areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park would be removed from the endangered species list under a proposal to be announced next week, officials said. The proposal to de-list grizzly bears in the area surrounding Yellowstone National Park , which has alarmed some environmentalists, highlights the contrasting views of the 32-year-old Endangered Species Act. The 5-year-old male was the first of 19 grizzly bears to die in the region surrounding Yellowstone National Park and one of 50 killed in the lower 48 states, making 2004 the worst year for grizzly mortality since the animal was added to the endangered species list in 1975. Twenty-one grizzlies have been illegally killed here in northwest Montana in the past two years , a record pace for poaching since the bears were listed 30 years ago as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, according to the U.S. We cannot have a law that cannot be applied," Katumba told a press conference on Monday after the expiry of one month grace period given to all motorists. The implementation of the strict traffic law was supposed to start on Oct. 1 but the government extended it for one month. The Ugandan government has granted another month as the final deadline for motorists , especially owners of public service vehicles to have their vehicles fitted with safety belts, reported the state-owned newspaper The New Vision on Friday. By mandating the use of seat belts and helmets for motorcyclists , cracking down on speeding and drunken driving and ensuring good visibility on all roads, China would be able to reduce road fatalities, he said. Pataki's action means that New York has joined other states, including California, a center of skateboarding in the country, in requiring helmets. But they did accomplish one thing that will have far-reaching implications for young daredevils: passing a law requiring that children under 14 wear safety helmets while riding skateboards in public areas. By mandating the use of seat belts and helmets for motorcyclists , cracking down on speeding and drunken driving and ensuring good visibility on all roads, China would be able to reduce road fatalities, he said. By mandating the use of seat belts and helmets for motorcyclists , cracking down on speeding and drunken driving and ensuring good visibility on all roads , China would be able to reduce road fatalities, he said. At the same time, ASEAN countries will promote the gradual harmonization and amendment of the key road safety regulations and to promote awareness and steady enforcement of traffic rules and regulations among the citizens, such as those pertaining to speed limits, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and the wearing of safety helmets and safety seat belts. Many of these motorcyclist casualties could be avoided if there was widespread wearing of safety helmets. Most soccer players on the Santa Clara University women's team will enter the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday wearing protective equipment -- headgear -- that is as controversial as it is lightweight. WHO calls on China to lower 680-a-day road accident death toll by Robert J. Saiget ATTENTION - INSERTS details, ADDS quotes /// ss problems with the way transportation is organized, factors contributing to accidents, the need to create better safety devices for vehicles and passengers and to build a better mechanism to respond to accidents, Kurg said. WHO calls on China to lower 680-a-day road accident death toll by Robert J. Saiget ATTENTION - INSERTS details, ADDS quotes /// ss problems with the way transportation is organized, factors contributing to accidents, the need to create better safety devices for vehicles and passengers and to build a better mechanism to respond to accidents , Kurg said. Police handed out 2,184 tickets on Monday alone to unbuckled drivers and passengers, the first day of the crackdown. We had more than 2,000 tickets issued Monday but today there were only 520 issued by midday," said Fabian, who was manning a seatbelt checkpoint. Nasasira told press on Thursday that the new deadline expires at the end of the month. Nasasira told press on Thursday that the new deadline expires at the end of the month. According to traffic regulations, passengers in public and private vehicles will face arrest and up to one month in jail or an on-spot fine of 20,000 shillings (11.6 US dollars) if they travel without fastening their safety belts. According to the traffic regulations, passengers in public and private vehicles will face arrest and up to one month in jail or an on-spot fine of 20,000 shillings (11.6 US dollars) if they travel without fastening their safety belts. According to traffic regulations , passengers in public and private vehicles will face arrest and up to one month in jail or an on-spot fine of 20,000 shillings (11.6 US dollars) if they travel without fastening their safety belts. According to the traffic regulations , passengers in public and private vehicles will face arrest and up to one month in jail or an on-spot fine of 20,000 shillings (11.6 US dollars) if they travel without fastening their safety belts. Motorcycle riders will face a penalty of between 40,000 shillings (33 dollars) and 80,000 shillings (66 dollars) if arrested without crash helmets under the regulations. Motorcycle riders will face a penalty of between 40,000 shillings (33 dollars) and 80,000 shillings (66 dollars) if arrested without crash helmets under the regulations. Henderson and Aaron James McKinney , both 21 , are charged with murder and face the death penalty if convicted. Henderson and Aaron James McKinney , both 21, are charged with murder and face the death penalty if convicted. Henderson and Aaron McKinney , both 21 , are charged with murder and face the death penalty if convicted. Henderson and his co-defendant, Aaron McKinney, 21, both face the death penalty if convicted in a case that has become a central focus for gay rights activists and others seeking stronger bias crime legislation. Both men could get the death penalty. Henderson and the 21-year-old McKinney both face the death penalty if convicted in a case that has become a central focus for gay rights activists and others seeking stronger bias crime legislation. Both men could get the death penalty. Henderson and McKinney , both 21, face the death penalty if convicted. McKinney's trial is set for Aug. 9. McKinney's trial is set for Aug. 9. The other man charged in the slaying, Aaron McKinney , 21, is set to go on trial in August. The other man charged in the slaying , Aaron McKinney, 21, is set to go on trial in August. McKinney is scheduled to stand trial in August. McKinney is scheduled to stand trial in August. McKinney's trial is scheduled for August. ``The defense will contend that Russell did not participate in the beating and did not share in the proceeds of the robbery ,'' said Wyatt Skaggs, the lawyer for 21-year-old Russell Henderson. Henderson's attorney said his client was only a witness and did not participate in Shepard's beating. Henderson's attorney said his client was only a witness and did not participate in Shepard's beating. Henderson's attorney said his client was only a witness and did not participate in Shepard's beating. Henderson's attorney said his client was only a witness and did not participate in Shepard's beating. ``The defense will contend that Russell did not participate in the beating and did not share in the proceeds of the robbery ,'' he said. Authorities said Henderson and Aaron McKinney, 21, posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar Oct. 6, kidnapped and pistol-whipped him and left him tied to a fence in the cold. Authorities said Henderson and McKinney, both high-school dropouts, posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar last October and then kidnapped and beat him, leaving him lashed to a fence. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha also told the panel to remember that Shepard, who was beaten and left tied to a fence in near-freezing weather last fall , was ``a victim that was different, a victim that was not the same as you and I.'' Henderson , along with Aaron McKinney, allegedly kidnapped and pistol-whipped Shepard and left him tied to a fence in the cold. Henderson , along with Aaron McKinney, allegedly kidnapped and pistol-whipped Shepard and left him tied to a fence in the cold. Authorities said the pair pretended to be homosexual and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a downtown bar before they beat him and then left him lashed to a fence in a remote area east of town. Authorities said Henderson and McKinney posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar, kidnapped him, pistol -whipped him and stole $20. Her son, a University of Wyoming freshman, was pistol -whipped , lashed to a fence and left for dead last October. Henderson is accused of pistol-whipping Shepard , lashing him to a fence in Wyoming's high plains and leaving him to die last fall. Authorities said Henderson and Aaron McKinney, 21, posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar Oct. 6, kidnapped and pistol -whipped him and left him tied to a fence in the cold. Henderson, along with Aaron McKinney, allegedly kidnapped and pistol -whipped Shepard and left him tied to a fence in the cold. Henderson, along with Aaron McKinney, allegedly kidnapped and pistol -whipped Shepard and left him tied to a fence in the cold. He died in a hospital five days later. The University of Wyoming student died five days later at a hospital. Shepard , a political science major at the University of Wyoming, was not found for hours and died five days later at a hospital. The University of Wyoming student died five days later at a hospital. The University of Wyoming student died five days later at a hospital. The University of Wyoming student died five days later. Opening arguments in Russell Henderson's trial have been scheduled for April 6 , according to Judge Jeffrey Donnell. Jury selection was to begin today, with opening statements scheduled for April 6. Opening statements were scheduled for April 6. Opening statements are scheduled for April 6. Opening statements are scheduled for April 6. The crime shocked the nation and drew condemnation from President Clinton and Congress and calls for stronger bias crime laws. Henderson and his co-defendant, Aaron McKinney, 21, both face the death penalty if convicted in a case that has become a central focus for gay rights activists and others seeking stronger bias crime legislation. The crime led to demands for stronger hate-crime laws around the country. Henderson and the 21-year-old McKinney both face the death penalty if convicted in a case that has become a central focus for gay rights activists and others seeking stronger bias crime legislation. Both Henderson and McKinney are accused of first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated robbery in an attack that led to demands for stronger hate-crime laws around the country. Authorities said Henderson and McKinney posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar, kidnapped him, pistol-whipped him and stole $20. Authorities said Henderson and McKinney, both high-school dropouts, posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar last October and then kidnapped and beat him. Authorities said Henderson and Aaron McKinney, 21, posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar Oct. 6, kidnapped and pistol-whipped him and left him tied to a fence in the cold. Authorities said Henderson and McKinney, both high-school dropouts, posed as homosexuals and lured the 5-foot-2, 105-pound Shepard out of a bar last October and then kidnapped and beat him, leaving him lashed to a fence. Authorities said the pair pretended to be homosexual and lured the 5-foot-2 , 105-pound Shepard out of a downtown bar before they beat him and then left him lashed to a fence in a remote area east of town. (AP) -- The trial for one of two men accused in the beating death of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard has been postponed. (AP) -- The trial for one of two men accused in the beating death of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard will begin with jury selection March 24. (AP) -- Police stepped up patrols today outside the courthouse for the trial of one of two men accused of murdering gay college student Matthew Shepard. (AP) -- One of two men arrested in the beating death of gay college student Matthew Shepard merely watched while the other man pistol-whipped Shepard and left him to die, a defense attorney said Wednesday as jury selection began. Federal authorities believe he used bombs to kill three people and injure 23 others between 1978 and 1995. Federal authorities believe he used bombs to kill three people and injure 23 others between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski, a 54-year-old former mathematics professor, is accused of being the Unabomber , who killed three people and injured 23 during a campaign against technology between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski is the suspect of the mailing-bomb terrorist who has killed three people and injured 23 others in the 18 years. Kaczynski, the 55-year-old former university math instructor is suspected of being the UNABOMber, the mailbomb terrorist who killed three people and injured 23 others in 17 years before his arrest last year. The mail bomb terrorist killed three people and injured 23 others in 18 years. Explosive devices placed or mailed by the notorious UNABOMber killed three people and injured 23 during a 17-year reign of terror that began in 1978. Unabomber , the mail bomb terrorist, killed three people and injured 23 others between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski , arrested in Montana in April 1996, has pleaded not guilty to the Sacramento charges accusing him of four bomb attacks , in which two people were killed. Kaczynski is charged in Sacramento with four of those bombings , which killed two men and wounded others. Kaczynski is charged in Sacramento with four of 16 bombings , which killed two men and wounded two others. Kaczynski, 55, is awaiting trial on November 12 on a 10-count federal indictment charging him with four of the 16 bombings attributed to the Unabomber -- a name stemming from the bomber's early victims, which included universities, airlines and other technology-related targets. He is charged in four bombings that killed two men and wounded two others. The suspect, Theodore Kaczynski , a 55-year-old former University of California math instructor, is charged with four of the 16 attacks attributed to the Unabomber, two of which are fatal. He is charged in Sacramento with placing or mailing four bombs that killed computer store owner Hugh Scrutton in 1985 and timber lobbyist Gilbert Murray in 1995, and with injuring two scientists in the San Francisco Bay area and in Connecticut in 1993. Prosecutors say they have a great deal of evidence against the 55-year-old former math professor , who's charged with four of the 16 bombings blamed on the notorious UNABOMber, according to news reports. Debevoise also heard arguments on a defense request to transfer the New Jersey case to Sacramento , where a November trial date has been set. Attorneys Quin Denvir and Judy Clarke have asked that prospective jurors for the November 12 trial in Sacramento, California, be picked from within the Eastern District , which includes Sacramento and 22 other counties, according to news reports. Kaczynski , 55, is awaiting trial on November 12 on a 10-count federal indictment charging him with four of the 16 bombings attributed to the Unabomber -- a name stemming from the bomber's early victims, which included universities, airlines and other technology-related targets. Kacznski is expected to be returned to Sacramento for his trial on November 12. WASHINGTON, October 3 (Xinhua) -- The names, addresses and employers of jurors and their spouses will be kept secret once the Unabomber murder trial gets under way with jury selection on November 12 in Sacramento , California. It is expected that several hundred prospects may be eliminated quickly because the trial and selection process could cause the trial to last for six months, including the jury courtroom selection, which is scheduled to begin November 12. WASHINGTON , November 12 ( Xinhua) -- The UNABOMber trial is getting under way today with jury selection in Sacramento , California. Federal authorities believe he used bombs to kill three people and injure 23 others between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski , a 54-year-old former mathematics professor, is accused of being the Unabomber, who killed three people and injured 23 during a campaign against technology between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski is the suspect of the mailing-bomb terrorist who has killed three people and injured 23 others in the 18 years. Kaczynski, the 55-year-old former university math instructor is suspected of being the UNABOMber, the mailbomb terrorist who killed three people and injured 23 others in 17 years before his arrest last year. The mail bomb terrorist killed three people and injured 23 others in 18 years. Explosive devices placed or mailed by the notorious UNABOMber killed three people and injured 23 during a 17-year reign of terror that began in 1978. Unabomber , the mail bomb terrorist, killed three people and injured 23 others between 1978 and 1995. Kaczynski, the former Berkeley mathematics professor, has pleaded innocent to four Unabomber attacks that killed two people in Sacramento. Kaczynski, arrested in Montana in April 1996, has pleaded not guilty to the Sacramento charges accusing him of four bomb attacks , in which two people were killed. Kaczynski is charged in Sacramento with four of those bombings , which killed two men and wounded others. Kaczynski is charged in Sacramento with four of 16 bombings , which killed two men and wounded two others. He is charged in four bombings that killed two men and wounded two others. The suspect, Theodore Kaczynski, a 55-year-old former University of California math instructor, is charged with four of the 16 attacks attributed to the Unabomber, two of which are fatal. Kaczynski , 54 , was arrested April 3 at his cabin in Lincoln , Montana, and is being held without bail. Kaczynski , arrested in Montana in April 1996 , has pleaded not guilty to the Sacramento charges accusing him of four bomb attacks, in which two people were killed. He was arrested April last year. Kaczynski, who was arrested in April last year , has pleaded innocent to all charges. Kaczynski was arrested in a cabin in Montana in April last year. WASHINGTON, December 10 (Xinhua) -- Unabomber suspect Theodore J. Kaczynski pleaded innocent today via video to charges he sent the mail bomb killing an advertising executive exactly two years ago. Kaczynski , the former Berkeley mathematics professor, has pleaded innocent to four Unabomber attacks that killed two people in Sacramento. Kaczynski has also pleaded innocent in the case. Kaczynski , who was arrested in April last year, has pleaded innocent to all charges. The evidence includes journals that prosecutors say contain admissions to all 16 bombings attributed to the UNABOMber during a 18-year reign of terror that began in 1978. Kaczynski, 55, is awaiting trial on November 12 on a 10-count federal indictment charging him with four of the 16 bombings attributed to the Unabomber -- a name stemming from the bomber's early victims, which included universities, airlines and other technology-related targets. The suspect, Theodore Kaczynski, a 55-year-old former University of California math instructor, is charged with four of the 16 attacks attributed to the Unabomber , two of which are fatal. Prosecutors say they have a great deal of evidence against the 55-year-old former math professor, who's charged with four of the 16 bombings blamed on the notorious UNABOMber , according to news reports. He also is charged with a third fatal bombing in New Jersey. He is charged with a third death in New Jersey. He is also charged with a third fatal bombing in New Jersey. Kaczynski is also charged with another fatal bombing in a separate case in New Jersey. WASHINGTON , May 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno has authorized prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Unabomber suspect Theodore Kaczynski, Justice Department official and a lawyer for the Kaczynski family said Thursday. In a statement, Washington, D.C. attorney Anthony Bisceglie said he had informed Kaczynski's brother David and his mother Wanda of Reno's decision to authorize prosecutors to seek the death penalty in the case. Justice Department sources said Reno agreed to prosecutors' request and had authorized the death penalty in the case , and said the decision was expected to be disclosed in a court filing later on Thursday in Sacramento, California, where the case is pending. Eight soldiers were killed and 23 injured in fierce desert gunbattles with tribal rebels in Pakistan's southwestern province of Baluchistan, officials said Friday. It was unclear if the toll included the figure of eight soldiers killed and 23 injured given by officials earlier for the violence at Dera Bugti, southeast of Quetta. A fierce gunbattle between paramilitary troops and renegade tribesmen left eight soldiers dead and 23 others wounded in an insurgency-wracked area of southwestern Pakistan, a troop spokesman said Friday. He said eight soldiers were killed and 23 injured but gave no details on any casualties among the attackers or other tribespeople. He said eight soldiers were killed and 23 injured but gave no details on any casualties among the attackers or other tribespeople. The government and tribal forces fought a 16-hour gunbattle in Dera Bugti on Thursday that officials say left at least eight troops and 22 tribesmen dead. Officials have said up to 45 people, including eight soldiers, were killed in the clashes between the Frontier Corps troops and Bugti tribesmen , who dominate Dera Bugti. Officials have said up to 45 people, including eight soldiers , were killed in the clashes between the Frontier Corps troops and Bugti tribesmen, who dominate Dera Bugti. Pakistan Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao has said that eight security personnel and 21 tribesmen including two Hindu minority members were killed in the battles , while 34 people were injured. Tribal rebels attacked a paramilitary convoy in restive southwest Pakistan on Thursday , killing three soldiers and injuring seven others, a senior military officer said. The clash erupted when a convoy of soldiers came under attack by armed men belonging to the Bugti tribe in the clan's stronghold of Dera Bugti, some 280 kilometers (175 miles) southeast of the provincial capital Quetta, he said. Fighting broke out Thursday after the heavily-armed renegade clansmen, who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources, ambushed paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers. Fighting lasted all day Thursday after the heavily-armed clansmen, who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources, ambushed a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers , officials said. Tensions in the region escalated Thursday when tribesmen ambushed a convoy of troops and fired rockets at a military base on the outskirts of Dera Bugti , 300 kilometers (185 miles) southeast of Baluchistan province's capital, Quetta. Fighting lasted all day Thursday after the heavily-armed clansmen, who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources, ambushed a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers. The fighting in the town of Dera Bugti erupted last Thursday after the tribesmen allegedly attacked a convoy of pickup trucks carrying paramilitary troops along a mountain road. The fighting in the town of Dera Bugti erupted last Thursday after the tribesmen allegedly attacked a convoy of pickup trucks carrying paramilitary troops along a mountain road. The tribesman have been waging a months-long rebellion in a bid to win increased royalties and more jobs from the province's natural resources. Fighting broke out Thursday after the heavily-armed renegade clansmen , who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources , ambushed paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers. Fighting lasted all day Thursday after the heavily-armed clansmen , who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources , ambushed a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers, officials said. Fighting lasted all day Thursday after the heavily-armed clansmen , who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources , ambushed a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers. The tribesmen, who have demanded more revenues for natural resources extracted from their territory, often launch attacks on government targets in restive areas of Baluchistan, but violence has escalated this year and the army has deployed thousands of soldiers and set up a garrison at the gas fields. It was an alarming escalation of a low-level rebellion in Baluchistan, the country's poorest province, where tribesmen are demanding more returns from the natural gas extracted from their territory and resent the army's moves to set up garrisons in the region. Dera Bugti, some 160 kilometres (99 miles) from the shrine, was the scene of fierce gunbattles on Thursday between troops and tribesmen, who are waging a revolt in a bid to win more royalties from the province's natural resources. Gunbattles between the renegade clansmen and troops from Pakistan's Frontier Corps continued throughout the day after the attack in Baluchistan province , corps chief Major General Shujjat Zamir Dar told reporters. Fighting broke out Thursday after the heavily-armed renegade clansmen , who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources, ambushed paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers. "The casualties were high because the exchange of rockets and mortar shells continued from both sides throughout the day on Thursday ," the home ministry official said. Fighting lasted all day Thursday after the heavily-armed clansmen , who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources, ambushed a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers, officials said. Fighting lasted all day Thursday after the heavily-armed clansmen , who want more autonomy and increased benefits from the area's natural resources, ambushed a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers. The government and tribal forces fought a 16-hour gunbattle in Dera Bugti on Thursday that officials say left at least eight troops and 22 tribesmen dead. Dera Bugti, some 160 kilometres (99 miles) from the shrine, was the scene of fierce gunbattles on Thursday between troops and tribesmen , who are waging a revolt in a bid to win more royalties from the province's natural resources. Thousands of troops moved into the region after a rocket barrage on the gas plant left eight people dead in January. Thousands of troops moved into the region after a rocket barrage on the gas plant left eight people dead in January. Thousands of troops moved into Baluchistan after a rocket barrage on the gas plant at Sui left eight people dead in January. Pakistan has deployed thousands of soldiers and set up a garrison at the main gas field near Dera Bugti, since rocket attacks blamed on tribesmen killed eight people in early January and disrupted gas supplies across the country. Thousands of troops moved into Baluchistan after a rocket barrage on the gas plant at Sui left eight people dead in January. The tribesmen, who have demanded more revenues for natural resources extracted from their territory, often launch attacks on government targets in restive areas of Baluchistan, but violence has escalated this year and the army has deployed thousands of soldiers and set up a garrison at the gas fields. Thousands of troops moved into Baluchistan after a rocket barrage on the gas plant left eight people dead in January. The tribesman have been waging a months-long rebellion in a bid to win increased royalties and more jobs from the province's natural resources. Baluchistan has been in the grip of a sporadic tribal revolt for more han a year but the violence surged after the January 2 rape of a 32-year-old doctor in her lodgings near the Sui gasfield. The province has been gripped by a sporadic tribal revolt for more than a year but the violence surged after the January rape of a 32 year-old doctor at Pakistan's largest gas field at Sui in Baluchistan. Baluchistan has been gripped by a sporadic tribal revolt for more than a year but the violence surged after the January rape of a 32 year-old doctor at Pakistan's largest gas field at Sui. Baluchistan has been gripped by a sporadic tribal revolt for more than a year but violence surged after the January rape of a 32 year-old doctor at Pakistan's largest gas field at Sui. Dera Bugti, some 160 kilometres (99 miles) from the shrine, was the scene of fierce gunbattles on Thursday between troops and tribesmen, who are waging a revolt in a bid to win more royalties from the province's natural resources. Earlier corps spokesman Colonel Rizwan Malik said the tribesmen used light and heavy weapons and also rained more than 150 rockets and mortar shells on a nearby military base. Earlier corps spokesman Colonel Rizwan Malik said the tribesmen used light and heavy weapons and also rained more than 150 rockets and mortar shells on a nearby military base. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said tribesmen used light and heavy weapons and rained more than 150 rockets and mortar shells on a nearby paramilitary base from 12 different directions. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said tribesmen used light and heavy weapons and rained more than 150 rockets and mortar shells on a nearby paramilitary base from 12 different directions. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said tribesmen used light and heavy weapons and rained more than 150 rockets and mortar shells on a nearby paramilitary base from 12 different directions. Tensions in the region escalated Thursday when tribesmen ambushed a convoy of troops and fired rockets at a military base on the outskirts of Dera Bugti, 300 kilometers (185 miles) southeast of Baluchistan province's capital , Quetta. Thousands of troops moved into the region after a rocket barrage on the gas plant left eight people dead in January. Thousands of troops moved into Baluchistan after a rocket barrage on the gas plant at Sui left eight people dead in January. Pakistan has deployed thousands of soldiers and set up a garrison at the main gas field near Dera Bugti, since rocket attacks blamed on tribesmen killed eight people in early January and disrupted gas supplies across the country. Thousands of troops moved into Baluchistan after a rocket barrage on the gas plant at Sui left eight people dead in January. Thousands of troops moved into Baluchistan after a rocket barrage on the gas plant left eight people dead in January. Fierce gun battles between tribal rebels and Pakistani troops in the troubled southwestern province of Baluchistan have left up to 30 people dead and more than 70 injured , an official said Friday. Security forces were on high-alert to deal with any untoward situation in the area where fierce gun battles between tribal rebels and Pakistani troops have killed at least 30 people and wounded more than 70. Security forces were on high-alert to deal with any untoward situation in the area where fierce gun battles between tribal rebels and Pakistani troops have killed at least 30 people and wounded more than 70. Thousands of government workers and their families have evacuated a remote town in southwestern Pakistan, a senior official said, amid fears of renewed fighting between renegade tribesmen and security forces after clashes left at least 30 people dead. Tribal rebels attacked a paramilitary convoy in restive southwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing three soldiers and injuring seven others , a senior military officer said. Bombs exploded on two trains in Baluchistan on Friday killing two people and wounding eight. Bombs exploded on two trains in Baluchistan on Friday killing two people and wounding eight. Bombs exploded on two trains in Baluchistan on Friday killing two people and wounding eight. After receiving more than 1,400 similar, ephedrine-related complaints from people across the state , the Texas Department of Health is considering classifying the stimulant as a dangerous drug and requiring a prescription for most products containing it. The federal Food and Drug Administration says it has received hundreds of reports from physicians, health authorities and others about adverse reactions to ephedrine-based products. The federal Food and Drug Administration says it has received hundreds of reports from physicians, health authorities and others about adverse reactions to ephedrine-based products. In some cases , critics say , the supplements can be quite dangerous indeed. In some cases , critics say, the supplements can be quite dangerous indeed. While the FDA can alert consumers to products that could be dangerous, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 limits the agency's latitude in regulating supplements. At least eight deaths in Texas and more than 40 nationwide have been linked to ephedrine _ a stimulant found in certain Asian plants _ said Cynthia Culmo of the state health department. The formula, which manufacturers say is safe, has been linked to more than a dozen deaths nationwide. Weight loss, muscle building, and energy boosting products containing ephedrine have not been recalled by the FDA, although the agency issued several warnings after it investigated more than 800 adverse health events including heart attack, stroke, seizure, and more than 30 deaths associated with products containing ephedrine. Weight loss, muscle building, and energy boosting products containing ephedrine have not been recalled by the FDA , although the agency issued several warnings after it investigated more than 800 adverse health events including heart attack, stroke, seizure, and more than 30 deaths associated with products containing ephedrine. Products containing ephedrine _ commonly labeled as ephedra, ma huang Chinese ephedra, and epitonin _ are often found in weight-loss, energy boosting, and body building supplements. Products containing ephedrine _ commonly labeled as ephedra, ma huang Chinese ephedra, and epitonin _ are often found in weight-loss, energy boosting, and body building supplements. Products containing ephedrine _ commonly labeled as ephedra, ma huang Chinese ephedra, and epitonin _ are often found in weight-loss, energy boosting, and body building supplements. The herb is called ephedra, or ma huang , and it comes from a shrublike plant grown widely in Asia. Still, the combined effects of the herbal potpourri found in many diet supplements have not been studied. It can be found in more than 200 diet supplements , in pills and powders, drinks and diet bars, for sale in health food stores and on the Internet. According to the NCNC , the Chinese authorities have attached great importance to the drug problem since it re-emerged in the country in the early 1980s, and have launched a series of offensives against drug-related crimes. But some local authorities have not fully recognized the seriousness of the problem, and have not done enough to crack down on drug-related crime, the NCNC said. Among the serious side effects that have been linked to herbal remedies are high blood pressure, life-threatening allergic reactions, heart rhythm abnormalities, mania, kidney failure and liver damage. Ephedrine has been widely studied over the past few years, and studies suggest that it can produce a wide array of possible side effects, including anxiety, insomnia, hypertension, tachycardia, psychosis, kidney damage, dependency, heart attack, stroke and death. How is he or she to know what is best, what products are reliable and safe? And , more importantly, are they safe? Some of its products include diet aids, athletic performance-boosters and many ``herbal ecstasy'' intoxicants that teen-agers buy at convenience stores to get an amphetamine-like ``buzz'' or ``high.'' Most who testified were connected to the industry that provides ephedrine-based dietary supplements or stimulants. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. In Sri Lanka and Thailand , coral damage is reported to be severe, and trees have crashed down onto reefs, ripping many of the corals, some hundreds of years old, apart. Coral reefs, mangroves, fish and other marine life had been damaged by the tsunamis which rose out of the Indian Ocean on Sunday, triggered by a massive earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. In Sri Lanka and Thailand , coral damage is reported to be severe, and trees have crashed down onto reefs, ripping many of the corals, some hundreds of years old, apart. Now based in Rhode Island, Hale said the tsunami may have caused lasting environmental damage that may take decades or longer to recover from. Now based in Rhode Island, Hale said the tsunami may have caused lasting environmental damage that may take decades or longer to recover from. Now based in Rhode Island, Hale said the tsunami may have caused lasting environmental damage that may take decades or longer to recover from. Now based in Rhode Island, Hale said the tsunami may have caused lasting environmental damage that may take decades or longer to recover from. The damage inflicted to mangroves by the Dec. 26 tsunami was still being assessed, and changes in soil salinity or fresh water inflow might cause further damage in the longer-term , the agency said in a statement. