Veteran Miami officer to lead Ferguson, Missouri police force

(Reuters) - The city of Ferguson, Missouri, where racially charged protests erupted after a white officer fatally shot an unarmed black teenager in 2014, hired a veteran black officer from Miami to lead its embattled police department through painful reforms, officials said on Thursday.


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U.S., Canada issue joint alert on 'ransomware' after hospital attacks

(Reuters) - The United States and Canada on Thursday issued a rare joint cyber alert, warning against a recent surge in extortion attacks that infect computers with viruses known as "ransomware," which encrypt data and demand payments for it to be unlocked.


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Maryland man sentenced for fatally beating boy over birthday cake

(Reuters) - A Maryland man on Thursday was sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally beating his girlfriend's 9-year-old son over missing birthday cake, court records showed.











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Georgia executes man for beating death over car keys: prison spokeswoman

ATLANTA (Reuters) - The U.S. state of Georgia executed a man on Thursday convicted of beating another man to death with a wooden closet rod in 1994, a prison spokeswoman said.











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Virginia trooper dies after bus station shooting

RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - A Virginia state trooper died after a man he had approached inside a Richmond bus station pulled out a gun and opened fire, before two other police officers returned gunfire, killing the suspect, police said.











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Judge strikes down Mississippi ban on adoption by same-sex couples

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday struck down Mississippi's ban on adoption by same-sex couples, saying it violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, according to court records.


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Security vulnerabilities found in U.S. visa database: ABC News

(Reuters) - Cyber security experts have found vulnerabilities in a U.S. State Department system that could have allowed hackers to alter visa applications or steal data from the more than half-billion records on file, ABC News reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.











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U.S. judge cuts $18 million verdict for N.Y. financier's ex-employee

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday reduced by more than two-thirds the maximum sum a Swedish woman can recover after having prevailed in a jury trial against a New York financier she accused of sexual harassment and defamation.


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Five San Francisco officers found exchanging racist, homophobic texts

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco's chief prosecutor said on Thursday he has ordered a review of criminal cases likely to have numbered in the hundreds involving any of five police officers found to have exchanged racist and homophobic text messages among themselves.


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Lockheed, Austal each win deals to build new U.S. Navy ships

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp and Australia's Austal have each won contracts worth up to $564 million to build one Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Defense Department said on Thursday in its daily digest of arms deals.


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Former student claims in lawsuit Baylor University ignored her rape

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A former student at Baylor University has brought a negligence lawsuit in federal court in Texas against the school, world's largest Baptist college, claiming it acted callously and indifferently after she was raped by a Baylor football player.











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NY state in tentative deal to raise minimum wage toward $15 an hour

ALBANY, New York, (Reuters) - Governor Andrew Cuomo and state legislative leaders reached a tentative deal on Thursday to raise New York state's minimum wage towards $15 per hour but fell short of a uniform state-wide increase, lawmakers said.


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Bill hiking California minimum wage to $15 passes state Assembly, goes to Senate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A plan to raise California's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022 cleared its toughest legislative hurdle on Thursday, putting the state on track to become the first in the nation to commit to such a large pay hike for the working poor.


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Chicago police union hires officer who killed black teen: reports

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago police union has hired as a janitor the white officer charged with fatally shooting a black teenager in 2014 as a way of helping him financially, local media reported on Thursday.











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U.S. South braces for tornadoes and hail from storm system

(Reuters) - Large parts of the U.S. South are expected to be pelted with hail and storms that could produce tornadoes on Thursday, the day after several twisters damaged buildings and injured at least seven people in Oklahoma.


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Massachusetts 13-year-old took stolen car on 30-mile joyride

BOSTON (Reuters) - A 13-year-old Massachusetts boy was due in court on Thursday to face charges of allegedly stealing a sport-utility vehicle and taking it on a 30-mile joyride before crashing in Boston, prosecutors and local media said.











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Georgia to execute man for beating death over car keys

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A man who was convicted of beating another man to death with a wooden closet rod in 1994 and also admitted to being involved in a second murder is due to be executed in Georgia on Thursday.











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Five female U.S. soccer players file wage complaint: lawyer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five prominent members of the World Cup champion U.S. women's national soccer team filed a federal complaint on Wednesday charging the United States Soccer Federation with wage discrimination, the players' lawyer said.


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Where's the lane? Self-driving cars confused by shabby U.S. roadways

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Volvo's North American CEO, Lex Kerssemakers, lost his cool as the automaker's semi-autonomous prototype sporadically refused to drive itself during a press event at the Los Angeles Auto Show.











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Lawsuit seeks to disband California surf crew

(Reuters) - A group of surfers in Southern California should be designated a criminal gang after years of intimidating visitors and vandalizing property to keep their slice of the ocean to themselves, according to a federal lawsuit.


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Former Stanford swimmer convicted of sex assault on unconscious woman

(Reuters) - A former Stanford University swimmer was convicted on Wednesday of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman following a party on the campus of the prestigious California school, the Los Angeles Times reported.











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Oklahoma storm-packing tornadoes injure seven, damage buildings

(Reuters) - Several tornadoes were reported in northern Oklahoma late on Wednesday, with heavy winds blowing down power lines, damaging structures and injuring at least seven people, regional officials said.











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Alaska school children plotted to poison classmate: police

(Reuters) - Police in Anchorage, Alaska, said on Wednesday they had investigated a plot by two young school children to poison a classmate.


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Rescued sea turtles Thunder & Lightning arrive for rehab in San Diego

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - Two endangered olive ridley sea turtles found stranded and comatose along the northern Oregon coast in December were flown by the U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday to San Diego to begin long-term rehabilitative care at SeaWorld.


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Trump sounds off on abortion; criticism comes from all sides

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump said on Wednesday that women who end pregnancies should face punishment if the United States bans abortion, triggering a torrent of criticism from both sides of the abortion debate, including from his White House rivals.











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Pentagon to send about a dozen Guantanamo inmates to other countries soon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon has notified the U.S Congress that it plans to transfer about a dozen prisoners held at the Guantanamo military prison to at least two countries, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, the latest move in President Barack Obama's push to close the facility.


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FBI's secret method of unlocking iPhone may never reach Apple

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI may be allowed to withhold information about how it broke into an iPhone belonging to a gunman in the December San Bernardino shootings, despite a U.S. government policy of disclosing technology security flaws discovered by federal agencies.


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Chipotle 'Better Burger' trademark filing hints at new chain launch

(Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc has sought a trademark for the name "Better Burger", suggesting that the burrito chain is looking to open a new restaurant format for hamburgers.


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Arkansas to appeal judge's backing of Fayetteville LGBT rights law

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - The Arkansas attorney general said on Wednesday her office will appeal a judge's decision that upheld a city of Fayetteville ordinance forbidding discrimination against members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.


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Plan to raise California minimum wage to $15 clears key panel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A plan to raise California's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022 cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday, putting the state on track to become the first in the nation to commit to such a large pay hike for the working poor.


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After iPhone unlocking, Americans should still expect privacy: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The American people should "absolutely" still have confidence in their personal privacy despite the government's success in unlocking an Apple iPhone belonging to a shooter in the San Bernardino, California, killings, the White House said on Wednesday.











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Washington Monument reopens after elevator malfunction

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington Monument reopened on Wednesday after inspection of the elevator, which had halted the previous day stranding more than two dozen visitors, the National Park Service said.


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Unappealing legal strategy: Boston man charged with forging verdict slip

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Boston man who was convicted in 2014 of stealing a laptop from his law school but spent no time in prison could be looking at 20 years behind bars after prosecutors charged him with tampering with the verdict slip from his trial.











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California judge delays Cosby's deposition in sex abuse lawsuit

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - A California judge on Wednesday delayed a deposition of comedian Bill Cosby that had been scheduled for next week in a sex abuse lawsuit to avoid any interference with a criminal case against Cosby in Pennsylvania.


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Virginia governor vetoes religious protection bill

(Reuters) - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have allowed ministers and others refuse to marry gay couples because of their religious beliefs.


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Newark settles civil rights probe into police tactics

NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - The city of Newark, New Jersey, and the U.S. Department of Justice have reached a deal to resolve allegations that the city's police department routinely violated civil rights, particularly those of minorities.











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Apple, Google routinely asked to help government access devices: ACLU

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday said it had identified 63 cases across the U.S. in which the federal government asked for a court order compelling Apple Inc or Google to help access devices seized during investigations.











