Bound for Hawaii
HAGATNA, Guam -- Leaving their crippled spy plane on a Chinese island, 24 U.S. crew members headed for Hawaii on Thursday with plans for a weekend reunion with families and friends on the U.S. mainland. Their long flight home ended a 12-day diplomatic standoff after a collision with a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea.
In end, 'very sorry' was magic phrase
WASHINGTON -- It was suppertime in Beijing, the last hour before a rainy dawn in Washington, when President Bush got word in bed that the U.S. air crew held in China would be let go.
Bush wins high praise for handling first crisis
WASHINGTON -- Twenty-five Americans benefited immediately from Beijing's decision Wednesday to free the crew of an American spy plane that landed in China more than a week ago after colliding with a Chinese jet fighter.
What U.S. said may not be exactly what China heard
The two use different words of regret to translate the U.S. letter into Chinese. But both seem satisfied.
Tough diplomatic issues remain
WASHINGTON -- Winning the release of the 24 Americans was President Bush's priority. But sticky U.S.-China issues are still unresolved, including the fate of the Navy spy plane and China's insistence that the American military stop flying reconnaissance missions near its coast.
Dad: 'A big weight has lifted off my shoulders'
Days of tension melted away for Tilda Young when the telephone rang Wednesday morning. The call lasted only a minute and a half, but it was enough.
Apology doesn't please everyone
HAIKOU, China -- To some, it wasn't a deep enough kowtow. But Washington's message of regret provided enough face-saving room for many citizens to accept their government's decision to let the 24 crew members of a downed American spy plane go home.
Soccer stampede kills 43 S. Africans
Two wildly popular teams, an overcrowded stadium and a goal combine to set off deadly chaos.
The nation in brief
Victims will see execution of McVeigh on closed-circuit TV
