IOWA
Body found in river identified
Authorities confirmed Sunday that a body found in the Des Moines River was that of a 15-year-old Iowa girl who was abducted along with a younger friend after getting off a school bus last month. The younger girl managed to escape and call 911. An autopsy confirmed the body found Friday night under a bridge near Boone is Kathlynn Shepard’s. The kidnapping on May 20 in the small city of Dayton led to a massive search involving federal, state and local authorities. The suspect in the abduction, Michael Klunder, 42, committed suicide.
GERMANY
Budapest braces for swollen Danube
Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes over the weekend in a region of eastern Germany where the Elbe river flooded and burst through a dam, while swollen Danube was approaching Budapest where soldiers and volunteers were building flood walls, officials said Sunday. Parts of the south and north ends of the Hungarian capital were already under water, but the city’s downtown area, including the parliament building and several large hotels near the river bank, were seemingly out of direct danger after flood walls were built. At least 21 flood-related deaths have been reported in central Europe after a week of heavy rains.
ARIZONA
Charges unlikely in father’s killing
No charges are expected in the death of an Arizona man who was accidentally shot by his 4-year-old son. Justin Stanfield Thomas was fatally shot Friday after he and his son traveled from Phoenix to a friend’s home in Prescott Valley for a surprise visit. Prescott Valley Police Brandon Bonney said the boy found the loaded gun in the home within minutes of arrival, asked a question about it and pulled the trigger. Thomas died at a hospital. Bonney said the gun should have been locked away, but that Thomas’ friend was caught off guard by the unannounced visit.
MEXICO
Ex-official seized in corruption case
The former treasurer of the state of Tabasco was arrested Saturday on the U.S. border on suspicion of helping embezzle millions of dollars from state coffers, officials said Sunday, in a case that’s grabbed headlines in Mexico with allegations of extravagant personal spending by corrupt officials. A Mexican official said Jose Saiz was detained after he attempted to cross from the city of Reynosa, on the border with McAllen, Texas. Saiz’s attorney, Xavier Olea, confirmed the arrest in comments to Mexican media. Calls to Olea’s office went unanswered Sunday.
ISRAEL
Israeli accuses Iran of cyberattacks
Israel’s prime minister said Sunday there has been a “significant rise” in cyberattacks on Israel by Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu told a security conference that Iran, along with its proxies Hezbollah and Hamas, are targeting Israel’s “essential systems.” He said the water system, electric grid, trains and banks have all been targeted. Netanyahu gave no further details, and his office refused to elaborate.
COLORADO
Chewbacca actor stopped at airport
Not even Chewbacca and his light saber get a free pass with airport security. Transportation Security Administration agents in Denver briefly stopped “Star Wars” franchise actor Peter Mayhew earlier this month as he was boarding a flight with a cane shaped like one of science-fiction saga’s most iconic weapons. Airport officials said they wanted to inspect the huge walking stick before allowing Mayhew, 69, who is more than 7 feet tall, on the plane. Mayhew tweeted “Giant man need giant cane” from his Twitter account when the incident happened June 3. Subsequent media reports made it seem as though security officials buckled to pressure from Chewie’s fans in allowing the actor to board the flight to Dallas with the cane, but officials said Saturday that characterization was inaccurate.
SWEDEN
Men in skirts protest dress code
Commuters on a train line in northern Stockholm were met with an unusual sight last week: male train drivers and conductors wearing skirts to work. Train driver Martin Akersten, 30, said he and more than a dozen others at the Roslagsbanan line started wearing skirts to protest the train company’s uniform policy, which doesn’t allow shorts. Akersten said Sunday the response from customers has been positive. Company spokesman Tomas Hedenius said the company, Arriva, wants its staff to look “nice and proper” but can’t stop men from wearing “women’s clothes” if that’s what they want because it would be discrimination.
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