National news briefs

3 boaters found after missing for a week

PORT ARANSAS, Texas (AP) — Three Texas boaters missing for a week were reunited with their families early Sunday after they were found alive, sitting on top of their capsized catamaran 180 miles from land, the Coast Guard said.

The crew of the Affordable Fantasy spotted the men Saturday night off Port Aransas and rescued them from their 23-foot catamaran, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Renee Aiello. A Coast Guard boat met them and brought them back to land, where emergency management services crews were waiting for them. They declined medical attention.

They were identified as Curtis Hall, 28, of Palacios; Tressel Hawkins, 43, of Markham; and James Phillips, 30, of Blessing, who owned the boat.

The three were reported missing Aug. 22 after they left Matagorda, about 90 miles southwest of Houston, on a fishing trip and never returned. Port Aransas is about 130 miles from Matagorda.

Crowd expresses ire over Gadhafi visit

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. (AP) — More than 200 people gathered Sunday to tell Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi he's not welcome in their suburban New Jersey community, including several who lost relatives in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Gov. Jon Corzine was among those who attended the event in Englewood, where the Libyan government has been renovating a 5-acre estate ahead of Gadhafi's first U.S. visit, scheduled for next month. Gadhafi had been expected to pitch a ceremonial Bedouin-style tent on the grounds, but his representatives announced Friday that he would remain in Manhattan where he's addressing the United Nations General Assembly, after rumors of his visit to New Jersey sparked an uproar last week.

Backpacker rescued from atop mountain

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — A 70-year-old backpacker who had been missing for several days in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been airlifted to safety and is reported in good shape.

WBIR-TV in Knoxville says Albert "Morgan" Briggs was rescued Sunday from rugged terrain atop Porter's Mountain.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Lt. Lee Chaffin says Briggs was in good spirits and was unhurt. The television station says Briggs declined medical attention and left with relatives.

Briggs was spotted Saturday by a searcher on the Appalachian Trail and a helicopter dropped him food, water and a portable radio before daylight faded.