5 killed in fiery crash on New Jersey Turnpike

April 27, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — Five people killed when their car was struck by a tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike and burst into flames this weekend were acquaintances in their 70s, including a married couple, headed to a gathering.

Their car had been stopped in traffic Saturday afternoon in the right southbound lane in Mount Laurel, a Philadelphia suburb. It shot into the center lane with them trapped inside, triggering crashes involving six other vehicles.

State police identified the victims as married Passaic residents Jeanette Urbano, 72, and Salvatore Urbano, 74, and Kearny residents Anna Kane, 76, Rose Kane, 75, and Francis Kane, 78. They said it’s believed that two of the Kanes were married and the third was related to them and that the group was headed to a function, possibly a wedding, in southern Jersey.

Three New York City area residents in another car were seriously injured in the accident, which initially was reported as a 10-vehicle wreck.

Clinton says U.S. won’t ‘sell out’ Lebanon

BEIRUT — Ahead of an election that could oust the U.S.-backed Beirut government, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that Washington supports “voices of moderation” and never will make a deal with Syria that “sells out” Lebanon’s interests.

The June 7 vote could boost the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its allies, possibly paving the way for renewed Syrian influence over Lebanon.

“The people of Lebanon must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections without the specter of violence or intimidation and free of outside interference,” Clinton told a news conference after meeting with President Michel Suleiman.

Investors likely on edge awaiting earnings reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The wait for news about the government’s stress tests of big banks and a crush of earnings reports are likely to keep Wall Street on edge this week.

Investors whose burst of optimism sent stocks higher Friday will see if their bets — which came in part on some stronger-than-expected earnings reports — were well-founded. Hundreds of companies will be reporting their first-quarter results and their outlooks for the coming months.

“Companies that are being challenged will continue to be challenged, but the market is looking past what happened last quarter and looking more ahead to what’s going to happen later this year,” said Jason Ronovech, portfolio manager for Paradigm Capital Management in Albany, N.Y.

Among the hundreds of companies due to report are big names including Aetna Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp., MasterCard Inc., MetLife Inc., Pfizer Inc., Reynolds American Inc., Starbucks Corp., Sun Microsystems Inc. and Visa Inc.

Fans fixate on Beyonc as ‘Obsessed’ debuts

LOS ANGELES — Audiences were in the mood for some fatal attraction action at the box office.

Beyonc Knowles and Idris Elba’s “Obsessed” debuted as the top weekend movie with $28.5 million in ticket sales. The Sony Screen Gems thriller stars Knowles and Elba as a couple whose ideal marriage lands on the rocks after a psychotic temp played by Ali Larter begins stalking the husband.

The strong opening for “Obsessed” helped maintain Hollywood’s hot streak, with overall revenues at about $112 million, up 23.5 percent from the same weekend last year, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

Swiss Alps voters ban hiking in the nude

APPENZELL, Switzerland (AP) — Voters in the heart of the Swiss Alps have banned naked hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their picturesque region.

By a show of hands citizens of the tiny canton (state) of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a $176 fine on violators.

Only a scattering of people Sunday opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn.

The cantonal government recommended the ban after determining that citizens had found nude hiking to be “thoroughly disturbing and irritating.”

A similar legal move is expected in neighboring Appenzell Outer Rhodes with legislation being prepared against “this shameless behavior.”

Associated Press