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<p>WASHINGTON (AP) The Bush administration's long-held assertion that it lacked the evidence to avert the terror attacks is giving way to a crucial question: What did the government know before Sept. 11? The administration's theme has been that it had no specific information and therefore could not stop the plotters.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) The potential for NATO's military secrets spilling into enemy hands has haunted the alliance off and on for decades.</p> <p>There were jitters a generation ago when Italy, a charter member of NATO, almost came under the control of the country's pro-Soviet Communist Party.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) The administration is issuing the first batch of exemptions from the hefty tariffs that President Bush imposed on imported steel in March and that has threatened a global trade war.</p> <p>The Commerce Department announced late Friday that it was excluding 61 products, representing 1 percent of the 13 million metric tons of steel imports originally targeted by Bush's March action imposing tariffs of up to 30 percent.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI and the Justice Department are investigating a whistle-blower's allegations of security lapses in the translator program that has played an important role in interpreting interviews and intercepts of Osama bin Laden's network since Sept. 11, officials said.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON Three days before the scheduled release of a study linking non-road diesel engines to 8,500 premature deaths a year, the Bush administration said Friday that curbing such pollution should be a top environmental priority and suggested voluntary reductions.</p> <p>The study concludes emissions from engines used in diesel-powered vehicles and equipment such as bulldozers, portable generators and tractors should be toughly regulated because of their role in the premature deaths and an estimated $67 billion in health care costs annually. The health costs result from problems such as asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis and emergency room visits.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. military has not changed any procedures or equipment in its war in Afghanistan, Pentagon officials said, despite a review of a deadly firefight that found communications problems including one that sent a helicopter into a harrowing crossfire.</p>

<p>Two-thirds of Americans in a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll say the Bush administration should have discussed earlier the information it had about a hijacking threat before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.</p> <p>But only a third said the news of the early warnings has made them feel less favorably toward the popular president. The poll of 598 adults conducted Thursday has an error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points.</p>

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) With the support of the Bush administration, lawmakers appeared ready to approve legislation that endorses expanding NATO.</p> <p>The bill, which the Senate is scheduled to vote on Friday, would give $55.5 million in security assistance to seven countries that hope to join the military alliance.</p>

<p>LOS ANGELES (AP) The City Council approved a six-month pilot program allowing city agencies to accept identification cards issued by the Mexican consulate, giving thousands of immigrants greater access to government.</p> <p>''This is an issue of human dignity and respect,'' City Councilman Nick Pacheco said Tuesday. ''This country has long respected all of our residents, and this is an extension of that respect.''</p>

<p>NEW YORK (AP) Ozzy Osbourne already has three children with his wife, Sharon, but Rosie O'Donnell joked on Wednesday that the heavy metal singer also impregnated her girlfriend.</p> <p>When Katie Couric asked on the ''Today'' show whether the father was singer David Crosby the sperm provider for Melissa Etheridge's two children with ex-girlfriend Julie Cypher O'Donnell quipped, ''It's Ozzy Osbourne, actually.''</p>

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) A plan for the Air Force to lease 100 aircraft from the Boeing Co. and convert them into refueling tankers could cost taxpayers $37 billion, or $12 billion more than simply buying the planes, a congressional study released Wednesday said.</p>

Judge throws out election results in Los Angeles suburb, declares incumbent the mayor By Daisy Nguyen, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 16:21 LOS ANGELES (AP) A judge threw out the results of last summer's Compton mayoral election Friday and declared incumbent Omar Bradley the winner. Superior Court Judge Judith Chirlin upheld allegations of fraud and other problems made in a lawsuit filed by Bradley, who lost to Eric Perrodin by 261 votes last June. Chirlin determined last month that precinct workers had mishandled ballots. At the time, however, she said the problems did not affect the outcome of the election in the ...

