House censures veteran Rep. Rangel

House censures veteran Rep. Rangel

WASHINGTON

Veteran Rep. Charles Rangel, the raspy-voiced, backslapping former chairman of one of Congress’ most-powerful committees, was censured by his House colleagues for financial misconduct Thursday in a solemn moment of humiliation in the sunset of his career.

After the 333-79 vote, the 80-year-old Democrat from New York’s Harlem stood silently at the front of the House and faced Speaker Nancy Pelosi as she read him the formal resolution of censure.

Dozens die in forest fire in Israel

MEGADIM, Israel

Dozens of Israeli guards trying to rescue prisoners threatened by the worst forest fire in the country’s history died Thursday when their bus became trapped in the same inferno.

As the guards raced toward the prison holding mostly Palestinians, a lone tree fell across the road, blocking their path. With no way out, many of them were burned alive inside the vehicle. Others perished while trying to flee the flames fed by brush left tinder-dry by lack of rain.

When the smoke cleared, at least 36 were dead.

Child-nutrition bill goes to president

WASHINGTON

More children would eat lunches and dinners at school under legislation passed Thursday by the House and sent to the president, part of first lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood hunger and fight childhood obesity.

The $4.5 billion bill approved by the House 264-157 would also try to cut down on greasy foods and extra calories by giving the government power to decide what kinds of foods may be sold in vending machines and lunch lines.

Epidemic sparks witch-hunt in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti

Terror over a fast- spreading cholera epidemic has triggered a violent witch-hunt in rural Haiti in which locals have murdered at least 12 neighbors on accusations they used “black magic” to infect people, police said Thursday.

The fast-killing infection is new to Haiti, and there is widespread confusion and fear about the disease. In less than six weeks since the first case was confirmed in the country’s rural center, nearly 1,900 people have died and more than 84,000 been infected.

Congress acts to lower TV-ad volume

WASHINGTON

Here’s a message TV viewers may not want to mute: The days of getting blasted out of the easy chair by blaring TV commercials soon may be over.

The House gave final congressional approval Thursday to a bill that would prevent advertisers from abruptly raising the volume to catch the attention of viewers wandering off when regular programming is interrupted.

The legislation now heads to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Hundreds of vehicles stranded on I-90

BUFFALO, N.Y.

Hundreds of cold and hungry motorists spent hours Thursday stranded on a western New York highway after an accident caused a backup and the idling trucks and cars got stuck in heavy snow.

A Lake Erie-fed storm that began Wednesday and continued through Thursday buried parts of Buffalo and some suburbs under more than 2 feet of snow. Downtown Buffalo largely was spared.

Police closed Interstate 90 about 3 a.m. Thursday after a truck jackknifed the previous evening, and vehicles became backed up and buried in blowing snow.

Associated Press