USA
The White House denied an ABC News report that the Bush administration has called an urgent multiagency meeting Thursday to discuss a potential Al Qaeda attack on US soil. The White House said there was no specific terrorism threat. ABC News said the US intellience community has received helpful information from the recent botched terrorist bombings in London.
Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona vowed to press on as a presidential candidate Tuesday after campaign manager Terry Nelson, chief strategist John Weaver, and three aides submitted their resignations. The shake-up came with McCain, who'd been the early favorite for the nomination, struggling to raise money and regain lost ground in opinion polls. Above, McCain talked with reporters about the changes.
Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as President Bush's most recent surgeon general, told a congressional hearing Tuesday that "the nation's doctor has been marginalized" because the post's independence has been eroded. He said his speeches were edited by political appointees and that he was told not to talk about certain issues. A White House spokesman said Carmona "received the support necessary to carry out his mission."
Five of the nation's top-priority wildfires continued to burn in Utah Wednesday, with firefighters expecting to make gains in the 10 percent containment of a 514-square-mile blaze located about 120 miles south of Salt Lake City.
The FBI is building a new database to help counterterror investigators assess the risk posed by people identified as potential or suspected terrorists, the Justice Department told Congress Tuesday.
Michael Reynolds, who is fighting charges that he tried to help Al Qaeda blow up US energy facilities, said targeting refinereries and pipelines would lead to "instant rebellion" by the American public, according to evidence submitted Tuesday at his Scranton, Pa., trial. Reynolds claims he was a private citizen trying to uncover terrorist plots.
The decline in traditional pensions is accelerating, according to a new study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. Nearly two-thirds of companies that offer these plans have closed them to new hires or frozen them for existing employees.
Seattle Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki made history at Tuesday night's All-Star Game in San Francisco as the first player to hit an inside-the-park home run in the midsummer classic. Ichiro collected two other hits and MVP honors in leading the American League to 5-4 victory that extended its 10-year dominance over the National stars.