Nation & World

<< Previous   of   Next >> Associated Press  (click to enlarge) (From left) Dick Dekker, his daugher Laura Dekker and her lawyer Peter de Lange during a press conference in Utrecht, Netherlands, in August.   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Big love boat 10/31/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Do you have a news tip? newstips@heraldnet.com | 425.339.3400   Published: Saturday, October 31, 2009 Nation, World Briefs: San Francisco mayor won’t run for governor SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who propelled the debate over gay marriage but struggled to find a popular message outside the San Francisco Bay area, dropped his bid for California governor on Friday. The development leaves Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has formed an exploratory committee, as the only Democrat making a serious bid to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger next year. A statement issued by Newsom’s campaign said he was unable to devote the time needed to run an effective campaign, citing “a young family and responsibilities at City Hall.” Florida: Ares parachutes fail Two of three parachutes malfunctioned in the test flight of a prototype moon rocket earlier this week, causing major damage to the booster, NASA said Friday. The problem caused the Ares I-X booster to slam into the Atlantic Ocean harder than expected. The booster was badly dented by the impact. The mission manager said Friday the damage is irrelevant because the booster is not meant to fly again. The parachute trouble does not detract from the overall success of Wednesday’s flight, he said. Colorado: Dobson steps down James Dobson, the voice of conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, will no longer host its flagship radio broadcast and is cutting formal ties with the organization that he founded more than 30 years ago, the evangelical group said Friday. Dobson, 73, and the board of directors both agreed about the moves, which will go into effect at the end of February, ministry officials said. The decision to part ways was amicable and long anticipated, a spokesman for the Colorado Springs-based group said. Puerto Rico: New DUI limit Puerto Rico lawmakers have voted to adopt one of the world’s lowest legal limits for drunk driving. The House of Representatives passed a bill lowering the blood alcohol limit to .02 percent from the standard .08 percent. The measure still needs approval of the territory’s Senate and governor. Mothers Against Drunk Driving says .02 percent would be lower than any U.S. state. Sweden has had .02 percent limit since 1990. Tennessee: Handy mechanic Police said a mechanic was drumming up business by tampering with parked cars, then charging to help start them. Police arrested 41-year-old Christopher Walls of Johnson City on Thursday night. Investigators said Walls disabled cars parked at restaurants, waited for the owners to try to start them and then offered his services as a mechanic. Police said Walls charged between $40 and $200 to get the vehicles running again. Arizona: Iraqi father held Police in a Phoenix suburb said an Iraqi immigrant has been arrested in Georgia for allegedly running down his daughter because she was becoming “too Westernized.” Police in Peoria said 48-year-old Faleh Almaleki is in custody. They aren’t saying where he is being held. Almaleki was arrested Thursday when he arrived at Atlanta’s airport. Police said Faleh Almaleki was upset that his daughter had become too “Westernized” and he aimed his car at her Oct. 20 in a Peoria parking lot. Twenty-year-old Noor Faleh Almaleki is hospitalized in serious condition. Netherlands: Voyage delayed A Dutch court ruled Friday that 14-year-old Laura Dekker was still too inexperienced to be allowed to set off on her quest to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. Judges at Utrecht District Court placed Laura under the guardianship of child protection authorities until next July to ensure that she cannot set off on her dream voyage. The ruling means Laura can continue living with her father but her parents must consult child protection authorities about all major decisions in her life. Britain: Elephant kills guide The BBC said that a British guide working on a children’s television show in Tanzania was killed after being charged by an elephant. The broadcaster said 38-year-old Anton Turner had been working as an expedition guide for the show “Serious Explorers,” which follows David Livingstone’s famous 19th-century trek across the African continent. Three children were with the filming party at the time of the attack but the BBC said Friday that they were safe and had been airlifted from the area. The BBC said production of the program has ceased. From Herald news services READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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