National monument status questioned for L.A. area mountains
SACRAMENTO Calif. (Reuters) – A seemingly innocuous effort to declare part of a mountain range near Los Angeles a national monument has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, who see it as a Democratic land grab that bypasses Congress and abuses power…
Supreme Court dodges gay marriage, allowing weddings in five more states
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to decide once and for all whether states can ban gay marriage, a surprising move that will allow gay men and women to get married in five additional states, with more likely to follow qu…
Seattle lawmakers vote to change name of Columbus Day holiday
SEATTLE (Reuters) – The Seattle City Council unanimously voted on Monday to redesignate the federal Columbus Day holiday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day to reflect that Native Americans were living on the continent before Christopher Columbus’ 15th Century …
Parents of fatally shot Missouri teen renew call for special prosecutor
(Reuters) – The parents of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager fatally shot in August by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, asked Missouri’s governor on Monday to reconsider his decision not to appoint a special prosecutor in the case….
Defendant can withdraw U.S. terror plea due to warrantless surveillance: judge
NEW YORK (Reuters) – An Albanian man who pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge can withdraw his plea after the U.S. government disclosed it monitored his communications without a warrant, a federal judge in Brooklyn has ruled, likely setting up a rare c…
U.S. working on new screenings for Ebola but no travel ban
WASHINGTON/DALLAS (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Monday that the government would develop expanded screening of airline passengers for Ebola, both in the West African countries hit by the disease and the United States.
Obama says U.S. working on new ways to screen passengers for Ebola
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Monday his administration was working on additional protocols for screening airplane passengers to identify people who might have Ebola and would step up efforts to make medical professionals aware …
Chicago-area man charged in attempt to join Islamic State in Syria
CHICAGO (Reuters) – A Chicago-area man was charged on Monday with attempting to support a foreign terrorist organization after he was arrested on Saturday at O’Hare International Airport on allegations he was on his way to Syria to join the militant gr…
Black bear cub found dead in New York City’s Central Park
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The body of a black bear cub was found in the bushes of New York City’s Central Park on Monday and police have launched a criminal investigation into the death, park officials said.
Lawyers seek end to force-feeding practices for Guantanamo prisoner
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Lawyers for a Syrian prisoner at the Guantanamo Bay prison urged a U.S. judge on Monday to halt harmful force-feeding practices used on their client during a hunger strike.