Thai teacher caught on cell phone hitting students with electrical cane
BANGKOK (AP) — Secretly recorded cell phone footage has exposed a teacher at a Catholic boarding school in northeastern Thailand who whacked dozens of students on the buttocks with a cane wrapped with electrical wire.
Art teacher Somchai Limthanmaporn was fired after he was exposed hitting at least 40 students, according to Nongkran Prathumtri, an administrator at St. Mary’s School in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Iran state media call French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy prostitute
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian state media called France’s first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, a “prostitute” on Monday in an unusual attack on the wife of a world leader that shows deep anger over her support for an Iranian woman who faced death by stoning on an adultery conviction.
The wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy has condemned the stoning sentence against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, which Iran temporarily suspended but did not throw out after an international outcry.
Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, could still face execution by stoning or hanging after a final review of her case, her lawyer, Javid Houtan Kian, told The Associated Press on Monday.
Preliminary drilling begins in effort to free 33 trapped Chilean miners
SAN JOSE MINE, Chile (AP) — An enormous drill began preliminary work Monday on carving a half-mile chimney through solid rock to free 33 men trapped in a Chilean mine, their ordeal now having equaled the longest known survival in an underground disaster.
The 31-ton drill bored 50 feet into the rock, the first step in the weeklong digging of a “pilot hole” to guide the way for the rescue.
Art student indicted in Muslim taxi driver attack in New York City
NEW YORK (AP) — An arts student accused of slashing a Muslim taxi driver’s neck has been indicted on hate-crime charges, prosecutors said Monday as the student’s lawyer lashed out at media interest in a case that comes amid debate over attitudes about Muslims and a plan to build a mosque near ground zero.
Police: Would-be burglar gets stuck climbing down grease vent
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A would-be burglar who tried to break into a South Carolina restaurant found himself in a tight and greasy situation. The Post and Courier of Charleston reported a man tried to break into a North Charleston restaurant by climbing down a grease vent. He got stuck and had to wait almost seven hours until he could be freed.
Office of Motor Vehicle employee booked with malfeasance
HOUMA (AP) — An employee at the Office of Motor Vehicle in Houma has been arrested, accused of issuing fraudulent driver’s licenses after receiving personal payments.
State troopers arrested 52-year-old Sybil St. Julian, of Houma, on Monday, on charges of malfeasance in office, abuse of office, and injuring public records.
Baton Rouge police officers search for two people after home invasion
(AP) — Police are searching for two people accused of shooting and killing a man and a woman during a home invasion at a Baton Rouge apartment complex.
Capt. Rodney Adams says the fatal shooting occurred late Sunday night.
Adams says two suspects forced their way into the apartment and robbed three victims.
Police say 37-year-old Nicole Badger was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. The second victim, 26-year-old Roderick T. Guillory, was taken to a local hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Police say Guillory died early Monday morning.
Reality television show reveals prosperous Louisiana fishing spots
(AP) — “Swamp People” likely won’t make folk heroes of the swampers that “Deadliest Catch” made of Alaskan crabbers, but the Discovery Channel’s presentation of south Louisiana alligator hunters got Jim Looney to thinking.
“Heck, they were showing some of the best fishing spots I know,” Looney said Wednesday. “The place where they caught big head’ is at Pointe aux Joie (pronounced point-ah-joe), and that’s one of the best catfish and chinquapin spots in all of Lake Verret.”