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Decision on charges in Minneapolis police killing due Wednesday

(Reuters) - A county attorney in Minnesota will announce on Wednesday whether he has decided to charge two Minneapolis police officers in the shooting death of a 24-year-old black man last November, a person familiar with the plans said.











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Texas to execute man who murdered his two daughters

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas plans on Wednesday to execute a man who killed his two daughters at his Dallas apartment while the girls' mother listened on the phone, hearing the gunshots and her children's screams.


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Exclusive: Most Americans support torture against terror suspects - poll

(Reuters) - Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe torture can be justified to extract information from suspected terrorists, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, a level of support similar to that seen in countries like Nigeria where militant attacks are common.


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Man arrested in Vermont with equivalent of 1,400 bags of heroin in his body: police

(Reuters) - A New York man was charged with drug trafficking and other crimes after authorities in Vermont discovered the equivalent of more than 1,400 bags of heroin hidden in his body, state police said on Wednesday.


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U.S. labor complaint filed against California warehouse that serves retailers

(Reuters) - The National Labor Relations Board filed an official complaint against a California warehouse serving some of the largest U.S. retailers after finding evidence it violated workers' rights to organize, according to a filing by the agency.


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Thirteen Detroit school principals charged in kickback scheme

DETROIT (Reuters) - Federal officials on Tuesday charged 13 current and former Detroit Public School (DPS) principals with engaging in a long-running kickback scheme in which prosecutors said they submitted fraudulent invoices to a vendor in exchange for prepaid gift cards, cash and checks that totaled more than $900,000.











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California deputy accused of bribing witnesses in videotaped beating

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A veteran police officer accused of bribing witnesses in the brutal beating of a man has been placed on leave during an investigation of the "horrific" allegation, a San Francisco Bay Area sheriff said on Tuesday.


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Family of teen killed by South Carolina police settle lawsuit

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of an unarmed white teen who was shot to death last summer by a police officer in South Carolina has been settled for $2.15 million, attorneys for both sides said on Tuesday.


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New York mulls two-tier minimum wage in push for $15/hour

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Officials negotiating New York's budget are considering capping the minimum wage in less affluent regions so they can raise it to $15 per hour in wealthier areas like New York City, according to top-ranking lawmakers.


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Mississippi woman pleads guilty to trying to join Islamic State

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Mississippi woman pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to trying to join Islamic State in Syria, 2-1/2 weeks after her husband entered the same plea.











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Judge refuses to toss model's defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedian Bill Cosby on Tuesday lost his bid to throw out a defamation lawsuit brought against him and his former lawyer by supermodel Janice Dickinson, clearing the way for a trial in the sensational case, her attorney said.











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Seven charged in home invasion murder of U.S. lottery winner

(Reuters) - Seven people have been charged in the murder of a 20-year-old forklift operator who was killed in his home two months after winning nearly a half million dollars in a Georgia state lottery, police and media reports said.











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U.S. orders military families to leave parts of Turkey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Tuesday it has ordered the families of its personnel to leave parts of southern Turkey over "continued security concerns in the region."











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Virginia governor vetoes bill cutting Planned Parenthood funding

(Reuters) - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday vetoed a Republican-backed bill aimed at blocking state funding for Planned Parenthood, which performs abortions and provides other health services.


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Former Boston mob boss 'Whitey' Bulger's possessions to be auctioned

BOSTON (Reuters) - Ex-Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger's possessions, including a replica Stanley Cup professional hockey championship ring, will be auctioned off, with funds used to compensate his victims' families, according to a court filing.


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Campaign rhetoric on Muslims harms U.S. security efforts: Homeland Security chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Harsh rhetoric about Muslims by Republican candidates in the U.S. presidential election campaign is undermining national security efforts, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Tuesday.


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Split U.S. Supreme Court rejects conservative challenge to union fees

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday split 4-4 on a conservative legal challenge to a vital source of funds for organized labor, affirming a lower-court ruling that allowed California to force non-union workers to pay fees to public-employee unions.


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Washington's MedStar computers down for second day after virus

(Reuters) - MedStar Health's computer systems remained offline on Tuesday for the second straight day after the non-profit, one of the biggest medical service providers in the U.S. capital region, shut down parts of its network to stem the spread of a virus.


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Capitol Police investigating two suspicious packages

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Capitol Police were investigating two unattended packages near the Capitol on Tuesday, authorities said in a statement one day after the area was put on lockdown amid a shooting.











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Convicted murderer captured after escape from Ohio prison

(Reuters) - A convicted murderer who escaped from a southern Ohio prison was captured on Monday after about 24 hours on the run, state law enforcement said.


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Facing losses and grain glut, U.S. farmers to plant more corn

MANHATTAN, Ill. (Reuters) - Three years into a grain market slump, U.S. farmers are set to plant more corn, taking a calculated gamble that higher sales will help them make up for falling prices without triggering even more declines.


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Obama to announce steps to fight heroin, opioid epidemic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is set to announce steps on Tuesday to expand treatment for people addicted to heroin and prescription painkillers, the White House said.


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Utah governor signs anesthesia requirement for some abortions

(Reuters) - Utah's governor on Monday signed a bill requiring doctors to administer anesthesia to women receiving an abortion at the 20th week of gestation, the first such law in the nation, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.











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Obama says journalists partly to blame for tone of presidential race

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Monday laid some of the blame for the tone of the presidential campaign on political journalism that has been pinched by shrinking newsroom budgets and cheapened by a focus on retweets and likes on social media.


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Seattle's famously stubborn #ManInTree charged with mischief, assault

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A man who refused for 25 hours to climb down from the canopy of a giant sequoia in downtown Seattle was charged on Monday with malicious mischief and assault over his treetop standoff, which drew national headlines and created a sensation on social media.











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U.S. names General Dynamics prime contractor for new submarines

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Dynamics Corp will be the prime contractor for development of 12 new submarines to carry nuclear ballistic missiles and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc will be the major supplier under a plan released by the U.S. Navy on Monday.


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Beyonce, Easter Bunny highlight Obama's final egg roll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rain clouds auspiciously parted, A-list guests including the Easter Bunny and Beyonce were on hand and first dogs Sunny and Bo obliged for selfies as U.S. President Barack Obama celebrated his final Easter egg roll at the White House on Monday.











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Woman arrested for moving barrier at White House Easter egg roll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Secret Service said it arrested a woman on Monday at the annual White House Easter egg roll because she was trying to move a temporary security barrier.


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Airline pilot in Texas court on charges of running brothels

(Reuters) - A United Airlines pilot who has been charged with running a network of brothels in the Houston area made a brief appearance in court on Monday.


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U.S. expected to withdraw legal action against Apple

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is expected to withdraw its legal action in California seeking to force Apple to unlock an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters, a law enforcement official familiar with the situation said.











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Suspected Capitol gunman wounded and captured: police

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A suspected gunman was wounded in a shooting on Monday on the U.S. Capitol grounds and taken to hospital, police and congressional sources said.


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U.S. immigration agents bust 1,100 suspects in gang sweep

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. immigration agents have arrested more than 1,000 suspects on charges including attempted murder and witness tampering, in a nationwide operation aimed at international gangs, officials said on Monday.











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Chicago mayor to name new interim police chief

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will appoint the black head of the police department's patrol division as interim police chief on Monday, rejecting finalists chosen by a civilian board as he tries to rebuild trust in a department facing federal investigation and racism accusations.











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U.S. Supreme Court takes up Puerto Rico bribery case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a former Puerto Rico state senator's claim that he cannot be retried on corruption charges involving a trip to Las Vegas to watch a boxing bout after his original conviction was thrown out.


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Georgia governor to veto religious freedom bill seen as anti-gay

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said on Monday he will veto a religious freedom bill passed by the state legislature that has drawn national criticism for discriminating against same-sex couples.











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Decision on charges in Minneapolis police killing expected this week

(Reuters) - A decision on whether to charge two Minneapolis police officers in the shooting death of a 24-year-old black man last November is expected this week, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office said on Monday.


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Supreme Court rejects former Illinois governor's appeal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s appeal of convictions for attempted extortion from campaign contributors, wire fraud and other crimes.











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North Carolina's transgender bathroom law challenged in court

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - Opponents of a new North Carolina law that bars transgender people from choosing bathrooms consistent with their gender identity sued the state on Monday, arguing the measure is unconstitutional and should be blocked by a federal court.


