The world at a glance . . . United States

Athens, Ga.

Professor sought in triple murder: A nationwide manhunt was under way for a University of Georgia business professor suspected of killing his estranged wife and two other people near campus before fleeing. George Zinkhan, a marketing professor, is wanted for allegedly shooting his wife, Marie Bruce, and two of her friends during a party in Athens, while the couple’s two children sat nearby in Zinkhan’s car. Zinkhan then dropped the children at a friend’s house and fled in his red Jeep Liberty, police said. He was booked on a May 2 flight to Amsterdam, where he also teaches, but authorities believe he has not fled the country and might have committed suicide.

Soledad, Calif.

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Tour bus crash: A luxury bus loaded with French tourists crashed on a highway overpass near the city of Soledad, killing four passengers and the driver and injuring two-dozen more. Several victims were thrown clear of the bus when it smashed into a guardrail and toppled over. One person fell 70 feet to his death on railroad tracks beneath the overpass. The bus was carrying 34 tourists, a Canadian tour guide, and the driver, an American. It’s the third fatal crash of a charter bus in California since October.

New York City

Low-flying airplane: A low-flying government 747 jet and its fighter escort circled downtown Manhattan for about half an hour this week, sowing panic in an area where memories of the 9/11 terror attacks are still raw. “I was crying and praying to God,” said local worker Kathleen Filandro. “I thought I was going to be killed.” White House officials wanted to photograph the 747, which is designated as Air Force One when the president is aboard, with the Statue of Liberty in the background. Although federal authorities notified their New York counterparts in advance of the flight, President Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg were left out of the loop. Two midlevel employees at the White House and City Hall have been reprimanded. “It was a mistake,” Obama said, “and it will not happen again.”

Washington, D.C.

Sibelius confirmed: The Senate this week confirmed Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sibelius as secretary of health and human services, filling the last remaining vacancy in President Obama’s Cabinet. Sibelius was approved on a 65–31 vote, with nine Republicans joining the majority. Several Republicans had been holding up a vote because of Sibelius’ outspoken support for abortion rights. She was criticized for being photographed at the governor’s mansion in 2007 with a Wichita abortion provider who at the time was under investigation for violating state restrictions on late-term abortions. But lawmakers said that with the swine flu crisis growing, it was crucial for the HHS slot to be filled. “We needs all hands on deck,” Obama said. “I expect her to hit the ground running.”

Lawrence, Mass.

Bodice-ripper draws fire: An elementary school principal has been placed on indefinite leave after teachers complained that she hawked her racy, self-published romance novel during faculty meetings. Beth Gannon, principal of the Henry K. Oliver School in Lawrence, was removed following complaints that she promoted the book, Crazy Fortunes, on school grounds and left copies within easy reach of children. The novel, about a bride-to-be who reunites with a former lover, was printed by iUniverse, an online book-publishing service. “God forbid if this book were laying around in a classroom and one of the kids got it,” said school board member Sammy Reyes.

Baltimore

Unlucky break: A giant water main break flooded downtown Baltimore with as much as 2 feet of water this week, snarling traffic and forcing businesses and government offices to close. The early morning incident, at a busy intersection in Baltimore’s business district, opened a huge sinkhole near the Inner Harbor and shut down water, electricity, and telephone service. The day before the main burst, the city’s public-works department had e-mailed reporters urging them to write about the city’s crumbling infrastructure, which officials say needs

$2.2 billion in repairs. “Unless there is a drought, a major water main break, or a rate increase,” the e-mail stated, “most people don’t give a thought” to their water supply.