In the news

Jerry Brown, the Democratic governor of California, vetoed legislation that would have made California the first state in the nation to allow legal immigrants who are not citizens to serve on juries, deciding it went too far after he recently approved bills providing driver’s permits and the ability to practice law to illegal aliens.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president, was cleared of allegations that he illegally took donations from France’s richest woman on the way to his 2007 election victory in a development that fanned speculation of a political comeback for Sarkozy, who lost the presidency to Socialist Francois Hollande last year.

Jimmy Carter, 89, the former president, said in Oakland, Calif., that if he were back in the White House, he would work with Republicans and Democrats to secure more funding for affordable housing and urge more flexibility in resolving differences involving the critical issue.

Heather Zichal, who has advised Barack Obama on the environment since his 2008 presidential campaign and took over the role of lead energy adviser in 2011, is leaving her post, the White House said, making no immediate announcement of a replacement.

Joseph Lyssikatos, 12, a Rhode Island seventh-grader who was suspended for three days for having a small toy gun keychain at school, and his family are appealing his suspension so Joseph can try for perfect attendance this year.

Jim Carlson, a Minnesota head shop owner, was convicted of almost all counts against him in a federal case involving the sale of synthetic drugs, commonly labeled as “incense,” “spice” or “bath salts.”

Brig. Gen. Stefan Baluk, a 99-year-old military veteran, and Poland’s president, Bronislaw Komorowski, unveiled a new monument that honors the hundreds of Polish resistance fighters who parachuted into their Nazi-occupied country to fight German forces during World War II.

Juan Mendez, a U.N. human-rights expert on torture, urged U.S. authorities to end four decades of solitary confinement for Albert Woodfox, 66, a former Black Panther convicted of murdering a Louisiana prison guard.

Iryna Khalip, a Belarusian journalist who has criticized her country’s authoritarian government, is sharing the 2013 PEN/ Pinter freedom-of-speech prize with British playwright Tom Stoppard, who wrote Oscar-winner Shakespeare in Love.

Front Section, Pages 1 on 10/08/2013

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