Phoenix police officer shoots dead unarmed black man during scuffle
(Reuters) – A Phoenix police officer shot to death an unarmed black man during a struggle and authorities said the officer believed the individual had a gun, in the latest fatal incident amid national turmoil over the policing of black communities.
Drug control body concerned by pot legalization in some U.S. states
VIENNA (Reuters) – The head of a body monitoring compliance with international drug control conventions expressed concern on Thursday about the health and other implications of moves by several U.S. states to legalize marijuana.
Boehner vows to avoid government shutdown with help from Democrats
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Overriding objections from some conservative Republicans, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner vowed on Thursday to plow ahead with a spending bill that averts a government shutdown while keeping some budget “leverage” over President …
Philadelphia treated to reruns of annual New Year’s Day Mummers Parade
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – Philadelphia’s annual Mummers Parade is so wildly popular in the city of Brotherly Love that a broadcaster has started showing hour after hour of reruns for folks who cannot wait for the live event on New Year’s Day.
U.S. lawmakers set last-ditch push for Islamic State war authorization
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee made a last-ditch push on Thursday to vote on an authorization for the use of military force against Islamic State before they hand full control of Congress over to Republicans …
Obama to announce nomination of next Pentagon chief on Friday: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will announce his pick for the next Secretary of Defense on Friday morning, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Thursday.
U.S. Attorney General to announce findings of Cleveland police probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will announce on Thursday the findings of a Justice Department investigation of police in Cleveland over possible civil rights violations such as excessive use of force.
Rare conjoined twins, sharing a heart, born at Georgia hospital
ATLANTA (Reuters) – Conjoined twin boys, sharing a heart, torso, arms and legs, were born early on Thursday in an Atlanta hospital, marking a medical rarity as many such babies do not survive delivery.
Starbucks eyes booze, food and technology to boost U.S. growth
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Starbucks Corp, aiming to give cooling U.S. traffic a jolt, on Thursday announced it will add beer, wine, and evening snacks to thousands of domestic cafes, widen lunch offerings and roll out mobile ordering.
Chimps have no human rights: N.Y. court
ALBANY, N.Y. (Reuters) – In the first case of its kind, a New York appeals court has rejected an animal rights advocate’s bid to extend “legal personhood” to chimpanzees, saying the primates are incapable of bearing the responsibilities that come with …
