Prince slightly wounded

Prince slightly wounded

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The official Saudi news agency says a wanted militant has blown himself up in an apparent assassination attempt against one of the senior princes involved in the kingdom’s aggressive anti-terror campaign.

The Saudi Press Agency says the man was being searched by security before going in to offer Ramadan greetings to the assistant interior minister, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, when he blew himself up late Thursday.

It says the prince was lightly wounded and nobody else was seriously injured.

Md. lawmaker reimburses Baltimore $300 for stunt

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Maryland lawmaker reimbursed the city of Baltimore $300 Thursday for a marriage-proposal stunt that involved police, writing on his Web site he hopes officers won’t be blamed.

On Aug. 7, police boarded a boat that Delegate Jon Cardin and his fianc e were on with friends in the Inner Harbor and pretended to search for contraband until Cardin popped the question. A police helicopter flew overhead. In an earlier posting, Cardin said he and his best friend dreamed up the scenario.

“I take full responsibility for initiating this incident,” wrote the Baltimore County Democrat. He also wrote that he has made a separate contribution to the city’s 121-year-old mounted police unit, whose existence has been threatened by budget woes.

He also apologized to his intended, Megan Homer, of Rockville, who did accept his proposal.

Pot operation in park

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — A section of this Sierra Nevada national park was closed to visitors Thursday while rangers helicoptered in to destroy a sizable marijuana-growing operation just a half-mile away from a crystal-filled cave popular with tourists.

Authorities said the proximity of the pot plants to such a heavily trafficked tourist site was unusual and reflects a newfound boldness among growers, who are now planting marijuana near trails and access roads at an increasing number of parks.

Koreas close to agreement

SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea were close to agreement today on a schedule for reuniting families long separated by the Korean War, in rare talks taking place amid Pyongyang’s push to reach out to Seoul and Washington, reports said.

Red Cross officials from the two sides were expected to wrap up three days of talks with an accord to hold six days of temporary reunions involving a total of 200 families from Sept. 26, according to reports in local media accredited to cover the talks. They cited an unidentified South Korean delegate.

However, the sides failed to reach agreement on how to address the issue of hundreds of South Korean prisoners of war and civilian abductees believed alive in the North, because the communist nation refused to discuss the matter, the official was cited as saying.

Sanford blasts lawmakers

COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the second day in a row, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford took the fight to his critics, traveling on short notice to Greenville, S.C., to take jabs at fellow lawmakers and past governors but avoiding questions from reporters.

Sanford stood across the street Thursday from the law office of a fellow Republican, state Sen. David Thomas, whose subcommittee is investigating Sanford’s travel.

Sanford accused Thomas of failing to conduct a real investigation, instead seeking publicity to bolster his campaign to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis.

Later, Thomas defended his investigation as a search for the truth, adding Sanford is acting strangely and confrontational.

“If he’s going to do a real investigation, then do one,” said Sanford, who on Wednesday sent documents — at Thomas’ request — showing the state has used taxpayer money to buy 230 business-class tickets over the past 25 years for lawmakers, state staffers and past governors.

18 die in blast in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A suicide bombing at the main border crossing for NATO convoys traveling between Pakistan and Afghanistan killed at least 18 Pakistani security officers Thursday, according to witnesses and officials.

The bomber blew himself up amid the government offices and barracks of the Torkham checkpoint in northern Pakistan as guards were preparing to break their fast with the evening meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Dozens of officers were injured, officials said.

Combined dispatches