Dump-truck crash closes I-90 in Ohio

Dump-truck crash closes I-90 in Ohio

CLEVELAND

A heavily trafficked Ohio interstate is shut down until further notice after a dump truck traveling with its bed raised slammed into a pedestrian bridge.

Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Ziaja says no one was hurt when the truck hit the bridge spanning Interstate 90 about 6 a.m. Saturday.

The accident caused part of the truck’s bed to flip over while its cab continued on a short distance. Part of the walkway was ripped away from its base.

The interstate is closed in both directions while workers remove the badly damaged bridge. Ziaja says he hopes the interstate will be open in time for the Monday morning commute.

Syrian rebels free UN peacekeepers

BEIRUT

Rebels in southern Syria freed 21 U.N. peacekeepers on Saturday after holding them hostage for four days, driving them to the border with Jordan after accusations from Western officials that the little-known group had tarnished the image of those fighting to topple President Bashar Assad.

The abduction and the tortured negotiations that ended it highlight the disorganization of the rebel movement, which has hindered its ability to fight Assad and complicates vows by the U.S. and others to provide assistance.

Ill. GOP ends try to oust chairman

CHICAGO

The Illinois Republican Party’s central committee backed off an attempt to fire party chairman Pat Brady on Saturday, amid concern that ousting him because of his support for gay marriage could damage GOP efforts to appeal to more-moderate voters.

Brady became a target of some socially conservative members of the party when he spoke out in favor of a bill before the Legislature earlier this year that would end Illinois’ ban on same-sex marriage.

Committeemen had scheduled a Saturday meeting to consider firing him, but it was canceled late Friday, partly because it became clear there weren’t enough votes to remove Brady.

Kenya vote winner gets 50.07 percent

NAIROBI, Kenya

Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s founding father, was named the winner of the country’s presidential election Saturday with 50.07 percent of the vote, but his opponent refused to concede, alleging multiple failures in the election’s integrity that he said has put Kenyan democracy on trial.

Supporters of Kenyatta — a man accused by an international court of helping to orchestrate the vicious violence that marred the nation’s last vote — flooded the streets, celebrating in a parade of red, his campaign’s color.

Refusing to accept defeat, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the election process experienced multiple failures as he announced plans to petition the Supreme Court.

State tourism official assassinated

MEXICO CITY

Authorities in Mexico’s western Jalisco state say the recently appointed state tourism minister has been assassinated.

State officials say Jose de Jesus Gallegos Alvarez was shot Saturday while driving in Zapopan outside Guadalajara, which is Mexico’s second-largest city.

State Government General Secretary Arturo Zamora says a preliminary investigation indicates that the attack may have to do with Gallegos’ private business dealings and not his recent appointment as Jalisco’s tourism secretary.

Jalisco attracts many tourists as the birthplace of popular Mexican traditions, including mariachi music and tequila production.

Associated Press