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GROSSETO, Italy (AP) — The Italian cruise ship captain who wrecked the ship and then fled while many of the passengers and crew were still on board has been convicted of multiple counts of manslaughter. Italian court officials say Francesco Schettino (frahn-CHEHS'-koh skeh-TEE'-noh) was sentenced to 16 years behind bars. He was convicted in the deaths of 32 passengers and crew, as well as charges of causing a shipwreck and abandoning the vessel. Prosecutors had described him as a "reckless idiot," and asked for more than 26 years behind bars. The captain told the court today that he was being made a scapegoat.
WASHINGTON (AP) — He's looking to rule out any long-term, large-scale ground combat like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- but President Barack Obama is asking Congress to allow ground combat operations against the Islamic State group "in other more limited circumstances." Those would include rescue missions, intelligence collection, and possible military action against Islamic State leaders. Republicans say the resolution doesn't go far enough -- while some Democrats believe it goes too far toward getting the U.S. involved in another ground war.
MINSK, Belarus (AP) — As fighting rages in eastern Ukraine, the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine are engaged in crucial peace talks in Belarus (BEHL'-uh-roos). The talks, arranged by the leaders of France and Germany, are aimed at reaching a deal to end the fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists. After talking in private for several hours, the four leaders went into a broader meeting involving senior officials.
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City rookie officer has been charged with manslaughter, official misconduct and other counts in the accidental shooting death of a man in a darkened stairwell of a Brooklyn public housing complex. Officer Peter Liang pleaded not guilty today in the November death of Akai Gurley. He was released without bail. The Brooklyn courtroom was packed with officers.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man who brought the University of Nevada-Las Vegas to a college basketball championship has died. Jerry Tarkanian was 84 years old. The former coach built a basketball dynasty at the desert school, and ended up collecting a $2.5 million settlement from the NCAA after accusing the organization of trying to run him out of college basketball.
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