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Tonight on Countdown
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House Republican leaders on Tuesday embraced legislation that would block a Dubai-owned company from taking over operations at several U.S. ports, brushing aside a veto threat from President Bush. "We believe that the U.S. should not allow a government-run company to operate American ports," said Ron Bonjean, a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11718494/President Bush, visiting a still-suffering Gulf Coast, said Wednesday that Congress must help this ravaged city recover from Hurricane Katrina by approving billions he has requested for levee repair and compensation for Louisiana residents who lost homes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11722885/Moving to tamp down Democratic calls for an investigation of the administration's domestic eavesdropping program, Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Tuesday that they had reached agreement with the White House on proposed bills to impose new oversight but allow wiretapping without warrants for up to 45 days.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/08/politics/08nsa.html?hp&ex=1141880400&en=7402b982a1503c71&ei=5094&partner=homepageCountdown w/ Keith Olbermann broadcasts LIVE at 8 pm et, and the count is never complete without you. Join us.
Two young men have been arrested and a third person is being sought in the arsons that destroyed or damaged at least nine rural churches in Alabama last month, federal law enforcement sources said Wednesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11726024/Several teenage boys lured a suspected child molester into police custody at a Fontana park after posting a fake profile of a 15-year-old girl on the website MySpace.com as a joke, authorities said Tuesday. Michael Ramos, 48, contacted the fictitious adolescent girl on the popular social networking website, wrote sexually suggestive messages, sent a photo of himself online and agreed to meet with the nonexistent teenager, police said.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-myspace8mar08,1,871920.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-californiaPolice conversations with a bouncer being questioned in the killing of a graduate student have ended for now, but he was still being held yesterday at Rikers Island because his job at a SoHo bar had kept him out past his parole curfew, officials said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/08/nyregion/08dead.html?_r=1&oref=sloginBarry Bonds's alleged steroid use is the story of spring training again, no matter how hard he and the San Francisco Giants try to avoid it and keep the focus on his chase of the home run record.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/07/AR2006030700835.htmlThat's some of what we're planning for tonight's show.
Finally,
WILLISTON, N.D. - A man wearing a ski mask walked into a bank and demanded money, then told tellers, "just kidding," authorities said.
Ryan Wright, 20, surrendered to police Monday night, said Sgt. Mark Hanson, a Williston police detective. Wright was formally charged Tuesday on a charge of terrorizing.
A judge has set bail at $1,000, and ordered Wright to stay away from booze and bars while his case is pending.
http://www.wltx.com/fyi/fyi.aspx?storyid=35865Ryan: ski masks are for skiing. And that's pretty much it.
-- Carey Fox
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Russia's foreign minister indicated Wednesday he was opposed to sanctions in response to the Iranian nuclear crisis, a day after U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said Iran would face consequences if it persisted in defying the international community. Iran threatened the United States with "harm and pain" for its role in hauling Tehran before the Security Council.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11724558/Gunmen in camouflage uniforms stormed the offices of a private Iraqi security company and kidnapped as many as 50 employees, police said Wednesday, as U.S. and Iraqi patrols discovered 24 bodies in various parts of the capital.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11721949/North Korea fired two surface-to-air missiles near its border with China Wednesday and they apparently landed in North Korean territory, a Japanese news agency reported, citing security sources.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11724954/Ambien, the nation's best-selling prescription sleeping pill, is regularly showing up as a factor in traffic arrests, sometimes involving drivers who don't remember getting in the car.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11726645/The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Dublin said Wednesday that 102 of its priests are suspected of sexually or physically abusing at least 350 children since 1940 - the biggest such admission to date in Ireland.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11726601/Enron Corp. chief executive Kenneth Lay knew of serious financial problems at the company in 2001, days before he gave an interview claiming Enron was in its best shape ever, Enron's former chief financial officer testified Wednesday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11727547/A court commissioner has signed off on an unusual restraining order against celebutante Paris Hilton, ordering her to stay at least 100 yards away from an event producer who claimed she threatened him - unless they're at a party together.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11726234/