Columbiana

Judge to rule on ex-Penn State coach Sandusky's bid for new trial

A Pennsylvania judge is due to rule on Wednesday whether former Penn State University football coach Jerry Sandusky will receive a new trial on charges that he sexually assaulted pre-teen and teenaged boys for 15 years. Sandusky, 73, was convicted in 2012 of exploiting his position in the top-flight football program to sexually assault 10 boys and is currently serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence. Centre County Court of Common Pleas Judge John Foradora plans to release his decision at noon ET (1600 GMT)on Wednesday on whether to grant a new trial to the man whose case led to the firing of longtime head coach Joe Paterno and prompted the state to toughen its laws on child sex assault.

U.S. senators reach bipartisan deal on Obamacare, Trump indicates support

By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators on Tuesday reached a bipartisan agreement to shore up Obamacare for two years by reviving federal subsidies for health insurers that President Donald Trump planned to scrap, and the president indicated his support for the plan. The deal worked out by Republican Senator Lamar Alexander and Democratic Senator Patty Murray would meet some Democratic objectives, including reviving the subsidies for Obamacare and restoring $106 million in funding for a federal program that helps people enroll in insurance plans. In exchange, Republicans would get more flexibility for states to offer a wider variety of health insurance plans while maintaining the requirement that sick and healthy people be charged the same rates for coverage.

Kentucky city removes two Confederate statues

The city council in August voted to remove the statues of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and John C. Breckinridge, a U.S. vice president and Confederate secretary of war, the Lexington Herald Leader reported, showing video of the removal work that began without advance notice. The Kentucky vote came soon after a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white nationalists angered at the planned removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee clashed with counter-protesters.

CIA says mistakenly 'shredded' Senate torture report then did not

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Central Intelligence Agency thought for months that it had mistakenly shredded a massive U.S. Senate report on its use of waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" before suddenly discovering that its copy had not been lost after all, an agency official said on Tuesday. "It's embarrassing and I have apologized," Christopher Sharpley, the acting CIA Inspector General, told the Senate Intelligence Committee during his confirmation hearing as President Donald Trump's nominee for the position. Championed by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein when she chaired the Senate panel, the "torture report," as it is known, is the result of a six-year investigation into so-called enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, during the administration of Republican President George W. Bush.

NFL policy on anthem kneeling unchanged, despite Trump rebuke

By Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - National Football League officials weighed the fervor of players protesting racism against U.S. President Donald Trump's anger at their autumn meeting on Tuesday with supporters of the players kneeling outside in solidarity. The NFL did not seek commitments from its players to stop kneeling during pregame renditions of the U.S. national anthem but rather focused on helping them in their political activism. About issues in our communities to make our communities better," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters.

Crews push to contain California fires, search for bodies

By Jim Christie SANTA ROSA, Calif. (Reuters) - Crews fought their way across rugged, steep terrain on Tuesday in a push to gain full control of the deadliest wildfires in California history, as search-and-rescue teams picked through an ashy moonscape of destroyed homes looking for victims. "There are still some concerns that if the west winds come up or we get some erratic winds they could push our lines, but as of right now we're looking pretty good," Steve Crawford, a fire operations chief, told reporters at a briefing in Sonoma County in the heart of California's celebrated wine country. Already 41 people have been confirmed killed in the fires, which erupted last week and were driven by dry, hot winds into Northern California communities, giving residents little or no chance to escape.

Las Vegas gunman's estate could offer rare redress for victims

By Tina Bellon NEW YORK (Reuters) - Victims of mass shootings in the United States often win little or no damages from perpetrators but the Las Vegas massacre may be different because the shooter is thought to have been a wealthy man, lawyers said. While there are often few assets to collect from the young men who typically carry out these killings, Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, 64, is thought to have had multi-million-dollar investments in buildings across Texas and California. "It definitely depends on the assets in the estate whether you pursue that claim," said Theida Salazar, a Los Angeles attorney who represented one of the victim's families in the 2015 shooting in San Bernadino, California.

