Russian special forces storm oil tanker, free ship from piratesABOARD THE HSMS CARLSKRONA (AP) — Russian special forces rappelled onto a disabled oil tanker taken over by Somali pirates, freeing 23 Russian sailors and arresting the pirates during a dawn raid Thursday, the commander of the EU Naval Force said.West Europeans target US nukes housed in Europe at treaty sessionUNITED NATIONS (AP) — Germany and other West European nations at the U.N. nonproliferation conference are calling for elimination of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in Europe — “leftovers from the Cold War” — as a way to advance global arms control.”They no longer serve a military purpose and do not create security,” German state minister Werner Hoyer told fellow delegates to the 189-nation session to review the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.California law would add homeless to hate-crime protection listSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s homeless would have enhanced civil rights protections under a bill passed by the state Assembly. The legislation approved Thursday would add the state’s estimated 157,000 homeless to the list of groups protected from hate-based violence. That would allow them to sue for larger sums of damages if they are targeted in an attack. The bill’s sponsors say California is second in the nation in the rate of violence against homeless people.Police: Woman attempts bank robbery, tries to eat noteCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Authorities in Ohio said a woman tried to rob a bank with a note and then attempted to eat it once she saw a uniformed officer in line behind her. FBI Special Agent Harry Trombitas said the woman wearing sunglasses handed the teller the note at a Columbus Chase bank branch Wednesday morning.Trombitas said in a statement that the off-duty officer wasn’t aware of what was going on, but when the woman noticed him, she grabbed the note and fled. Outside, the officer arrested the 40-year-old Columbus woman, Lois Harvey.Driver’s cell phone use, speeding cited in crash that killed 11LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An Alabama truck driver was on his cell phone sending and receiving calls leading up to a crash that killed him and 10 other people in Kentucky in March, Kentucky State Police said in a report on the wreck.The 28-page report also says that 45-year-old Kenneth Laymon of Jasper, Ala., was driving in excess of the 70 mph speed limit and did not have his tractor-trailer under control when he crossed the median on March 26 and struck a van carrying Mennonites to a wedding in Iowa.House committee approves drug testing of lawmakers, officials(AP) — An attempt to create a voluntary, state-funded drug testing program for Louisiana’s state lawmakers and statewide elected officials received approval Thursday from a House committee that also added voluntary psychiatric evaluations for the officials. Rep. John LaBruzzo, R-Metairie, said he introduced the proposal (House Bill 1352) because the idea of state officials getting drug tested was repeatedly raised as LaBruzzo discussed his bill to mandate drug testing of welfare recipients, a bill that has won House passage. LaBruzzo said mandatory drug testing of legislators has been deemed unconstitutional so he’s instead proposing to create a voluntary program. He said he expects tatewide elected officials would want to take the test to prove they weren’t using illegal drugs. Test results for anyone who agrees to the voluntary drug test would be posted online.False River airport to test solar-powered runway lightsNEW ROADS, La. (AP) — State officials say several years into the future, it’s possible that airplanes could take off and land with the help of solar-powered runway lights. Allen Taylor, airways systems manager for Louisiana Department of Transportation, tells The Advocate that the $130,000 LED Solar Test Program is scheduled to start next week at False  River Regional Airport.BP executive confirms oil made landfall on Chandeleur Islands(AP) — A BP executive told legislators Wednesday that oil washed ashore on the Chandeleur Islands overnight. In testimony to the House Natural Resources Committee, David Rainey, BP vice president of exploration, said the company is doing everything in its power to respond to the spill.