Search continues for ranger shooter

Search continues for ranger shooter

MOAB, Utah

The search for a gunman accused of critically wounding a Utah park ranger stretched into a second day Sunday as helicopter and boat crews combed a rugged Utah canyon, and law officers broadened their pursuit to include a railroad line.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that more than 160 officers from around the state were searching an area near the Colorado River southwest of Moab, an area famous for red-rock canyons and natural arch formations.

The search near Dead Horse State Park began after Utah State Parks Ranger Brody Young, 34, of Moab, was shot three times Friday night while patrolling the popular Poison Spider Mesa Trail, authorities said.

Japanese justice minister resigns

TOKYO

The Japanese justice minister resigned today over comments that made light of his duty to respond to questioning in parliament, the latest blow to the ruling party as it struggles to keep Japan’s fragile economic recovery alive.

Minoru Yanagida had a press conference this morning in Tokyo to announce his resignation.

Excessive lead found in glasses

LOS ANGELES

Drinking glasses depicting comic-book and movie characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman and the Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz” exceed federal limits for lead in children’s products by up to 1,000 times, according to laboratory testing commissioned by The Associated Press.

The decorative enamel on the superhero and Oz sets — made in China and purchased at a Warner Brothers Studios store in Burbank — contained between 16 percent and 30.2 percent lead. The federal limit on children’s products is 0.03 percent.

St. Louis tops list of dangerous cities

TRENTON, N.J.

St. Louis overtook Camden, N.J., as the nation’s most-dangerous city in 2009, according to a national study released Sunday. The study by CQ Press found St. Louis had 2,070.1 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, compared with a national average of 429.4. That helped St. Louis beat out Camden, which topped last year’s list and was the most-dangerous city for 2003 and 2004.

For the second-straight year, the safest city with more than 75,000 residents was Colonie, N.Y.

Iran sets Feb. trial for 3 Americans

TEHRAN, Iran

The lawyer for three Americans facing espionage charges in Iran said Sunday that a new trial date of Feb. 6 has been set but that the judge has refused to allow him to meet with his clients to prepare a defense.

The trial was to have started Nov. 6, but authorities said they delayed it because one of the Americans, who was freed on bail, had not been summoned to return to the country to appear in court.

Man, 88, jailed in shooting of wife

SEAL BEACH, Calif.

Police say an 86-year-old woman was found shot to death in her bed at a Southern California nursing home, and her 88-year-old husband has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Seal Beach police Sgt. Steve Bowles says officers rushed to Country Villa Healthcare Center shortly after noon Sunday after a report of shots fired.

Bowles says that in the room, they found Clara Laird dead of a single gunshot wound to the head and her husband, Roy Charles Laird, sitting in a chair with a revolver in his pocket.

Associated Press