Washington, D.C.

Libya gives up last of nuclear material

Libya surrendered all of its remaining nuclear weapons equipment to international inspectors, and a cargo ship laden with 500 tons of centrifuges and other gear left Saturday for the United States, the White House announced.

Administration officials said the shipment includes parts for centrifuges needed to enrich uranium; all the equipment from Libya’s former uranium conversion facility; and longer-range missiles, including five Scuds, along with their launchers.

In a surprise agreement in December that followed nine months of secret talks, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi pledged to turn over his country’s weapons of mass destruction to U.S. and British authorities and to halt Libya’s nuclear development program.

Maryland

Avian flu found again in United States

A case of Avian flu has been found at a commercial chicken farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the U.S. agriculture department said.

It is the same strain, H7, found last month in two flocks in Delaware, but officials said there was no known connection with the cases in the two states.

The outbreak is at a Pokomoke City farm with about 118,000 6-week-old broiler chickens. Officials quarantined the farm Friday evening, Maryland Agriculture Secretary Lewis Riley said in a news release. The birds will be destroyed this morning and their remains kept in the chicken houses where they are killed.

Moscow

Explosion hits apartments

An explosion tore through a Moscow apartment building before dawn today, injuring at least two people and forcing evacuation of the 14-story building. Authorities said it appeared to have been caused by a gas leak.

The blast struck about 4:20 a.m., destroying several apartments in the dilapidated concrete building on Chertanovsky Street in southern Moscow.

Two people were hospitalized with injuries from the blast, said Valery Buzovkin, a police spokesman at the scene. The ITAR-Tass news agency reported eight people were hospitalized.

The cause of the blast was unclear, but authorities said initial indications were that it was caused by gas.

Los Angeles

Bernie Mac among winners at NAACP Image Awards

Comedian Bernie Mac paid tribute Saturday night to his early fans for making it possible for him to take home two NAACP Image Awards, which honor works by and about people of color.

The usually boisterous Mac, who won outstanding actor in a comedy series and outstanding comedy series for Fox’s “The Bernie Mac Show,” thanked those who supported him when he was making the rounds of comedy clubs.

“For 43 weeks a year, for 18 years, you came to see me. So when I came to television I was ready, and I thank you so much,” he told the at the audience.

The ceremony will be broadcast Thursday on Fox.