The nation in brief

LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY

“As difficult as it is to lose Gen.

McChrystal, I believe it is the right decision.”

President Barack Obama,

at the White House Article, 1A

Detroit ex-mayor accused of fraud

DETROIT - Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was indicted Wednesday on federal fraud and tax charges over accusations that he turned a charity into a personal slush fund for cash, travel, yoga, summer camp and even anti-bugging equipment.

The indictment was the latest blow for Kilpatrick, who in May was sent to state prison for at least 14 months for violating probation in a 2008 criminal case tied to sexually explicit text messages and an affair with a top aide.

The indictment said Kilpatrick, 40, created the Civic Fund in 1999 and gained tax exempt status after declaring that it would be a social-welfare organization to enhance neighborhoods, help youth and improve Detroit’s image.

The government, however, said the goal seemed to be to enrich Kilpatrick. He is charged with failing to report at least $640,000 in taxable income between 2003 and 2008, the value of the cash, private jet flights and personal expenses paid by the fund.Sex claim against Gore hit dead end

Authorities in Portland, Ore., investigated in late 2006 and early 2007 whether former Vice President Al Gore sexually assaulted a masseuse while visiting that city, but the matter was dropped for lack of evidence, officials said Wednesday.

The woman who alleged the assault declined through her lawyer to be interviewed by police and did not want officers to pursue the matter, the Multnomah County district attorney’s office said.

Gore’s attorneys strongly denied the accusation, calling it “completely false,” when asked about it by the Portland Tribune in 2007 and 2008. The Tribune chose not to publish a story on the matter; the newspaper reported on its website Wednesday that it made that decision, in part, because of the woman’s reluctance to be named.

Portland police said the woman met with officers in January 2009 and restated the allegation herself, saying that she “was repeatedly subjected to unwanted sexual touching.” Police said Wednesday that they concluded after the 2009 interview that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a sex-crimes investigation.

The National Enquirer first brought the accusation to light Wednesday; Gore spokesman Kalee Kreider declined to comment.

Can’t evict scouts, federal jury says

PHILADELPHIA - The city of Philadelphia cannot evict a Boy Scouts chapter from a city-owned building for refusing to admit homosexuals, a federal jury said Wednesday.

The city had insisted that nonprofits given free use of its property must abide by local anti-discrimination laws, which include equal protection for gays. But the jury found the city’s reason violated the scout council’s First Amendment rights.

In their lawsuit, the scouts had sought an injunction barring the city from evicting them, or charging $200,000 a year in rent, on their headquarters building.

While the jury’s verdict gives weight to their request, the judge did not immediately issue the ban. Instead, U.S. District Judge Ronald L.

Buckwalter told jurors the city’s anti-discrimination policy is “principled” and said he hoped the two “honorable institutions” could work something out.