WASHINGTON, D.C.

Bush moves to lift some sanctions against Libya

President Bush took steps Friday to restore normal trade and investment ties with Libya, moving to allow resumption of oil imports and most commercial and financial activities as a reward to Moammar Gadhafi for eliminating his most destructive weapons.

Libya’s actions “have made our country and the world safer,” the White House said. But significant sanctions remain on the books as an inducement to Libya to resolve issues that are still pending.

In an extraordinary move, Gadhafi agreed in December to dismantle Libya’s biological, chemical and nuclear weapons programs.

In response, the administration two months ago lifted a ban on use of American passports to travel to Libya.

BALTIMORE

Student who had box cutters on airplanes pleads guilty

A college student accused of hiding box cutters aboard airliners to expose security weaknesses pleaded guilty Friday, and as part of the plea bargain made a video that could be used to train federal airport screeners.

Under the agreement, Nathaniel Heatwole could get up to six months in jail and $5,000 fine at sentencing June 24.

The 20-year-old student at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., said he committed an act of “civil disobedience” in October when he hid box cutters and other banned items aboard two Southwest Airlines planes, where they were found by maintenance staff.

Sweden

Four detainees suspected of planning Iraq bombings

Prosecutors believe four terror suspects arrested this week have committed murders and destruction aimed at spreading fear in Iraq, according to court documents released Friday.

Swedish radio reported that the three Iraqis and one Swede of Lebanese origin were involved in Feb. 1 suicide bombings in Irbil, Iraq, that killed 109 people. Authorities would not confirm the report.

Court documents released Friday identified them as Ferman Abdulla, Ali Berzengi and Shabo Shabab of Iraq, and Lebanese-born Bilal Ramadan. They were arrested in police raids Monday and ordered held Friday for a week on suspicions of terrorism.