In brief: Biden lauds McGovern’s life

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Vice President Joe Biden said George McGovern should be remembered as the “father of the modern Democratic Party,” adding that the former South Dakota senator helped open the party to women, young people and minorities.

Biden spoke during a prayer service Thursday night in Sioux Falls honoring the 1972 Democratic presidential candidate, who lost in a historic landslide to President Richard Nixon.

Biden said McGovern inspired generations of party leaders and activists, noting that it was McGovern who inspired him to run for Senate in 1972.

McGovern died Sunday surrounded by family. He was 90.

Nanny allegedly kills kids, stabs self

NEW YORK – A mother returned home to her luxury apartment building near Central Park on Thursday to find two of her small children stabbed to death in a bathtub and their nanny, with self-inflicted stab wounds, lying near them, police said.

The nanny, Yoselyn Ortega, was found near a knife. She was hospitalized in critical condition and was in police custody, and authorities said she is suspected of killing the children, who were pronounced dead at a hospital.

The children’s father, CNBC digital media executive Kevin Krim, who had been away on a business trip, was met by police at the airport on his return and was given an escort to the hospital where his loved ones had gathered.

Military hits targets in test run

HONOLULU – The U.S. military intercepted four out of five targets over the Pacific Ocean in the largest and most complex test of the nation’s ballistic missile defense system, the Missile Defense Agency said.

The targets used during Wednesday’s test at Kwajalein Atoll included one medium-range ballistic missile, two short-range ballistic missiles and two low-flying cruise missiles.

Soldiers in the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command used the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to shoot down the medium-range target, officials said.

Two targets – a short-range missile and a cruise missile – were intercepted by the PAC-3 Patriot missile defense system operated by the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

Sailors aboard the USS Fitzgerald destroyer engaged the other cruise missile. They also tried to knock out the other short-range missile with a SM-3 Block 1A interceptor but were unable to confirm they had shot down the target.