US & World News, Tuesday 4/29

US & World Summary --- Mayor Says Hundreds Seeking Shelter After Tornadoes (Suffolk, VA) -- The Mayor of Suffolk, Virginia says more than 100 people in her town are homeless after yesterdays tornado. Linda Johnson says the shelters will stay open as long as necessary and that people need to be patient and understanding while emergency crews secure the area. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has declared a state of emergency after three tornadoes devastated the states southeastern region. The National Weather Service says the Suffolk twister packed winds of up to 100 miles an hour. --- Obama Official: Wright A "Huge Distraction (Wilmington, NC) -- The Jeremiah Wright controversy has been a huge distraction for Barack Obamas presidential campaign. Thats the word from one of Obamas political advisors. The unidentified spokesman told the "Chicago Sun Times" Wrights remarks and his defense of controversial comments is taking away from Obamas quest to win over blue-collar and working-class voters. Obama told reporters yesterday that his former pastor, quote, "doesnt speak for me and does not speak for the campaign." Obama yesterday again tried to distance himself from his former spiritual leaders comments. --- Foreclosures Jump For Seventh Straight Quarter (New York, NY) -- Home foreclosure filings jumped 23-percent during the first quarter of 2008. Thats the word from Real estate data firm RealtyTrac, which says foreclosures have more than doubled in the past year. RealtyTrac says one in every 194 households received a notice of default, auction sale or bank repossession between January and March. Nevada, California, Arizona and Florida had the highest foreclosure rates among states during the quarter. --- U.S. Forces Kill Six Militants In Baghdad (Baghdad) -- U.S. forces killed 28 Shiite militiamen during fighting in and around the Sadr City slum of Baghdad today. A U.S. military spokesman says the attacks indicate some followers of anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are ignoring his call to observe a truce. U.S. military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Steven Stover says two gunmen opened fire on troops after midnight. An hour later gunmen fired on a U.S. patrol with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Sadr City. --- Man In Custody Following Bomb Threat On Spirit Flight (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) -- One passenger aboard a Spirit Airlines flight is being questioned by police after allegedly making a bomb threat. The unidentified man was taken into custody in Fort Lauderdale, Florida just before the plane took off. More than 100 passengers were taken off the plane while it was searched for explosives. No explosive device was found and the passengers were allowed to continue with their trip to the Bahamas about an hour later. The man is still in police custody. --- Record Companies File Lawsuit Against Project Playlist (New York, NY) -- Nine major record companies are going after online music provider Project Playlist over copyright infringement. Project Playlist allows users to easily find and share music with others for free and store personalized playlists on social networking websites like MySpace and Facebook. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, claims the companys "entire business amounts to nothing more than a massive infringement" of copyrights. Project Playlist hasnt yet responded to the lawsuit. --- Photographer Calls Cyrus Pics "Simple," "Beautiful" Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz is addressing the controversial pictures of teen star Miley Cyrus. Leibovitz, who took the photos that appear in the new "Vanity Fair," told "People" magazine that she is, quote, "sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted." Leibovitz also says that she thought the shots of Miley were, quote, "simple" and "very beautiful." Cyrus initially said she was, quote, "honored and thrilled" to work with Leibovitz, but now, quote, "seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed." (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-04-29-08 0840CDT