WORLD BRIEFS
THE KOREAS: North walks out of talks
North Korea said Thursday it would not hold further military talks with South Korea, accusing Seoul of lacking serious intent to improve relations. The announcement, made in a statement carried by state media, came one day after the first military talks with South Korea in months ended with no agreement. It was the first official dialogue between the Koreas since a North Korean artillery barrage killed four people on a front-line South Korean island in November. The North's military accused the South of sticking to its "unreasonable" insistence that the high-level talks cannot be held unless the North takes "sincere, responsible measures" over the attacks.
AFGHANISTAN: Attacks kill American, 2 Britons
A U.S. customs employee and two British soldiers have died in insurgent attacks in southern Afghanistan. A suicide bomber killed a retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer and wounded three other American customs workers Monday in Kandahar. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in Washington that David Hillman, who had worked for the U.S. government for 30 years, died in the blast at the Inland Customs Warehouse in Kandahar. Afghan police said the suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside the city's customs house compound during a visit by NATO forces. In northern Afghanistan, a roadside bomb killed the director of criminal investigations in Chimtal district of Balkh province. The British Ministry of Defense said two soldiers from a parachute regiment were shot and killed Wednesday on patrol in Nad Ali district of Helmand Province.
ARABIAN SEA: Pirates seize U.S.-bound tanker
A 1,100-foot supertanker carrying Kuwaiti oil to the United States was seized by pirates Wednesday off eastern Oman, the first hijacking of a vessel that size since April. The Irene SL has 17 Filipinos, seven Greeks and a Georgian on board, according to the European Union's anti-piracy force. "The vessel was attacked by armed men in skiffs," the tanker's owner, Enesel SA, said. "For the moment there is no communication with the vessel."
Gen Z's first time voters ... Shopping in Sea Cliff ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV
Gen Z's first time voters ... Shopping in Sea Cliff ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV