Washington Monument's elevator breaks down, again

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington Monument's troubled elevator broke down on Friday for a second time this week, the National Park Service said, forcing tourists at the top to descend by foot.


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Arkansas judge convicted of bribery granted pauper status by U.S. court

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - A former Arkansas judge convicted of receiving bribes in exchange for lowering the damages awarded in a civil suit will appeal his 10-year prison sentence, but at taxpayer expense, officials said on Friday.











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Mississippi lawmakers approve religion bill amid gay-rights protests

(Reuters) - A Mississippi measure that would allow people with religious objections to deny wedding services to same-sex couples and provide wide protections for actions decried as discriminatory by gay rights advocates passed the state legislature on Friday.


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Flint considering lawsuit against Michigan: report

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The city of Flint is considering suing the state of Michigan over lead contamination in the city's drinking water, a local media report said on Friday.











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Chicago board halts naming police chief candidates

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The board in charge of choosing candidates to become Chicago's next police chief said on Friday it will not suggest any new names until it sees whether the city council changes the selection rules.


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Missing Texas mother found dead in car, children alive in back seat

DALLAS (Reuters) - A woman from a Dallas suburb who was reported missing this week was found dead inside her sport-utility vehicle in a shopping center parking lot with her three children alive in the back seat, police said on Friday.


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Chicago teachers leave schools in funding protest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Armed with "Fight for Funding" picket signs, thousands of Chicago teachers walked out of their classrooms on Friday in a daylong work stoppage aimed at protesting inadequate financing for education and the lack of a contract.











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