Gyrocopter pilot frustrated as his message isn't getting through

RUSKIN (Florida): The letter carrier who caused a full-scale security review in Washington when he violated national airspace by landing his gyrocopter on Capitol USA News Hill expressed frustration on Sunday that his message wasn't getting through. 

Doug Hughes had hoped to raise awareness about the influence of big money in politics by deliberately breaking the law to deliver 535 letters, one for each member of Congress. Instead, the overwhelming focus of news coverage has been about the gaps he exposed in national security

"We've got bigger problems in this country than worrying about whether the security around DC is ironclad," Hughes told Associated Press. "We need to be worried about the piles of money that are going into Congress." 

Hughes, 61, spoke as he returned to his home in Florida to await prosecution on charges of violating national airspace and operating an unregistered aircraft. He said his house arrest begins on Monday, and he will wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet until a May 8 court hearing in Washington.

US offers Ukraine $17.7 million in humanitarian aid

WASHINGTON: US Vice President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko USA News on Monday about the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine and offered an additional $17.7 million in aid for essentials like food, shelter and water, the White House said.

New York Times wins Pulitzers for West Africa Ebola coverage

NEW YORK: The New York Times won two prestigious Pulitzer prizes on Monday for USA News coverage of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, described by the Pulitzer board as courageous and vivid journalism that engaged the public and held authorities accountable.

The Pulitzer for Public Service, announced at Columbia University, went to Charleston, South Carolina's Post and Courier for its series on domestic violence.

The Pulitzers honor extraordinary work in US journalism, literature, drama and other areas and bring welcome attention and recognition to newspapers and websites.

"Till Death Do Us Part" by the Post and Courier probed why South Carolina is among the deadliest states in the country for women. Doug Pardue, one of a four-person team that produced the series, said it pushed the state legislature to pursue greater protection for abused women.

"I'm glad to see that journalism is awarded for this type of reporting," said Pardue. "It's a story that touches so many people."

For its Ebola coverage, The New York Times staff won the prize for international reporting and freelancer Daniel Berehulak won for feature photography.

US warship heads to Yemeni waters; could block Iran weapons

WASHINGTON: The Navy aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt is steaming toward USA News the waters off the country to beef up security and join other American ships that are prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthi rebels. 

The deployment comes after a UN Security Council resolution approved last week imposed an arms embargo on the leaders of the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. The resolution passed in a 14-0 vote with Russia abstaining. 

Navy officials said Monday that the Roosevelt was moving through the Arabian Sea. A massive ship that carries F/A-18 fighter jets, the Roosevelt is seen more of a deterrent and show of force in the region. 

The Navy has been beefing up its presence in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Arabian Sea in response to reports that a convoy of about eight Iranian ships is heading toward Yemen and possibly carrying arms for the Houthis. Navy officials said there are about nine US warships in the region, including cruisers and destroyers carrying teams that can board and search other vessels. 

Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country, has been pushed to the brink of collapse by ground fighting and the Saudi-led airstrikes in support of current President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who was forced to flee to Saudi Arabia. Observers say the fighting in the strategic Mideast nation is taking on the appearance of a proxy war between Iran, the Shiite powerhouse backing the Houthis, and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia. 

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ship movement on the record. 

Saudi Arabia and several of its allies, mainly Gulf Arab countries, have been trying to drive back the rebels, who seized the capital of Sanaa in September and have overrun many other northern provinces with the help of security forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The US supports the Saudi campaign. 

Western governments and Sunni Arab countries say the Houthis get their arms from Iran. Tehran and the rebels deny that, although the Islamic Republic has provided political and humanitarian support to the Shiite group. 

The US has been providing logistical and intelligence support to the Saudi coalition launching airstrikes against the Houthis. That air campaign is now in its fourth week, and the US has also begun refueling coalition aircraft involved in the conflict. 

White House spokesman Josh Earnest would not comment specifically on any Navy movements in Yemeni waters, but said the US has concerns about Iran's ``continued support for the Houthis. 

"We have seen evidence that the Iranians are supplying weapons and other armed support to the Houthis in Yemen. That support will only contribute to greater violence in that country. These are exactly the kind of destabilizing activities that we have in mind when we raise concerns about Iran's destabilizing activities in the Middle East." 

He said "the Iranians are acutely aware of our concerns for their continued support of the Houthis by sending them large shipments of weapons." 

The expanded US Navy activity in the region comes at a sensitive time, as the US and six world powers have reached a framework deal with Iran to control its nuclear program. Since the preliminary deal with reached on April 2, Iran and the US have been disputing the details of the deal. And on Monday, a lawyer for Tehran-based Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian said Tehran had charged Rezaian with espionage and three other crimes. The Obama administration dismisses the charges as "absurd."