The charges alleged unjustified beatings of both jail inmates and visitors at the downtown Men’s Central Jail. The sheriff’s deputies are also accused of unjustified detentions and conspiracy to abstract the federal investigation. Specifically sergeants are accused of trying to intimidate one of the FBI agents involved in the probe, while two lieutenants are accused of hiding the whereabouts of an inmate who was cooperating with the investigation. No under sheriffs or other top brass were charged. The spokesman for Sheriff Lee Baca said that the department had cooperated with the investigation which is ongoing. Ina Jaffe, NPR News.

 

American Airlines and U.S. Airways have merged to form the world’s largest airline. But as Peter O’Dowd reports from member station KJZZ customers will not see changes until after the holiday travel rush.

 

It will be business as usual until January. You can still buy tickets and check in for your flight at two separate websites, but in 2014, things will start to change. At airports around the world, the airlines will combine gate operations and Spokesman John McDonald says elite frequent travellers on both airlines will see their benefits merge. 

 

In early January, we are going to make sure that people have reciprocity that makes sure that they can earn miles and burn miles on both carriers. 

 

Some managers from the U.S. Airways Phoenix-based headquarters have already moved to the new American headquarters in Dallas. But some changes like repainting a fleet of aircraft will take years. For NPR News, I’m Peter O’Dowd, in Phoenix. 

 

Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner  has been sentenced to three months of home confinement and three years probation for charges he harassed a number of women while mayor of the California city. Former ten-term congressman apologised to the women he’s admitted to victimising. 

 

I want to apologise to my family who have stood by me through this ordeal, to my royal staff and supporters, to the citizens of San Diego, and most sincerely to the women who I’ve hurt and offended. 

 

Seventy-one-year-old Filner pleaded guilty to one felony and one misdemeanour charge connection with arrogations of inappropriate touching or kissing a female member of his staff. Filner was the first Democrat to run the city in 20 years. 

 

Hours before it was slated to expire, Congress has renewed a ban on plastic firearms that can, in some incidents, evade detection at airports. While it was said to expire at midnight extended for 10 years by Senate lawmakers, the voice vote. Some Democrats wanted to require such weapons contained undetachable metal parts, but that was blocked by Republicans. 

 

On Wall Street today, the Dow gained five points to end the session at 16,025; S&P 500 rose three points, the NASDQ was up six points today.

 

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Families of some the victims of last year’s elementary school shooting in Newtown Connecticut, are asking the people perform an act of kindness to mark the one-year anniversary of the incident. Some is also setting up a website under the 26 victims of the shootings, which took place December 14th of last year. Though it was one of the worst mass school shootings in U.S. history, 20-year-old Adam Lanza opened fire inside the school, killing 20 children and six adults before killing himself. 

 

The director of the 1978 film, La Cage aux Folles, has died. NPR’s Neda Ulaby reports, Edouard Molinaro died on Saturday in Paris. He was 85.

 

La Cage aux Folles was a pioneering film at the time, a sympathetic look at gay male couple. The story has then posed as a straight male female couple with one in drag to help their son marry a girl from a conservative family. Director Edouard Molinaro had made dozens of serious movies and documentaries before  La Cage aux Folles. When he saw the final cut for the first time, he thought it was so terrible that would finish his career. Instead, La Cage aux Folles would become highest  grossing foreign film at the time in the United States. Some critics complained the drag queen character  was too stereotypical. But the movie inspired an American remix starring Robin Williams and a Tony Award winning  Broadway musical. Edouard Molinaro’s death was announced by the president of France. Neda Ulaby, NPR News.

 

Think it’s cold where you are, how about -135.8 degrees fahrenheit or -93.2 degrees celsius. That degree was taken in east antarctica not by human but by a NASA weather satellite. The low temperature previously recorded in the August of 2010 beats the old record. 

 

I’m Jack Speer, NPR News, in Washington.