House nominates Ryan to be speaker
WASHINGTON – House Republicans embraced a new leader Wednesday and swiftly consented to a major budget-and-debt deal to avert a federal financial crisis, highlights of a day of dramatic fresh starts at the Capitol after years of division and disarray.
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the 2012 GOP vice presidential candidate and a telegenic spokesman for conservative priorities, was nominated by his colleagues in a secret-ballot election to serve as speaker of the House, second in line to the presidency. The full House will confirm that choice on Thursday.
Sheriff fires deputy for tossing teen
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A deputy who flipped a disruptive student out of her desk and tossed her across her math class floor was fired on Wednesday.
The sheriff called his actions “unacceptable,” and said videos recorded by her classmates show the girl posed no danger to anyone.
“What he should not have done is throw the student,” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. “Police officers make mistakes too. They’re human and they need to be held accountable, and that’s what we’ve done with Deputy Ben Fields.”
Civil rights groups praised the swift action against Fields.
Iran to join talks on Syrian civil war
BEIRUT – Iran will take part in international talks on Syria for the first time this week, giving it a voice in the effort to find a resolution to the more than 4-year-old civil war that has so far defied even the slightest progress toward peace.
A crucial backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Tehran has been shunned from all previous talks on Syria. Its inclusion now marks recognition by the United States that no discussion on Syria’s future can succeed without Iran at the table.
News of Iran’s attendance outraged Syrian rebels.
Associated Press
