Sept. 11 relatives seek independent commission

WASHINGTON -- Tearful relatives of Sept. 11 victims urged White House officials Wednesday not to block Congress' plans to create an independent commission to investigate the attacks.

About 10 relatives met on Capitol Hill with lawmakers and two White House officials, Nicholas Calio and Jay Lefkowitz, in an unsuccessful attempt to break a deadlock over the commission.

Lawmakers are looking to create a commission that would go beyond the limited inquiry into intelligence failures that the House and Senate intelligence committees are winding down. The committees hold their final public hearing today, with CIA Director George Tenet and FBI Director Robert Mueller expected.

Anti-abortion candidate for FDA panel blasted

WASHINGTON -- A physician who pushed the Food and Drug Administration to ban the abortion pill RU-486 is in line to become an FDA adviser on reproductive health, drawing fire from women's groups that urged the Bush administration Wednesday to retract the choice.

Dr. W. David Hager is a University of Kentucky obstetrician-gynecologist and fairly well-known specialist on gynecologic infections. He also has written popular books asserting the healing power of prayer, and in August was a spokesman for the Christian Medical Association's petition asking FDA to ban the abortion pill.

Hager is a candidate for the FDA's influential advisory committee that considers reproductive health issues.

Fire kills five children, mother in row house

BALTIMORE -- A woman who neighbors said tried to force drug dealers off her street corner was killed, along with five of her children, when fire tore through their home Wednesday.

It was the second fire to strike the corner rowhouse in two weeks, investigators said.

The only survivor of Wednesday's fire was the woman's husband, who was critically injured. He suffered third-degree burns and jumped from a second-floor window, fire officials said.

Investigators hadn't determined late Wednesday what caused the 2:30 a.m. fire.

Photo analysts who saw Cuban missiles honored

BETHESDA, Md. -- When Vince DiRenzo scanned the Cuban surveillance photos before him 40 years ago, he couldn't believe his eyes. The Soviets had set up convoys of military vehicles, missile transporters and ballistic missiles on the communist island.

"That initial shock hit you and then all of a sudden you start realizing, 'Are you sure? Is this really happening?"' the former photo interpreter recalled Wednesday, following a ceremony honoring him and three others who discovered the Soviet missiles capable of reaching the United States.

"I think we knew it was possible but never in Cuba. We were completely taken by surprise," DiRenzo said.

Costume maker gives apology for 'Kung Fool'

A costume distributor said Wednesday it has stopped shipping its "Kung Fool" outfit to retailers after Asian-American groups complained it was racist.

Groups including the Organization of Chinese Americans, the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium and the National Asian American Student Conference said the Halloween costume perpetuates stereotypes. They also called for Disguise Inc. to remove it from retail stores.

The company, headquartered in Poway, Calif., said the adult costume -- which includes a mask with buckteeth and slanted-eyes -- has already been shipped to retailers across the country.

--From wire reports