KISII, Kenya -- The deaths of 15 people killed in a witch hunt in western Kenya may be the result of personal vendettas and hatred, some villagers say. Fifteen people, the majority of whom were elderly females, were killed in late May in a witch hunt outside of Kisii, Kenya, CNN reported Friday.At least 100 people used knives and machetes during a raid at the village of Kegogi, villagers said."They started banging on the doors, ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- A widespread rush-hour power outage struck much of downtown Washington Friday. Scores of office buildings were dark and empty, crowds of idle workers milled about and Metrorail service was halted for thousands of commuters.Traffic signals were out in an area covering roughly 30 blocks, the Washington Post said. Pepco spokesman Robert Dobkin said the outage was caused by an equipment failure at a Pepco substation on 10th Street.The outage further disrupted Red Line ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- Healthcare experts say the simplicity of defrauding the U.S. Medicare program points to the need for more resources devoted to prevent fraud. One issue is that Medicare doesn't review the majority of the bills it pays to companies with federally issued supplier numbers, The Washington Post said Friday.Checks are in place more to detect overbilling and unconventional medical treatment than fraud, officials said.Law enforcement officials estimate healthcare fraud costs taxpayers more than $60 ... [full story]

OMAHA -- Four teenage Boy Scouts who were killed when a tornado hit an outdoor camp near Omaha, Neb., were recognized for their passion for scouting and leadership. Josh Fennen, 13, Sam Thomsen, 13, Ben Petrzilka, 14, and Aaron Eilerts, 14, were attending a leadership camp at Little Sioux Scout Ranch when a tornado struck and killed them, CNN reported Thursday.The teens were among 93 By Scouts at the camp when the twister hit Wednesday, ... [full story]

ATLANTA -- Sickness blamed on salmonella-tainted tomatoes jumped to 228 cases Friday with six new states added, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The CDC found 61 new cases of Salmonella Saintpaul infection in Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New York, Tennessee and Vermont. That brings to 23 the number of states in which infections have been confirmed since mid-April, CNN reported.Some restaurants and grocery stores removed tomatoes from their inventories after reports of the ... [full story]

OTTAWA -- Canada's Supreme Court has ruled that not only future income but debts must be shared by couples in a divorce situation. The ruling in Ottawa Thursday overturned a British Columbia Court of Appeal ruling over a couple who separated in 2003 and divided $1.7 million in family assets, the Canwest News Service reported.In a 6-1 ruling, the justices ruled the wife was also responsible for about $140,000 in future debt incurred by the ... [full story]

TEHRAN -- The European Union's foreign policy leader traveled to Iran Friday to present a proposal of incentives in an effort to resolve Iran's nuclear aspirations. The European Union, in a statement, said Javier Solana would offer the package in its latest attempt to get Iran to back off its uranium enrichment program, which the United States and other Western nations say is being used to develop nuclear weapons capabilities.Solana will meet Iranian Foreign Minister ... [full story]

AUSTIN, Texas -- Condemned Texas killer Charles Dean Hood sought to have his 1990 murder conviction overturned because the judge allegedly was dating the district attorney. Hood is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.The appeal, filed in Austin Thursday, charged that Judge Verla Sue Holland, now retired, could not have provided a fair and impartial trial while involved in a long-term intimate relationship with then-Collin County District Attorney Tom O'Connell, the Austin American-Statesman said.O'Connell played ... [full story]

JERUSALEM -- Hamas officials Friday confirmed militants killed in an explosion in northern Gaza were preparing for a terror attack. The explosion Thursday at a Hamas leader's home in Beir Lahiya killed three people, including high-ranking members of the organization, Ynetnews.com reported. A wounded Hamas militant died Friday.Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades confirmed that those who died were making last-minute preparations for a "special mission," which Ynetnews.com said was Hamas code for a "high-quality" attack. ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- Republicans were reported aiming at another top adviser to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Friday after forcing out the head of his vice presidential search team. The new criticism centers on adviser Eric Holder Jr., who is vetting candidates to be the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's running mate, the Washington Times said. As deputy attorney general under President Bill Clinton, Holder reviewed the controversial, last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.Charged with 51 counts ... [full story]