■ United States
Fake FedEx men take gems
Two bandits dressed as FedEx delivery men and carrying at least one gun robbed Doppelt & Greenwald Diamond Inc of US$4 million in goods in Manhattan on Tuesday. The men got in the door just before 1pm partly because they claimed the package they were delivering was too large to slip under it and that they needed a signature. The men tied up five workers and two customers. They filled a bag full of diamonds before leaving through an employee entrance. Employees were surprised the men managed to get a weapon inside, saying the facility has high security.
■ United States
Pilots slam airspace ban
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed flight restrictions over Vice President Dick Cheney's new Maryland home, angering private pilots who say they can't fly overhead even when he isn't around. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association spokesman Chris Dancy said on Tuesday the FAA only imposes restrictions at Cheney's Jackson Hole, Wyoming, home when he's there. Cheney's new home is in St. Michaels, Maryland, about 50km east of Washington, in a region covered by airspace restrictions that were put in place after Sept. 11.
■ United States
Red tape snarls thieves
Two government employees were charged with taking kickbacks on the purchase of 100,000 rolls of red tape. Veterans Affairs workers Joseph Haymond and Natalie Coker were arrested on Tuesday in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and charged with taking bribes for buying the tape, normally US$2.50 per roll, for US$6.95 each. The two got kickbacks of US$1 per roll for the purchases. They could each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. They worked at the VA's Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy, which mails prescription medicines to veterans. The red tape, stamped with the word "security," is meant to deter tampering.
■ United States
Baby killed with vodka
Police are searching for a Florida couple accused of killing their three-month-old baby by giving her large amounts of vodka to calm her colic. "She had high levels of alcohol in her system -- 0.47 percent, which is five times the legal limit for driving," Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Katherine Collins said on Tuesday. She said the parents told police after their daughter's death in February last year that they had given her vodka, believing it would cure her colic. However, "she had severe damage to her liver due to weeks of alcohol consumption, so it was not a one-time thing," Collins said. The parents cooperated with investigations, but detectives were unable to find them after an arrest warrant was issued.
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