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Mother Angelica, nun who founded cable tv religious network, dead at 92

(Reuters) - Mother Angelica, a soft-spoken nun who dispensed homespun religious and life advice for years on television after founding a cable network, died on Sunday aged 92, officials and religious leaders said.











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Two additional U.S. citizens confirmed killed in Brussels attack

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two more U.S. citizens have been confirmed killed in last week's Brussels suicide bombings, a State Department official said on Sunday, bringing the death toll for Americans to four.


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Chicago mayor rejects board's picks for police chief

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has rejected three finalists for the job of police superintendent, his office said on Sunday, and local media said he would appoint a veteran black officer in the interim to lead a force rocked by charges of racism.











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Chicago teenager who appeared in anti-violence video wounded by gunfire

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A Chicago teenager who appeared in an award-winning anti-violence video was in critical condition in a hospital on Sunday after he was shot in the back by a stray bullet near his home on Chicago's West Side, police and local media said.











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California lawmakers, unions reach $15 minimum wage deal: papers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California lawmakers and union leaders have reached a tentative deal to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 over six years that could avert a campaign to bring the issue to voters, two California newspapers reported on Sunday, citing unnamed sources.


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Easter snow helps U.S. firefighters slowly contain prairie wildfire

(Reuters) - A wildfire that has scorched hundreds of thousands acres of prairie and ranch land in Kansas and Oklahoma since last week was slowly being contained, authorities said on Sunday, with a rare Easter snowfall providing some help to fire-fighting teams.











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Four killed in crash of medical helicopter in Alabama

(Reuters) - Four people, including a patient who was being airlifted from the scene of a car accident, were killed on Saturday when a medical services helicopter crashed in Alabama, authorities said.


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U.S. wildlife agency questioned on estimate of Oregon standoff costs

(Reuters) - An attorney for a leader of the recent 41-day armed protest at a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon on Saturday questioned the $6 million price tag cited by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for dealing with the occupation.











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One person dead, police officer shot, wounded in Florida incident

(Reuters) - One person was shot and killed and a police officer was wounded on Saturday during an altercation in a parking lot at a hotel in Tampa, Florida, authorities said.


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American Airlines co-pilot arrested at Detroit airport for drinking

(Reuters) - An unidentified American Airlines co-pilot was arrested on Saturday at a Detroit airport terminal on suspicion of drinking before his scheduled flight to Philadelphia, officials said.


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Black Hawk helicopters aid crews fighting Kansas wildfire

(Reuters) - Black Hawk helicopters dumped buckets of water on an immense wildfire raging across Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday, helping firefighters to get an edge on a blaze that has destroyed hundreds of square miles of ranch land, officials said.


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Chinese doctor's associate held in California triple killing

(Reuters) - A business associate of a prominent Chinese herbal medicine practitioner has been arrested for the murder of the doctor, his wife and daughter, whose bodies were found wrapped in plastic at their California home, authorities said.


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Obama: U.S. ramps up intelligence cooperation, to review ISIS fight at summit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has ramped up intelligence cooperation and will review international efforts to combat Islamic State militants after the Brussels attacks during a nuclear summit with world leaders next week, President Barack Obama said.


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US officials extend emergency water assistance for Flint, Michigan

(Reuters) - Federal officials have extended an emergency declaration for Flint that has provided supplies of bottled water, filters and test kits to the Michigan city suffering from lead contamination in drinking water, the state governor said on Friday.











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Wisconsin man sentenced to three years for threatening to kill Obama

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday sentenced a Wisconsin man to three years in prison for threatening to kill U.S. President Barack Obama, court records showed.


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Highest officer in U.S. Navy bribe scheme sentenced to 46 months

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A federal judge in San Diego on Friday sentenced a U.S. Navy captain caught in a $30 million bribery scandal to 46 months in prison, bringing to a close the case against the highest-ranking officer in the fraud scheme.











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Florida governor signs law ending funding to clinics providing abortions

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida Governor Rick Scott on Friday signed a law that cuts off state funding for preventive health services to clinics providing abortion and imposes abortion restrictions already being tested before the U.S. Supreme Court.











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Federal judge blocks section of Alabama abortion law

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday struck down an Alabama law that required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.


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California judge denies bail for flight attendant in drug case

(Reuters) - A federal judge in California on Friday effectively overruled a Brooklyn magistrate and ordered a flight attendant held without bail on charges that she dumped a bag of cocaine and fled authorities at Los Angeles International Airport.











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Kentucky House votes to use single form for marriage licenses

(Reuters) - Kentucky's House of Representatives on Friday approved a bill to create a single marriage license form for opposite-sex and same-sex couples that would allow applicants to identify as "bride," "groom" or "spouse."


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Winds expected to feed wildfires in Kansas, Oklahoma

(Reuters) - Crews battling wildfires that scorched roughly 400,000 acres in Kansas and Oklahoma braced on Friday for wind gusts to resume, feeding a fire so big it shows on satellite images and its smoke has reached Kentucky.











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Dutch siblings living in New York confirmed dead in Belgium bombings

(Reuters) - Two Dutch siblings who lived in New York have been identified as among those killed in suicide bombings that rocked Brussels this week, family and friends said on Friday, while U.S. officials said two Americans were killed in the blasts.


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Chicago civic leaders urge local choice for next top cop

CHICAGO (Reuters) - After a decade of outsiders serving as Chicago's police chief, local politicians and church leaders are pushing for an insider to take charge of the 12,000-member force after a history of police shootings that have damaged public trust in the department.











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U.S. attempt to unlock San Bernardino iPhone could impact N.Y. case: Apple

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc said the U.S. Justice Department's new attempts to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters without the tech giant's help could eliminate the government's need for its assistance in a similar dispute in New York.


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Web of agencies at U.S. airports could hinder security overhauls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Travelers passing through New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport this week witnessed a show of force following the Brussels airport attack: U.S. Army soldiers in khaki camouflage bearing assault rifles, police officers in black bullet-proof vests and private security guards directing traffic in neon-yellow vests.











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Two Americans killed in Brussels bombings, Kerry offers help

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Two Americans were killed in Tuesday's suicide bombings in Brussels, a senior U.S. official said on Friday, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Belgian leaders and offered condolences and help following the attack.











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Korean-American held in North Korea confesses to trying to steal military secrets: media

SEOUL (Reuters) - A Korean-American man who had been detained in North Korea has confessed to trying to steal military secrets from the isolated state, Japan's Kyodo and China's Xinhua news agencies reported on Friday.











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Korean-American in North Korea confesses to stealing secrets - media

SEOUL (Reuters) - A Korean-American man detained in North Korea has confessed to stealing military secrets and plotting subversion with South Koreans, the North's official news agency and foreign media reported on Friday.


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Man who refused to descend from Seattle tree also resists court appearance

(Reuters) - A man who grabbed national headlines for refusing to descend from his perch in a giant sequoia tree in downtown Seattle also refused to appear in court on Thursday, records indicate.











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Children facing deportation from U.S. have right to attorneys, lawsuit argues

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Lawyers for nine children suspected of being illegal immigrants argued on Thursday that they have the right to a court-appointed attorney, in a lawsuit that challenges the notion that minors can competently represent themselves.


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Protesters target North Carolina repeal of Charlotte transgender law

(Reuters) - Hundreds gathered in front of the North Carolina governor's mansion on Thursday to protest passage of a state law that blocks cities from allowing transgender people to use public bathrooms that match their gender identities.


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Blizzard sweeps through the U.S. Midwest, two die in accident

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The blizzard that blasted Colorado and shut down Denver's airport swept through the U.S. Midwest on Thursday, leading to at least two weather-related traffic deaths and dumping up to 12 inches (30 cm) of snow in Wisconsin, officials said.











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Delta Air Lines in agreement to settle lawsuit against Republic

(Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused Republic Airways Holdings Inc of breaching a contract to operate flights for Delta, Republic said in a news release Thursday.


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Weeks after Oregon, standoff lingers over American West's public lands

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal government control of public lands in the U.S. West remains a political flashpoint weeks after an armed standoff in Oregon fizzled, with lawmakers debating proposals and a left-leaning think tank urging scrutiny of extremist groups.











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New York doctor indicted on sexual assault charges

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York doctor accused of sexually assaulting two female patients at a Manhattan hospital was indicted on Thursday on charges involving two other women, prosecutors said.











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Man pleads guilty over noose on statue at University of Mississippi

(Reuters) - A former University of Mississippi student pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge on Thursday, admitting to his role in draping a noose around the neck of a statue of the school's first black student, the U.S. Justice Department said.


