The nation in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Will they be successful? We don’t know yet. But it would be an important victory in a political sense and, potentially, a practical sense.” Jacob Hollinger, a partner with a New York law firm, on a court hearing about the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to limit greenhouse gases blamed for global warming Article, this page

Thousands attend vigil for slain girl

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A southwest Missouri community turned out by the thousands Saturday night to remember a 10-year-old girl who was killed last week after being abducted from her quiet Springfield neighborhood.

The family of Hailey Owens, a fourth-grader who was killed Tuesday a block from her home, attended a candlelight vigil in her memory and led a procession down Springfield’s Commercial Street, the Springfield News-Leader reported.

The local chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse walked with family members as thousands of others lined sidewalks along the route, raising candles and chanting Hailey’s name.

Springfield spokesman Cora Scott estimated there were about 10,000 participants. Many wore pink and purple, which were Hailey’s favorite colors.

2 more kids die of injuries from fire

INDIANAPOLIS - Two young children died Sunday from injuries they suffered in a house fire that killed two of their siblings and their parents, an Indianapolis Fire Department spokesman said.

Miranda Guerra, 14, and her 6-year-old brother, Fuentes, were pronounced dead Sunday afternoon at Riley Hospital for Children, Capt. Rita Reith said.

The two children had been considered in “extreme critical” condition after the Saturday morning fire.

Authorities said Leo Guerra, 47; his 33-year-old wife, Brandy Mae; the couple’s 11-year-old son Esteban; and 8-year old daughter Blanquita died Saturday. WTHR-TV reported a fifth, older sibling, Luis Guerra, had been keeping vigil at Riley Hospital. His age was not reported, and it wasn’t clear where he was at the time of the fire.

Investigators have not found the cause or place of origin of the fire, but they do not suspect foul play, Reith said, adding that no smoke detectors were found in the home.

Netflix, Comcast reach streaming deal

NEW YORK - Netflix has reached a deal with Comcast to ensure that its TV shows and movies are streamed smoothly to households.

The two companies said in a joint statement Sunday that they’re establishing a more direct connection to provide better service to customers that will also allow for growth in Netflix traffic. The companies say the arrangement is already giving customers a better experience.

Netflix had 33 million U.S. streaming subscribers at the start of the year, and it accounts for about a third of all Internet traffic at peak times, according to research firm Sandvine. Internet service providers such as Comcast have pushed the company for more structured deals to enable Netflix’s content to be transmitted smoothly and reduce the strain on providers’ networks.

Although the companies did not disclose the terms of the deal, Netflix investors will want to know how much the deal will affect the company’s bottom line and whether the costs will be passed on to customers. Netflix has been resisting paying fees to Internet companies, and the deal could open the door to similar agreements with other providers.

Mississippi River crash spills barge’s oil

NEW ORLEANS - A 65-mile stretch of the Mississippi River, including the Port of New Orleans, was closed to all water traffic Sunday as crews cleaned up oil that spilled from a barge after it ran into a towboat between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the Coast Guard said.

Officials don’t know how much oil spilled, but only a sheen was reported on the river after the collision, which happened Saturday afternoon near Vacherie, 47 miles west of New Orleans by land, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough.

No one was hurt, and all barges were secured, Colclough said.

By late Sunday afternoon, 16 vessels were waiting to go downriver and 10 vessels were waiting in an upriver queue, he said. He could not estimate when the river would reopen but said it was likely to remain closed overnight.

Public drinking water intakes on the river were closed as a precaution in nearby St. Charles Parish, officials said.

The barge, one of two loaded with light crude and being pushed by the Hannah C. Settoon, hit the Lindsay Ann Erickson, which was pushing grain barges, Colclough said.

Front Section, Pages 4 on 02/24/2014

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