Karzai OKs teams to probe corruption

Karzai OKs teams to probe corruption

KABUL, Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s president pledged Friday to let Western-backed anti- corruption teams pursue investigations free from political interference after two rounds of candid talks with U.S. Sen. John Kerry that the lawmaker said were marked by “sometimes tough” conversation.

Kerry urged President Hamid Karzai to move quickly to combat corruption or risk losing support in the U.S. Congress.

Study: Astronauts very weak in space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.

Astronauts can become as weak as 80-year-olds after six months at the International Space Station, according to a new study that raises serious health concerns as NASA contemplates prolonged trips to asteroids and Mars.

Marquette University biologist Robert Fitts, who led the study, stresses that the accelerated space aging is temporary: Astronauts’ muscles recover after a few months back on Earth.

But what if a crew needed to make an emergency landing here on the home planet and rush from a burning spacecraft? What if an urgent spacewalk was needed for repairs? Would the Mars men and women even be able to muster the strength for routine work?

Astronauts can avoid becoming weaklings with more research and the right equipment for hitting the space gym, Fitts observed.

Brothers’ funeral

ORANGEBURG, S.C.

Hundreds of mourners struggling with the deaths of two South Carolina toddlers said goodbye Friday to the energetic, wide-eyed brothers who authorities say were killed by their mother.

People filed past the small white coffins containing the bodies of 2-year-old Devean Duley and 18-month-old Ja’van Duley.

Divers pulled the boys’ bodies from the North Edisto River on Monday morning. Their mother, Shaquan Duley, 29, was charged with two counts of murder after authorities say she confessed smothering the boys.

Dutch girl, 14, tries solo global sail

PORTIMAO, Portugal

A 14-year-old Dutch girl will set off today on a controversial attempt to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, her representatives said.

Laura Dekker’s ambition of completing the yearlong trip has fueled a global debate over the wisdom of allowing young sailors to take on the tremendous risks of sailing the high seas alone.

Iran to start reactor

BUSHEHR, Iran

Iranian and Russian nuclear technicians made final preparations to start up Iran’s first reactor today after years of delays, an operation that will mark a milestone in what Tehran considers its right to produce nuclear energy.

Nationwide celebrations are planned for the fuel loading at the Bushehr facility in southern Iran, while Russia pledges to safeguard the plant and prevent spent nuclear fuel from being shifted to a possible weapons program.

Filmmaker praises suspect in leaks

HAGERSTOWN, Md.

Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning filmmaker, will contribute $5,000 to help defend the Army private suspected of leaking classified documents to an Internet whistle-blower.

A champion of liberal and left-wing causes, Moore told The Associated Press in a telephone interview he also hopes to make the public understand that Pfc. Bradley Manning exposed what Moore called “war crimes.”

Manning, 22, faces up to 52 years in prison if convicted of downloading classified material and passing it to an unauthorized person while working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq.

Associated Press