Special ops soldier killed in Somalia
A U.S. special operations soldier was killed in Somalia on Friday and four other U.S. service members were wounded, marking the first time an American has died in action in Africa since four U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush in Niger late last year.
The Americans were conducting an operation against the al-Qaidalinked extremist group alShabab alongside partner forces from Somalia and Kenya when they came under enemy mortar and small-arms fire, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon localtime.
The Pentagon didn’t identify the U.S. commando who was killed, pending notification of next of kin.
Pruitt probe sought
Six House Democrats on Friday sought a criminal investigation into Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt for reportedly using his office in a bid to secure work for his wife.
Writing to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Acting Assistant Attorney General John Cronan, the lawmakers said Mr. Pruitt had used his office for “the personal gain of himself and his family, in violation of federal law.” Their letter was released by Virginia Rep. Don Beyer.
A FBI spokeswoman confirmed that the agency had received the letter. “Our practice is to provide any response to the members of Congress who contact us,” she said in an email.
The Democrats cited Mr. Pruitt’s efforts last year to help his wife secure work, including a franchise with the fastfood chain Chick-fil-A, as indicated in emails recently released under a Freedom of Information Act request by the Sierra Club.
Convicted of spying
WASHINGTON— A former CIA case officer faces life in prison after he was convicted on Friday of betraying his country to spy on behalf of China.
Kevin Mallory, 61, of Leesburg, Va., was found guilty of espionage charges and lying to the FBI about his contacts with Chinese intelligence.
The verdict capped a nearly two-week trial that offered a rare glimpse into the murky world of American espionage cases, which typically do not go to trial because of the difficulties involving highly classified information.
Krauthammer’s battle
Charles Krauthammer, the longtime columnist for The Washington Post, said in a statement published on the newspaper’s website that he is battling cancer and has “only a few weeks left to live.”
Mr. Krauthammer has been absent from The Post, where he began writing columns in 1984, since August, when he had a cancerous tumor surgically removed.
Despite “a cascade of secondary complications,” Mr. Krauthammer, 68, was preparing to return to writing, but recent tests found that the cancer had aggressively returned, he said in the short statement.
Lauer to keep ranch
WELLINGTON,New Zealand — Matt Lauer, the former “Today” show cohost who lost his job over sexual misconduct allegations, will be allowed to keep his ranch in New Zealand, after a government agency said it did not have sufficient evidence he had breached a goodcharacter test for foreign property buyers.