The nation in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“She was the nicest teacher anyone could ever have. She always had a warm smile on her face.” -

Chris Weimert, 17, a former pupil of Colleen Ritzer, a 24-year-old math teacher in Massachusetts whose body was found behind Danvers High School in a slaying authorities say was committed by a 14-year-old student Article, 3A

Pakistani insists to Obama drone hits end

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama emphasized U.S. help for Pakistan’s economy after his meeting Wednesday with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who repeated his insistence that strikes by American drones on Pakistani soil must end.

The U.S. is seeking to restore closer ties with a nuclear-armed nation at the center of the battle against Islamic extremism by working with Sharif’s government on economic development.

The U.S. plans to provide more than $300 million in aid to fund power, road and education projects in Pakistan as part of the release of $1.6 billion in mostly military assistance that was held up by Congress when relations soured.

Obama told reporters after meeting with Sharif for about two hours that they spent much of the time discussing economic issues and “ways to deepen trade” between the two nations.

Sharif said that while they focused on the economy, education, energy development and combating extremism, he also emphasized the need for the U.S. to halt drone strikes.

Fast ruling vowed on Texas abortion laws

A trial over Texas laws requiring hospital affiliations for doctors who perform abortions and saying only doctors can dispense pregnancy-ending drugs closed with a decision promised before the statutes are to take effect.

U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin said Wednesday that he’ll rule before Tuesday in Planned Parenthood’s suit on whether the laws are constitutional.

State Solicitor General Andy Oldham on Wednesday called the organization’s case a “house of cards” and criticized University of Texas demographer Joseph Potter, a Planned Parenthood witness.

“Dr. Potter makes a bold claim,” Oldham said in closing arguments, referring to the assertion that the laws would cause about 22,000 Texas women to lose access to abortions. He accused Potter of “parroting” Planned Parenthood positions and producing a biased study of the issue.

Janet Crepps, senior counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights, argued in her closing for the other side that one-third of the state’s abortion providers will stop performing the procedure if the hospital-affiliation law takes effect as planned.

She defended Potter as a “well-credentialed demographer” and said the evidence he cited was not in dispute.

Kennedy cousin to get retrial in ’75 killing

HARTFORD, Conn. - A Connecticut judge on Wednesday granted a new trial for Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, ruling his attorney failed to adequately represent him when he was convicted in 2002 of killing his neighbor in 1975.

The ruling by Judge Thomas Bishop marked a reversal after years of unsuccessful appeals by Skakel, the 53-yearold nephew of Robert F. Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy.

Skakel is serving 20 years to life.

Bridgeport State’s Attorney John Smriga said prosecutors will appeal the decision.

Skakel’s current attorney, Hubert Santos, said he expects to file a motion for bail today. If a judge approves it, Skakel could then post bond and be released from prison.

Skakel argued his trial attorney, Michael Sherman, was negligent in defending him when he was convicted in the golf-club bludgeoning of Martha Moxley when they were 15 in wealthy Greenwich. Santos called the case weak.

Prosecutors contended Sherman’s efforts far exceeded standards and that the verdict was based on compelling evidence against Skakel.

700 in IRS contractors’ employ owe taxes

WASHINGTON - Nearly 700 employees of Internal Revenue Service contractors owe $5.4 million in back taxes, said a report Wednesday by the agency’s inspector general.

More than half of those workers are supposed to be ineligible to do work for the IRS because they are not enrolled in installment plans to pay the taxes they owe.

Unlike other federal agencies, the IRS requires employees and those who work on agency contracts to comply with federal tax laws. That means they have to file returns on time and either pay all the taxes they owe or enroll in a payment plan.

Front Section, Pages 4 on 10/24/2013

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