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami , as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami , as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. On Sunday, the island chain bore the full brunt of the massive waves triggered by a huge undersea earthquake off nearby Sumatra , Indonesia. Coral reefs, mangroves, fish and other marine life had been damaged by the tsunamis which rose out of the Indian Ocean on Sunday, triggered by a massive earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra. A 10-meter high tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake off northern Sumatra island swept through coastlines across the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26. A 10-meter high tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake off northern Sumatra island swept through coastlines across the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26. Both areas were hard hit by the tsunami. Both areas were hard hit by the tsunami. Both areas were hard hit by the tsunami. Both areas were hard hit by the tsunami. Mangroves are critical nurseries for many of these fish. Tamelander says in some cases mangroves , which protect the shore from erosion and often serve as nurseries for young fish , would also have been completel0 years," he said. Mangroves are critical nurseries for many of these fish. Mangroves provide a safe haven and a nursery for a variety of fish, birds, crustaceans, and shellfish and have special aerial roots and salt-filtering taproots that enable them to thrive in brackish water. Mangroves provide a safe haven and a nursery for a variety of fish, birds, crustaceans, and shellfish and have special aerial roots and salt-filtering taproots that enable them to thrive in brackish water. Mangroves grow in thickets along tropical coastlines and their complicated root systems help to bind the shore together, effectively providing a shield against destructive waves. Mangroves grow in thickets along tropical coastlines and have tangled roots that grow above ground. To avoid tsunami, people should neither reside in the areas close to coastlines nor destroy mangrove forests that protect tidal waves , he said from the agency's compound in Bandung, West Java. Mangroves grow in thickets along tropical coastlines and their complicated root systems help to bind the shore together, effectively providing a shield against destructive waves. Mangroves can provide a shield against destructive waves , and the Rome-based agency said there have been specific cases during the recent tsunami where damage and loss of lives were reduced thanks to the mangroves. A U.N. agriculture agency called Wednesday for the rehabilitation of mangroves damaged by the Asian tsunami , saying the move would help speed up recovery in areas affected by the devastating tidal waves. The damage inflicted to mangroves by the Dec. 26 tsunami was still being assessed , and changes in soil salinity or fresh water inflow might cause further damage in the longer-term, the agency said in a statement. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. Norway's daily oil production was down by an estimated 4 percent after a gas leak forced Statoil ASA to shut down one of its platforms in the North Sea. Norwegian oil group Statoil said on Wednesday that it remained "unclear" when it would be able to resume production on two of its platforms after a gas leak forced it to shut down operations earlier this week. On November 28 , the company shut down Snorre A after a gas leak was detected. Statoil ASA said Tuesday it expects to restart its Snorre A offshore petroleum platform later this week, almost a month after a natural gas leak shut down operations. Snorre A , a steel tension-leg platform, was shut down Nov. 28 after a gas leak that resulted in the evacuation of 180 workers. The Snorre A offshore oil platform is unlikely to resume production this week after being shut down by a natural gas leak because more time is needed to review plans, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority said Thursday. A Nov. 28 natural gas leak forced the shutdown of the Snorre A steel tension-leg platform and the evacuation of 180 workers. Norwegian oil group Statoil on Tuesday requested permission to gradually resume production on two platforms in the North Sea that were shut down last November due to a gas leak , targeting a production of 100,000 barrels per day in the short term. Statoil , which will need a green light from the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority before resuming production, shut down Snorre A on November 28 last year after a gas leak was detected. Norway is the third crude exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia and produces nearly three million barrels per day. Norway is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia. Norway is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia, with an average daily production of three million barrels. Norway is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia, with an average daily production of three million barrels. The country is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia, with an average daily production of three million barrels. Norway is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia. Norway is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia. Norway is the world's third largest oil exporter , after Saudi Arabia and Russia. Norway , which is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia and which normally has an average daily production of three million barrels, has seen its oil production reduced by some 205,000 barrels per day (bpd) since the platforms were closed. Norway's daily oil production was down by an estimated 4 percent after a gas leak forced Statoil ASA to shut down one of its platforms in the North Sea. Norwegian oil group Statoil said on Tuesday that it had yet to resume production on two of its platforms after a gas leak forced it to shut down operations earlier this week, cutting Norway's total oil output by 200,000 barrels per day. Norway's oil production has been reduced by some 205,000 barrels per day. The shutdown of Snorre and the Vigdis field meant a loss of 205,000 barrels of oil a day in production, or 6.4 percent of Norway's roughly 3.2 million barrels a day of production. The shutdown of Snorre and production in the nearby Vigdis field cut Norway's production by 205,000 barrels of oil a day , or 6.4 percent of the nation's roughly 3.2 million barrel daily production. Norway, which is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia and which normally has an average daily production of three million barrels, has seen its oil production reduced by some 205,000 barrels per day (bpd) since the platforms were closed. That closure has slashed Norway's oil production by an additional 140,000 bpd. Norway , which is the world's third-largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and Russia and which normally has an average daily production of three million barrels, has seen its oil production reduced by some 205,000 barrels per day (bpd ) since the platforms were closed. "We have stopped production " at Snorre A , Kristofer Hetland, a spokesman for Statoil, told AFP. Norwegian oil group Statoil said on Monday that it was trying to seal off a gas leak on a platform in the North Sea where production had been suspended and most employees evacuated owing to the risk of an explosion. Production was suspended and 180 of 216 employees were evacuated after a gas leak appeared at the Snorre A platform in the North Sea on Sunday, giving rise to fears of an explosion. Until repairs are completed production has been halted on the Snorre A platform , causing losses of 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) and on neighboring platform Vigdis, entailing losses of 75,000 bpd. Production was suspended and 180 of 216 employees were evacuated after a gas leak appeared at the Snorre A platform in the North Sea on Sunday, giving rise to fears of an explosion. Until repairs are completed production has been halted on the Snorre A platform , causing losses of 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) and on neighboring platform Vigdis, entailing losses of 75,000 bpd. At the Draugen field, damage to loading equipment slowed transfers of oil to tankers to the point that the platform's storage tanks were full, and production had to be shut down. More than 160 of 216 people working on a Norwegian oil platform in the North Sea were evacuated Sunday after one of the rigs became "unstable", causing a loss of output of 130,000 barrels per day, a company spokesman and rescue services said. The group was evacuated by helicopter from the Snorre A platform which is operated by Norway's Statoil, Terje Largaas, a rescue official at Sola in the southwest of the country, told AFP. Owing to a risk that gas leaking from an injection shaft might explode, 180 of 216 workers on the Snorre A platform were evacuated by helicopter on Sunday evening. The gas leak , which led to the evacuation of 180 workers from the floating Snorre A platform located northwest of the port city of Bergen, was contained Monday afternoon, nearly 18 hours after it was reported, Statoil spokesman Oeivind Reinertsen said. Production was suspended and 180 of 216 employees were evacuated after a gas leak appeared at the Snorre A platform in the North Sea on Sunday, giving rise to fears of an explosion. Production was suspended and 180 of 216 employees were evacuated after a gas leak appeared at the Snorre A platform in the North Sea on Sunday, giving rise to fears of an explosion. Snorre A, a steel tension-leg platform, was shut down Nov. 28 after a gas leak that resulted in the evacuation of 180 workers. Norwegian oil group Statoil said on Monday that it was trying to seal off a gas leak on a platform in the North Sea where production had been suspended and most employees evacuated owing to the risk of an explosion. "We are trying to seal the leak so that we can resume production as early as possible ," he said. The gas leak, which could have caused an explosion if the gas had ignited, was sealed a day later and Statoil has since been trying to secure the injection well where the leak appeared. The gas leak, which could have caused an explosion if the gas had ignited, was sealed a day later and Statoil has since been trying to secure the injection well where the leak appeared. More than 160 of 216 people working on a Norwegian oil platform in the North Sea were evacuated Sunday after one of the rigs became "unstable", causing a loss of output of 130,000 barrels per day , a company spokesman and rescue services said. The gas leaks, which were unrelated, resulted in the stopping of 130,000 barrels a day on Statoil's platform, or a 4 percent reduction in Norway's daily production of about 3.2 million barrels a day. Until repairs are completed production has been halted on the Snorre A platform, causing losses of 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) and on neighboring platform Vigdis , entailing losses of 75,000 bpd. Until repairs are completed production has been halted on the Snorre A platform, causing losses of 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) and on neighboring platform Vigdis , entailing losses of 75,000 bpd. Norwegian oil group Statoil said on Tuesday that it had yet to resume production on two of its platforms after a gas leak forced it to shut down operations earlier this week , cutting Norway's total oil output by 200,000 barrels per day. Norwegian oil group Statoil said on Wednesday that it remained "unclear " when it would be able to resume production on two of its platforms after a gas leak forced it to shut down operations earlier this week. Bad weather was in part blamed for Statoil ASA being unable to restart 205,000 barrels per day of production from two other fields, Snorre and Vigdis , which were shut down after a Nov. 28 natural gas leak. Bad weather was in part blamed for Statoil ASA being unable to restart 205,000 barrels per day of production from two other fields , Snorre and Vigdis , which were shut down after a Nov. 28 natural gas leak. The gas leak , which Statoil said was "unusual and serious", came from an injection well used to pump gas and water into a layer of oil to extract as much oil as possible. The gas leak, which Statoil said was "unusual and serious", came from an injection well used to pump gas and water into a layer of oil to extract as much oil as possible. The gas leak , which Statoil said was "unusual and serious", came from an injection well used to pump gas and water into a layer of oil to extract as much oil as possible. The gas leak, which Statoil said was "unusual and serious", came from an injection well used to pump gas and water into a layer of oil to extract as much oil as possible. Statoil ASA said Tuesday it expects to restart its Snorre A offshore petroleum platform later this week , almost a month after a natural gas leak shut down operations. The Snorre A offshore oil platform is unlikely to resume production this week after being shut down by a natural gas leak because more time is needed to review plans, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority said Thursday. On Tuesday , state-controlled oil company Statoil ASA said it hoped to get the platform running this week and build up to full production by Dec. 31. South Korean television and newspapers have released what they called a taped private conversation between ambassador Hong Seok-Hyun and a top official of the country's largest conglomerate Samsung in 1997. South Korean television and newspapers have released what they called a taped private conversation between ambassador Hong Seok-Hyun and a top official of the country's largest conglomerate Samsung in 1997. The taped conversation , allegedly made by a team from the nation's top intelligence agency in 1997 , was leaked to the media last Thursday. Television and newspapers have released what they called a taped private conversation between Hong Seok-Hyun and a top official of the country's largest conglomerate Samsung in 1997. Television and newspapers have released what they called a taped private conversation between Hong Seok-Hyun and a top official of the country's largest conglomerate Samsung in 1997. The potentially explosive case came to light when a tape of a wiretapped conversation in 1997 between Hong and a top Samsung official was leaked to the press last week. The potentially explosive case came to light when a tape of a wiretapped conversation in 1997 between Hong and a top Samsung official was leaked to the press last week. The potentially explosive case came to light when a tape of a wiretapped conversation in 1997 between Hong and a top Samsung official was leaked to the press last week. The potentially explosive case came to light when a tape of a wiretapped conversation in 1997 between Hong and a top Samsung official was leaked to the press last week. South Korea's spy agency publicly apologized Friday for illegally wiretapping telephone calls years ago, revealed by the leakage of a taped 1997 conversation of an alleged payment by the Samsung Group to presidential candidates. President Roh Moo-hyun ordered an investigation into wiretapping last month after a scandal broke over a recording of an alleged conversation in 1997 between a major newspaper publisher and an influential company executive. South Korea's envoy to the United States has offered his resignation, bowing to pressure over his alleged involvement in a major political slush fund scandal , officials said Tuesday. South Korea's envoy to the United States has offered his resignation , bowing to pressure over his alleged involvement in a major political slush fund scandal, officials said Tuesday. South Korea's envoy to the United States has offered his resignation, bowing to pressure over his alleged involvement in a major political slush fund scandal , officials said Tuesday. South Korea's envoy to the United States has offered his resignation , bowing to pressure over his alleged involvement in a major political slush fund scandal, officials said Tuesday. President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday said he will accept the resignation of South Korea's ambassador to the United States , who is stepping down over a burgeoning scandal surrounding the East Asian country's 1997 presidential election. Ambassador Hong Seok-hyun called the presidential chief of staff, Kim Woo-sik , late Monday to say that he would resign. President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday said he will accept the resignation of South Korea's ambassador to the United States, who is stepping down over a burgeoning scandal surrounding the East Asian country's 1997 presidential election. Hong has offered to resign the ambassadorship. Hong has since announced he will step down from his current position as South Korean Ambassador to the United States. A Samsung executive was accused of donating illicit funds to political parties while dozens of lawmakers, politicians and aides to Roh were arrested. A Samsung executive was accused of donating illicit funds to political parties while dozens of lawmakers, politicians and aides to Roh were arrested. A Samsung executive was accused of donating illicit funds to political parties while dozens of lawmakers, politicians and aides to Roh were arrested. Hong came under pressure to resign as suspicions arose that he might have acted as an intermediary between the country's largest conglomerate Samsung and politicians and handed out Samsung's slush funds to presidential candidates in 1997. Hong came under pressure to resign as suspicions arose that he might have acted as an intermediary between the country's largest conglomerate Samsung and politicians and handed out Samsung's slush funds to presidential candidates in 1997. He has come under intense pressure to step down over a purportedly wiretapped conversation in which he is said to have discussed a slush fund for candidates in the 1997 election. It sparked suspicions that Hong , who later became South Korea's envoy to the United States, acted as an intermediary for Samsung and handed out slush funds to presidential candidates. The conversation sparked suspicions that Hong, who later became South Korea's envoy to the United States, acted as a courier for Samsung to dole out slush funds to presidential candidates. The two allegedly discussed channeling slush funds to candidates in that year's presidential election. