6 2A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 7, 2002 NATION/WORLD Gephardt expected to step down NEWS IN BRIE L ,ad epEALIE arRtMexectedNo step ownRL a A WASHINGTON (AP) - Missouri Rep. Dick the 1994 landslide swept the GOP into power in the Gephardt appeared on morning television programs Uephardt intends to announce today that he is stepping down as House Democratic leader after eight years, senior aides said, one day after his party suffered his- toric losses in midterm elections. The expected announcement would clear the way for a succession struggle between Reps. Nancy Pelosi of California and Martin Frost of Texas, who rank second and third in the party leadership. Gephardt has long signaled his interest in running for president in 2004, but it was not clear whether he would address that race when he announces his plans today. The Missouri Democrat was majority leader when House. He was elected minority leader in the weeks that followed and spent the next eight years attempting unsuccessfully to return his party to power. In that time, he served as his party's chief legislative strategist in the House, often struggling to hold a diverse caucus together on issues ranging from tax pol- icy to international trade legislation. He was also the Democrats' political leader and chief fund-raiser in the House. In the final days before Tuesday's elections, he divided campaigning for Democratic candidates in competitive House races around the country and spent hours on the phone in a final round of appeals to party donors. during the day to field questions about the midterm elections, but did not address his own future. Democ- rats lost four seats on Tuesday, despite his intensive campaigning and historical trends that customarily favor the party without the White House. Later in the day, he flew to the capital, and a spokesman said he would spend time with his family and talk with associates as he decided on his political future. "If he chooses to run for minority leader we're confident he'll win," said his spokesman, Erik Smith. At the same time, two members of the rank and file publicly prodded Gephardt to renounce another term as leader. - Sniper suspects. face Va. capital murder charges WASH INGTON..eb GOP prepares to control Congress President Bush and his party savored sweeping midterm election victories yes- terday and began sketching an agenda for a new, Republican-controlled Congress. Minority House Democrats jockeyed for position in the event Rep. Richard Gephardt steps down as party leader. "I'm excited to be able to be on offense," said Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the once and future Senate majority leader. He said GOP priorities will include a new Department of Homeland Security as well as targeted tax cuts to help the economy. He added that Bush's judicial nominees could expect speedi- er review. Bush made no public remarks during the day, and aides said he wanted to avoid giving the appearance of gloating. "There's a lot more to do and the president looks forward to working with Democrats and Republicans to do it," said his spokesman, Ari Fleischer. Republicans were assured of 51 seats in the new Senate, a gain of two. Democ- rats had 48, including one independent. One race remained in doubt, in Louisiana, where Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu will face Republican Suzanne Terrell in a December runoff. In the House, Republicans had 227 seats - a gain of four - and led for one more. Democrats won 203, and led for three. There was one independent. UNITED NATIONS U.S. ties up loose ends on Iraq resolution The United States pushed for a quick U.N. vote yesterday on a revised Iraq res- olution which threatens Saddam Hussein with "serious consequences," while try- ing to ease concerns about setting off a new war. But after eight weeks of intensive wrangling in the Security Council, and some major concessions by the Bush administration, France and Russia are still not sat- isfied. French President Jacques Chirac called Russia's Vladimir Putin yesterday to discuss the new text and both agreed that "ambiguities" that could be used to trig- ger an attack on Iraq must be removed, Chirac's spokeswoman said. Nonetheless, both leaders saw "many improvements" in the new U.S. proposal, Colonna said. U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said the United States intends to put the draft resolution to a vote tomorrow and "deserves consensus support." If the resolution is adopted tomorrow, Iraq would have seven days to accept the terms. U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said an advance team would be in Baghdad within 10 days of its acceptance. 6 FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - A Virginia prosecutor charged sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and 17-year- old John Lee Malvo with capital murder yesterday in the killing of an FBI analyst, saying he believes he has sufficient evidence to go to trial immediately. Muhammad and Malvo, who have been accused in 17 shootings in four states and Washington, D.C., were charged with murder in the Oct. 14 shooting of Linda Franklin in the park- ing deck of a Home Depot store. They were also charged with using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Horan said he waited longer than other prosecutors to bring charges because he wanted to see the evidence in the case. He said his decision to act now is "because I was satisfied I had enough evidence to go to trial." It remained uncertain which jurisdic- tion will try the suspects first. Attorney General John Ashcroft said yesterday the decision will be made after a "fact- driven analysis" of where prosecutors have the best evidence and the best law to bring about the death penalty. "I think it's well-understood on my part that I believe appropriate penalties for the kinds of atrocities that have been committed to include the ultimate sanc- tion of the death penalty," Ashcroft told reporters. The two men have been accused of killing 12 people and wounding five in Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Muhammad was I indicted in Fairfax County by a grand jury; Malvo was charged in a juvenile court petition, authorities said. Horan, who wouldn't discuss specific evidence in the case, rejected the idea .that prosecutors have been bickering over who will try the snipers first. He called it "absolute nonsense." "It's the duty of each of us to pursue homicide charges," Horan said. He said he will respect Ashcroft's decision about who prosecutes first, but if the attorney general defers to the states, Virginia should go first because it has a strong death penalty statute. "We have death penalty statue that has stood the test of time," Horan said. Horan said that if the case is sent to Virginia, he'll meet with the prosecutors in Prince