USA TODAY International Edition
Subway searches challenged in NYC
A trial beginst oday in New York on a constitutional challenge to the city’s random searches of bags in the subways to deter terrorism. The New York Civil Liberties Unions say the searches do nothing to accomplish that goal. Federal Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan wast o hear evidence and testimony in the case for two to three days. At issue is a random search program that was put in place in the nation’s largest subway system after deadly bombings by terrorists in London’s subway system in July. Christopher Dunn, the NYCLU’s associate legal director, said the program of “ suspicionless police searches is unprecedented.”
Police: Teen kills neighbors, himself
Police in Aliso Viejo, Calif., were trying to determine why a 19- year-old in a black cape and a paintball mask went on a s hooting rampage, k illing a man and h is daughter before committing suicide. Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Amormino said the shootings may have been random, although a neighbor said William Freund had attended high school with one of his victims. Freund drove less than 100 yardst o a house where he killed Vernon Smith, 45, and daughter Christina, 22, with a shotgun, Amormino said. Freund then walked across the street and ; red into another house, Amormino said. A person inside suffered cuts from broken glass. Another neighbor heard the commotion, came outside and was confronted by the teen, who tried to ; re hisw eapon. When it mis; red, Freund went back to his own house and committed suicide, Amormino said.
Transit strike possible in Philadelphia
Philadelphia was preparing for a possible transit strike as the region’s main transportation agency and its largest labor union faced off in a stalemate over wages and health bene ; ts. If no deal is reached by today, the city’ss ubway, trolley and buswork erswe re poised to walk off the job, said Jeff Brooks, the president of Transport Workers Union Local 234. City Controller Jonathan Saidel tried to break the log jam Saturday over health bene;ts— one of the most contentious issues — by proposing a sliding- scale health plan. Brookss aid he would consider having those who earn more, pay more. In addition to Brooks’ union, which represents about 5,000 city transitworkers, about 300 suburban transit workers represented by United Transportation Union Local 1594 also planned to strike at the same time.
Two-day Halloween bash
Party patrol: A reveler B ees from pepper spray as police in Madison, Wis., clear State Street during the annual two-day Halloween celebration. Police made hundreds of arrests.
Border initiative draws dueling protests
Dueling demonstrations over a plan to create state border police in California drew nearly 1,000 people to the Capitol in Sacramento on Saturday. About two dozen police of ; cers, some on horseback, stood between the rival gatherings and made three arrests. At issue was an initiative proposed by Assemblyman Ray Haynes for the 2006 ballot that would create a state immigration police force. The border police force would be charged speci ; cally with enforcing federal immigration laws. Meanwhile, a San Diego-based group has announced that it had taken border patrols into its own hands to stop illegal immigrants and drug smugglers from entering California.
Nerve gas leak delays its destruction
Army contractors halted operations Saturday at a western Indiana complex built to destroy a deadly nerve agent after nearly 500 gallons of caustic wastewater spilled in a contained area. No workers were injured or exposed to the hydrolysate, a byproduct of the destruction of the agent, when it leaked onto the B oor at the Newport Chemical Depot, depot spokesman Dennis Lindsey said. The facility was to be shut down until the spill was cleaned up and its cause determined, Lindsey said. The western Indiana facility destroys the Cold War-era chemical weapon VX using a mixture of heated sodium hydroxide and water. A droplet is enough to kill a healthy human.
Museum to examine acquisition efforts
The board of the J. Paul Getty Trust has formed a special committee to investigate claims that its worldrenowned museum purchased looted art and its chief executive spent lavishly with tax-exempt funds. The committee, announced Saturday in Los Angeles, will include ; ve members of the board but not the trust’s chief executive, Barry Munitz, who pledged “ full support,” the Getty Trust said in a statement. The Greek and Italian governments have claimed the $ 9- billion trust and its J. Paul Getty museum bought ancient artworks that had been smuggled out of those countries. Trial resumes next month in Rome for the museum’s former antiquities curator, Marion True, who is accused of helping the museum acquire about 40 treasures stolen from private collections or dug up illicitly.