States clean up in deadly snowstorm's wake
BOSTON, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The northeastern United States was digging out from a monster snowstorm Sunday that killed nine people and left at least 400,000 customers without power.
Residents from Pennsylvania to Maine were left to remove up to 3 feet of snow that began falling Friday and caused state officials to urge residents to stay home and airports to cancel thousands of flights, CNN reported.
"There's just really no place to put the snow," Boston resident Allison Rice told CNN.
The White House said Sunday President Obama signed an emergency declaration for Connecticut in which he ordered federal aid to supplement state and local efforts in dealing with the storm for the next 48 hours.
The White House statement said the declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and provide "appropriate assistance ... to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all eight counties and the Tribal Nations of Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan in the state of Connecticut."
"Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency," the statement said. "Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding."
Airports in Boston and Connecticut were to resume flights Sunday, officials said. Three of New York's busiest airports had limited service Saturday
Police investigating fugitive cop's firing
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Los Angeles police said they are reopening an investigation into the termination of a former police officer now wanted in the deaths of three people.
A massive manhunt for Christopher Jordan Dorner, 33, has focused on the Big Bear mountains since Thursday, when his pickup was found in flames on a forest road between Bear Mountain and Snow Summit ski resorts.
Dorner is accused of killing the daughter of a retired LAPD captain and her fiance. He also is alleged to have shot three police officers, one fatally, in Riverside County. One day after killing the first two people, Dorner published a manifesto online saying he was seeking revenge for his termination in 2009 for allegedly making a false accusation against his training officer.
Dorner had said training officer Teresa Evans kicked a mentally ill man during an arrest in 2007 in San Pedro. An internal affairs investigation concluded Evans did not kick the man and Dorner was terminated, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Saturday the investigation was "not to appease a murderer," but to offer complete transparency to the public and to protect an "increasingly positive relationship with the community."
"I am aware of the ghosts of the LAPD's past and one of my biggest concerns is that they will be resurrected by Dorner's allegations of racism within the department," Beck said. "Therefore, I feel we need to also publicly address Dorner's allegations regarding his termination of employment."
Sheen asks fugitive ex-cop to call him
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. actor Charlie Sheen has asked fugitive former police officer Christopher Dorner to contact him after the actor was mentioned in Dorner's manifesto.
Dorner, 33, posted the manifesto online last week after allegedly killing the daughter of a retired Los Angeles Police Department captain and her fiance. He also is alleged to have shot three police officers, one fatally, in Riverside County.
In his manifesto, Dorner said he was seeking revenge for his termination in 2009 for allegedly making a false accusation against his training officer. He threatened "unconventional and asymmetrical warfare" against police officers involved in his dismissal and their families.
He also expressed his admiration for Sheen, Michelle Obama and Anthony Bordain, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday.
"Charlie Sheen, you're effin awesome," Dorner wrote.
Sheen issued a plea to Dorner in a short video posted on TMZ Saturday.
"You mentioned me in your manifesto, so thank you for your kind words," Sheen says.
"I am urging you to call me. Let's figure out together how to end this thing. Call me. I look forward to talking to you."
A massive manhunt for Dorner has focused on the Big Bear mountains since Thursday, when his pickup was found in flames on a forest road between Bear Mountain and Snow Summit ski resorts.
North Korea blusters over nuclear test
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- North Korea chided the United States this weekend for supposedly misinterpreting Pyongyang's nuclear program.
The government weekly Tongil Sinbo posted an article saying North Korea was involved in projects it declined to identify, but that it would be a mistake to conclude they involved a nuclear weapons test.
"The U.S. and hostile forces jumped to conclusions that the republic is planning the third nuclear test, citing their hypothesis and argument," Tongil Sinbo said.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency said Sunday the article appeared to be a response to the international uproar over North Korea's launch of a long-range missile in December. The North has also announced it would carry out a "nuclear test of a higher level" sometime in the near future.
It remained unclear whether the test would involve an actual nuclear weapon, but Tongil Sinbo warned the United States faced "irrevocable losses" if it responded.