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Minnesota town evacuated after train derailment

(Reuters) - A small Minnesota town was being evacuated on Thursday after a Canadian Pacific freight train collided with a semi-truck hauling propane, officials said.











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Anguish for relatives of Americans missing in Brussels

(Reuters) - Families of Americans missing in Brussels since this week's deadly suicide bombings by Islamist militants were desperate on Thursday for any word of their loved ones after a false alarm that a missing U.S. couple had been found.


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South Carolina governor urges U.S. to divert plutonium from Japan

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has written to U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz demanding a shipment of weapons-grade plutonium en route to her state from Japan be turned back or sent elsewhere, according to a copy of the letter seen by Reuters.











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Colorado judge asked to send accused clinic gunman to mental hospital

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) - A lawyer for the man accused of killing three people and wounding nine others in a shooting rampage at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic in November asked a judge on Thursday to commit the defendant to a state mental hospital.


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UAW union membership rises 1.3 percent in 2015

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Membership in the United Auto Workers union rose by nearly 5,200 workers in 2015 to 408,639, the sixth straight year of small gains for the American union.











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U.S. officials hopeful they can unlock San Bernardino iPhone

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials said on Thursday that they are hopeful they will be able to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters without help from Apple Inc, but said the national debate over privacy and encryption must still be resolved.











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Arizona gunman's lawsuit vs Gabby Giffords may be hoax: report

(Reuters) - A bizarre lawsuit purportedly filed by the gunman in the 2011 mass shooting in Arizona that critically injured U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords may be a hoax, an Arizona news website reported on Thursday.


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New Hampshire man linked to Bundy standoff to face trial in Nevada

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge has approved the extradition of a New Hampshire man to Nevada, where he is to face trial on charges that he helped organize a high-profile armed standoff with federal agents at the ranch of Cliven Bundy in 2014.











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Gunman reported in U.S. Navy hospital in San Diego: base spokesman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A security alert was issued at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in San Diego Thursday after a gunman was reported to have been seen inside the main hospital, but no shots were fired, a base spokesman said.


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U.S. charges consultant to Iran's U.N. mission

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A consultant to Iran's mission to the United Nations has been criminally charged with violating a U.S. law against dealing with that country, according to an indictment made public on Wednesday.


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F-35 chief cites 'good, bad and ugly' about No. 1 U.S. arms program

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp's $391 billion F-35 stealth fighter jet program has made steady improvements in cost, schedule and technical performance over the past year, but still faces delays in software development and a complex computer-based logistics system, Pentagon officials said on Wednesday.


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Palo Alto considers subsidized housing for salary up to $250K

(Reuters) - Palo Alto officials are considering providing subsidized housing for people earning up to $250,000, as rent and home prices soar in the Silicon Valley city.











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Feds bust drug smuggling ring using tunnel under U.S.-Mexico border

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - U.S. federal agents have arrested four people and seized nearly 3,000 pounds of marijuana in an operation to bust a drug smuggling ring that had tunneled under the U.S.-Mexico border, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.


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Phoenix mayor calls for probe of county's handling of presidential nominating vote

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Phoenix's mayor on Wednesday urged a federal probe into the local county's handling of voting in Arizona's presidential nominating contest, questioning whether minority voters were granted a fair chance to cast their ballots.











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University of California softens anti-Semitism statement

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The University of California's regents declared on Wednesday they would not tolerate anti-Semitism on campus but rejected a proposal to equate anti-Zionism with religious bigotry, as they tried to defuse tensions between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian students.











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U.S. Navy tug found off California 95 years after going missing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy tug missing since 1921 has been discovered sunk off San Francisco, officials said on Wednesday, solving a nearly century-old maritime mystery.


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Officer who killed black man should not go to prison: Brooklyn DA

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former New York City police officer found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man should not go to prison, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said on Wednesday.











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Texas student sues over video of sorority sisters' topless dancing

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Southern Methodist University student sued a national sorority on Wednesday, saying it unlawfully copied and distributed a secretly made video showing sorority sisters dancing topless or in other states of undress at an event to welcome new members.


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Pentagon to move ahead with $3 billion F-35 upgrade program in 2018

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon expects to award contracts for a $3 billion, six-year effort to upgrade its newest warplane, the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet, by the end of 2018, the Air Force general who runs the $391 billion program said on Wednesday.


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N.C. legislators move to repeal Charlotte transgender bathroom law

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina legislators passed a measure on Wednesday that would block local governments in the state from enacting ordinances that allow transgender people to use public bathrooms that match their gender identity.











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Ohio school security guard arrested after making bomb threats

(Reuters) - A security guard at an Ohio school district was arrested on Wednesday after school and police officials said he threatened to blow up school buildings twice this week.


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Michigan state officials accountable in Flint water crisis: inquiry

DETROIT (Reuters) - A task force appointed by Michigan’s governor said on Wednesday state officials showed stubbornness, lack of preparation, delay and inaction in failing to prevent a health crisis in the city of Flint caused by lead contamination in the drinking water.











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Pianist's wife pleads not guilty to murder of children in Texas

DALLAS (Reuters) - The estranged wife of celebrated Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to capital murder in the killings of her two children last week in her suburban Fort Worth, Texas home.











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Brussels airport bombing may have targeted Americans: U.S. lawmaker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The suicide bombers who attacked the Brussels airport on Tuesday may have attempted to target Americans, the top lawmaker on the intelligence committee in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Wednesday, noting the blast was close to U.S. airline counters.


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Frozen power lines trigger hundreds of flight cancellations at Denver airport

(Reuters) - More than 300 flights were canceled at Denver International Airport on Wednesday after freezing snow on power lines from a blizzard triggered a power outage, an airport spokesman said.


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Some U.S. citizens still missing after Belgium bombings: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department is still working to account for all Americans who were in Brussels during Tuesday's bomb attacks in the city, a spokesman said on Wednesday, as local media reported that family members were seeking news of missing relatives.











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Attorneys for Cosby, accusers due back in Massachusetts court

BOSTON (Reuters) - Attorneys for Bill Cosby and those of seven women who have accused the comedian of sexual assault are due in a Massachusetts courtroom on Wednesday to argue about evidence in a defamation suit.


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Nine guards on trial for beating of Rikers Island inmate in N.Y.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nine correction officers are to go on trial on Wednesday for the brutal beating of an inmate and a subsequent coverup at New York City's Rikers Island jail complex.











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Five bald eagles killed in Delaware

(Reuters) - Five bald eagles have died in Delaware, state officials said on Tuesday, weeks after 13 of the U.S. national birds were determined to have been killed by humans in neighboring Maryland.


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Israeli firm helping FBI to open encrypted iPhone: report

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel's Cellebrite, a provider of mobile forensic software, is helping the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's attempt to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California shooters, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Wednesday.











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Houston boy, 4, killed by SUV during pickup from daycare

(Reuters) - A 4-year-old boy waiting to be picked up from his Houston daycare was struck and killed on Tuesday by a sports utility vehicle operated by an elderly woman retrieving her grandchild, law enforcement said.


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U.S. high court confronts Obamacare contraceptives challenge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider appeals by Christian groups demanding full exemption on religious grounds from a requirement under President Barack Obama's healthcare law to provide health insurance covering contraceptives.











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Measure to hike California's minimum wage to $15 qualifies for ballot

(Reuters) - A proposal to raise California's minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2021 has qualified to be listed on the upcoming November ballot in the state, officials said on Tuesday.


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Wrecked vessel washed ashore in Oregon may be from Japan tsunami

PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - Algae and an oyster are among the clues Oregon biologists believe may link the vestiges of a sea-ravaged boat that washed up on a state beach on Tuesday to the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan.


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Venezuelan businessman pleads guilty in U.S. energy bribery case

(Reuters) - A Venezuelan businessman accused by U.S. prosecutors of taking part in a $1 billion conspiracy to pay bribes to obtain contracts from Venezuela's state oil company pleaded guilty on Tuesday.











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U.S. urges caution while traveling in Europe after Brussels attacks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department warned U.S. citizens about the potential risks of travel in Europe after several attacks, including those earlier on Tuesday in Brussels claimed by Islamic State.


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Oregon occupier charged with damaging tribal grounds remains at large

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A protester in the armed takeover of an Oregon wildlife refuge whose identity was revealed this week after he was indicted on three felony charges related to the occupation remains at large, officials said on Tuesday.  











