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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and
Risk Management
Crisis and Emergency Management
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NOTICE: The ICDRM's monthly emergency managment forum, held at the GWU |
| February
2003
Volume 4 - Number 1 |
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Links:
Current events
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Quito Declares Emergency After Volcano Erupts (Reuters)Ecuador's President, Gustavo Noboa, declared a state of emergency that shut down the nation's capital on Monday, as tons of gray ash from a massive volcanic eruption engulfed the Andean city. El Reventador volcano erupted on Sunday after lying quietly for 26 years, shooting a mushroom cloud nearly 10 miles into the sky just east of the capital, Quito. The government closed schools, ordered workers to stay home and cleared airspace indefinitely as the expanding plume of volcanic ash hung above the city -- making breathing difficult. Russian Press Ministry recommends new guidelines for media coverage in national emergencies (AP)Russia's Press Ministry on Monday submitted a series of recommendations governing media coverage in cases of national emergency in the wake of the Moscow theater hostage crisis last month. The move came just days after Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved amendments putting severe restrictions on press coverage of "counter-terrorist operations," including the war in Chechnya. The ministry's 16 proposed guidelines would apply to emergency situations that involve security threats to people. They would bar journalists from seeking interviews with terrorists, allowing terrorists to broadcast live, and analyzing terrorist demands "on an amateur level," without first consulting law enforcement officials, the ministry said in a statement. Tuesday - November 05, 2002 Inquiry reports 1,153 dead in Senegal ferry disaster, faults 12-hour delay in rescue (AP)DAKAR, Senegal - Careless overloading and across-the-board violations of international safety standards caused Africa's deadliest ferry disaster, the Sept. 26 capsizing of Senegal's state-run MS Joola, a state panel of inquiry reported Tuesday. The government-appointed panel also spoke harshly of armed forces for sending their first search planes and boats only 12 hours after the disaster. About 1,000 people died by government count, making it Africa's deadliest maritime disaster. The real toll is believed hundreds higher, since children and others riding free apparently were not included in the official count. Wednesday - November 06, 2002 Israeli rescue services carry out emergency drill at Tel Aviv towers (AP)Tel Aviv, Israel - Fearing a possible attack on two of the country's tallest office towers, Israel's emergency services on Wednesday practiced rescuing workers as smoke billowed from two floors. Some 180 firefighters "saved" approximately 1,000 workers, and simultaneously extinguished the simulated fires on the 10th and 46th floors of one of the Azrieli towers in Tel Aviv. One of the main purposes of the drill was to test the coordination capacities of Israel's fire and rescue service, emergency medical service, police force, and the army's home front command," said Shimon Romach, Israel's Fire and Rescue Commissioner. Romach said there was a lack of communication between New York's fire and police departments in the World Trade Center attack, and Israeli rescue workers want to make sure that doesn't happen here. Pipeline restarted, governor seeks disaster money (AP) Gov. Tony Knowles of Alaska signed disaster declarations for parts of the Interior rocked by a powerful earthquake and areas of the Kenai Peninsula damaged by fall floods. The quake declaration covers the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the Denali Borough, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and numerous communities within the Delta-Greely, Alaska Gateway, Copper River and Yukon-Koyukok Regional Education Attendance areas, including the cities of Tetlin, Mentasta Lake, Northway, Dot Lake, Chistochina, Tanacross, Slana and Tok. The damage estimates will likely go up, particularly when permanent fixes to damaged highways are done next year. Knowles said he hoped that most of the disaster money would come from the federal government. Freighter capsizes in Ukraine, two sailors missing (AP) Kiev, Ukraine - Eight sailors were rescued and two were missing after a cargo ship capsized in the Black Sea in the region of the Ukrainian port of Odessa, emergency officials said Wednesday. A heavy storm some 1.2 nautical miles away from the port of Ust-Dunaiskyi, near the Danube River's entrance into the Black Sea, capsized the Dniprovets-6. The Ukrainian ship, which was carrying 1,734 metric tons (1,907 tons) of fertilizer, had just departed for the Yugoslav city of Novi Sad. German rail says deadly sleeper car was old, but safe (Agence France-Presse) German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn said the sleeper car which caught fire from Paris to Vienna, killing 12, had been in service since 1964 but had been thoroughly renovated three years ago. Deutsche Bahn said in a statement that the car conformed to European fire safety