6 hospitalized after train car derails


The last car on a commuter train derailed and smashed into a signal tower near a station Monday, injuring 31 passengers.

Most of those injured were in the last car of the train on the Mitre line, which runs from Tigre in the northern suburbs to the downtown Retiro station.

The car swung off the rails and slammed into a huge railway signal tower, which then fell onto the train.

Six people were hospitalized with multiple injuries.



Rial hits record low against U.S. dollar


Traders say Iran's currency hit a record low Monday against the U.S. dollar in street trading. The rial dropped 5 percent in a single day, to 21,500 rials to the dollar.

The collapse of the Iranian currency is a sign of the effect of Western sanctions over Iran's nuclear program. The West suspects Iran is aiming to build nuclear weapons. Iran denies that.

The current official rate is 12,260 rials to the dollar, used only for special purposes like importing food and medicine.



Servicemen killed in bombing at store


At least three Russian servicemen were killed and another three wounded when a suicide bomber detonated outside a Chechen department store on Monday, officials said.

The Investigative Committee said the attack was in Chechnya's provincial capital, Grozny. Chechnya's branch of the Russian Interior Ministry said in a statement that it appeared there were two suicide bombers and that four Russian servicemen were killed. There was no explanation for the discrepancy in the two accounts.



Olive-oiled squirrel gains freedom, dies



After unsuccessfully trying to push the head back through gently, police officers outside Hannover removed the cover and rubbed olive oil around the squirrel's neck.

Holding back its small tufted ears, they were able to successfully release it. The happy ending was short-lived. The squirrel died several hours later, likely from stress.



People warned about volcanic ash


The eruption of Mount Tongariro on Monday prompted authorities to warn aircraft about a significant ash release.

The Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management advised residents of five nearby communities to stay indoors and to protect their eyes, mouth and nose.

Mount Tongariro is one of three volcanos in Tongariro National Park.

New Zealand is on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has frequent seismic activity.


Associated Press