QUOTE OF THE DAY
“In some ways, the findings are full of hope. Today’s children ages 9 and 13 are scoring better overall than students at those ages in the early ’70s.”
Brent Houston, a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, on a government report that says high school students are faring no better in reading or math than their peers four decades ago Article, this page
Boston suspect indicted on 30 counts
BOSTON - A federal grand jury issued a 30-count indictment Thursday against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect, charging him with using a weapon of mass destruction to kill three people and injure more than 200 others, according to the Justice Department.
The grand jury also charged him in the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer from whom he and his brother tried to steal a firearm, the authorities said, as the brothers tried to elude police after the FBI released photos of them.
Tsarnaev faces life in prison or the death penalty on 17 of the charges, according to the Justice Department. He is to be arraigned July 10.
Eighteen officials from federal, state and local government and law-enforcement agencies announced the indictment. It provided the most detailed account from the authorities of the events leading up to and following the April 15 bombings, but officials remained vague about the bombers’ motive.
GI to challenge ‘classified’ in leaks case
FORT MEADE, Md. - Lawyers for Army Pfc. Bradley Manning can offer evidence contradicting the government’s assertion that he revealed classified information in a leaked battlefield video from Iraq, a military judge said Thursday.
The judge, Army Col. Denise Lind, took judicial notice of the document during Manning’s court-martial. Judicial notice is a preliminary step toward admitting evidence.
The document is an assessment by a former U.S. Central Command official of video showing a 2007 U.S. helicopter attack in Baghdad that killed at least eight people, including Reuters news photographer and his driver. His assessment was that the video should be unclassified.
That contradicted evidence offered by prosecutors. They have presented an assessment from a Pentagon official that the video revealed military tactics, techniques and procedures.
Manning is being tried at Forte Meade Army base outside Baltimore on charges that include aiding the enemy.
Filibusterer’s youth tough, Perry says
GRAPEVINE, Texas - Gov. Rick Perry hit back Thursday at the star of a Democratic filibuster that killed tough new Texas abortion restrictions, saying state Sen. Wendy Davis’ rise from a tough upbringing should have taught her the value of each human life.
Davis, a former teenage mother who graduated from Harvard Law School, responded that Perry’s comments were “without dignity and tarnishes the high office he holds.”
The Fort Worth Democrat staged a marathon filibuster Tuesday that helped defeat an omnibus bill further limiting abortion. But Perry has called lawmakers back for a second special session next week to again address the issue.
“Who are we to say that children born in the worst of circumstances can’t lead successful lives?” Perry said in a speech to nearly 1,000 delegates at the National Right to Life Conference in suburban Dallas. “Even the woman who filibustered the Senate the other day was born into difficult circumstances.”
In comments to reporters after his speech, he went even further.
“I’m proud that she’s been able to take advantage of her intellect and her hard work, but she didn’t come from particularly good circumstances,” the governor said. “What if her mom had said, ‘I just can’t do this. I don’t want to do this.’ At that particular point in time I think it becomes very personal.”
Davis quickly fired off an e-mail response blasting Perry’s comments.
“They are small words that reflect a dark and negative point of view,” she said. “Our governor should reflect our Texas values. Sadly, Gov. Perry fails that test.”
Searing heat in forecast across West
LAS VEGAS - A high-pressure system hanging over the West this weekend is expected to produce temperatures extreme even in a region used to baking during the summer.
Notoriously hot Death Valley’s forecast could touch 129 degrees, not far off the world-record high of 134 logged there July 10, 1913. The National Weather Service called for 118 in Phoenix, and 117 in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 06/28/2013