standards and had undergone a major inspection in June 2001. Railways and that, although it was not fitted with fire or smoke detectors, it did have fire extinguishers. Four Germans were among the victims of the blaze. A French official said it appeared the fire started in an electrical control panel in the sleeper car. Thursday - November 07, 2002 17 Sickened by Fumes at Thurgood Marshall Building (WJLA)The federal government's Thurgood Marshall Building has been reopened following a hazardous materials incident. Crews from the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department were called to the building around 9:40 a.m. after people started complaining about noxious fumes. Fire department spokesman Alan Etter says 17 people were treated for respiratory problems and eye irritation. The fumes were apparently from an epoxy product being used to attach stones to a surface in the building's garden atrium. Etter says crews used ventilation equipment to help aerate the building. Baton Rouge, LA Associated Press Newswires Early estimates to clear debris, pay for emergency protection and repair or restore public buildings and infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Isidore and Hurricane Lili may top $67.7 million, a federal agency said Thursday. Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said a "significant portion" of the costs may be covered by FEMA grants designed to reimburse disaster expenses incurred by local and state agencies and certain private nonprofit organizations. The federal share of assistance is 75 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and permanent restoration, FEMA's news release said. FEMA issues public assistance grants directly to the state, which reimburses applicants as sub-grantees. Experts study recorder for clues in Luxair crash. (Reuters) Aviation experts examined the flight recorder of a doomed Luxair aircraft on Thursday to try to work out why it crashed a few kilometres (miles) short of the Luxembourg airport runway, killing all but two people on board. Aided by French air disaster experts, Luxembourg civil aviation officials also searched for clues amid the wreckage of the twin-engine Fokker 50 in a field where it rammed into the ground as it prepared for landing on Wednesday morning. Twenty of the 22 passengers and crew died in the crash, the first air disaster in 20 years in the Grand Duchy. Among the dead were 15 Germans, four Luxembourgers and one French national. Pharmacists Enlist in Fight Against Terror (The Washington Post) Maryland's war on terrorism now includes a rapid-response strike force of roughly 700 men and women with the ability to maneuver in lab coats, not battle fatigues. They are pharmacists -- volunteers who over the past few months have received "bioterrorism response training" as part of the state's emergency plan developed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the subsequent anthrax-by-mail poisonings that terrorized the area. As state health officials began pondering nightmare scenarios such as a terrorist-induced smallpox epidemic they realized a crucial part of any response would involve those who dispense medicine. Friday - November 08, 2002 Fans riot when Axl Rose misses Vancouver concert (Reuters)Vancouver, British Columbia - The start of rock band Guns N' Roses' first North American tour since 1993 turned into a disaster as angry fans rioted when lead singer Axl Rose (news) failed to show up for the concert. Dozens of people threw rocks at police and security guards and smashed windows at the General Motors Place arena in downtown Vancouver late Thursday, when promoters canceled the show at the last minute. Lansing, MI Associated Press Newswires Gov. John Engler is requesting federal disaster assistance for farmers who have suffered fruit, field or vegetable crop losses due to extreme weather this year. The governor is requesting the aid from the U.S. secretary of agriculture for farmers in 14 Upper and 19 Lower Peninsula counties, Dan Wyant, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture, said in a news release Thursday. Excessive rain in the Upper Peninsula and a lack of rain in the Lower Peninsula have caused loss estimates of 30 percent or more in at least one commodity from each of the counties. If the request is granted, eligible farmers will have access to low-interest emergency loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency to cover their weather-related production losses. Michigan's agriculture industry contributes $37 billion a year to the state's economy. Siegelman seeks disaster declaration for storm damages (AP) Gov. Don Siegelman Alabama has requested a federal disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration for storm-stricken Henry and Dale counties. Siegelman toured Abbeville on Thursday to survey damages from Tuesday's storms and tornado that damaged the town's high school and dozens of homes and businesses. One person was killed, 25 others were injured.Alabama Emergency Management officials said if the disaster declaration is granted, home and business owners would be eligible for low interest loans from the SBA. Federal and state agencies completed their damage assessment surveys Thursday night. State EMA Director Lee Helms said the