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Lee retired from politics after he failed in his second presidential bid in 2002. Roh asked the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the country's main spy agency, to launch a "thorough " investigation into the case, his spokesman Kim Man-Soo said. Roh asked the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the country's main spy agency, to launch a "thorough" investigation into the case , his spokesman Kim Man-Soo said. Roh asked the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the country's main spy agency, to launch a "thorough " investigation into the case, his spokesman Kim Man-Soo said. Roh asked the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the country's main spy agency, to launch a "thorough" investigation into the case , his spokesman Kim Man-Soo said. Roh has asked the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the country's main spy agency, to launch a "thorough" investigation into the case. The suicide attempt came after Roh asked the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the country's main spy agency, to investigate the case. President Roh has called for the National Intelligence Service to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged illegal wiretapping. They said the intelligence agency had maintained a special wiretapping unit. They said the intelligence agency had maintained a special wiretapping unit. Kong , 58 , who allegedly headed a special wiretapping unit , was unconscious in hospital after stabbing himself in the stomach, Yonhap said. Gong had headed a special wiretapping team from the National Intelligence Service , the main spy agency. A former NIS official who headed a wiretapping team was arrested Thursday for leaking the taped 1997 conversation between Hong Seok-Hyun, a brother-in-law of Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-Hee, and a top official of the group. A former NIS official who headed a wiretapping team was arrested Thursday for leaking the taped 1997 conversation between Hong Seok-Hyun , a brother-in-law of Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-Hee, and a top official of the group. Hong , the publisher of leading newspaper Joongang Ilbo, was named as the country's top envoy in Washington in February. Hong , the publisher of leading newspaper Joongang Ilbo, was named as ambassador to the US in February. Hong , the publisher of leading newspaper Joongang Ilbo, was named as ambassador to the United States in February. Hong , the publisher of leading newspaper Joongang Ilbo, was named as ambassador to the United States in February. It sparked suspicions that Hong , who later became South Korea's envoy to the United States , acted as an intermediary for Samsung and handed out slush funds to presidential candidates. The conversation sparked suspicions that Hong, who later became South Korea's envoy to the United States , acted as a courier for Samsung to dole out slush funds to presidential candidates. Moreover , on Monday , the Samsung Group expressed an apology for the slush fund scandal. Samsung apologized Monday over the issue. Samsung apologized Monday over the issue but threatened to file a libel suit, accusing some media outlets of distorting and exaggerating the case. Samsung apologized Monday over the issue but threatened to file a libel suit, accusing some media outlets of distorting and exaggerating the case. Samsung , preparing legal action against the network, apologized to the nation on Monday , expressing regret that "social confusion was fostered and anxiety caused to the Korean people" over the reports of the tape. Samsung apologized to the nation , expressing regret that "social confusion was fostered and anxiety caused to the Korean people" over the report of the tape. South Korea was rattled by widespread corruption scandals last year after prosecutors launched a probe into illegal donations by businesses to politicians during the presidential poll in 2002. South Korea was rattled by widespread corruption scandals last year after prosecutors launched a probe into illegal donations by businesses to politicians during the presidential poll in 2002. South Korea was rattled by widespread corruption scandals last year after prosecutors launched a probe into illegal donations by businesses to politicians during the presidential poll in 2002. South Korea was rattled by widespread corruption scandals last year after prosecutors launched a probe into illegal donations by businesses to politicians during the presidential poll in 2002. South Korea was rattled by widespread corruption scandals last year after prosecutors launched a probe into illegal donations by businesses to politicians during the presidential poll in 2002. South Korea was rattled by widespread corruption scandals last year after prosecutors launched a probe into illegal donations by businesses to politicians during the 2002 presidential poll. The recordings reportedly contain discussions about a proposal to give three billion won (2.9 million dollars) to the then-ruling party chief Lee Hoi-Chang. The recordings reportedly contain discussions about a proposal to give three billion won (2.9 million dollars) to the then-ruling party chief Lee Hoi-Chang. The recordings reportedly contain discussions about a proposal to give three billion won (2.9 million dollars) to the then-ruling party chief Lee Hoi-Chang. The recordings reportedly contain discussions about a proposal to give three billion won (2.9 million dollars) to the then-ruling party chief Lee Hoi-Chang. The recordings reportedly contain discussions about a proposal to give three billion won (2.9 million dollars) to the then-ruling party chief Lee Hoi-Chang. But they added that the phenomenon also tells a disturbing tale of broad environmental degradation that may ultimately threaten humans and other animals as well. Scientists say amphibians serve as sentinels for environmental problems that might be jeopardizing entire ecosystems. ``Their catastrophic decline serves as a warning that we are in a period of significant environmental degradation. '' Amphibians' permeable skin and dual existence on land and in water make them "canaries in the coal mine," early indicators that pollution, climate change, and overall degradation of the environment may eventually threaten human life , according to zoologists. Amphibians' permeable skin and dual existence on land and in water make them "canaries in the coal mine," early indicators that pollution, climate change, and overall degradation of the environment may eventually threaten human life, according to zoologists. Amphibians' permeable skin and dual existence on land and in water make them "canaries in the coal mine," early indicators that pollution, climate change, and overall degradation of the environment may eventually threaten human life , according to zoologists. She warned of an increase in the number of previously unrecognised frog diseases which could indicate broader environmental degradation. The survey found that 32 percent of amphibian species face extinction, compared to 12 percent of bird species and 23 percent of mammal species. The survey found that 32 percent of amphibian species face extinction, compared to 12 percent of bird species and 23 percent of mammal species. Almost 150 species of amphibians have apparently gone extinct and at least one-third of the rest are facing imminent threats that could soon wipe them out, according to a worldwide assessment by scientists published Thursday. They determined that 32.5 percent of amphibian species were threatened with extinction, compared with 12 percent of birds and 23 percent of mammals. They determined that 32.5 percent of amphibian species were threatened with extinction , compared with 12 percent of birds and 23 percent of mammals. About one third of amphibians are under threat of extinction , according to researchers who carried out a global census. The rapid drop -- the equivalent of tens of thousands of years worth of extinctions in just a century -- is being caused by a range of factors that include deforestation, pollution, habitat loss and climate change , the researchers said. Studies have documented an array of threats, varying from place to place, including infectious disease, destruction of freshwater and rainforest habitats, introduction of non-native predators such as trout, pesticides, parasites, global climate change and the thinning ozone layer. Climate changes and pollution have been blamed for some of the disappearing species, according to the study published by Science magazine Friday. Climate changes and pollution have been blamed for some of the disappearing species , according to the study published by Science magazine Friday. Amphibians are often considered ``canaries in the coal mine '' because their permeable skin makes them especially sensitive to changing environmental conditions. Amphibians are often considered ``canaries in the coal mine '' because their permeable skin makes them especially sensitive to changing environmental conditions. They spend much of their lives in water and breathe through permeable skin , which leaves them vulnerable to pesticides and changes in climate and water quality. Amphibians' permeable skin and dual existence on land and in water make them "canaries in the coal mine ," early indicators that pollution, climate change, and overall degradation of the environment may eventually threaten human life, according to zoologists. Amphibians are experiencing a precipitous decline across the globe , according to the first comprehensive world survey of the creatures, which include frogs, toads and salamanders. Frogs and other amphibians have been vanishing worldwide over the past few decades. ``These guys have been around a long time, since before the dinosaurs, and they are declining all over the place ,'' said Val Beasley, a co-author of the study and a professor of ecotoxicology at the university's College of Veterinary Medicine. Scientists began noticing the disappearance of amphibians in the late 1980s and early 1990s , but before this study they'd never conducted a worldwide assessment of the frogs, toads, salamanders and legless caecilians, also called rubber eels. Up to 122 species have disappeared since 1980 and another 1,900 are in danger of going extinct. Among the species , 122 have completely disappeared since 1980 and scientists fear that hundreds more will become extinct in coming decades. But water is the most explosive issue for farmers , who accuse Yanacocha of contaminating and drying up water sources that irrigate crops and sustain dairy production. But water is the most explosive issue for farmers , who accuse Yanacocha of contaminating and drying up water sources that irrigate crops and sustain dairy production. The blockade of the mine's access road was sparked by fears that new mining on Cerro Quilish, the mountain where Yanacocha had started exploratory drilling, could deplete and contaminate water supplies. That means as many as 55 percent of all known amphibians , more than 3,000, could be on the verge of extinction, plus scores of species that have yet to be identified. But nearly half of the rapidly declining species are suffering because of unexplained causes, and could begin to die by the hundreds over the next decades if nothing is done, the report said. But nearly half of the rapidly declining species are suffering because of unexplained causes , and could begin to die by the hundreds over the next decades if nothing is done, the report said. The next year it began to crash and by 1989 , 40 percent of its amphibian species had gone extinct , including the striking golden toad. Almost 150 species of amphibians have apparently gone extinct and at least one-third of the rest are facing imminent threats that could soon wipe them out, according to a worldwide assessment by scientists published Thursday. The severity of the global threat to thousands of species of frogs, salamanders and other amphibians makes them perhaps the most endangered class of animals on Earth, with their rapid decline outpacing that of mammals and birds. The severity of the global threat to thousands of species of frogs, salamanders and other amphibians makes them perhaps the most endangered class of animals on Earth, with their rapid decline outpacing that of mammals and birds. No one knows how many people suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, which was sprayed over wide swaths of jungle by U.S. planes during a 10-year period to strip away cover for North Vietnamese troops and their resupply convoys. No one knows how many people suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, which was sprayed over wide swaths of jungle by U.S. planes during a 10-year period to strip away cover for North Vietnamese troops and their resupply convoys. No one knows how many people suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, which was sprayed over wide swaths of jungle by U.S. planes during a 10-year period to strip away cover from North Vietnamese troops and their resupply convoys. No one knows how many people suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, which was sprayed over wide swaths of jungle by U.S. planes during a 10-year period to strip away cover from North Vietnamese troops and their resupply convoys. No one knows how many people suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, which was sprayed over wide swaths of jungle by U.S. planes during a 10-year period to strip away cover from enemy troops and their convoys. No one knows how many people suffer from the effects of Agent Orange, which was sprayed over wide swaths of jungle by U.S. planes during a 10-year period to strip away cover from enemy troops and their convoys. The area where they fought had been heavily sprayed with the herbicide Agent Orange in a wide-ranging, decade-long campaign by the United States to deprive its enemy of forest cover and food crops. In fact, anyone who served in the war is automatically presumed to have been exposed to it. He said all Vietnam veterans are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and anyone with any of the 10 diseases is presumed to have contracted it from the exposure, without any need for additional proof. He said all Vietnam veterans are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and anyone with any of the 10 diseases is presumed to have contracted it from the exposure, without any need for additional proof. He said all Vietnam veterans are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and anyone with any of the 10 diseases is presumed to have contracted it from the exposure, without any need for additional proof. He said all Vietnam veterans are presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and anyone with any of the 10 diseases is presumed to have contracted it from the exposure, without any need for additional proof. They include former soldiers who fought in areas sprayed with Agent Orange by U.S. aircraft and children who were later born with deformities. They include former soldiers who fought in areas sprayed with Agent Orange by U.S. aircraft and children who were later born with deformities. HANOI, Vietnam (AP) _ The symbolism was lost on the children , all born with birth defects that often are the result of contact by parents with dioxin, a toxic component of the war-era defoliant Agent Orange. Congenital deformity and disability caused by exposure to the toxic chemical during the war can be found even in the second generation of people directly exposed to it, said the daily. The spraying was stopped in 1971 _ four years before the end of the war _ after laboratory tests showed that dioxin can cause cancers and birth defects. The birth defects, cancers and other illnesses that the Vietnamese attribute to Agent Orange can be caused by a wide range of factors , and Agent Orange may not be prominent among them. Vietnamese studies that purport to find excess cancers, birth defects and other illnesses in soldiers and civilians from areas that were sprayed are discounted by Western experts for lack of stringent methodology. Its effects on humans include cancer and skin disease, as well as congenital deformities and disabilities , while causing widespread environmental damage. It's virtually impossible to determine which birth defects or ailments are directly related to Agent Orange. It's virtually impossible to determine which birth defects or ailments are directly related to Agent Orange. It's virtually impossible to determine which birth defects or ailments are directly related to Agent Orange. It's virtually impossible to determine which birth defects or ailments are directly related to Agent Orange. In addition, veterans from at least four countries who fought on the side of the former U.S.-backed South Vietnamese government sued the chemical's manufacturers in the United States, saying exposure caused chronic illness, deaths and birth defects. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Veterans Administration must review all benefit claims denied to hundreds of Vietnam veterans who failed to say their illnesses resulted from exposure to Agent Orange , a federal judge ruled Thursday. The department has received more than 92,000 claims from veterans who believed their condition was related to Agent Orange. Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in April assigned the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to conduct a survey on the estimated 300,000 Agent Orange victims in Vietnam. The paper quoted Nguyen Trong Nhan, chairman of the Vietnam Red Cross, as saying those affected by the toxic chemical will receive assistance from the fund by the year 2000 after a survey on Agent Orange victims is completed next year. The paper quoted Nguyen Trong Nhan, chairman of the Vietnam Red Cross, as saying those affected by the toxic chemical will receive assistance from the fund by the year 2000 after a survey on Agent Orange victims is completed next year. HANOI, Vietnam (AP) _ Vietnam is launching a support fund for victims of the defoliant Agent Orange, more than two decades after its use by U.S. forces in the Vietnam War, the Labor newspaper reported Saturday. HANOI, Vietnam (AP) _ The Vietnamese Red Cross launched a special fund Friday for victims of Agent Orange, saying the toxic defoliant is starting to claim its third generation of victims a quarter-century after the end of the Vietnam War. WASHINGTON (AP) -- A review of what has been done to determine how Agent Orange and other herbicides affected Vietnam veterans confirms earlier studies linking them with several diseases but leaves unanswered painful medical questions of the war that ended 24 years ago. WASHINGTON (AP) -- Benefits for Vietnam War veterans are not likely to be affected by an independent review that confirms ties of Agent Orange to several diseases without resolving lingering questions about birth defects or diabetes. The review keeps four diseases on the list of those for which evidence establishes links with exposure to herbicides widely used as defoliants in Vietnam : soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and cholaracne. The study retains three forms of cancer as well as chemical acne as definitely linked to use of herbicides to defoliate the Vietnam countryside. Ukrainian presidential hopeful Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin , most likely intentionally, doctors in Vienna who have been struggling to diagnose his mystery illness confirmed Saturday. Michael Zimpfer, director of the private Rudolfinerhaus clinic that has been treating Yushchenko, said tests concluded in the last 24 hours prove that dioxin caused the illness that has disfigured the Ukrainian candidate's face. The illness that disfigured the face of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko resulted from poisoning by the toxic substance dioxin , which might have been placed deliberately in his food, Austrian doctors who treated him told reporters in Vienna on Saturday. New tests conducted Friday night at a hospital in Vienna, Austria, confirmed that Viktor A. Yushchenko, the Ukrainian opposition candidate for president, had been poisoned with dioxin, providing an explanation for a broad array of painful and disfiguring conditions that plagued him during the past three months of the campaign. There was "no doubt" that Yushchenko's disease "has been caused by a case of poisoning by dioxin ," Dr. Michael Zimpfer, president of the Rudolfinerhaus Hospital said at a news conference on Saturday. Ukrainian opposition leader and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was the victim of poisoning by dioxin , his doctor said Saturday. Returning to Kiev after checking out of a clinic in Vienna, Austria, Yushchenko said he was sure that authorities were responsible for the dioxin poisoning that had disfigured his face and caused other symptoms. Doctors at a Vienna clinic in Austria said tests proved beyond doubt that it was dioxin poisoning that caused a mystery illness in September that left Yushchenko disfigured and in pain. Yushchenko was the victim of poisoning by dioxin , his doctor, Michael Zimpfer, said Saturday. Ukrainian presidential hopeful Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin, most likely intentionally, doctors in Vienna who have been struggling to diagnose his mystery illness confirmed Saturday. The Ukrainian prosecutor-general's office announced Sunday it had reopened an investigation into allegations that presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned , after doctors in Austria confirmed he had ingested dioxin. Speaking to reporters Sunday at the private Rudolfinerhaus clinic in Vienna, where doctors announced Saturday that they had confirmed dioxin poisoning , Yushchenko said a full-scale investigation should wait until after Dec. 26, when he faces Yanukovych in a repeat election. The Ukrainian prosecutor-general's office announced Sunday it had reopened an investigation into allegations that presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned, after doctors in Austria confirmed he had ingested dioxin. Doctors at a Vienna clinic in Austria said tests proved beyond doubt that it was dioxin poisoning that caused a mystery illness in September that left Yushchenko disfigured and in pain. Doctors at the Rudolfinerhaus clinic determined that the pro-West opposition leader was poisoned by ingesting a dioxin dose that exceeded 1,000 times the safe limit -- possibly by eating spiked soup -- causing his face to be disfigured weeks before the first round of a presidential vote. The Ukrainian prosecutor-general's office announced Sunday it had reopened an investigation into allegations that presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned, after doctors in Austria confirmed he had ingested dioxin. The Ukrainian prosecutor-general's office announced Sunday it had reopened an investigation into allegations that presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned, after doctors in Austria confirmed he had ingested dioxin. After the diagnosis , Ukraine's prosecutor general's office said it had reopened the criminal investigation that it closed in November for lack of evidence at the time. The Interfax news agency reported Monday that the prosecutor general's office has re-opened a criminal investigation into the case after closing an earlier inquiry. The Interfax news agency reported Monday that the prosecutor general's office has re-opened a criminal investigation into the case after closing an earlier inquiry. The White House Monday urged Ukraine to fully investigate the "terrible" poisoning of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with the highly toxic substance dioxin. The White House Monday urged Ukraine to fully investigate the "terrible" poisoning of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with the highly toxic substance dioxin. In Washington , the White House urged Ukraine to fully investigate the "terrible" poisonin Meanwhile Yanukovich pressed on with his message that he would no longer represent the ruling regime in the December 26 vote after what he has called Kuchma's "betrayal" of him during the talks with Yushchenko to resolve the standoff over the November 21 poll. The United States on Monday urged the Ukrainian government to fully investigate the "terrible" poisoning of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with the highly toxic substance dioxin. The United States on Monday urged the Ukrainian government to fully investigate the "terrible" poisoning of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with the highly toxic substance dioxin. The country's Supreme Court soon overturned that finding, citing widespread poll fraud, and a new election will be held on Dec. 26. Ukraine's Supreme Court on Dec. 3 annulled the official results of the runoff, with Yanukovych being the winner and ruled that a re-run would be held on Dec. 26. Yushchenko will face Yanukovich on December 26 in a rerun vote after the supreme court stripped the prime minister of his victory in the November 21 runoff because of massive ballot fraud. Ukraine's Supreme Court has ordered to have a new runoff vote on Dec. 26. Ukraine's Supreme Court has ordered to have a new runoff vote on Dec. 26. Yushchenko contends he was poisoned in an assassination attempt by ``government officials '' who feared that he would defeat Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych in runoff elections held on Nov. 21. Returning to Kiev after checking out of a clinic in Vienna, Austria, Yushchenko said he was sure that authorities were responsible for the dioxin poisoning that had disfigured his face and caused other symptoms. Yushchenko has previously charged that the hardline regime of outgoing President Leonid Kuchma poisoned him to take him out of the contest against Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich , whom the opposition leader comfortably led in the polls when he was struck. The poisoning of Ukraine's opposition icon Viktor Yushchenko overshadowed the country's presidential election campaign Monday after the Western-leaning candidate accused the government of trying to kill him , and his pro-Russia rival denied any knowledge of the case. Yushchenko, a pro-Western opposition leader engaged in a bitter presidential contest, has alleged since suddenly falling ill in September that he was poisoned in an assassination attempt intended to eliminate a key critic of Ukraine's government. Yushchenko and his aides had long insisted that he had been poisoned , a charge that his opponents ridiculed, saying that the once-telegenic candidate had been stricken by bad sushi or too much drink. The pro-Western reformer is engaged in a bitter presidential contest with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and has alleged since suddenly falling ill in September that he was poisoned in an assassination attempt. Michael Zimpfer, director of the private Rudolfinerhaus clinic that has been treating Yushchenko, said tests concluded in the last 24 hours prove that dioxin caused the illness that has disfigured the Ukrainian candidate's face. ``There is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko's disease has been caused by dioxin poisoning ,'' he told reporters at a news conference at the clinic. "There is no doubt about the fact that the disease was caused by poisoning of dioxin ," said Michael Zimpfer, director of the Vienna Rudolfinerhaus hospital, where Yushchenko has been receiving treatment. Yushchenko , who repeatedly claimed that he was poisoned by his political rivals, returned Friday to Austria to receive further treatment. Yushchenko repeatedly claimed that he was poisoned by his political rivals. Yushchenko repeatedly claimed that he was poisoned by his political rivals. The illness that disfigured the face of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko resulted from poisoning by the toxic substance dioxin, which might have been placed deliberately in his food , Austrian doctors who treated him told reporters in Vienna on Saturday. Meanwhile, Yushchenko, who is popular in the West, called for an investigation to determine how he was poisoned by dioxin , but said it should be conducted after the Dec. 26 re-run to avoid influencing the results. Overharvesting and pollution have taken a toll on the native oyster , but far bigger threats to the species are two parasites that attack them, Dermo and MSX, which were first detected in the bay in the 1960s. Oysters , an important filter for the water and once the mainstay of the region's fishing industry, have been decimated , their numbers dropping to historic lows. The Asian oysters are believed to be resistant to the diseases that have killed off native oysters in the Chesapeake. Some officials in Maryland look to the Asian oyster as a potential replacement for the native oyster , which has been decimated by disease and pollution. Among the bay's problems , one of the worst has been the decline of the native oyster Crassostrea virginica,@ once so populous that its reefs poked out of the water. But over the past three decades , the bay's oysters have been ravaged by pollution and a pair of diseases. This would mean reducing nitrogen and phosphorus, found in suburban lawn fertilizer, processed sewage and animal manure. Teeming with raw sewage, animal waste and fertilizer runoff , yet responsible for half the Chesapeake Bay's fresh water, the Susquehanna River is the most endangered river in the United States, according to a report released this week by American Rivers, a national conservation group. Fertilizer nutrients and filth from the Susquehanna is a chief cause of the algae blooms and pollution that suck oxygen from the Chesapeake Bay, decimating crab, oyster, fish and aquatic plant populations. And scientists are exploring the mass introduction of a Chinese oyster to replace the vanishing native breed. Some officials in Maryland look to the Asian oyster as a potential replacement for the native oyster , which has been decimated by disease and pollution. In desperation, the two bay states have turned to the Chinese oyster , which has been grown for about 30 years in Oregon and is believed to be immune to the Chesapeake's oyster diseases. The watermen will next be able to harvest oysters , which also help filter the water, at the three sites Nov. 13. The watermen will next be able to harvest oysters, which also help filter the water , at the three sites Nov. 13. The watermen will next be able to harvest oysters , which also help filter the water , at the three sites Nov. 13. Maryland may be rushing crucial research on introducing Asian oysters into the Chesapeake Bay , the states of Delaware and New Jersey said this week, joining several federal agencies in asking that the new species be studied further. And scientists are exploring the mass introduction of a Chinese oyster to replace the vanishing native breed. They worry that the Asian oysters could bring new diseases or adapt to the Chesapeake so well that they squeeze out native species of oysters and clams. The states issued a statement saying that the Asian oyster is still ``a virtual unknown'' and could bring diseases or other ecological problems that would spread to their coasts. Donald Meritt , a scientist there, said that each year the lab produces about 100 million tiny native oysters , which are called spat. Donald Meritt, a scientist there, said that each year the lab produces about 100 million tiny native oysters, which are called spat. The study, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is intended to guide the governors of Virginia and Maryland as they decide whether to allow the oyster Crassostrea ariakensis@ to reproduce in the Chesapeake. The study, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , is intended to guide the governors of Virginia and Maryland as they decide whether to allow the oyster Crassostrea ariakensis@ to reproduce in the Chesapeake. First expected this month at the latest, the report is now due in June or July because of a delay in creating a computer model of how the oysters might spread and reproduce, officials said. First expected this month at the latest, the report is now due in June or July because of a delay in creating a computer model of how the oysters might spread and reproduce , officials said. The dwindling supply of oysters in the Chesapeake Bay -- last season's haul was about 24,000 bushels, less than 1 percent of what it was three decades ago -- has hurt him the most. The decline of the region's oyster population has changed life on the water , but the Browns keep looking ahead. After a week of steadily increasing seismic rumbling , Mount St. Helens on Friday burped a tall column of steam and ash that officials said was probably not a precursor to a large sustained eruption from the most active volcano on the West Coast. A plume of steam and ash rose from the crater of Mount St. Helens on Friday , CNN reported. Mount St. Helens , the volcano that blew its top with cataclysmic force in 1980, erupted for the first time in 18 years Friday, belching a huge column of white steam and ash after days of rumblings. US volcano Mount St. Helens roared to life Friday, spewing a giant plume of steam and ash into the sky and raising fears of a new larger eruption. The steam cloud poured from the southern edge of a 300-meter tall (1,000-foot) lava dome in the volcano's crater that has risen in recent days. The government scientists had earlier said they expected to see more small to moderate explosions after a series of earthquakes culminated in a plume of steam and ash on Friday , rising 10,000 feet into the air but posing no threat to health or safety. But on Saturday , the earthquakes intensified, and shortly after noon , the volcano emitted a brief burst of steam , which was followed by a continuous, low-frequency tremor that lasted 50 minutes, believed to be caused by the movement of magma, or molten rock, underground. A day after the volcano spewed a plume of steam and ash thousands of feet (meters) into the air, there was a very brief steam release Saturday _ a puff of white cloud , followed by a dust-raising landslide in the crater. A day after the volcano spewed a plume of steam and ash thousands of feet (meters ) into the air, there was a very brief steam release Saturday _ a puff of white cloud, followed by a dust-raising landslide in the crater. On May 18, 1980, after weeks of quakes, slides and tremors, of belching smoke, steam and ash, Mount St. Helens, a major peak in the Cascade mountain chain, erupted. Scientists on Saturday saw an increase of fumaroles, a hole from which hot gases and vapors emanate , in St. Helens' lava dome and detected carbon dioxide, the USGS said. The explosion killed 57 people , triggered the largest landslide in recorded history and blew 520 million tons of ash eastward across the United States. Still, the eruption was nowhere near what happened 24 years ago, when 57 people were killed and towns 250 miles (402 kilometers) away were coated with ash. But the burst of activity sent scientists scrambling to establish whether the volcano, which killed 57 people when it erupted dramatically 24 years ago, was holding another more powerful eruption in store. But the burst of activity sent scientists scrambling to establish whether the volcano , which killed 57 people when it erupted dramatically 24 years ago , was holding another more powerful eruption in store. But scientists said they did not expect an eruption on the magnitude of the May 1980 explosion that killed 57 people and caused widespread destruction. Pierson said the volcano has released more seismic energy since quake activity began Sept. 23 than it has at any point since its devastating May 18, 1980, eruption , which killed 57 people and coated much of the Northwest with ash. The fact that they are here is testament to the vast forecasting gains of scientists, who are armed with new technology and skills honed from the 1980 eruption , which killed 57 people , obliterated 200 houses and spawned worldwide interest in the study of volcanoes. