Nation briefs 5/24/04

Bush to speak on Iraq transfer of power

WASHINGTON -- In a speech tonight, President Bush will lay out details of the transfer of political power to an interim government of Iraqis on June 30, at a time when his approval ratings are at the lowest level of his presidency. Bush's speech will be carried live from 7 to 8 p.m. by CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC. The major broadcast networks have not yet ann-ounced if they will be carrying the president's speech live.

One killed as tornadoes descend on Nebraska

HALLAM, Neb. -- More than a dozen tornadoes swept across southern Nebraska, killing at least one person and prompting Gov. Mike Johanns to declare a state of emergency. Johanns confirmed the death Sunday before he was taken by military helicopter to tour the town of Hallam, where every home was damaged or destroyed, vehicles were flipped and splintered trees lay in the streets.

Pages missing from Senate prisoner abuse report

WASHINGTON -- At least 2,000 pages might have been missing from the copy of the Army report on soldiers' abusive treatment of Iraqi prisoners that was delivered to the Senate Armed Services Committee, according to Senate aides. The 6,000-page report, compiled by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, formed the basis for hearings this month into the allegations. Taguba found "numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses" had been inflicted on Iraqis held at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad between last October and December.

Prions evidence of rogue proteins in food chain

WASHINGTON -- Evidence of rogue proteins associated with brain-wasting diseases has been found in the leg muscles of sheep, the first such finding in animals that enter the human food chain. Scientists said the discovery involving the sheep disease scrapie nevertheless does not seem to pose a significant threat to people. The proteins, called prions, have been found in the muscles of infected humans and rodents but not previously in the muscle tissues of animals whose meat is commonly eaten by people. Also linked to prions are mad cow disease and chronic wasting disease in deer and elk.

Senate proposes health insurance for guardsmen

WASHINGTON -- Members of the National Guard and Reserves should have military health insurance partly because their lack of insurance makes one-fourth of them unable to answer the call when their units are mobilized for service in Iraq, two lawmakers said Sunday. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is sponsoring insurance legislation with Sen. Hillary Clinton and others, said it would "make sure that every Guard and Reserve member becomes a member of the military health-care system just like an active-duty person and family."

Two pictures of murderer father shown in releases

CONCORD, N.H. -- "Wash car." "Vacuum car." "Get newspaper." Manuel Gehring, who once created spreadsheets to chronicle his daily and monthly tasks at work, liked to make "To Do" lists. But the one he carried on July 10, 2003, was unusual. The car he reminded himself to clean was soaked with his children's blood. The list was among more than 2,000 pages of documents released this week by the New Hampshire attorney general's office, which has closed the case after Gehring hanged himself while in custody in February. The files show the dark side of the man who once wrote, "I care and love those kids more than anything in the world."

-- From wire reports