Times Leader
First Posted:
Vote set on constitution
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi called Saturday for a referendum in two weeks on a disputed draft constitution, as tens of thousands of his supporters celebrated the decision.
Morsi set the date as Dec. 15 in a nationally televised speech to the Islamist-led assembly that hurriedly approved the draft charter amid widening opposition from secular and Christian groups.
Egypt’s Constitutional Court was due to rule Sunday on whether to dissolve the panel. If the judges decide to hold their session, whatever the decision, it is still a challenge and a continuation of the tug of war between Morsi and the powerful judiciary, which dissolved the Islamist-dominated parliament earlier this year.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip
Hamas leader to visit Gaza
The leader of Gaza’s ruling Hamas group will visit the Palestinian territory for the first time, an official said Saturday, a sign of increasing boldness of the Islamic militant movement after it held its own against an Israeli military offensive.
Khaled Mashaal was set to arrive in the Gaza Strip next week by crossing the border from Egypt to mark Hamas’ 25th anniversary and congratulate its leaders and fighters for battling Israel during the recent eight-day offensive, according to a senior Hamas official in Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
A bus carrying 32 members of a church group hit a concrete overpass at Miami International Airport after the driver got lost, killing two elderly people on board and leaving three others critically injured, officials said Saturday.
The large, white bus was too tall for the 8-foot-6-inch entrance to the arrivals area, said airport spokesman Greg Chin. Buses are supposed to go through the departures area, which has a higher ceiling, he said.
Chin said the passengers told him they were part of a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses headed to West Palm Beach. Police said in a news release that the group had chartered the bus to take them to a church convention there.
Fumes send 10 to hospital
A medical office in Monroe County is being inspected after employees were sickened by fumes.
People were evacuated Friday from the Mountain Healthcare Center in Tobyhanna after feeling light-headed and nauseated.
A Pocono Health System spokesman told the Pocono Record that 10 of the 12 administrative office employees experiencing symptoms were taken to the hospital, treated and released.
Monroe County health officials said air tests came back negative for carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases.
The same thing happened at least twice in 2008 and officials said that no air problems were found then, either.
Pocono Health System said it will have air-monitoring tests conducted and will work with the building owner on identifying the problem.
