House fails to override Bush veto of war spending bill
WASHINGTON — The Democratic-controlled House failed Wednesday to override President Bush’s veto of an Iraqi war spending bill with timetables for troop withdrawals. Lawmakers went directly to the White House to talk about a new version.
Train carrying shuttle rockets derails in Alabama
From the Associated Press
Bush vetoes troop withdrawal bill
WASHINGTON — President Bush on Tuesday vetoed a Democratic war spending bill that would have compelled him to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, four years after he triumphantly landed on an aircraft carrier to announce the end of “major combat operations.”
New supermarket guide promotes healthy eating through Latin American Diet Pyramid
HOUSTON — A new food pyramid, designed to encourage Latinos to eat healthier, touts the staples of traditional Latin-American cooking as the path to better nutrition.
Questions over truckers’ background checks follow Bay Area freeway collapse
OAKLAND — Tough anti-terrorism rules designed to limit who can transport hazardous materials on highways don’t prevent people with checkered backgrounds from becoming truckers, experts and regulators acknowledged Tuesday.
Meth makers target first-time users with ‘Strawberry Quick’ using powdered drink mix
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas police officers had seen leftover methamphetamine ingredients just like the mess they found in a suspected cook’s trash can last month. What gave them pause this time were the packets of strawberry-flavored children’s drink mix next to the bin.
General called to testify in Haditha hearing
SAN DIEGO — A two-star general who commanded Marines in Iraq when 24 civilians were killed in Haditha is set to testify in the first hearing in the case, a lawyer said Tuesday.
State safety officials probe fatal SoCal circus fall
SOUTH EL MONTE — The fatal plunge of a circus performer during a show packed with children is under investigation by the state’s workplace safety division, officials said Tuesday.
Teacher cleared of wrongdoing after student urinated in class
SACRAMENTO — Sacramento school officials on Tuesday cleared a science teacher who was accused of forcing a 14-year-old boy to urinate into a Gatorade bottle in class.
Immigration protests nationwide pale compared to last year
LOS ANGELES — Nationwide immigration rallies Tuesday produced only a fraction of the million- plus protesters who turned out last year, as fear of raids kept many illegal immigrants from coming out and organizers and activists began channeling their energies elsewhere.
Olmert hanging on for now, but mass protests, defections could force resignation
JERUSALEM — Allies and opponents clamored Tuesday for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s resignation after scathing criticism from an official commission of his performance during last year’s Lebanon war. Olmert, visibly drained by the ordeal, insisted he could ride out the storm.
Castro absent on Cuba’s May Day, raising new questions about whether he will return to power
HAVANA — There was no sign of a convalescing Fidel Castro as hundreds of thousands of Cubans marched through Havana’s Revolution Plaza to celebrate May Day, casting new doubts on his recovery and whether he will return to power.
Around the Globe: Panel wasn’t asked, didn’t OK pay for Wolfowitz’s girlfriend
WASHINGTON — The World Bank’s ethics committee wasn’t consulted and didn’t approve of a hefty compensation package for bank president Paul Wolfowitz’s girlfriend, says the man who was the panel’s chairman at the time.
Research strives to understand the private pain of binging
Ron Saxen does not remember eating three pounds of chocolate in a single sitting. What he does remember is waiting in his darkened bedroom for his father to come home from work and beat him.
Survival of fickle sumatran rhinos rests on sex ed
WAY KAMBAS NATIONAL PARK, Indonesia — Promoting the sex life of a stud Sumatran rhino from Los Angeles is an intricate affair involving mud, massages and frequent foot rubs. His species may be heading for extinction, but a male still has needs.
