Libyan cleared of most serious charges in Benghazi

Libyan cleared of most serious charges in Benghazi

WASHINGTON

A Libyan militant was convicted Tuesday of terrorism charges stemming from the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. But a federal jury found him not guilty of murder, the most serious charge associated with the rampage he was accused of orchestrating.

The attack became instant political fodder in the 2012 presidential campaign, with Republicans accusing the Obama administration of intentionally misleading the public and stonewalling congressional investigators, though officials denied any wrongdoing. Some were particularly critical of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s handling of the conflict, which dogged her during her presidential campaign.

Jurors convicted Khattala on four counts, including providing material support for terrorism and destroying property and placing lives in jeopardy at the U.S. compound, but acquitted him on 14 others.

Aspiring actress details allegations against Weinstein

NEW YORK

An aspiring actress who met Harvey Weinstein by chance in 2014 detailed in tears Tuesday how she said the media mogul made her stand in front of a mirror in his hotel room in Cannes, France, while he stood behind her, groping her and forcing her to perform a sex act after pretending to be interested in her career.

Kadian Noble, 31, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan a day earlier. Her attorney Jeff Herman said he sued under a criminal sex-trafficking statute of engaging in commercial sex act overseas because Weinstein is a U.S. citizen who coerced Noble under the guise of helping with her career.

“By offering Kadian help with her career, and then getting her to comply with his advances – that’s the quid pro quo,” Herman said.

UN: About 11% of drugs in poor countries are fake

LONDON

About 11 percent of medicines in developing countries are counterfeit and likely responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of children from diseases such as malaria and pneumonia every year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

It’s the first attempt by the U.N. health agency to assess the problem. Experts reviewed 100 studies involving more than 48,000 medicines. Drugs for treating malaria and bacterial infections accounted for nearly 65 percent of fake medicines.

WHO’s director-general said the problem mostly affects poor countries. Between 72,000 and 169,000 children may be dying from pneumonia every year after receiving bad drugs.

Mom charged; sent her bullied child to school with recorder

NORFOLK, Va.

A Virginia woman who sent her daughter to school with a recording device after the 9-year-old said she was being bullied has been charged with a felony.

Multiple news outlets report that Norfolk police charged Sarah Sims with illegally intercepting oral communications, a felony; and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor.

Sims told WAVY in Virginia, which first reported the story, that she repeatedly reached out to administrators after her daughter complained about being bullied, but got no response. She put a digital recorder in her daughter’s backpack in September to get proof. School officials found it and moved the girl to another classroom, but the mother says they still haven’t responded.

Associated Press