Malaysia
New search plan for Flight 370
Investigators looking into the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 have concluded that the plane was probably not seriously damaged and remained in controlled flight until it ran out of fuel over the southern Indian Ocean. Their conclusion, reached in the past few weeks, helped prompt the decision to move the search area hundreds of miles to the southwest.
Egypt
Al-Jazeera journalists get 7 years in prison
An Egyptian court convicted three Al-Jazeera journalists, including an Australian and an Egyptian-Canadian, and sentenced them to seven years in prison on terrorism-related charges after a trial dismissed by rights groups as a politically motivated sham. The verdict brought international condemnation and calls for the newly elected president to intervene.
California
Petition circulated on plan to split state
Proponents for a plan to split California into a half-dozen separate states were working feverishly to verify signatures gathered from across the state over the weekend in support of a petition to get the measure on the ballot. The Six Californias idea needs 808,000 signatures by July 18 to qualify for the ballot in two years. The idea is the brainchild a venture capitalist from Menlo Park, or as he hopes it will be someday, the state of Silicon Valley.
Canada
3 charged in Quebec helicopter escape
Tight security surrounded the arraignment of three murder suspects who police say used a helicopter to break out of a Quebec prison. The men were later arrested over the weekend while hiding out in a luxury condominium. Yves Denis, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and Serge Pomerleau, 49, looked weary in the prisoners' dock as they were charged with escaping lawful custody and prison breach. The men were facing murder and gangsterism charges before the jailbreak.
WASHINGTON
Mount Rainier hiker died of hypothermia
A 70-year-old hiker who died of hypothermia in rugged terrain in Mount Rainier National Park over the weekend was experienced, prepared and knew the mountain well. Karen Sykes did not have other injuries, the Pierce County medical examiner's office said.
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