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NATION/WORLD Thursday, January 14, 2016 East Oregonian Page 7A Navy sailors released unharmed by Iran Republican Party begins preparing for contested convention Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — It turned out to be the international crisis that wasn’t. Less than a day after 10 U.S. Navy sailors were detained in Iran when their boats drifted into Iranian waters, they and their vessels were back safely :HGQHVGD\ZLWKWKH$PHULFDQÀHHW U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tapped the personal relationship he has formed with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the three years of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, speaking with him at least ¿YHWLPHVE\WHOHSKRQH.HUU\FUHGLWHG the quick resolution to the “critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country secure and strong.” U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter thanked Kerry after the sailors’ release and couched the incident in humani- tarian terms, noting that “the U.S. Navy routinely provides assistance to foreign sailors in distress.” For Tehran, the Americans’ swift release was a way to neutralize a SRWHQWLDO QHZ ÀDVKSRLQW GD\V EHIRUH it was expected to meet the terms of last summer’s nuclear deal, which will JLYH,UDQVLJQL¿FDQWUHOLHIIURPSDLQIXO economic sanctions. It is likely that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the ¿QDOVD\RQDOOPDWWHUVRIVWDWHZRXOG have had to approve the release, given the immense political sensitivities. But the rapid resolution also was a victory for moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who has promoted greater openness with the outside world despite strident opposition from deeply entrenched hard-liners at home. “Rouhani’s policy of interaction is working,” said Iranian political analyst Saeed Leilaz. “Iran and the U.S. have gone a long way in reducing tensions but still have a long way to go in improving their contacts. It was a big step forward.” The nine men and one woman were detained Tuesday after at least one of their boats suffered mechanical prob- lems off of Farsi Island, an outpost in the middle of the Persian Gulf that has been used as a base for Revolutionary Associated Press IRIB News Agency via AP This frame grab from a Tuesday video by the Iranian state-run IRIB News Agency, shows detention of American Navy sailors by the Iranian Revolu- tionary Guards in the Persian Gulf, Iran. Guard speedboats since the 1980s. The Americans’ small Riverine boats were sailing between Kuwait and Bahrain on a training mission when the U.S. lost contact. The sailors left the island at 0843 GMT (3:43 a.m. EST) Wednesday aboard their boats, the Navy said. They were picked up by Navy aircraft, and other sailors took control of the vessels for the return voyage to Bahrain, where the U.S. 5th Fleet is based. Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, a 5th Fleet spokesman, said the priority now would be determining “how exactly these sailors found themselves in Iran.” He declined to say where they were going or give details on their identities, EXW D VHQLRU GHIHQVH RI¿FLDO VDLG WKH\ were heading to a U.S. military facility LQ 4DWDU 7KH RI¿FLDO ZKR ZDV QRW authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said they are being debriefed and getting medical exams but were not harmed. ,Q :DVKLQJWRQ D GHIHQVH RI¿FLDO said the Navy has ruled out engine or propulsion failure as the reason the boats entered Iranian waters. Naviga- tion problems, due either to human or mechanical failure, could not be ruled RXWVDLGWKHRI¿FLDOZKRZDVQRWDXWKR- rized to discuss details of the incident and so spoke on condition of anonymity. The sailors were part of Riverine Squadron 1, based in San Diego, U.S. RI¿FLDOVVDLG:KHQWKH86ORVWFRQWDFW with the boats, ships attached to the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier strike group began a search, as did DLUFUDIWIURPWKH7UXPDQ7KHRI¿FLDOV also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the incident publicly. The Revolutionary Guard released images of the U.S. sailors before their release, showing them sitting on the ÀRRU RI D URRP 7KH\ ORRNHG PRVWO\ bored or annoyed, although one appeared to be smiling. The woman had her hair covered by a brown cloth. The pictures also showed what appeared to be their two boats. State TV later released more video and photos of the Americans apparently surrendering on their knees, their hands behind their head. It also showed machine guns and ammunition they had onboard. “After determining that their entry into Iran’s territorial waters was not intentional, and their apology, the detained American sailors were released in international waters,” the Guard said. US Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, said the incident remained under investigation. High court raises doubts over Puerto Rico sovereignty By SAM HANANEL Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday raised doubts about whether Puerto Rico should be treated as a sovereign state with powers that go beyond its status as a territory of the United States. The justices considered the question during arguments in a criminal case involving two men who