Rumsfeld resigns from Defense Dept.
President Bush announced that he accepted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation and that he would name former CIA Director Robert Gates to replace him at a press conference yesterday.
Rumsfeld, who had been Defense Secretary since Bush came into office in 2001, had been increasingly embattled as public support for the war in Iraq decreased. Rumsfeld had offered to resign on two previous occasions - once during the 2004 Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal, and an additional time soon afterward.
His resignation was prompted by the results of Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Democrats won majorities in both houses of Congress.
"It will be a different Congress, a different environment, moving toward a presidential election and a lot of partisanship, and it struck me that this would be a good thing for everybody," Rumsfeld said following the press conference.
Britney Spears files for divorce
Pop star Britney Spears filed for divorce from husband and aspiring rapper Kevin Federline Tuesday, according to the AP.
Spears cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the couple's dissolution in court papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to the AP.
"There is no statement at this time, as requested by Mark's client, Mr. Federline," said Michael Sands, spokesman for Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan.
Spears and Federline wed in October 2004, eight months after Spears dissolved a 55-hour marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander. Spears and Federline have two children together - Sean Preston, 1, and Jayden James, who was born Sept. 12.
In the divorce papers, Spears requested custody of the two children and allowed Federline visitation rights. The papers also mentioned a variety of separate property off-limits to Federline, but added that a division of assets and earnings would be determined later, according to the AP.
