14 killed by storms in central Florida
ORLANDO - Severe thunderstorms and at least one tornado killed 14 people yesterday when they ripped through Florida.
More than 500 homes, buildings and churches were damaged or destroyed across a wide area of central Florida north of the key tourism region around Orlando, but Disney World resort was not affected.
Rescue teams searched for survivors and victims who might still be trapped under flattened homes.
- (Reuters)
Army chief fired in Ecuador
QUITO - Ecuadoran president Rafael Correa fired the country's army chief after blaming him in part for the helicopter crash
that killed defence minister Guadalupe Larriva last week, a government official said yesterday.
Economy minister Ricardo Patino, who is acting as defence minister, said a military report unveiled a series of mistakes with the planning, operation and security of the helicopters' flight in which Ms Larriva, her teenage daughter and five military officers died. - (Reuters)
Al-Qaeda suspects held in Turkey
ANKARA - Turkish police have seized guns, fake identity cards and bugging devices in a search operation following the detention of dozens of people believed linked to al- Qaeda, state-run Anatolian news agency said yesterday.
Private NTV television said the group had been plotting to assassinate prime minister Tayyip Erdogan and had been able to eavesdrop on his bodyguards' radio, but this report could not be independently confirmed. - (Reuters)
Groundhog gives nod to early spring
PUNXSUTAWNEY - The world's most famous groundhog emerged from his burrow early yesterday to predict an early spring for the first time in eight years.
On the 121st annual Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, signalling - according to the folklore of German settlers in central Pennsylvania - that spring is around the corner.
- (Reuters)
Scientist jailed for molesting girl
LOS ANGELES - A US scientist known as the "father of gene therapy" was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison for molesting a girl to whom he taught karate. William French Anderson (70), who won international renown for his work as a geneticist, was convicted in July of sexually abusing the girl over several years starting when she was 9 or 10 years old. - (Reuters)