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the volcano, which killed 57 people during a major eruption in 1980, was shaken by a "tremor burst" for 25 minutes. Soon afterward came confirmation that Mount St. Helens had erupted for the first time since 1986. Mount St. Helens , the volcano that blew its top with cataclysmic force in 1980, erupted for the first time in 18 years Friday , belching a huge column of white steam and ash after days of rumblings. US volcano Mount St. Helens roared to life Friday , spewing a giant plume of steam and ash into the sky and raising fears of a new larger eruption. Scientists monitoring Mount St. Helens , which erupted Friday for the first time in 18 years with a minor explosion , said on Saturday that they were expecting a more powerful eruption within a day or so. After 18 years on inactivity , St. Helens roared back to life Friday with a giant plume of steam and ash. Volcanic experts have been warning of a possible imminent eruption of Mount St Helens for several days as seismic activity in the area grew. Scientists monitoring Mount St. Helens , which erupted Friday for the first time in 18 years with a minor explosion, said on Saturday that they were expecting a more powerful eruption within a day or so. But 24 years later, as scientists warn of a new, imminent eruption , the fear has not returned. A tremor shook Mount St. Helens for 25 minutes early Sunday, prompting scientists to warn of an imminent eruption two days after the volcano came back to life. Volcano experts have been warning of a possible imminent eruption of Mount St. Helens for several days as seismic activity in the area grew. Absent such a flow of molten rock, USGS scientists have said it is unlikely that recent increases in seismic activity on Mount St. Helens will result in a significant eruption that could endanger people or property outside the immediate vicinity. The government raised the advisory for volcanic activity to Level 3, the equivalent of a "code red" and the highest stage in a system used to indicate the likelihood of a volcanic eruption that could endanger life or property. They said the next eruption was imminent or in progress, and could threaten life and property in the remote area near the volcano. Government scientists raised the alert level for Mount St. Helens after its second steam eruption in two days was followed by a powerful tremor. Government scientists raised the alert level for Mount St. Helens after its second steam eruption in two days was followed by a powerful tremor. The volcano is being closely monitored in part because of its cataclysmic explosion in 1980. After the mountain's cataclysmic explosion in 1980 , the volcano erupted more modestly an additional 21 times , each usually accompanied by a characteristic seismic signal. The government raised the advisory for volcanic activity to Level 3, the equivalent of a "code red" and the highest stage in a system used to indicate the likelihood of a volcanic eruption that could endanger life or property. The volcano alert of Mount St. Helens was raised to Level 3 , which "indicates we feel an eruption is imminent, or is in progress," said U.S. Geological Survey geologist Tom Pierson from the observatory. For the past week, scientists have detected thousands of earthquakes of increasing strength _ as high as magnitude 3.3 _ suggesting another eruption was on the way. But the burst of activity sent scientists scrambling to establish whether the volcano , which killed 57 people when it erupted dramatically 24 years ago, was holding another more powerful eruption in store. After the 1980 eruption , a lahar traveled 50 miles from Mount St. Helens, ripping out bridges and destroying homes. The explosion killed 57 people, triggered the largest landslide in recorded history and blew 520 million tons of ash eastward across the United States. A Dutch filmmaker who outraged members of the Muslim community with his works' attacks on the treatment of women in Islamic society was gunned down and stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street Tuesday morning. Friends and associates said van Gogh had received anonymous death threats after Dutch television aired his controversial short film ``Submission'' in August. A suspected Muslim extremist on Tuesday ambushed and killed an outspoken Dutch filmmaker who had received death threats because of his recent movie denouncing the abuse of women in Islamic societies, authorities said. Van Gogh had been inundated with threats since the airing of the film , ``Submission,'' in August, said Ali, a Somali refugee. A suspected Muslim extremist on Tuesday ambushed and killed an outspoken Dutch filmmaker who had received death threats because of his recent movie denouncing the abuse of women in Islamic societies , authorities said. Van Gogh , 47, a distant relative of the 19th century painter Vincent van Gogh, had received death threats after the broadcast of the short TV film , "Submission." Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who had received threats over a controversial film he made about Islam, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street, officials said. After the film was shown on Dutch television in August , Van Gogh received death threats and police stepped up measures to protect him, much against his will. A Dutch filmmaker who received death threats after his recent movie criticized the way women were treated under Islam, was shot and stabbed to death in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Theo van Gogh, who had received threats over a controversial film he made about Islam, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street. After a shootout in which one policeman and a bystander were slightly wounded, police wounded and captured the alleged assailant, whom they identified only as a 26-year man of dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality. Shortly after the killing , the police arrested a 26-year-old man of dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality , whom they refused to name. Dutch chief prosecutor Leo de Wit said the suspect arrested at the scene was a 26-year-old Amsterdam man with dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality. Dutch chief prosecutor Leo de Wit said the suspect arrested at the scene was a 26-year-old Amsterdam man with dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality. Many here fear the fact that Van Gogh's alleged killer is of Moroccan descent could lead to ethnic tensions in Dutch society. Many here fear the fact that Van Gogh's alleged killer is of Moroccan descent could lead to ethnic tensions in Dutch society. Police arrested a man with dual Moroccan and Dutch citizenship in the killing of Theo van Gogh after a shootout which left the suspect with a gunshot wound to the leg and a police officer slightly injured. After it became known that van Gogh's alleged killer was of Moroccan descent, politicians and commentators feared ethnic tensions and called for calm. His alleged assailant , identified as having dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality , was arrested shortly after the attack. A Dutch filmmaker who outraged members of the Muslim community with his works' attacks on the treatment of women in Islamic society was gunned down and stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street Tuesday morning. Theo van Gogh , a Dutch filmmaker and writer who had recently made a television film critical of Islam, was shot and stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street on Tuesday. Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who had received threats over a controversial film he made about Islam, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street , officials said. Many immediately drew parallels between the murder of Van Gogh, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street , and the assassination of outspoken politician Pim Fortuyn on May 6, 2002. A Dutch filmmaker who received death threats after his recent movie criticized the way women were treated under Islam, was shot and stabbed to death in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Theo van Gogh , who had received threats over a controversial film he made about Islam, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street. The filmmaker and columnist not only attacked Muslims but also Jews and gays. Van Gogh was widely known for his criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. Van Gogh was widely known for his criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. The suspect in the murder of film maker Theo van Gogh , known for his controversial views on Islam , had ties with a group of extremist Muslims monitored by the intelligence services, the Dutch government said here late Tuesday. van Gogh was known for his outspoken criticism of Islam. Van Gogh , 47, was widely known for his outspoken criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. Witnesses said a gunman opened fire on Theo van Gogh, 47 , as the filmmaker bicycled down Linnaeus Street in the eastern part of the city, then chased him on foot, shot him again and stabbed him. Theo van Gogh , a Dutch filmmaker and writer who had recently made a television film critical of Islam, was shot and stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street on Tuesday. Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who had received threats over a controversial film he made about Islam, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street, officials said. Theo van Gogh , who had received threats over a controversial film he made about Islam, was shot and stabbed to death Tuesday while cycling on an Amsterdam street. Amsterdam residents held a memorial gathering Tuesday evening at Dam square in the city center. Amsterdam residents held a memorial gathering Tuesday evening at Dam square in the city center. Thousands gathered Tuesday night for a memorial rally called by Amsterdam's mayor, an event that was accompanied by loud drummers as the rowdy van Gogh would have wanted. Some 20,000 people gathered in Amsterdam late Tuesday to pay homage to controversial Dutch filmmaker and columnist Theo van Gogh who was murdered in the street. Witnesses said a gunman opened fire on Theo van Gogh, 47, as the filmmaker bicycled down Linnaeus Street in the eastern part of the city, then chased him on foot, shot him again and stabbed him. The wounded van Gogh dropped his bike and stumbled away, but the gunman gave chase, shot him again and stabbed him , police said. The man suspected of killing van Gogh fired several shots at about 8:30 a.m., then crossed the street and stabbed van Gogh several times with a knife, a police spokesman said. The assailant then shot him several more times at close range before stabbing him and placing a note on his body. The attacker was arrested. The alleged assailant, identified as having dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality, was arrested and two people were injured in a shootout with police after the attack in broad daylight early Tuesday, police said. The alleged assailant , a 26-year old Amsterdam resident identified as having dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality, was arrested after a shootout with police following the assassination in broad daylight early Tuesday. His alleged assailant , identified as having dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality , was arrested shortly after the attack. Van Gogh was widely known for his criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. Van Gogh was widely known for his criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. Van Gogh , 47, was widely known for his outspoken criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. Van Gogh, 47, was widely known for his outspoken criticism of Islam and recently caused uproar with a short film linking domestic abuse with the perceived subservient position of women in the Islamic faith. The suspect's name was not released, but law enforcement officials said they knew the 26-year-old Dutch-Moroccan for his ties to accused Muslim extremists and his criminal record. The suspect in the murder of film maker Theo van Gogh , known for his controversial views on Islam, had ties with a group of extremist Muslims monitored by the intelligence services, the Dutch government said here late Tuesday. A day after the brutal killing of controversial Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh by a suspect linked to Islamic extremists , many were left wondering what happened to the Netherlands' famed tolerance and fear a society deeply divided. The prosecution case depended heavily on the testimony of two retired stuntmen who said that Blake solicited them to kill Bakley. The testimony sought to shore up the account of Gary McLarty, one of two former stuntmen who said Blake solicited them to kill his wife. And when that failed, Samuels said, Blake tried repeatedly to solicit others to kill Bakley. He also is charged with soliciting the stuntmen to kill her , punishable by 9 years in prison. Robert Blake's lawyer told jurors Thursday that they should discredit the testimony of two aging Hollywood stuntmen who say Blake asked them to kill his wife because they are drug addicts who have lied to authorities. The jurors must decide if Blake pulled the trigger, which would put him in prison for the rest of his life, and if he solicited the two stuntmen , each count carrying a maximum penalty of nine years. Over the past two months, observers in Van Nuys Superior Court in Los Angeles have been fed a steady diet of comic-book-style characters, a tattooed mobster-turned preacher, two strung-out stunt doubles who say they had been solicited by Blake to double as hit men ; accounts of space aliens, experiments with crack-smoking monkeys and salacious details of a love child. These are the bits and pieces of the strange world of Blake, the former television detective "Baretta," who is accused of murdering his wife and soliciting the stuntmen to participate. He faces life in prison if he is convicted of murder. Blake , 71 , a lifelong actor who starred in the 1970s TV detective show "Baretta," could face life in prison if convicted. Blake could face life in prison if convicted. If convicted of murder, two counts of solicitation of murder and a special circumstance of lying in wait, Blake could be sentenced to life in prison. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison. Blake, 71, faces life in prison if convicted of killing Bakley. Blake is accused of murdering Bakley on May 4, 2001. Blake is accused of murdering Bakley on May 4, 2001. She told jurors that ``reality crashed into fantasy'' the moment Blake pulled the trigger, killing Bonny Lee Bakley on May 4, 2001 , near a Studio City restaurant where the couple had just eaten. Each acknowledges he failed to tell police about Blake's alleged solicitations to kill his wife until Bonny Lee Bakley was fatally shot on May 4, 2001 , near a restaurant where she and Blake had dinner, the lawyer said. Each acknowledges he failed to tell police about Blake's alleged solicitations to kill his wife until Bonny Lee Bakley was fatally shot on May 4, 2001 , near a restaurant where she and Blake had dinner, the lawyer said. In his closing, defense lawyer M. Gerald Schwartzbach was likely to continue the line he took during trial, attacking the credibility of the two key witnesses : _ Gary McLarty, a former "Baretta" stuntman and admitted cocaine user, said Blake offered him $10,000 and "insinuated" that he wanted Bakley dead. It was important for Schwartzbach to undermine the testimony. Robert Blake's lawyer told jurors Thursday that they should discredit the testimony of two aging Hollywood stuntmen who say Blake asked them to kill his wife because they are drug addicts who have lied to authorities. Schwartzbach also attacked the credibility of the prosecution's two key witnesses. But he never really shot a person in real life,'' Samuels said. The star of television's "Baretta" and the movie "In Cold Blood" should be treated like any other person accused of murder, Samuels said. "The implication of counsel in opening argument is that Robert Blake is being prosecuted because he is Robert Blake and a regular John Doe wouldn't be prosecuted under the same circumstances," Samuels said. "He said he would do anything to protect that child," Samuels said. Robert Blake deserves to be convicted of killing his wife, and the actor's celebrity shouldn't gain him any special treatment, a prosecutor told jurors Wednesday in closing arguments. Robert Blake starred in such films as "In Cold Blood" and in TV shows like "Baretta," but he couldn't pull off the role of a distraught husband, a prosecutor told jurors during closing arguments in the actor's murder trial. In her summation Wednesday , Deputy Los Angeles County District Attorney Shellie L. Samuels told jurors that Blake , a two-time Emmy Award winner, ``overestimated his acting abilities.'' Robert Blake's defense closed Wednesday without his testimony, gambling that jurors won't buy the state's largely circumstantial case that accuses the actor of shooting the wife he despised after he couldn't find someone willing to commit the crime. Robert Blake's defense closed Wednesday without his testimony, gambling that jurors won't buy the state's largely circumstantial case that accuses the actor of shooting the wife he despised after he couldn't find someone willing to commit the crime. These are the bits and pieces of the strange world of Blake, the former television detective "Baretta," who is accused of murdering his wife and soliciting the stuntmen to participate. The judge said closing arguments will begin Wednesday and the case will be sent to the jury Friday. The judge said closing arguments will begin Wednesday and the case will be sent to the jury Friday. After closing arguments , the jury could get the case on Friday. The prosecution and defense both rested their cases in the murder trial of actor Robert Blake, clearing the way for closing arguments next week. The judge said closing arguments will begin Wednesday and the case will be sent to the jury Friday. The prosecution and defense both rested their cases in the murder trial of actor Robert Blake , clearing the way for closing arguments next week. "All sides have rested and the case is now concluded," Judge Darlene Schempp told the jury Friday. More than 58 percent of the world's coral reefs are endangered because of pollution, the over-harvesting of reef fish and other human factors , the World Conservation Union (IUCN) said Friday. "Once again , human impacts are to blame for the depletion of reefs ," the union said in a statement, adding that climate change and the encroachment of introduced species such as starfish were also major factors. After global warming _ blamed for higher water temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations _ threats to the reefs include coral disease, overfishing, coastal development and pollution runoff from land-based sources. But a combination of global warming, pollution, overfishing, diseases and other factors is ravaging reefs worldwide. The scientists say this strength in the face of warming will not be enough to save the world's coral reefs, which are threatened by pollution, overfishing, tourism and other human activities. The United Nations Thursday set aside $1 million to assess environmental damage caused by this week's devastating tsunami, as reports of destroyed coral reefs and uprooted mangrove forests began trickling in. In Sri Lanka and Thailand , coral damage is reported to be severe, and trees have crashed down onto reefs, ripping many of the corals, some hundreds of years