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Milosevic
protests charges from Western nations
THE
HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Launching his defense against war
crimes charges, Slobodan Milosevic Thursday sought to justify his
actions in the Balkans as a “struggle against terrorism,”
and said he was a victim of twisted facts and “terrible fabrication.”
Pointing
his finger and thumping his desk, Milosevic, the first head of state
brought to trial before an international tribunal, accused Western
nations of acting to break up Yugoslavia and making up atrocities
blamed on him.
He
also denied having known about prison camps in Bosnia where thousands
of Muslims and Croats were tortured and killed and said he tried
to stop Bosnian Serbs from targeting civilians.
It
was the former Yugoslav leader’s first response after the prosecution
opened its case before the U.N. war crimes tribunal with an exhaustive
two-day recital of horrors in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Milosevic
stands accused of masterminding a ruthless campaign of murder and
expulsion during a decade of wars in the Balkans in his quest to
create a “Greater Serbia.”
Suspected
al-Qaida member accidentally kills himself
SAN’A,
Yemen (AP) — A suspected al-Qaida member who accidentally blew
himself up after being cornered by security forces in a San’a
suburb was related to one of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers, Yemeni security
officials said Thursday.
Sameer
Mohammed Ahmed al-Hada, who died in the confrontation with police
Wednesday, was a brother-in-law of Khalid Almihdhar, the officials
said on condition of anonymity.
The
FBI has identified Almihdhar as a 26-year-old Saudi who was among
five hijackers aboard the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.
Almihdhar also was caught on a surveillance video, shot in Malaysia,
with one of the suspects in the October 2000 bombing of the USS
Cole in a Yemeni port.
Al-Hada,
25, was also a brother-in-law of one of 17 men named by the FBI
in an alert issued Monday warning of a possible terrorist attack
in Yemen or the United States, according to a U.S. government source,
speaking on the condition of anonymity. They did not say which of
the 17 was al-Hada’s brother-in-law.
The
Yemeni security officials said al-Hada had been under surveillance
for more than a week.
President
and First Lady exchange Valentines
WASHINGTON
(AP) — President Bush went traditional, presenting his wife
Laura with a bundle of tulips. Mrs. Bush, meanwhile, had the dogs
do her Valentine’s Day bidding.
In
the middle of a “riveting” domestic policy briefing on
Thursday, Mrs. Bush surprised her husband by sending dogs Barney
and Spot into the room, presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer told
romance-starved reporters in his daily press briefing.
Barney
wore around his neck a ribbon dangling a heart-shaped cookie with
“Mr. President” written in icing.
For
White House aides who don’t like dog fur with their snacks,
the first lady sent in a separate plate of cookies and chocolates.
Bahrain
declared a constitutional monarchy
Bahrain's
ruler proclaimed himself king and his tiny Gulf island state a constitutional
monarchy Thursday, and called for legislative and local elections
in line with a promise to make Bahrain a democracy.
Sheik
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa — who had been an emir — gave
his royal assent to constitutional amendments at a ceremony at the
palace that was broadcast nationwide.
With
the stroke of a pen, he became king and this state of 600,000 was
declared the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Saudi
Arabia is the only other Gulf kingdom. Other Gulf rulers hold the
titles of emir or sultan. Sheik Hamad did not say why he was switching
his title to king, but he may have been influenced by the tradition
of constitutional monarchs in the West.
Sheik
Hamad said he was “fulfilling his promise” to bring democracy
to Bahrain and immediately called national elections for a legislative
body in October and municipal elections in May. Sheik Hamad would
still have the final say on most matters.
Although
a tiny country in the oil-rich Gulf, Bahrain's political stability
is significant for the West. The country is a close U.S. ally and
home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.
Joint
investigation into Sept. 11 intelligence
WASHINGTON
(AP) — Leaders of the two congressional intelligence committees
announced a wide-ranging inquiry Thursday into why the CIA and other
U.S. intelligence agencies failed to learn of and prevent the Sept.
11 terror attacks.
The
joint inquiry will include the membership of both the House and
Senate intelligence committees.
L.
Britt Snider, a former CIA inspector general, will be the senior
appointed official in the investigation. Snider left the agency’s
chief oversight position last year.
Hearings
are expected to begin in April. Some will be public; others will
be closed to protect classified information. The inquiry will have
subpoena powers.
U.S.
officials say they have found no missed piece of intelligence that
would have provided specific warning of the attacks. But the inquiry
will look at whether the intelligence community is structured, funded
and led in such a way that leaves the United States open to further
major terrorist attacks.
The
joint investigation avoids the potential for dueling hearings, and
possibly disparate conclusions, by the Democratic-controlled Senate
committee and the Republican House panel. The Bush administration
has agreed to provide documents and officials to testify.
1.6
million Jeeps recalled for gear shift defect
DETROIT
(AP) — The makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee are recalling
1.6 million 1993-1998 model-year vehicles after complaints the vehicle
may move even after the gear shift is in park.
At
least 59 injuries have been blamed on the problem, DaimlerChrysler
AG spokeswoman Angela Spencer Ford said Thursday.
She
said there had been at least 200 complaints.
The
automaker said no defect was found during an investigation, but
it will install an additional system in the floor shifter mechanism.
Owners
will receive recall notices by mail.
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