NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
1 Bombing case: Jurors can hear about New Jersey bombs at the October trial of a man charged in a 2016 New York bombing that injured 30 people, but they will not be told that he was arrested after a shootout with police, a judge ruled Tuesday. A U.S. district judge in Manhattan identified evidence that can be offered at Ahmad Khan Rahimi’s trial. He said various terrorism-related videotapes, a book, a bloodstained journal with a bullet hole in it and two 2012 emails found during the investigation can be included because they might show motive, intentions, preparation and knowledge of the Sept. 17 bombings. Also allowed was evidence of a pipe bomb detonated near a charity run in Seaside Park, N.J., and a bomb left in an Elizabeth, N.J., trash can.
2 Terror plot: A Maryland man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State. The U.S. attorney’s office says in a news release that 32-year-old Mohamed Elshinawy entered the plea Tuesday in federal court in Baltimore. According to his plea deal, Elshinawy pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and received $8,700 to carry out an attack in the United States. Prosecutors say Elshinawy conspired with others to provide material support and resources, including personnel, communication and financial services, to the Islamic State. Elshinawy faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
3 Memorial vandalized: A 17-year-old boy who smashed a glass panel at the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston was apprehended by an off-duty city firefighter and a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent who chased the teen as he ran from the memorial Monday evening and held him until police arrived, authorities said.
4 Texas districts: A federal court in Austin has ruled that Texas’ congressional maps are still flawed by racial gerrymandering and must be partially redrawn before the 2018 elections. The decision Tuesday ordered changes to two of Texas’ 36 congressional districts. The ruling was not a complete victory for Democrats and minority rights groups that wanted more sweeping changes. 5 Auto deaths decline: Preliminary data show U.S. motor vehicle deaths and injuries were down slightly in the first six months of 2017, although they were still significantly higher than they were two years ago, the National Safety Council in Washington said Tuesday. There were 18,689 motor vehicle deaths through June 30 at an estimated cost to society of $191 billion, said the council, a leading safety organization that gets its data from state governments. That’s 250 fewer deaths, or a 1 percent decline, from the period in 2016. But deaths were still up 8 percent compared with the first six months of 2015. Motor vehicle deaths began to spike in late 2014, ending several years of historic declines. There were 40,200 deaths for all of 2016 compared with 35,398 in 2014.