U.S. Briefs: Mattel recalls more toys
Mattel recalls more toys
WASHINGTON -- Mattel announced recalls Tuesday for 9 million more Chinese-made toys, including popular Barbie, Polly Pocket and "Cars" movie items, because of lead paint and tiny magnets that could be swallowed. Mattel recalled 1.5 million Chinese-made Fisher-Price infant toys two weeks ago. Story on Page 1.
NYC to try traffic-toll plan
WASHINGTON -- The federal government has agreed to pay $354 million to New York City to help it launch an ambitious plan to reduce traffic by charging tolls for driving into the busiest parts of Manhattan. New York's effort, called congestion pricing, would be the first such toll program in the U.S. Story on Page 11.
Flossie heads for Hawaii
HONOLULU -- Hurricane Flossie roared on course to brush Hawaii's Big Island on Tuesday hours after guarded residents were rattled by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake and dozens of aftershocks. Schools closed and shelters opened in anticipation of the hurricane, with top sustained winds of 110 mph. Story on Weather Page.
Tropical storm forms
MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Dean formed in the Atlantic on Tuesday, but remained far from land, forecasters said. The storm with sustained winds of 40 mph was centered about 1,490 miles east of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, about halfway across the ocean from Africa, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Frustration at mine site
HUNTINGTON, Utah -- As frustration mounts over the slow pace of the digging to free six trapped miners, more questions arose Tuesday about whether risky mining methods may have left parts of the coal mine dangerously unstable. Some mining companies consider the "retreat mining" methods dangerous.
Wildfires in central Idaho
BOISE, Idaho -- Dozens of people were ordered to evacuate two small central Idaho towns Tuesday as an 88-square-mile group of fires moved in their direction. Across Idaho, hundreds of homes are threatened by wildfires that have blackened more than 781 square miles, the National Interagency Fire Center said.
Bridge design picked
MINNEAPOLIS -- Heavy rain made the Mississippi River's currents too treacherous for divers to resume searching for victims of last week's bridge collapse, so contractors Tuesday pulled up huge concrete slabs, clearing the way for divers. Politicians, meanwhile, wrangled over how to replace the 1,900-foot highway span.
Mental care for diplomats
WASHINGTON -- The State Department plans to create a mental care office and require employees to take additional time off to deal with a surge in stress disorders among diplomats in danger posts abroad, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday. Up to 17 percent of diplomats at such posts suffer these problems.