Puppy survives nearly a month in impounded car in Kansas City lot

Published May 07, 2013

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –  A Kansas City animal shelter is caring for a puppy that authorities say survived in a locked car that was impounded for nearly a month in a city lot.

The 12-week-old puppy, which has been named Kia, apparently survived by eating trash left in the car. The terrier and schnauzer mix didn't have access to water.

Toni Fugate, a spokeswoman for the city's animal shelter, says the puppy is dehydrated and malnourished but is expected to survive.

Records show that the car was towed to the lot April 8. A lot employee saw the dog Monday afternoon and called police, who broke into the car.

The Kansas Pet Project is working to find a foster home for Kia. She won't be available for adoption for some time.

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No hijacking by Somali pirates in nearly a year

Published May 02, 2013

Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS –  A U.S. diplomat says the fight against Somali pirates has been so successful that there hasn't been a hijacking off the Somali coast, in the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean in nearly a year.

Donna Leigh Hopkins, who chairs the global group trying to combat Somali piracy, credits the combined efforts of international naval forces and stepped-up security on ships including the use of armed guards. Another factor is that 1,140 Somali pirates are in jail in 21 countries, she says.

"Pirate attacks are down by at least 75 percent," Hopkins said in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press. "There are still pirate attacks being attempted but ... May 12 will be the one year anniversary of no successful hijacking off the coast of Somalia."

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Oil falls to nearly $93 ahead of US growth data

Published April 26, 2013

Associated Press

BANGKOK –  The price of oil fell to near $93 a barrel Friday ahead of quarterly growth figures from the world's biggest economy.

Benchmark oil for June delivery was down 62 cents to $93.02 per barrel at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $2.21 to close at $93.64 on Thursday after the U.S. Labor Department said the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week by 16,000, suggesting that layoffs have declined.

Traders turned slightly cautious ahead of first quarter U.S. economic growth due later Friday. Economists expect to see a significant improvement from the anemic 0.4 percent growth rate reported for the October-December quarter.

But analysts at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong said the result "is unlikely to allay market concerns after a recent run of disappointing data indicates some decline in growth momentum." Recent reports have suggested that manufacturing is starting to weaken. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes dipped in March.

Brent crude, which is used to price oil used by many U.S. refiners, fell 50 cents to $102.91 a barrel on the ICE futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:

— Gasoline fell 0.1 cent to $2.801 per gallon.

— Heating oil fell 1.5 cents to $2.872 a gallon.

— Natural gas lost 1.5 cents to $4.152 per 1,000 cubic feet.

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Nearly 50 inmates escape Libyan prison, 1 killed

Published March 26, 2013

Associated Press

TRIPOLI, Libya –  A Libyan security official says nearly 50 inmates have fled a prison in an oasis city in the country's southern desert, and authorities shot one dead during the escape.

The security official said the inmates broke out of the prison in Sabha early Tuesday. He said prison guards fired warning shots to stop them, which resulted in the death of one. Two others were injured.

The official said nine inmates were arrested while authorities continue the search for 36 others. The official said the prisoners were rioting against what they said were bad prison conditions, setting fire to their cells, and breaking up doors. He said they jumped over the prison wall. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

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