Nation briefs 11/17/05

Tentative Patriot Act deal would curb FBI power

WASHINGTON -- House and Senate negotiators have struck a tentative deal on the expiring Patriot Act that would curb the FBI's investigative power and require the Justice Department to more fully report its secret requests for information about ordinary people. Democrats and civil libertarians said that while the tentative deal makes some improvements, it doesn't address their chief concern: the curbing of FBI power to gather certain information by requiring the investigators to prove the subject's records are connected to a foreign agent or government. "It gives a nod toward checks and balances without fixing the most fundamental flaws in the Patriot Act," said Lisa Graves of the Americans Civil Liberties Union. The agreement, which would make most provisions of the existing law permanent, was reached just before dawn Wednesday.

Miss America pageant moving to Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS -- After 84 years of crowning beauties on the Boardwalk, the Miss America pageant is moving to the Las Vegas Strip, organizers announced Wednesday. It will be the first time the contest has been staged outside Atlantic City, N.J. The Aladdin hotel-casino will host the pageant, scheduled to air Jan. 21 on Nashville, Tenn.-based cable channel Country Music Television, organizers said. "What we wanted to do is find a new host city that has all glitz and glamour Miss America is known for," said Art McMaster, the pageant's chief executive. "Obviously Las Vegas is right at the top of this list."

New Orleans activist honored with RFK Award

WASHINGTON -- A New Orleans community organizer who has fought for the poorest victims of Hurricane Katrina received the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award on Wednesday. Stephen Bradberry is the first black American bestowed the honor, which typically goes to activists overseas. The 45-year-old Chicago native is the lead organizer for the New Orleans chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. "I certainly don't consider the things I do to be anything extraordinary," Bradberry said at a Capitol Hill ceremony where he was presented with the award by Kennedy's brother, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. "It's just a matter of putting on my pants and going to work every day," Bradberry said.

Ford ordered to pay $61 million to teen's family

MIAMI -- A jury has ordered the Ford Motor Co. to pay more than $61 million to the family of a 17-year-old boy killed in a roll-over accident when his friend fell asleep while driving an Explorer. Ford was liable in the accident because it sold a vehicle with poor handling and stability, the jury said Tuesday. The company planned to appeal, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. The family of Lance Crossman Hall claimed Ford knew the Explorer was prone to roll-overs and failed to warn consumers about the vehicle's defects. Ford blamed defective Firestone tires for the Explorer's handling and stability problems, and the company knowingly continued to produce unsafe vehicles, Bruce Kaster, an attorney for the family, said Wednesday. Hall was reclining in the front passenger seat and wearing his seat belt when the Explorer rolled over four times on State Road 93 in Collier County on April 20, 1997. He was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

-- From wire reports

Anti-war activist pleads not guilty to protest charge

WASHINGTON -- War protester Cindy Sheehan and several others pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of demonstrating without a permit outside the White House. The protesters, who face fines and not jail time, were being tried Wednesday afternoon by U.S. Magistrate Alan Kay after several hours of talks with court officials about how quickly their trial could be wrapped up. Before the trial began, Sheehan announced plans to revive her protest near President Bush's Texas ranch during Thanksgiving week, despite new county ordinances banning roadside camping. Sheehan and other anti-war activists arrested with her Sept. 26 in Washington conducted a news conference in front of the federal courthouse Wednesday before heading to a court appearance on the misdemeanor charge.