In brief: Water-main break floods Sunset Strip

West Hollywood, Calif. – A water-main break Friday sent churning, muddy water flowing down West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, forcing authorities to close a section of the busy street to traffic as hotels and other businesses sought to keep their properties dry.

At its peak, the break spewed 9,600 gallons of water per minute, and it spread like runoff from a torrential downpour into surrounding streets.

No injuries were reported, and authorities still were trying to determine the extent of damage.

It was the second time in recent months that Sunset Boulevard has been closed by a flood created by a broken water main.

In July, the rupture of a nearly century-old water main ripped a 15-foot hole through the boulevard and turned a swath of the University of California, Los Angeles into a swamp. Hundreds of cars and campus buildings were damaged by that break.

Aceh’s Shariah law extended to gay sex

Banda Aceh, Indonesia – Lawmakers in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province passed a law today that makes gay sex punishable by caning and subjects non-Muslims to it too.

Indonesia’s secular central government granted Aceh the right to implement a version of Islamic Shariah law as part of a peace deal to end a separatist war.

People convicted of adultery, gambling and consuming alcohol already face caning, as do women wearing tight clothes and people who skip Friday Muslim prayers.

Sheriff convicted in ‘road rage’ trial

Albuquerque, N.M. – A northern New Mexico sheriff who has fought off accusations of misconduct throughout his career was convicted Friday of abusing a driver during a bizarre traffic stop that prosecutors called a fit of road rage.

Rio Arriba County Sheriff Thomas Rodella, sitting in the defendant’s chair rather than on the side of the law, and his family were visibly upset when jurors convicted him of pulling his gun on a driver and violating the 26-year-old’s civil rights. His wife, state Rep. Debbie Rodella, D-Espanola, sobbed after the verdict was read.

Rodella, one of the most powerful political figures in the state, now faces up to 17 years in prison. His sentencing date hasn’t been set.

Driving his personal SUV and wearing street clothes, Rodella followed Michael Tafoya, pulled a gun on him and struck him in the face with his badge, authorities said.

Tafoya said the March encounter began when he turned onto a street in front of Rodella, and the two men gave each other the middle finger. Rodella, whose son was in the passenger seat, began to follow closely, Tafoya said.

When they reached a dead end, the sheriff jumped out holding his gun, dragged Tafoya into the street and struck him in the face with his badge, prosecutors said.

“I said, ‘Please, don’t kill me,’ ” Tafoya testified.

“It’s too late. It’s too late,” Rodella replied, according to Tafoya.