Woman dining with family dies after car hits pizzeria

By Ellen Goldberg, NBCDFW.com A woman died after a car crashed into a pizza restaurant in Anna, Texas, Friday, while she was eating with her daughter and grandson, NBCDFW.com reported. Anna police said a car crashed into Mama Mia's Pizzeria just before 2 p.m., after the 80-year-old driver, who was leaving a nearby beauty salon, hit the gas instead of the brake pedal as she was pulling out of parking spot. The woman's car hit a pole and a minivan, then jumped the embankment and slammed into the restaurant, trapping three people under the car, police said. At least four people, including the 80-year-old driver, were taken to McKinney hospitals. There was no immediate word on their conditions. Virginia Hamlin, 82, of Anna, died at the hospital. Grandson in shock Her grandson, Rhett Williams, and his mother were released from the hospital late Friday night. "I was trapped under the car under the rear right side passenger's side," Rhett Williams said. "I've got cuts, scrapes and bruises, and my mother is the same way," he said. He said the death of his grandmother still hasn't hit him. "It's sinking in," he said. "I think the adrenaline and the shock is still too current." Good Samaritans lift car to rescue woman, 2 young grandchildren trapped underneath Long-time neighbor Diane Oxley said Hamlin just buried her husband, Frank, a week ago. "She is just such a beautiful person, and I'm just happy that she's with Frank now," she said. Driver not told They were married for 64 years. "She is where she needs to be," Oxley said. "She missed him terribly, and I know they are together." Read more from NBCDFW.com Relatives said Hamlin was a regular at Mama Mia's. She was eating lunch there Friday to share her late husband's obituary with the staff. Anna police do not expect to file any charges against the 80-year-old driver who crashed into the restaurant. As of late Friday night, investigators said they haven't even told her about the death because they didn't think she could handle it. More content from NBCNews.com: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. under federal investigation over alleged financial improprieties Gay teen denied Eagle Scout: 'Change is happening' over Boy Scouts anti-gay policy Jerry Sandusky letter to judge: 'Goliath won, and I must deal with the outcome' Chicago public schools chief out in wake of teachers strike Video: Aggressive Biden on the attack in Ryan debate Two toddlers critically injured in attack by aunt's Rottweilers Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

