In brief: Series of suicide bombings kills 65 in Nigeria

DAMATURU, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Islamic extremists chose open-air praying grounds for suicide bombings Friday, one of the holiest days of the Muslim calendar. At least 15 people died as they prepared to celebrate Eid al-Fitr in northeastern Damaturu, police said.

Nigerians who usually turn out in their finest robes to pray on the holiday stayed home in fear in Damaturu and Gombe town, where 50 people shopping for the holiday at the main market died in two bomb blasts late Thursday night, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.

One of the bombers was a child who looked about 10 years old and the other was an elderly woman, the military said in a statement. Nigeria’s Boko Haram extremist group recently has used women and girl bombers, raising fears the insurgents are turning some of their hundreds of captives into weapons.

A military bomb disposal expert has told the Associated Press that almost all the female bombers are strapped with explosives that are remotely detonated.

Ukraine plane crash commemorated

NIEUWEGEIN, Netherlands – Asmaa Aljuned delivered a parting message Friday that her late husband never got to tell passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 a year ago.

“On behalf of Malaysia Airlines and the rest of the crew, once again we would like to thank you for flying with us,” said Aljuned, the widow of the plane’s co-pilot. “Thank you and have a nice day.”

Hundreds of family members and friends of the 298 passengers and crew killed when MH17 was blown out of the skies above rebel-held Eastern Ukraine rose to give Aljuned a standing ovation at a moving Dutch commemoration service for the victims.

Memorial ceremonies in the Netherlands, Ukraine and Australia took place amid a sharp dispute over who was responsible for downing the Boeing 777, which was heading from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ukrainian and Western authorities say the plane was downed, most likely by mistake, by a missile fired either by the separatists or the Russian troops who they say back the rebels with weapons and manpower.

Oil train leaks 35,000 gallons in Montana

BILLINGS – Four tank cars leaked an estimated 35,000 gallons of oil after a train hauling fuel from North Dakota derailed in rural northeastern Montana, authorities said.

The spill marked the latest in a series of wrecks across the U.S. and Canada that have highlighted the safety risks of moving crude by rail.

No one was reported injured in the accident Thursday night that triggered the evacuation of about a dozen homes and a camp for oil field workers, according to state and local officials.

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train was bound for Anacortes, Washington, when it derailed near the North Dakota border, officials said.

A hazardous-materials team contained the spill with earthen dams, and the oil didn’t affect any waterways, according to a preliminary report by Michael Turnbull of the U.S. Department of Transportation to Montana’s Public Service Commission.

1 person dies, 4 hurt in Alaska plane crash

JUNEAU, Alaska – A plane crash in southeast Alaska left one person dead and four others injured, the Coast Guard said Friday.

The four were transported by helicopter to a Juneau hospital. One patient was listed in serious condition while another was in critical condition.

Juneau police said they received a 911 call about 1:30 p.m. Friday from someone saying they had been involved in a crash on a flight from Juneau to the community of Hoonah. Police said the caller’s name matched that of an individual on the plane.

The Cessna 207 operated by Wings of Alaska was reported missing Friday afternoon. The company confirmed the plane had been involved in an accident.

Wings of Alaska flies scheduled passenger service to small southeast Alaska communities.