Chicago Aviation Dept fires two officers involved in dragging man off flight

The Chicago Department of Aviation has fired two security officers for their roles in the forcible removal of a passenger on a United Airlines flight in April, an incident that provoked international outrage. The firings were included in a report on the incident released on Tuesday by the Chicago Office of the Inspector General. David Dao, a 69-year-old Vietnamese-American physician, was hospitalized after aviation officers dragged him from a United Airlines plane to make space for four crew members on the flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Kentucky.

White man charged with hate crime in black Army officer's murder in Maryland

Sean Urbanski, 22, of Severna Park, Maryland, had already been indicted by a grand jury on a murder charge for the death of Lieutenant Richard Collins, 23. An investigation of digital material, including Urbanski's phone and computer records, prompted prosecutors to seek the hate crime charge, Angela Alsobrooks, the state's attorney for Prince George’s County, told a news conference.

Trump's drug czar nominee withdraws from consideration

The U.S. lawmaker who was President Donald Trump's pick for drug czar withdrew on Tuesday after it became public he spearheaded a bill that hurt the government's ability to crack down on opioid makers flooding the market with the addictive painkillers. Trump had pegged Representative Tom Marino, a Republican from Pennsylvania, to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy, as the administration faces an epidemic of opioid overdoses that is killing tens of thousands of Americans annually. Trump wrote on Twitter: "Rep. Tom Marino has informed me that he is withdrawing his name from consideration as drug czar.

Sixteen inmates charged with murder in Delaware prison uprising

A Delaware grand jury has indicted 16 prison inmates for first-degree murder over a February uprising during which a guard was killed and others taken hostage, prosecutors said on Tuesday. Prisoners seized Lieutenant Steven Floyd, two other corrections officers and a counselor during the Feb. 1-2 uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. A New Castle County grand jury handed up charges against a total of 18 inmates that include assault, kidnapping, riot and conspiracy, Delaware's Justice Department said in a statement.

U.S. safety board criticizes FAA, pilot on deadly U.S. balloon crash

The National Transportation Safety board on Tuesday faulted U.S. aviation regulators and the pilot in the July 2016 Texas balloon crash that killed 16 people, the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in more than seven years. The hearing comes after the Federal Aviation Administration said earlier this year no new balloon regulations were needed, despite a long-standing push by the board to require more oversight of the operations. It was the deadliest crash ever involving a hot air balloon in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Balloon Federation of North America.

U.S. Justice Dept will review new law's impact on DEA powers: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said on Tuesday he was very concerned about a report that said new legislation has undermined the Drug Enforcement Administration's ability to crack down on opioid dealers and said the Justice Department would review the law.

GM to test self-driving cars in N.Y. in early 2018: Gov. Cuomo

(Reuters) - General Motors Co plans to test vehicles in fully autonomous mode in New York state in early 2018, according to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The planned testing by GM and its self-driving unit, Cruise Automation, will be the first by a Level 4 autonomous vehicle in the state, Cuomo said in a statement. A level 3 car still needs a steering wheel and a driver who can take over if the car encounters a problem, while level 4 promises driverless features in dedicated lanes.

Search suspended for worker missing after Louisiana oil platform explosion

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a worker missing from an oil production platform in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain that exploded and caught fire late on Sunday. Missing is Timothy Morrison, 44, of Katy, Texas, the Coast Guard said in a statement. "The decision to suspend a search is never an easy one," Commander Zac Ford said in the statement.

Florida governor declares emergency before white nationalist's speech

Rallies by neo-Nazis and white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August led to violent street clashes with counter-protesters. "This executive order is an additional step to ensure that the University of Florida and the entire community is prepared so everyone can stay safe," Scott said in a statement. Scott said in the order there was a need to implement a coordinated security plan among local and state agencies before the speech by Richard Spencer on Thursday in Gainesville.

Senate Republicans gain moment on tax reform budget measure

By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans on Monday gained crucial support for a vote on a budget resolution that is vital to President Donald Trump's hopes of signing sweeping tax reform legislation into law before January. Two Republican lawmakers, once seen as potential 'no' votes, said they would likely support the measure. A third, Senator Rand Paul, may vote 'yes' depending on what the final resolution looks like.

