Nation in brief: Oral Roberts U. to get $70 million
An Oklahoma City businessman said Tuesday he planned to donate $70 million to debt-ridden Oral Roberts University, days after the school’s president stepped down amid accusations that he misspent funds to support a lavish lifestyle.
Mart Green, founder of the Christian office and educational supply store chain Mardel, said he decided to help after watching media reports about the school, which recently revealed it was more than $50 million in debt. He never attended the university and does not know the Roberts family, he said.
“Let’s straighten the ship,” Green said at a news conference at the university. “Let’s get integrity. Let’s get trust built back, and the financial issues will go away.”
Los Angeles
New winds could fan more wildfires
Forecasters warned Tuesday of a new round of Santa Ana winds they fear could fan more fires across Southern California, while authorities concluded that a destructive Malibu blaze started over the weekend at a popular hangout in a canyon above the city.
The remnants of the nearly 8-square-mile Malibu blaze was fully contained, as the National Weather Service issued “red flag” warnings for fire danger from 3 a.m. today until evening in parts of Los Angeles County. The warning was extended to the northwest in Ventura County because of predicted strong winds overnight and low humidity.
The dry winds could produce gusts as high as 50 mph in and below some canyons and passes, the Weather Service said.
Columbus, Ohio
10-year term given in plot to bomb mall
A Somali immigrant was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for plotting to blow up an Ohio shopping mall with a man later convicted of being an al-Qaida terrorist.
Nuradin Abdi, a cell phone salesman before his arrest, pleaded guilty in July to conspiring to provide material support for terrorists. He will be deported to Somalia after serving the federal sentence.
In a 20-minute statement to the court, Abdi’s attorney Mahir Sherif said his client apologized to the people of the United States, the people of Ohio and the Muslim community.
“He apologizes for the things he thought about and the things he talked about and the crimes he pleaded guilty to,” Sherif said. “He wants to make it very, very clear that he does not hate America.”