National briefs

3 arrested in Katrina hospital deaths

NEW ORLEANS - A doctor and two nurses who worked through the chaosthat followed Hurricane Katrina were arrested on suspicion of murderand accused Tuesday of giving deadly drug injections to fourdesperately ill patients trapped in the flooded-out hospital.

"We're talking about people that pretended that maybe they wereGod," Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti said. "And they madethat decision."

Bush blocked probe of eavesdropping

WASHINGTON - President Bush personally blocked a JusticeDepartment investigation of the anti-terror eavesdropping programthat intercepts Americans' international calls and e-mails,administration officials said Tuesday.

Bush refused to grant security clearances for departmentinvestigators who were looking into the role Justice lawyers playedin crafting the program, under which the National Security Agencylistens in on telephone calls and reads e-mail without courtapproval, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told the Senate JudiciaryCommittee.

Meth still No. 1 drug problem, survey finds

WASHINGTON - Meth abuse continues to fuel an increase in crimeslike robbery and assault, straining the workload of local policeforces despite a drop in the number of meth lab seizures, accordingto a survey Tuesday.

Nearly half of county law enforcement officials considermethamphetamine their primary drug problem, more than cocaine,marijuana and heroin combined, the survey of the National Associationof Counties found.

Compiled from wire reports

World briefs

U.N. resolution to give Iran nuclear ultimatum UNITED NATIONS Aproposed U.N. Security Council resolution calls on Iran to promptlysuspend much of its nuclear program or face the prospect of economicand diplomatic sanctions, council diplomats said Tuesday. The draftresolution demands that Iran stop enriching uranium and building anuclear reactor that produces plutonium. Both can be used to makenuclear weapons. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters theresolution would require Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment andplutonium reprocessing activities but gave no other details. He saidRussia and China, Irans closest allies on the council, were notprepared to discuss the substance of the draft at a meeting Tuesday.He expressed hope that substantive talks could begin today. Adiplomat speaking on condition of anonymity because the draft has notyet been circulated to all council members said it calls for theInternational Atomic Energy Agency the U.N. nuclear watchdog andother international experts to verify the suspension and report onIran's compliance. Bombay mourns train bomb victims BOMBAY, India Indias financial center came to a halt Tuesday as trains, cars andpedestrians paused during the evening rush hour to remember themoment one week ago when bombs ripped through Bombays commuter railnetwork. Sirens wailed at 6:24 p.m. the time the first of sevenbombs shook the citys commuter rail lines followed by two minutes ofsilence in this proudly frenetic city of 16 million people. Trainsstopped. Cars froze at intersections in dense traffic. On sidewalksand street corners, large crowds gathered, unmoving and silent, inmemory of the 207 people killed.

National briefs

3 arrested in Katrina hospital deaths

NEW ORLEANS - A doctor and two nurses who worked through the chaosthat followed Hurricane Katrina were arrested on suspicion of murderand accused Tuesday of giving deadly drug injections to fourdesperately ill patients trapped in the flooded-out hospital.

"We're talking about people that pretended that maybe they wereGod," Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti said. "And they madethat decision."

Bush blocked probe of eavesdropping

WASHINGTON - President Bush personally blocked a JusticeDepartment investigation of the anti-terror eavesdropping programthat intercepts Americans' international calls and e-mails,administration officials said Tuesday.

Bush refused to grant security clearances for departmentinvestigators who were looking into the role Justice lawyers playedin crafting the program, under which the National Security Agencylistens in on telephone calls and reads e-mail without courtapproval, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told the Senate JudiciaryCommittee.

Meth still No. 1 drug problem, survey finds

WASHINGTON - Meth abuse continues to fuel an increase in crimeslike robbery and assault, straining the workload of local policeforces despite a drop in the number of meth lab seizures, accordingto a survey Tuesday.

Nearly half of county law enforcement officials considermethamphetamine their primary drug problem, more than cocaine,marijuana and heroin combined, the survey of the National Associationof Counties found.

Compiled from wire reports

World briefs

U.N. resolution to give Iran nuclear ultimatum UNITED NATIONS Aproposed U.N. Security Council resolution calls on Iran to promptlysuspend much of its nuclear program or face the prospect of economicand diplomatic sanctions, council diplomats said Tuesday. The draftresolution demands that Iran stop enriching uranium and building anuclear reactor that produces plutonium. Both can be used to makenuclear weapons. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told reporters theresolution would require Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment andplutonium reprocessing activities but gave no other details. He saidRussia and China, Irans closest allies on the council, were notprepared to discuss the substance of the draft at a meeting Tuesday.He expressed hope that substantive talks could begin today. Adiplomat speaking on condition of anonymity because the draft has notyet been circulated to all council members said it calls for theInternational Atomic Energy Agency the U.N. nuclear watchdog andother international experts to verify the suspension and report onIran's compliance. Bombay mourns train bomb victims BOMBAY, India Indias financial center came to a halt Tuesday as trains, cars andpedestrians paused during the evening rush hour to remember themoment one week ago when bombs ripped through Bombays commuter railnetwork. Sirens wailed at 6:24 p.m. the time the first of sevenbombs shook the citys commuter rail lines followed by two minutes ofsilence in this proudly frenetic city of 16 million people. Trainsstopped. Cars froze at intersections in dense traffic. On sidewalksand street corners, large crowds gathered, unmoving and silent, inmemory of the 207 people killed.