TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — POLICE SHOOTING-MISSOURI
1 wounded as Police enforce curfew in Ferguson
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say one person was shot and critically wounded and seven people were arrested as police used smoke and tear gas to impose a curfew in a St. Louis suburb where a black teen walking down the street had been shot by a white police officer.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson says his department’s strong response early Sunday morning came after a midnight to 5 a.m. curfew took hold in Ferguson, and was precipitated by two events.
Johnson says concerns about people who’d broken into a barbecue restaurant and taken position on the roof overlooking approaching police was one concern. He says another concern involved a man flashing a handgun appeared in the middle of the street as armored vehicles approached.
Johnson says someone also fired at a patrol car, but no officers were injured.
Eighteen-year-old Michael Brown was shot Aug. 9, prompting protests, unrest and claims of civil rights violations.
MISSING AMISH GIRLS
Prosecutor: Couple sexually abused 2 Amish sisters
CANTON, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say the northern New York couple charged in the kidnapping of two Amish sisters were prowling for easy targets and sexually abused the girls before letting them go.
The Hermon couple have been arraigned on charges of kidnapping with the intent to physically or sexually abuse the 7-year-old and 12-year-old sisters.
St. Lawrence County District Attorney Mary Rain said Saturday the girls were sexually abused, and the county sheriff said Stephen Howells Jr. and Nicole Vaisey may have planned to abduct other children.
Vaisey’s lawyer told The New York Times that Vaisey apparently was submissive to Howell, like his “slave.” There was no answer at the law office representing Howells.
Howells and Vaisey are being held without bail and have a preliminary court appearance scheduled Thursday.
UKRAINE
Ukraine says rebels shoot down fighter jet
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — A Ukrainian military spokesman says separatist rebels in the east have shot down a Ukrainian fighter plane.
The spokesman says the plane was shot down over the Luhansk region after launching an attack on rebels. The pilot ejected and was taken to a secure place.
Further details were not immediately available.
The city of Luhansk is encircled by Ukrainian forces and is reportedly suffering from severe electrical outages and shortages of food and medicine. Donetsk, the largest rebel-held city, is also suffering through fighting including frequent shelling.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS
Optimism fades as talks to resume on Gaza war
CAIRO (AP) — A Palestinian negotiator says his side is “less optimistic” on indirect talks with Israel over the Gaza war as a deadline on a temporary cease-fire looms.
The negotiator spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity as the Palestinian team arrived at the Cairo International Airport. Israeli officials were expected to arrive later.
A current cease-fire in the war is due to expire at midnight Monday (2100 GMT).
The Palestinian negotiator says that a key sticking point remains Hamas’ insistence that Israel to pledge to end its Gaza blockade before the talks conclude.
The United Nations says close to 2,000 Palestinians have been killed — most civilians — and more than 10,000 people have been wounded since the war began July 8. Israel has lost 67 people, all but three soldiers.
PLANE CRASH
1 dead, 1 hurt in northern California plane crash
PLACERVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a small airplane crashed near a Northern California airport, killing one person and injuring another.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s office says the Starduster biplane was heading to the Swansboro Country Airport when it crashed about 7 p.m. Saturday.
The Sacramento Bee reports that officials said one man aboard the airplane was pronounced dead when deputies arrived at the scene.
Capt. Kalan Richards of the Cameron Park Fire Department says the other passenger was airlifted to Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
Authorities did not release the identities of either person.
FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer tells the Bee that the cause of the crash is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
SHOOTOUT-CHILD KILLED
Girl, 3, killed in shootout between man, police
TEMPLE HILLS, Md. (AP) — Maryland police say a 3-year-old girl died from wounds received during a shootout between authorities and the man driving a car she was in.
Police said the man shot at officers and six officers returned fire on two occasions Saturday in Temple Hills, killing him the second time.
After the shooting stopped, officers found the girl in the car, suffering from a gunshot wound. She died later Saturday.
Polices say the man had led them on a chase after shooting and critically wounding two people in Camp Springs. They said they believe the victims are the girl’s maternal grandfather and great-grandmother.
AFGHANISTAN
Official says 32 killed in Afghan truck crash
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says a truck crash in northwestern Afghanistan has killed 32 people.
Ahmadullah Alizai, the provincial governor of Badghis province, said Sunday that the incident happened in the Ab Kamari district of the province on Saturday.
He said the truck was loaded with people and animals and was traveling through a mountainous rural area when it crashed.
Such incidents are common in Afghanistan, where the roads are not well-maintained and safe driving practices are not always followed.
IRAN-NUCLEAR
Report: UN nuclear watchdog chief arrives in Iran
Iranian state television is reporting that the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog organization has arrived in Iran for talks with President Hassan Rouhani.
The state TV report Sunday said Yukiya Amano, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, landed in Tehran late Saturday. It said Amano also will visit with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the head of its own nuclear agency.
Amano’s visit comes as world powers continue to negotiate with the Islamic Republic for a permanent deal over its contested nuclear program. Those talks face a November deadline after an interim deal was struck last year.
The West fears Iran’s nuclear program could allow it to build nuclear weapons. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes.
SKOREA-POPE
Pope urges ‘fraternal’ dialogue with China
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Pope Francis has made a new gesture of outreach to China, saying he “earnestly” hopes to improve relations with Beijing and stressing the importance of honest dialogue.
Francis outlined his priorities for the Catholic Church in Asia during a meeting of the region’s bishops Sunday, urging them to listen to people of different cultures but still remain true to their Catholic identity.
In a clear reference to China, he said: “In this spirit of openness to others, I earnestly hope that those countries of your continent with whom the Holy See does not yet enjoy a full relationship may not hesitate to further a dialogue for the benefit of all.”
He added that he wasn’t talking about political dialogue but “fraternal” relations.
PERRY INDICTED-STATEMENT
Texas Gov. Perry says indictment is abuse of power
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry is vowing to fight a criminal indictment in a defiant response that showed an old slice of swagger that he’s kept holstered lately while seeking to remake his image for a potential 2016 presidential run.
Perry calls two felony counts of abuse of power issued by an Austin grand jury “outrageous” and makes no apologies for his 2013 veto that prompted a criminal investigation against the longest-serving governor in Texas history.
Perry made it clear he will finish his term that ends in January and says it was the investigation against him — and not his actions — that amounted to an abuse of power. A Travis County grand jury on Friday indicted Perry for carrying out a threat to veto state funds to the local district attorney, an elected Democrat, who refused to resign following a drunken-driving arrest.
Perry says “We don’t settle political differences with indictments in this country.”
Perry, the first Texas governor since 1917 to be indicted, is again dismissing the charges as nakedly political and says he would not hesitate to execute a veto under the same circumstances again.
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