Tornadoes hit Oklahoma and Arkansas, damaging structures
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – A storm system produced at least three tornadoes in Arkansas and Oklahoma on Wednesday, downing power lines and causing damage to structures, officials said.
Florida man killed family in murder-suicide drowning: police
ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) – A 25-year-old Florida father deliberately drove his family into a retention pond two days before Christmas, killing himself, his young daughter and newborn along with their mother, according to a police report released on Wedn…
Driver who injured Denver policeman at Ferguson protest arrested
DENVER (Reuters) – A motorist who was having a seizure when he critically injured a Denver policeman during a demonstration late last year over the killing of an unarmed black teenager in Missouri was arrested on Wednesday on assault charges, authoriti…
Disgraced Oklahoma student says ‘deeply sorry’ about racist song
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – A former University of Oklahoma student seen in a video leading a racist song at a fraternity outing apologized on Wednesday, saying he will carry the shame of his words for the rest of his life.
U.S. to modify launch capability deal for Lockheed-Boeing venture
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Air Force must modify its annual “launch capability” contract with United Launch Alliance, to level the playing field for new competitors of the joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co, senior U.S. Air Force …
Indiana governor to declare disaster for county hit by HIV outbreak
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) – Indiana Governor Mike Pence said on Wednesday he will declare a public health disaster in a small southern Indiana county that has seen a drastic increase in HIV cases tied to intravenous prescription drug abuse since Decemb…
Indianapolis mayor says religious freedom bill sends wrong signal
(Reuters) – The Republican mayor of Indianapolis and a mainstream Christian group based in the city decried on Wednesday a bill Indiana’s Republican governor plans to sign into law on Thursday that could allow companies to deny services to gays on reli…
Ohio House again passes ‘heartbeat’ anti-abortion bill
CLEVELAND (Reuters) – The Ohio House of Representatives on Wednesday again passed a bill that would outlaw abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, or at about six weeks, but it is not expected to become law.
U.S. military challenged maritime claims of 19 countries in 2014
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military conducted freedom of navigation operations last year challenging maritime claims by 19 countries, from China to Argentina, asserting U.S. transit rights in defiance of efforts to impose restrictions, the Pentago…
Large crowd at Univ. of Mississippi protests dismissal of school leader
JACKSON, Miss. (Reuters) – A crowd of roughly 2,500 people gathered at the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford on Wednesday to protest the dismissal of the school’s chancellor, which critics say was unwarranted.