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Security alert lifted at Denver airport as terminal fully reopens

(Reuters) - A security alert was lifted at Denver International Airport on Tuesday after police gave the all-clear to several suspicious packages that had prompted a brief evacuation in the main terminal, the airport said on Twitter.











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Florida sheriff wants to charge mother accidentally shot by young son

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - A Florida mother who was accidentally shot and wounded earlier this month by her 4-year-old son while she was driving should be charged with a misdemeanor related to unsafe storage of a firearm, a local sheriff's office said on Tuesday.


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Pianist's wife may have suffocated daughters in Texas home: police report

DALLAS (Reuters) - The estranged wife of celebrated Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko is suspected of having smothered her children with pillows before attempting suicide inside their suburban Fort Worth home, according to a police report.


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Michigan Senate approves Detroit schools bailout: media reports

(Reuters) - The Michigan Senate on Tuesday approved a $715 million bailout package for the financially troubled Detroit Public Schools district, the Detroit News and other local media reported.


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No known threat of Brussels-type attack in U.S.: Homeland Security chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said on Tuesday that the United States has no intelligence that indicates there is a plot to carry out an attack inside U.S. borders similar to the one in Brussels











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U.S. top court wrestles with Puerto Rico restructuring case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Liberal justices on Tuesday signaled support for Puerto Rico as the U.S. Supreme Court considered whether to revive a law that could let the U.S. territory cut billions of dollars owed in debt at some public agencies, a key test in the island's efforts to weather a huge fiscal crisis. 











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U.S. service member and his family hurt in Brussels attacks: Fox News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. service members and his family were hurt in Tuesday's attacks that targeted the airport and a metro train in Brussels, Fox News reported, citing a U.S. military statement.


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U.S. top court backs moose hunter in Alaska hovercraft case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with an Alaska moose hunter who contended the federal government overstepped its authority in banning hovercraft on National Park Service land in the northernmost U.S. state.











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Two killed in apparent murder-suicide at Texas Walmart: reports

DALLAS (Reuters) - Two people were killed inside a Walmart store in an apparent murder-suicide in Kaufman, Texas, on Tuesday, local media reported.











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Police across U.S. step up security after deadly Brussels attacks

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Police in major U.S. cities stepped up security on Tuesday after more than 30 people were killed in attacks on an airport and subway in Belgium, though officials said there was no evidence of specific threats to the United States.


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U.S. airlines cancel Brussels flights after blasts

(Reuters) - U.S. airlines including Delta, United and American canceled flights on Tuesday after two deadly blasts in a packed departure area of the Brussels Airport at Zaventem.











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New York lawmakers expected to clear way for mixed martial arts fights

ALBANY, N.Y. (Reuters) - New York is poised to join the rest of the country in legalizing mixed martial arts (MMA) fights, as the state Assembly prepares to pass a bill to end a ban on the full-contact sport, a measure the Senate has approved on multiple occasions over the years.











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Texas plans Tuesday execution of man who killed city inspector

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas plans to execute on Tuesday a convicted killer whose lawyers are appealing the death sentence, arguing that he was mentally ill when he shot a city code officer who had been sent out to inspect piles of garbage at the death row inmate's former home.


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Poll: Apple's privacy fight does not win extra points for security

(Reuters) - Most Americans trust Apple Inc to protect their personal information from hackers, according to a national Reuters/Ipsos poll, but not any better than rivals Google, Amazon and Microsoft.











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California girl removed from foster family over her Native American heritage

(Reuters) - A 6-year-old California girl was removed from her long time foster family on Monday and will be sent to live with extended family in Utah who share her Native American heritage, according to court documents.


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Pianist's wife charged with killing daughters in Texas

DALLAS (Reuters) - The estranged wife of a celebrated Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko has been charged with killing the couple's two daughters at their home in suburban Fort Worth, police said on Monday.


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Gawker, publisher slapped with punitive damages over Hulk Hogan sex tape

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Reuters) - A Florida jury awarded punitive damages totaling $25 million on Monday in a second blow to Gawker, coming on top of the $115 million the online news outlet must pay for posting a sex tape of the former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan.











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Austin moves to fire police officer for fatal shooting of naked teen

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Austin police permanently suspended a police officer on Monday for violating department policy regarding the use of deadly force when he fatally shot an unarmed and naked teenager in February.


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Michigan woman pleads guilty to trading diseased body parts

(Reuters) - A Michigan woman pleaded guilty on Monday to a scheme in which she and her husband used their medical cadaver business to sell infected body parts to unwitting medical and dental students, prosecutors said.











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FBI probes hot-water attack on gay men in Georgia as hate crime

ATLANTA (Reuters) - The FBI has launched an investigation to determine if an attack on two gay men who were seriously burned last month when hot water was poured on them as they slept in a suburban Atlanta apartment was a hate crime, a spokesman said on Monday.











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Retired Pennsylvania trooper in shootout had financial, marital woes

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) - A retired Pennsylvania state trooper who police say killed two people in an attempted robbery at a highway toll plaza before being fatally shot had struggled with financial and marital problems, court records show.


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Number of U.S. government 'cyber incidents' jumps in 2015

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government was hit by more than 77,000 "cyber incidents" like data thefts or other security breaches in fiscal year 2015, a 10 percent increase over the previous year, according to a White House audit.


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Ex-U.S. State Department worker gets nearly five years for 'sextortion'

(Reuters) - A former U.S. State Department employee was sentenced on Monday to 4-3/4 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges he sent threatening emails to sexually extort dozens of young women, mainly from his computer at the U.S. embassy in London.











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U.S. Interior secretary to visit site of Oregon armed protest

SEATTLE (Reuters) - U.S. Interior Department Secretary Sally Jewell was to visit the Oregon wildlife refuge at the center of a 41-day armed protest over land use rights earlier this year and meet on Monday with refuge employees and tribal leaders in the area, her office said.


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New Jersey mall's Easter Bunny brawls with upset parent

(Reuters) - A man employed as the Easter Bunny at a New Jersey mall brawled with a father whose child slipped to the floor while having a picture taken with the costumed character, authorities said on Monday, stunning shoppers watching the mayhem unfold.











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Texas man arrested for Ferris wheel sex killed in Houston carjacking

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas man suspected of having sex on a Las Vegas Ferris wheel last month was killed in a Houston carjacking over the weekend in an incident that started outside a strip club, police said on Monday.











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FanDuel and DraftKings shut down games in New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top daily fantasy sports companies FanDuel and DraftKings agreed to stop taking money in New York on Monday, amid a months long fight with the state's attorney general over whether the games are illegal gambling.


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U.S. top court throws out Massachusetts stun gun ruling

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Monday threw out a Massachusetts court ruling that stun guns are not covered by the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of the right to bear arms, siding with a woman who said she carried one as protection against an abusive former boyfriend.











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New Jersey police officer shot in his personal vehicle: reports

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A police officer was shot and killed while sitting in his personal vehicle on Monday morning near a defunct movie theater complex in the suburban New Jersey borough of Sayreville, local media reported.


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Michigan outlines Flint recovery plan

DETROIT (Reuters) - Michigan's government on Monday released goals to help the city of Flint recover from a health crisis caused by the lead contamination of its drinking water.











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U.S. justices reject lawsuit against Colorado over marijuana law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday threw out a lawsuit filed by the states of Nebraska and Oklahoma against a Colorado law that allows the recreational use of marijuana.


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New England shivers under blanket of snow at onset of spring

BOSTON (Reuters) - Residents of much of coastal New England woke up on the second day of spring to discover lawns and roads blanketed with snow and schools closed in Boston, Providence and several other cities.











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Rookie Iditarod musher battles to last-place finish in Alaska race

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A 32-year-old former Bible camp cook who lost her home in a wildfire last summer toughed out a last-place finish in Alaska's punishing Iditarod sled-dog race after surviving sled breakdowns and wayward dogs.


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Suspected gunman, two workers killed at Pennsylvania toll plaza

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A gunman fatally shot two workers at a Pennsylvania Turnpike toll plaza during an attempted armed robbery on Sunday morning before state police killed the suspect in an exchange of gunfire, authorities said.


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Two Indiana deputies shot, one fatally, while serving warrants

(Reuters) - Two sheriff's deputies in Indiana were shot, one of them fatally, while serving a warrant for drug-related offenses on Sunday, police said.











