US veteran arrested in airport shooting; 5 dead, 8 wounded

An Army veteran who landed at the Fort Lauderdale airport with a gun in his checked luggage opened fire in the baggage claim area Friday, killing five people and wounding eight before throwing his weapon down and lying spread-eagle on the ground, authorities and witnesses said. The gunman - identified by authorities as 26-year-old Esteban Santiago, who served in Iraq with the National Guard but was demoted and discharged last year for unsatisfactory performance - was immediately taken into custody.

The Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (right) at Rosyth dockyard

The Ministry of Defence has insisted it is "fully committed to operating" both new Royal Navy aircraft carriers following speculation over their future. The statement comes after a shipbuilding union called for "urgent clarification" over reports that one of the carriers could be mothballed to help address a A 500 million budget shortfall.

Altman: St. Petersburg hero welcomes new medal honoring OSS, CIA’s precursor

Caesar Civitella, right, lauded the creation by Congress of a special medal honoring members of the former Office of Strategic Services. Civitella is shown here at his induction into the Commando Hall of Honor at MacDill Air Force Base, attended by Army Gen.

Pressure on Obama to grant last-minute pardons, commutations

Under mounting pressure to free convicts as a last act, President Barack Obama is planning at least one more batch of pardons and commutations before leaving office in two weeks, but don't expect many famous offenders to make the list. The list of bold names appealing to Obama for compassion in his final weeks includes accused leaker Chelsea Manning, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Army Sgt.

Shunning the U.S., Philippine President Duterte Will Consider Maritime Drills With Russia

Russian Navy sailors stand guard at the gangway leading to the anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs shortly after arriving at port in Manila on Jan. 3. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will consider joint naval exercises with Russia to enhance the countries' maritime cooperation, his spokesman Ernesto Abella said Thursday, months after the Philippines decided to reduce military exercises with the U.S. At a briefing in the presidential palace, Abella said Duterte considered this week's visit by two Russian warships to the capital Manila as a sign that the Philippines could strengthen its naval diplomacy with Russia. Duterte is scheduled to visit one of the ships on Friday.

First female infantry Marines joining…

The Marine Corps will make history on Thursday when the first three female infantry Marines join their unit at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, officials said. The women are headed to 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, where they will serve in the following infantry military occupational specialties: rifleman, machine gunner and mortar Marine, said 1st Lt.

Vet Who Served With 1st Black Marines Dies

A Georgia man who served among the first black U.S. Marines during World War II died Tuesday just a few years after Congress honored him and fellow Montford Point Marines for their pioneering role in a segregated military. Angus Hardie Jamerson, known as Jay to his family and friends, died peacefully in his sleep at age 89, said his daughter, Wendy Jamerson.

SpaceX: Failure of helium storage tank caused September rocket explosion

Four months after a Falcon 9 rocket exploded on a Florida launch pad, SpaceX said Monday that the cause was a failed composite overwrapped pressure vessel used to store liquid helium. In the final update to its investigation, the space company said one of three such tanks in the rocket's larger, second-stage liquid oxygen tank failed, probably after a buildup of liquid oxygen between the vessel's aluminum inner liner and its carbon overwrap ignited.

The Latest: Recovery delayed for missing plane with 6 aboard

In this Aug. 1, 2008 photo, Dublin Irish Festival honorary chairman John T. Fleming proposes at toast following the tapping of the first Dublin Stout Keg at Brazenhead in Dublin, Ohio. A flight-tracking service shows that a plane piloted by the Ohio executive with five other people onboard quickly lost altitude after taking off from Cleveland's lakeshore airport.