claim that Puerto Rico and the federal government can’t prosecute them for the same charges of selling weapons without a permit. The double jeopardy principal prevents defendants from being tried twice for the same offense. But there is an exception that allows prosecution under similar state and federal laws, since states are considered separate sovereigns. Several justices said Puerto Rico’s power to enforce local laws really comes from Congress, which in theory could take it away. The case has broad political and legal implications that could affect Puerto Rico on issues ranging from taxation and EDQNUXSWF\WRIHGHUDOEHQH¿WV,WFRPHV as the high court prepares to hear a sepa- rate dispute later this year over whether WKH ¿QDQFLDOO\ VWUXJJOLQJ 3XHUWR 5LFDQ government can give its municipalities the power to declare bankruptcy. The Caribbean island of 3.5 million people is a U.S. territory acquired in 1898 following the Spanish-Amer- ican War. But it gained a measure of autonomy in 1952, when it adopted its own constitution with the approval of Ocean search for Malaysian airliner ¿nds nd shipwreck CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The undersea search for the Malaysian airliner that vanished almost two years ago has found a likely 19th century shipwreck deep in the Indian Ocean off the west Australian coast, RI¿FLDOVVDLG:HGQHVGD\ A sonar search for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 found what appeared to be a man-made object on Dec. 19, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in a statement. A follow-up investigation using an underwater drone captured high-resolution sonar images on Jan. 2 that FRQ¿UPHGWKDWWKH¿QGZDV a shipwreck, said the bureau, which is running the search for the Boeing 777 which vanished on March 8, 2014. The Shipwreck Galleries “Before 1952, Congress could veto Puerto Rico’s laws. It has relinquished that right.” — Sonia Sotomayor, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Congress and was allowed to pass its own local laws. Justice Elena Kagan said that history means the ultimate source of the island’s legal power is Congress. “If Congress is in the driver’s seat, why isn’t Congress the sole source of authority?” she asked Christopher Landau, the lawyer representing Puerto Rico. Landau said that under Puerto Rico’s constitution “the political power of the commonwealth emanates from the people.” He said Congress had essen- tially relinquished control over Puerto Rico’s internal affairs when it allowed the island to create its own laws and government. But Justice Antonin Scalia said that doesn’t mean Congress couldn’t change the law. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the daughter of Puerto Rico-born parents, seemed sympathetic to the argument that Congress meant to confer sover- eignty when it approved the island’s constitution — even if Puerto Rico is not quite equivalent to a state. “Before 1952, Congress could veto Puerto Rico’s laws,” Sotomayor said. “It has relinquished that right.” The case involves Luis Sanchez Valle and James Gomez Vazquez, who pleaded guilty in federal court to selling LOOHJDO ¿UHDUPV :KHQ 3XHUWR 5LFDQ BRIEFLY of the Western Australian Museum conducted a preliminary review of the images and advised that the wreck was likely to be a steel or iron ship dating from the turn of the 19th century, the bureau said. No charges for man who killed son he mistook for intruder CINCINNATI (AP) — 1RFKDUJHVZLOOEH¿OHG against a man who fatally shot his 14-year-old son after mistaking him for an intruder. Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters said Wednesday that the man, 72, won’t be charged in the Tuesday morning shooting in the basement of the Cincinnati-area home. The man had watched his son, Georta Mack, walk to the school bus and the boy later called his father to say he was on the bus, Deters RI¿FLDOVODWHUFKDUJHGWKHPXQGHUORFDO laws, they moved to dismiss the charges on double jeopardy grounds. The Puerto Rico Supreme Court ulti- mately sided with the men, ruling that the island is not a separate sovereign. Arguing for Valle and Vazquez, lawyer Adam Unikowski said the issue is simple: “States are sovereign, territo- ries are not.” Some justices appeared to search for a middle ground. Justice Stephen Breyer said an opinion saying Puerto Rico is sovereign would have “enormous implications.” %XW KH VXJJHVWHG WKH FRXUW FRXOG ¿QG that the island has some aspects of sovereignty that would apply more narrowly to double jeopardy. “There are different kinds of territo- ries,” Breyer said. The Obama administration has DQJHUHG 3XHUWR 5LFDQ RI¿FLDOV E\ insisting that the island remains a terri- tory subject to the control of Congress. Justice Department lawyer Nicole Saharsky told the justices that Congress has allowed “increasing self-govern- ment” in Puerto Rico and there is no reason to think lawmakers change that. But she said Congress could revise the arrangement because the island remains a territory. “Congress is the one who makes the rules,” Saharsky said. said in his statement. The man later heard a noise in the basement and got his .45 caliber handgun before investigating, according to the prosecutor. The father told authorities that when he opened