■ United States
Pilot battles snake in air
Monty Coles was 900m in the air when he discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane's instrument panel -- a 1.35m black snake. Coles had left Charleston last Saturday in his Piper Cherokee and was preparing to land in Gallipolis, Ohio, when the snake revealed itself. While maintaining control of the single-engine plane with one hand, Coles grabbed the reptile behind its head with his other. Radioing for emergency landing, Coles told them "I had one hand full of snake and the other hand full of plane. They cleared me in." After a smooth landing, Coles posed for pictures with the snake, then let it loose.
■ Canada
Police arrest terror suspects
More than 10 people were arrested on Friday on "terrorism-related" charges in police raids in Toronto, said Corporal Michele Paradis of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, adding that "they'll be charged tomorrow [yesterday]." Reports said that the group had videotaped the CN Tower, one of the world's tallest structures, and the local subway, which carries some 800,000 commuters each day. Paradis refused to comment on those reports, but said more than 400 officers were involved in the investigation and more arrests were expected in the case. "It's still ongoing and we're anticipating further arrests," she said.
■ Canada
Kids' donations returned
Some children in Canada are so well-off and so keen on current affairs that they donate thousands of dollars to politicians -- at least, that's what one contender for the leadership of the opposition Liberal Party seems to believe. Former immigration minister Joe Volpe hit the spotlight this week after it emerged that a pair of 11-year-old twins and their 14-year-old brother had each donated C$5,400 (US$4,900) to his leadership campaign. On Thursday, Volpe ordered that five donations from people under 18 be given back. "All the donations were in complete compliance with the law but the perception was not good and that's why they were returned," Volpe spokesman Corey Hobbs said.
■ United States
Bush backs marriage plan
US President George W. Bush yesterday backed a resolution to amend the Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman even though the idea has little chance of being passed in the Senate. "Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and a wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society," Bush said in his radio address yesterday. Democrats say Senate floor time is being wasted on the issue, and accuse Republicans of making a pre-midterm election appeal to social conservatives whose votes were key to Bush's re-election.
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