North Country Assault; Reams Back in Court; The Cost of Ending a War. [NEWS]

(Columbia,NH) – State Police have charged a Columbia man with assaulting a woman.  34 year old Steven Austin was arrested just after 11 last night after he allegedly struck a woman in the head with a sword, causing non-life-threatening injuries.Austinis being held in lieu of 50-thousand dollar bail on a first-degree assault charge.

CONCORD,N.H.(AP) - Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams is due back in court to fight his suspension amid a state and federal investigation.

Attorney General Joseph Foster stripped Reams of his prosecutorial authority Nov. 6 and county commissioners subsequently barred Reams from entering the Brentwood office.   Reams' lawyer, Michael Ramsdell, has said his client needs details of the allegations as he pursues his case that Foster abused his power.

A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.

Last week, the attorney general's office said for the first time that the investigation is criminal in nature.

Ramsdell said some of the allegations - including sexual harassment - have been investigated at least three times since 1999.

Reams has been county attorney since 1998. He continues to receive his $85,000 annual salary while he's suspended.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S.may have to spend an additional $1 billion to fly military equipment out of Afghanistan before combat ends a year from now. Anti-American protests inPakistanhave stopped hundreds of military shipments that take the land route out ofAfghanistanand throughPakistan. And more than a week has passed since Pakistani officials promised the U.S. they would take immediate action to resolve the problem.