WASHINGTON - Seeking to curb a climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy that several cadets have said is intolerant of non-Christians, the Air Force offered new guidelines Monday that discourage public prayer, disappointing critics who had sought an outright ban.
"Public prayer should not usually be included in official settings such as staff meetings, office meetings, classes or officially sanctioned activities," the new interim policy says.
But it notes that prayer can be beneficial under "extraordinary circumstances" such as "mass casualties, preparation for imminent combat or natural disasters" and allows nonsectarian prayers in "nonroutine" military activities, such as change-of-command and promotion ceremonies.
Air Force officials hope that the interim rules, to be succeeded by a more detailed permanent policy after senior Air Force officials meet in November, will put to rest concerns that arose after an investigation, completed in June, determined that non-Christians at the academy had been subjected to religious slurs, jokes and disparaging remarks.
U.S. attorneys: Cuban exile ineligible for asylum
EL PASO, Texas - Lawyers for the federal government told an immigration judge Monday that an anti-Castro militant is not eligible for asylum in the United States.
Venezuela wants Luis Posada Carriles sent back there to stand trial on charges accusing him of plotting the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jetliner that crashed off the coast of Barbados, killing 73 people. Posada, who is Cuban, is being held on charges that he sneaked into the United States through Mexico in March. He was arrested in Miami in May.
A number of governments including Cuba, many of which had citizens aboard the jetliner, have demanded the deportation of Posada, a one-time CIA operative.
The hearing continues Tuesday. In arguing against allowing Posada to stay in the United States, government lawyers also said he should not be deported to Cuba because of concerns over torture.
Gina Garrett-Jackson, the lead attorney for the U.S. government, said federal officials had not decided whether they would oppose deportation to Venezuela.
Investigation sought into Army official's demotion
WASHINGTON - Three congressional Democrats asked Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Monday to investigate the demotion of a senior civilian Army official who publicly criticized the awarding of a no-bid contract to Halliburton Co. for oil-related work in Iraq.
Bunnatine H. Greenhouse, who had been the Army Corps of Engineers' top procurement official, was removed effective Saturday for what the corps called a poor job performance. In the letter to Rumsfeld, the lawmakers said the demotion "appears to be retaliation" for her June 27 testimony before Congress in which she detailed her objections to the award of contracts for Iraq projects.
It was signed by Sen. Byron L. Dorgan, D-N.D., Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.
Kentucky governor grants pardons to colleagues
FRANKFORT, Ky. - Gov. Ernie Fletcher on Monday granted blanket pardons to current and former members of his administration who have been charged in an investigation into alleged improper hiring.
The move came on the eve of Fletcher's appearance before a grand jury investigating his administration's hiring practices.
Fletcher said he would appear before the grand jury but would not testify. The grand jury was impaneled in June and has charged nine current and former members of Fletcher's administration with misdemeanor violations of the state's personnel law for allegedly basing hirings on political considerations, not merit.
