Court upholds new Texas abortion rules

Court upholds new Texas abortion rules

AUSTIN, Texas

A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld Texas’ tough abortion restrictions that have forced the closure of about 20 clinics around the state, saying the new rules don’t jeopardize women’s health.

A panel of judges at the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower-court judge who said the rules violate the U.S. Constitution and serve no medical purpose. After the lower court’s ruling, the appeals court allowed the restrictions to go into effect while it considered the case, which ultimately could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The new law requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and places strict limits on doctors prescribing abortion-inducing pills. More regulations that are scheduled to begin later this year weren’t a part of the case.

Minimum wage raised to $10.10 in Connecticut

NEW BRITAIN, Conn.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed legislation Thursday that will raise Connecticut’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2017, the highest rate for any state in the country.

Surrounded by state lawmakers and officials, Malloy appeared at a packed Cafi Beauregard, the same New Britain restaurant where he dined earlier this month with President Barack Obama and several other New England governors. The president was in town to advocate for a national $10.10 minimum wage.

After signing the bill, Malloy said it was one of his “proudest days as governor” and added: “It’s time to get people out of poverty.”

Earlier in the day, Malloy and legislative leaders received a congratulatory phone call from Vice President Joe Biden, who thanked Connecticut for being the first state to pass legislation enacting the $10.10 wage. Some cities, but no states, have higher minimum wages.

Records: Man who shot sailor was convicted felon

NORFOLK, Va.

The civilian truck driver who killed a sailor aboard a destroyer at the world’s largest naval base was a convicted felon from Virginia, according to prison records and the Navy.

The Navy identified the shooter Thursday as Jeffrey Tyrone Savage. Records show he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in North Carolina in 2008, and a decade earlier he spent time in prison for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute.

Savage was killed by Navy security forces Monday night aboard the USS Mahan after he took a gun from a petty officer who was on watch for the ship and used her gun to shoot Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Mayo, who was providing security at Naval Station Norfolk.

Woman sentenced for killing husband

MISSOULA, Mont.

A Montana woman was sentenced Thursday to more than 30 years in prison for killing her husband of eight days by pushing him from a cliff in Glacier National Park after they argued over her regrets about the marriage.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said he saw no remorse from Jordan Graham, 22, in the killing of Cody Johnson, 25. He sentenced her to 30 years and five months in prison and ordered her to pay $16,910 in restitution.

Associated Press