Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: India test-fires powerful missile

From Wire Reports

NEW DELHI – India again successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable missile Sunday that can hit targets across much of Asia and the Middle East, a defense ministry press release said.

It was the fourth test of the Agni III missile, the statement added. The first attempt in 2006 failed, but the last two tests were successful.

“The Agni III missile tested for the full range, hit the target with pinpoint accuracy and met all the mission objectives,” the press release added.

India’s current arsenal of missiles is largely intended for confronting archrival Pakistan. The Agni III, in contrast, is India’s longest-range missile, designed to reach 1,900 miles – putting China’s major cities well into range, as well as Middle Eastern targets.

The missile was launched Sunday morning from an island off the eastern state of Orissa.

Ruling party leads presidential vote

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rica’s governing party candidate swept toward an election victory Sunday night that would make her the first woman president in this Central American nation.

Laura Chinchilla had 47 percent of the vote after a quarter of the ballots were counted. The closest contender, Otton Solis of the Citizens Action Party, had 23 percent. He and the other main rival quickly conceded defeat.

Chinchilla, who served under the current president, Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias, campaigned on a promise to continue the government’s free market economic policies.

Chinchilla needed 40 percent of the vote to avoid an April runoff.

Former president has brain surgery

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Ex-President Nestor Kirchner, husband of Argentina’s current leader and a hopeful to resume the office, emerged successfully from emergency surgery on a key artery to his brain Sunday, his doctors said.

Cabinet ministers shared the news as they came to show support for the first family after the operation on Kirchner’s right carotid artery at the Los Arcos hospital in Buenos Aires’ Palermo district.

Kirchner’s wife and successor as president, Cristina Fernandez, and their two children were with him in the hospital, the state news agency Telam said.

Avalanche traps skier for 17 hours

EVOLENE, Switzerland – A skier was buried beneath an avalanche for 17 hours in the Swiss Alps before being pulled from the snow with only mild hypothermia, police said Sunday.

The 21-year-old man appeared to have survived because he was trapped next to a pocket of air that allowed him to breathe even though he was unable to free himself from the crushing weight of the snow, police in the canton of Valais said.

The man, who had been skiing alone on an unmarked slope in the Evolene region, was reported missing at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

Rescuers with dogs found ski tracks leading to where a large avalanche had come down but had to break off their search overnight. On Sunday morning, a helicopter crew spotted movement on the surface and rescuers were able to pull the man out from beneath 20 inches of snow.