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.
Bay Area woman reported kidnapped turns up safe in Southern California
HUNGTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (Reuters) – A San Francisco Bay Area woman reported kidnapped for ransom earlier this week inexplicably reappeared alone and unharmed on Wednesday in Southern California, where she was questioned by police and turned over to f…
U.S. autoworkers face threat as car makers drawn to Mexico
DETROIT (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union on Wednesday said getting raises for workers at the Detroit automakers will be a top priority in contract talks this summer, but more jobs and production are shifting to U.S. plants without unions and M…
Ex-U.S. war prisoner Bergdahl charged with desertion, misbehavior
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) – U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, a former Taliban prisoner in Afghanistan, was formally charged on Wednesday with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, and could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of the mos…
Wisconsin state trooper, bank robbery suspect die in shootout
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) – A recently graduated Wisconsin State Patrol officer and a suspect in two bank robberies were killed in an exchange of gunfire outside a store in Fond du Lac, authorities said on Wednesday.
California attorney general seeks to halt anti-gay ballot initiative
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) – California Attorney General Kamala Harris said on Wednesday she is seeking judicial authority to refuse to allow the author of an “utterly reprehensible” anti-gay proposed ballot initiative to gather signatures to place i…
Former Pennsylvania sportscaster sentenced to prison for charity scam
HARRISBURG, Pa. (Reuters) – A former Pennsylvania sportscaster was sentenced on Wednesday to serve up to four years in state prison for defrauding some 200 people in a charity scheme.
Texas Senate passes $4.5 billion tax cut bill
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – The Texas Senate on Wednesday approved a bill to cut about $4.5 billion in taxes, with most of the cuts in property taxes and a franchise tax paid by businesses.
As oil prices slide, North Dakota sees manufacturing in its future
WILLISTON, N.D. (Reuters) – Business and community leaders in North Dakota’s western oil patch have launched an aggressive campaign to convince more manufacturers to set up shop locally, part of a push to expand the area’s economy beyond crude producti…
