Family holds funeral for beheaded hostage

Family holds funeralfor beheaded hostage
PORT ST. JOHN, Fla. -- Family and friends of an American contractor kidnapped and beheaded in Saudi Arabia gathered for a funeral Saturday, more than two months after the engineer disappeared.
About 100 people attended services for Paul M. Johnson Jr., who once lived in Florida and had worked in Saudi Arabia for Lockheed Martin for more than a decade.
Johnson was kidnapped June 12 by militants in Riyadh who demanded the release of Al-Qaida prisoners in exchange for the 49-year-old's life. Photographs and a video of the beheading were later posted on the Internet.
Hours later, Saudi security forces shot and killed Abdulaziz al-Moqrin, alleged mastermind of Johnson's kidnapping and murder.
Not all of Johnson's remains were recovered, but the family thought it was time for a funeral. "This is not a full closure, but it is some closure," said Johnson's son, Paul M. Johnson III.
Johnson's remains will be cremated and sent to Thailand. His widow is a native of Thailand, and the couple had planned to move there after Johnson's contract expired.
Couple to be sentencedfor letting dog attack kids
HILLSBORO, Ore. -- A couple face at least three years in prison for disciplining their young children by letting their part-pit bull dog attack them.
Joyce Hoskins, 47, and David Hoskins, 46, pleaded guilty Friday to three counts each of assault and were being held without bail.
Investigators said the couple disciplined their 8-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son by allowing their dog Nigel -- a mix of pit bull terrier, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd and Labrador retriever -- to attack them.
The attacks took place over two years and both children suffered bites that required treatment, investigators said.
The children are now in foster homes and the dog has been euthanized.
Judge Marco Hernandez said he would sentence Joyce Hoskins to no more than three years, two months because she has limited mental capacities. Deputy District Attorney Andrew Erwin said he would argue for a longer sentence for David Hoskins.
Bluegrass legend dies
GORDONSVILLE, Va. -- Bluegrass legend Charlie Waller, a self-taught guitarist and vocalist who founded the Country Gentlemen band, died Wednesday, his family said. He was 69.
Waller had been in poor health for the last five years, family members said.
He started playing guitar and singing when he was about 12 years old.
The Country Gentlemen formed in 1957 in Washington, and Waller was still playing with the band, along with his son, Randy, until his death.
The band is known for its singing and virtuoso instrumentals and expanded the definition of "bluegrass," making a name for itself by drawing a wide audience, from traditional country and bluegrass fans to folk and soft rock listeners.
Storm injures 10 campers
HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. -- The owners of a campground where a powerful storm left 10 people injured began cleaning up Saturday while campers who were hurt recovered in local hospitals.
The narrow, localized thunderstorm moved in Friday night, trapping people under downed trees and toppling power lines in Wakeda Campground and on roads leading to it, police said.
"Whole families have shown up with their work gloves on, and husbands with chain saws, so we've had a very productive day," said Karen Bark, co-owner of the campground.
Eight people were hospitalized in stable condition Saturday afternoon, Bark said. One was in critical condition, and the other in guarded condition.
"People were just screaming," said Rebecca Duclos of Manchester, who was camping with her husband and two children.
Terror suspects arrested
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan has arrested at least five Al-Qaida-linked terrorists who were plotting suicide attacks on government leaders and the U.S. Embassy, officials announced Saturday.
Security forces captured five or six suspects -- one Egyptian, the others Pakistani -- in the past week across the country, and seized some weapons, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told reporters.
He said authorities were hunting for four to five other suspects, and that those already detained had "wanted to kill hundreds of innocent people" and cause unrest in Pakistan.
Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayyat told The Associated Press, however, that a "gang" of a dozen suspects was captured.
Associated Press