BRIEFS

WORLD

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan – Blinking back tears,
Pervez Musharraf stepped down as Pakistan’s military
commander Wednesday, fulfilling a key opposition
demand a day before he was to be sworn in as civilian
president.

Key opposition leader Benazir Bhutto welcomed
the belated move, but said her party had yet to accept
him as head of state. The White House also called it
a “good step.”

Britain, which shares the United States’ deep concern
about Islamic terrorism emanating from Pakistan, said
Musharraf’s move was “an important part” of his plan
to restore constitutional order.

“We understand the threat to Pakistan’s peace and
security, but I have urged President Musharraf to use
the normal democratic process to respond,” Prime
Minister Gordon Brown said.

An emotional Musharraf relinquished his post by
handing over his ceremonial baton Wednesday to his
successor, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, who is widely expected
to maintain the army’s pro-Western policies.

“(You) are the saviors of Pakistan,” Musharraf said
in a final speech to the troops.

Since seizing power in a 1999 coup, Musharraf has
served as president while retaining his post as head of
the armed forces. Musharraf insists that his continued
rule as president is vital if Pakistan is to remain stable
as it returns to democracy.

NATION

LAS VEGAS – O.J. Simpson firmly pleaded not guilty
Wednesday at his arraignment on charges of kidnapping
and armed robbery of two sports-memorabilia
dealers.

Simpson stood and entered his plea before Clark
County District Court Judge Jackie Glass, who will
preside at his trial along with co-defendants Clarence

“C.J.” Stewart and Charles “Charlie” Ehrlich.

Ehrlich and Stewart also entered pleas of not guilty,
and a trial date was set for April 7, 2008.

Twelve charges were lodged against the trio two
weeks ago after a justice of the peace held a preliminary
hearing and determined there was enough evidence
for them to stand trial.

Simpson, Stewart and Ehrlich each face kidnapping,
armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary,
coercion and conspiracy charges. A kidnapping conviction
could bring a life sentence with the possibility of
parole. An armed robbery conviction carries mandatory
prison time.

Defense attorneys lost a bid during an earlier hearing
to get any charges dismissed, despite claims they were
based on accounts by “crackheads and groupies and
pimps and purveyors of stolen merchandise and gun
carriers and con artists and crooks.”

Prosecutor Chris Owens responded that Simpson
surrounded himself with the men who testified.

LOCAL

PETERSBURG – Fire officials say three children were
killed in a house fire Wednesday in Petersburg.
Battalion Chief Steve Bowling said the bodies of
an infant, a 7-year-old and a teenager were found in
a second-floor bedroom.

He said firefighters were directed to the bedroom
by a woman who escaped the flames.

Bowling said the firefighters “took a pretty good
beating” entering the burning house, and one had to
be treated for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.