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Texas woman charged with putting two-year-old daughter in heated oven

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A mother in Texas has been arrested and charged with child abuse on suspicion of burning her 2-year-old daughter by putting the child into a heated oven, a sheriff's department said on Sunday.











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Second bald eagle hatches at Washington, DC arboretum

(Reuters) - The second eaglet from a pair of bald eagles known as "Mr President" and "the First Lady" emerged from its shell on Sunday at Washington's National Arboretum.


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Exclusive: Lyft drivers, if employees, owed millions more - court documents

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Drivers who worked for ride-hailing service Lyft in California during the past four years would have been entitled to an estimated $126 million in expense reimbursements had they been employees rather than contractors, court documents made public on Friday show.


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Anti-Trump protesters block Arizona road; march in New York

(Reuters) - Demonstrators briefly shut down an Arizona highway leading to a campaign rally for Donald Trump on Saturday while protesters rallied outside of Trump Tower in Manhattan to voice their opposition to the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.











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University of Kansas clears professor over racial slur in class

(Reuters) - A University of Kansas assistant professor placed on leave after she used a racial slur in class said on Saturday that an investigation by the school found she had conformed with the policy against discrimination.


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Gawker could still win Hulk Hogan case despite $115 million verdict: legal experts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The $115 million a Florida jury awarded to Hulk Hogan on Friday may seem like a big blow to the website Gawker, but the media company could ultimately prevail in its court battle with the flamboyant wrestler, legal experts say.











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New York man, woman arrested for porn involving 16-month-old baby

(Reuters) - A New York state man and woman alleged to have produced pornography using a 16-month-old baby were ordered held without bail on Saturday, authorities said.


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Suburban Chicago police officer critically wounded in shooting

(Reuters) - A suburban Chicago policeman was shot and suffered life-threatening injuries on Saturday, and the shooter was killed by police in a confrontation during an investigation of a break-in at a vacant home, the police department said.


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U.S. East Coast could see late snowfall after mild winter

(Reuters) - After a relatively mild winter, the East Coast of the United States could get a last-gasp snow storm on Saturday night, just before the first day of spring, weather forecasters said.











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Body found in Houston identified as missing 14-year-old

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A body found in a field near a road in Houston has been identified as a 14-year-old girl who was missing since last weekend, when her father was found shot dead and burned, police said on Saturday.


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U.S. service member killed in Iraq fighting Islamic State

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. service member who was part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq, according to a U.S. defense official.


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Father of France train hero indicted in California on fraud charges

(Reuters) - The father of a U.S. Air Force airman who helped to thwart a train attack in France was one of three men indicted on Friday in a Sacramento federal court on fraud and arson charges, according to local media and court documents.


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First-month Oregon pot sales tax receipts far exceed projections

PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - The first month of taxable commercial sales of recreational marijuana in Oregon generated nearly $3.5 million in tax revenues, far exceeding projections, the state Department of Revenue has reported.


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Cruise ship rescues 18 Cuban migrants who say nine others died

(Reuters) - A cruise ship off the Florida coast on Friday rescued 18 Cuban migrants who said nine fellow travelers died during their 22-day-long journey, the U.S. Coast Guard said.


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Family of Colorado inmate files wrongful death suit, says he was denied medication

DENVER (Reuters) - A mentally ill prisoner who was found naked and dead in a Colorado jail cell two years ago was denied his psychiatric medication and physically abused by staff at the lock-up, lawyers for the inmate's family said Friday.


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Lufthansa reports near miss with drone over Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The pilot of a Lufthansa passenger jumbo jet reported a drone aircraft nearly collided with the airliner on Friday on its landing approach to Los Angeles International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.











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Eight sailors hurt in accident on USS Eisenhower carrier flight deck

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eight U.S. sailors were injured on the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier on Friday when a cable snapped during the landing of an E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, the Navy said.











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Oregon refuge protester arrested after threats against U.S. officers

(Reuters) - A man who took part in January's armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon has been arrested after threatening to kill federal agents investigating the six-week-long standoff, a county prosecutor said on Friday.


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Two detention center staffers where Kentucky teen died face misdemeanor charges

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - Two staff members of the Kentucky youth detention center where a teenage girl died have been indicted by a grand jury on misdemeanor charges of failing to perform their official duties, prosecutors said on Friday.


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Gang member kills South Carolina cop, calls mother, commits suicide

(Reuters) - A self-described gang member killed a South Carolina police officer on Friday, then called his own mother before turning the gun on himself, police said.











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Illinois lawmaker's daughter charged in political staple attack

(Reuters) - A daughter of an Illinois state representative has been charged with participating in an attack on one of her mother's political rivals that included using a staple gun on the victim's forehead, police and the victim said on Friday.


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Daughters of celebrated Ukrainian pianist found dead in Texas home

DALLAS (Reuters) - Two young daughters of Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko were found murdered inside their home in a Fort Worth, Texas, suburb, and his estranged wife sustained multiple stab wounds in the incident, local police said on Friday.











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U.S. Navy missile program uses first 3D printed component

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S Navy ballistic missile program used its first component made from 3D printing, a process that sharply reduces the manufacturing time, according to the weapons' producer, Lockheed Martin Corp.


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Some documents in Sumner Redstone case to be unsealed: judge

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Los Angeles judge tentatively ruled on Friday that certain documents can be made public in a lawsuit that challenges the mental competency of 92-year-old media mogul Sumner Redstone.


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U.S. airmen at nuclear missile base suspended over drug probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fourteen airmen who helped secure a U.S. complex that hosts inter-continental ballistic missiles have been suspended from their duties due to an investigation into "illegal drug activity," the U.S. military said on Friday.


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U.S. unveils new charges in U.N. bribery case

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Friday unveiled criminal charges against a Chinese-born woman it says was involved in a scheme to pay bribes to a former U.N. General Assembly president.











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Bald eagle hatches in District of Columbia, a second on the way

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A pair of bald eagles known as "Mr President" and "the First Lady" welcomed their first eaglet on Friday in Washington's National Arboretum.


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New Hampshire prosecutors seek to revoke bail for teen in sex trial

CONCORD, N.H. (Reuters) - New Hampshire prosecutors are due in court on Friday to ask a judge to revoke the bail of a former student at an elite prep school who was convicted last year of using a computer to lure an underage fellow pupil into a sexual encounter.











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Pentagon to investigate comments by former executive at rocket firm

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Friday its inspector general will investigate comments made by a former executive with United Launch Alliance (ULA) who suggested the department had improperly tipped a competition for rocket launches in its favor.











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Law enforcement targeted in two blasts in Indiana city: police

(Reuters) - Law enforcement officials in a small southern Indiana city were the target of two explosive devices that were detonated over the past nine days, police said on Thursday.











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Hulk Hogan sex-tape lawsuit against Gawker due to go to Florida jury

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Reuters) - Celebrity wrestler Hulk Hogan's privacy invasion suit against the Gawker website over a sex tape of him posted on the website will go to a Florida jury after closing arguments expected on Friday.


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University of California board weighs statement on anti-Semitism

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The governing board of California's flagship public university system is to vote next week on a statement condemning anti-Zionism as a form of anti-Jewish bigotry, a proposal sparking sharp faculty debate over the line between free speech and intolerance.


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California college attacker inspired by ISIS, acted alone: FBI

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A teenager who injured four people in a stabbing spree on a California university campus before he was shot dead by police last year was inspired by the Islamic State militant group but acted alone, the FBI said on Thursday.


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Arizona man found guilty in 'Draw Mohammed' event shooting

PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man was found guilty on Thursday of plotting with others to attack a "Draw Mohammed" cartoon contest in Texas last year and providing material support to the Islamic State group, prosecutors said.











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U.S. Air Force general removed for 'unprofessional relationship'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force on Thursday said it had removed the assistant Air Force vice chief of staff, Lieutenant General John Hesterman, after an investigation showed he had engaged in inappropriate emails with a female Air Force officer about five years ago.


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Dog believed lost at sea turns up on island used by U.S. Navy

(Reuters) - A dog believed to have drowned after disappearing from a fishing boat off the California coast five weeks ago was found on an island owned by the U.S. Navy and will be reunited with her owner on Thursday evening, the Navy said.











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Florida students hurt when performer catches fire during pep rally

(Reuters) - More than a dozen Florida high school students were injured when a performer caught fire during a pep rally on Thursday, officials said.











