The world at a glance . . . United States

Seattle

Whale tragedy: Seven killer whales in Washington’s Puget Sound are missing and presumed dead, in one of the biggest die-offs of the endangered species in years. State environmental officials are investigating whether the whales, also known as orcas, ran out of food or were struck by a disease that rendered them unable to eat. Stocks of salmon, a mainstay of the orca’s diet, have sharply declined along the Pacific Coast. “We’ve noticed that the drop is coincident with the crashing of king salmon supplies,” said whale researcher Ken Balcomb. The Puget Sound orca population had been slowly increasing after falling to only about 80 earlier this decade. At least one of the missing whales was a breeding-age female.

Oakland, Calif.

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Child-sex rings busted: More than 600 people were arrested this week in an FBI sting that targeted child-prostitution rings across the U.S. Agents arrested 73 alleged pimps and 518 adult prostitutes. They also rescued 47 children ranging in age from 13 to 17. At least 10 of the children were listed on a nationwide database of missing children. Oakland is a hub for human trafficking and child prostitution, say police, who recently counted almost 300 underage prostitutes working the city’s streets. The latest arrests are part of a wider FBI crackdown on human trafficking. Agents say they broke up at least a dozen child-prostitution rings run out of casinos, truck stops, and illicit websites.

Chicago

Actress’ family murdered: Police this week detained the ex-husband of actress Jennifer Hudson’s sister in the murder of Hudson’s mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew. The two adult victims were found shot to death in the family home last week, setting off a manhunt for the boy. His bullet-riddled body was discovered three days later in the back seat of an abandoned SUV. Police said suspect William Balfour, a 27-year-old ex-con, had been angry at his ex-wife’s family for kicking him out of their home. Hudson, who won an Oscar last year for her role in Dreamgirls, joined family members to identify her nephew’s body at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office this week. “All we can do is pray,” said the Rev. Krista Alston of Pleasant Gift Baptist Church, who is Hudson’s cousin. “We’re a family of deep faith.”

Jackson, Tenn.

Skinheads target Obama: Federal authorities this week arrested two neo-Nazi “skinheads” they said were plotting a killing spree targeting blacks, including presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Law enforcement officials said that Paul Schlesselman, 18, and Daniel Cowart, 20, hatched a plan to randomly shoot 88 black people and decapitate 14 more; the numbers 88 and 14 reportedly have special significance for the white supremacist fringe. For their final act, officials said, Cowart and Schlesselman planned to drive toward Obama at top speed while firing guns. “They didn’t believe they would be able to kill him,” said federal agent James Cavanaugh, “but that they would get killed trying.” Officials said the men had acquired some weapons but had not gotten far in their plot.

Philadelphia

Unseasonable flakes fly: An early snowstorm blasted the Northeast this week, dumping 2 feet of snow on upstate New York and forcing the closure of two interstate highways in Pennsylvania. More than 25,000 households in northeastern Pennsylvania were blacked out when heavy, wet snow downed trees and power lines. Sections of Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania were closed after several trucks jackknifed on the slick road surface, and I-84 was closed near the New York border. Perhaps most frustrating for Pennsylvanians, the fifth and potentially deciding game of the World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies was suspended in the sixth inning amid rain, freezing temperatures, and snow flurries, with the score tied, 2–2.

Riviera Beach, Fla.

Killer bees attack: A swarm of angry bees this week killed three dogs and sent a 70-year-old woman to the hospital with multiple stings. The bees attacked Nancy Hill 15 feet from her front door as she left the house to walk her two dachshunds. The bees also attacked two pit bulls, killing one. “They were out to hurt seriously,” said Hill’s husband, Brian, who was also stung. “These guys were really powerful.” Exterminators later removed a 50-pound hive from a nearby abandoned house. The insects are being tested to determine whether they are Africanized “killer” honeybees, which carry a gene that makes them more aggressive.