A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Couple plead guilty to rape, kidnap charges
SAN FRANCISCO – A convicted sex offender and his wife have pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping and raping a Northern California girl when she was 11 and holding her captive for nearly two decades.
Phillip Garrido, who fathered two children by victim Jaycee Dugard, entered the plea under a surprise deal with prosecutors that calls for a sentence of more than 430 years to life.
His wife, Nancy Garrido, also pleaded guilty in a deal that calls for 36 years to life.
Ms Dugard was snatched from the street near her family’s home in South Lake Tahoe in June 1991 while walking to a school bus stop. The plea deals will spare her and her two daughters, aged 13 and 16, from having to testify. – (Reuters)
Six killed in suicide bomb attack in Iraq
BAGHDAD – At least six people were killed and 15 wounded yesterday when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque in Iraq’s restive Diyala province, a security official said.
The attack took place soon after evening prayers in the town of Balad Ruz, 90km (56 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Muthana al-Timimi, head of Diyala provincial councils security committee, said.
A source at Diyalas joint co-operation centre put the toll at eight people killed and 15 wounded.
Diyala is one of the few remaining provinces in Iraq where large numbers of al-Qaeda and other Sunni insurgents are still engaged in fighting the security forces. – (Reuters)