Trucker in deadly Texas immigrant case pleads guilty, faces life sentence

The driver of a truck packed with immigrants, 10 of whom died due to sweltering Texas heat in July, pleaded guilty on Monday to human smuggling charges and could face up to life in prison, prosecutors said. James Bradley Jr., 61, pleaded guilty at a federal court in San Antonio to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death and one count of transporting aliens resulting in death, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas said in a statement. Bradley told investigators he was caught by surprise when he opened the trailer doors outside a Walmart store in San Antonio on July 23, only to be knocked down by a group of "Spanish" people pouring out of the rig, according to the criminal complaint filed in the case.

NFL to tackle protests as Trump decries 'disrespectful' players

Trump has continued to rail at the symbolic kneeling, which has only become more widespread since his first comments last month, saying as recently as Monday that players who do so should be suspended for insulting the country. "And the NFL should suspended some of these players for one game," Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.

U.S. Army Sergeant Bergdahl could face life sentence for endangering troops

By Colleen Jenkins FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl pleaded guilty on Monday to deserting his duties in Afghanistan in June 2009 and endangering the lives of fellow troops, a step toward resolving the politically charged case that could send him to prison for life. During last year's presidential campaign, Republican Donald Trump called Bergdahl "a no-good traitor." In court on Monday, Bergdahl admitted wrongdoing but said he never intended to put anyone at risk. "I didn't think there'd be any reason to pull off a crucial mission to look for one guy," he said, adding that his actions were "very inexcusable." Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, with the latter offense carrying a possible life sentence.

Woman accusing Trump of misconduct subpoenas presidential campaign

A woman who has said that U.S. President Donald Trump groped her during a 2007 meeting has subpoenaed his presidential campaign for any documents concerning similar allegations, according to a subpoena filed in New York State Supreme Court. Summer Zervos, a former contestant on Trump's reality TV show "The Apprentice," sought all documents from his campaign pertaining to "any woman alleging that Donald J. Trump touched her inappropriately," identifying nine by name, the subpoena said.

U.S. police deaths on duty spiked in 2016: FBI

By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sixty-six police officers were killed on the job by felons in 2016, up about 61 percent from 41 deaths a year ago, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Monday. The number was the second highest since 2011, when 72 officers were killed by felons, according to the FBI report. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a statement called the numbers "shocking" and "unacceptable," and said the Justice Department would work toward reducing violent crime.

U.S. Supreme Court to decide major Microsoft email privacy fight

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to resolve a major privacy dispute between the Justice Department and Microsoft Corp over whether prosecutors should get access to emails stored on company servers overseas. The justices will hear the Trump administration's appeal of a lower court's ruling last year preventing federal prosecutors from obtaining emails stored in Microsoft computer servers in Dublin, Ireland in a drug trafficking investigation.

Massachusetts court: Yahoo can give dead man's emails to siblings

By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - The top court in Massachusetts ruled against Yahoo on Monday by concluding that federal law does not bar it from providing the representatives of an deceased man's estate access to his email account. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision marked a victory for two people who fought Yahoo for years after their brother's death in 2006, seeking access to contents of his email account.

EPA head seeks to avoid settlements with green groups

By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a directive to his agency on Monday seeking to end the practice of settling lawsuits with environmental groups behind closed doors, saying the groups have had too much influence on regulation. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who sued the agency he now runs more than a dozen times in his former job as attorney general of oil producing Oklahoma, has long railed against the so-called practice of "sue and settle." The EPA under former President Barack Obama quietly settled lawsuits from environmental groups with little input from regulated entities, such as power plants, and state governments, he argues.

