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	Documents held in Los Angeles priest abuse cases Daily Trojan September 5, 2008 http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2008/09/05/News/News-Digest-3417327.shtml State Documents held in Los Angeles priest abuse cases LOS ANGELES (AP) - The departure of a key figure in a record $660 million clergy sexual abuse settlement has endangered part of the deal that some plaintiffs consider more important than the money: the promise by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to allow the release of accused priests' confidential files. More than a year after the agreement was announced, the sudden recusal of a retired judge unanimously selected to review the priests' files has threatened to undo the fragile deal and could send both sides back to court for months. At the same time, an attorney who has been paid by the church to defend accused clergy is fighting to keep those records sealed - and plaintiffs accuse the archdiocese of using him as their proxy. The developments have been gut-wrenching for alleged victims, who believe the church papers will contain evidence of criminal wrongdoing by church leaders. Nation FEMA may cover hotel costs for hurricane evacuees NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The federal government says it will pay hotel expenses for some of the nearly 2 million people who fled their homes ahead of Hurricane Gustav, but exactly who will be eligible for assistance and how much it will cost taxpayers is uncertain. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency planned a telephone news conference Thursday night to answer questions about the plan. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday in Baton Rouge that FEMA would pay hotel costs "to make sure that people don't feel economic pressure to return home prematurely, before it's safe." He said FEMA would pay hotels directly, so it was unclear whether those who had already paid for rooms and checked out would be eligible for reimbursement. With two other hurricanes threatening the East Coast, the decision to pay for hotels could make it easier to evacuate residents during the next disaster. But doing so would also burden the agency with huge expenses. Detroit mayor pleads guilty in sex scandal, quits DETROIT (AP) - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was bounced from office Thursday in a deal with prosecutors that will send him to jail and put an end to the sex scandal that embarrassed this chronically struggling city and preoccupied its government for months. The 38-year-old "Hip-Hop Mayor" who brought energy and excitement to City Hall when he took office in 2002 pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and will get four months behind bars. The Democrat also will pay the city $1 million in restitution, lose his license to practice law and cannot run for any elected office for five years. His resignation will take effect in two weeks. Kilpatrick was charged earlier this year with perjury and other offenses for denying he and his chief of staff had an affair. The scandal broke wide open in January with the release of a trove of lusty text messages between the two of them that appeared to contradict the mayor. World U.S. raid complicating Pakistani's presidential bid ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - A deadly American-led raid on a Pakistani village embarrassed the government and eroded support for the pro-U.S. presidential front-runner Thursday just two days before the election. Furor continued to mount over the first known foreign ground assault inside Pakistan against a suspected Taliban haven. The government summoned the U.S. ambassador for an official protest, while Parliament passed resolutions of condemnation. In news likely to stoke more anger, intelligence officials said a missile strike was suspected in a blast Thursday that killed at least four people in North Waziristan, part of the tribal belt where Osama bin Laden and his deputy are thought to be hiding. Previous such strikes have been blamed on the United States The ground assault, with troops helicoptered in, occurred in adjacent South Waziristan early Wednesday. Officials said at least 15 people died, including women and children. The Foreign Ministry said no militant leaders were killed and there was no sign the attackers detained anyone. Rescuers can't get aid to starving Haitian city ONAIVES, Haiti (AP) - The convoy rumbled out of the U.N. base toward a flooded, starving and seething city Thursday, carrying some of the first food aid since Tropical Storm Hanna killed 137 Haitians and drowned Gonaives in muddy water three days ago. Hungry children at three orphanages were waiting for the canvas-topped trucks, loaded with warm pots of rice and beans and towing giant tanks of drinking water.
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