Islamic State reportedly using chlorine bombs

Islamic State reportedly using chlorine bombs

MURSITPINAR, Turkey

New allegations have emerged that Islamic State extremists have expanded their arsenal with chlorine bombs and captured fighter jets — weapons that could help the militants in Iraq and Syria.

Kurdish fighters in the key Syrian border town of Kobani have held off a month-long offensive by the Islamic State group with the help of a U.S.-led campaign of airstrikes.

In Iraq, officials said Islamic State militants used chlorine gas during fighting with security forces and Shiite militiamen last month north of Baghdad. If the reports are confirmed, it would be the first time the Sunni extremists tried to use chlorine since their seizure of large parts of Syria and northern Iraq earlier this year.

Authorities confirm remains belong to missing student

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.

Remains found nearly a week ago in a rural area of Virginia are those of a missing university student, authorities said Friday, as they turned their attention to filing possible additional charges against the suspect accused of abducting her.

University of Virginia sophomore Hannah Graham, 18, disappeared Sept. 13 after a night out with friends. The remains were found Oct. 18 about 12 miles from the Charlottesville campus, in a heavily wooded area of Albemarle County that is home to rolling hills and horse farms.

The state Medical Examiner’s office confirmed that the remains were Graham’s, the Albermarle County Police Department said in a statement Friday.

Suspect arrested in death of 2 deputies

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

A suspect was arrested Friday afternoon after two Northern California deputy sheriffs were killed during a series of shootings that spanned about six hours and 30 miles across two Northern California counties. A third deputy and a bystander also were shot during the spree.

Marcelo Marquez, 34, was taken alive Friday afternoon from a home in Auburn after the initial shooting hours earlier in a Sacramento commercial area, Placer County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Dena Erwin said.

“This guy was on a one-man crime spree today. He has no idea of the damage he did,” she said.

The four shootings sparked a massive manhunt by multiple agencies backed by search dogs, helicopters and armored vehicles. Residents nearby were told to stay indoors, and schools were locked down during the search.

Putin accuses US of hurting stability

MOSCOW

President Vladimir Putin of Russia said Friday that the world is becoming an increasingly dangerous place because of U.S. attempts to enforce its will on other countries and that his nation will not comply.

In an emotional speech before international political experts, Putin unleashed scathing criticism of the United States for what he called its disregard of international law and unilateral use of force.

If the United State fails to abandon its “desire of eternal domination,” then “hopes for peaceful and stable development will be illusory, and today’s upheavals will herald the collapse of global world order,” Putin said during a meeting that lasted about three hours in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Associated Press