Wyoming weighs silencers for hunting
In the woods and on the plains of Wyoming, one traditional hunting sound may soon be headed toward extinction.
“Blam! Blam! Blam!”
State lawmakers are set to decide whether to allow silencers on hunting guns, a move that has divided the outdoor-oriented state. Proponents say screwing a muzzle onto a firearm to catch the blast and muffle the report will prevent hearing damage and reduce noise pollution.
Many opponents insist silencers for hunting weapons gives all those Elmer Fudds in the woods an unsporting advantage with yet another high-tech gadget against game species whose only defenses have always been their alertness and ability to run away.
An interim Wyoming legislative committee recently endorsed a bill to end the state’s prohibition on hunting with silencers. The full Legislature will consider the issue in the general session starting in January.
Father accidentally kills son, 7, outside gun store
A father shot and killed his 7-year-old son Saturday morning outside a Pennsylvania gun store in what police described as a tragic accident, authorities said.
The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the death as an accidental shooting and are awaiting the results of the results of an autopsy.
The shooting occurred Saturday morning in the parking lot of Twigs Reloading Den in Mercer, Pa. Police said the gun fired as Joseph Loughrey, 44, and his son, Craig, were entering their vehicle.
Loughrey told police he had emptied the magazine of his 9-millimeter Taurus handgun, and he didn’t know there was a bullet in the chamber. The gun discharged and his son was struck in the chest.
North Korea considers delaying rocket launch
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea may postpone the controversial launch of a long-range rocket that had been slated for liftoff as early as Monday, North Korean state media said today.
Scientists have pushed forward with preparations for the launch from a west coast site but are considering “readjusting” the timing, a spokesman for the Korean Committee for Space Technology told North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency.
It was unclear whether diplomatic intervention or technical glitches were behind the possible delay.
South African icon Mandela hospitalized
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela was admitted to a military hospital Saturday for medical tests, though the nation’s president told the public there was “no cause for alarm” over the 94-year-old icon’s health.
The statement issued by President Jacob Zuma’s spokesman said Mandela was doing well and was receiving medical care “which is consistent for his age.” The statement offered no other details.
By wire sources