New Orleans mayor indicted over allegations of trying to hide relationship with bodyguard

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell after a long corruption investigation. She was indicted on fraud, conspiracy and obstruction charges in a probe into allegations that she tried to hide a romantic relationship with her bodyguard. The indictment is the culmination of a long-running federal investigation into the first female mayor in the city’s 300-year history. Her bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, has pleaded not guilty following his indictment on charges of wire fraud and making false statements. He is accused of hiding a romantic relationship with Cantrell and filing false payroll records claiming he was on duty. Vappie, who retired from the police department last year, is scheduled to stand trial in January.

Stone Age humans were picky about which rocks they used for making tools, study finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — New research finds early human ancestors during the Stone Age were more picky about the rocks they used for making tools than previously thought. The study published Friday in Science Advances shows that by 2.6 million years ago, early humans had developed a method to chip sharp flakes from rocks to use as blades for butchering meat. At an archaeological site in Kenya, researchers found durable blades made of quartzite, then traced the original rock material to locations several miles away. This suggests the early humans had a mental map of where suitable raw materials were located and planned ahead to use them.

Trump tax law could cause Medicare cuts if Congress doesn’t act, CBO says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal budget deficits caused by President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law could trigger automatic cuts to Medicare if Congress does not act, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The CBO estimates that Medicare, the federal health insurance program for Americans over age 65, could potentially see as much as $491 billion in cuts over the next ten years if Congress does not act to mitigate a 2010 law that forces across-the-board to many federal programs once legislation increases the federal deficit. The latest report from CBO showed how Trump’s signature tax and spending law could put new pressure on federal programs that are bedrocks of the American social safety net.

Alabama execution remains on hold to evaluate whether man is competent

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The scheduled execution of an Alabama Death Row inmate will not proceed next week. The state is waiting for a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. A judge stayed the Aug. 21 execution of David Lee Roberts to assess his mental competency. The Alabama Department of Corrections announced Friday that the report will not be ready by the scheduled date. The 59-year-old was convicted of killing Annetra Jones in 1992. His attorneys argue his death sentence should be suspended due to severe mental illness. Court filings say Roberts has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has exhibited delusional behavior.