Alabama National Guard, state troopers and other agencies will remain in Abbeville to provide support and assistance as long as needed. Saturday - November 09, 2002 Report: 9/11 Communications Worked (AP) New York - A tape of firefighters' communications during the World Trade Center attack showed that equipment previously blamed for malfunctioning and boosting the death toll may have worked properly, according to a published report. The 78-minute tape indicated the signal-boosting repeater used to amplify and retransmit radio signals did, in fact, effectively pass transmissions on Sept. 11, 2001, The New York Times reported in its Saturday editions. That study attributed part of the problem to the destruction of a signal-boosting repeater in the attack. The repeater was mounted atop neighboring 5 World Trade Center to amplify and retransmit radio signals, and was destroyed when the first tower collapsed. Ecuador Water Sickening Residents (AP) One child has died and more than 1,000 people have fallen ill in an Ecuadorean city after drinking water was contaminated by cow manure from farm runoff. The medical emergency began Thursday when more than 500 people were hospitalized and two-year-old Joselyn Patino died from a severe bacterial infection. Hospital official Patricio Nieto said E. coli bacteria (news - web sites) was responsible for the sickness. More than 1,000 people hospitalized with dysentery symptoms as outbreak spreads in southern Russia (Reuters)More than 1,000 people were hospitalized as of Saturday in a dysentery outbreak across southern Russia, emergency officials said. As of Saturday morning, 1,171 people, including 796 children under age 14, were hospitalized with suspected dysentery, said Alexander Lemeshev of the Emergency Situations Ministry. Authorities continued combing store shelves and seizing products from a dairy that has been blamed for the outbreak. The dairy, located in the town of Kropotkin in the Krasnodar region, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of Moscow, was shut down Wednesday and its products were banned from sale. Sunday - November 10, 2002 Anchorage, Alaska Associated Press Wire Alaska will receive federal disaster aid to help recover from the damage caused by last Sunday's big earthquake in the Interior. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says President George Bush authorized the assistance on Friday.Governor Knowles on Wednesday declared the area affected by the earthquake a disaster area. The governor said he was seeking 25 (M) million dollars to repair damaged highways. That led the way to the federal disaster declaration, and the freeing up of federal funds. FEMA says additional assistance could be designated later on. Tennessee - Associated Press WireA wide band of storms stretched from Louisiana to Ohio, with Tennessee and Alabama the hardest hit. The death toll included 12 in Tennessee, 10 in Alabama and five in Ohio, while 45 people were unaccounted for in the rural town of Mossy Grove, officials said.A tornado cut a swath five to six miles long just before 9 p.m. Sunday, killing seven people in the town about 40 miles west of Knoxville. Emergency crews relied on ham radio operators for communication since phone lines were knocked out by the storm.In Alabama, nine people died in Walker County as a line of thunderstorms packing high winds and spinning off tornadoes rolled through the northern part of the state, said Walker County Deputy Coroner Bob Green. Another person died in Cherokee County near the Georgia line, said Beverly Daniel, assistant director for emergency management services. Monday - November 11, 2002 Tornadoes Kill 35, Leave Dozens Missing (Reuters)Tornadoes described by one witness as sounding like a thundering herd of buffalo struck the eastern United States on Sunday and early on Monday in storms that wiped out small towns, killed at least 35 and left dozens missing. Tennessee appeared to be the hardest hit, with 17 confirmed deaths from storms including the rescue worker. Dozens were missing in the mountainous eastern part of the state near Knoxville, where much of the tiny mountain town of Mossy Grove was flattened. There were also 11 deaths in Alabama, five in Ohio, one in Mississippi and another in Pennsylvania where a man died in the collapse of a home near Pittsburgh during a storm that had not been confirmed as a tornado. Disaster Summary November 11 – 18, 2002 Joaquin Toro Monday, November 11 Airplane crashes after takeoff, killing 14 (AP) Manila, Philippines -- Investigators focused on possible engine failure after a twin-engine commuter airplane carrying 34 people, including tourists from Australia and Britain, crashed into Manila Bay minutes after takeoff. At least 14 of those aboard the 44-seat Fokker 27 were killed and 16 survived after being plucked from the murky. Peruvian Jungle Flood Kills 4 (AP) Lima, Peru -- A river flood brought on by heavy rains swept at least three children and one adult to their deaths in Peru's Amazon jungle. Inmates stabbed to death in Brazil jail riot (Reuters) Sao Paulo, Brazil -- Ten prisoners were stabbed to death during a 14-hour riot in a Sao Paulo, Brazil, prison. The riot at Franco da Rocha prison ended early today with nine inmates dead. Makeshift stiletto knives