Workers' 9/11 lawsuits can proceed

Lawsuits can proceed on behalf of thousands of workers who say they were not properly protected as they cleaned up the World Trade Center site after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said.

New York City and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had argued that they were shielded from nearly 8,000 workers' claims. The court said it was too early to decide whether the defendants could be protected from the lawsuits.

MINNESOTA

Chlorine gas leak hurts 37 at school

At least 37 people were injured by a chlorine gas leak in the pool area of a high school in Cold Spring, officials said.

Thirty-six students and one adult were taken to hospitals from Rocori High School, Mayor Doug Schmitz said.

TEXAS

Man gets 25 years for burning infant

A jury in Galveston sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for severely burning his infant daughter in a microwave. The jury had convicted Joshua Mauldin on Tuesday of felony injury to a child, rejecting his claim that he was insane at the time.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Gravel moves to Libertarian Party

Long-shot presidential candidate Mike Gravel, 77, told supporters that he was leaving the Democratic Party to join the Libertarian Party.

Gravel, a former Democratic senator from Alaska, said in an e-mail that the Democratic Party "no longer represents my vision for our great country."

"It is a party that continues to sustain war, the military-industrial complex and imperialism -- all of which I find anathema to my views," Gravel said.

TEXAS

Obama's pastor to skip summit

The Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's controversial former pastor, canceled plans to receive an award at a summit on black churches.

Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth announced on its website that Wright would not be attending the State of the Black Church Summit and awards banquet in Dallas. The school was to present him with an award Saturday.



From Times Wire Reports