JOHANNESBURG

Murder trial of Pistorius resumes after 2-week break

A friend of Oscar Pistorius testified Monday that the South African Olympian appeared “broken” as he wept, prayed and begged his girlfriend not to die in the minutes after he fatally shot her on Valentine’s Day last year.

Pistorius’ murder trial resumed Monday after a two-week break, with the defense calling more witnesses.

The prosecution accuses Pistorius of killing Reeva Steenkamp in a rage after an argument. He says he mistook her for one or more intruders but was not conscious of pulling the trigger when he opened fire through the door to a toilet closet.

SAN DIEGO

Fishing boat burns, sinks, leaving 2 dead, 6 missing

Air Force rescuers on Monday were stabilizing two badly burned Chinese fishermen aboard a fishing vessel hundreds of miles off Mexico’s Pacific Coast before evacuating them by helicopter.

The two were among 17 Chinese crew members believed aboard a fishing vessel that caught fire and sank in the Pacific Ocean. Two died from burn injuries, seven were determined to be in good condition and six are believed missing, said Maj. Sarah Schwennesen of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

A Venezuelan fishing vessel spotted a life raft with 11 fishermen on Friday and sent a call for help.

Responding to the call, airmen from the Air Force’s 563rd Rescue Group parachuted into the water on Saturday afternoon and used inflatable boats to reach the Venezuelan vessel.

RALEIGH, N.C.

Country star McCreery victim of home invasion

Country music singer Scotty McCreery was the victim of an early morning home invasion near the campus of North Carolina State University, where he is a sophomore.

Raleigh Police spokesman Jim Sughrue said officers were called shortly before 2 a.m. Monday to an apartment where McCreery, 20, was visiting friends. People at the apartment told police that three suspects armed with guns robbed them of wallets, cash and electronic items.

Police said no one was injured.

A native of nearby Garner, McCreery won TV’s “American Idol” in 2011. He was named best new artist at the Academy of Country Music Awards the next year.

ATHENS, Greece

Two migrant vessels sink; leave 22 drowned, 7 missing

At least 22 people, including four children, were confirmed drowned and seven were still missing after two migrant vessels trying to enter Greece sank off the eastern Aegean island of Samos on Monday, coast guard officials said.

The Greek coast guard was combing the waters for signs of survivors. They said 36 people were pulled to safety.

The survivors were identified as 24 Somalis, nine Syrians and three Eritreans.

BEIJING

Police identify one of two suspected suicide bombers

Chinese police have identified a 39-year-old Uighur man they suspect to be one of the first Chinese suicide bombers and have put out a nationwide alert to identify a second man killed in an attack last week at a train station in Urumqi.

The attack took place on Wednesday night, the eve of the busy May Day holiday, and killed one person and the two assailants – and left 79 injured.

It happened hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a tour of the far northwestern Xinjiang region during which he called for a crackdown on terrorism.

– From news service reports