News briefs

Man is facing new counts in terror plot

BOSTON (AP) — A pharmacy college graduate was indicted Thursday on new charges in an alleged terror plot to kill two prominent U.S. politicians and shoot people at American shopping malls.

Tarek Mehanna, of Sudbury, Mass., is accused of conspiring with two other men — Ahmad Abousamra, who authorities say is now in Syria, and an unnamed man who is cooperating with authorities.

Authorities said the men tried to get into terrorist training camps in the Middle East. When that failed, they allegedly talked about killing two members of the executive branch and plotted to randomly shoot mall shoppers. They also allegedly talked about killing U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Mehanna, 27, was arrested Oct. 21 on a charge of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.

No verdict in trial with weighty defense

HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — No verdict was reached Thursday in the trial of a Florida man who claims he was too fat to have killed his former son-in-law, but jurors asked to review key evidence in the New Jersey case.

Edward Ates says he didn't have the energy to accurately shoot Paul Duncsak and make a quick getaway. The 62-year-old was 285 pounds when Duncsak was killed in 2006.

The victim and Ates' daughter were involved in a custody dispute after their divorce.

N.Y. guv to push for gay marriage

ALBANY, N.Y. (New York Times) — Gov. David A. Paterson said Thursday that he would include gay marriage on the agenda of an extraordinary session he is calling for Tuesday, potentially setting up the first vote on the issue in the state Senate and a dramatic floor debate.

Senate Democratic leaders could still block the issue from coming to the floor and have done so before, though it appears more likely to be put to a vote this time. Gay-rights advocates, who feared holding a vote amid a Senate leadership feud this summer, cheered the governor's action.

The measure's chances of passing, though, are seen as far less likely. While a same-sex marriage bill has already been passed twice in the Assembly, it faces an uphill battle in the Senate. Democrats have a shaky 32-30 edge in the chamber, but several Democrats have said they will vote against the measure, and no Republicans are publicly supporting it.

Ethics report on Sanford can be made public