killed the victims. Volcanic cloud descends on Ecuador capital (AP) Quito, Ecuador -- A volcanic cloud descended on parts of Ecuador's capital on Monday, forcing the mayor to close schools and health officials to warn residents to protect themselves against respiratory ailments. The grayish sulfuric cloud came from the 11,775-foot (3,562-meter) Reventador volcano, which began erupting Nov. 3. The volcano is located 60 miles (95 kilometers) northeast of Quito, in a region where the Andes mountains butt up against Ecuador's Amazon rain forest. Tuesday, November 12 Venezuela violence leaves 1 dead (Reuters) Caracas, Venezuela -- One person was shot dead and at least 20 others were wounded by gunfire Tuesday when Venezuelan riot police battled militant supporters of President Hugo Chavez, who were protesting against an anti-Chavez Caracas mayor. Leading Colombian bishop kidnapped (AP) Bogota, Colombia -- One of Latin America's leading bishops was kidnapped as he went to hold a religious service in central Colombia in the latest attack on religious figures in this war-battered nation. Nicaraguan blast kills five soldiers (AP) Managua, Nicaragua -- A box of gunpowder exploded inside a military warehouse near Nicaragua's capital Tuesday, killing five soldiers and critically wounding five others, the army said. Afghan police fire on student protesters, killing 4 (AP) Kabul, Afghanistan -- Hundreds of students enraged over a lack of food and electricity in their dormitory clashed with police in violent demonstrations that carried into the morning Tuesday. At least four students were killed and dozens injured, witnesses and officials said. FDA Approves First Defibrillator Specifically For At-Home Use (AP) Washington, D.C. -- Federal health officials have approved sale of the first defibrillator specifically for at-home use, a machine that promises to help people jump-start the heart of a collapsed loved one before paramedics ever arrive. Wednesday, November 13 Violence flares at Caracas protests (AP) Caracas, Venezuela -- Clashes between Venezuelan troops and supporters of President Hugo Chavez killed one person, wounded 20 and prompted an appeal for peace from the head of the Organization of American States. Bullets wounded thirteen people and seven were injured by rubber bullets. Britain hit by firefighters strike (CNN) London, England -- "Green Goddess" fire tenders -- many 40 years old and with a top speed of just 35 mph -- went into action as Britain was hit by its first strike by firefighters in 25 years. Manned by a force of 19,000 servicemen and women, the lumbering vehicles are being seen as a poor substitute for the normal fire vehicles. Tens of thousands of firefighters walked out at 6:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Wednesday after rejecting an 11 percent pay rise. They are demanding 40 percent. President Declares Major Disaster For Tennessee Tornado Victims (FEMA) Washington, D. C. -- The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that President Bush has declared a major disaster for Tennessee, opening the way for the use of federal disaster funds to help meet the recovery. Homeland security bill clears House (CNN) Washington, D.C. -- The House of Representatives Wednesday passed a bill to create a Cabinet-level homeland security agency, and congressional leaders told President Bush they expect to have the measure on his desk by next week. The bill, passed by the House in a 299-121 vote, is a compromise measure, meant to break an impasse over labor rights and civil service protection for the estimated 170,000 workers in the proposed Department of Homeland Security. Thursday, November 14 Cyclone leaves 51 dead in Bengal (Times News Network) Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh -- Cyclone lashed eastern India and Bangladesh and there were at least 11 confirmed dead. The storm killed two people in India and at least nine in Bangladesh. The storm first hit the coast of the Indian state of West Bengal, packing winds of 40-45 miles per hour, but it weakened as it churned toward Bangladesh. Some 125 fishermen were still missing in India and about 40 in Bangladesh, officials said. President Declares Major Disaster For Alabama Storm Victims (FEMA) Washington, D. C. -- The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that President Bush has declared a major disaster for Alabama, opening the way for the use of federal disaster funds to help meet the recovery needs of families and businesses devastated by tornadoes and other recent violent weather. President Declares Major Disaster For Mississippi Tornado Damage (FEMA) Washington, D. C. -- The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that President Bush has declared a major disaster for Mississippi, opening the way for the use of federal disaster funds to help meet the recovery needs of families and businesses devastated by last weekend’s swarm of deadly tornadoes. Two soldiers killed in training accident (CNN) Washington, D.C. -- Two soldiers were killed when they were run over by a tank in an early morning training accident Thursday at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The soldiers, from the Army's 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, had been conducting urban combat