ABI BARIK, Afghanistan

Fear of new mudslide hampers rescue efforts

Afghan rescuers and volunteers armed with shovels and little more than their bare hands dug through the mud Saturday after a massive landslide swept through a village the day before, turning it into an earthen tomb holding hundreds of bodies, officials said.

The government and aid groups rushed to bring food, water and shelter to the survivors as the government tried to ascertain just how many people were killed.

Figures on the number of people killed and missing in the disaster Friday varied from 255 to 2,700. Fears of a new landslide complicated rescue efforts.

“That will be their cemetery,” said Mohammad Karim Khalili, one of the country’s two vice presidents, who visited the scene Saturday. “It is not possible to bring out any bodies.”

MEXICO CITY

No arrests as authorities seize 44 tons of marijuana

Mexico’s attorney general says investigators have seized 44 tons of marijuana in Tijuana, across the border from San Diego, California.

A statement from the office says that nearly 4,000 packets of drugs were found in the Granjas Familiares del Matamoros neighborhood based on a federal warrant. Mexican military and Tijuana police conducted the raid. There were no arrests.

SAN JOSE, Calif.

College expels three men charged with hate crimes

San Jose State University has expelled three students accused of bullying and tormenting their black roommate by putting a bike lock around his neck and calling him derogatory names.

A fourth student has been put on probation for the rest of his college career if he returns, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

The four students, who are white, have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor battery and hate crime charges. They are accused of putting the bike lock on then-freshman Donald Williams and taunting him with racial slurs, locking him in his room and waving a Confederate flag.

Earlier this year, Williams filed a $5 million claim against the university.

The expelled students are banned from enrolling in any California State University college, according to university documents obtained by the newspaper.

“It’s a no-brainer,” said LaDoris Cordell, a retired judge and city police watchdog. “They have no business being enrolled at SJSU.”

A lawyer for one of the expelled students said the school didn’t conduct a thorough review.

DETROIT

GM recalling 51,640 SUVs for potential gas-gauge fix

General Motors is recalling 51,640 SUVs because the fuel gauges may show inaccurate readings.

The recall involves the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia from the 2014 model year. All of the affected SUVs were built between March 26 and Aug. 15 of 2013.

GM says the engine control module software may cause the fuel gauge to read inaccurately. If that happens, the vehicle might run out of fuel and stall without warning.

The company doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries related to the problem.

GM says dealers will reprogram the software for free. The company will also notify owners by mail.

– From news service reports

 

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