old, apart. Coral reefs, mangroves, fish and other marine life had been damaged by the tsunamis which rose out of the Indian Ocean on Sunday, triggered by a massive earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The conservation union -- which produces a "red list" of the world's most endangered species -- also warned the destruction of reefs would have a major impact on the lives of more than one billion people. The report warned that the destruction of reefs would have a major impact on the lives of more than one billion people. The report warned that the destruction of reefs would have a major impact on the lives of more than one billion people. A UN task force based in Geneva will assess two things: environmental damage that threatens human health , and the toll on the ecological resources -- many of which support tourism and the fishing industry. Now based in Rhode Island, Hale said the tsunami may have caused lasting environmental damage that may take decades or longer to recover from. Now based in Rhode Island, Hale said the tsunami may have caused lasting environmental damage that may take decades or longer to recover from. It noted that coral on many Caribbean reefs have declined by up to 80 percent, and many reefs do not resemble the reefs of 30 years ago. It noted that coral on many Caribbean reefs have declined by up to 80 percent , and many reefs do not resemble the reefs of 30 years ago. While Australian and Pacific reefs remain relatively healthy, the report documents devastating declines elsewhere, including the Caribbean region, where coral cover on many reefs has declined by up to 80 percent. In 1998 , an El Nino global coral bleaching event caused deaths of many coral reefs , a disaster occurring only once in 1,000 years. In south Asia , over 60 percent of the reefs were killed during the 1998 mass bleaching , and today almost half of the reefs remain dead. A more positive development is the recovery of about two-fifths of the reefs seriously damaged by an unprecedented coral "bleaching" from unusually warm waters in 1998. More than 58 percent of world coral reefs have been threatened by human pressure and weather change, said an press release issued on Saturday by a world conservation meeting held here. More than 58 percent of world coral reefs have been threatened by human pressure and weather change , said an press release issued on Saturday by a world conservation meeting held here. The study found as many as one-fifth of the world's coral reefs have been destroyed. Twenty percent of the world's coral reefs ``have been effectively destroyed and show no immediate prospect of recovery.'' Only about 30 percent of the world's coral reefs are healthy, down from 41 percent two years ago, according to a study released Monday that lists global warming as the top threat. Only about 30 percent of the world's coral reefs are healthy , down from 41 percent two years ago, according to a study released Monday that lists global warming as the top threat. Discarded utility poles were submerged in waters off Nanliao Port in the northern Taiwan county of Hsinchu Friday to create artificial reefs as part of the government's fishery resources conservation efforts. Over the past three decades, Taiwan has created a large number of artificial reefs made from discarded utility poles , decommissioned naval vessels and discarded tires at 100-plus designated areas along the coastline to enhance fishery resources. Lynndie R. England , the 22-year-old woman who became an infamous presence in the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse photographs, pleaded guilty on Monday to seven of the nine counts against her , under an agreement with military prosecutors. Lynndie R. England , the woman seen holding an Iraqi prisoner on a leash in the iconic photo from the Abu Ghraib prison, pleaded guilty Monday to seven charges stemming from prisoner abuse. Closing the last high-profile case in the scandal, England pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of conspiracy, four counts of mistreating detainees and one count of dereliction of duty. Lynndie R. England formally pleaded guilty Monday to mistreating inmates at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison , with many of the seven counts related to her appearance in some of the most graphic photographs of the abuse that shocked the world last spring. A female US soldier accused of abusing Iraqi detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison pleaded guilty on Monday to several charges at a court-martial at Fort Hood, Texas. Private Lynndie England , perhaps the most well-known in the abuse scandal that occurred in the fall of 2003, pleaded guilty to seven charges , including two counts of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners, four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of committing an indecent act. Lynndie England testified Monday as she pleaded guilty to seven abuse-related charges. Lynndie England testified Monday as she pleaded guilty to seven abuse-related charges. Lynndie England on Monday pled guilty to charges of abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison but told a court martial she did not believe she was doing wrong when photographed holding a leash on a naked inmate. "I assumed it was okay because he was an MP and he had the background of being a corrections officer," said England, who pled guilty to seven charges relating to the abuse of prisoners in October and November 2003. Following are the list of charges to which US soldier Lynndie England on Monday pled guilty here in relation to abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad: - Two counts of conspiring to maltreatment of subordinates: Maximum two years in jail - On October 23, 2003, England conspired with then Corporal Charles Graner to maltreat a prisoner who was subject to her orders and then "posed for a photograph holding a strap tied as a leash around a naked detainee's neck." England, an Army reservist from West Virginia, was shown in photographs from the prison holding a leash around the neck of a naked and crawling Iraqi detainee. Lynndie R. England, the woman seen holding an Iraqi prisoner on a leash in the iconic photo from the Abu Ghraib prison , pleaded guilty Monday to seven charges stemming from prisoner abuse. He asked England what happened in the facility outside Baghdad that caused the infamous scene of the prisoner being led by a leash. In one of the most vivid pictures from the scandal, England is shown holding a leather leash tied around the neck of a prisoner lying on the cellblock floor. She was pictured holding one inmate tethered to a leash. The defense on Monday demanded that the judge be changed for the court martial of Private Lynndie England, the US soldier seen in photographs from Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison holding a leash attached to the neck of a naked inmate. Following are the list of charges to which US soldier Lynndie England on Monday pled guilty here in relation to abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad: - Two counts of conspiring to maltreatment of subordinates: Maximum two years in jail - On October 23, 2003, England conspired with then Corporal Charles Graner to maltreat a prisoner who was subject to her orders and then "posed for a photograph holding a strap tied as a leash around a naked detainee 's neck." Following are the list of charges to which US soldier Lynndie England on Monday pled guilty here in relation to abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad: - Two counts of conspiring to maltreatment of subordinates: Maximum two years in jail - On October 23, 2003, England conspired with then Corporal Charles Graner to maltreat a prisoner who was subject to her orders and then "posed for a photograph holding a strap tied as a leash around a naked detainee's neck. " She was accused of watching prisoners being abused and helped set up the photograph of England holding a naked prisoner by a leash. When the proceedings, at Fort Hood, Texas , resume on Tuesday, a military jury will be seated to hear evidence on sentencing. The case now will begin a sentencing hearing in which a military jury will determine what punishment England, 22, should face. A jury composed of Army officers and enlisted soldiers will be seated Tuesday morning to recommend a sentence for England as part of a penalty hearing expected to last several days. A military jury here will decide her sentence this week. If the plea agreement was accepted by the military judge, a jury of officers and soldiers would decide her punishment following a sentencing hearing. England has yet to be sentenced by the military court hearing her case. ``I had a choice, but I chose to do what my friends wanted me to,'' England, 22, said in a glum voice as she pleaded guilty to mistreating detainees at the notorious Baghdad prison. Lynndie England on Monday pled guilty to charges of abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison but told a court martial she did not believe she was doing wrong when photographed holding a leash on a naked inmate. Following are the list of charges to which US soldier Lynndie England on Monday pled guilty here in relation to abusing Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad : - Two counts of conspiring to maltreatment of subordinates: Maximum two years in jail - On October 23, 2003, England conspired with then Corporal Charles Graner to maltreat a prisoner who was subject to her orders and then "posed for a photograph holding a strap tied as a leash around a naked detainee's neck." Prosecutors described Graner, who is said to be England's ex-boyfriend, as the ringleader of a group of Abu Ghraib guards who mistreated Iraqi detainees. England had faced up to 16 1/2 years in prison if convicted on all full nine counts, which included conspiracy, dereliction of duty, maltreatment and indecent acts. Her defense lawyers said the deal was expected to reduce the maximum sentence she faced from 16 1/2 years in prison to 11. Her defense lawyers said the deal was expected to reduce the maximum sentence she faced from 16 1/2 years in prison to 11. She had faced nine counts and could have received up to 16 1/2 years. Graner was convicted and sentenced in January to 10 years in prison and dismissed from the military. Graner was convicted and sentenced in January to 10 years in prison and dismissed from the military. Of the seven members of the 372nd Military Police Company charged in the abuse scandal, four have previously entered guilty pleas, and the only soldier to stand trial so far was Charles Graner , who was serving a 10-year jail term. He is serving a 10-year prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas, after he was found guilty in January. If the plea agreement was accepted by the military judge , a jury of officers and soldiers would decide her punishment following a sentencing hearing. Before accepting her guilty pleas, the judge, Col. James Pohl, required England to clearly describe her wrongdoing and motives. Lynndie England's guilty plea , if approved by the judge , would bring to eight the number of Army reservists convicted of abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison. Private Lynndie England, perhaps the most well-known in the abuse scandal that occurred in the fall of 2003, pleaded guilty to seven charges, including two counts of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners , four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of committing an indecent act. Asked if she had been ordered by her chain of command to mistreat inmates , England replied, "No, sir." Asked if she had been ordered by her chain of command to mistreat inmates , England replied, "No, sir." She pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy, four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of dereliction of duty. Closing the last high-profile case in the scandal, England pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of conspiracy, four counts of mistreating detainees and one count of dereliction of duty. Private Lynndie England, perhaps the most well-known in the abuse scandal that occurred in the fall of 2003, pleaded guilty to seven charges, including two counts of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners, four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of committing an indecent act. England had faced up to 16 1/2 years in prison if convicted on all full nine counts , which included conspiracy, dereliction of duty, maltreatment and indecent acts. A jury of U.S. Army troops will be selected today to set punishment, which could be a sentence from two to 11 years for conspiracy, indecency and maltreatment of detainees. She faces up to 6 1/2 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy, maltreating detainees and dereliction of duty. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a powerful explosion in central Beirut on Monday , Lebanese officials and medical sources said. Earlier in the day , Hariri was killed in a powerful explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Hariri, 60 , a Sunni Muslim, was killed in a powerful explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut earlier in the day. Hariri, at least five bodyguards and four other people were killed in a massive bombing that blasted his motorcade on a Beirut seafront street earlier Monday. On Monday , Hariri and eight other people were killed in a huge explosion , which occurred as Hariri's motorcade was passing by in the seafront area of the Lebanese capital Beirut. On Monday, Hariri and eight other people were killed in a huge explosion , which occurred as Hariri's motorcade was passing by in the seafront area of the Lebanese capital Beirut. Hariri was assassinated in a huge bomb blast Monday , which also killed 16 other people and injured about 120. Hariri was assassinated in a huge bomb blast Monday , which also killed 16 other people and injured about 120. Hariri was assassinated in a huge bomb blast Monday , which also killed 16 other people and injured about 120. Hariri , a popular figure to many in Lebanon and a central figure in reconstructing the country after a devastating 15-year civil war, was assassinated on Monday in an explosion that many here believe was the work of Syria, whose forces have played a dominant role in Lebanon since the 1970s. The crowd began massing quietly in front of Rafik Hariri's mansion in the early dawn hours Wednesday as Lebanon prepared to bury him and the six bodyguards who were killed with him in a bomb blast on Monday. The explosion , apparently caused by a car bomb , occurred around 1:00 p.m. (1100 GMT), when Hariri's motorcade of four black limousines escorted by jeeps was passing by in the seafront area of the capital. A friend of mine was killed in Beirut Monday in a massive car bomb attack. The Lebanese interior minister said on Tuesday that initial indications showed that former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a suicide car bombing. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese mourners gathered at the Mohamed Al Amin Mosque in the capital Beirut on Wednesday to pay last tribute to former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri killed in a suicide car bombing on Monday. Hariri , 60, died on Monday when his motorcade was blown up by a suicide car bomber in western Beirut seafront. He came to office first in 1992 and headed five governments over 12 years. He came to office first in 1992 and headed five governments over 12 years. Hariri , who came to office first in 1992 and headed five governments over 12 years , resigned last October. He came to office first in 1992 and headed five governments over 12 years. Hariri , 60 , a Sunni Muslim, resigned last October. Hariri , 60 , a Sunni Muslim, resigned last October. Hariri , who came to office first in 1992 and headed five governments over 12 years, resigned last October. Hariri , 60 , a Sunni Muslim, resigned last October. Opposition leaders on Monday held Lebanese and Syrian governments responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, demanded Syrian troops withdraw from Lebanon within the next three months and called on the international community to intervene to help "this captive nation." Other opponents of Syrian involvement in Lebanese affairs also cast blame on Damascus and its allies within the Lebanese government. It was too early to say who killed Hariri who resigned as prime minister last October though oppositions held Syria and its allied Lebanese government responsible for Hariri's murder. Opposition leaders on Monday held Lebanese and Syrian governments responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, demanded Syrian troops withdraw from Lebanon within the next three months and called on the international community to intervene to help "this captive nation." Opposition leaders on Monday held Lebanese and Syrian governments responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, demanded Syrian troops withdraw from Lebanon within the next three months and called on the international community to intervene to help "this captive nation." The bombing has also led to renewed international pressure led by the US and France for Syria to withdraw its 14,000 troops from neighboring Lebanon. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday condemned a blast which killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as "horrible terrorist act ," the official SANA news agency reported. "Assad condemned the horrible terrorist act that claimed lives of a number of Lebanese people, notably former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri ," SANA said. Syrian President Bashar Assad condemned the assassination as "a horrible criminal action " and offered his country's condolences and support to Hariri's family and Lebanon at large. At least eight others were also killed, including some of Hariri's bodyguards. At least eight others were also killed , including some of Hariri's bodyguards. Hariri , at least five bodyguards and four other people were killed in a massive bombing that blasted his motorcade on a Beirut seafront street earlier Monday. Syria has been under international pressure to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and not to interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs. The bombing has also led to renewed international pressure led by the US and France for Syria to withdraw its 14,000 troops from neighboring Lebanon. The bombing has also led to renewed international pressure led by the US and France for Syria to withdraw its 14,000 troops from neighboring Lebanon. Walid Eido , a member of Hariri's parliamentary bloc, also blamed Lebanese authorities, saying : "This government is responsible for the killing of Rafik Hariri. " But Hariri's supporters have accused Syria and the Lebanese government of orchestrating the assassination. But Hariri's supporters have accused Syria and the Lebanese government of orchestrating the assassination. Britain's food watchdog said Thursday it has launched an unprecedented investigation into how an allegedly cancer-causing agent Sudan 1 find its way into the string of British food industry. Britain's food watchdog said Thursday it has launched an unprecedented investigation into how an allegedly cancer-causing agent Sudan 1 find its way into the string of British food industry. Determined to find out how traces of the illegal dye Sudan 1 found its way into Britain's food chain , the FSA said it was conducting its largest ever investigation with the help of five local authorities. Determined to find out how traces of the dye found their way into Britain's food chain , the FSA said it was conducting its largest ever investigation with the help of five local authorities. