Kansas House advances bill to deny same-sex couples social services
(Reuters) – Kansas businesses, individuals and government employees could refuse an array of social services and benefits to same-sex couples based on “sincerely held religious beliefs” under a bill approved on Wednesday by state House of Representativ…
U.S. court hears suit to overturn same-sex marriage ban in Texas
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) – Lawyers for two gay couples challenging a Texas constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage told a federal court in opening arguments on Wednesday the measure is an “abhorrent violation of human and (U.S.) constitu…
Judge sets November trial for accused Boston bomber
BOSTON (Reuters) – The accused Boston Marathon bomber will face trial in November, a U.S. judge said on Wednesday, denying a request by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s attorneys for more time to prepare a defense on charges tied to the largest mass-casualty attack…
Two workers hurt at Tesoro California refinery; unit shut
(Reuters) – Tesoro Corp said two workers were injured following a chemical release at its 166,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Golden Eagle refinery in Martinez, California, on Wednesday.
Judge throws manufacturers a lifeline with asbestos ruling
WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) – A judge who found what he called a “startling pattern” of abuse by plaintiffs’ lawyers may have shifted the landscape of asbestos litigation with a ruling in favor of manufacturers.
One dead, four hurt in New York City bus, truck crash
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A bus driver was killed and four people injured when a New York City bus and a stolen truck collided on Wednesday, slamming into building scaffolding in lower Manhattan, New York officials said.
Rhode Island pension announcement delayed
BOSTON (Reuters) – A press conference at which Rhode Island state and public employee union officials were expected to announce a long-awaited pension reform deal has been postponed indefinitely, a federal mediation agency said on Wednesday.
Winter exposes weakness in U.S. natgas supply network
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Freezing temperatures are hampering U.S. natural gas deliveries this winter despite ample production of the heating fuel, exposing weaknesses in a supply network strained by unprecedented demand.
Florida murderer of nine-year-old Jimmy Ryce facing execution Wednesday
MIAMI (Reuters) – Two decades after a Cuban immigrant kidnapped, raped and murdered a 9-year-old south Florida boy, his killer will be executed by lethal injection Wednesday evening.
Judge blocks warrantless searches of Oregon drug database
(Reuters) – A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that U.S. government attempts to gather information from an Oregon state database of prescription drug records violates constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
