U.K.’s Prince Philip remains in hospital

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Prince Philip spent a third night in the hospital as he recovers after treatment for a blocked coronary artery.

The 90-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II is in good spirits and will remain under observation for “a short period,” Buckingham Palace officials said today. There are no details of when he may be released.

The prince underwent a successful coronary stent procedure at Papworth, a specialist heart hospital in Cambridgeshire, where he was taken on Friday after complaining of chest pains.

Suicide attacker kills 7 in Baghdad

BAGHDAD (AP) — A suicide bomber set off a car bomb today at a checkpoint leading to the Iraqi Interior Ministry, killing seven people and injuring 32 others, officials said.

The attack followed a series of bombings last week that killed up to 70 people in a single day, increasing fears about Iraq’s future after U.S. troops withdrew this month.

Kim Jong Il’s son strengthens power

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korea identified Kim Jong Il’s son as head of a top ruling party body today, a post that gives him authority over political matters in addition to the military control attributed to him in recent days.

Kim Jong Un has rapidly gained prominence since the death of his father on Dec. 17, with the state media showering new titles on him almost daily.

On Saturday, state media referred to the younger Kim as “supreme leader” of North Korea’s 1.2 million- strong armed forces and said the military’s top leaders had pledged their loyalty to him. Today, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper described him as head of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party — a post that appears to make him the top official in the ruling party.

Subway strike delays Boxing Day shoppers

LONDON (AP) — London’s subway drivers have walked out over a pay dispute, causing trouble for thousands of shoppers out to take advantage of the traditional Boxing Day sales.

Transport for London has warned that shoppers seeking out bargains at the capital’s shopping centers face “severe disruption.” Several Underground lines have been suspended, and limited services are operating on the rest of the subway network.

The ASLEF union is staging the one- day strike to demand extra pay for members working on the public holiday.

Monitors due in Syria as violence flares

BEIRUT ( AP) — Arab League observers were due to arrive today in Syria in an attempt to ensure the government’s compliance with demands to end a nine-month crackdown on dissent, even as activists reported at least 10 deaths from intense shelling by government forces in the center of the country.

The opposition has warned that the government, which has been besieging the Baba Amr district in the city of Homs for days, was preparing for a massive assault on the area. Activists said today’s shelling using mortars and heavy machine gun fire was the most intense since Friday.

7 people shot dead in Texas home

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — Investigators believe that seven people who were found dead Christmas Day were cleaning up holiday wrapping paper when they were shot inside a suburban Fort Worth apartment, but a motive remains unclear.

All of the victims appeared to be related, and Grapevine police said they believe the shooter was among the dead. Investigators were meticulously searching the apartment, along with three vehicles parked outside, and didn’t expect to finish until dawn today.

“It appears they had just celebrated Christmas. They had opened their gifts,” Grapevine Police Sgt. Robert Eberling said, adding that the apartment was decorated for the holiday, including a tree.

The four women and three men, aged 18 to 60, were found dead in an adjoining kitchen and living room area when police arrived midday Sunday, shortly after receiving a 911 call in which no one was on the other line, Eberling said. Two handguns were found near the bodies, he said.