More arrests in teen girl's shooting

NEW: Police make more arrests in the attack Malala Yousufzai remains in critical condition 14-year-old who advocated for girls' education was shot by Taliban attackers The Taliban vow to kill Malala if she survives Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The recovery of a 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the neck and now breathes on a ventilator hinges on what happens over the weekend. Malala Yousufzai remains in a Rawalpindi hospital after being attacked for simply defending the right of girls to go to school. And police are questioning men with alleged links to the attack. On Friday, an international team of neurological specialists said her condition was stable, but they were watching her closely. Her family waits, and hopes, yet they are afraid to give away where they are exactly. They're terrified that Taliban who would gun down a teenager wouldn't hesitate to come after them. Around the country, supporters gathered for small vigils to pray for her recovery. Government officials in Peshawar, the main city in the northwestern region where Malala is from, were silent for one minute in her honor. Activist 'inspires Pakistan students' Pakistani FM on attack of young girl Teen activist in 2011: My people need me Taliban gunmen shot teen activist Tests on Malala went well, doctors said, and her care at a hospital where she was initially treated was good. She remains in critical condition, but specialists are satisfied with the situation. "The next 36 to 48 hours are important," Major Gen. Asim Bajwa told reporters in Rawalpindi. A Karachi rally is planned for Sunday, and thousands of people are expected to attend. Malala was riding home in a school van Tuesday in the tense and Taliban-heavy Swat Valley when gunmen jumped into the vehicle and demanded to know which girl she was. Her horrified classmates pointed to her, and the men fired. Two other girls were wounded, but not seriously. Brave blogger Malala gained fame for blogging about how girls should have rights in Pakistan, including the right to learn. She spoke out in a region of the country where support for Islamic fundamentalism runs high. "I have the right of education," she said in a CNN interview last year. "I have the right to play. I have the right to sing. I have the right to talk. I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up." Malala, whose writing earned her Pakistan's first National Peace Prize, also encouraged young people to take a stand against the Taliban -- and to not hide in their bedrooms. "God will ask you on the day of judgment where were you when your people were asking you ... when your school fellows were asking you, and when your school was asking you," she said in her CNN interview, "['Why] I am being blown up?'" The Taliban believes no girl should be educated, and they've threatened that if Malala survives, they will murder her. Despite the threat, some Pakistani schoolgirls are saying Malala's shooting won't stop them from continuing their education. "In our society, girls don't have rights and they don't get to study, but I think that's completely wrong," one of the girls told a CNN reporter. "I think we have the same rights as men and we will stand up for our rights. And we will go out and encourage all girls to study." Police make arrests, close in on attackers Police arrested 200 suspects, but released all but 35. Those still in detention gave police information that led to the arrest of three more suspects, said Ghulam Muhammad, a local government official. Also Friday, police officer Gul Afzal Afridi said that suspect has not been arrested, but investigators said they strongly believe he played a role in the attack. Though many Pakistanis are appalled by the attack, the Taliban have kept up their vicious comments, saying that they figured shooting the teenager would have an impact in the West. "We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us," Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said. 'Malala is Pakistan's daughter' We will go out and encourage all girls to study. Unidentified Pakistani girl reacting to Taliban threats Indeed, the attack did stir global debate. Leaders across the world spoke out, including those in Pakistan. The teenager has come to symbolize a battle between freedom and oppression, violence and peace, a young generation and a group that is hell-bent on keeping Pakistan under the grip of Islamic extremism. "Malala is Pakistan's daughter, Pakistan's real face, Pakistan's messenger of love and peace," Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said. The country is fighting terrorism because it's a "menace." On her blog, Malala often wrote about her life in Swat Valley, a hotbed of militant activity. The valley near the Afghanistan border once attracted tourists to Pakistan's only ski resort, as well as visitors to the ancient Buddhist ruins in the area. But that was before militants -- their faces covered -- unleashed a wave of violence. They demanded veils for women, beards for men and a ban on music and television. They allowed boys' schools to operate but closed those for girls. "We have sacrificed, both man and material and our valiant armed forces, innocent children, citizens, workers and leaders," Ashraf said Friday. "But now the nation is united and we have to unite and stand together to uproot this menace from our motherland and our children." Speaking in Rawalpindi, Ashraf thanked political leaders and others who have stood up in support of Malala. "We would together like to give this message to fight against the mindset that attacked her," he said. 'Education is the best thing' At Islamabad's Khaldunia High School, students hung banners and wrote letters demanding that the government do everything possible to save Malala. Girls look up to Malala, said one female student whose identity CNN isn't revealing to protect her safety. "I was really shocked because she was so ambitious ..." she said. "I pray for her health." "To have the courage to actually go against all that," another girl said. "I think that was quite respectable." A reporter asked if the attack has inspired them and if they planned to speak up even louder. "I want these people who attacked her to learn that women are not all bad," one girl answered. "They are basically afraid of giving women equal rights because they're afraid of what women can do because they know they can do a lot. "I want to speak up so they can learn some lessons from that message." A boy student said he wanted to study more because of Malala. He won't take going to school for granted anymore, he said. "What I learned from her is that education is the best thing, and if I get an education, I will be a better person," said another boy, 14. A 'barbaric act' President Asif Ali Zardari told Malala's father Friday that he was grieving and in shock over her shooting, and he condemned "the barbaric act of the militants," according to a news release from his office. The president also said Malala and the other two victims of the attack should get free medical care. Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday called the attempted assassination of Malala "a wake-up call" for the nation. Pakistani media reports suggested that the government is considering sending her overseas for treatment, but Bajwa, the military spokesman, said Friday that there is no plan yet to do that. Media inside Pakistan continue to debate how to respond to Malala's shooting. "Just as the Taliban scare us with terror, we must scare them by making them unable to operate," Madiha Afzal, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland who grew up in Pakistan, wrote in an opinion piece published in The Express Tribune. "We must terrorize them by investing more than ever before in educating girls," she said. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, now the U.N. special envoy for global education, has traveled to Pakistan and advocated for girls' education there. He said in an editorial published Friday that Zardari has invited him to return in November to lead a delegation of education leaders to come up with ways to improve opportunities for children. "I have asked Pakistan's President Zardari to pledge that Malala's suffering will not be in vain," he wrote. Education a focus on International Day of the Girl Opinion: Cowards shot this brave girl Gallery: Prominent women speak on International Day of the Girl Opinion: Make schools safe for girls everywhere International Day of the Girl: Advice from leading women Your stories: Girls + Education Journalists Nasir Habib, Aamir Iqbal and Noreen Shams contributed to this report.

