Virginia Tech students plotted to kidnap and kill girl: reports
(Reuters) – Two Virginia Tech students plotted to kill a 13-year-old girl, buying a shovel and loading her body into the trunk of a Lexus before dumping it in a remote location, a prosecutor said on Thursday, according to media reports.
First wrongful death claim filed over California methane leak
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Methane fumes spewing from a ruptured underground pipeline near a Los Angeles neighborhood hastened the demise of an elderly woman already suffering from lung cancer, her family said in the first wrongful death claim stemming fr…
Unclaimed dogs shot by Oklahoma shelter, igniting uproar
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – An animal shelter in an Oklahoma town that has euthanized dogs by shooting them is under intense criticism by residents, and the mayor said on Thursday the practice is rare but would be stopped while the shelter is investigate…
In San Bernadino attack, trial delayed for man accused of supplying weapons
(Reuters) – The trial for Enrique Marquez, accused of supplying assault weapons to the husband and wife who massacred 14 people in San Bernardino, California, has been postponed until July, prosecutors said Thursday.
New York deal on horse-drawn carriages collapses in blow to mayor
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A plan to rein in New York City’s horse-drawn carriages, a long-time Central Park tourist attraction, has collapsed after the labor union that helped negotiate the deal withdrew its support, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday.
Texas prosecutor offers probation to anti-abortion activist behind video
HOUSTON (Reuters) – An anti-abortion activist indicted for using a fake driver’s license ID to aid secret filming inside Planned Parenthood facilities turned himself into authorities in Houston on Thursday and was offered a probation deal, prosecutors …
Pennsylvania governor to address budget amid bitter divide
(Reuters) – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf is expected to unveil his proposal for the state’s 2017 budget on Tuesday even though state lawmakers have yet to fully agree on the current spending plan that has languished half-baked as political acrimony h…
New York mayor to back $2.5 billion light rail in key speech
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will back in his annual keynote address on Wednesday a $2.5 billion plan to create a light rail service linking the growing outer boroughs of the city that are poorly served by existing public tra…
Exclusive: New U.S. bill being drafted to reform human trafficking rankings
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A leading U.S. lawmaker on human rights has begun drafting legislation to seek major reforms in how the State Department ranks countries on human trafficking, in response to concerns that the latest annual report was watered down…
Civil rights activist DeRay McKesson running for mayor of Baltimore
(Reuters) – U.S. civil rights activist DeRay McKesson, who was instrumental in the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement against police violence, is running for mayor of Baltimore.