Bush administration says proposed EU tax could impose burden on U.S. sellers By Associated Press, 2/8/2002 16:07 WASHINGTON (AP) A European Union proposal to tax goods and services delivered digitally over the Internet would impose new burdens on U.S. sellers, the Bush administration said Friday. EU finance ministers are expected next week to consider a plan that would require U.S. sellers to register in Europe and charge the value-added tax on digitally delivered products that applies in the consumer's home country. Deputy Treasury Secretary Kenneth Dam said in a statement that the administration has ''serious concerns'' about the proposal, which ...

For candidate Reich, a flip-flop on school vouchers By John Mcelhenny, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 14:39 BOSTON (AP) Robert Reich stated his position clearly and forcefully, rejecting the idea of school vouchers, a perennial hot-button issue in Massachusetts, home of the nation's oldest public school. ''I am against vouchers and I am against any mechanism that drains resources from our public schools,'' Reich said to hearty applause at a Brookline High School candidates forum on Jan. 23. ''Let me be absolutely clear on that.'' The fear of losing public education funds to private or parochial schools is so ingrained here that ...

Congressman representing himself at racketeering trial repeatedly objects to dismissal of jurors By Thomas J. Sheeran, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 11:41 CLEVELAND (AP) Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. objected repeatedly Friday to the dismissal of jurors at his bribery trial as a judge urged him to move along with jury selection. The objections came as the congressman, who is acting as his own lawyer, and federal prosecutors got a chance to dismiss potential jurors for reasons that include perceived bias. No prospective jurors were in court at the time. Traficant, a nine-term Democrat, is accused of accepting gifts and favors in ...

School gives extra credit to students who picket clinic where abortions are performed By Associated Press, 2/8/2002 13:58 WARMINSTER, Pa. (AP) A Roman Catholic school has been offering extra credit to students for picketing a health clinic that performs abortions. About 50 students from the Archbishop Wood High School protested Thursday outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in the Philadelphia suburb of Warminster, about a mile from the school. The students received a boost to their grade in a class on morality. Religion teacher June Littel said the extra credit was meant to reward students ''for giving of their time.'' At ...

Former license examiner admits selling bogus hazardous-materials hauling licenses to Iraqi men By Joe Mandak, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 14:05 PITTSBURGH (AP) A fired Pennsylvania driver's license examiner pleaded guilty Friday to selling 20 Iraqi men bogus commercial licenses that authorized most of them to haul hazardous materials. Robert A. Ferrari, 57, could get up to two years in federal prison under a plea bargain that also requires him to admit to related state charges. Based on information provided by Ferrari, 20 Iraqi men were arrested in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and Washington state in late September amid fears ...

Proposed deductible for VA health care draws fire from vets' groups, Congress By Jim Abrams, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 14:01 WASHINGTON (AP) Veterans groups and their congressional allies say they will resist an administration proposal to help finance an increasingly popular VA health care program by asking some vets to pay a $1,500 annual deductible. ''We're deeply troubled by this,'' said Richard Fuller of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. He said it would deter veterans from getting their health care at the VA and put some of the VA's specialized services, in spinal cord injuries, rehabilitation and long-term care, out of ...

Remarks By The President To The Cattle Industry Annual Convention And Trade Show (2/2) U.S.Newswire, 2/8/2002 14:04 To: National Desk Contact: White House Press Office, 202-456-2580 WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a transcript of remarks by the President to the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show (2 of 2): I appreciate the fact that the Senate passed a bill to extend the unemployment benefits for those who have lost their work, and the House has already done so. It makes a lot of sense for the government to respond in that kind of way. But ...

Federal judge orders end to 51-year-old Bible classes in Tennessee county's public schools By Bill Poovey, Associated Press, 2/8/2002 13:02 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) A federal judge on Friday ordered an end to Bible classes that have been taught for 51 years in the elementary schools of the county where the Scopes ''monkey trial'' was held. The classes in Rhea County violate the First Amendment's clause calling for separation of church and state, U.S. District Judge Allan Edgar wrote in his order. County school officials ''acted with both purpose and effect to endorse and advance religion in the public schools,'' he ...