World/nation briefs
Former security chief criticizes Iran stance The former head of Israel's Shin Bet security agency accused the nation's political leaders of exaggerating the effectiveness of a possible military attack on Iran, in a striking indication of Israel's turmoil over how to deal with the Iranian nuclear program. Yuval Diskin said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak -- who have been saber-rattling for months -- have their judgment clouded by "messianic feelings" and should not be trusted to lead policy on Iran. Diskin, who headed Shin Bet until last year, said a strike might actually accelerate the Iranian program.
IRAN
Nuclear talks set for May 13-14 in Vienna A new round of talks between Tehran and the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency will be held in Vienna on May 13-14, Iran's state TV reported in a signal of possible progress after separate negotiations resumed with world powers over the country's nuclear program. The technical talks come in addition to talks with the six world powers -- U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany -- set for May 23 in Baghdad.
SAUDI ARABIA
Cairo embassy closed following protests Saudi Arabia closed its Cairo embassy and recalled its ambassador following protests over a detained Egyptian human rights lawyer in a sharp escalation of tension between two regional powerhouses already on shaky terms. The unexpected diplomatic break over a dispute over Ahmed el-Gezawi, whom the Saudis accuse of trying to smuggle in anti-anxiety drugs but whose relatives say was detained for allegedly insulting the monarch.
MISSOURI
One dead after storm blows down beer tent High winds swept through a beer tent where 200 people gathered after a Cardinals game, killing one and seriously injuring five others. But the owner of the St. Louis bar that hosted the crowd said it was lightning -- not wind -- that killed the patron. Seventeen were hospitalized and up to 100 people were treated at the scene after straight-line winds whipped through a large tent outside the bar near Busch Stadium.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
In shift, U.S. considers arms sale to Taiwan The White House said it is considering an arms sale that would help increase and modernize Taiwan's air force. The shift coincides with the confirmation of Mark Lippert, a former aide to President Obama, to the post of assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs. The move is an apparent nod to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who placed a hold on Lippert's nomination to protest the Obama's administration's offer to upgrade Taiwan's F-16s but not sell it new ones. The F-16s are built in Texas.
NEW JERSEY
FDA OKs antibiotic to treat plague U.S. regulators approved the use of a Johnson & Johnson antibiotic to treat plague, an extremely rare, sometimes-deadly bacterial infection. The Food and Drug Administration also approved Levaquin to reduce the risk of people getting plague after exposure to the bacteria -- Yersinia pestis -- that causes it. About 1,000 to 2,000 human cases occur worldwide each year. People can get it from bites from infected fleas or contact with infected animals or humans.
NEWS SERVICES
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His political views differed from a transgender classmate’s, but they forged a bond that lasted a decade — until Vance seemed to pivot, politically and personally.