Admiral: Navy 'ready' to confront Iran
The top U.S. Navy official in the Gulf said Sunday he takes Iran's military capabilities seriously but insists his forces are prepared to confront any Iranian aggression in the region.
Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of the 5th Fleet, told reporters at the naval force's Bahrain headquarters that the Navy has "built a wide range of potential options to give the president" and is "ready today" to confront any hostile action by Tehran.
Fuel removal begins on capsized cruise ship
Underwater pumping operations began Sunday to remove some of the 500,000 gallons of fuel aboard the Costa Concordia, officials said, nearly a month after the cruise ship ran aground off Tuscany.
After nearly two weeks of delays because of rough seas and bad weather, the pumping got under way on the first of 15 tanks that are thought to hold 84 percent of the fuel on board, Italy's civil protection department said. Officials say it will take 28 days of pumping to empty the tanks.
Shining Path leader captured in Peru
Peruvian troops on Sunday captured the wounded leader of a remnant of the once-powerful Shining Path rebel group, effectively dismantling a well-armed outlaw band that lived off the cocaine trade, President Ollanta Humala said.
Comrade Artemio, 50, was later flown to Lima where doctors at a police hospital removed two bullets from his stomach, said Raul Sanchez, spokesman for the chief prosecutor's office.
Man charged in plot to kill Utah governor
A Utah man who police say threatened to assassinate Gov. Gary Herbert and who conducted surveillance on the governor's mansion is facing multiple felony charges.
Brian Biff Baker was charged Friday in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court with felony counts of drug and weapons possession, along with a misdemeanor count of threatening elected officials. Baker, 52, was being held in the Salt Lake County jail. Bail is set at $25,007.
Iraq opens new oil export terminal
Iraq inaugurated a new offshore oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf on Sunday in a vital step to ease infrastructure constraints and to bring sorely needed cash for reconstruction.
Iraq plans to start loading crude in a week to 10 days, initially boosting oil exports through the country's south — which currently stand at 1.7 million barrels a day — by 200,000 to 300,000 barrels per day, said Dhia Jaafar, director-general of the state-run South Oil Co.
From wire reports
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