The nation in brief

An investigator examines a heavily damaged SUV before it is towed from the scene of a fatal accident in North Philadelphia, Friday July 25, 2014. Two children were killed and three people critically injured when a hijacked car lost control and hit a group of people near a fruit stand, according to police. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
An investigator examines a heavily damaged SUV before it is towed from the scene of a fatal accident in North Philadelphia, Friday July 25, 2014. Two children were killed and three people critically injured when a hijacked car lost control and hit a group of people near a fruit stand, according to police. (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)

Carjackers run off road, kill 3 siblings

PHILADELPHIA -- Two men forced a woman into the backseat of her sport utility vehicle at gunpoint, drove off but later lost control and plowed into a group of people on a corner near a fruit stand Friday, police said. Three children, all siblings, were killed, and at least two other people were critically injured.

The woman was carjacked about a mile away from the scene of the accident in the Tioga section of north Philadelphia, where the car jumped a curb, homicide Capt. James Clark said.

The victims who died were 7- and 10-year-old brothers and their 15-year-old sister. They had been selling fruit to raise money for their church.

Police said one of the boys was pronounced dead at the scene and the girl died at a hospital. The other boy died later.

Their mother was in critical condition.

The two men fled on foot and were being sought.

Police asked businesses with surveillance cameras in the area to provide footage and asked anyone with information in the case to come forward.

The deaths and injuries were a "terrible tragedy," Mayor Michael Nutter tweeted, calling for prayers for the injured and information on the carjackers.

Ethics Committee investigates House two

WASHINGTON -- The House Ethics Committee said Friday that it is looking into potential ethics violations by two congressmen, Reps. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., and Ed Whitfield, R-Ky.

The bipartisan panel acknowledged the separate inquiries in statements that said nothing about why the lawmakers were being examined. The committee said it will announce its actions on both investigations by Nov. 10.

The Chicago Sun-Times has reported that Rush is being examined because of allegations about his use of campaign funds and for his handling of a $1 million grant.

Whitfield said in a statement that his case pertains to his work on behalf of animals. Whitfield's wife, Constance Harriman Whitfield, is a lobbyist for the Humane Society Legislative Fund.

In a written statement, Rush said the committee's decision to continue investigating his case "indicates they believe in the interest of fairness that more time is needed before making any substantive determination." He said he has been cooperating with the committee.

Whitfield, in his 10th House term, said he was "disappointed that people with a financial interest in pending legislation have filed a complaint against me for my work on behalf of animals." He did not specify to whom he was referring.

2 lawmakers cool down on VA-care plans

WASHINGTON -- A day after offering competing plans to improve veterans' health care, the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees are again attempting to find a compromise.

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House veterans panel, and his Senate counterpart, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., had a public spat Thursday that appeared to jeopardize efforts to agree on a plan to fix a veterans' health program scandalized by long patient wait times and falsified records covering up delays.

Miller said Friday that he spoke with Sanders on Thursday night and planned to speak with him again later Friday.

A spokesman for Sanders called the discussion "productive" and said Sanders stands ready to return to Washington if needed to advance the negotiations.

The House and Senate are set to adjourn next week until early September, and lawmakers from both parties have said completing a bill on veterans' health care is a top priority.

300 homes destroyed in Washington fire

TWISP, Wash. -- About 300 homes -- twice as many as previously estimated -- have burned in the largest recorded wildfire in Washington state history, a county sheriff said Friday.

Officials had placed the number of homes destroyed at 150 in north-central Washington's Carlton fire complex. But Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said he knew that figure would rise because crews hadn't been able to reach some of the burned areas.

The Carlton Complex has been blamed for the death of a man who appeared to suffer a heart attack while trying to protect his property.

Fire crews have reported good progress in the last few days, with cooler weather and rain helping in getting the fire a little more than half contained. But officials were concerned that hotter, drier weather and wind gusts in the forecast could increase fire activity.

-- COMPILED BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS

A Section on 07/26/2014

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