An Air France flight from Brazil to Paris has disappeared from radar.

Flight AF 447 had 228 people on board, Air France said.

It left Rio de Janeiro on Sunday at 7 p.m. and was expected in Paris on Monday at 11:15 a.m. (0915 GMT), a spokesman for the airports authority said.

Its last known location was unclear.

MORE from Fox News:

Brazil’s air force said a search began Monday morning near the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.

The plane disappeared about 186 miles (300 kilometers) northeast of the coastal Brazilian city of Natal and near Fernando de Noronha, the spokesman said.

[...]

The flight was scheduled to arrive in Paris at 0915 GMT (5:15 a.m. EDT), according to the airport.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the missing, the search and rescue teams, and with the families.

Tweet

There is nothing more than a headline at FOX News, not even a link.

Senator Judd Gregg Withdraws Nomination for Commerce Secretary

Sen. Gregg’s statement:

Sen. Gregg stated, “I want to thank the President for nominating me to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Commerce. This was a great honor, and I had felt that I could bring some views and ideas that would assist him in governing during this difficult time. I especially admire his willingness to reach across the aisle.

“However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy.

“Obviously the President requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives.

“I greatly admire President Obama and know our country will benefit from his leadership, but at this time I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position.

“As we move forward, I expect there will be many issues and initiatives where I can and will work to assure the success of the President’s proposals. This will certainly be a goal of mine.

“Kathy and I also want to specifically thank Governor Lynch and Bonnie Newman for their friendship and assistance during this period. In addition we wish to thank all the people, especially in New Hampshire, who have been so kind and generous in their supportive comments.

“As a further matter of clarification, nothing about the vetting process played any role in this decision. I will continue to represent the people of New Hampshire in the United States Senate.”

Tweet

Heard this just now on Hannity, checked Fox News and jumped over to the NYT.

WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to give up her Senate seat and accept the position of secretary of state, making her the public face around the world for the administration of the man who beat her for the Democratic presidential nomination, two confidants said Friday.

Hmmmm…

More later.

Tweet

BREAKING

The Tampa Tribune reports:

Former University of South Florida student Ahmed Mohamed has agreed to plead guilty to providing material support to terrorists, according to a signed 12-page plea agreement entered onto the docket in U.S. District Court.

This is one of the pair arrested near the military base in South Carolina with explosive materials in their car.

UPDATE: More on the story from the Lakeland Ledger:

Mohamed, 26, faces up to 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. , The plea agreement was filed in Tampa federal court today.

[...]

Mohamed was arrested Aug. 4 near Goose Creek, S.C., with Youssef Megahed, 22, another former USF student. A sheriff’s deputy stopped the men for speeding and searched their car when he became suspicious. He found what prosecutors said were low-grade explosives in the trunk.

A federal grand jury in Tampa indicted both men for illegally transporting explosive material across state lines. Mohamed faced additional, more serious, charges that included accusations of violating his student visa by possessing a firearm, demonstrating how to make an explosive device through a YouTube video and providing material support to terrorists.

Tweet

You’ll probably see this news elsewhere before here, but I just saw this come across the feed reader: Doctors say Sen. Edward Kennedy has a brain tumor

BOSTON – Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor. Doctors for the Massachusetts Democrat say tests conducted after Kennedy suffered a seizure this weekend show a tumor in his left parietal lobe. Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma, they said.

His treatment will be decided after more tests but the usual course includes combinations of radiation and chemotherapy.

Tweet

Just seeing this report: Pakistan’s Bhutto Killed by Bombing

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide bombing that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally, a party aide and a military official said.

“At 6:16 p.m. she expired,” said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto’s party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital where she was taken after the attack.

A senior military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, confirmed that Bhutto had died.

More as I find it.

UPDATE: Reuters

Police said a suicide bomber fired shots at Bhutto as she was leaving the rally venue in a park before blowing himself up.

“The man first fired at Bhutto’s vehicle. She ducked and then he blew himself up,” said police officer Mohammad Shahid.

Police said 16 people had been killed in the blast.

Tweet

Breaking:

An armed man has taken people hostage at the Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, police said.

(h/t Michelle Malkin)

I am looking for more now.

The WMUR story has more now.

“A young woman with a 6-month or 8-mont-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears, and she said, ‘You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape.”

At Fox News:

An armed man claiming to have a bomb walked into a Hillary Clinton campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire, and could be holding as many as four staffers hostage, a federal official told FOX News.

The assailant said he wanted to speak with Senator Clinton, the official said.

Police have responded to a hostage situation at the office. Clinton is not in New Hampshire.

There are television reports (CNN ane/or Fox, I was watching both) that two hostages have been released. The networks are speculating that the suspect is a local man with a history of mental issues. Police have been in communication with the hostage taker. Let’s hope that this can end peacefully.

Tweet

Various news sources are announcing that a verdict has been reached in the trial of Scooter Libby. The verdict is scheduled to be read around noon eastern time.

UPDATE: First report from AP (via Yahoo News):

The verdict will be read at 12 noon EST in the courtroom where jurors heard 19 witnesses during the five-week trial. The verdict came on the 10th day of deliberations. The announcement was made by Randall Samborn, a spokesman for special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.

Tweet

Capitol police probing reports of gunfire (AP)

Capitol police were investigating “the sound of gunfire in the garage level of the Rayburn House Office Building,” said an announcement on the internal Capitol voice alarm system.

The Senate was in session at the time, but the House was not.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra (news, bio, voting record), R-Mich., conducting a House Intelligence Committee hearing, interrupted a witness to request those attending the meeting to remain in the room and said the doors must be closed.

“It’s a little unsettling to get a Blackberry message put in front of you that says there’s gunfire in the building,” he said.

The Rayburn office building is just south of the Capitol.

11:20 — Fox News is reporting that four ambulances are on the scene at the Rayburn Building, but are most likely just a precautionary measure. There are no reports of any injuries at this time.

11:25 — FNN (TV) is scrolling the information that the Rayburn Building has been evacuated except for those in the basement, which has been locked down. Capitol police are going room to room to investigate. DC Special Ops and the FBI are assisting.

11:33 — FNN (TV) Capitol police are expanding the area that is locked down. House staffers reported hearing gun shots and smelling gun powder.

11:38 — CNN (TV) Capitol police will be holding a press conference at noon.

11:59 — FNN (TV) Reporting that someone with a gun has been found and that the Capitol has been locked down once again.

12:15 — FNN (TV) Reporting that two women reported seeing a white male with a gun in the Rayburn building gym.

12:21 — FNN (TV) Just had video of a woman being removed from the area on a stretcher, but no information on the reason. (12:33 reported to be a case of anxiety. 13:10 A member of Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) staff.)

12:36 — CNN (TV) Capitol building has be re-opened.

12:50 — FNN (TV) The next press conference with the Capitol Police Dept. has been moved back to 1:30 EDT.

More as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Capitol Hill Police have given the all clrear at the Rayburn Building (15:30 EDT FNN TV)

Listening to Sean Hannity and he is saying that it appears as if the source of the “gunshots” may have been some construction equipment. Still, the response looked to be appropriate and well carried out.

Tweet