a closet door, Georta jumped out and yelled, “Boo!” The startled man, whose QDPHZDVQ¶WUHOHDVHG¿UHG a shot that hit the boy in the neck. “He scared me!” the distraught father said in his 911 call. “I thought he was in school. I heard noise, so I went downstairs looking and he jumped out at me. .... Oh, God. Get here quick!” Police said the teen had headed to the bus stop but apparently decided he wasn’t going to school and came back home through a back door. Deters said all the forensic evidence matched the father’s account of what happened and no charges were appropriate. “There is only one word for this — tragedy,” Deters said. “It is impossible to imagine how horrible this father must feel for mistaking his son for an intruder.” Istanbul suicide bomber registered as refugee ISTANBUL (AP) — The suicide attacker who detonated a bomb that killed 10 German tourists in the heart of Istanbul’s historic district had registered as a refugee just a week HDUOLHU7XUNLVKRI¿FLDOV said Wednesday, raising questions over whether extremists are posing as DV\OXPVHHNHUVWRLQÀDPH anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe. Turkish authorities LGHQWL¿HGWKHDVVDLODQWLQ Tuesday’s attack as a Syrian man who was born in 1988, DQGVDLGKHZDVDI¿OLDWHG somehow with the Islamic State group. understand the rules and all the members of the RNC CHARLESTON, S.C. understand how this would — The Republican National play out going forward.” Added South Carolina Committee has started chairman Matt preparing for a contested GOP national convention, which Moore: “The story of this would follow the primary election cycle has been season should no GOP ‘expect the unexpected.’ candidate for president win So we’re getting ahead of enough delegates to secure it and preparing for every single scenario at the the party’s nomination. While calling the need national convention. I don’t for such plans ultimately think it’s likely, but it’s unlikely, several GOP certainly possible. And you leaders at the party’s winter always plan for things that meeting in South Carolina are possible.” To win the nomination told The Associated Press on Wednesday that such outright, a successful preliminary planning candidate needs to secure is nonetheless actively more than half of all available delegates in the underway. primary They stressed it had state-by-state little to do with concerns contests leading up to the about the candidacy of convention. The last time a billionaire businessman convention Donald Trump, describing Republican the early work instead as opened without such a a necessary contingency clear nominee was 1976, given the deeply divided when Gerald Ford led in delegates but lacked a 5HSXEOLFDQ¿HOG With less than three majority coming into the weeks to go before the Feb. convention. There was 1 leadoff Iowa caucuses, plenty of drama as Ford there are still a dozen major beat back a challenge from Republican candidates in Ronald Reagan and eked out the nomination on the the race. “Certainly, management ¿UVWYRWH The last time there was a of the committee has been working on the eventuality, truly brokered convention, because we’d be wrong at which delegates turned not to,” said Bruce Ash, to someone who didn’t run chairman of the RNC’s in the primaries, was in rules committee. “We 1952. That year, Democrats don’t know, or we don’t drafted Adlai Stevenson, think there’s going to be who won the party’s nomi- a contested convention, nation on the third ballot. ,Q WKH *23 ¿HOG WKLV but if there is, obviously everybody needs to know year, Trump and Texas Sen. what all those logistics are Ted Cruz have the edge in the most recent preference going to look like.” The RNC will hold a polls, much to the dismay EULH¿QJ RXWOLQLQJ SRVVLEOH of many party leaders who VFHQDULRV ZLWK SDUW\ RI¿- fear neither man is electable cials and the presidential in a general election. The campaigns on Thursday, centrist wing of the party said Steve Duprey, a has yet to coalesce around Republican national an alternative to Trump or committeeman from New &UX] 7KRVH ¿JKWLQJ IRU that role include Florida Hampshire. Discussion is expected Sen. Marco Rubio, New to focus on logistics related Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, to planning for the July former Florida Gov. Jeb convention in Cleveland, a Bush and Ohio Gov. John task traditionally controlled Kasich. While party leaders by the presumptive caution they don’t believe nominee. “I never thought we’d a clear nominee will fail deal with this,” Duprey said. to emerge from the glut of “The best way to make sure candidates, they argue it we don’t have some messy would be malpractice not to ¿JKWLVLIDOOWKHFDPSDLJQV prepare for the prospect. Love ! s e t o N Mwah Tell the world how you feel, send a message to your special someone for Valentine's Day! $ ONLY 15 00 10 Words + Photo $ ONLY 10 00 20 Words Fill out this form and send to our offices... Chris McClellan 541-278-2678 Shannon Paxton 541-564-4530 211 SE Byers Ave. Pendleton 333 E Main St. Hermiston Your Name: Daytime Phone: Address: City: Zip: Person's Name: Message: ❑ Emailed photo to classifieds@eastoreonian.com Remember: Please include a check or money order. 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