NATION & WORLD || Theater chains fined over teen workers

Theater chains fined over teen workers

ST. LOUIS

Operators of three of the nation’s biggest movie- theater chains have paid more than $277,000 in federal fines over allegations that they violated child-labor laws by letting teenagers work too many hours and use dangerous machinery such as trash compactors, the Labor Department announced Tuesday.

The government said the alleged violations of U.S. child-labor laws by Regal Cinemas Inc., Marcus Theatres Corp. and Wehrenberg Inc. were uncovered as part of a “strategic” crackdown on what the department called the industry’s high rate of noncompliance.

Investigators found the supposed offenses in 27 theaters in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

New Zealand quake death toll hits 159

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand

The bodies of some victims of New Zealand’s devastating earthquake may never be recovered because they were pulverized by the buildings that collapsed around them, police said today.

Police Superintendent Dave Cliff said four more bodies had been pulled from rubble by recovery teams in the shattered city of Christchurch overnight Tuesday, taking the total death toll to 159.

Day-care owner seen shopping during fire

HOUSTON

Investigators found that the operator of a home day care where a fire killed four children last week had left the youngsters in her care alone to go shopping, according to a court document made public Tuesday.

Surveillance video shows Jessica Tata was shopping at a Target store about a mile away from the facility when the fire started Thursday, investigators said in a probable-cause affidavit.

Tata, 22, has fled to Nigeria since being charged in the fire. Authorities said Tuesday they are still trying to locate her. She has been charged with reckless injury to a child and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Danish couple knew of pirate dangers

COPENHAGEN, Denmark

A Danish couple on a round-the-world journey with their three children knew they were sailing in the world’s most pirate-infested waters off East Africa. But they seemed to be brimming with confidence.

On a blog on which they chronicled their voyage, they reported that they had drawn up a “pirate plan” in case of attack. They sent daily position reports to naval authorities. They were comforted by the sight of anti-piracy patrol planes overhead. And they thought the vastness of the sea would help protect them.

Just days later, it became clear their confidence was misplaced.

Jan Quist Johansen, his wife, Birgit Marie Johansen, and their sons, Rune and Hjalte, and daughter, Naja, age 12 to 16, were captured by pirates Thursday in the Indian Ocean. Two adult Danish crew members also were seized in the attack.

SEC charges former Goldman director

WASHINGTON

Depicting moment-to- moment detail, the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday laid out civil fraud charges linking a former Goldman Sachs board member to the biggest hedge-fund insider-trading case ever.

The SEC charged Rajat Gupta, who also has served on the boards of Procter & Gamble and the parent company for American Airlines. Gupta was a guest at President Barack Obama’s first state dinner.

But at the height of the financial crisis, Gupta passed along privileged financial information that helped enrich the target of the government’s sweeping probe, the SEC alleges.

Associated Press