Loughner sentenced to life plus 140 yrs
TUCSON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Jared Loughner will spend the rest of his life in jail for killing six people and injuring 13 others, including former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
U.S. District Judge Larry Burns said Thursday the sentence of seven consecutive life terms plus 140 years was "astronomical" but "justified." He said the facts show Loughner was not insane at the time of the shooting, that he went to the scene of the crime "with the purpose of shooting Ms. Giffords," and lay in wait, The Arizona Republic reported.
"He knew what he was doing," Burns said.
Burns initially sentenced Lougher to six life terms but then noted a seventh life sentence was called for in one charge that was not a murder charge. He noted the sentence was provided for under a plea agreement Loughner had accepted.
Giffords, who was shot in the head during a meet-and-greet with constituents at a Tucson grocery store in January 2011, was in the Tucson federal courtroom for the sentencing.
Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, spoke on his wife's behalf during the hearing. Kelly told Loughner: "After today, Gabby and I are done thinking about you.
"You may have put a bullet in her head but you haven't put a dent in her spirit."
Axelrod urges cooperation in Washington
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- David Axelrod, one of U.S. President Barack Obama's top political advisers, suggested Thursday the election should be seen as "a vote for cooperation."
In an interview on MSNBC, Axelrod said the president does not have a mandate on how to resolve the deficit debacle with House Republicans, The Hill reported.
"Everyone's going to have to come to the table in the spirit of getting things done, but on this issue of particularly the fiscal cliff -- presidents always say, 'I have a mandate'; that's a foolish word and generally untrue," Axelrod said. "But the president did campaign all over this country ... on the need for balanced deficit reduction that included some new revenues and he was reelected in a significant way, so hopefully people will read those results and read them as a vote for cooperation."
The election did little to change the political balance of power in Washington. Obama won a second term, the Democrats gained a slightly bigger margin in the Senate and the Republicans had a net loss of seats in the House, while remaining in the majority.
Axelrod said Obama is ready to work with the House Republicans and Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
52 dead, 22 missing in Guatemala quake
SAN MARCOS, Guatemala, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Rescue efforts in Guatemala are focusing on 22 missing people following Wednesday's 7.4-magnitude earthquake, authorities said.
Officials said the temblor, the strongest to strike the country since 1976, has killed at least 52 people and rendered 10,000 homes unlivable. The epicenter of the damage was in the San Marcos region on the border with Mexico, where 40 people were confirmed dead, the BBC reported Thursday.
In San Cristobal Cucho, a village 3 miles outside San Marcos, a family of 10 died when their house collapsed.
"The whole village is in mourning because an entire family was taken by God's nature. What can we do," said Mayor Pedro Cardona.
Many residents spent Wednesday night sleeping in the streets, afraid to return to their homes in the event of an aftershock.
Iranians fire on U.S. drone
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The Pentagon said it is concerned about Iran's intentions in the Persian Gulf following an incident in which Iranian fighters fired on a U.S. Air Force drone.
CNN reported the incident involving two Iranian Su-25 fighter jets occurred over international waters last Thursday. The drone was not hit, the Pentagon said.
CNN, quoting officials, said the jets belonged to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. The drone's cameras captured video images of the attack.
The United States has filed a protest, CNN said. So far, there has been no response from Iran.
Pakistan restores fuel supply for NATO
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Pakistan allowed the transport of fuel supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan, officials said.
Officials said two tankers loaded with oil crossed the border after being cleared by Pakistani customs officials, Khaama Press reported.
Fuel supply to coalition troops had been suspended until Wednesday even though Pakistan allowed NATO supply trucks to resume travel through the country to Afghanistan in July after the United States apologized for the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers during a NATO airstrike last November.
The local administration deployed security personnel along the Peshawar-Torkham Highway to ensure the tankers' safe passage, officials said.
