At least 3 people killed by tornadoes in Texas

WESTMINSTER, Texas -- Authorities went door to door in a search for victims Wednesday after twisters ripped through rural North Texas overnight, reducing homes to concrete slabs and killing at least three people. At least 26 homes were destroyed. Ten people were hospitalized and dozens of others were treated at the scene for minor injuries. National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Moller said at least two tornadoes hit. "I think it was the first tornado that killed three people," he said. "Then there was a larger tornado after that that probably did extensive damage." The damage track was estimated at a half-mile wide and 6 to 7 miles long.

At least 96 people killed in 4 days in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Businessmen, clan elders and moderate religious leaders shuttled between secular warlords and Islamic extremists in Somalia's capital Wednesday, trying to broker a cease-fire as the death toll from four days of fighting reached 96. The fighting has escalated steadily since Sunday, when the Islamic militants, who have alleged ties to al-Qaida, and the warlords took up strategic positions in Mogadishu. Most victims in the recent fighting have been civilians caught in the crossfire. Nearly 200 people have been wounded in the fighting, doctors say.

Jury hears 911 call made after sniper shooting

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Jurors at the second trial of convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad on Wednesday heard a frantic 911 call made by a woman whose 13-year-old nephew was shot in 2002 outside a middle school. "Oh my God! We've got to hurry!" Tanya Brown said on a recording of the call she made as she raced to a nearby medical center with her nephew, Iran, who survived the shooting. The boy's mother sobbed heavily as the tape was played and fled the courtroom. Muhammad, who is acting as his own attorney, sat with his chin in his hand and did not ask Tanya Brown questions. Prosecutors are building a chronological case against Muhammad, detailing the 10 sniper murders and three woundings that began Oct. 2 and ended with Muhammad and accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo's arrest three weeks later. Muhammad is charged with six Maryland murders, but prosecutors are detailing other shootings to establish a pattern.

Israeli fuel company halts supply to Palestinians

NABLUS, West Bank -- Palestinian gas stations started shutting down and motorists lined up at pumps after an Israeli fuel company cut off deliveries Wednesday, deepening the humanitarian crisis following Hamas' rise to power. An end to fuel supplies for the West Bank and Gaza could cripple hospitals, halt food deliveries and keep people home from work -- a devastating scenario for an economy already ravaged by Israeli and international sanctions. The Israeli company Dor Energy, the sole fuel provider to the Palestinians since interim peace agreements in the mid-1990s, cited growing debts for its decision, Palestinian officials said.

-- From wire reports