U.S. releases first part of drug aid for Mexico

U.S. releases first part of drug aid for Mexico

MEXICO CITY — The U.S. government finally released the first part of a $400 million aid package Wednesday to support Mexico’s police and soldiers in their fight against drug cartels.

The money comes at a critical time: Mexico’s death toll from drug violence has soared above 4,000 so far this year, and drug-related murders and kidnappings are spilling over the U.S. border as well.

U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza formally released $197 million at a signing ceremony in Mexico City, calling it “the most significant effort ever undertaken” by the U.S. and Mexico to fight drugs. The rest will be disbursed throughout the year.

Arkansas officials seize 6 Alamo compound children

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas child welfare officials seized six more children Wednesday from the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries as authorities in California visited another church compound, officials said.

Julie Munsell, a spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, declined to say where or how the children were taken into state custody.

“I believe they are all in general good health, just like the others were,” Munsell told The Associated Press.

With Wednesday’s operation, state officials have seized 32 children associated with the jailed evangelist’s ministries over stories of alleged beatings and sexual abuse. Alamo, 74, faces federal charges in Arkansas that he took children across state lines for sex.

Family of man trampled by shoppers sue Wal-Mart

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — The family of a worker trampled to death in a “Black Friday” crush of bargain hunters at a Long Island Wal-Mart store filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on Wednesday, claiming store ads offering deep discounts “created an atmosphere of competition and anxiety” that led to “crowd craze.”

The lawsuit claims that besides failing to provide adequate security for a pre-dawn crowd estimated at 2,000, Wal-Mart “engaged in specific marketing and advertising techniques to specifically attract a large crowd and create an environment of frenzy and mayhem and was otherwise careless, reckless and negligent.”

Wal-Mart issued a statement saying it would cooperate with local law enforcement officials to develop stronger safety measures for the future.

O.J. to be sentenced

LAS VEGAS — During his trial for armed robbery and kidnapping, O.J. Simpson once sat in a courthouse hallway musing on what might have been: Before his arrest, he had considered moving to Las Vegas, where he liked the climate and the people he had met.

Now he could spend the rest of his life in Nevada — in prison.

The 61-year-old former football star, actor and TV pitchman will be sentenced Friday along with a co-defendant in a hearing that marks the end of Simpson’s journey from fame and fortune to crime and punishment.

Although the case carries mandatory prison time, friend Tom Scotto said Simpson remains hopeful and positive after being convicted in October of all 12 charges that arose from a hotel-room confrontation with two sports-memorabilia dealers.

Prosecutor: Jealousy led to Hudson family killings

CHICAGO — The brother-in-law of Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson killed three of her relatives — with a gun stolen from one of the victims — because he was angry his estranged wife, the star’s sister, was dating another man, prosecutors alleged Wednesday.

William Balfour appeared in court for the first time in connection with the deaths and was denied bond. His attorney said authorities have no forensic evidence linking Balfour to the killings, but prosecutors said witness statements and the suspect’s own lies and threats helped lead them to him.

Balfour was charged with murder Tuesday after being held for weeks on a parole violation. The slightly built man, wearing a yellow jump suit, stood quietly Wednesday as prosecutor LuAnn Snow described how he allegedly killed his 7-year-old stepson, Julian King, Hudson’s mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and Hudson’s brother, Jason Hudson.

Police arrest boy’s aunt

TRACY, Calif. — The aunt and one-time guardian of an emaciated and shackled 17-year-old has been arrested, as police tried to determine how she knew the couple accused of holding the teen against his will for nearly a year. Caren Ramirez was arrested Tuesday in Berkeley, a day after the boy walked into a gym and begged managers to hide him.

Associated Press