Teen piracy suspect raises legal, moral issues
Associated Press National Wire – April 14
U.S. officials, in deciding how to handle the lone surviving pirate from the hostage-taking of an American ship captain, must weigh the violence of the suspect’s actions against his surprisingly young age. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday the four pirates were between 17 and 19 years old. . . . Kenneth Randall, dean of the University of Alabama School of Law, said the suspect’s age may not affect where or how he is charged, but is likely to impact his eventual sentence. “When it comes to international attention, they do have to be mindful of the mitigating circumstances of his age,” said Randall.
America’s Retirees Working to Protect Health Care Benefits They Earned
Association of BellTell Retirees/WRIC Richmond, Va. – April 14
Retirees and baby boomers throughout the nation are wondering with great trepidation, what would happen to them if their health care coverage were simply taken away? . . . University Of Alabama School Of Law Professor Dr. Norman Stein, an expert on the nation’s Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) pension law testified in favor of the proposal at a congressional hearing in the fall, saying Congress should pass legislation “that would make it difficult or perhaps impossible for an employer to terminate retiree health benefits after an employee has retired.” The long time advisor to AARP and the Pension Rights Center argued, “Congress could try to level the playing field for employees with clear, reasonable and consistent rules.”
School News
Tuscaloosa News – April 14
Some Tuscaloosa city and county school teachers are being trained on using technology in the classroom through the Master Technology Teachers program. They have learned about newer Windows 2.0 technology tools and various kinds of portable hardware. Bryant teachers participating include Lisa Matherson, Lisa Clark, Laren Hammonds and Kathie Gascoigne. Participants share their experiences with their peers each month. The program is sponsored through the University of Alabama and Technology in Motion. The Master Technology Teachers is a collaborative technology partnership among UA secondary education faculty, in-service teachers, pre-service teachers and Technology in Motion.
For more UA In the News, please see http://uanews.ua.edu/inthenews. If you have questions, please contact Debbie Lane (dlane@ur.ua.edu), Cathy Andreen (candreen@ur.ua.edu), or Suzanne Dowling (sdowling@ur.ua.edu) in the UA Office of Public Relations.