USA
Accompanied by six attorneys, former Enron chief executive Jeff Skilling surrendered to the FBI in Houston. Skilling turned himself in a day after the Houston Chronicle reported that he was named in a sealed indictment for criminal acts in the accounting and financial fraud scandal that sank the former energy-trading giant. He had repeatedly declared his innocence since the company declared bankruptcy in late 2001. The tide may have shifted, however, when Andrew Fastow, Enron's former chief financial officer, promised his cooperation with prosecutors as part of a plea agreement last month.
The Army released details of the charges brought against a National Guardsman charged Feb. 12 with trying to pass intelligence to supposed Al Qaeda operatives. Although not charged with providing actual terrorists with information, Spc. Ryan Anderson, who reported to Fort Lewis, Wash., for active duty Nov. 15, allegedly provided military personnel posing as terrorists with information about Army equipment, troop strength, and movements.
The White House backed away from an earlier forecast for job growth this year. Spokesman Scott McClellan declined to endorse a projection of 2.6 million jobs made by the president's Council of Economic Advisers. The Labor Department, meanwhile, announced that the number of claims filed for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week to 344,000, although persons collecting jobless benefits for more than a week rose by 106,000.
With the prosecution of Martha Stewart winding up, her lead lawyer was granted an opportunity to argue for dismissal of the securities fraud count that accuses her of misleading investors in her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. She also is charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice, related to her sale of ImClone stock.
California officials denied a request from the Department of Homeland Security to beef up barriers at the western edge of the Mexican border as a means of deterring illegal crossers. The California Coast Commission said filling in canyons and erecting more fences along the final 3-1/2 miles leading to the Pacific Ocean would threaten the sensitive environment more than they would benefit national security.
The University of Colorado suspended head football coach Gary Barnett as accusations mounted that team members had committed rape and held recruiting parties featuring sex and alcohol. An independent committee will investigate the allegations.