PHOENIX

Package mailed to sheriff could have blown him up

Authorities say a package addressed to Sheriff Joe Arpaio discovered in a northern Arizona mailbox would have exploded if opened, leading to serious injuries or death.

Maricopa County Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan made the comment Friday at a news conference in Phoenix. He said investigators are trying to locate a person who may have been involved in mailing the package addressed to his boss.

The package intercepted late Thursday was addressed to Arpaio at his downtown Phoenix office. It had been left in a parcel locker that was part of a multiple address mailbox in a rural part of Coconino County, outside Flagstaff city limits.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service spokesman Keith Moore said a courier called his supervisor after noting it was suspicious, and the package was eventually brought into the main post office in Flagstaff. An X-ray showed what appeared to be bomb-like components, and authorities used a water cannon to neutralize the package, Sheridan said.

Arpaio, the self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff in America,” said this isn’t the first time he’s been threatened. Arpaio is known for his strict treatment of inmates and cracking down on illegal immigration.

BEIJING

China’s deaths from bird flu total 11; 29 more are infected

Health authorities have reported another death and two new infections from a new strain of bird flu.

The new cases reported Friday in Shanghai bring the total number of deaths in China from the bird flu virus, known as H7N9, to 11. Another 29 people have been infected. All of the cases have been in eastern China.

China began reporting cases of the new virus on March 31 and has ordered preventative and containment measures. Shanghai, the center of the outbreak, has warned residents to watch for high fevers, breathing difficulties and other symptoms.

JERUSALEM

Israeli troops shell target on Syrian side of Golan Heights

Israel’s military says its troops have shelled a position on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights from which they received fire.

It said “artillery and shots” were fired along the border Friday evening, causing no damage and no injuries. Soldiers responded with artillery fire and identified a “direct hit.” It did not provide further details.

HERAT, Afghanistan

Insurgents kill 13 soldiers near border with Pakistan

Taliban insurgents attacked an Afghan outpost near the border with Pakistan on Friday, killing 13 soldiers, according to local officials.

The fighting began around dawn and lasted four to five hours, said Wasifullah Wasifi, spokesman for the governor of Kunar province. “One more soldier is missing, so the total may turn out to be 14,” he said.

The restive province is often used as an entryway for militants arriving from Pakistan’s lawless northwest. Afghan officials have often accused Pakistan of not doing enough to stem the use of its territory to train and provide a haven for insurgents intent on attacking their nation, a charge that Islamabad denies.

— From news service reports

Copy the Story Link