N.Y. pension fund manager charged with taking bribes pleads guilty
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A former portfolio manager at New York state’s retirement fund pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy on Wednesday after U.S. prosecutors accused him of steering more than $3 billion in trades to two brokerages in exchange for bribes that included vacations, cocaine and prostitutes.
Niger deaths probe outcome expected in January: U.S. military
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military said on Wednesday it has told families of four American soldiers killed during an ambush in Niger on Oct. 4 that it expected to complete its investigation into their deaths in January.
Top ranks of career U.S. diplomats thin under Tillerson: union
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. foreign service has seen its top ranks shrink under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, according to a letter written by the head of the union representing U.S. diplomats and seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
Arkansas pushes ahead with summertime ban on Monsanto, BASF weed killers
CHICAGO (Reuters) – An Arkansas regulatory body voted on Wednesday to bar the use of a weed killer critical to Monsanto Co’s seed sales for a second consecutive summer, ratcheting up a standoff after the company sued the state to prevent restrictions o…
Retired pitcher Roy Halladay’s plane flew low before crash: NTSB
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Reuters) – Witnesses said retired baseball star Roy Halladay maneuvered his plane at low altitude before he died when it crashed off the coast of central Florida, a federal official said on Wednesday.
Con Edison to improve hiring, pay $800,000 to settle U.S. lawsuit
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Con Edison will improve its hiring and training practices and pay $800,000 to settle a U.S. lawsuit claiming it discriminated against disabled employees, and wrongly required job applicants to undergo medical examinations and provi…
Maine governor says he will not expand Medicaid despite vote
(Reuters) – Maine Governor Paul LePage said on Wednesday he would not carry out an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program under Obamacare that was approved by voters unless it was fully funded by the legislature, calling it “ruinous” for the state’s…
Retired pitcher Roy Halladay’s plane flew low before crash
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Reuters) – Witnesses reported that retired baseball star Roy Halladay maneuvered his plane at low altitude before the aircraft’s crash off the coast of central Florida that killed him, a federal official said on Wednesday.
Illinois gets bond proceeds, transparency act for bill backlog
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Illinois began tackling its $16.7 billion backlog of unpaid bills on Wednesday as it received recent bond sale proceeds and enacted a law requiring more frequent spending reports by state agencies.
FBI may have lost critical time unlocking Texas shooter’s iPhone
SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – For about 48 hours after a deadly rampage at a Texas church, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies did not ask Apple Inc to help them unlock the gunman’s iPhone or associated online accounts, a person familiar …
