In brief: Peacekeepers from Philippines flee harm in Golan Heights

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine military chief says more than 70 Filipino peacekeepers have escaped from two areas in the Golan Heights that came under attack by Syrian rebels.

Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said today in the Philippine capital, Manila, that the Filipino peacekeepers separately moved to positions away from any further threat.

According to Catapang, the Filipinos were surrounded by the rebels and had to return fire in self-defense before managing to escape after a seven-hour siege.

The clashes came after Syrian rebel groups, including the Nusra Front, overran the Quneitra crossing on the frontier between Syrian and Israeli-controlled parts of the Golan on Wednesday, seizing 44 Fijian peacekeepers.

The U.N. said in a statement Saturday it had received assurances from credible sources that the Fijian peacekeepers “are safe and in good health.”

Gold mine rescue frees at least 20

BONANZA, Nicaragua – Rescue workers and trapped miners alike frantically dug away at opposite sides of rock and mud that blocked a Nicaragua gold mine, finally succeeding in freeing at least 20 men. Efforts to reach five miners still missing continued Saturday.

Antonio Diaz said the miners tried to cheer each other up inside the dark, cold shaft, attacking the slide with their picks and shovels by the light of helmet lamps.

“The sadness of feeling yourself trapped in a hole is immense but I never lost hope,” said the 32-year-old miner from a hospital bed in the town of Bonanza, near the El Comal gold and silver mine.

Two of the freelance miners escaped shortly after the Thursday morning slide, and officials said another 20 were brought out late Friday. Mirta Lagos, an official of the ruling Sandinista Party who was at the site, said five families reported they have a miner missing.

Plastic bag ban heads to governor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California lawmakers have approved a measure that would make the state the first to impose a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.

SB270 cleared the Senate on a 22-15 vote Friday and sent to Gov. Jerry Brown. It was approved by the Assembly a day earlier.

Some senators who previously had opposed the bill this time supported the measure after protections were added for plastic bag manufacturers.

The bill by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of Los Angeles would prohibit single-use plastic bags at grocery stores and large pharmacies in 2015 and at convenience stores in 2016. It includes $2 million in loans to help manufacturers shift to producing reusable bags and lets grocers charge 10 cents each for paper and reusable bags.

Sports car crash kills 18-year-old driver

MOUNT SINAI, N.Y. – A New York teen taking a test drive of a family friend’s Lamborghini has died after crashing the high-powered sports car into a guardrail.

Police say 18-year-old Samuel Shepard was taking the car for a spin on a county road in Mount Sinai on Long Island early Friday when he lost control. The car’s owner, Michael Power, was a passenger in the car and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Detective Sgt. Michael Fitzharris told Newsday that excessive speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.