Appeals to high court on ‘don’t ask’

Appeals to high court on ‘don’t ask’

WASHINGTON

The Obama administration urged the Supreme Court on Wednesday to keep the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military in place while a federal appeals court considers the issue.

The administration filed court papers in defense of an appeals-court order that allowed “don’t ask, don’t tell” to go back into effect after a federal judge declared it unconstitutional and barred its enforcement. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is reviewing the administration’s appeal.

Log Cabin Republicans, a gay-rights group, has asked the Supreme Court to step into the case to reverse the appeals-court decision that has allowed “don’t ask, don’t tell” to remain in effect despite the order by U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips.

Iraqi PM to stay on

BAGHDAD

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will return to power for another four-year term after Iraqi lawmakers working late into the night Wednesday agreed on a tentative deal to form a new government, lawmakers said.

The deal breaks an eight-month impasse that paralyzed the government, encouraged insurgent attacks and rattled potential foreign investors.

Cruise passengers try to keep busy

SAN DIEGO

The food on the disabled cruise ship Carnival Splendor is cold, and the lines to get it stretch for hours.

And with the pool and casinos closed and rooms pitch-black and stuffy, the nearly 4,500 people and crew on board passed the time with live music, scavenger hunts and trivia contests as they are slowly towed to San Diego.

The bar also is open and offering free drinks.

Two tugboats were pulling the 952-foot ship back to the U.S. The journey could take at least until late today.

The Splendor left Long Beach on Sunday for a seven-day trip to the Mexican Riviera. The ship was 200 miles south of San Diego and about 44 miles off shore when the engine room fire killed its power.

No one was hurt, but those on board were left without air conditioning, hot water or Internet service. Most telephone service had been knocked out.

Pentagon: ‘Missile’ was probably plane

WASHINGTON

The Pentagon says that an airplane and not a missile launch was the likely cause of a large vapor trail in the skies off Southern California’s coast.

A CBS affiliate on Monday videotaped the vapor trail that many viewers thought resembled the cloudy track of a missile in flight. But military officials said they did not know of any rockets being launched in the area.

Defense Department spokesman Col. Dave Lapan says that officials are satisfied the phenomenon was an airplane vapor trail distorted by camera angle, winds and other environmental factors.

‘Barefoot Bandit’ indicted in Seattle

SEATTLE

The 19-year-old “Barefoot Bandit,” who is accused in a two-year string of thefts from Washington state to the Caribbean, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Seattle.

Colton Harris-Moore was indicted on charges including interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft and being a fugitive in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

“The grand jury action today is an important step in holding Colton Harris-Moore accountable for his criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.

Harris-Moore faces up to 10 years in prison each for four of the counts.

Associated Press