Consulate standoff prompts manhunt

Bern, Switzerland Swiss special forces stormed the Spanish Consulate on Monday to end a hostage standoff – but the three men who attacked the building in an apparent robbery had fled hours earlier and managed to elude authorities, police said.

Officers hunted for the three, who spoke broken French and forced their way into the consulate, demanding that the staff open the safe, said police Maj. Peter Theilkaes.

The three masked assailants seized the consulate Monday morning, taking three people hostage, but apparently left the building almost immediately and before police arrived, said Theilkaes, who led the police operation.

Reid urges Bush to repudiate criticism

Washington Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid on Monday urged President Bush to stop the Republican National Committee from calling him an obstructionist and criticizing his Senate record, a tactic the GOP used to help defeat Reid’s predecessor.

The Republican committee plans to send a 13-page document to more than a million people – including in Reid’s home state of Nevada – analyzing and criticizing his votes and stances before he officially took over as Senate Democratic leader in January.

Republican Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., defeated Democratic leader Tom Daschle last year after the GOP painted Daschle as an “obstructionist” to Bush’s agenda and judicial nominees.

Secret Service agent makes scene at bar

Fargo, N.D. A Secret Service agent who got drunk and disruptive at a bar the night before President Bush appeared in North Dakota was sent home by his bosses, police say.

Authorities were called to the Holiday Inn after a gas mask was left behind at the bar. A guest also reported that someone matching the agent’s description later set off the hotel’s fire alarms while police were there, Lt. Tod Dahle said.

“It was some very odd behavior,” Dahle said.

The gas mask apparently came out of a duffel bag that had other personal belongings, Dahle said.

The incident happened Wednesday, the day before Bush spoke before 7,000 people at North Dakota State University. Dahle said the agent, whose name was not released, was put on a plane the next day.

Marines Corps resumes Osprey aircraft flights

Jacksonville, N.C. Marines resumed flights Monday of the experimental tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft, which was grounded last month after officials discovered the coating of a crucial part was wearing off faster than expected.

The last of the replacement Ospreys was recently flown to the Marine Corps Air Station New River, allowing the training flights to resume, the base said in statement.

Osprey flights were temporarily halted in January. In six instances, worn equipment had caused a warning light to come on indicating a problem with the gearbox, military officials said.

Michigan boy, 4, drives to video store and back

Sand Lake, Mich. A boy drove his mother’s car to a video store in the middle of the night, police said – and he’s all of 4 years old.

Even though he was unable to reach the accelerator, the boy managed to put the car in gear and the idling engine provided enough power to take him slowly to the store, a quarter-mile from his home, about 1:30 a.m. Friday, Police Chief Doug Heugel said. Finding the store closed, the youngster began a slow trip home.

Weaving and with its headlights off, the car got the attention of police Sgt. Jay Osga, who initially thought he was following a driverless car that had taken off after being left running at a gas pump.

The car turned into the boy’s apartment complex and struck two parked cars, then backed up and struck Osga’s police car.

That’s when Osga discovered the boy inside.

“He knew how to go from forward to reverse,” Osga said. “The mother said she taught him how to drive by letting him sit on her lap and steer.”