Nation briefs 4/4/06

Iraq war, hurricane relief costs exceed $100 billion

WASHINGTON -- The price tag for must-pass legislation to pay for the war in Iraq and additional hurricane relief is expected to pass $100 billion after action by a Senate panel today. The bill generally grants Bush's $72 billion request for military operations, intelligence gathering and foreign aid related to the ongoing Iraq and Afghanistan missions but would boost his $19 billion request for hurricane relief by $4.6 billion.

Supreme Court avoids combatant challenge

WASHINGTON -- A divided Supreme Court turned back a challenge to the Bush administration's wartime detention powers, rejecting an appeal from U.S. citizen Jose Padilla, who until recently had been held as an enemy combatant without traditional legal rights. Chief Justice John Roberts and two others signaled concerns about the government's handling of Padilla and said they would be watching to ensure he receives the protections "guaranteed to all federal criminal defendants." Three other justices wanted the court to consider immediately whether President Bush overstepped his authority by ordering Padilla's detention.

Rice urges Iraqis to form new government

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wants Iraqi leaders to end their deadlock and form a government pronto. Rice also expressed concern over sectarian militias during the duo's surprise visit to Iraq. "You have to have the state with a monopoly of power," Rice said. "We have sent very strong messages" that there must be "a reining in of militias."

Taylor appears before war crimes tribunal

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone -- Civil war. A murderous diamond trade. Sexual slavery. The memories of Charles Taylor's reign in Liberia were revisited Monday when the former president became the first African head of state to face war crimes charges. Taylor faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

U.S. military: Nine more troops dead in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Nine more American troops died in Iraq, the U.S. military reported Monday, five of them in a vehicle accident in a remote, rain-soaked western area. Three more Americans -- two Marines and a sailor -- were missing in the Sunday accident in which a truck overturned near Asad air base, a U.S. statement said. All the dead were Marines, the statement added.

-- From wire reports