Lawmakers reach deal on homeland security

Lawmakers reach dealon homeland security
WASHINGTON -- In a sign of President Bush's post-election muscle, congressional negotiators have reached a deal to create a homeland security department, ending a stalemate between Democrats and Republicans.
Officials said the Republican-controlled House is likely to pass the measure sometime today. The Senate, currently controlled by Democrats, is expected to begin debate, although final passage could be delayed into next week.
Passage had been held up because of a fight between Bush and Senate Democrats over provisions of the legislation dealing with worker rights. Bush insisted that broad powers were needed to manage the 170,000-employee agency and that he needed relief from some civil service rules covering labor issues.
According to a description of the agreement circulating on Capitol Hill, the bill would take a small step to address complaints by Senate Democrats that the agency's workers would lack sufficient job protection.
It would require the department to negotiate any workplace changes with the employees' union and require federal mediation if no agreement was reached. But in the end, the department could make whatever changes it wanted -- the flexibility the president has sought.
British governmentto combat disorder
LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair's government promised to crack down on vandals, litterers and louts and to "rebalance" the justice system in favor of victims as Queen Elizabeth II opened a new session of Parliament today.
Planned legislation for the coming year, outlined in the traditional Queen's Speech to Parliament, will allow juries to be told details of defendants' previous convictions and scrap the "double jeopardy" rule under which no one can be tried twice for the same crime.
"At the heart of my government's legislative program is a commitment to reform and rebalance the criminal justice system to deliver justice for all and to safeguard the interests of victims, witnesses and communities," said the queen, who sat on a golden throne in the chamber of the House of Lords.
Blair has been saying for several weeks that he plans to crack down on petty crime and anti-social behavior, suggesting measures ranging from restrictions on the sale of spray paint to on-the-spot fines for public drunkenness.
'Delighted' suspect
BALI, Indonesia -- The key suspect in the Bali nightclub attack that killed nearly 200 people said today he was "delighted" that the bomb exploded.
Reporters and photographers were allowed to be present during part of a meeting between the suspect, Amrozi, and National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.
"I am delighted that it successfully exploded," Amrozi told Bachtiar.
Officials said Amrozi -- who was arrested last week at his home in Tenggulun -- had admitted he owned the Mitsubishi minivan laden with at least 110 pounds of explosives that blew up outside a packed nightclub Oct. 12.
Amrozi, who uses only one name, said today his role was only to buy the explosive materials and that others built the bomb.
Misguided love?
PHOENIX -- Mob turncoat Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano says his venture into the Ecstasy business was motivated by his misguided love for his son.
In a jailhouse interview with The Arizona Republic, the one-time confidant of mob kingpin John Gotti Sr. said he was never able to speak freely with his own father and was afraid of losing the closeness with his son Gerard if he wasn't supportive -- so he started providing money and guidance to young dealers.
"Of course it was a stupid decision," Gravano admitted. "I wanted them [his children] to be able to sit down and tell me anything. I wanted that rapport with my kids."
Ultimately, he signed a plea deal that he now says overstated his part in the conspiracy. "Would you give up your life for your kid? I did," he said. "I'm comfortable with that decision. ... I would have pleaded out to killing Kennedy if that's what they wanted."
Associated Press