76 Boko Haram members surrender

76 Boko Haram members surrender

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria

Dozens of emaciated-looking Boko Haram members begging for food have surrendered in northeast Nigeria, the military and a civilian self-defense fighter said Wednesday.

Seventy-six people including children and women gave themselves up to soldiers Saturday in Gwoza, about 60 miles southeast of Maiduguri, according to a senior officer.

Headmaster’s porn conviction reversed

DOVER, Del.

Delaware’s Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a former prep-school headmaster sentenced to 50 years in prison on child-pornography charges.

In a ruling Wednesday, the court said search warrants obtained by police investigating Christopher Wheeler were unconstitutionally broad.

Wheeler was convicted last year on 25 counts of dealing child porn. He waived his right to a jury trial after a judge denied a defense request to suppress evidence seized by authorities.

Wheeler is former headmaster at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, whose graduates include former DuPont Co. CEO Ellen Kullman, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons and television personality Dr. Oz.

Man pleads guilty to killing 2 students

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.

A hospital orderly pleaded guilty Wednesday to abducting and killing two Virginia college students, wrapping up a mystery that began in 2009 when one of the women disappeared from a Metallica concert. The other young woman, 18-year-old Hannah Graham, vanished five years later under similar circumstances, after a night of partying with friends.

Along the way, investigators solved a 2005 rape case and used DNA evidence to tie all three cases to Jesse LeRoy Matthew Jr.

In a plea deal, prosecutors dropped a capital-murder charge that could have resulted in the death penalty, and Matthew agreed to a sentence of four consecutive life terms. Those are in addition to the three life terms he already was serving for the rape.

Groups seek support for Great Lakes

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.

Business, environment and government organizations in states bordering the Great Lakes are asking the presidential candidates to pledge support for cleaning up the region’s waters.

The groups released a priority list Wednesday that includes spending at least $300 million a year on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which was established in 2009.

It focuses on fighting invasive species, reducing harmful algae blooms, cleaning toxic hot spots, reducing farm and city runoff, and restoring wildlife habitat.

The platform also requests funding for infrastructure improvements to protect drinking water, reduce sewage overflows and support locks and ports essential to maritime commerce.

Program aims at deradicalization

MINNEAPOLIS

A federal court in Minnesota has created a program to assess the risks posed by terrorism defendants and come up with plans to deradicalize them so they don’t engage in similar activities again.

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, who has handled Minnesota’s recent terrorism cases, said Wednesday the program is the first of its kind in the country. It initially will be applied to four men who have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State group, and Davis said it could be expanded to other terror defendants, including those being released from prison and re-entering society.

Associated Press