Nation digest 08/26/05

Hurricane Katrina makes landfall, kills two in Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Hurricane Katrina churned through Florida's densely populated southeastern coast Thursday with sustained winds of 80 mph and lashing rain. Two people were killed by falling trees. The storm strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane just before it made landfall along the Miami-Dade and Broward county line. Weather officials said flooding was the main concern as the storm dropped 10 inches of rain in Key Biscayne. Rain fell in horizontal sheets, and wind gusted to 92 mph, toppling trees and street signs. Florida Power & Light said more than 412,000 customers were without electricity. An overpass under construction in Miami-Dade County collapsed onto a highway, authorities said. No injuries were immediately reported.

Doctor gets hate e-mail over fetal pain article

CHICAGO -- The editor of a medical journal that published an article this week saying fetuses likely don't feel pain until late in pregnancy said Thursday she has received dozens of angry e-mails from abortion opponents. Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, editor in chief of The Journal of the American Medical Association, said she had to take a walk around the block after receiving dozens of "horrible, vindictive" messages. Critics said the article in Wednesday's JAMA was a politically motivated attack on proposed federal legislation that would require doctors to provide fetal pain information to women seeking abortions when fetuses are at least 20 weeks. DeAngelis said JAMA will publish properly submitted critics' comments in an upcoming edition and will give the authors a chance to respond.

There she goes: Miss America seeks new venue

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Officials who run Boardwalk Hall, where the Miss America pageant has been held since 1940, voted unanimously Thursday to allow the contest to go elsewhere, paving the way for the pageant to leave Atlantic City altogether. The vote came after a surprise announcement earlier in the day from the organizers of the Miss America pageant, who told Atlantic City officials they want to move the contest. The pageant is in dire financial condition and last year lost its broadcast network TV contract with ABC.

Earth's core spinning faster than the crust

WASHINGTON -- The giant iron ball at the center of the Earth appears to be spinning a bit faster than the rest of the planet. The core is spinning about one-quarter to one-half degree faster, per year, than the rest of the world, scientists from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report in today's issue of the journal Science. Researchers arrived at the conclusion by studying the travel times of earthquake waves through the Earth. The spin of the Earth's core is an important part of the dynamo that creates the planet's magnetic field.

Top CIA officials could get discipline reviews

WASHINGTON -- The CIA's independent watchdog has recommended disciplinary reviews for current and former officials who were involved in failed intelligence efforts before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, The Associated Press has learned. CIA director Porter Goss now must decide whether the disciplinary proceedings go forward. It remains unclear who is recommended for review. People familiar with the report said the CIA inspector general harshly criticizes a number of the agency's most senior officials. Among them are former CIA director George Tenet.

-- From wire reports