WASHINGTON

Military members punished in prostitution scandal

A dozen U.S. service members brought women, likely prostitutes, to their hotel rooms in Colombia and also allowed dogs to soil bed linens and building grounds shortly before President Barack Obama arrived in the country for an April summit, according to a military investigation that followed the announcement of punishments for the men.

The report provided to The Associated Press on Friday revealed new details about the conduct of the service members in the prostitution scandal that engulfed both military and Secret Service personnel. Seven Army soldiers and two Marines have received administrative punishments. .According to the investigator’s report, the problems involving the servicemen came to light when hotel staff complained to U.S. officials that military members had female guests in their rooms after 6 a.m., a violation of hotel policy. They also complained that dog handlers allowed their dogs to sleep in beds, soil hotel linens and soil other public areas around the building.

CHICAGO

Onion criticized for satire involving 9/11 plane image

The satirical newspaper The Onion is attracting some public ire for an image that shows an airliner about to crash into Chicago’s Willis Tower, the tallest building in the country.

The image on The Onion’s website shows an airplane emblazoned with the company name Sears flying toward the black skyscraper formerly named Sears Tower. A narrator intones, “Sears extremists fly a plane into Willis Tower.”

The image generated more than 2,000 responses on The Onion’s Facebook page by Friday evening, many denouncing the use of an image reminiscent of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York.

The Onion marketing director Grant Jones addressed the criticism in the newspaper’s tone, saying: “9-11 must never be the fodder for jokes. Perhaps you didn’t see the news that humor died after 9-11.”

LAS VEGAS

Democratic group retracts remarks about casino mogul

A Democratic party group retracted statements and apologized to billionaire Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson for what it called unsubstantiated claims that he encouraged and profited from prostitution at his company casinos in Macau, a Chinese gambling enclave.

“The statements were untrue and unfair and we retract them,” the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a terse 57-word release issued Thursday. “The DCCC extends its sincere apology to Mr. Adelson and his family for any injury we have caused.”

ROSEAU, Dominica

Storm Ernesto in Caribbean expected to be a hurricane

Tropical Storm Ernesto is dumping heavy rain across the eastern Caribbean as it heads west toward Jamaica and Mexico.

Dominica closed its international airport for a second day on Friday

It is moving at 21 mph and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Monday.

— From news service reports

 

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