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched an unprecedented probe into how a potentially cancer-causing dye contaminated at least 474 products, ranging from ready-made meals to popular sauces, that have been withdrawn from sale. The dye , known as Sudan I, is linked to an increased risk of cancer , but is not thought to be a risk to health at the concentrations used in these products, said a BBC report. Britain's food safety watchdog ordered the recall of more than 350 food products Friday after it said that a potentially cancer-causing dye had been discovered. Britain's food safety watchdog ordered the recall of more than 350 food products Friday after it said that a potentially cancer-causing dye had been discovered. Britain's Food Standards Agency on Thursday extended a list of foods that could be contaminated with a dye linked to cancer. Sudan I, a potentially cancer- causing colorant, is the latest target for China's product quality watchdogs after the disclosure that the red dye has tainted hundreds of food items in Britain , Thursday's China Daily reported. Over the past week, the FSA has ordered the withdrawal of 419 products , ranging from ready-made meals to popular sauces , because they are tainted by a potentially cancer-causing dye. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched an unprecedented probe into how a potentially cancer-causing dye contaminated at least 474 products , ranging from ready-made meals to popular sauces, that have been withdrawn from sale. The Food Standards Agency sparked an international food safety alert on Feb. 18 when it announced that a sauce contaminated with the dye had been used in hundreds of British foods and exported to several European and Caribbean countries and to North America. "Sudan I could contribute to an increased risk of cancer ," said FSA chief executive Jon Bell, while downplaying the gravity of the health risk. "Sudan I can contribute to an increased risk of cancer but at the levels present the risk is likely to be very small," the agency said in a statement. Despite prompting an increased risk of cancer , the FSA has emphasised that the actual danger is very small given the levels present. The Food Standards Agency said Sudan I could contribute to an increased risk of cancer , but it was not possible to identify a safe level or to quantify the risk. Sudan 1 is a red dye used for coloring solvents, oils waxes, petrol and shoe polish and it is illegal to add it to food in Britain and the whole EU region. It is illegal to put Sudan 1 into food in Britain and the rest of the European Union and all chilli powder imported since July 2003 has to be certified free of the agent. It is illegal to put Sudan 1 into food in Britain or elsewhere in the European Union , and all chilli powder imported since July 2003 has to be certified free of the agent. Sudan I is banned from food in Britain and across the European Union , and since 2003 all chili powder imported to Britain must be certified to be free of Sudan I. Britain's Food Standards Agency on Friday issued an urgent warning advising people not to eat more than 350 food products inadvertently contaminated with an illegal dye. Cyprus health services have advised people not to eat foods imported from Britain that have contaminated an illegal dye named Sudan I , local press reported Tuesday. "The vast majority of products contaminated with the illegal dye Sudan I have been removed from sale," the agency said in a statement. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Monday extended the list of foods contaminated by carcinogenic colouring that it wants to recall from shop shelves and homes. Britain's food safety watchdog Thursday added another 146 products to a list of items tainted by a potentially cancer-causing dye in the country's largest food recall yet. Britain's Food Standards Agency on Thursday extended a list of foods that could be contaminated with a dye linked to cancer. Britain's Food Standards Agency on Friday issued an urgent warning advising people not to eat more than 350 food products inadvertently contaminated with an illegal dye. Britain's Food Standards Agency on Friday issued an urgent warning advising people not to eat more than 350 food products inadvertently contaminated with an illegal dye. Britain's Food Standards Agency on Friday issued an urgent warning advising people not to eat more than 350 food products inadvertently contaminated with an illegal dye. By Tuesday, the watchdog had released an updated list of 428 affected food products, ranging from BBQ sauce to pies, including those made by Heinz and Unilever. A total of 474 food products are now being recalled , amid fears they could contain traces of Sudan I _ a red dye used for coloring oils, waxes, petrol and shoe polish. A total of 474 food products are now being recalled , amid fears they could contain traces of Sudan I _ a red dye used for coloring oils, waxes, petrol and shoe polish. Sudan 1 is a red dye used for coloring solvents, oils waxes, petrol and shoe polish and it is illegal to add it to food in Britain and the whole EU region. Sudan I is a red dye used for coloring solvents, oil, waxes, petrol and shoe and floor polishes. A total of 474 food products are now being recalled, amid fears they could contain traces of Sudan I _ a red dye used for coloring oils, waxes, petrol and shoe polish. "After the explosion at the Jilin Petrochemical Company under China National Petroleum Corporation, our observation showed pollutants containing benzene had flown into the Songhua River and caused water pollution ," said an official with SEPA. China's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said here on Wednesday that the Songhua River in northeast China suffered a major water pollution incident owing to the explosion of a petrochemical plant at the upper reaches. The Songhua River suffered a major water pollution incident as a result of an explosion on Nov. 13 at a petrochemical plant in Jilin Province , where the river originates. Benzene-like organic pollutants, harmful to human health , had flown into the river after the blast , with the swath of polluted water stretching about 80 kilometers by Nov. 21. Since the river was contaminated in a chemical plant explosion in the neighboring Jilin Province on November 13 , the benzene and nitrobenzene density in the water is declining gradually after days of sedimentation and adsorption, and the Harbin city government has added a large amount of active carbon powders into the river to help clean up the water. The Songhua River , a tributary of the Heilongjiang River which is called the Amur when it crosses the border, is contaminated by benzene due to a massive petrochemical plant explosion on November 13. A petrochemical plant blast that occurred two weeks ago spilled large amount of benzene liquids into the Songhua River , resulting in heavy pollution in the section of Harbin , capital of the Heilongjiang province. A major chemical explosion at Jilin Petrochemical Company 380 kilometers up the Songhua river on November 13 had sent massive amounts of benzene into the waterway. Experts estimate that around 100 tons of pollutants containing benzene has flown into the Songhua River, caused by a Nov. 13 explosion at an upstream chemical plant of the Jilin Petrochemical Company under the China National Petroleum Corp. Experts estimate that around 100 tons of pollutants containing benzene has flown into the Songhua River, caused by a Nov. 13 explosion at an upstream chemical plant of the Jilin Petrochemical Company under the China National Petroleum Corp. The Nov. 13 blast in Jilin , a city in Jilin province, caused massive amounts of benzene, a toxic, flammable liquid to flow into the Songhua River. A top official with China's environmental watchdog said Thursday that the company overseeing a chemical plant where an explosion spewed lethal chemicals into a river in the country's northeast should be held responsible for the pollution. Harbin , home to nine million population including 3.8 million in the urban districts , has cut off water supply in the urban areas since early Wednesday , an emergency action taken to ensure public safety. Judging from the current flowing speed, it would take four days for the polluted block to flow out of the urban area of Harbin , where tap water supply has been suspended. Harbin , which is under a 4-day water supply cut-off , has taken measures to ensure public safety and a safe drinking water supply. Currently , the water supply has been cut off in Harbin , capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, as the city's water source, Songhua River, has been heavily polluted. Residents in Harbin cleared shelves of water, soft drinks and milk this week after the water system was shut down on Tuesday. The 80-kilometer-long (50-mile- long) swathe of chemicals moved downstream into Harbin, a city of 3.8 million people in neighboring Heilongjiang province, on Thursday, prompting officials to shut down water supplies. He said Jilin had quickly blocked entry of the pollutants into the river and discharged water from a reservoir to dilute pollutants in the river. Two reservoirs on the Songhua River on Thursday reinforced water discharge to dilute a massive slick of chemical pollutants floating through this capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang. Two reservoirs on the Songhua River on Thursday reinforced water discharge to dilute a massive slick of chemical pollutants floating through this capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang. Measures already taken by the local governments include blocking the entry of pollutants, discharging more water from two reservoirs to dilute the pollutants, organizing experts to study control measures and enhancing monitoring work, part of the environmental emergency response mechanism activated shortly after the explosion. Measures already taken by the local governments include blocking the entry of pollutants, discharging more water from two reservoirs to dilute the pollutants , organizing experts to study control measures and enhancing monitoring work, part of the environmental emergency response mechanism activated shortly after the explosion. China has informed Russia of the water pollution situation in the country's northeastern Songhua River , Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said here on Thursday. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in Beijing on Thursday that China has informed Russia of the water pollution situation in the river, a tributary of the Heilong River (called Amur River in Russia) on the border between the Russian far east and China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in Beijing on Thursday that China has informed Russia of the water pollution situation in the river , a tributary of the Heilong River (called Amur River in Russia) on the border between the Russian far east and China. Liu said China was very concerned about possible hazards to Russia and has informed its neighbor several times of the pollution. "China is very concerned about the possible hazards to Russia and has informed its neighbor several times of the pollution ," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a press conference. The massive floating pollutants traversing the Harbin section of northeast China's Songhua River is unlikely to cause big troubles to the city's rural areas , according to a senior hydrologist. The drifting polluted block is unlikely to cause too much inconvenience in their daily life , he added. Two reservoirs on the Songhua River on Thursday reinforced water discharge to dilute a massive slick of chemical pollutants floating through this capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang. China and Russia have both pledged to cooperate closely to handle the pollution of the Songhua River in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province , said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao here Thursday. China and Russia have both pledged to cooperate closely to handle the pollution of the Songhua River in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province , said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao here Thursday. "Both have pledged to cooperate closely to handle the pollution. " According to the official, observation data shows the degree of river water pollution has been declining. Since the river was contaminated in a chemical plant explosion in the neighboring Jilin Province on November 13, the benzene and nitrobenzene density in the water is declining gradually after days of sedimentation and adsorption , and the Harbin city government has added a large amount of active carbon powders into the river to help clean up the water. The toxic contents in the water are declining gradually after days of sedimentation , experts said, citing water monitoring statistics. An 80-kilometer chemical slick has been slowly moving downstream along the Songhua River and reached Harbin on Thursday morning. The pollutants , stretching around 80 kilometers long , will be further diluted after they pass Harbin in around 40 hours as several major tributaries are to join the Songhua River. The 80-kilometer-long (50-mile-long) swathe of chemicals moved downstream into Harbin , a city of 3.8 million people in neighboring Heilongjiang province, on Thursday, prompting officials to shut down water supplies. Songhua River will carry poisonous substances to Harbin , a major city in northeast China, at round 5:00 a.m. Thursday, an official said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. The massive floating pollutants traversing the Harbin section of northeast China's Songhua River is unlikely to cause big troubles to the city's rural areas, according to a senior hydrologist. The plant was run by the Jilin Petroleum and Chemical Company , which is under the state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. _ the country's largest oil company. "It is the chemical plant of the CNPC in Jilin province. " A Boeing 747 plane carrying 50 tons of relief goods left Guangzhou in south China for tsunami- stricken Indonesia Thursday , said an official of the Ministry of Commerce. A Chinese quake rescue team arrived in tsunami -ravaged Indonesia early Friday to help emergency aid efforts there. Japan has provided some 500 million US dollar fund for tsunami- affected countries including Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Uzbekistan on Monday sent a plane with 35 metric tons (39 short tons) of humanitarian aid to tsunami -hit Indonesia , the Foreign Ministry said. Nearly 500,000 people were made homeless after tsunami swept Aceh province , in Indonesia on Dec. 26, ministry of information and communication said on Wednesday. It was the biggest earthquake anywhere in the world for 40 years and unleashed a tsunami that slammed into coastal communities from southern Asia to Africa killing nearly 150,000 in 11 nations. An extremely powerful earthquake and the tsunami that followed devastated many parts of North Sumatra and Aceh on Dec. 26 last year, killing more than 100,000 people there. An extremely powerful earthquake and the tsunami that followed devastated many parts of North Sumatra and Aceh on Dec. 26 last year , killing more than 100,000 people there. A Chinese quake rescue team arrived in tsunami-ravaged Indonesia early Friday to help emergency aid efforts there. A Chinese quake rescue team arrived in tsunami-ravaged Indonesia early Friday to help emergency aid efforts there. Indonesia's foreign minister on Friday announced his country will host a January 6 summit of world leaders to discuss the aftermath of Asia's devastating natural disaster. Indonesia's foreign minister on Friday announced his country will host a January 6 summit of world leaders to discuss the aftermath of Asia's devastating natural disaster. Bangladesh would airlift and ship 1, 000 metric tons of high energy biscuits (HEB) for the tsunami victims of Indonesia and Sri Lanka this week. The sources said as part of the planned 1,000 metric tons of HEB, the government is contemplating of sending several hundred tons of HEB to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives in the coming weeks. A Boeing 747 plane carrying 50 tons of relief goods left Guangzhou in south China for tsunami- stricken Indonesia Thursday, said an official of the Ministry of Commerce. A Boeing 747 plane carrying 50 tons of relief goods left Guangzhou in south China for tsunami- stricken Indonesia Thursday, said an official of the Ministry of Commerce. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Wednesday that his country would provide 1 billion Australian dollars (about 764 million US dollars) in loans and grants to assist Indonesia in its rebuilding after the Dec. 26 earthquake-tsunami disaster. Half of the assistance will be in the form of grants for short term relief and the remainder in loans for long term reconstruction , Howard said. This is the second batch of relief goods China has sent to the tsunami-hit countries in south and southeast Asian countries. This is the second batch of relief goods China has sent to the tsunami-hit countries in south and southeast Asian countries. At least 95,000 people were killed by the tsunami in Indonesia. An extremely powerful earthquake and the tsunami that followed devastated many parts of North Sumatra and Aceh on Dec. 26 last year, killing more than 100,000 people there. A second plane with an additional 16 metric tons (18 short tons) of aid was to depart Monday evening. A second plane with an additional 16 metric tons (18 short tons) of aid was to depart Monday evening.