U.S. Senator Menendez's corruption trial to proceed: judge

By Joseph Ax NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - The bribery case against U.S. Senator Bob Menendez survived a key test on Monday, as the federal judge overseeing his trial rejected a defense motion to throw out the most serious charges. U.S. District Judge William Walls in Newark, New Jersey, allowed the trial to proceed on all charges, five days after suggesting he was inclined to dismiss the heart of the case based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that narrowed the legal definition of public corruption. Prosecutors have accused Menendez, a 63-year-old Democrat, of taking bribes from Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen in exchange for using his office to help the doctor in a variety of ways.

Trump says working on welfare reform proposals

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he is weighing recommendations for welfare reform as his government looks for ways to cut costs. Speaking to reporters at the beginning of a cabinet meeting, Trump said some welfare recipients are taking advantage of the system, while others are not receiving enough benefits to live. He did not discuss specific recommendations. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton)

Search goes on for worker missing after Louisiana oil platform explosion

The search continued for a worker missing from an oil production platform in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain that exploded and caught fire late Sunday, sending six others to hospital with injuries, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Coast Guard rescue crews were battling 4 foot to 5 foot (1.2-1.5 meter) waves on the lake and a helicopter joined the search at daybreak after an overnight effort failed to locate the worker, officials said at a briefing on Monday. Three workers remain in hospital for blast and burn treatment, some in critical condition, Mike Guillot, emergency medical services director at East Jefferson General Hospital, said during a news briefing on Monday.

Firefighters gaining edge in California wildfires that have killed at least 40

By Salvador Rodriguez SANTA ROSA (Reuters) - Firefighters began gaining ground on wildfires that killed at least 40 people in the past week, the deadliest blazes in California's history, as winds eased and searchers combed charred ruins for more victims with hundreds still missing. Two of the three most destructive Northern California fires were more than half contained early on Monday, and some residents who fled the flames in hard-hit Sonoma County could be allowed to return home later in the day, officials said. More than 5,700 structures were destroyed by more than a dozen wildfires that ignited a week ago and consumed an area larger than New York City.

Pot farmer's dreams go up in smoke during California wildfires

By Heather Somerville SANTA ROSA, Calif. (Reuters) - Andrew Lopas' plans to bring his marijuana business out of the black market with a legal, profitable and organic pot farm went up in smoke in the wildfires that have scorched Santa Rosa, California. After four decades of growing pot illegally, the 54-year-old saw an opportunity last year to start a legitimate business serving the medical marijuana market. Last Sunday, as the wildfires, which have now killed at least 40 people, first erupted, Lopas' cannabis farm in Santa Rosa went up in flames, leaving behind the stumps of two chimneys, heaps of ash, charred marijuana plants and a despairing entrepreneur.

Pot farmer's dreams go up in smoke during California wildfires

Andrew Lopas' plans to bring his marijuana business out of the black market with a legal, profitable and organic pot farm went up in smoke in the wildfires that have scorched Santa Rosa, California. After four decades of growing pot illegally, the 54-year-old saw an opportunity last year to start a legitimate business serving the medical marijuana market. Last Sunday, as the wildfires, which have now killed at least 40 people, first erupted, Lopas' cannabis farm in Santa Rosa went up in flames, leaving behind the stumps of two chimneys, heaps of ash, charred marijuana plants and a despairing entrepreneur.

Forty dead, neighborhoods burned to ash in California fires

Dry, warm gusts of wind are forecast for Sunday as firefighters continue to grapple with the deadliest blazes in California's history, which have killed at least 40 people and reduced entire neighborhoods to ash. More than 10,000 firefighters supported by air tankers and helicopters battled 16 major wildfires in areas north of San Francisco that have consumed some 214,000 acres (86,000 hectares), or roughly 334 square miles (865 sq km) - an area larger than New York City. Arid winds would eventually die down on Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service said, but no rain was forecast to fall on the fires till Wednesday.

Republican Senator Collins likely 'yes' vote to advance tax reform

U.S. Republican Senator Susan Collins, who helped torpedo President Donald Trump's effort to repeal Obamacare, said on Sunday she was leaning towards a 'yes' vote on the Senate budget resolution to advance tax reform. The Senate is expected to vote on the fiscal 2018 measure this week. The resolution contains a legislative tool that could facilitate adoption of a tax reform bill later this year.