Lawmaker, university spar over 'control' of Chinese dissident in U.S.
Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:07:17 -0400
By Paul Eckert WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressman who has been blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng's main champion in Washington said people working for New York University have tried to keep him from meeting Chen, barging into a meeting on Capitol Hill and pulling Chen out on one occasion. U.S. Representative Chris Smith, an outspoken supporter of Chinese dissidents since the 1980s, described repeated instances of various people he says were from NYU interfering in his attempts to meet with Chen. ...
North Carolina governor signs law aimed at restarting executions
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:20:27 -0400
By Colleen Jenkins WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Reuters) - North Carolina's governor, hoping to resume executions in his state, on Wednesday signed the repeal of a law that has allowed death row inmates to seek a reduced sentence if they could prove racial bias affected their punishment. The Racial Justice Act, the only law of its kind in the United States, had led to four inmates getting their sentences changed to life in prison without parole after taking effect in 2009. ...
Stop force-feeding Guantanamo prisoners: Senator
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:07:32 -0400
By Jane Sutton GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein urged the Pentagon on Wednesday to stop force-feeding hunger-striking prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and called the practice "out of step" with medical ethics and international norms. Feinstein, a California Democrat who chairs the Senate intelligence committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, saying the Guantanamo force-feeding policy was also out of synch with policies in the civilian federal prisons. ...
Lawyers for accused Colorado gunman barred from psychiatric exam
Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:06:51 -0400
By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - Lawyers for James Holmes, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to killing 12 moviegoers in a Colorado theater last year, cannot be present during his court-ordered psychiatric examination, the judge in the murder case ruled on Wednesday. Arapahoe County District judge Carlos Samour Jr. rejected a motion by Holmes' public defenders, who argued that they should be allowed to attend the exam - especially since prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against their client. ...
House votes to delay food safety rules
Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:44:58 -0400WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted late Wednesday to delay sweeping food safety rules that would require farmers and food companies to be more vigilant about guarding against contamination.
Compromise among senators eyed on border security
Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:08:34 -0400
WASHINGTON (AP) — After secretive talks, key senators expressed optimism Wednesday night that they were closing in on a bipartisan agreement to dramatically toughen the border security requirements in immigration legislation that also offers a path to citizenship to millions living in the country illegally.
Fewer drivers seen on July 4 as shorter holiday, economy bite: AAA
Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:05:23 -0400
(Reuters) - Fewer drivers will take to the road during the Independence Day holiday in part due to a sluggish economy, but also because people will take less time off, travel group AAA said on Thursday. The group expects 40.8 million people to travel 50 miles or more from home during the July 4 break and 34.4 million of them will drive, a drop of about 0.7 percent from the estimated 34.7 million who drove last year. ...
Today in History
Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:01:33 -0400Today is Thursday, June 20, the 171st day of 2013. There are 194 days left in the year. Summer arrives at 10:04 p.m. Pacific time (Friday 1:04 a.m. Eastern time).
New Colo. wildfire prompts evacuations of homes
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:25:31 -0400
EVERGREEN, Colo. (AP) — A new wildfire in the foothills southwest of Denver forced the evacuation of dozens of homes Wednesday as hot and windy conditions in the West made it easy for fires to start and spread.
Tropical Storm Barry forms off Mexican coast
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:24:21 -0400
VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) — Tropical Storm Barry formed off Mexico's Gulf Coast on Wednesday, prompting Mexican authorities to ready hundreds of shelters.
Former TWA Flight 800 investigators want new probe
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:19:32 -0400
MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — Former investigators are pushing to reopen the probe into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, saying new evidence points to the often-discounted theory that a missile strike may have downed the jumbo jet.
Minuteman U.S. border watch co-founder arrested on child sex charges
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:49:24 -0400
By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - The co-founder of the Minutemen civilian border patrol group that for several years watched for unauthorized immigrants crossing to Arizona from Mexico, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of molesting three young girls. Chris Simcox, 52, who co-founded the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps in 2005, was booked into a Maricopa County jail in connection with the molestation of three girls under the age of 10, said Sergeant Tommy Thompson, a Phoenix police spokesman. ...
Wooden beam could be detached part of shipwreck
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:31:07 -0400
FAIRPORT, Mich. (AP) — A wooden beam that has long been the focus of the search for a 17th century shipwreck in northern Lake Michigan was not attached to a buried vessel as searchers had suspected, but still may have come from the elusive Griffin or some other ship, archaeologists said Wednesday.
Mueller: FBI uses drones for surveillance
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:25:25 -0400
WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI uses drones for surveillance of stationary subjects, and the privacy implications of such operations are "worthy of debate," FBI Director Robert Mueller said Wednesday.
Bulger, Gandolfini: Mob makes headlines this week
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:19:54 -0400
The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related news making headlines this week. Here's a look:
Bulger to Soprano: Mob makes headlines this week
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:13:44 -0400The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related news making headlines this week. Here's a look:
Ga. police sergeant reinstated after stabbing
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:00:57 -0400ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia police sergeant is back on the job six years after being stabbed, almost fatally, six years ago.
GAO says airline merger would reduce competition
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:00:22 -0400DALLAS (AP) — A government review finds that the merger of American Airlines and US Airways would reduce competition on more than 1,600 routes traveled by more than 53 million passengers.
4 shot, 3 dead at Kentucky condo shooting
Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:40:26 -0400
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Three people were shot to death and a fourth was critically injured Wednesday at a condominium building in Louisville, Ky., and police are saying the shootings appear to be domestic-related.
