Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Nation/World Briefly: Police fatalities up 43 percent this year
WASHINGTON -- A nonprofit group says the number of police officers who have died in the line of duty is up 43 percent so far this year.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's preliminary data show that 87 officers died in the line of duty between Jan. 1 and June 30. That's compared with 61 officers during the first six months of last year.
The deaths were spread across 36 states and Puerto Rico -- with California, Texas and Florida showing the most fatalities. Other states included Virginia and Maryland, where a state trooper was fatally shot June 11.
Among the causes of death were traffic accidents and shootings. If the trend continues, 2010 could become one of the deadliest years for U.S. police agencies in two decades.
Colorado: 30 hurt in air turbulence
A United Airlines jetliner was diverted to Denver International Airport on Tuesday after experiencing "significant turbulence" over Kansas, injuring about 30 people onboard, one seriously, a fire official said. The flight originated at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., and was headed to Los Angeles. At least 20 people were taken to hospitals but a fire official said most were "walking injuries."
Georgia: Two backed by Palin, Gingrich in governor runoff
Two Republicans who wielded dueling endorsements from Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich will face a showdown in a GOP runoff for governor. Former Secretary of State Karen Handel will face former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal in an Aug. 10 runoff. Palin's nod helped Handel surge to the top of the polls in recent days, while Deal had an endorsement from Gingrich.
Texas: Guilty plea in Obama threat
A Dallas man pleaded guilty Tuesday to posting on the Internet a threat to kill President Barack Obama. Brian Dean Miller, 43, could be sentenced to up to five years in federal prison and fined up to $250,000. A posting titled "Obama must die" turned up on a Craigslist site on March 21, the night Congress passed a health care overhaul bill. The posting said Miller was following through on a vow to become a terrorist if the bill passed.
Illinois: Elderly woman found dead in trash-stuffed house
A 79-year-old Skokie woman was found dead Monday night in a home so crammed with trash, police said, a hole had to be cut in the roof to reach her. "There was so much garbage, it left about 2 1/2 feet of space between the pile and the ceiling. Apparently there were tunnels and the residents had to crawl on top of the debris to get around," a police commander said. It took rescuers about three hours to remove Marie Davis through the roof.
Arizona: Girl dies in flooding
Authorities say a 12-year-old girl has died after being swept away by floodwaters in Flagstaff. Heavy thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon sent floodwaters rushing through a pair of subdivisions north of Flagstaff, forcing dozens of residents to flee their homes. Coconino County sheriff's say the girl reportedly fell into a wash south of White Vulcan Mine and her younger sister reported her missing.
Spain: Ban on some Islamic veils in public is rejected
Parliament on Tuesday rejected a proposal to ban women from wearing in public places Islamic veils that reveal only the eyes. However, the Socialist government has said it favors including a ban on people wearing the full-body burqas, which have a mesh-like covering over the eyes -- in government buildings in an upcoming bill on religious issues to be debated after parliament's summer vacation break.
Russia: Investigation after donkey forced to parasail
Authorities are opening an animal cruelty probe into a weekend stunt on a beach, on the Azov Sea in southern Russia, in which a donkey parasailed high over the surf. Amateur video footage (which can be seen above, to the right of this article) showed men attaching a parasail harness to the trembling mule. The English-language Kremlin news channel Russia Today reported that the flying donkey brayed in fear as it glided above the bay. Russia Today reported the donkey was shell-shocked but survived.
Brazil: Hundreds of dead penguins wash up on beaches
Hundreds of penguins that apparently starved to death are washing up on the beaches of Brazil, worrying scientists who are still investigating what's causing them to die. About 500, most of them migrating Magellan penguins, have been found just in the last 10 days on Peruibe, Praia Grande and Itanhaem beaches in Sao Paulo state, said Thiago do Nascimento, a biologist at the Peruibe Aquarium.
From Herald news services
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's preliminary data show that 87 officers died in the line of duty between Jan. 1 and June 30. That's compared with 61 officers during the first six months of last year.
The deaths were spread across 36 states and Puerto Rico -- with California, Texas and Florida showing the most fatalities. Other states included Virginia and Maryland, where a state trooper was fatally shot June 11.
Among the causes of death were traffic accidents and shootings. If the trend continues, 2010 could become one of the deadliest years for U.S. police agencies in two decades.
Colorado: 30 hurt in air turbulence
A United Airlines jetliner was diverted to Denver International Airport on Tuesday after experiencing "significant turbulence" over Kansas, injuring about 30 people onboard, one seriously, a fire official said. The flight originated at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., and was headed to Los Angeles. At least 20 people were taken to hospitals but a fire official said most were "walking injuries."
Georgia: Two backed by Palin, Gingrich in governor runoff
Two Republicans who wielded dueling endorsements from Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich will face a showdown in a GOP runoff for governor. Former Secretary of State Karen Handel will face former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal in an Aug. 10 runoff. Palin's nod helped Handel surge to the top of the polls in recent days, while Deal had an endorsement from Gingrich.
Texas: Guilty plea in Obama threat
A Dallas man pleaded guilty Tuesday to posting on the Internet a threat to kill President Barack Obama. Brian Dean Miller, 43, could be sentenced to up to five years in federal prison and fined up to $250,000. A posting titled "Obama must die" turned up on a Craigslist site on March 21, the night Congress passed a health care overhaul bill. The posting said Miller was following through on a vow to become a terrorist if the bill passed.
Illinois: Elderly woman found dead in trash-stuffed house
A 79-year-old Skokie woman was found dead Monday night in a home so crammed with trash, police said, a hole had to be cut in the roof to reach her. "There was so much garbage, it left about 2 1/2 feet of space between the pile and the ceiling. Apparently there were tunnels and the residents had to crawl on top of the debris to get around," a police commander said. It took rescuers about three hours to remove Marie Davis through the roof.
Arizona: Girl dies in flooding
Authorities say a 12-year-old girl has died after being swept away by floodwaters in Flagstaff. Heavy thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon sent floodwaters rushing through a pair of subdivisions north of Flagstaff, forcing dozens of residents to flee their homes. Coconino County sheriff's say the girl reportedly fell into a wash south of White Vulcan Mine and her younger sister reported her missing.
Spain: Ban on some Islamic veils in public is rejected
Parliament on Tuesday rejected a proposal to ban women from wearing in public places Islamic veils that reveal only the eyes. However, the Socialist government has said it favors including a ban on people wearing the full-body burqas, which have a mesh-like covering over the eyes -- in government buildings in an upcoming bill on religious issues to be debated after parliament's summer vacation break.
Russia: Investigation after donkey forced to parasail
Authorities are opening an animal cruelty probe into a weekend stunt on a beach, on the Azov Sea in southern Russia, in which a donkey parasailed high over the surf. Amateur video footage (which can be seen above, to the right of this article) showed men attaching a parasail harness to the trembling mule. The English-language Kremlin news channel Russia Today reported that the flying donkey brayed in fear as it glided above the bay. Russia Today reported the donkey was shell-shocked but survived.
Brazil: Hundreds of dead penguins wash up on beaches
Hundreds of penguins that apparently starved to death are washing up on the beaches of Brazil, worrying scientists who are still investigating what's causing them to die. About 500, most of them migrating Magellan penguins, have been found just in the last 10 days on Peruibe, Praia Grande and Itanhaem beaches in Sao Paulo state, said Thiago do Nascimento, a biologist at the Peruibe Aquarium.
From Herald news services
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