“Biden honors U.S., Iraqi troops for sacrifices in

Iraq”

Baghdad -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden paid tribute Thursday to the sacrifices of U.S. and Iraqi troops at a ceremony for service members from

both nations. He and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki addressed about 120 U.S. service members and 100 Iraqi troops gathered at al-Faw Palace,in

Baghdad. The trip came amid a U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle Eastern country.

Virtually all American troops are scheduled to be out by the end of the year. Biden thanked the

service members and recognized their achievements during the past 8-1/2 years. "All of

you standing before me today have laid the foundation for a long-term, strategic partnership between our nations, and also for an Iraq that --

against all odds -- can serve as a source of stability not only for its people but here in the region and

for years to come."

Firefighters were needed stat after a flying squirrel went nuts Firefighters were needed stat after a flying squirrel went nuts in a New Jersey hospital's emergency room. The squirrel kept in a New Jersey hospital's emergency room. The squirrel kept launching itself from an 8-foot-high wall-mounted lamp into a launching itself from an 8-foot-high wall-mounted lamp into a glass wall after becoming trapped in a trauma room at Robert glass wall after becoming trapped in a trauma room at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway Tuesday night. A Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway Tuesday night. A pair of firefighters threw a blanket over the squirrel and pair of firefighters threw a blanket over the squirrel and released it into a wooded area outside the hospital.released it into a wooded area outside the hospital.

A bird hunter in Utah was shot in the buttocks after his dog A bird hunter in Utah was shot in the buttocks after his dog stepped on a shotgun laid across the bow of a boat. Box Elder stepped on a shotgun laid across the bow of a boat. Box Elder County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Potter says the 46-year-old County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Potter says the 46-year-old Brigham City man was duck hunting with a friend 10 miles Brigham City man was duck hunting with a friend 10 miles west of the city when he climbed out of the boat to move west of the city when he climbed out of the boat to move decoys. Potter says the man left his 12-gauge shotgun in the decoys. Potter says the man left his 12-gauge shotgun in the boat and the dog stepped on it, causing it to fire. A boat and the dog stepped on it, causing it to fire. A report on KSL.com said the men called 911 and walked to the main road said the men called 911 and walked to the main road to wait for emergency crews. Potter says the man was hit from to wait for emergency crews. Potter says the man was hit from about 10 feet away. He says the man wasn't seriously injured, about 10 feet away. He says the man wasn't seriously injured, in part because he was wearing waders.in part because he was wearing waders.

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