WOODS-ACCIDENT
Police to talk to Woods about accident
UNDATED (AP) — Police in Florida hope to talk to golfing great Tiger Woods today about the circumstances surrounding his SUV accident early Friday.
The 33-year-old was treated and released from a hospital after his vehicle struck a fire hydrant at his estate near Orlando and then hit a tree on a neighbor's property in the early morning hours.
Police say they attempted to talk to Woods yesterday, but his wife said he was sleeping. One key question is where he was headed at that hour.
The accident came two days after the National Enquirer published a story alleging that Woods had been seeing a New York night club hostess, and that they recently were together in Melbourne, where Woods competed in the Australian Masters.
CHINA-CARGO PLANE CRASH
3 Americans die in cargo plane crash in Shanghai
SHANGHAI (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in China says three Americans are dead after a Zimbabwe cargo plane crashed during takeoff at Shanghai's main international airport.
Spokesman Richard Buangan says three Americans are confirmed dead and a fourth American is injured. He does not know the injured person's condition.
The plane was on its way to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, when it veered off the runway and burst into flames Saturday morning.
Seven crew members were on board. China's official Xinhua (shin-wah) news agency reports one crew member was critically injured, with three in serious condition.
The news agency cites health officials as saying the crew came from the United States, Indonesia and other unnamed countries.
SAUDI-FLOODS
Death toll from floods in Saudi reaches 106
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — A Saudi official says the death toll from the unusually heavy rains that hit western Saudi Arabia has reached 106.
The official says rescue teams were looking for possible survivors from the downpours that caused heavy flooding in the coastal city of Jiddah, the main entry point for the millions of Muslims performing the annual hajj pilgrimage. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the media.
The deaths have been blamed on flooding and collapsed homes and bridges.
Sami Badawood, spokesman of health services in Jiddah, says in a statement that area hospitals have been equipped to deal with any possible outbreaks of diseases resulting from the flooding, such as dengue fever.
RUSSIA-TRAIN DERAILED
UPDATE: News reports say traces of explosives found
UGLOVKA, Russia (AP) — Russian news agencies are reporting that investigators have found traces of explosives among the wreckage of a train that derailed, killing at least 26 people.
The reported discovery appears to buttress initial fears that the deadly derailment on the Moscow-St. Petersburg line Friday night was a terrorist attack caused by a bomb planted on the tracks.
The Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies cite Federal Security Service chief Alexander Borotnikov as saying Saturday that a home-made bomb equivalent to 7 kilograms of TNT had detonated, derailing the express train Friday night.
The death toll is still unclear: The Health Ministry says 26 people were killed but prosecutors say at least 30. Dozens of people have been reported injured.
IRAN-NUCLEAR
Iranian lawmaker: Iran could leave nuclear treaty
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A hardline Iranian lawmaker is quoted by the country's official IRNA news agency as saying Iran's parliament may consider withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
The threat comes a day after a resolution passed by the board of the U.N. nuclear agency demanding that Tehran immediately stop building its newly revealed nuclear facility and freeze uranium enrichment.
Mohammad Karamirad said Saturday parliament may also consider blocking inspection of Iran's nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which it has been allowing routinely so far.
Karamirad does not speak for the government, but his statements often reflect its thinking.
CHINA-AMERICAN SENTENCED
Man wanted on US terror charges sentenced in China
BEIJING (AP) — An American wanted in the United States on ecoterrorism charges has been sentenced in China on charges of manufacturing drugs.
A court official in Yunnan province confirms that Justin Franchi Solondz was sentenced Friday to three years in prison.
It is not clear whether Solondz will be deported. A U.S. Embassy spokesman says he is not able to confirm a deportation because Solondz did not sign a Privacy Act waiver.
The FBI office in Seattle lists Solondz among its "most wanted" for domestic terrorism charges including arson of a government building.
AFGHANISTAN
Prison escape in Afghanistan, bomb goes off in Kabul
KABUL (AP) — A dozen prisoners have escaped through a tunnel they dug from their jail cell to the outside in western Afghanistan.
That's according to the Farah province police chief who says the escapees included low-level Taliban militants, drug-dealers and other minor criminals.
He says a 13th prisoner arrested during his attempted escape said the tunnel took 10 days to dig and the plan was to slowly empty the prison overnight. More than 300 inmates were held in the Farah prison, which was built to hold about 80.
Afghanistan's overcrowded prisons have been plagued by problems as the country tries to establish a justice system amid ongoing conflict.
Also Saturday, a bomb exploded in a trash bin in the center of Kabul. Officials say the explosion did not cause any injuries or significant property damage.
BANGLADESH-FERRY CAPSIZE
UPDATE: At least 37 dead after Bangladesh ferry capsizes at dock
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Authorities say a triple-deck ferry packed with hundreds of travelers heading home for an Islamic festival capsized as they disembarked in southern Bangladesh.
At least 37 people are dead and scores missing.
Some survivors say the boat hit a river shoal as it approached the terminal, breaking the hull and allowing water in. As passengers scrambled to disembark, the vessel tipped and partially sank in the Tetulia River.
Authorities say gas torches have been used to cut open submerged cabins. Local residents are joining police and fire brigade divers to search for survivors inside the ferry.
A Dhaka television station says the ferry was carrying more than 1,500 people, but many had already disembarked when the vessel went down.
Officials say the ferry had a sanctioned capacity of 1,000 passengers.
PAKISTAN
Pakistani president turns over nuclear authority
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's embattled president has relinquished command of the country's nuclear arsenal in a first step toward formally reversing the emergency rule enjoyed by his predecessor.
The move came as President Asif Ali Zardari (AH'-seef ah-LEE' zahr-DAH'-ree) faces the expiration Saturday of an amnesty protecting him and thousands of other bureaucrats and politicians, threatening fresh political turmoil.
Zardari has come under pressure over past corruption allegations that he denies.
Zardari enjoys general immunity from prosecution as president, but the Supreme Court could choose to challenge his eligibility for the post since the amnesty decree by ex-military leader Pervez Musharraf was never formally approved by parliament.
SWITZERLAND-POLANSKI
Swiss ready Polanski's chalet for house arrest
GSTAAD, Switzerland (AP) — Swiss security experts are preparing Roman Polanski's Alpine chalet for the movie director's house arrest.
A commercial security service team has entered the home in the exclusive resort of Gstaad.
They declined to say what they were doing during the Saturday visit, but the company handles a range of services — from video surveillance to alarm installations and armored doors.
A condition of Polanski's house arrest is that he be fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet that would detect if he tries to leave the chalet. That would cause him to lose the $4.5 million in bail he is required to post.
Authorities say Polanski can be moved from jail to the chalet once the bracelet is working Polanski, probably Monday.
