World in brief: Korean navies exchange fire

SEOUL, South Korea – The two Koreas briefly exchanged naval fire today along their disputed western sea border, with a North Korean ship suffering heavy damage before retreating, South Korean military officials said.

There were no South Korean casualties, the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, and it was not immediately clear if there were any casualties on the North Korean side.

There was no immediate comment from North Korea on the clash.

Truck driver killed in fall off bridge

SAN FRANCISCO – An accident-plagued stretch of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge saw its first fatality Monday when the driver of a speeding big rig lost control and the truck plummeted 200 feet from the span, authorities said.

The truck hauling a full load of pears was traveling about 50 mph – 10 mph over the speed limit – when the driver lost control on a westbound S-curve, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Trent Cross said.

The rig hit a rail and went over the side, landing on Yerba Buena Island.

“The driver was going way too fast,” Cross said.

The name of the trucker killed in the crash was not released. Authorities said the speed coupled with the shifting load propelled the truck over the side of the bridge.

Lanes were closed following the pre-dawn crash, backing up traffic during the morning commute.

Downgraded Ida heading ashore

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Squalls ahead of a rare late-season tropical storm blew in heavy rain late Monday to parts of the Gulf Coast where residents hunkered down at home and in shelters anticipating high winds and flooding.

Ida, which was downgraded to a tropical storm, was about 100 miles south-southwest of Mobile and was expected to make landfall this morning before turning east. Tropical storm warnings were out across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, where governors declared states of emergency.