D.C. residents start applying for gun permits

July 18, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that overturned Washington’s 32-year-old handgun ban was the first to arrive Thursday as the city began registering firearms.

But security guard Dick Heller was turned away from police headquarters because he didn’t bring his weapon as required.

Thursday marked the first day that District of Columbia residents could begin registering or applying for handguns since the Supreme Court struck down one of the strictest gun laws in the nation. Heller complained, however, that city officials were still making it difficult to register his firearm and exercise his constitutional right to bear arms.

Southern states rank at the top for obesity

ATLANTA — The South tips the scales again as the nation’s fattest region, according to a new government survey.

More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee are considered obese. In part, experts blame Southern eating habits, poverty and demographic groups that have higher obesity rates.

Colorado was the least obese, with about 19 percent fitting that category in a random telephone survey done last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2007 findings are similar to results from the same survey the three previous years. Mississippi has had the highest obesity rate every year since 2004. But Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia and Louisiana have also clustered near the top of the list, often so close that the difference between their rates and Mississippi’s may not be statistically significant.

Bush offers federal aid in battling Calif. wildfires

REDDING, Calif. — President Bush offered federal help and encouragement Thursday to some of the 25,000 firefighters working under a blazing sun to contain wildfires that make up the single largest fire event ever recorded in California.

Since a huge lightning storm June 21, about 2,010 separate fires have ignited across California, ravaging nearly 900,000 acres. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in 12 counties affected by the wildfires and has called in the California National Guard to help.

“The weather is stable — steady hot and dry inland,” said Jason Kirchner, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. “Our folks are grinding away on these fires, making progress, but it’s coming slow and it’s a lot of work.”

Iran briefs Syria on nuclear program standoff

DAMASCUS, Syria — Iran’s foreign minister briefed Syria’s president Thursday on the international standoff over his country’s nuclear program.

The meeting in Damascus signaled Syria’s willingness to act on a request by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to try to help resolve the crisis by pushing Iran to cooperate with the international community.

Iran’s foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, welcomed a Syrian role in trying to ease the tension, Syria’s official SANA news agency reported. Speaking at a news conference, he added that Iran has always kept the Syrians informed of developments in the standoff with the United States and its European allies.

Hurricane Elida weakens; Fausto gains strength

MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Elida weakened to a Category 1 storm off Mexico on Thursday, while Tropical Storm Fausto continued to gain strength.

Both storms were well off Mexico’s Pacific coast and not expected to threaten land.

Tropical Storm Fausto had maximum sustained winds near 60 mph and was expected to become a hurricane as early as today, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Fausto was centered 430 miles south of Manzanillo and was moving west-northwest at 15 mph.

Farther off the coast, Hurricane Elida was downgraded to a Category 1 storm as its maximum sustained winds dropped to 80 mph, down from 100 mph.

Associated Press