Nation at a Glance

Jun 23, 07:27 AM

Current Headlines: CHEYENNE, Wyo. | Republican John Barrasso, a surgeon and Wyoming legislator, was named as the country's newest U.S. senator Friday to replace the late Craig Thomas.

The temporary appointment, announced by Wyoming's governor, is effective immediately. Thomas, also a Republican, died June 4 while being treated for leukemia.

Barrasso, 54, will serve in Thomas' place until early 2009. He has indicated that he intends to run in a November 2008 special election to serve out the remainder of Thomas' term, which ends in 2013.

Kentucky

park rides stilled after injury

LOUISVILLE | Six Flags and another company on Friday shut down eight more thrill rides around the country after a girl's feet were chopped off on a Superman Tower of Power.

State inspectors, meanwhile, returned to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom where the incident happened to examine the ride, which lifts passengers 177 feet straight up, then drops them at speeds reaching 54 mph.

It was unclear at what point the 13-year-old was injured Thursday, said Wendy Goldberg, a Six Flags spokeswoman. The girl was not identified, and details of her condition were not available Friday. Six Flags has shut down similar rides at parks in St. Louis, Gurnee, Ill., and near Washington as a precaution, Goldberg said .

The accident led Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. to shut down and inspect rides at Kings Dominion near Richmond, Va., and other four other parks , spokeswoman Stacy Frole said. Other rides to be shut down are at Kings Island near Cincinnati; Canada's Wonderland in Toronto; Carowinds in Charlotte, N.C.; and Great America in Santa Clara, Calif.

North Carolina

duke players seek contempt charge

DURHAM | Attorneys for three Duke lacrosse players falsely accused of rape asked a judge Friday to hold disgraced prosecutor Mike Nifong in criminal contempt of court.

Nifong " engaged in a pattern of official prosecutorial misconduct, which violated at least a dozen laws, rules and court orders designed to protect due process and the pursuit of truth," the attorneys wrote in their request filed to Superior Court Judge W. Osmond Smith III.

Nifong did not immediately return a message left Friday at his home.

- From wire reports

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