The Earlybird: Today's Headlines

GOP's increased tax cut, Dow's latest drop, Bush's campaign finance plan, leaving Bosnia, Roger Clinton's cash, Florida's second recount, McCall's Hill support, Hutchison's announcement, March Madness:

• House Republican leaders on Wednesday "upped the tax-cut ante" by "backing a plan worth $500 billion more over 10 years than President Bush's $1.6 trillion proposal," the Washington Times reports. The new plan was written by Rep. Patrick J. Toomey, R-Pa.
• Bush was in New Jersey Wednesday to promote his tax cut plan at a joint meeting of the New Jersey Chambers of Commerce, the Newark Star-Ledger reports. While he was there, Bush talked with Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., about the plan, and Torricelli said "that he had 'a very detailed conversation' with Bush but had not yet signed on."
• Bush said his tax cut plan will "give the economy a 'second wind,'" Reuters reports.
• Bush's tax rally "was the political equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel," the Washington Post reports. The audience agreed with Bush, and the president "filled his speech with crowd-pleasing elements."
• "The 400 wealthiest taxpayers pay about as much in federal income taxes as more than 40 million individuals and families at the bottom of the income scale," the Washington Post reports.

• The Dow Jones industrial average dropped below 10,000 on Thursday "to a level not seen in a year," the Washington Post reports.
• The Federal Reserve Board, which meets on Tuesday, is "being pushed into a tight corner," the New York Times reports. "Fed officials are trying to wean investors and traders away from their belief that the Fed will rescue them from losses."
• The Japanese stock market gained points Thursday, which means the Nasdaq on Wall St. could open today at a higher rate, CNNfn.com reports.
• Debt-ridden Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell's (D) "once-sparkling stock portfolio, along with much of the beleaguered Nasdaq index and the rest of the major market barometers, is in the tank," the Washington Post reports.

• Bush today will send a letter to lawmakers outlining the campaign finance proposal he "would like to see in any legislation that ends up on his desk," the Washington Post reports.
• Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said Wednesday they are "undeterred" by the fact one-time supporter Sen. John Breaux, D-La., no longer supports their campaign finance bill, AP reports.
• If a campaign finance bill passes the Senate this year, no one is certain "when and how the law would take affect," Roll Call reports.

• On Wednesday the Senate voted "to cut off debate on a bill that would make it harder for people to erase their debts in bankruptcy, clearing the way for final Senate approval this week," the New York Times reports.
• Congressional Democrats will try to reverse Bush's decision not to cut carbon dioxide emissions, Reuters reports. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., will introduce legislation to "set 'practical limits on the power plant emissions of carbon dioxide' as well as three other major air pollutants -- sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury," even though it will be tough to get the bill approved.
• Citizens Against Government Waste on Wednesday released its annual report on wasteful spending by Congress, Reuters reports. The organization called a number of legislators wasteful spenders, including Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa.

• Bush will withdraw "about 750 U.S. peacekeeping troops from Bosnia and is consulting with NATO allies on additional cutbacks," AP reports.
• The captain of the Japanese boat Ehime Maru "described the terrifying moments after a submarine crashed into his ship last month" during testimony at the Navy's court of inquiry hearing on Wednesday, AP reports.
• "The air controller involved in an accidental bombing in Kuwait this week was a U.S. Air Force enlisted man on temporary assignment who himself was injured in the deadly incident," the Los Angeles Times reports.
• According to a new report from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, "reports of antigay harassment in the military declined slightly last year," the New York Times reports.

• "A U.S. spy satellite detected a newly completed Chinese missile base opposite Taiwan in the past two weeks," the Washington Times reports.
• A North Korean radio editorial on Wednesday called "the United States 'a cannibals' nation'" and "pledged a 'thousandfold revenge' if 'the U.S. imperialists turn to confrontation,'" the New York Times reports.
• On Wednesday Israel's defense Cabinet said it will make "a distinction between civilian Palestinians and 'those who engage in terrorism,'" the New York Post reports.
• "The Taliban regime shut down the British Broadcasting Corp.'s office in Kabul, the Afghan capital, and ordered its correspondent to leave, accusing the BBC of biased coverage of the destruction of ancient statues of Buddha," the Los Angeles Times reports.
• A group of scientists from Imperial College in London have released a study that shows "'greenhouse gases' are altering the Earth's atmosphere in ways that could spur global warming," Newsday reports. The study provides the "first data showing that the energy reflected back into space is changing because the mix of what's in the atmosphere is changing."

• "The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan has significant evidence that Roger Clinton 'knowingly participated in receiving' payments in 1998 from a client in return for his efforts to obtain a pardon from his brother," FoxNews.com reports.
• "Private contributions to the Clinton Legal Expense Trust" have "dipped to an all-time low," the Washington Post reports.

• As part of "an inquiry by the Justice Department into violations of the federal Voting Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act," lawyers "will interview Hispanics in" Orange and Osceola counties, Fla., "about whether they had difficulty in trying to vote during the presidential election," AP reports.
• Ocoee, Fla., "found itself thrust into the election controversy late Wednesday when a final tally of results in a City Commission race was so close that a hand recount became mandatory," the Orlando Sentinel reports.

• The New York Times reports that "more than a year before the Democratic primary for governor in New York, Andrew M. Cuomo and H. Carl McCall are confronting the question of how much race will affect the outcome of their contest to run against" Gov. George E. Pataki (R) in 2002.
• Six Democratic House members from New York have already thrown their support behind McCall, including Reps. Gregory Meeks, Charlie Rangel, Carolyn Maloney, Major Owens, Ed Towns and Jose Serrano. Meanwhile, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chuck Schumer remain undecided, Roll Call reports.
• Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, announced yesterday that she will not run for governor in 2002, the Dallas Morning News reports. The Houston Chronicle reports that in "withdrawing her name from the rumor mill, Hutchison said" Gov. Rick Perry (R) "deserved a chance to work in his first term without being subjected to speculation about her possible candidacy."
• Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating (R) left open the possibility that his wife, Cathy Keating, might run for Congress, should Rep. Steve Largent, R-Okla., decide to run for governor, as expected, the Tulsa World reports.

• At 12:20 p.m., the first-round of this year's NCAA Tournament will begin. ESPN.com previews today's match-ups.