Secret U.S. court issues first order for phone data under new law
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The secretive U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has issued its first order allowing the National Security Agency to collect telephone records under a new electronic spying law Congress passed last year.
U.S. Census Bureau settles hiring lawsuit over criminal histories
(Reuters) – The U.S. Census Bureau has reached a $15 million settlement of a lawsuit claiming it discriminated against black and Hispanic job applicants with criminal histories during the 2010 census by making it too hard to document their readiness fo…
Tennessee student apologizes for rainbow noose project
(Reuters) – The Tennessee university student whose art project, six rainbow-colored nooses hanging from a tree, was swiftly removed by police said on Tuesday that she did not intend to be racially insensitive or offend the gay community.
N.Y. officer avoids prison for fatal shooting of black man
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A former New York City police officer avoided prison on Tuesday for the killing of an unarmed black man in an unlit stairwell, prompting demonstrations outside a Brooklyn courthouse.
U.S. chief justice uses sign language as deaf lawyers sworn in
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In an historic first, U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts used sign language from the Supreme Court bench on Tuesday as he welcomed a dozen deaf and hard-of-hearing lawyers who took part in a ceremony authorizing them to argue cases …
U.S. court rules for Virginia student on transgender bathroom access
RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) – A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday ruled for a Virginia transgender student seeking access to the bathroom of his gender identity in a case that could impact the national bathroom wars playing out between gay rights activists and…
New York City watchdog decries ‘irregularities’ in primary voting
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York City official on Tuesday ordered an audit of the city’s election authorities, citing “deep concern over widespread reports of poll site problems and irregularities” as voters cast their ballots in the state’s primary ele…
Air China employee linked to Macau billionaire faces own case
NEW YORK (Reuters) – An employee of a Chinese airline, who came onto the radar of U.S. authorities as they probed the activities of a Macau billionaire accused of bribing a U.N. General Assembly president, is now facing legal troubles of her own.
Washington, DC lawmakers finalize ban on public pot smoking
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Washington, D.C.’s city council on Tuesday permanently banned the smoking of marijuana in public or in clubs, a spokeswoman for Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said, voting 7-6 for a second time to approve the prohibition. The co…
North Carolina business leaders demand repeal of transgender law
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) – North Carolina business leaders on Tuesday called for a repeal of a new state law they blamed for mounting economic losses as opponents cancel jobs and events over concerns that it discriminates against gay and transgend…
