Journalist makes safe return to U.S.
American journalist Jill Carroll arrived at Boston’s Logan International Airport Sunday after being held hostage in Iraq for 82 days, according to The Associated Press.
Upon arrival, the 28-year-old reporter for the Christian Science Monitor was whisked away to the newspaper’s headquarters, where she was greeted by her parents and twin sister.
Carroll said that the experience gave her a greater appreciation for freedom.
“I finally feel like I am alive again,” she told the AP. “I feel so good. To be able to step outside anytime, to feel the sun directly in your face – to see the whole sky. These are luxuries that we just don’t appreciate every day.”
Carroll had agreed to meet with a Sunni Arab official on Jan. 7, but was kidnapped along the way. Her captors killed the Iraqi translator that accompanied her.
Since her release, Carroll has only made brief public appearances.
Richard Bergenheim, editor of the Christian Science Monitor, said that the newspaper will begin telling Carroll’s story when she is ready. He asked that until that point, reporters respect the privacy of the Carroll family.
Source: The Associated Press
Iran tests high-speed torpedo
Iran successfully tested a high-speed underwater missile Sunday that Iranian officials said is one of the fastest missiles ever developed, according to Reuters.
The test comes at a time of growing tension between Iran and the United States, as the Iran moves toward developing nuclear weapons, without U.S. consent.
While it was not immediately clear if this missile could carry a nuclear warhead, the speed of the weapon would make it difficult for any U.S. submarine or warship to escape.
“It has a very powerful warhead designed to hit big submarines,” Iranian Gen. Ali Fadavi told the nation’s state-run television. “Even if enemy warship sensors identify the missile, no warship can escape from this missile because of its high speed.”
Currently, the U.S. Navy’s 5th fleet is stationed in the Gulf, a region known for being a critical route in global oil-trading.
State-run television was interrupted to broadcast the test, which was a part of war games Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards conducted this weekend.
Source: Reuters
-Compiled by City Editor Sam Hodgson
