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WASHINGTON (AP) — A former top business executive is set to take on the burden of a troubled Veterans Affairs department. President Barack Obama will nominate former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald to head the agency beset by treatment delays, reports of patients dying while waiting for an appointment and cover-ups.
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — It's been a year since 19 of Prescott, Arizona's Granite Mountain Hotshots firefighters were killed battling a wildfire. There will be a simple ceremony today, including the reading of the names, a bell chiming for each and bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace." The men's families plan to gather for a private service at the Prescott cemetery where many of Hotshots are buried.
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has declared a new Islamic state, but experts say their demand for allegiance from Muslims worldwide could backfire. Infighting could erupt with other militants, especially al-Qaida, which has long carried the mantle of the international jihadi cause. The Islamic State has managed to do in Syria and Iraq what al-Qaida never has — carve out and control a large swath of territory.
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — The judge in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius is receiving reports from a panel of experts who assessed whether the double-amputee runner is capable of understanding the wrongfulness of his actions when he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The trial resumed today after a month off so evaluations could determine if he has an anxiety disorder.
HONG KONG (AP) — Residents in Hong Kong angered by Beijing's insistence on limiting their say in picking a leader for the financial hub could turn out in force tomorrow. Organizers expect at least 150,000 people to take to the streets to show their support for democratic reform and opposition to Beijing's polices. The rally comes days after nearly 800,000 people voted in an unofficial referendum on full universal suffrage.
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