training for about a week. Stricken tanker spills oil near Spain (BBC) La Coruna, Spain -- A stricken oil tanker has spilled thousands of tonnes of oil into the sea off the north-west coast of Spain as efforts to tow the ship out to sea continued. Most of the crew abandoned the tanker. The Prestige - Greek-owned and registered in the Bahamas - is thought to have been carrying 77,000 tons of oil. It is reported to have a crack in one of its oil tanks. Car bomb hits Colombia radio station (AP) Bogota, Colombia (AP) -- A car bomb exploded in front of a radio station in the northeastern town of Cucuta, wounding four people and severely damaging the studio. At Least 12 Security Men Dead in Nepal Rebel Raid (Reuters) Kathmandu, Nepal - At least 12 security men were killed when Maoist rebels, fighting to topple the constitutional monarchy, stormed a town in western Nepal and the death toll was expected to rise. Indonesia Volcano Sees Big Eruption (AP) Jakarta, Indonesia -- An Indonesian volcano that has been rumbling for five-days, spewed clouds of ash and smoke high into the air Friday in its biggest eruption yet, officials said. There were no reports of damage or casualties. Friday, November 15 12 Israelis killed in 'Sabbath massacre' (CNN) Hebron, West Bank -- Palestinian militants ambushed a group of Israeli Jews on their way home from prayer services Friday, killing at least 12, including the region's highest ranking military official, who was among soldiers who rushed to defend them, Israeli officials said. Another 16 people were wounded in the terror attack. At least one was in critical condition and three were in serious condition, the Israeli government said Two killed when parking garage collapses (CNN) Rockville, Maryland -- Part of a parking garage under construction collapsed Friday, killing at least two workers, injuring another and leaving a fourth missing. State's Top Fire Chief Urges NY Crisis Command (AP) New York, NY --The state’s top fire official has joined other experts in calling for New York City to establish a formal command system for emergencies such as the World Trade Center attack. Rebels hack to death nine people in north Uganda (AFP) Kampala, Uganda -- Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have hacked to death nine civilians during a raid in Lira district of northern Uganda. Bomb Explosion on Bus in Hyderabad, Pakistan Kills Two and Injures Nine (AP) Karachi, Pakistan -- A bomb hidden under a seat ripped through a bus as it prepared to depart from a station in the restive Pakistani city of Hyderabad early Friday, killing at least two people and injuring nine. Two small planes collide near New Jersey airport (AP) Fairfield, New Jersey -- Two single-engine planes collided near a small airport Friday night and plunged to the ground in a residential area, killing both pilots. Seven-story parking collapsed and killed two (AP) Rockville, Maryland --The collapse of a seven-story parking garage killed two. The workers were killed when the floors of the unfinished garage crashed down Friday afternoon. Another was hospitalized in critical condition. Two China fuel ships explode, injure 4 (Reuters) Beijin, China -- At least four people were hurt when two fuel ships exploded near the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, the China Daily said on Monday. A fire raged for more than 30 hours after the explosions, and more than 300 tonnes of diesel fuel had burned or leaked into the water, polluting an area of Guangzhou at the mouth of the Pearl River. Thousands of Rebels Raid Nepali Towns, 118 Dead (Reuters) Kathmandu, Nepal -- Thousands of Maoist rebels stormed two remote Nepali towns, fighting pitched battles with security forces in which at least 118 people were killed Saturday, November 16 Heavy rain has caused severe flooding (BBC) Scotland -- Two days of raind caused flooding. People had to be rescued from their homes in Moray, with the town of Elgin bearing the brunt of the damage from torrential rains. Three hundred people had to be moved to emergency accommodation with many staying overnight at school shelter. 45 hurt in nightclub gas incident (BBC) Stevenage, UK -- 45 people were taken ill at a Hertforshire nightclub after inhaling a gas similar to CS gas. Emergency services treated 25 people at the scene and a further 20 were taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage. Explosion injures five in central Nigeria (BBC) Ilorin, Nigeria -- Five people have been injured in what they say was a bomb attack on a newspaper office in the town of Ilorin in central Nigeria. Eyewitnesses say the blast on brought down the roof of the building of the National Pilot newspaper, trapping people inside. Rescuers find body of missing worker after garage collapse (AP) Rockville, Maryland -- Rescue crews on Saturday found the body of a construction worker missing since the collapse of a seven-story parking garage that killed two others. Blaze prompts village to declare state of emergency (AP) Seneca Falls, N.Y. -- A fire burning more than 1,000 tires at a recycling plant prompted the village to declare a state of emergency Saturday. The blaze started about 4:15 a.m. Saturday at Tire Solution International in the village 45 miles southeast of Rochester, Seneca Falls. The plant