Trump budget cuts would affect Amtrak

Trump budget cuts would affect Amtrak

TOLEDO

President Donald Trump’s proposed budget would cut Ohio’s Amtrak passenger train service and seriously disadvantage those who rely on it, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown says.

The Republican’s budget calls for the elimination of federal subsidies for long-distance train routes, which would apply to all seven of the Amtrak stations in Ohio and intercity train service, The Blade reported.

The Ohio routes that would be eliminated if Congress approves Trump’s plan include the Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited trains that stop in Toledo and Cleveland, and the Cardinal train that makes trips through Cincinnati.

2 ex-officials to testify against ex-PSU leader

HARRISBURG, PA.

Two former Penn State officials who struck plea deals with prosecutors are expected to testify against ex-university president Graham Spanier at a child endangerment trial linked to the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

Prosecutors picking jurors Monday in Spanier’s trial said former vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley are on their witness list.

Spanier was forced out shortly after Sandusky, a longtime assistant football coach, was charged with child molestation in 2011. Spanier is charged with putting children at risk by mishandling child sex abuse complaints about Sandusky. He denies any wrongdoing.

Britain to start EU exit on March 29

LONDON

Britain will begin divorce proceedings from the European Union on March 29, starting the clock on two years of intense political and economic negotiations that will fundamentally change both the nation and its European neighbors.

Britain’s ambassador to the EU, Tim Barrow, informed European Council President Donald Tusk of the exact start date Monday morning.

The trigger for all this tumult is the innocuous-sounding Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, a never-before-used mechanism for withdrawing from the bloc. British Prime Minister Theresa May, under the Article, will notify Tusk of her nation’s intentions to leave the 28-nation bloc.

Video shows attacker rushing soldier

PARIS

Video of a suspected Islamic extremist at Paris’ Orly Airport shows a soldier caught by surprise when an attacker drops a shopping bag and grabs her from behind.

The Associated Press has obtained security footage of Saturday’s attack, which caused panic and shut down the French capital’s second-biggest airport. It shows the attacker grabbing the soldier around the shoulders as her companion patrols slightly ahead.

Norway tops list for happiest country

OSLO, NORWAY

A new report shows Norway is the happiest country on Earth, Americans are getting sadder, and it takes more than just money to be happy.

What makes Norway and other northern European countries top the happiness list has a lot to do with a sense of community and broad social welfare support, according to experts and cheerful Norwegians, including one whose job it is to make people laugh.

Associated Press