Nation, world briefs — After mad cow scare, Canadian limits removed

WASHINGTON — Canadian cattle over 30 months of age will be allowed into the U.S. market starting Nov. 19, the Agriculture Department said Friday in expanding its policy on mad cow disease. In May 2003, the discovery of an Alberta cow with mad cow disease caused the United States to slam the border shut to cattle imports from Canada. The border between the world’s largest trade partners reopened for Canadian beef from younger cattle within months of the original ban. Live cattle under the age of 30 months have been allowed to move across the border since July 2005.

Nevada: Third fatality at air show

Two airplanes collided Friday at the Reno National Championship Air Races, killing one pilot and injuring another in the third fatal crash at the event in four days. Five-time defending champion Gary Hubler, 51, of Caldwell, Idaho, was killed in the crash shortly after 9:30 a.m. at Stead Airport just north of Reno, race officials said. It was the 18th fatality in the 44-year history of the air races and prompted the suspension of the competition for the day, but race officials said it would resume today. The pilot of the other plane involved in the crash was rushed to a hospital with injuries that were not life threatening.

Minnesota: Bridge replacement

Next week, four teams bidding to replace the fallen Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis will learn which has the inside track on a project that could be worth a quarter-billion dollars. But even the losers won’t walk away empty-handed. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is ready to pay $500,000 to each of the unsuccessful bidders, the largest stipend the agency has ever offered. If they accept the money, the department gets the right to use any ideas losing teams submit.

Utah: Donations benefit families

More than $300,000 has been donated to the families of the nine men who died inside the Crandall Canyon mine last month, the mayor of Huntington said. Each of the families has received at least $15,000 so far, said Mayor Hilary Gordon, who established and controls the funds. Donations are still arriving, and the city plans to keep disbursing donations to families. The mayor said the generosity includes $100,000 from a former executive at the mine. Zions Bank, where the two accounts are held, gave $5,000 to each family on its own, she said.

Florida: Senator’s son sentenced

The 31-year-old son of Sen. Bill Nelson was sentenced in Orlando on Friday to two years of probation, drug and alcohol treatment, community service and an anger management class for pushing a police officer after his father’s re-election party. A jury convicted Charles Nelson in June of battery on an officer and resisting arrest after the November run-in. Police said the younger Nelson was trying to carry a woman who had passed out on a sidewalk and pushed an officer after he was ordered to put her down. He was pepper-sprayed and handcuffed by police.

Iraq: Sunnis vow to get revenge

Some 1,500 mourners called for revenge Friday as they buried the leader of the Sunni revolt against al-Qaida, who was assassinated by a bomb after meeting with President Bush earlier this month. An al-Qaida in Iraq front claimed responsibility for the blast that killed Adbul-Sattar Abu Risha, 37. “We will take our revenge,” the mourners chanted. “We will continue the march of Abu Risha.”

Russia: Killer linked to 62 deaths

A man accused of killing dozens of people and keeping count of them on a chessboard lured most of his victims by offering them vodka to mourn the death of a nonexistent dog, prosecutors said at his murder trial Friday. Alexander Pichushkin has confessed to killing at least 62 people, with the goal of marking all 64 squares on the chessboard. He has been charged with 49 murders, most committed over the course of five years in a sprawling park on the edge of Moscow.

Britain: Bombers intercepted

British and Norwegian jets intercepted Russian military aircraft on Friday after they breached NATO airspace near the U.K. and Finland, defense officials said. Finland’s prime minister demanded an explanation from Moscow. Interception of Russian warplanes in NATO patrolled-airspace has become common since the Kremlin ordered strategic bombers to carry out long-range missions for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Russia said it will investigate the Finnish claims, but insisted the aircraft had flown over neutral territory.

@3. Headline News Briefs 14 no bold lede-in:Fashion Council rules on models

A report by the British Fashion Council, organizers of London Fashion Week, has stopped short of recommending a ban on ultra-thin models. But the report, published Friday, says fashion models should be 16 years of age or older and should be screened for eating disorders. Catwalk shows featuring designer clothes hanging off the shoulders of lanky girls face increasing pressure to act after models died from suspected eating disorders.

From Herald news services