WASHINGTON Military prosecutors said Friday they plan to seek new charges against the alleged mastermind of the 2000 bombing of the destroyer Cole. The announcement follows Attorney General Eric Holder's decision a week ago to place Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi of Yemeni descent, among 10 high-profile detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who will face justice in the United States.

PORTSMOUTH These days, Warren Swain has to admire his heavenly creation from afar. When relatives are in town during the holiday season, the retired sheet-metal worker drives them to downtown Norfolk and points to the giant, lighted star atop Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. "I say, 'See that? I built that,' " the 66-year-old said, beaming with pride.

A federal program set up to steer $4 billion in government contracts to businesses owned by disabled military veterans has allowed more than $90 million in contracts to be fraudulently obtained by ineligible companies, according a report released Thursday.

Tidewater Tidal WAVES Unit 152 is raising money to buy and place Christmas wreaths on each gravesite at the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk. Checks can be made to the Wreath Society and mailed to SunTrust Bank, 123 N. Main St., Suffolk, VA 23434. For information, call (757) 539-6311.

Operation Homefront Hampton Roads is collecting toys donated at local Dollar Tree stores for military families in need this holiday season. Last year, volunteers collected more than 210,000 toys, said Carol Berg, the chapter's executive director, in a news release. This year, requests for emergency financial help have risen by 35 percent.

The U.S. Postal Service expects to handle more than 30 million pounds of holiday mail for service members overseas this year, and it's offering tips to friends and family for making sure mail arrives on time.

By Mike Baker

RALEIGH, N.C. The U.S. Army will allow the media limited coverage of Sarah Palin's appearance at Fort Bragg, but will bar reporters from interviewing her or her supporters on the post, officials said Thursday.

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY The Coast Guard continued to work on a plan to move a decommissioned Navy ship that broke free of its moorings during last week's nor'easter and ran aground in Isle of Wight County. The 700-foot-long Monongahela, a fleet oiler, poses no threat of pollution, Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Scott McBride said Thursday.

HAMPTON The group that will manage Fort Monroe after the Army leaves voted Thursday to try to have certain sections of the post designated a unit of the National Park Service.

NORFOLK There are no rules of etiquette for thanking the highly trained snipers who killed your captors, no guidelines about how to express gratitude to the crew of a warship that stood by while pirates held you hostage.