Troops kill 45 insurgents

Troops kill 45 insurgents
KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghan and coalition troops killed about 45 insurgents in attacks on Taliban camps in southern Afghanistan as U.S.-led forces pressed on with their largest offensive since 2001, military officials said Saturday.
A total of about 85 suspected militants have been killed in the past week as some 10,000 U.S.-led troops spread out over four southern provinces in the campaign dubbed Operation Mountain Thrust aimed at quelling a Taliban resurgence.
Among those killed were financiers, bomb-making cell members, and leaders in the area responsible for attacks against Afghan civilians and the army, the military said.
NASA chooses flight date
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Saturday, NASA managers picked July 1 to launch the first space shuttle in almost a year, despite recommendations against a liftoff attempt by the space agency's chief engineer and safety offices.
The decision to launch Discovery on a trip to the international space station was made after two days of meetings by NASA's top managers and engineers at the Kennedy Space Center.
During a poll of top managers, representatives from NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance and the Office of the Chief Engineer recommended against flying until further design changes are made to the external fuel tank. Despite their recommendations, the dissenting managers didn't object to making a launch, NASA officials said.
Celebrating queen's 80th
LONDON -- British soldiers in tall bearskin hats marched before Queen Elizabeth II and military jets saluted her with a flyby over Buckingham Palace on Saturday in the second round of celebrations of her 80th birthday.
Thousands of Londoners and tourists -- many waving small Union Jack flags -- yelled "Happy Birthday!" to the queen, who waved back with a white-gloved hand.
The celebration was nearly interrupted when two father's rights activists wearing only Union Jack boxer shorts attempted to hurl themselves in front the queen's carriage.
The two men, members of a group campaigning to give fathers in broken families greater access to their children, were quickly arrested, a police spokeswoman said.
Man charged in killings
LAKE MARY, Fla. -- A man was charged with fatally stabbing his wife and son on the boy's 11th birthday, authorities said Saturday.
Seminole County Sheriff's Lt. Dennis Lemma said Franklyn Duzant chased his son, Nico, to a neighbor's front yard Friday and repeatedly stabbed the boy.
Authorities went to the family's home and found the body of 52-year-old Evangeline Duzant, Lemma said.
Franklyn Duzant, 40, has been charged with two counts of first-degree, premeditated murder.
"It was just an absolute gruesome scene," Lemma said. "We're trying to repaint the picture of what led up to this."
Associated Press