Nation & World Digest

Judge: Feds’ wiretap of charity illegal

SAN FRANCISCO

In a repudiation of the Bush administration’s now-defunct terrorist-surveillance effort, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that government investigators illegally wiretapped the phone conversations of an Islamic charity and two American lawyers without a search warrant.

U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker’s 45-page ruling focused narrowly on the case involving the Al- Haramain Islamic Foundation, touching vaguely on the larger question of the program’s legality.

Husband, wife run against each other

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.

An eastern Missouri lawmaker is facing an election challenge from her own husband, whom she accuses of physical violence. He denies the allegations.

Democratic Rep. Linda Fischer obtained a protection order against John Fischer last week. Three days later, he filed as a Republican candidate for his wife’s state House seat, becoming her only challenger in the November election.

Linda Fischer said Wednesday that she was not going to question her husband’s motives.

Police chief nabbed with cartel suspect

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico

The nephew of one of Mexico’s most-wanted drug suspects was captured together with the police chief of a key port town accused of protecting a notorious cartel, authorities say.

Federal police detained Roberto Rivero Arana, who identified himself as the nephew of reputed Zetas gang leader Heriberto Lazcano, in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco, the Attorney General’s Office said late Tuesday.

He was detained along with Daniel Perez, the acting police chief of Ciudad del Carmen. The statement alleged Perez received $16,000 a month for protecting the Zetas.

Donors pledge $9.9B to Haiti

UNITED NATIONS

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says donors went “far beyond expectations” and pledged $9.9 billion over more than three years to rebuild earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Haiti had appealed for $3.8 billion for the next two years. The U.N. chief said the $9.9 billion includes pledges of $5.3 billion from governments and international partners for the first 24 months of reconstruction, far exceeding Haiti’s request.

Bishops urge civil action in abuse cases

VATICAN CITY

European bishops are urging clerical sex-abuse victims to go to police and are promising more transparency and cooperation with civil authorities in abuse cases.

The Swiss Bishops Conference said Wednesday that its members underestimated the problem of clerical abuse and are now telling victims to consider criminal complaints. Denmark’s Catholic Church said it would launch an investigation next week into claims of clerical abuse dating back several decades. And Italy’s bishop’s conference has promised to cooperate with civil authorities.

Car rams 737 jet

LAGOS, Nigeria

A man crashed his car through security gates and into a parked commercial aircraft at a Nigerian airport Wednesday, marking the latest airport security breach in a country where the attempted Christmas Day airline bomber apparently managed to get by screening.

The man slammed an aging Audi sedan through two sets of gates guarded by the Nigerian Air Force at Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, federal aviation spokesman Akin Olukunle said.

The car then rammed into a Boeing 737 operated by Arik Air, Nigeria’s top commercial airline.

The aircraft was empty at the time of the collision and no one was hurt, Olukunle said.

Associated Press