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GARLAND, Texas (AP) — States of emergency have been declared by the governors of Oklahoma and Missouri as a storm system that spawned tornadoes in the Dallas area brings winter weather woes to the Midwest. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made disaster declarations yesterday for four counties and says the death toll from Texas twisters could rise from the current 11. Hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Severe weather in several states has killed at least 43 people since Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite decade-old warnings from government researchers, there are still no safety standards to protect 90 percent of the nation's helicopters from a rising number of bird strikes. The FAA says in 2013, there were 204 reported helicopter bird strikes, a 68 percent increase from 2009. Populations of large bird species are generally on the rise. Airliners do have safety standards for bird strikes.
MASNAA, Lebanon (AP) — Syrian state TV reports at least 19 deaths today from a pair of bombings in the central city of Homs. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the blasts killed 32. Footage on state TV shows widespread destruction. Authorities say a car bomb was followed by a suicide attacker who blew himself up among people gathered to inspect the damage.
VIENNA (AP) — Police in Vienna say they are stepping up surveillance of places where crowds are expected to gather following warnings to several European capitals about the possibility of an attack between Christmas and New Year. Two security meetings are scheduled in Vienna today, including one with railway and public transportation officials.
SEATTLE (AP) — The aggravated murder trial of a Washington state doctor scheduled for April could see his attorneys try to advance a cough syrup defense. A motion filed in October suggests that due to Dr. Louis Chen's genetic makeup, his system had a buildup of the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, found in many over-the-counter cold medicines. He's accused of killing his toddler son and his partner in 2011.
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