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Washington – President Bush announced the resignation Thursday of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and immediately offered support for his anticipated campaign for a Senate seat from Nebraska.

“If it’s Mike’s decision and Nebraska’s choice, he would make an outstanding member of the United States Senate,” Bush said.

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Charles Conner has taken over the department as acting secretary.

Several state officials said Johanns, a former Republican governor of Nebraska, is expected to seek the Senate seat being vacated at the end of next year by Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel.

Johanns drew immediate criticism from congressional Democrats for leaving the Agriculture Department in the middle of negotiations on the farm bill. The current version expires Sept. 30.

“For the secretary to walk away in the middle of a farm bill borders on irresponsible,” said Sen. Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

But most members praised his service.

“I always found him pleasant to work with, and I was very impressed by how involved he was in this farm-bill process,” said Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, the committee’s chairman.

Johanns told reporters he will make a decision on the Senate race in the next two weeks.

“I’m getting back to Nebraska as quick as I can,” he said.

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NEW YORK

“Little people” called a distinct species

In the continuing debate over the origin of the extinct “little people” of Indonesia, a team of scientists says it has found evidence in three wrist bones that these people were members of a distinct species.

The researchers describe the new findings in a report being published today in the journal Science. Critics disputed the interpretation, saying this was not clear evidence for the existence of a separate species, Homo floresiensis.

The discovery, in a cave on the island of Flores, of skeletal remains of the diminutive people with unusually small heads was a sensation when it was announced three years ago. Some scientists contended that these were more likely to be modern humans who suffered a developmental disorder.

WASHINGTON

Israel shared intel on N. Korea with Bush

Israel’s decision to attack Syria on Sept. 6, bombing a suspected nuclear site set up in apparent collaboration with North Korea, came after Israel shared intelligence with President Bush this summer indicating that North Korean nuclear personnel were in Syria, U.S. government sources said.

Sources said the White House opted against an immediate response because of concerns it would undermine long-running negotiations aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

Ultimately, however, the U.S. is believed to have provided Israel with some corroboration of the original intelligence before Israel proceeded with the raid, the sources said.

Syria and North Korea this week denied they were cooperating on a nuclear program. Bush refused to comment on Israel’s attack Thursday, but he issued a warning to North Korea that “the exportation of information and/or materials” would affect negotiations under which North Korea would give up its nuclear programs in exchange for energy aid and diplomatic recognition.

PANAMA CITY, Fla.

Castration reduces rapist’s sentence

A confessed rapist was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison, days after he voluntarily underwent castration as part of a plea deal to avoid a life sentence.

Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet sentenced Bobby James Allen, 35, to 25 years in prison followed by 10 years’ probation. Allen pleaded guilty this month to three counts of armed sexual battery and other charges involving attacks in 1998 and 1999.