Japan tracks mystery sub in its territorial waters

Japan tracks mystery subin its territorial waters
TOKYO -- Japan's military today shadowed an unidentified submarine that entered its territorial waters the day before, but officials said they had not yet figured out what country the intruder was from.
Tokyo put its navy on alert Wednesday after spotting the submarine off Japan's southern island of Okinawa, and sent a reconnaissance plane and destroyer to follow its movements.
The submarine, which spent two hours in Japanese waters before leaving, was heading north today, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda told a news conference.
He refused to confirm media reports that defense officials believe the vessel is from China, saying: "We don't have enough conclusive evidence to make a determination."
Stoning sentence quashed
DASS, Nigeria -- An Islamic court in northern Nigeria on Wednesday threw out a death by stoning sentence against a pregnant 18-year-old girl who had been condemned for adultery.
Judge Mohammed Mustapha Umar of the Upper Shariah Court in Dass, a rural town in Bauchi state, said a lower court was wrong to have convicted Hajara Ibrahim.
The judge said it was an error to sentence Ibrahim both to death for adultery and 100 lashes of the cane -- the punishment for pre-marital sex. The accused also was not given a chance to defend herself, the judge said.
Ibrahim, now seven months pregnant, was convicted of adultery Oct. 5 by an Islamic court in the remote town of Lere. A man she said was responsible for the pregnancy was freed for lack of evidence.
Foster mom pleads guilty
NEW YORK -- The foster mother of a disabled child who was found dead under a mountain of garbage at a city dump pleaded guilty Wednesday just as jury selection was to begin for her trial.
Renee Johnson, 51, pleaded guilty to improper disposal of a dead body and falsely reporting an incident in exchange for 60 days in jail and three years probation. She faced up to a year in jail if convicted after trial.
Johnson was accused of leaving the body of 8-year-old Stephanie Ramos in a plastic bag amid garbage sacks lining a Manhattan sidewalk. The child, with Johnson for two years, was blind and had cerebral palsy, diabetes and other ailments.
Johnson first told police Stephanie was missing but later admitted she had dumped the child after she died at the woman's home. Detectives found the girl's 28-pound body in July 2003 after sifting through garbage at a Bronx trash facility.
Violent political debate
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. -- Three high school students, one reportedly armed with a bat, were charged with attacking a pro-President Bush classmate after he reportedly said only gays would support Sen. John Kerry.
"It's a good thing to see young people interested and excited about politics," said Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom. "It's obviously very disturbing to see this kind of violence over it."
The 17-year-old was assaulted last Thursday in the high school parking lot following a class discussion about the election, authorities said. He was treated for cuts and bruises and released.
The alleged assailants have all been charged: one with felony assault -- because he reportedly went to his car to get a bat during the assault, prosecutors said -- one with misdemeanor assault and one with disorderly conduct.
Associated Press