Extremist Islamic militants made a decision to ban the delivery of food aid in Somalia, and in 2011 the African nation was said to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. The first in-depth study of famine deaths in Somalia in 2011 was released Thursday, and it estimates that 133,000 children under the age of 5 died. (read full story here)

A wildfire spread across Southern California communities on Thursday, causing evacuations at California State University and homes in the area. The blaze started during morning rush hour and was quickly spread by the wind. About 5,000 students attend California State, all of whom were told to evacuate campus. More than 500 fire fighters worked to stop the fire. (read full story here)

Police said a man who fired a gun at the main Houston, Texas, airport was killed after a confrontation with a law enforcement official. Houston police Capt. Dwayne Ready said it’s unclear if the man, who has yet to be identified, fatally shot himself, or if he was killed by a Homeland Security agent who had confronted him. Officials said an autopsy will be done on Friday. The airport terminal remains closed but the rest of the airport is operating.

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry said five people have died and two others are in critical condition with a confirmed case of a new respiratory virus related to SARS. The ministry said on Thursday that it had informed the World Health Organization of the seven cases. The germ that causes the illness is from a family of viruses that cause the common cold, as well as SARS — the respiratory syndrome that killed more than 800 people in a 2003 epidemic. The new virus was first identified last year in the Middle East.

Maryland became the first state south of the Mason-Dixon line to abolish the death penalty Thursday. Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley opposes capital punishment and is considering seeking the 2016 presidential nomination. Maryland is the 18th state to get rid of the death penalty.

All information is from The Associated Press.

Contact Maura Zurick at [email protected].