Federal deficit cut, but tops $1 trillion for 4th year

By NBC News wire services The federal budget deficit has topped $1 trillion for a fourth straight year. But a modest improvement in economic growth helped narrow the gap by $207 billion compared with last year. The Treasury Department said Friday that the deficit for the 2012 budget year totaled $1.1 trillion. Tax revenue rose 6.4 percent from last year to more than $2.4 trillion, helping contain the deficit. The government's revenue rose as more people got jobs and received income. Corporations also contributed more tax revenue than in 2011. This pushed receipts up to $2.449 trillion in 2012, up 6.4 percent from last year, according to the Treasury Department. "We are seeing the stimulus spending fading and we are seeing some of the effects of the investment incentives," Lou Crandall, chief economist with Wrightson ICAP, said. Government spending fell 1.7 percent to $3.5 trillion. The decline reflected, in part, less defense spending as U.S. military involvement in Iraq was winding down. Worst recession since Great Depression Barack Obama's presidency has now coincided with four straight $1 trillion-plus annual budget deficits — the first in history and an issue in an election campaign that ends in under four weeks. Obama's Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, contends that Obama failed to achieve a pledge to halve the deficit he inherited by the end of his first term. Social Security raise next year may be tiny When Obama took office in January 2009, the Congressional Budget Office forecast that the deficit for that year would total $1.2 trillion. It ended up at a record $1.41 trillion. The increase was due, in part, to higher government spending to fight the worst recession since the Great Depression. Tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan contributed to the deficits. President Obama says the federal government has the capacity to "create ladders of opportunity" for the American people. Meanwhile Governor Mitt Romney says the role of government is to protect the principles of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Trade deficit expands as exports decline The budget gaps in 2010 and 2011 were slightly lower than the 2009 deficit as a gradually strengthening economy generated more tax revenue. But the deficits still exceeded $1 trillion. Obama is campaigning for a second term with a pledge to cut deficits by $4 trillion over the next decade. He says he would do so by ending the Bush-era income tax cuts for higher-income Americans and by restraining the growth of spending. National debt: $16 trillion Romney has said he would cut spending growth to help narrow the budget gap. He would cap spending at 20 percent of the economy by 2016. Spending in 2012 accounted for about 23 percent of the economy. The government borrowed about 31 cents of every dollar it spent in 2012. The string of $1 trillion-plus deficits has driven the national debt above $16 trillion. The magnitude of that figure has intensified debate in Congress over spending and taxes but little movement toward compromise. Bernanke says low rates will help employment, Fed review a bad idea Many fear the budget deadlock will send the economy over a "fiscal cliff" next year, when tax increases and deep spending cuts will take effect unless a budget deal is reached. Obama wants to eliminate the income tax cuts for families that make more than $250,000. Republicans in Congress and Romney have resisted. They argue that with the economy still weak, the government should not be raising anyone's taxes. Congress may address the budget crisis during a lame-duck session of Congress after the November elections. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Bachelor party rescued after wine cruise hits rocks

