US & World News, Tuesday 4/24

US/World Summary Nine U.S. Troops Dead In Iraq Attack (Baghdad) -- Nine more U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq. The troops, from Task Force Lightning, were killed yesterday when a suicide car bomber attacked a military base north of Baghdad. The attack also wounded 21 other American soldiers, in what the military calls the deadliest single attack against American ground forces in over a year. It also makes April the deadliest month for American forces since last December. The new violence comes as President Bush remains deadlocked with congressional Democrats over funding for the war in Iraq and its link to a troop withdrawal. --- Town Evacuated After Chemical Spill (Seward, IL) -- An ammonia cloud released after a chemical spill last night led to the evacuation of an entire town. It happened in Seward, Illinois, about 15 miles west of Rockford during the loading or unloading of a truck at an Agricultural Supply facility. About 20 town residents needed medical treatment after the spill. Police say they hope the ammonia cloud will dissipate later this morning. When it does, they plan to conduct a door-to-door check of each home. --- Corzine Crash Case Investigation Takes New Twist (Trenton, NJ) -- The investigation into the accident that involved New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has taken a new twist. Investigators are now looking into the possibility that Corzines driver was distracted by trying to e-mail his girlfriends estranged husband while driving the Governors SUV. According to investigators, State Trooper Robert Rasinski may have been trying to read or write e-mail while speeding at up to 91-miles-an-hour when the crash happened. Corzine suffered multiple injuries and is still in critical but stable condition in a New Jersey hospital. --- Senate Probes Campus Security After VT Massacre (Washington, DC) -- A Congressional panel is looking at the college campus security issue. The Senate Homeland Security hearings opened yesterday, one week after a massacre at Virginia Tech that killed 33 people including the shooter. David Ward, the president of the American Council on Education, called the rampage a wake up call to all colleges and universities to review and update their campus security plans. Ward testified that college and university officials are afraid that the shooting with lead to similar "copycat" crimes. --- Blue Angels Cancel Upcoming Air Show (Vidalia, GA) -- The Blue Angels are pulling out of an air show this weekend after one of their pilots was killed last Saturday. Navy Lieutenant Commander Kevin Davis was killed when his jet crashed during a South Carolina air show. The Angels were scheduled to perform this weekend in Vidalia, Georgia, but those plans have since scrubbed as the crash investigation continues. Officials continue sifting through the wreckage of the doomed F-18 trying to determine what caused the plane to crash in a residential neighborhood. --- Chicago Police Superintendent Chases Down Suspect (Chicago, IL) -- One Chicago restaurant owner is glad that the citys top cop eats there. Police Superintendent Phil Cline was eating at a local Italian hotspot yesterday when two patrons allegedly skipped out without paying their 23-dollar bill. Cline got into his car and chased one of the men, handcuffing and arresting him. That man is now facing "theft of service" charges. --- Study: No Link Between Breast Cancer, Abortion (Washington, DC) -- The risk of breast cancer developing in women isnt influenced by having an abortion or miscarriage. Thats the conclusion of a new study from Bostons Harvard Medical School. The research project surveyed 100-thousand nurses who didnt have cancer, following them for several years. The subjects were asked to fill out a detailed survey that included questions about abortions and miscarriages. The results found that those who had suffered a miscarriage or had an abortion were no more likely to develop breast cancer than any other woman. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions/Regional News Service) RNS-04-24-07 0844CDT