Nation/World Briefly: Redoubt eruption causes cancellations of flights
Published 9:44 pm Tuesday, March 31, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska’s Mount Redoubt had an eruption up to 25,000 feet, prompting Alaska Airlines to cancel 18 flights.
The cancelations covered those flights in and out of Anchorage on Tuesday night and early this morning.
Alaska Volcano Observatory geophysicist John Power says before that late afternoon eruption, the volcano was throwing steam and ash about 15,000 feet into the air.
That has created a broad layer of haze that possible could contain some ash extending from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley north of Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula.
D.C.: Sebelius’ tax error
Health and Human Services nominee Kathleen Sebelius has corrected three years of tax returns and paid more than $7,000 in back taxes after finding “unintentional errors,” the latest tax troubles for an Obama administration nominee. The Kansas governor explained the changes to senators in a letter dated Tuesday. She said they involved charitable contributions, the sale of a home and business expenses. She and her husband paid a total of $7,040 in back taxes and $878 in interest to amend returns from 2005-2007.
U.S. attack threat from Taliban
Counterterrorism officials are warning police of a threat made by Pakistan’s Taliban chief to attack the U.S. Baitullah Mehsud vowed to amaze the world with an attack on Washington. In response, federal authorities advised police and other law enforcement officials that Mehsud’s threat is an aspiration rather than evidence of an imminent or specific threat to the United States.
Connecticut: Chimp attack victim shows improvement
Brothers of a Stamford woman mauled by a chimpanzee said Tuesday she can talk and respond to commands. Charla Nash lost her hands and much of her face in the February attack in Stamford. Hospital officials have said she may be blind and brain damaged. Her potential for recovery has been unclear.
N.Y.: Retired military officers press to keep gays restriction
More than 1,000 retired military officers, including several who were top commanders, urged President Barack Obama and Congress in a statement to maintain the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law. A bill that would allow gays to serve openly has been introduced in Congress. The statement said passage of that bill “would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all levels, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service, and eventually break the All-Volunteer Force.”
California: 8-year-old missing
An 8-year-old girl is missing in the northern California town of Tracy, and police said they are investigating two men, although they also said there is no evidence Sandra Cantu was abducted or a victim of foul play. Sandra was last seen on surveillance video Friday in the mobile home park where her family lives, police said.
Israel: Netanyahu in charge
Benjamin Netanyahu, taking office as Israel’s new leader Tuesday, promised to seek “full peace” with the Arab and Muslim world, but refused to utter the words the world was waiting to hear: “Palestinian state.” Netanyahu’s refusal to embrace the idea of Palestinian statehood could put him at odds with the Obama administration and much of the rest of the world.
Cambodia: Khmer Rouge prison chief seeks forgiveness
The man accused of being the Khmer Rouge’s chief torturer put down his prepared speech, removed his eyeglasses and gazed at the courtroom audience Tuesday as he pleaded for forgiveness. Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch, is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as murder and torture. Duch, 66, commanded the group’s main S-21 prison, also known as Tuol Sleng, where as many as 16,000 men women and children are believed to have been brutalized before being sent to their deaths.
From Herald news services
