Maryland
Bishops will delay votes on steps to combat sex abuse crisis
BALTIMORE (AP) - In an abrupt change of plans, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops opened the group's national meeting Monday by announcing it will delay for at least several months any action on proposed new steps to address the clergy sex abuse crisis that is rocking the church.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston said Monday that the delay was requested by the Vatican, which asked that the U.S. bishops wait until after a Vatican-convened global meeting on sex abuse in February.
DiNardo told the U.S. bishops that "I remain hopeful that this additional consultation will ultimately improve our response to the crisis we face."
They are meeting through Wednesday in Baltimore and had been expected to consider several steps to combat abuse, including a new code of conduct for themselves.
Hawaii
Honeymooners sue over hotel workers strike
HONOLULU (AP) - A North Carolina couple booked a luxury Hawaii hotel for more than $2,000 but wasn't warned about that workers were on strike before they arrived for their honeymoon, they say in a class-action lawsuit.
Dr. Ovais Inamullah and Sana Khalique were charged full booking price for their five-night stay at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, even though there was no housekeeping, valet parking and other services, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported . They arrived Oct. 29, when the strike was about to enter its fourth week.
The couple is suing on behalf of themselves and all other travelers who were guests at the affected hotels from Oct. 8, when thousands of Marriott employees on Oahu and Maui went on strike.
Those on strike work at five properties operated by Marriott. The properties are all owned by Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts. A representative for Kyo-ya said the company wasn't aware of the lawsuit and had no comment. Marriott didn't respond to the newspaper's requests for comment.
Kyo-ya owns The Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, and Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
"By charging full prices without telling people that they won't get all of the services, these hotels are taking consumers' hard-earned money under false pretenses," said Honolulu attorney Bridget G. Morgan, who filed the lawsuit Thursday.
Unite Here Local 5 union leaders have said workers need to be paid enough so they only need one job to support themselves.
"It's going very well and spirits are high," Local 5 spokesman Ikaika Hussey said of Thursday's bargaining.
Britain
Jury convicts UK far-right couple who named son after Hitler
LONDON (AP) - A British couple with neo-Nazi views who named their son after Adolf Hitler was convicted Monday of membership in an outlawed far-right group.
A jury at Birmingham Crown Court in central England found 22-year-old Adam Thomas and 38-year-old Claudia Patatas guilty of being members of National Action. A third defendant, Daniel Bogunovic, was also convicted of membership in the banned group. Three others pleaded guilty before the trial started.
During the trial, jurors were shown photos of Thomas holding his baby son - who was given the middle name Adolf - while wearing the white robes of the Ku Klux Klan.
Prosecutors said the defendants attended meetings of the banned group and exchanged WhatsApp messages praising the Nazis' murder of Jews.
The government banned National Action in 2016 after Labour Party lawmaker Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist. Ten people have now been convicted of membership in the group, including a British soldier who had served in Afghanistan.
British police say the threat from violent far-right groups is growing, with four plots foiled in the year to March.
All six defendants are due to be sentenced on Dec. 14.
New Mexico
Actor-comedian George Lopez faces a misdemeanor battery charge
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - Actor-comedian George Lopez reportedly is facing a misdemeanor count of battery after a scuffle with a man last month at a New Mexico restaurant.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports Lopez will be receiving a criminal summons to the city's municipal court.
According to the newspaper, Lopez was in Las Cruces filming a movie and the alleged victim recorded the Oct. 14 incident on his cellphone.
The video reportedly shows the alleged victim waiting for Lopez to walk by him inside a Hooters restaurant.
The unidentified victim is heard calling Lopez "Jorge" before Lopez tries to snatch the phone and grab the back of the man's neck.
The men were quickly separated and Lopez left the restaurant.
Lopez later told Las Cruces police that he was baited into the altercation.
South Dakota
Parents object to possible release of accused priest
PIEDMONT, S.D. (AP) - Some parents in Piedmont are objecting to the possible release of a Rapid City priest accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old child.
A defense attorney for John Praveen has asked a judge to release the defendant to the supervision of Catholic diocese at Casa Maria, a property in Piedmont for retired priests.
KOTA-TV reports parents of children who attend Stagebarn Middle School and two day care centers across from Casa Maria say church officials are overlooking the location in the release plan.
Prosecutors last week objected to the release and asked the judge to continue John Praveen's $100,000 bond. Seventh Circuit Judge Robert Mandel did not immediately rule on the defense request.
Published: Tue, Nov 13, 2018
