Calif. Gov. Brown to sign fair-pay bill

Calif. Gov. Brown to sign fair-pay bill

SAN FRANCISCO

Female employees in California are poised to get new tools to challenge gender-based wage gaps and receive protection from discrimination and retaliation if they ask questions about how much other people earn.

A bill recently passed by the Legislature and that Gov. Jerry Brown has indicated he will sign won’t suddenly put all women’s salaries on par with men’s or prod employers to freely disclose what every employee makes, which could make it easier for workers to mount pay discrimination claims.

The legislation expands what supporters call an outdated state equal pay law and goes further than federal law.

Man arrested in shootings at church

east selma, ala.

A man suspected of shooting three people in an Alabama church was likely upset over a recent breakup and visitation issues with his son, police said.

James Junior Minter, 26, is being held without bond in the shooting of his girlfriend, his infant son and a pastor who tried to intervene Sunday morning, according to Selma police Lt. Curtis Muhannad. The pastor has been identified as Earl Carswell.

Minter was arrested after he opened fire during church service at Oasis Tabernacle Church in East Selma, Ala.

Officials: Gun tests tie man to shootings

phoenix

Soft-spoken and handcuffed, a 21-year-old landscaper insists that he is not responsible for a string of Phoenix freeway shootings and that his gun has been sitting in a pawn shop for months.

Despite Leslie Allen Merritt Jr.’s impromptu assertion in court Saturday, investigators said they have proof that the gun wasn’t in any pawn shop at the time of four shootings they say he carried out.

Newly released charging documents detail the detective work that traced the gun to the suspect after he took it to a pawn shop. Weapons from various local pawn shops were test-fired at the state lab, Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said.

The Glendale resident faces several charges, including aggravated assault, criminal damage, disorderly conduct, carrying out a drive-by shooting and intentional acts of terrorism.

Yemen rebels release hostages, 2 Americans

SANAA, Yemen

Yemen’s Shiite Houthi rebels have released six foreign hostages, including two Americans, and flown them to the Gulf country of Oman, which helped negotiate their release, officials said Sunday.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry said two Americans, three Saudis and a British citizen were released after mediation efforts by diplomats acting on behalf of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, according to a statement carried by state-run media.

The White House confirmed that two Americans were freed and sent to Oman, which it thanked for helping to secure their release.

Left-wing Syriza wins Greek vote

ATHENS, GREECE

A jubilant Alexis Tsipras vowed to continue fighting for his country’s pride and to quickly form a coalition government after his left-wing Syriza party comfortably won Greece’s third national vote this year Sunday.

The result was a resounding success for Tsipras’ high-risk gamble when he resigned as prime minister last month and triggered an early election, barely seven months into his four-year term, in order to face down an internal Syriza rebellion over his policy U-turn to accept painful austerity measures in return for Greece’s third international bailout.

Associated Press