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S&P cuts Michigan rating outlook to stable, cites Flint crisis

(Reuters) - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Thursday lowered the outlook on Michigan's credit rating to stable from positive, citing burgeoning costs associated with a lead-tainted water crisis in the city of Flint and with the cash-strapped Detroit Public Schools (DPS).


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Tuskegee Airman reflects on all-black unit's founding 75 years ago

BETHESDA, Md. (Reuters) - Seventy-five years after the founding of the all-black Tuskegee Airmen, one of its most decorated pilots says the pioneering unit showed African-Americans' fighting worth at a time of deep racial discrimination.


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Congress urges resignations of Michigan governor, EPA chief over Flint

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Thursday called for the resignations of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, on the grounds that they failed to act fast enough to intervene with the city of Flint's contaminated drinking water.











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Judge in Nevada denies pre-trial release of rancher Cliven Bundy

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Nevada on Thursday denied the release of rancher Cliven Bundy ahead of his trial on charges stemming from a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents.











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More U.S. police officers buying insurance in case of lawsuits, union says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Law enforcement officers in the United States are increasingly buying professional liability insurance policies amid worries they may be sued for their on-duty actions, the Fraternal Order of Police, the biggest U.S. police union, told Reuters.


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J Walter Thompson CEO quits after being accused of slurs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The chief executive of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency resigned on Thursday, one week after being accused by a female subordinate in a lawsuit of a stream of racist and sexist behavior.


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Maryland lawmakers junk 'Northern scum' from state song

(Reuters) - Maryland's legislature moved to toss Civil War-era lyrics about "Northern scum" and other lines disparaging President Abraham Lincoln from the official state song on Thursday.











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Mother of teen who died in Kentucky jail wants details of stay: lawyer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - The lawyer for the mother of the black 16-year-old girl who died at a Kentucky juvenile detention center said on Thursday he wants to know the details of Gynna McMillen's treatment there, a day after state officials blamed her death on a heart condition.


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Sergeant Bergdahl says 'fantastic' plan crumbled hours after leaving post

(Reuters) - U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl had devised what he told a military investigator was a "fantastic plan" to leave his post so he could inform higher-ups about problems in the ranks, but that fell apart when he realized he took on more than he could manage.


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Religious liberty bill passes Georgia state legislature

(In March 16 item, corrects timing of legislative session in final paragraph)











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New York mayor marching in St. Pat's parade after gay rights uproar

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade turns fashionable Fifth Avenue green on Thursday, and Mayor Bill de Blasio will end his two-year boycott over gay rights and march in the world's largest Irish heritage celebration.


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Chicago panel to recommend three for police superintendent position

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Police Board on Thursday is expected to nominate three finalists for the superintendent position of Chicago's police department, which is under a federal investigation over use of lethal force.


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SeaWorld says to stop breeding killer whales

(Reuters) - Theme park operator SeaWorld Entertainment Inc said on Thursday it would stop breeding killer whales, and those currently at its parks would be the last.











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Nevada rancher charged in 2014 standoff to appear in federal court

(Reuters) - The Nevada rancher at the center of a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents was due to appear on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, seeking to be released from custody ahead of his trial on conspiracy and other felony charges.











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Pennsylvania man to plead guilty to hacking celebrities' email, iCloud accounts

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania man has agreed to plead guilty to a felony computer hacking charge after authorities said he illegally accessed private phone and email accounts of celebrities such as Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence to leak information including nude pictures.


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EPA chief warned in September Flint water crisis could 'get big'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warned in September that the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, could "get very big" months before the EPA issued an emergency order requiring the state and city to take immediate steps to protect residents, emails released on Wednesday showed.











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South Dakota couple, now deceased, stole grant money: prosecutor

(Reuters) - A South Dakota couple who died in a murder-suicide last year stole hundreds of thousands of dollars that were intended to fund the education of Native Americans and low-income students, the state attorney general's office said on Wednesday.


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U.S. probes New York City over lead at public housing: court filing

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday it has opened a civil investigation into the health and safety conditions in New York City's public housing and the extent residents have elevated blood-lead levels.











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Five North Carolina Sheriff's deputies disciplined over Trump rally

(Reuters) - Five North Carolina Sheriff's deputies have been disciplined over their behavior at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump where a white supporter sucker punched a black protester, officials said on Wednesday.


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Michigan driver charged with murder files $10 million lawsuit against Uber

(Reuters) - The Uber driver in Michigan charged with murdering six people last month in a shooting spree has filed a $10 million federal civil rights lawsuit against the ride-sharing company, saying that it is Uber's fault he is in prison, court records show.


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U.S. military leaders voice concern about readiness of forces

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. military leaders voiced concern on Wednesday about their ability to fight a war with global powers like Russia, telling a congressional hearing that a lack of resources and training was weighing on America's combat readiness.











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For New York hospital's patients, miniature horses are a strong Rx

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Some of the most powerful medicine delivered to young patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York on Wednesday came in a package less than 32 inches tall and with a tail.


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Friendly fire that killed Maryland officer was deliberately aimed: police

(Reuters) - The shot that killed a Maryland plainclothes detective during a gunfight with a suspect with a history of mental illness was deliberately aimed at him by another officer in a "tragic" misunderstanding, a police official said on Wednesday.


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Suspended U.N. diplomat pleads guilty in U.S. bribery case

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A suspended deputy United Nations ambassador from the Dominican Republic pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges that he participated in a scheme to bribe a former U.N. General Assembly president.











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Ohio prosecutor in Tamir Rice shooting case loses re-election bid

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - The Ohio prosecutor heavily criticized for failing to indict two Cleveland police officers in the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice has lost his bid for re-election.











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N.C. man cleared of 1984 murder dead from likely suicide: police

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - A black North Carolina man exonerated in 2004 after 19 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said on Wednesday.


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Ex-Subway pitchman beaten in federal prison: TMZ

(Reuters) - Former Subway sandwich chain pitchman Jared Fogle, who is serving a sentence for child pornography and sex offenses, was beaten in a Colorado federal prison in late January by another inmate, according to TMZ.











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Florida mansion once owned by USA Today founder destroyed by fire

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - The Florida oceanfront mansion where USA Today founder Al Neuharth lived for four decades was destroyed overnight by a fire visible at least five miles away, a local fire chief said on Wednesday.


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Nearly 70 dogs killed in fire at Texas animal shelter

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A fire that swept through an animal shelter in the east Texas city of Beaumont left 67 dogs dead, officials said on Wednesday.


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Kelly Clarkson, Lea Michele team up with Obama on girls' education

(Reuters) - Singers Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monae and former "Glee" star Lea Michele released a single on Wednesday in support of U.S. first lady Michelle Obama's worldwide girls' education initiative.


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Washington commuters turn to bikes, buses amid subway shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Commuters in Washington, D.C., packed the roads in cars and on bicycles and crowded buses to cope with a last-minute shutdown of the second-busiest U.S. subway system for emergency safety checks.











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Armed suspect arrested after father killed, Fort Worth officer wounded in gunfight

(Reuters) - An armed suspect was taken into custody after fleeing a gunfight with police in which his father, wanted on felony warrants, was killed and a Fort Worth officer was critically wounded, police said.


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Fort Worth police officer critically wounded in gunfight

DALLAS (Reuters) - A Fort Worth police officer was critically wounded on Tuesday in a gunfight that erupted after he pulled over a father and son to serve an arrest warrant, police said.











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Ferguson accepts U.S. government's police reform plan

FERGUSON, Mo. (Reuters) - The Ferguson, Missouri, city council voted unanimously on Tuesday to accept an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department to reform the city's police department following the 2014 shooting of an unarmed black teenager that sparked riots.


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Graphic account of Hulk Hogan sex tape read in Florida court

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Reuters) - Gawker founder Nick Denton read out a graphic account of the acts shown in a sex tape featuring wrestling celebrity Hulk Hogan in a Florida courtroom on Tuesday, saying his company's 2012 online publication "stands up to the test of time."











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Washington Metro to shut down Wednesday for safety checks: NBC affiliate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington area's Metro subway system will not operate on Wednesday as officials conduct an emergency investigation of equipment, NBC's local affiliate said on Tuesday, citing two unnamed sources.


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Arizona policeman who shot unarmed man pleads innocent to murder charge

PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona police officer who shot an unarmed man to death at a Phoenix-area hotel earlier this year pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges on Tuesday.











