US court fight over 'IRA' files

A judge abused his discretion when he ordered Boston College to release interviews that academic researchers had recorded with former IRA members, a lawyer argued yesterday.

In January, US District Court Judge William Young ordered the college to give the US Department of Justice portions of recorded interviews with seven former IRA members so that the agency could hand them over to police in Northern Ireland investigating the IRA's 1972 killing of Jean McConville.

Yesterday's case was made at a three-judge panel of the 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals. It did not immediately rule.

'Hope' artist on probation

The artist who created the 'HOPE' poster that came to symbolise Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign has been sentenced to two years' probation by a New York judge.

Shepard Fairey will also do 300 hours of community service.

He was convicted of criminal contempt for destroying documents and fabricating others in a civil lawsuit he brought against the Associated Press.

Dozens missing as boat sinks

Dozens are missing and one body has been recovered after a migrant boat sank off a small island near Italy.

The 56 survivors, all believed to be Tunisian, were rescued from the sea as well as on the uninhabited islet of Lampione, west of Lampedusa, the frequent destination of boats leaving north Africa.

Amnesty International reported that, last year alone, at least 1,500 people drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe.

Security chief used fake ID

An illegal immigrant from Nigeria who worked as a security supervisor at New Jersey's largest airport for 20 years has admitted using a murdered man's identity.

Bimbo Oyewole pleaded guilty yesterday to providing false ID when he applied for the job at Newark airport.

Authorities say Oyewole used the identity of Jerry Thomas, who was shot in New York in 1992. Police say Thomas sold his documents to a cab driver, who sold them to Oyewole.