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com. By NBC News staff SAN FRANCISCO -- A bachelor party had to be rescued after a wine-tasting cruise boat hit rocks near Alcatraz Island and began taking on water late Friday, NBCBayArea.com reported. The Neptune, which was carrying 22 people, hit what is known as "Little Alcatraz" and began taking on water. "We were on the boat and then next thing you know, we hit a rock and there was a big jolt," Matthew Rice, the groom-to-be, said. "All of a sudden the Coast Guard boats came and we kind of just like got off," he added. All those on board were rescued safely. Rachel Smith, another passenger, said the boat was "off course … and hit what we call Little Alcatraz." Read more from NBCBayArea.com The boat's captain said he was glad that no one was hurt in the incident. The Coast Guard is investigating what happened. The website for San Francisco Bay Boat Cruises says the Neptune is a "1958 classic motor vessel," certified to carry 42 passengers. More content from NBCNews.com: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. under federal investigation over alleged financial improprieties Gay teen denied Eagle Scout: 'Change is happening' over Boy Scouts anti-gay policy Jerry Sandusky letter to judge: 'Goliath won, and I must deal with the outcome' Chicago public schools chief out in wake of teachers strike Video: Aggressive Biden on the attack in Ryan debate Two toddlers critically injured in attack by aunt's Rottweilers Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Next 2 days crucial for wounded activist

