Orb Standard: Americas

U.S. Air Force pilot, Maj. Harry Schmidt leaves on the final day of his Article 32 hearing, on Jan. 23, 2003. (CP)

U.S. air force dismisses charges against pilot accused in bombing Canadians

Family members of Canadian soldiers who were killed when an American fighter pilot mistakenly bombed them in Afghanistan expressed disappointment at a U.S. air force decision Thursday to dismiss all criminal charges against him. Maj. Harry Schmidt has accepted an offer to face administrative punishment in exchange for dismissal of four counts of dereliction of duty, the air force said. That means Schmidt, 37, could receive a letter of reprimand, loss of one month's pay and house arrest.

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Electing force in Latin America : Peru- On a morning in April, people in this normally placid spot in Peru's southeastern highlands burst into a town council meeting, grabbed their mayor, dragged him through the streets and lynched him. The killers, convinced that the mayor was on the take and angry that he had neglected pledges to pave a highway and build a market f

D.C.: Number of Homeless Up Slightly for 4th Year: The fourth annual point-in-time survey counted 14,537 homeless men, women and children -- up 1.8 percent from last year's survey by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

Tougher Regulations Urged on Power Plant Emissions: Pollution from power plants causes the premature deaths of 23,600 Americans each year, according to an analysis prepared by a consulting company that uses the same data and methodology in its work for the Environmental Protection Agency.

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