William and Spotsylvania counties, where fatal sniper shootings also took iace, to decide who will pros- ecute first based on the best evidence. Investigations are pending into several other shootings, including one in Arizona. The Washington Post reported yester- day that law enforcement sources said a laptop computer seized from Muham- mad's car was stolen Sept. 5 in a rob- bery-shooting outside a pizzeria in Prince George's County, Md. An employee was wounded. Federal prosecutors earlier filed charges against Muhammad under weapons and extortion laws that could bring the death penalty. Federal charges have also apparently been brought against Malvo, but authorities will not say so because he is a juvenile. RAMADAN Continued from Page 1A I feel like it is a bigger responsibili- ty now because I'm doing it by myself. There's no family here so I have to take care of myself and do this for myself," Khader said. "There was no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't practice because I wasn't around my family. Ramadan is about family coming together, but it's also about inner strength. It's a very introspective time and you're on your own. ... It's a lot about self- reflection," Khader said. Along with the separation from family comes the separation from friends who practice as well and often serve as a support system. "During high school, me and my Muslim friends would sit together at lunch to support each other. My comfort level just came with my surroundings. ...It was the natural thing to do," Khader said. The University Housing system is accommodating Muslim students who live in residence halls by adjusting meal plans for Ramadan. "I'm on a 13-meal plan and of course I can't eat during lunch because I'm fasting. Housing has worked it out so that the money, which would usually go toward a lunch credit, goes into my entree plus account. It seems like it will work out well, but it has been only a day," Khader said. According to a Muslim Student Association's press release, the fast is performed to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God's commandments. Fasting is one of the "five pillars" of Islam. The end of Ramadan will be marked by communal prayers called "Eid ul-Fitr," or Feast of the Fast- Breaking, on Dec. 6. "Ramadan is a reinforcement of faith to me. This whole month is about thanking God for all he has done," Khader said. KNjpow 9! ~ WASH INGTON . U.S. debates reaction to N. Korea's plans The United States is seeking a com- mon understanding with allies on whether to bar U.S. oil shipments to North Korea in response to Pyongyang's plans to develop a uranium bomb, the State Department said yesterday. Secretary of State Colin Powell had been planning to raise the issue with Japanese and South Korean officials in Seoul on Sunday but canceled the trip so he could focus on an Iraq resolution being debated by the U.N. Security Council. Powell is dispatching Assistant Sec- retary of State James Kelly to Japan, South Korea and China to discuss oil shipments and a variety of other issues. Since 1994, the United States has been sending 500,000 tons of heavy oil to North Korea annually as part of a 1994 agreement. At issue now is a shipment that is due to arrive in North Korea later this month. JERUSALEM Forecast favorable for Sharon, Likud Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party is favored to emerge as Israel's strongest faction in an abbreviated elec- tion campaign, and Sharon holds a slim edge over his main rival for party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, according to polls published yesterday. Israel's political turmoil has been the focus this week, but there's been no letup in Mideast violence. A Palestinian laborer shot and killed two Israelis, including his employer, in the Gaza Strip settlement of Slav yesterday before being gunned down by a security guard. The militant group Hamas claimed responsibility. Despite a long rivalry with Sharon, former Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to serve as foreign minister in Sharon's caretaker government. Parlia- ment approved the appointment in a 61- 31 vote yesterday. NANCY, France Fire on train claims lives of 12, injures 9 A fire on an overnight train in eastern France filled a sleeping car with deadly smoke yesterday, killing 12 people - including five Americans from the same family - and driving panicked passen- gers to smash windows to jump to safety. Then train, like others in Europe, had no smoke detectors even though cigarette smoking is allowed in designated cars. Fatal rail accidents are rare in France, where trains are known for speed, safety and efficiency. Accidents, however, are not unknown in Europe. A high-speed train derailed in Germany in 1998, killing 101 people. Yesterday's blaze, which also injured nine people, was initially blamed on an electrical short-circuit. But the French rail authority SNCF said that was premature and the cause, was under investigation. - Compiled from Daily wire reports. As an engineer in the U.S. Air Force, there's no telling what You'll work on. (Seriously, we can't tell you.) United States Air Force applied technology is years ahead of what you'll touch in the private sector, and as a new engineer you'll likely be involved at the ground level of new and sometimes classified developments. You'll begin leading and managing within this highly respected group from day one. Find out what's waiting behind the scenes for you in the Air Force today. To request more information, call 1-800-423-USAF or log on to airforce.com. The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. Subscriptions for fall term, starting in September, via U.S. mail are $105. Winter term (January through April) is $110, yearlong (September through April) is $190. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscrip- tions must be prepaid. The Michigan Daily is a member of The Associated Press and The Associated Collegiate Press. ADDRESS: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327. PHONE NUMBERS (All area code 734): News 76-DAILY; Arts 763-0379; Sports 647-3336; Opinion 764-0552; Circulation 764-0558; Classified advertising 764-0557; Display advertising 764-0554; Billing 764-0550. E-mail letters to the editor to letters@michigandaily.com. World Wide Web: www.michigandaly.com. EDITORIAL STAFF Jon Schwartz, Editor in Chief NEWS Lisa Koivu, Managing Editor EDITORS: Lisa Hoffman, Elizabeth Kassab, Jacquelyn Nixon, Shannon Pettyplece STAFF: Elizabeth Anderson, Jeremy Berkowitz, Tyler Boersen, Ted Borden, Autumn Brown, Soojung Chang, Kara DeBoer, Margaret Engoren, Rahwa Ghebre-Ab, Rob Goodspeed, Megan Hayes, Lauren Hodge, Carmen Johnson, Christopher Johnson, C. Price Jones. Shabina S. Khatri, Kylene Kiang, Emily Kraack, Tomislav Ladika, Lydia K. 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