NEW: Pakistani schoolgirls are defiant after Taliban attack on teen activist Malala Yousufzai remains in critical condition; three men in custody 14-year-old who advocated for girls' education was shot by Taliban attackers The Taliban vow to kill Malala if she survives Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The recovery of a 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the neck and now breathes on a ventilator hinges on what happens over the next two days. Malala Yousufzai remains in a Rawalpindi hospital after being attacked for simply defending the right of girls to go to school. And police are questioning men with alleged links to the attack. On Friday, an international team of neurological specialists said her condition was stable, but they were watching her closely. Her family waits, and hopes, yet they are afraid to give away where they are exactly. They're terrified that Taliban who would gun down a teenager wouldn't hesitate to come after them. Around the country, supporters gathered for small vigils to pray for her recovery. Government officials in Peshawar, the main city in the northwestern region where Malala is from, were silent for one minute in her honor. Activist 'inspires Pakistan students' Pakistani FM on attack of young girl Teen activist in 2011: My people need me Taliban gunmen shot teen activist Tests on Malala went well, doctors said, and her care at a hospital where she was initially treated was good. She remains in critical condition, but specialists are satisfied with the situation. "The next 36 to 48 hours are important," Major Gen. Asim Bajwa told reporters in Rawalpindi. A Karachi rally is planned for Sunday, and thousands of people are expected to attend. Malala was riding home in a school van Tuesday in the tense and Taliban-heavy Swat Valley when gunmen jumped into the vehicle and demanded to know which girl she was. Her horrified classmates pointed to her, and the men fired. Two other girls were wounded, but not seriously. Brave blogger Malala gained fame for blogging about how girls should have rights in Pakistan, including the right to learn. She spoke out in a region of the country where support for Islamic fundamentalism runs high. "I have the right of education," she said in a CNN interview last year. "I have the right to play. I have the right to sing. I have the right to talk. I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up." Malala, whose writing earned her Pakistan's first National Peace Prize, also encouraged young people to take a stand against the Taliban -- and to not hide in their bedrooms. "God will ask you on the day of judgment where were you when your people were asking you ... when your school fellows were asking you, and when your school was asking you," she said in her CNN interview, "['Why] I am being blown up?'" The Taliban believes no girl should be educated, and they've threatened that if Malala survives, they will murder her. Despite the threat, some Pakistani schoolgirls are saying Malala's shooting won't stop them from continuing their education. "In our society, girls don't have rights and they don't get to study, but I think that's completely wrong," one of the girls told a CNN reporter. "I think we have the same rights as men and we will stand up for our rights. And we will go out and encourage all girls to study." Police make arrests, close in on attackers Police had earlier detained 200 suspects, but released all but three. Those three gave statements pointing to one suspect. Also Friday, police officer Gul Afzal Afridi said that suspect has not been arrested, but investigators said they strongly believe he played a role in the attack. Though many Pakistanis are appalled by the attack, the Taliban have kept up their vicious comments, saying that they figured shooting the teenager would have an impact in the West. "We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us," Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said. 'Malala is Pakistan's daughter' We will go out and encourage all girls to study. Unidentified Pakistani girl reacting to Taliban threats Indeed, the attack did stir global debate. Leaders across the world spoke out, including those in Pakistan. The teenager has come to symbolize a battle between freedom and oppression, violence and peace, a young generation and a group that is hell-bent on keeping Pakistan under the grip of Islamic extremism. "Malala is Pakistan's daughter, Pakistan's real face, Pakistan's messenger of love and peace," Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said. The country is fighting terrorism because it's a "menace." On her blog, Malala often wrote about her life in Swat Valley, a hotbed of militant activity. The valley near the Afghanistan border once attracted tourists to Pakistan's only ski resort, as well as visitors to the ancient Buddhist ruins in the area. But that was before militants -- their faces covered -- unleashed a wave of violence. They demanded veils for women, beards for men and a ban on music and television. They allowed boys' schools to operate but closed those for girls. "We have sacrificed, both man and material and our valiant armed forces, innocent children, citizens, workers and leaders," Ashraf said Friday. "But now the nation is united and we have to unite and stand together to uproot this menace from our motherland and our children." Speaking in Rawalpindi, Ashraf thanked political leaders and others who have stood up in support of Malala. "We would together like to give this message to fight against the mindset that attacked her," he said. 'Education is the best thing' At Islamabad's Khaldunia High School, students hung banners and wrote letters demanding that the government do everything possible to save Malala. Girls look up to Malala, said one female student whose identity CNN isn't revealing to protect her safety. "I was really shocked because she was so ambitious ..." she said. "I pray for her health." "To have the courage to actually go against all that," another girl said. "I think that was quite respectable." A reporter asked if the attack has inspired them and if they planned to speak up even louder. "I want these people who attacked her to learn that women are not all bad," one girl answered. "They are basically afraid of giving women equal rights because they're afraid of what women can do because they know they can do a lot. "I want to speak up so they can learn some lessons from that message." A boy student said he wanted to study more because of Malala. He won't take going to school for granted anymore, he said. "What I learned from her is that education is the best thing, and if I get an education, I will be a better person," said another boy, 14. A 'barbaric act' President Asif Ali Zardari told Malala's father Friday that he was grieving and in shock over her shooting, and he condemned "the barbaric act of the militants," according to a release from Zardari's office. Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday called the attempted assassination of Malala "a wake-up call" for the nation. Pakistani media reports suggested that the government is considering sending her overseas for treatment, but Bajwa, the military spokesman, said Friday that there is no plan yet to do that. Media inside Pakistan continue to debate how to respond to Malala's shooting. "Just as the Taliban scare us with terror, we must scare them by making them unable to operate," Madiha Afzal, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland who grew up in Pakistan, wrote in an opinion piece published in The Express Tribune. "We must terrorize them by investing more than ever before in educating girls," she said. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, now the U.N. special envoy for global education, has traveled to Pakistan and advocated for girls' education there. He said in an editorial published Friday that Zardari has invited him to return in November to lead a delegation of education leaders to come up with ways to improve opportunities for children. "I have asked Pakistan's President Zardari to pledge that Malala's suffering will not be in vain," he wrote. Education a focus on International Day of the Girl Opinion: Cowards shot this brave girl Gallery: Prominent women speak on International Day of the Girl Opinion: Make schools safe for girls everywhere International Day of the Girl: Advice from leading women Your stories: Girls + Education Journalists Nasir Habib, Aamir Iqbal and Noreen Shams contributed to this report.

