Events at a Glance

CONGRESS

A sharply divided House approved an air-travel security bill supported by President Bush that puts the Republican-controlled chamber in conflict with the Senate over whether airport screeners of passengers and baggage should become federal employees.

SECURITY

In a possible breach of security that has angered federal officials, Gov. Gray Davis warned of a “credible threat” of a terrorist attack on major bridges in California, naming the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro and the Coronado Bridge in San Diego among possible targets.

MILITARY FRONT

The Pentagon plans to at least triple the number of U.S. special troops stationed in Afghanistan, part of a substantial broadening of Washington’s effort to help opposition forces take the offensive against the Taliban regime, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said.

ANTHRAX

The mysterious anthrax death of a New York woman with no known connection to tainted letters became more puzzling as two possible leads to the source of her infection proved false and investigators conceded that their search had yielded no clues.

RELIGION

As the number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan grows, the U.S. is on the verge of losing whatever fragile goodwill exists across the Muslim world. The final transformation--from victim to aggressor--could come beginning the middle of November if American forces continue the attacks into the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.