USA
President Bush paid tribute to American military personnel who died in Iraq and Afghan-istan, praising their courage and resolve in a ceremony to mark Memorial Day. "They gave life itself for the sake of others. Their sacrifice was great, but not in vain," Bush said at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The president and the first lady also were hosts of a White House reception for the families of US servicemen killed on active duty.
Under mounting US pressure to curb alleged Al Qaeda terrorists, Iran said it had several suspects in custody Monday. But the foreign ministry in Tehran said it wasn't known if they hold senior roles in the terrorist group. On the NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Pat Roberts (R) of Kansas said Americans could expect "better cooperation from Iran once the strong signal has gone out." The Washington Post reported, meanwhile, that the Bush administration will consider a Pentagon-backed proposal to foment a popular uprising against the Tehran government.
An extensive air, sea, and onboard search was under way after the USS Nassau lost its second sailor in 48 hours. Petty Officer Shaun Dale was reported missing Sunday morning, two days after Petty Officer Dwayne Williams fell overboard, reportedly while chasing a football. Williams is presumed dead. The amphibious assault ship is returning from Iraq to its home port in Norfolk, Va., with a stop to drop off Marines in North Carolina.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) signed a bill banning sales of the diet supplement ephedra Sunday, calling it "a good first step" and urging other states and the federal government to follow suit. Blagojevich was joined at the signing ceremony by Kevin and Debbie Riggins, whose son's death is among 120 linked to ephedra. The controversial herbal substance is used by some athletes to improve performance.
An explosion and fire aboard a cruise ship docked in Miami killed four crew members and injured 15 others Sunday morning. The force of the blast, in the boiler room of the SS Norway, threw several crewmen into the water, police said. All passengers were evacuated safely. The Norwegian Cruise Lines ship had just returned from the Caribbean. Its next voyage was cancelled, pending a damage assessment.
A two-year-old girl was recovering after her dramatic rescue from a locked, operating washing machine at a laundromat in Pomona, Calif., Saturday night. Her mother faces child endangerment charges in the case. Surveillance video reportedly shows Erma Osborne putting her daughter into the machine and closing the door, which police had to smash to get the child out.
