Where satellite fell may remain mystery

Where satellite fell may remain mystery

WASHINGTON

It’s as big as a bus and weighs 6 tons, but officials probably will never be able to pinpoint exactly where a massive NASA satellite plummeted to Earth.

NASA space-junk scientists believe that all — or nearly all — of the parts of their 20-year-old dead satellite safely plunged into the Pacific Ocean, likely missing land. But if their estimates are off by only five minutes or so, fiery pieces could have fallen on parts of northwestern North America.

No injuries or damage have been reported on land, which NASA officials said was a good indication the satellite went into the ocean.

UBS CEO resigns

GENEVA

UBS chief executive Oswald Gruebel has resigned over a $2.3 billion loss caused by rogue trading at its investment division, which is to be restructured to prevent similar incidents in the future, the Swiss bank said Saturday. Gruebel, who had come under heavy pressure from shareholders over the scandal, said he hoped his resignation would allow the bank to restore its reputation in the eyes of clients and investors.

Clark’s descendants replace stolen canoe

LONG BEACH, Wash.

It was a long time coming, but the descendants of explorer William Clark have tried to make amends for a 205-year-old theft.

A descendant of the explorer in the Corps of Discovery expedition that opened a land route to the West presented the Chinook Indian Nation with a replica of a canoe that the corps stole in 1806.

Some of Clark’s descendants and a few donors stepped forward to pay for the canoe, which was custom built in Veneta, Ore. The five-hour ceremony Saturday included songs, gift exchanges and the maiden voyage of the replica canoe.

Putin to run for Russian presidency

MOSCOW

Vladimir Putin’s decision to reclaim the presidency next year sets up the possibility that he could rule Russia until 2024 and foreshadows a continuation of the strongman rule that many in the West have called a retreat from democracy. Although Putin departed the Kremlin in 2008 due to term limits and moved about 1.5 miles down the road to the prime minister’s office, in a sense he never left at all.

Millionaire guilty of wife’s murder

ORLANDO, Fla.

A millionaire developer who lived in the same central Florida neighborhood as Tiger Woods and other celebrities was convicted Saturday of murdering his wife in their mansion.

The six jurors deliberated more than 12 hours over two days before finding Bob Ward guilty of second- degree murder.

He faces up to life in prison when he’s sentenced in November.

2 freed Americans to arrive home today

MUSCAT, Oman

Two Americans freed from an Iranian prison told reporters Saturday they were “eager to go home” just before boarding their flight to the U.S. from Oman, the Gulf state that helped mediate their release after more than two years in custody on accusations of spying.

Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer were scheduled to arrive home today, according to Samantha Topping, a spokeswoman for their families. The two were released from Tehran’s Evin prison under a $1 million bail deal and arrived in Oman on Wednesday in the first leg of their journey home. There they were reunited with joyful relatives.

Associated Press