January 1, CRITICISM OF FAA MOUNTS AS OTHER NATIONS GROUND BOEING JETS

(Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is facing mounting criticism for backing the airworthiness of Boeing’s 737 Max jets as the number of countries that have grounded the aircraft grows in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines crash over the weekend.

The rest of the world typically takes it cues from the FAA, long considered the world’s gold standard for aircraft safety. Yet other aviation safety regulators, including the European Union, China, Australia and the United Kingdom, have decided not to wait for the FAA to act. The Ethiopian disaster came just five months after the deadly crash of another new Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Lion Air in Indonesia.

Celebrity Parents and Coaches Charged in Vast College-Entrance Bribery Scheme<

(AP) – Parents, coaches and test administrators were among 46 people charged Tuesday in a sweeping criminal conspiracy that sought to help applicants win admission to elite universities including Yale, Stanford, UCLA and Georgetown.

Consulting company founder Rick Singer pleaded guilty to running the college admissions bribery scheme in Boston Tuesday.

Investigators detailed a scandal that perverted much of the admissions process for America’s elite colleges. Unlike most other SAT cheating cases, the scheme reached deep into the academy, implicating college officials who allegedly subverted the missions of the universities themselves.

Covington Catholic Student Sues CNN for $275 Million

The family of high school student Nick Sandmann is suing CNN for $275 million for the network’s coverage of an incident after the March For Life in January.

According to Fox News, the suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. It alleges CNN “elevated false, heinous accusations of racist conduct” against Sandmann. It also said CNN did not follow “well-established journalistic standards and ethics.

Australian Cardinal Sentenced for Child Sex Abuse

(AP) – The most senior Catholic to be convicted of child sex abuse was sentenced in an Australian court on Wednesday to 6 years in prison for molesting two choirboys in a Melbourne cathedral more than 20 years ago.

Victoria state County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd on Wednesday ordered Cardinal George Pell to serve a minimum of 3 years and 8 months before he is eligible for parole. Each of the five convictions against Pell carried a maximum possible sentence of 10 years each.

Jay Leno: Late-Night Shows Are Too Political

Jay Leno, the former host of NBC’s “Tonight Show,” said Tuesday that late-night television has gotten too political.

The 68-year-old was on “Today” and was asked about the current state of affairs when it comes to late-night talk shows.

“It’s different,” Leno said. “I don’t miss it. You know, everything now is, if people don’t like your politics, they — everyone has to know your politics.”I kind of used [Johnny Carson’s] model. People couldn’t figure out. ‘Well, you and your Republican friends’ or ‘Well, Mr. Leno, you and your Democratic buddies.’ And I would get hate mail from both sides equally.”