News briefs

Local and VCU

Obstacles await McDonnell administration

Big win notwithstanding, Republican Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell will start his administration hampered by state budget cuts, a politically divided legislature and a sour economy.

Less than 24 hours after he was elected Virginia’s 71st governor, McDonnell acknowledged that he will face tough economic times when he takes office Jan. 16.

Gov. Tim Kaine has cut $6 billion from the state’s $75 billion, two-year budget because of declining tax revenue. He is expected to cut an additional $1 billion.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Henrico fire fatal to two half brothers

Two half brothers who died from injuries suffered in a fire at their eastern Henrico County home Friday night were the only ones home, their sister said Saturday.

Asheli Black, 18, declined to discuss a possible cause of the fire, which remains under investigation by authorities. She identified the two victims as her brother, Ashton I. Black, a 16-year-old sophomore at Henrico High School, and their half brother Aaron D. Brown, a 9-year-old third-grader at the Virginia Randolph Education Center.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Muhammad execution nears

For three weeks in 2002, John Allen Muhammad led a two-man sniper team that struck on his orders, claimed 10 lives and deliberately terrorized Virginia, Maryland and Washington.

“Call me God,” police were told in notes left at the scene of two attacks.

He is set to be executed by lethal injection Tuesday for the slaying of Dean Harold Meyers, 53, shot in the head from long distance at a Manassas-area service station the evening of Oct. 9, 2002.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

National and International

House narrowly passes health care bill

The Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.

In the run-up to a final vote, conservatives from the two political parties joined forces to impose tough new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies to be sold to many individuals and small groups. They prevailed on a roll call of 240-194.

The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it and large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Turkey to admit Sudan leader despite Darfur charge

Turkey said it will welcome Sudan’s leader even though he has been indicted for orchestrating crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is free to join an Istanbul summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The 57-nation group holds its main meetings Monday.

Erdogan said Sunday that Turkey respects human rights and would not hesitate to challenge al-Bashir if it believed he had committed atrocities. But Erdogan said he doesn’t believe that Sudanese paramilitary forces committed acts of genocide against African residents of Darfur.

Turkey does not recognize the International Criminal Court, the Netherlands-based body that in March issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir

Brief by The Associated Press

Army: Shooting suspect is critical, but stable

A U.S. Army spokesman said the man authorities said went on a shooting spree at Fort Hood is in critical but stable condition.

Spokesman Col. John Rossi told reporters on Sunday at Fort Hood that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is still hospitalized in Texas. He was taken off a ventilator on Saturday.

Hasan was shot during an exchange of gunfire during Thursday’s attack. The military moved him on Friday to Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio, about 150 miles southwest of Fort Hood.

Thirteen people were killed and 29 others wounded in Thursday’s attack at Fort Hood.

Brief by The Associated Press