Rice denies imminent Iran attack plans
LONDON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The new U.S. secretary of state said Friday Washington is not planning to attack Iran's nuclear facilities "at this point."
Condoleezza Rice, who made the comments en route to a London meeting with the British prime and foreign ministers, warned Iran must not "use the cover" of civilian nuclear power development "to sustain a program that can lead to a nuclear weapon."
Her comments appeared to seek a balance between leaving room for negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency and preemptive strikes at what is widely seen as nuclear bomb-making facilities, CNN said.
"The question (of a strike) is simply not on the agenda at this point," Rice said.
Rumsfeld: I offered to resign twice
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld twice offered President Bush his resignation over the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, but Bush refused it.
"I submitted my resignation to President Bush twice during that period and told him that ... I felt that he ought to make the decision as to whether or not I stayed on," Rumsfeld said Thursday on CNN's "Larry King Live."
"And he made that decision and said he did want me to stay on."
The resignation offers followed public release of photos depicting Iraqi prisoner abuse at the notorious prison.
At the time, Bush publicly defended Rumsfeld.
Marine's 'fun to shoot' comment draws ire
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The leader of the U.S. Marines has admonished one of his generals for insensitive remarks about killing people.
James Mattis, a three-star general who served one tour of duty in Afghanistan and two in Iraq, made the remarks to a military audience in San Diego.
"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil," Mattis said. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."
Gen. Michael W. Hagee, commandant of the Marines, said Thursday he had spoken to Mattis about the statement.
"I have counseled him concerning his remarks, and he agrees he should have chosen his words more carefully," he told the New York Times.
Hagee went on to defend Mattis' record and character, calling him "one of this country's bravest and most experienced military leaders."
Afghan airplane missing with 100 aboard
KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Afghan authorities are searching for a civilian airliner carrying over 100 people which has gone missing in bad weather conditions, the BBC reported Friday.
The Kam Air Boeing 737, carrying 96 passengers and eight crew members, was on an hour-long flight from the western city of Herat to Kabul Thursday afternoon. At Kabul airport the plane was turned away because of heavy snow.
The plane lost radio contact with Kabul air traffic control just after being turned away from the airport. It had been diverted to the Pakistani city of Peshawar, but Pakistani officials say it never arrived there.
Police chiefs in the provinces around Kabul have now been asked to search their areas.
There was no indication that the plane was having technical problems, and the loss of communications was thought to be because of the poor weather conditions.
Flights out of Kabul have been suspended due to the weather, with about 4 inches of snow falling in just six hours.
Kam Air, Afghanistan's only private airline, started its operations last year.
Max Schmeling dies at age 99
HOLLENSTEDT, Germany, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Former world boxing heavyweight champion Max Schmeling, whose two U.S. fights with Joe Louis electrified the world, has died at his home in Germany. He was 99.
No cause of his death Wednesday was released.
Schmeling's 1936 knockout win in a non-title fight against previously undefeated Joe Louis, an African-American, was trumpeted by the Nazis as proof of the Teutonic race's athletic superiority, Sporting Life said Friday.
Two years later, when Louis had become world champion, Schmeling went down in a one-round knockout that effectively ended his career as a title contender.
In later years, Schmeling often returned to the United States and became friends with Louis, whose medical expenses he helped pay, as well as other sports figures.
Schmeling, who completed his professional career with 61 victories in 71 bouts, was elected to boxing's Hall of Fame in 1970. He lost five decisions and was knocked out five times.
