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Nation in brief
Compiled from Times wires Both sniper suspects charged in VirginiaFAIRFAX, Va. -- A Virginia prosecutor charged sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and 17-year-old John Lee Malvo with capital murder Wednesday in the killing of an FBI analyst, saying he believes he has sufficient evidence to go to trial immediately. Muhammad and Malvo, who have been accused in 17 shootings in four states and Washington, D.C., were charged with murder in the Oct. 14 shooting of Linda Franklin in the parking deck of a Home Depot store. They were also charged with using a firearm in the commission of a felony. It remained uncertain which jurisdiction will try the suspects first. Attorney General John Ashcroft said Wednesday the decision will be made after a "fact-driven analysis" of where prosecutors have the best evidence and the best law to bring about the death penalty. Workers restarting oil flow in Alaska pipelineANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Workers began the slow process Wednesday of restarting the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, which was shut down after a strong earthquake over the weekend, officials said. It was expected to take several hours to bring the huge oil pipeline back to normal flow. The work was being done slowly so that any problems could be spotted quickly. Tanker loading at Valdez could resume as early as today, according to Mike Heatwole of Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. The 800-mile, 48-inch diameter line, which carries about a sixth of the nation's oil production, was shut down Sunday after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake. It damaged pipeline supports and moved sections of the line up to 7 feet, but did not cause any leaks. QUAKE DIRTIED PA. WELL WATER: The weekend earthquake in Alaska that churned up waves on a Louisiana lake and rippled swimming pools all over the country also temporarily muddied well water in homes more than 3,000 miles away, geologists said. Well-drilling companies got scores of calls Sunday and Monday from Pennsylvania customers complaining about water turning cloudy or muddy. Man faces blackmail charges in girl's abductionSALT LAKE CITY -- A South Carolina man was charged Wednesday with trying to extort $3-million for the safe return of Elizabeth Smart, the 14-year-old girl who vanished from her bedroom in June. The FBI said it couldn't rule out Walter Holloway, 18, as the kidnapper until it found him Tuesday in Charleston, S.C., typing his latest demands by e-mail. Holloway sent 38 messages over the past two months before the FBI found him in front of a computer on Tuesday at his parents' house. The family did not return a telephone message Wednesday from the Associated Press. Holloway was being held on felony charges of extortion and sending threatening messages across state lines. The charges carry up to 25 years in prison, said U.S. Attorney Paul Warner, who plans to seek an indictment next week and bring Holloway to Salt Lake City. National Urban League chief to leave jobNEW YORK -- National Urban League president Hugh Price said Wednesday he's stepping down as head of the civil rights organization. Price has served as president and chief executive officer since 1994. He told the board of trustees he wanted a career change. Price, who will leave by April, is credited with creating national grass roots programs to stimulate academic achievement among black youths. RecallDODGE CARAVAN and GRAND CARAVAN; PLYMOUTH VOYAGER and GRAND VOYAGER; CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY: DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group; some 1996-98 models. Cause: Driver's airbag, horn or cruise control may stop working. Injuries reported: Two. Action: Take to dealer if airbag warning light remains on for more than a few seconds. On the Web: www.daimlerchrysler.com.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
