11,000 in Serbia trapped by snow

11,000 in Serbia trapped by snow

BELGRADE, Serbia

At least 11,000 villagers have been trapped by heavy snow and blizzards in Serbia’s mountains, authorities said Thursday, as the death toll from Eastern Europe’s weeklong deep freeze rose to 123, many of them homeless people.

The harshest winter in decades has seen temperatures in some regions dropping to minus 22 F and below, and has caused power outages, traffic chaos and the widespread closure of schools, nurseries and airports.

The stranded in Serbia are stuck in some 6,500 homes in remote areas that cannot be reached due to icy, snow-clogged roads with banks reaching up to 16 feet.

US no-fly list doubles in one year

WASHINGTON

The Obama administration has more than doubled, to about 21,000 names, its secret list of suspected terrorists who are banned from flying to or within the United States, including about 500 Americans, The Associated Press has learned. The government lowered the bar for being added to the list, even as it says it’s closer than ever to defeating al-Qaida.

The size of the government’s secret no-fly list has jumped from about 10,000 in the past year, according to government figures provided to the AP.

Document: NYPD targeted Shiites

NEW YORK

The New York Police Department recommended increasing surveillance of thousands of Shiite Muslims and their mosques, based solely on their religion, as a way to sweep the Northeast for signs of Iranian terrorists, according to interviews and a newly obtained secret police document. The document offers a rare glimpse into the thinking of NYPD intelligence officers and how, when looking for potential threats, they focused their spying efforts on mosques and Muslims. Police analysts listed a dozen mosques from central Connecticut to the Philadelphia suburbs. None has been linked to terrorism, either in the document or publicly by federal agencies.

Roseanne Barr seeks Green bid

WASHINGTON

Roseanne Barr said Thursday she’s running for the Green Party’s presidential nomination — and it’s no joke. The actress-comedian said in a statement that she’s a longtime supporter of the party and looks forward to working with people who share her values. She said the two major parties aren’t serving the American people.

250 saved from ship in Papua New Guinea

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea

Rescuers battling big waves and strong winds have pulled nearly 250 people from the sea off Papua New Guinea’s east coast after a ferry sank, but more than 110 people remained missing today.

Crews in ships, planes and helicopters continued to scour the warm seas. Papua New Guinea’s National Maritime Safety Authority rescue coordinator Capt. Nurur Rahman said he had not given up hope of finding more survivors, though the swell and winds were rising and some victims may have been trapped inside the sunken ferry.

Police link 2 more deaths to veteran

ANAHEIM, Calif.

An ex-Marine charged with killing four homeless men in Orange County has been linked to the stabbing deaths of a woman and her son, Anaheim police said Thursday.

Investigators determined there is an association between the ex-Marine, Itzcoatl Ocampo, and Eder Herrera, who is charged in the deaths of his mother and his brother, and remains in custody, Anaheim police Lt. Julian Harvey said.

Associated Press