US fires drone in Pakistan

US fires drone in Pakistan

WASHINGTON

The U.S. on Tuesday fired off its first drone strike into Pakistan since the errant Nov. 25 airstrikes by U.S. forces that killed two dozen Pakistani troops at two posts along the mountainous border.

A U.S. official says the strike, likely from a CIA drone, occurred Tuesday afternoon.

U.S. officials say there had been no promise by the U.S. government that such drone operations would be avoided, but the lull was part of a broad effort to tamp down tensions with Pakistan.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the drone operations are classified.

Miss. governor pardons killers

JACKSON, Miss

In his final days as Mississippi governor, Republican Haley Barbour gave pardons or early release to nearly 200 people, including more than two dozen whose crimes were listed as murder, manslaughter or homicide.

State records released Tuesday show some of the convicted killers were pardoned, while others were given medical or conditional releases. Barbour had released five other convicted killers in 2008. One of them had been granted a conditional release and was pardoned this time.

Relatives of crime victims had voiced outrage Monday after it was revealed that Barbour had pardoned four convicted murderers. Those men had worked at the Governor’s Mansion as part of a prison trusty program.

Snow-weary city has shovel shortage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska

An Alaska community blitzed by nearly 15 feet of snow was hit by another storm Tuesday and a new problem — a shortage of shovels.

A spokesman for the city of Cordova said officials had tried Anchorage, Fairbanks and other cities and finally turned to a manufacturer for a special order.

The snow-weary city of 2,200 was promised new shovels to be manufactured Thursday and delivered two days later — but it will be too late for the “couple more feet” of snow that touched down Tuesday, accompanied by winds of 25 to 40 mph and gusts to 55.

Earthquake hits western Indonesia

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia

A powerful earthquake hit waters off western Indonesia early today, prompting officials briefly to issue a tsunami warning. Panicked residents poured into the streets, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.3 quake struck 260 miles off the coast of Aceh province just after midnight. It was centered 18 miles beneath the ocean floor.

Dying inmate OK’d for hospice

MINEOLA, N.Y.

A New York woman who lost her chance for a life-saving heart transplant by continuing to commit crimes and being jailed is being permitted to spend her dying days in hospice care.

A Nassau County District Court judge ruled Tuesday that 48-year-old Diane McCloud can be released from jail. McCloud’s lawyer told the judge she has only weeks to live. A physician confirmed that’s the case.

The judge had freed McCloud last January so she could apply for a transplant waiting list while receiving government aid unavailable to inmates. But McCloud was arrested again after shoplifting at three drugstores and pleaded guilty to petty larceny.

The judge resentenced her to the 15 months he had forgiven and added a year for the new charges.

Attorney Leonard Isaacs says McCloud is no longer transplant-eligible.

Associated Press