In Philadelphia, pope to use podium where Lincoln gave famed address
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – When Pope Francis addresses a crowd of thousands at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall next month, he will speak from the same lectern that slain U.S. President Abraham Lincoln used to deliver the Gettysburg Address, officials sa…
San Francisco 49ers release Aldon Smith after DUI arrest
(Reuters) – The San Francisco 49ers released linebacker Aldon Smith on Friday, a day after police in Northern California arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence, hit-and-run and vandalism in the latest in a string of brushes with the l…
Pennsylvania officials have two routes to oust embattled attorney general
HARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) – Pennsylvania officials have two options if they want to push Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office as she faces criminal obstruction charges, but do not seem to be rushing to act, observers said on Friday.
U.S. okays $1.5 billion sale of Lockheed Aegis combat system to Japan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department has approved the likely sale to Japan of two Lockheed Martin Corp Aegis combat systems valued at $1.5 billion, a deal aimed at boosting Japan’s defenses against a ballistic missile attack, the U.S. Defen…
Georgia women arrested on suspicion of caging special-needs children
(Reuters) – A mother was charged with child cruelty and false imprisonment after authorities said her special needs children, an 11-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl, had been kept in homemade cages, investigators said on Friday.
Texas sumo wrestler arrested on kidnapping charge
SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) – A Texas sumo wrestler has been arrested on aggravated kidnapping charges in San Antonio on suspicion of holding a woman captive in an apartment where she may have been sexually abused, police said on Friday.
Woman killed by commuter train in Connecticut: Metro-North
MILFORD, Conn. (Reuters) – An 28-year-old Connecticut woman was killed by a Metro-North express train in Greenwich, Connecticut, on Friday after stepping onto the tracks to try to retrieve a dropped personal item, a railroad spokeswoman said.
California man who took hundreds of ‘up-skirt’ photos gets more jail time
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A California man who prosecutors say secretly took pictures up the skirts of hundreds of women and is already serving 15 years in prison was sentenced on Friday to five more years behind bars.
Texas judge gives man a choice: get married or go to jail
TEXARKANA, Texas (Reuters) – A 20-year-old East Texas man jumped into a quickly arranged marriage after a judge told him last month he had a choice of getting hitched or spending 15 days in jail on an assault charge.
U.S. sees small number of railroads meeting safety deadline
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Only a small number of U.S. railroads will meet the Dec. 31 deadline for implementing new train safety technology that experts say would have prevented the deadly May 12 Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, officials said on Friday…
