Officials: Cyanide killed potential Bulger witness
BOSTON – The Massachusetts medical examiner’s office determined that cyanide poisoning killed an alleged extortion victim of Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger who had hoped to testify at Bulger’s trial, prosecutors said Sunday.
The medical examiner’s office concluded that Stephen Rakes, 59, of Quincy, died of acute cyanide toxicity in July and ruled his death a homicide, according to MaryBeth Long, a spokeswoman for the Middlesex district attorney’s office.
Authorities said Rakes’ death wasn’t related to the Bulger case.
Rakes’ business associate, William Camuti, 69, of Sudbury, is charged with attempted murder and other crimes for allegedly poisoning Rakes’ iced coffee. Camuti has pleaded not guilty.
Suicide bombing in Iraq kills 35 in busy cafe
BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber slammed his explosive-laden car Sunday night into a busy cafe in Iraq’s capital, part of a day of violence across the country that killed 45 people, authorities said.
The bombing at the cafe in Baghdad’s primarily Shiite Amil neighborhood happened as it was full of customers. The cafe and a nearby juice shop is a favorite hangout in the neighborhood for young people, who filled the area at the time of the explosions.
Violence has been on the rise in Iraq following a deadly crackdown by security forces on a Sunni protest camp in the northern town of Hawijah in April. At least 385 have died in attacks in Iraq so far this month, according to an Associated Press count.
Confusion reigns over delayed Syria meeting
BEIRUT – Reflecting confusion in efforts to convene an international conference to end Syria’s civil war, the Arab League chief announced Sunday that talks will take place next month in Geneva, only to have the U.N. envoy flatly deny a date has been set.
The bizarre diplomatic two-step between Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and the U.N. envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, at a joint news conference added to the uncertainty surrounding the proposed peace talks. A decision over whether the long-delayed negotiations will happen at all could come at a meeting of the Syrian opposition early next month that will focus on whether to sit down with President Bashar Assad’s regime.
The United States and Russia, who support opposing sides in the conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people, have been trying for months to bring the Damascus government and Syria’s divided opposition to the table for a peace conference. But with the war deadlocked, neither the regime nor the rebels showed any interest in compromise, forcing the meeting to be repeatedly postponed.
Tropical Storm Raymond forms off Mexico
MEXICO CITY – Tropical Storm Raymond steamed Sunday toward Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, an area already devastated by rains and mudslides from Tropical Storm Manuel last month.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Raymond was expected to become a hurricane soon, but predicted it would take a sharp westward turn and head out to sea before it reached land. However, it said the storm might get as close as 50 miles to the coast before turning, bringing the threat of new dangerous rains.
In a region where 10,000 people are still living away from their homes one month after Manuel caused widespread flooding and left landslide risks, officials raced to get emergency teams in place and weighed possible further evacuations.
Associated Press