is near homes, a motel and an aluminum plant. Infestation so bad, county declares it to be an emergency (UNION-TRIBUNE) San Diego, CA -- San Diego County declared an emergency in an attempt to control a bark beetle infestation that aggravated summer's 16,700-acre wildfire. The bark beetle infestation has gotten so bad that the County Board of Supervisors this week declared an emergency, the first step the county must take to appeal for state and federal assistance. Five killed in road accident (PTI) Yamunanagar, India-- Five persons, including three women, were killed and 55 others injured when a truck carrying pilgrims skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Paonta Sahib. Takeover of city police inflames Venezuela conflict (Reuters) Caracas, Venezuela -- The government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday sent troops and armored vehicles to seize control of the Caracas city police from the capital's anti-Chavez mayor, drawing furious condemnation from political opponents. Earlier, gunfights broke out between rival police factions before National Guard troops backed by personnel carriers armed with machine guns deployed to take over police headquarters and other major stations around the city. Five dead in coach crash (BBC) Buckinghamshire, UK -- Police were today investigating the cause of a coach crash on the M25 motorway in which five people were killed and 40 injured, two critically. Sunday November 17 Nepal Bus Accident Kills Seven (AP) Katmandu, Nepal -- A crowded bus veered off a highway near the capital Katmandu on Sunday, killing at least seven people and injuring 48. Two Strong Earthquakes Shake Japan (AP) Tokyo, Japan -- Two strong earthquakes with preliminary magnitudes of 4.6 and 6.9 rocked Japan in quick succession Sunday. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The larger of the two was centered 255 miles below the seabed off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. Mudslides and floods hit Europe (Reuters) Zurich, Switzerland -- Torrential rain and strong winds have whipped across parts of Europe causing massive mudslides and severe flooding. Worst affected are Switzerland where a mud bank swept through the center of one town, Austria where a derailed train left one person dead, and northern Italy where a mother and daughter are feared dead after their car was swept away. Five killed in Jamaica shooting spree (Reuters) Kingston, Jamaica -- A group of gunmen opened fire on crowds of shoppers in three sections of Jamaica's capital, killing five, wounding 15 and spurring authorities to send more than 100 police and soldiers into the streets to prevent reprisals. The Caribbean nation of 2.7 million people has one of the world's highest murder rates, and much of the violence is attributed to inner-city gangs linked to drug- and gun-trafficking. Five drowned after boat sinks in Peru jungle (AP) Lima, Peru -- Five people drowned and about 30 were believed missing after an overloaded boat capsized on the Ucayali River in Peru's Amazon jungle, police said. The "Milita" sank stern-first shortly after picking up passengers and cargo at 4 a.m. in the village of Nuevo Cunchamaya, 310 miles (500 kilometers) northeast of Lima. New England slips, slides through ice storm (AP) Portland, Maine -- A nor'easter packing a dangerous mix of snow and freezing rain spread a destructive layer of ice across parts of New England, leaving thousands of people without electricity. Ice-covered pavement and downed trees made travel hazardous. Two highway deaths were blamed on the icy conditions in Maine. Tens of thousands of people in the Northeast were still without power early Monday, including more than 58,000 customers of Connecticut Light & Power. High wind in the forecast could bring more weakened limbs crashing down. Venezuelan Troops Fire Gas at Protesters (Reuters) Caracas, Venezuela -- Venezuelan National Guard troops fired tear gas and shotgun pellets to disperse anti-government demonstrators in Caracas on Monday in a new round of the struggle between leftist President Hugo Chavez and his political foes. Monday, November 18 Man Seizes 25 Children at Knifepoint in Spain (Reuters) Madrid, Spain -- A teenager with a knife took his sister and 19 other children hostage at his former school and held them for hours Monday until a plainclothes officer overpowered him while delivering a pizza Train Strikes 18-Wheeler in Texas Fort Worth, Texas (AP) — A freight train struck the trailer of an 18-wheeler at a rural crossing Monday and pushed it 250 yards down the track, injuring the driver. The accident happened on a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway track about 15 miles north of. Blasts Near U.S. Japan Base (AP) Tokyo, Japan -- Two explosions were reported late Monday outside a U.S. military base near Tokyo, and a projectile launcher was found near the site. Police suspected it was an attack and that leftist radicals may have been involved, no injuries or damage were reported. Venezuela Police, Protesters Clash (AP) Caracas, Venezuela (AP) — Soldiers fired tear gas to break up a demonstration Monday by citizens blocking a highway, the second clash in two days with protesters angered by President Hugo Chavez's militarization of the Caracas police. |