Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announces that President George W. Bush has given authority to certain military commanders to order the destruction of hijacked civilian airliners.
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. assumed leadership of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, succeeding Navy Adm. John Aquilino at a change of command ceremony, urging action amid China's “increasing intrusive and expansionist claims,” on May 3