Gunmen attack air force base in northern India

Gunmen attack air force base in northern India

NEW DELHI

At least four gunmen entered an Indian air force base near the border with Pakistan this morning and exchanged fire with security forces, leaving two of them dead, officials said.

The gunmen entered the living quarters section of the Pathankot air force base, about 267 miles north of New Delhi, but were not able to penetrate the area with fighter helicopters and other equipment, said air force spokeswoman Rochelle D’Silva.

At least two of the attackers were killed, and security forces were exchanging fire with the other two, she said.

Man rams car into soldiers guarding French mosque

PARIS

A man rammed his car into four soldiers guarding a mosque Friday in the southeast French city of Valence, but was stopped when a soldier fired and wounded him, authorities said.

His motives were unclear, but with France on high alert after the coordinated attacks in Paris on Nov. 13, determining what, or who, was behind the attack carried a sense of urgency.

One soldier was slightly injured in the leg, and a passerby was hit in the leg by a stray bullet, the interior and defense ministers said in a joint statement.

The man, who was alone in the red car and not immediately identified, was arrested and hospitalized, according to the statement by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Defense Minister Jean-Yves L Drian.

4.2-magnitude quake hits north of Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake struck north of Oklahoma City early on New Year’s Day, the latest in a series of temblors in the area in recent days that’s prompted state regulators to call for more restrictions on oil and gas operators.

No injuries and only minor damage were reported with the quake, which struck at 5:39 a.m. Friday near Edmond, about 16 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Explosion in Afghanistan leaves 1 dead, 11 injured

KABUL, Afghanistan

An explosion struck the Afghan capital Friday evening, killing one person and wounding 11 people, officials said. The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility and said one of their suicide bombers had carried out the attack.

The explosion went off in a central residential area of the city, which is home to many Afghan officials and where guesthouses also are located. The target of the attack was not immediately clear.

Man crushed to death by falling elevator in NYC

NEW YORK

A falling elevator trapped and crushed a man to death on New Year’s Eve, and witnesses said he helped a woman to safety before losing his own life.

The man, identified as Stephen Hewett-Brown, 25, was riding the lower Manhattan elevator around midnight when it malfunctioned. He was able to push a woman out of the lift and onto one of the building’s floors before getting pinned between the elevator car and the shaft as he tried to escape himself, witnesses said.

They said he wished onlookers a happy new year before he died from his injuries. Witness Manuel Coronado said he tried to help Hewett-Brown but couldn’t lift him out.

Markets closed

Financial markets were closed Friday because of the New Year’s Day holiday.

Associated Press