Author: Sunfire

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepalese rescuers on Friday found three bodies near the wreckage of a U.S. Marine helicopter that disappeared this week during a relief mission in the earthquake-hit Himalayan nation, and officials said it was unlikely there were any survivors from the crash.

“The wreckage of the helicopter was found in pieces, and there are no chances of any survivors,” Nepal’s defense secretary, Iswori Poudyal said. He did not give the nationalities of the three victims, only saying their remains were charred.   Continue reading “Nepal rescuers find 3 bodies near crashed US Marine chopper”

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman who fled to avoid the circumcision of her son was arrested Thursday for contempt of court, her attorney said.

Heather Hironimus went missing with her 4-year-old child nearly three months ago, going into hiding as her long court battle against the surgery reached its climax. Though her defenders said she was simply doing what she could to protect a child portrayed as “scared to death” of the procedure, a judge issued a scalding rebuke for her refusal to appear in court, charging her with contempt and issuing an arrest warrant.   Continue reading “Fla. woman who fled to avoid son’s circumcision is arrested”

RT

A US police officer escaped potentially serious injuries after a suspect drove off with him clinging to the car. The officer was called out to a shoplifting incident, but the accused had other ideas – driving off, with the officer literally in tow.

“He basically, like, circled around over here and finally fell off the car, y’know – almost could have got ran over,” said Prerak Patel, who witnessed the event unfold in Savannah, Georgia, on the evening of May 9.   Continue reading “Lucky escape: Police officer dragged along by car as suspect drives off”

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan president on Thursday condemned the Taliban attack on a Kabul guesthouse the previous night that killed 14 people, including nine foreigners, and said the brutal slayings will not undermine his government’s efforts to achieve peace and stability.

Wednesday’s attack was the most audacious assault by the insurgents in the Afghan capital since the start of their spring offensive. The foreigners killed included an American, a British citizen, an Italian, four Indian nationals and two Pakistanis.   Continue reading “9 foreigners among 14 killed in Taliban attack in Kabul”

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri House Speaker John Diehl is attempting to repair his reputation and retain his powerful position while seeking forgiveness for what he describes as “the poor judgment” he displayed in a relationship with a Capitol intern.

Diehl, a Republican, apologized Wednesday for his actions following a newspaper report that he had exchanged sexually charged text messages with a college student who had been serving as a legislative intern. He also said he would not resign and appealed to colleagues for their continued support as Democratic lawmakers launched an effort to try to remove him from the speakership to which he was elected in January.   Continue reading “Missouri House speaker apologizes for actions with intern”

RT

What some may regard as a noble or even heroic action landed an Iraq war veteran in jail. Michael Hammons was arrested in Georgia and charged with criminal trespassing after breaking the glass of a hot car to free a panting pet.

Witnesses who saw the man save the dog say they had actually noticed the canine inside the hot Ford Mustang before Hammons ever came on the scene. But, whilst they were waiting for the police, the Desert Storm veteran decided to take action.   Continue reading “US Army veteran arrested after saving distressed dog from hot car”

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SANAA, Yemen (AP) — A jet-fighter from a Saudi-led coalition struck a military convoy belonging to Shiite rebels and their allies in southern Yemen on Wednesday, straining a humanitarian, five-day cease-fire that took hold the previous day.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian military official warned the U.S.-backed coalition against blocking a Yemen-bound Iranian aid ship, saying that such a move would “spark a fire” in the region. Wednesday’s airstrike in Yemen’s Abyan province was in response to an attempt by the rebels known as Houthis to reinforce their forces in the nearby city of Aden, a port city on the Arabian Sea, said Yemeni security officials. The Houthis acknowledged the airstrike, but said nothing about the convoy. There were no immediate reports on casualties or damage resulting from the airstrike.   Continue reading “Saudi airstrike hits Yemen rebel convoy, strains cease-fire”

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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Five people were found shot to death Tuesday evening in a southern Arizona home in what police suspect was a murder-suicide.

Tucson police officers responding to a call found the bodies in the single-story home about 6 p.m., police Sgt. Pete Dugan said. All of the dead had “obvious signs of gunshot trauma,” he told The Associated Press.   Continue reading “Police: 5 found shot to death in Tucson home”

RT

A blast has shattered a regional bus engulfed in flames on the roadside of a Massachusetts highway. However no one was hurt thanks to the driver, who was able to get all the passengers off the vehicle.

