U.S. drug overdose deaths rose 21 percent to 63,600 in 2016: CDC
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Life expectancy in the United States fell in 2016 as the number of deaths due to drug overdoses rose more than 21 percent to 63,600, mainly due to opioids, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
Winds strengthen as crews make progress on California wildfire
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Strong wind gusts on Thursday may challenge crews battling a sprawling wildfire in Southern California which threatens to become the biggest in state history.
Memphis removes Confederate statues as King anniversary nears
(Reuters) – Authorities in Memphis, a city steeped in civil rights history, removed two statues of Confederate leaders on Wednesday hours after the downtown parkland where they stood was sold to a private group.
U.S. lawmakers seek temporary extension to internet spying program
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives are working to build support to temporarily extend the National Security Agency’s expiring internet surveillance program by tucking it into a stop-gap funding measure, lawma…
Facebook ads that let employers target younger workers focus of U.S. lawsuit
(Reuters) – Several U.S. employers engaged in age discrimination by placing recruitment ads on Facebook targeting younger workers, according to a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by a communications industry labor union.
Trump commutes fraud sentence of kosher meatpacker
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump, in a first exercise of his power to commute criminal sentences, cut short the 27-year prison term of a kosher meatpacking executive who was convicted eight years ago of bank fraud, the White House said on …
Washington state highway reopens after deadly Amtrak derailment
(Reuters) – A major West Coast highway reopened on Wednesday after workers spent two days clearing the wreckage from an Amtrak train that derailed in Washington state while speeding onto a bridge, state transportation officials said.
U.S. lawmakers seek temporarily extension to internet spying program
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives are working to build support to temporarily extend the National Security Agency’s expiring internet surveillance program by tucking it into a stop-gap funding measure, lawma…
U.S. responds in court fight over illegal Indonesian immigrants
BOSTON (Reuters) – U.S. immigration officials sought to block a federal judge’s order delaying efforts to deport 51 Indonesians living illegally in New Hampshire, saying they have not shown they would face harm if repatriated, court documents on Wednes…
Gymnast Maroney says in court filing she was forced to sign agreement
(Reuters) – Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney sued USA Gymnastics (USAG) on Wednesday alleging that the organization forced her to sign a non-disclosure agreement about sexual abuse she endured from former national team doctor Larry Nassar.