Suicide bomb kills 15 in Pakistan

The blast injures 22 others, official says Initial investigations indicate it was targeting a base for anti-Taliban fighters Officials say the death toll could rise significantly Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suicide blast killed at least 15 people in a tribal area in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, authorities said. The blast injured 22 others in Darra Adam khel, near Peshawar, said Nasir Khan, a local government official. Initial investigations indicate the bomb was targeting a base for anti-Taliban fighters, according to officials. "The building targeted was the resistance fighters' office base," said Ghulam Farooq, another local official. The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan operates in the area, according to Farooq. Officials say the death toll could go up significantly. The building targeted was in a main market area at one of the busiest times of the day.

Murdered man encased in concrete was ex-journalist

By The Associated Press DECATUR, Ga. -- Authorities on Friday identified the body of a man who was found entombed in concrete in the backyard of a northeast Georgia home. The man has been identified as Sean Dugas, 30, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner's office. The body was found Monday encased in a plastic storage container filled with concrete. Authorities this week charged twin brothers Christopher and William Cormier, 31, with murder in the death of Dugas, a former newspaper reporter in Pensacola, Fla. The Cormier brothers are also charged with concealing death. "It's a little hard to wrap your head around it," said Kris Wernowsky, who worked at the Pensacola News Journal, where he sat next to Dugas for about three years. "I've worked there for so many years and covered many things in Florida. You never would have thought you would go to a website and click on a story about someone you know. ... It's heartbreaking." Dreadlocks, long beard Dugas' dreadlocks and bushy long beard helped him stand out easily in the Pensacola area on the Florida Panhandle, Wernowsky said. Dugas had covered a wide variety of topics, including breaking news and entertainment, the newspaper said on its website. Dugas worked for the News Journal from 2005 to 2010, rising from a clerk to a police reporter. "He was a good breaking-news reporter," Wernowsky said. "He was the type of guy who was eager and loved his job. I rarely heard about him complaining about anything." Read more US stories from NBC News Winder, Ga., police officer Chris Cooper said this week that medical examiners declared the death a homicide based on the number and location of the man's injuries. The autopsy revealed that the man died of blunt force trauma to the head about a month ago. Georgia authorities on Monday arrested the twins at a home in Winder that was being rented by their father. Winder is a small city located about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta. Police said Dugas had been reported missing and was last heard from on Aug. 27, when he made plans to have lunch with a friend the next day. 'So much that is not known' When the friend went to pick him up for the meal, he wasn't home. After trying unsuccessfully for days to reach Dugas, the friend went back to his house on Sept. 7 to find it empty. Neighbors told her a U-Haul truck had been there since Sept. 3 and they saw at least one man removing things. That man told the neighbors that Dugas had been beaten and was going to live with him, police said. The female friend continued to try to reach Dugas before calling police on Sept. 13. Based on information provided by Pensacola, Fla., investigators, Winder police found the body at the Georgia home being rented by the Cormier twins' father, who told police his sons had arrived from Florida about three weeks earlier. They told him they were supposed to take care of their missing friend's dog. However, they supposedly claimed they'd ended up killing the dog and burying it in their father's backyard, police said. "There is so much that is not known," Wernowsky said. "There are so many empty spaces for a lot of us. I didn't know any of his family, and I feel sorry for their loss. What a horrible way to end your life." More content from NBCNews.com: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. under federal investigation over alleged financial improprieties Gay teen denied Eagle Scout: 'Change is happening' over Boy Scouts anti-gay policy Jerry Sandusky letter to judge: 'Goliath won, and I must deal with the outcome' Chicago public schools chief out in wake of teachers strike Video: Aggressive Biden on the attack in Ryan debate Two toddlers critically injured in attack by aunt's Rottweilers Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.