In her year on the vice squad, Lt. Mariam al-Bursh has been on narcotics busts, interrogated male drug dealers and fought off a female assailant with her fists.

The 27-year-old is one of 53 women serving in the 11,000-strong Hamas police force, established after the Islamic militants seized Gaza by force more than a year ago.

Since taking power, Hamas has put some educated, motivated women in government jobs, promoted athletics for women, and boosted their presence on male-dominated TV.

A man who held police at bay during a two-day Maryland motel standoff and his pregnant girlfriend, who claimed to be his hostage, both face charges, state police said Saturday.

James Prevatt III, 26, and Rene Reynolds, 21, both of Moncks Corner, S.C., were captured Friday at the one-story motel in Hancock, Md., that officers had surrounded for two days. Prevatt threatened to kill officers and Reynolds during the standoff, which ended without injury when police burst into the room after Prevatt opened the door for a food delivery.

BULLITT COUNTY ROADWORK - Week of August 17 The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Highway District 5 reports the following roadwork scheduled in Bullitt County for the week of August 17.

The Dutch Navy and a squad of U.S. Coast Guard raiders seized 4.6 tons of cocaine from a Panamanian-flagged freighter that had set sail from Venezuela, Dutch and U.S. officials said Friday.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is one of the top three world suppliers of the psychedelic drug ecstasy, and a significant supplier of marijuana to the United States, the government admitted on Friday.

A survey of organized crime by Criminal Intelligence Services Canada found that Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium were the primary sources of ecstasy, an illegal drug that's popular at clubs, raves and rock concerts.

"Canada continues to be a major producer for both domestic and international markets, exporting significant quantities primarily to the U.S. and to a lesser extent, Japan, Australia and New Zealand," the report said.