Augusta Chronicle, The

Bush Stands by Gonzales in U.S. Attorney Firings

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday that he is troubled by the Justice Department's misleading explanations to Congress of why it fired eight U.S. attorneys, and he expects his attorney general to fix the problem. Mr. Bush said he stood by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales amid calls for Mr. Gonzales' ouster.

Sanctions Key to Reactor Deal

BEIJING - North Korea is committed to closing its main nuclear reactor within a month as long as Washington meets a promise to drop financial sanctions, the chief U.N. nuclear inspector said Wednesday after a one-day trip to Pyongyang. International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei offered an encouraging assessment of the month-old nuclear disarmament pact, saying North Korean officials told him they are "fully committed" to implementing the deal to shut the reactor and welcome bac...

Care of Veterans Must Improve, Hopefuls Say

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidates promised on Wednesday to provide better health care for military veterans, saying troops returning from Iraq have received shoddy care under the Bush administration. Democrat Barack Obama said he's tired of officials who talk about supporting the troops but don't provide adequate health care.

Detainee Reveals 9-11 Role

WASHINGTON - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, confessed to that attack and a chilling string of other terrorist plots during a military hearing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to a transcript released Wednesday by the Pentagon. "I was responsible for the 9-11 operation from A to Z," Mr. Mohammed said in a statement read during the session, which was held Saturday.

Surgery for Obesity has New Warning

RALEIGH, N.C. - Doctors warn that a few obesity surgery patients have developed a serious neurological condition, with symptoms of confusion and poor coordination, linked to a lack of vitamin B1. Wernicke encephalopathy, which is caused by a thiamine deficiency, is normally associated with severe alcoholism or chronic malnutrition.

Chemo Duck Is Here to Help

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Gabe Sipos dealt with doctors, pain and scary equipment when diagnosed with cancer more than four years ago just shy of his first birthday. But the ordeal was made easier with Chemo Duck - a yellow stuffed duck complete with hospital scrubs, a head bandanna and a tiny IV line for chemotherapy. The plush duck also helped Gabe's mother, Lu, who came up with the idea, learn to deal with the deadly disease.

Detainee Reveals 9-11 Role

WASHINGTON - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, confessed to that attack and a string of others during a military hearing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to a transcript released Wednesday by the Pentagon. "I was responsible for the 9-11 operation from A to Z," Mr. Mohammed said in a statement that was read during the session, which was held last Saturday.

Iraq Pullout Bill Will Get Formal Debate in Senate

WASHINGTON - Democratic-backed legislation to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq cleared its first Senate hurdle Wednesday, but Republicans confidently predicted they would defeat it, and President Bush backed them up with a veto threat. The legislation, calling for combat troops to return home over the next 12 months, "would hobble American commanders in the field and substantially endanger America's strategic objective of a unified federal democratic Iraq," the White House said in a w...

Early Spending in Presidential Campaign High

WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney is buying $800,000 in television airtime. Candidates are purchasing voter lists in the early states - $100,000 for the Iowa Democratic Party's list and $60,000 for the South Carolina version. And the entire presidential field is buying jet fuel by the planeload. At the start of a campaign season that is already moving at lightning speed, presidential candidates are spending money at unprecedented rates. And these are only the initial investments in an election that s...

The World

World powers agree on sanctions for Iran UNITED NATIONS - U.N. ambassadors from six world powers agreed in principle Wednesday on a proposed new package of sanctions against Iran and were expected to introduce a resolution to the Security Council on Thursday if their governments approve it, the U.S. ambassador said.

Unwanted Horses Crowd Thoroughbred Country

STAFFORDSVILLE, Ky. - The bidding for the black pony started at $500, then took a nosedive. There were no takers at $300, $200, even $100. With a high bid of just $75, the auctioneer gave the seller the choice of taking the animal off the auction block. But the seller said no.

The World

World powers agree on sanctions for Iran UNITED NATIONS - U.N. ambassadors from six world powers agreed in principle Wednesday on a proposed new package of sanctions against Iran and were expected to introduce a resolution to the Security Council on Thursday if their governments approve it, the U.S. ambassador said.

Iraqi Leader Returns After Health Scare

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq - Thousands of cheering Kurds gave Iraqi President Jalal Talabani a hero's welcome home Wednesday from 17 days of medical treatment in Jordan after he collapsed and fell unconscious. Motorists plastered their cars with portraits of the former Kurdish guerrilla leader, honked their horns and played loud music as they jammed the center of this northern city.

Parents Battle for Right to Shock Son with Autism

CHICAGO - Bradley Bernstein's parents say an electric cattle prod is the only thing that stops him from banging his head and violently punching his eyes, nearly blinding himself. The Illinois couple's fight to continue shock treatment on their severely autistic 48-year-old son, and the uproar over a Massachusetts school that uses similar treatment, have pulled back the curtain on this extreme form of behavior modification. Critics call it outmoded, barbaric and unethical.

Deaths Drop As Violence Slows in Iraq

BAGHDAD - Bomb deaths have gone down 30 percent in Baghdad since the U.S.-led security crackdown began a month ago. Execution-style slayings are down by nearly half. The frequent sound of weapons has been reduced to episodic, and downtown shoppers have returned to outdoor markets - favored targets of car bombers.

The Nation

Chiquita to pay fine for hiring terrorists WASHINGTON - Banana company Chiquita Brands International said Wednesday that it has agreed to a $25 million fine after admitting it paid a Colombian terrorist group for protection in a volatile farming region.

More Money Staying Home Could Mean Lighter Tax Load

Columbia County residents are starting to spend their money closer to home, according to a new study, and that could ring up tax relief for some. A recent study showed that 57 percent of the spendable income of Columbia County residents is staying inside the county. That's an 8 percent increase since 2003.

Today in History

44 B.C. Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius.

Machine Precisely Focuses Radiation to Fight Tumors

PHILADELPHIA - John Donahue lay still on the treatment table while the linear accelerator, as massive as a refrigerator, rotated into position, ready to send beams of lethal radiation into his prostate tumor. It was an intimidating setup, but Mr. Donahue, a retired pharmaceutical researcher from Newtown, Pa., said he was more "fascinated" than scared last week, his third week of treatment at Philadelphia's Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Today in History

44 B.C. Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius.