hWind gives pope wings

hWind gives pope wings

VIENNA, Austria — Pope Benedict XVI, battling high winds and rain, ended a three-day pilgrimage to Austria on Sunday, telling Catholics to keep Sundays holy and to dedicate themselves to volunteer work to spread “the Christian image of God.” With those themes, Benedict homed in on two aspects of Christian life at which Austrians are particularly adept. Despite disaffection with the once-powerful church here, Austria remains one of Europe’s last countries banning most commercial activity on Sundays, and Austria is a leading force in social charity work.

Overpass falls in India

HYDERABAD, India — A highway overpass under construction in southern India collapsed Sunday, crushing vehicles and pedestrians taking shelter from a rainstorm. At least 20 people were feared dead, police said. Several people were believed still trapped in the rubble after the accident. The overpass was being built to connect a posh residential neighborhood to a busy commercial area in the city.

BYU coed’s body found

PROVO, Utah — The body of a Brigham Young University student missing for more than a week was found in a canyon Sunday, authorities said, and investigators were trying to determine how she fell to her death. The body of Camille Cleverley, 22, was found at the base of a 200-foot cliff east of Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon, said Utah County Sheriff James O. Tracy. Cleverley’s father, Joel, identified her at the scene, Tracy said, and it appeared that she had been dead for several days. Provo police Capt. Cliff Argyle said the woman’s body had injuries consistent with a fall, but it was too early to rule out foul play.

Shallow grave holds 2 kids

SUGAR CREEK, Mo. — Police looking for two children missing since 2004 found a shallow grave Sunday containing human bones, and the children’s mother said she had been told they were likely the remains of her son and daughter. Tina Porter told the Kansas City Star that Independence police officers arrived at her house Sunday morning to tell her that they had found the remains of her children, Sam and Lindsey Porter, in the woods in Sugar Creek, about eight miles from Kansas City.

False tip in Fossett search

RENO, Nev. — Rescue crews searching for famed millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett stumbled upon another false lead Sunday when they discovered what they thought was a downed airplane — but didn’t find the missing aviator. “Once again, you had your hopes raised and dashed, just as we have,” Nevada Civil Air Patrol Maj. Cynthia Ryan told reporters during a news conference. Rescue crews spotted an object southeast of the private ranch where Fossett was staying 80 miles southeast of Reno when he took off a week ago for what was supposed to be a three-hour flight. Authorities did not say what the sighting was, only that it wasn’t Fossett’s plane. The false alarm further dampened spirits of the rescuers, whose chances of finding the 63-year-old Fossett alive in the concealing landscape of western Nevada are becoming slim.

Storm Gabrielle wimps out

NAGS HEAD, N.C. — The fishing pier Charlie Brewer visits nearly every day was swaying Sunday in the strong winds and heavy surf stirred by Tropical Storm Gabrielle. It wasn’t nearly enough to keep him from kicking back with a rod, beer and a cigarette. “This storm’s a joke,” said the 46-year-old Nags Head resident. “It’s just making the fishing a little more interesting.” Along the North Carolina shore, Gabrielle packed little punch Sunday as she crawled along the state’s Outer Banks.

Carpenter can work nude

OAKLAND, Calif. — A carpenter caught hammering nails and sawing wood in the nude has been found by a judge to be innocent of indecent exposure. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Julie Conger ruled last week that although Percy Honniball of Oakland was naked, he was not acting lewdly or seeking sexual gratification. Honniball, 51, was arrested last year after he was spotted building cabinets in the buff at a home where he had been hired to work. The carpenter has said he likes to work in the nude because it’s more comfortable and it helps him keep his clothes clean.

Combined dispatches