Nation & World Digest

Last Air Force One flight

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. — President George W. Bush had to be reminded Saturday that he was taking his last trip aboard Air Force One.

After Barack Obama is sworn into office Jan. 20, Bush will fly again on the familiar blue-and-white presidential aircraft, but it won’t be called Air Force One because he no longer will be the president.

“I don’t think it had dawned on him that it was his last flight on Air Force One,” White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters on the plane as it returned to Washington from Norfolk, Va., where he commissioned the Navy’s newest ship, the USS George H.W. Bush, named after his father.

After a reporter mentioned it, the president said, “You know, you’re right,” Perino said, adding that he was moved by the commissioning ceremony.

European gas deal reached

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine accepted a deal today on the European Union-led monitoring of Russian gas transit across its territory, opening the way for restarting Russian natural gas supplies to a freezing Europe after a four-day halt in shipments.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, shuttled between Moscow and Kiev on Saturday to mediate the deal. He finally persuaded Ukraine to accept the monitoring pact during marathon talks that dragged past midnight.

Russia has accused Ukraine of stealing Russian gas intended for Europe. Ukraine has hotly denied the claims.

At least 11 people have frozen to death this week in Europe, including 10 in Poland, where temperatures have sunk to minus 13 F.

Support for Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan — Vice President-elect Joe Biden pledged long-term American support for Afghanistan during a visit Saturday, and the commander of NATO-led forces told him that thousands of new American troops expected this year will need more support against surging Taliban violence.

President-elect Barack Obama has promised to end the war in Iraq and refocus American military efforts on Afghanistan. Biden’s visit is a sign that Obama plans to make the region an immediate priority.

In a meeting with President Hamid Karzai, Biden “talked about ... the fight against terrorism, American troop increases as well as equipping and supplying of the Afghan forces,” a statement from Karzai’s office said, without providing any details.

Earlier, America’s top general in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, told Biden that thousands of new American troops expected in the country’s south will need more support to beat back surging Taliban violence.

Prince Harry apologizes

LONDON — Britain’s Prince Harry issued a public apology Saturday after a British newspaper published video footage of him using offensive and racist language.

The News of The World reported that Harry, third in line to the British throne, used offensive terms to refer to people from Pakistan and people of Arab descent.

Harry, who is an army lieutenant in the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals, is purported to have made the remarks in 2006 in an airport departure lounge as soldiers waited to travel to Cyprus for training exercises.

Jailed in wife’s death

CLEVELAND — A doctor accused of poisoning his wife with cyanide has returned to Ohio from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus to face murder charges.

Federal and local authorities escorted Yazeed Essa to Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County Jail on Friday. He faces one charge of aggravated murder in the 2005 death of his wife, Rosemarie.

A coroner determined she lost consciousness and crashed while driving after being given a cyanide pill. Essa, 39, disappeared in March 2006 and was arrested months later in Cyprus.

The former Akron General Hospital doctor could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

Oil program to continue

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez said Saturday that Venezuela’s program to provide heating oil to poor American families was never halted, despite concerns that deliveries might be interrupted.

Venezuela’s Citgo Petroleum Corp. had to make a public announcement that the aid would continue after its partner nonprofit group said Citgo stopped the free fuel shipments because of the world economic crisis.

Associated Press