Nation, world briefs 7/19/2015

Trump criticizes McCain's war record

AMES, Iowa -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized Arizona Sen. John McCain's military record Saturday, saying he was a "war hero because he was captured." Speaking at a conference of religious conservatives in Iowa, Trump was pressed on his recent description of the 2008 Republican presidential nominee as "a dummy." McCain served as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam War. He was captured after his plane was shot down and was held more than five years as a prisoner of war. Trump said McCain "is a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." The comment drew some boos from the audience.

Future British queen gave Nazi salute

LONDON -- Buckingham Palace expressed its disappointment Saturday with a tabloid newspaper for publishing images of a young Queen Elizabeth II performing a Nazi salute with her family in 1933, the year Adolf Hitler came to power. The report in The Sun newspaper shows the queen -- then about 7 -- at the family home in Balmoral with her uncle Edward, mother and sister. The footage also shows Elizabeth's mother making the salute as the family laughs. "It is disappointing that film, shot eight decades ago and apparently from Her Majesty's personal family archive, has been obtained and exploited in this manner," the palace said. Military historian James Holland told The Sun the royals were joking.

Charges sought in chokehold death

NEW YORK -- The widow of Eric Garner and hundreds of protesters rallied outside a courthouse Saturday to call on federal prosecutors to indict the white police officer who put the black New York City man in a fatal chokehold a year ago. "You all keep me empowered to speak," Garner's widow, Esaw Garner, told the demonstrators at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. It was the second day of protests to mark the anniversary of Garner's death July 17, 2014. Garner died after the police officer placed an arm around his neck to take him to the ground. A grand jury declined to indict the officer.

Saudi Arabia claims it halted ISIS attacks

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia announced Saturday it broke up planned Islamic State attacks in the kingdom and arrested more than 400 suspects in an anti-terrorism sweep, a day after a powerful blast in neighboring Iraq killed more than 100 people in one of the country's deadliest single attacks since U.S. troops pulled out in 2011. The Saudi crackdown underscores its concern about the threat posed by the Islamic State group.

Man accidentally kills self on birthday

DALLAS -- Authorities say a Dallas man accidentally killed himself while firing his gun in celebration at his 21st birthday party. Joseph Perez was pronounced dead early Saturday. Police say Perez was celebrating having turned 21 Thursday when he grabbed a gun and began shooting. His family took the gun from him, but Perez later retrieved it and accidentally shot himself. A police spokeswoman says alcohol is believed to have factored into the shooting.

-- From wire reports