News digest: Sept. 27, 2001

The day's events | Losses

THE DAY'S EVENTS

• Defense officials announced that two U.S. Air Force generals have been authorized order the shooting down of commercial airliners without first getting clearance from the president if the planes threaten U.S. cities.

• President Bush urged states to deploy National Guard troops for airline security.

• The Rev. Jesse Jackson has not decided if he will embark on a mission to meet with Taliban officials, even though administration officials have discouraged him.

• Trading on the stock market remained cautious. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 72.37 to 8,639.76 after trading in negative territory most of the session.

• Presidential officials announced that a military strike against Osama bin Laden and his supporters in Afghanistan will not occur until they've gained better intelligence about the suspected terrorists' whereabouts.

• Bush outlined new airline security measures, including stationing armed air marshals on commercial flights and the installation of stronger cockpit doors.

• Wall Street began today's session without much change in either direction. The Nasdaq composite index and Dow Jones industrial average moved just past the breakeven point.

• New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani instituted a ban on single-driver cars entering the city below 69th street to ease the gridlock as vehicles entering lower Manhattan tunnels are searched.