The bus with dozens of passengers was traveling from New York City to Boston when it caught fire. The cause of the blaze is still unknown.   Continue reading “Blazing bus blows up on Massachusetts highway, meters from traffic flow”

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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A major earthquake hit a remote mountain region of Nepal on Tuesday, killing at least 37 people while triggering landslides and toppling buildings less than three weeks after the Himalayan nation was ravaged by its worst quake in decades.

The magnitude-7.3 quake — centered midway between the capital of Kathmandu and Mount Everest — hit hardest in districts northeast of the capital. It terrified a nation already shell-shocked and struggling after a more powerful quake on April 25 killed more than 8,150 and flattened entire villages, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.   Continue reading “Another major earthquake shakes Nepal, killing at least 37”

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Two people were shot and a third was assaulted Monday night in an attack near the University of California, Santa Barbara in the same neighborhood where a man staged a killing rampage last year.

Three men in their early 20s were taken to a hospital with moderate injuries after county sheriff’s deputies and campus police answered a domestic disturbance call outside a home in Isla Vista, according to fire and sheriff’s officials.   Continue reading “2 shot, 1 assaulted near UC Santa Barbara campus”

RT

A Turkish dry cargo ship has been attacked near the Libyan port city of Tobruk, the Foreign Ministry in Ankara says. A ship officer was killed and several crew members injured.

The incident took place Sunday night. The ship was first shelled from the shore as it was approaching the area, the Turkish ministry said Monday. It was then attacked twice from the air as it was trying to leave the area.    Continue reading “Turkish ship shelled off Libya coast, officer killed, several crew injured”

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Four of the nearly 50 self-driving cars now rolling around California have gotten into accidents since September, when the state began issuing permits for companies to test them on public roads.

Two accidents happened while the cars were in control; in the other two, the person who still must be behind the wheel was driving, a person familiar with the accident reports told The Associated Press.   Continue reading “Self-driving cars getting dinged in California”

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SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Shiite rebels in Yemen claimed Monday to have shot down a Moroccan F-16 fighter jet taking part in a Saudi-led coalition targeting them and their allies, just a day before a five-day humanitarian cease-fire was set to begin.

Morocco’s military, however, only would say that the jet had gone missing around 6 p.m. (1500 GMT, 11 a.m. EDT) Sunday. The purported downing of the jet fighter came as a Saudi-owned news channel, al-Hadath, aired live footage of tanks and armored personnel carriers loaded onto giant trucks, saying they were part of a “strike force” deploying to the kingdom’s border with Yemen. There have been no signs to suggest that a ground offensive was imminent, although the coalition has not ruled one out.   Continue reading “Moroccan warplane apparently downed before Yemen cease-fire”

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s public health system has suspended infant vaccines and mounted an investigation after two babies died and 29 were sickened in an impoverished community in southern Mexico.

Six of the 29 babies are in grave condition after receiving vaccinations for tuberculosis, rotovirus and Hepatitis B, which are generally administered between 0 and 6 months, according to a national schedule. The cause of the adverse reactions is not known, the Mexican Institute for Social Security said Sunday.   Continue reading “2 babies die, 29 sickened from bad vaccines in south Mexico”

RT

A transformer exploded at the Indian Point nuclear plant, 38 miles (61 km) north of New York, causing visible fire and black smoke. The plant’s operator had to shut down one of the reactors but assured the emergency caused no threat to public safety.

Unit 3 of the nuclear plant, which is located on the east bank of the Hudson River, was automatically shut down following Saturday’s accident, the plant’s operator Entergy Corp has said.   Continue reading “Explosion, smoke at Indian Point nuclear plant north of NYC”

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ATLANTA (AP) — With the nation’s economy at its healthiest since the Great Recession, a surprising trend is emerging among the states — large budget gaps.

An Associated Press analysis of statehouse finances around the country shows that at least 22 states project shortfalls for the coming fiscal year. The deficits recall recession-era anxiety about plunging tax revenue and deep cuts to education, social services and other government-funded programs.   Continue reading “Nearly half of states expect to confront big budget gaps”

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Two Mississippi police officers were shot to death during an evening traffic stop turned violent, a state law enforcement spokesman said Sunday. Three suspects were in custody, including two who are charged with capital murder.

The deaths of the officers — the first to hit Hattiesburg in three decades — were felt far and wide in this small southern Mississippi city. Gov. Phil Bryant released a statement saying he was “mourning” the loss of the officers.   Continue reading “2 Mississippi officers fatally shot; 3 suspects arrested”