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U.S. high school winners in Intel Talent Search to be announced

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three of the United States' brightest high school scientists will emerge winners on Tuesday in the $1 million Intel Talent Search, among the top U.S. competitions for young innovators.


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California water cutbacks draw flood of complaints as reservoirs rise

GRANITE BAY, Calif. (Reuters) - Rick Williams stood on his dead front lawn near Sacramento, California, wondering why he still pays a drought surcharge on his water bill and cannot run his sprinklers as often as he needs when a nearby reservoir is so full it could overflow come spring.











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Teamsters, Lyft drivers will object to settlement over expenses

(Reuters) - Five Lyft drivers and the Teamsters union will object to a proposed class action settlement, saying it would shortchange drivers by keeping them as independent contractors instead of employees, a union spokesman said on Tuesday.


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Fort Worth policeman suspected of pepper-spraying motorcycle riders

DALLAS (Reuters) - A Fort Worth policeman has been removed from patrol duties while police investigate a video posted on social media purportedly showing him pepper-spraying a group riding motorcycles on a Texas highway, a police spokeswoman said on Tuesday.


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Congress criticizes EPA, Michigan over Flint water crisis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A congressional panel on Tuesday criticized the Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan officials for failing to do more to sound the alarm about high levels of lead in the city of Flint's drinking water.


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Doggie treat: NYC restaurants to allow canines at outdoor tables

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City dogs will find it even easier to beg for scraps under new rules that allow them to sit with their owners at restaurants' outdoor tables.











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Southern U.S. flooding causes closure of major highway

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Flooding caused by days of heavy rain forced the closure on Tuesday of a section of a major east-west U.S. highway on the Louisiana-Texas border along the rising Sabine River, officials in both states said.











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Obama administration will not open Atlantic coast to drilling

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration said Tuesday it will not open up drilling on the southeastern Atlantic coast due to current oil market dynamics and strong local opposition.


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Three police officers shot in Chicago, suspect dead

(Reuters) - Three police officers are expected to survive gunshot wounds suffered in the chase of a suspect shot dead on Monday on Chicago's West side, the police department said.


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Ferguson set to decide on U.S. government's police reform plan

FERGUSON, Mo. (Reuters) - The Ferguson, Missouri city council may approve an agreement on Tuesday that it reached with the U.S. Justice Department to reform the city's police department following the 2014 shooting of an unarmed black teenager.











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Repeat champ leads pack as Alaska's Iditarod dog sled race enters home stretch

JUNEAU, Alaska (Reuters) - One musher in Alaska's grueling sled-dog race appears to stand between Dallas Seavey's third consecutive Iditarod title and a painful second place finish – his father, Mitch.











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Harvard to scrap law school seal associated with slavery

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Harvard University will replace the official shield of its prestigious law school which features the family crest of an 18th century slave holder, after students objected to its racist associations, the school said on Monday.











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Two former Flint officials blame state and feds for water crisis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The former mayor and former emergency manager of Flint both blamed the dangerously high lead levels in the city's water on state and federal officials, according to testimony released on Monday that is to be delivered at a hearing in Washington this week.


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New Jersey voters to decide casino expansion in November

(Reuters) - New Jersey voters will decide whether to expand gambling beyond Atlantic City, the state's distressed casino hub, after the state legislature on Monday approved a ballot measure for November's election.


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Michigan shooting suspect says Uber app controlled him: local TV

(Reuters) - The Uber driver in Michigan charged with murdering six people last month in a shooting spree told investigators that the ride-sharing app had the ability to "take over" his body, a local television station reported on Monday.


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'Secret agents of change' say U.S. intelligence embracing LGBT spies

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A U.S. intelligence community that once forced out gays and lesbians for security reasons now sees inclusivity as the best way to protect the country, and seeks to recruit spies from a wider talent pool that includes the LGBT community.











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Five dead in storms in U.S. Southern states as flooding continues

SHREVEPORT, La. (Reuters) - The death toll from storms in Southern U.S. states rose to five as storm-weary residents of Louisiana and Mississippi watched for more flooding on Monday from drenching rains that inundated homes, washed out roads and prompted thousands of rescues.


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McClendon driving at 88 mph ahead of fatal crash: police

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Aubrey McClendon, the former chief executive of Chesapeake Energy Corp, was driving well above the speed limit at roughly 88 miles (142 km) per hour before he slammed into a bridge abutment earlier this month and died, Oklahoma City police said on Monday.











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U.S. sailor arrested in Okinawa for suspected rape

TOKYO (Reuters) - A U.S. serviceman stationed in Japan's southern island of Okinawa has been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman, Japanese police said on Monday, likely adding to complications for a controversial plan to relocate a U.S. base on the island.


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Vermont legislature on track to be first in U.S. to legalize marijuana

MONTPELIER, Vt. (Reuters) - Liberal-leaning Vermont could become the first U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana use through legislation, rather than by voter initiative, in a move that advocates for the drug say could speed its acceptance across the nation.











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Obama meets with formerly detained Washington Post reporter Rezaian

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama met with Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post reporter who was released from Iran earlier this year, at the State Department on Monday, a White House official said.


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FDA investigating graphic video linked to Kellogg factory

(Reuters) - Breakfast cereals maker Kellogg Co said federal regulators are conducting a criminal investigation of a video that surfaced on Friday showing a man filming himself urinating on one of its factory assembly lines.


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New York Times' editorial page editor Andrew Rosenthal to step down

(Reuters) - New York Times Co said on Monday Andrew Rosenthal would step down as the newspaper's editorial page editor in late April, and would be succeeded by James Bennet, editor-in-chief of the Atlantic.


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Sea level rise projected to displace 13 million in U.S. by 2100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of people who could be displaced in U.S. coastal regions due to rising sea levels this century as a result of climate change is much higher than previously thought, with more than 13 million Americans at risk with a 6-foot (1.8 meters) rise including 6 million in Florida, scientists said on Monday.   The researchers assessed sea level change scenarios by 2100 from the U.S. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for coastal states along with population growth tre











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Police officer kills east Tennessee man fleeing arrest

(Reuters) - A Tennessee police officer shot and killed the driver of a pickup truck who was trying to flee while being arrested for suspected driving under the influence, authorities said on Monday.


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Maryland governor orders flags at half-staff for slain police officer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Maryland Governor Larry Hogan ordered flags lowered to half-staff in honor of a Washington-area police officer killed in an attack authorities described as unprovoked.


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Gawker swings back in Hulk Hogan sex-tape trial

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Reuters) - The former Gawker editor who posted a sex tape of celebrity wrestler Hulk Hogan will stand witness in a Florida courtroom this week, as the website argues it exercised its press freedom in the 2012 release of excerpts of the secretly recorded video.











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Chicago-bound Amtrak train derails in Kansas, 11 injured

(Reuters) - Several cars on Amtrak's Southwest Chief train from Los Angeles to Chicago with 128 passengers and 14 crew on board derailed early on Monday about 20 miles west of Dodge City, Kansas, Amtrak said.


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Obama's prisoner clemency plan faltering as cases pile up

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In April 2014, the administration of President Barack Obama announced the most ambitious clemency program in 40 years, inviting thousands of jailed drug offenders and other convicts to seek early release and urging lawyers across the country to take on their cases.











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Snowmobiler suspected in Iditarod attacks appears in court

(Reuters) - A 26-year-old man arrested in connection with snowmobile attacks on two musher teams in Alaska's Iditarod dog sled race appeared in court via video on Sunday after reportedly admitting he was heavily drunk at the time of the incident.











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Plaintiffs face critical legal tests in GM ignition-switch cases

NEW YORK (Reuters) - People suing General Motors Co over a faulty ignition switch will get two chances in a Manhattan court this week to argue that the U.S. automaker should be held accountable for injuries, deaths and lost vehicle value.


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Maryland police officer slain in ambush, two suspects arrested

LANDOVER, Md. (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire on a police station in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., on Sunday, killing one officer in what authorities called an unprovoked attack before the assailant and a second suspect were arrested.











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Texas festival apologizes after Muslim Olympian told to remove hijab

(Reuters) - Organizers of the South by Southwest (SXSW) arts festival said on Sunday they apologized to U.S. Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad after a volunteer said she must remove her Muslim headcovering to receive credentials to the event in Austin, Texas.


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Second body recovered after tugboat collision at New York bridge

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A second body was recovered in the Hudson River on Sunday a day after a tugboat collided with a barge and sank at the Tappan Zee Bridge, where a new span north of New York City is under construction, authorities said.


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