WASHINGTON: U.S. children’s fund raises $4.5 million for Afghanistan

President Bush said Saturday that American children have raised $4.5 million to help the youths of Afghanistan in the five months since he asked each American youngster to earn $1 and send it to the White House.

“America’s children have been extremely generous in helping the children of Afghanistan,” Bush said in his weekly radio address.

“Under the new government of a liberated Afghanistan, educating all children is a national priority. And America, along with its coalition partners, is actively helping in that effort,” Bush said.

Afghanistan’s education system has been suffering since the Soviet invasion in the early 1980s, and it nearly ceased functioning altogether in the mid-1990s under Taliban rule.

New Mexico: Would-be rescuers shot after explosion rocks house

A man injured in a Roswell house explosion shot at his rescuers, killing a paramedic and a neighbor and wounding the fire chief and a child before committing suicide Saturday.

Police said they do not know any motive.

The shooter, whose identity was not released, had suffered burns in the house fire and had sought help from his neighbor Randy Houghton, said Officer Robert Giles, a police spokesman.

Steve Lovato, an emergency medical technician, and other fire officials were treating and questioning the man around 2 a.m. when he began shooting. Lovato and Houghton were killed.

Roswell Fire Chief Louis Jones and a 4-year-old boy who was in the home were wounded. Both were airlifted to a Lubbock, Tex., Hospital. Jones was in critical condition after surgery. The condition of the boy was not released by the hospital.

WASHINGTON: Treasury chief departs from Bush on steel tariffs

Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill has had another one of his candor attacks about administration policy, surprising a Council on Foreign Relations audience by discussing drawbacks to President Bush’s decision to impose tariffs on imported steel.

O’Neill told a closed-door meeting that this month’s decision could hurt the economy because of its impact on steel-using industries, according to people who attended the meeting. He said the benefits to a town with a steel plant are obvious, while the harm to consumers who buy steel-based products is often overlooked.

A senior administration official said O’Neill retains Bush’s full support.

CHICAGO: Bush marches in parade

President Bush marched through a sea of green Saturday in a St. Patrick’s Day parade that mixed politicking with a tribute to the fallen from Sept. 11.

Cheers and “thumbs up” signs from an enthusiastic crowd packed eight- and nine-deep greeted Bush, who waved and blew kisses and shook hands with fire officials. Signs along the downtown route read “Welcome President Bush. We are Proud Americans.” U.S. and Irish Republic flags were displayed.

Bush got out of the presidential limousine and walked a few blocks, flanked by Gov. George Ryan and Mayor Richard M. Daley.