Politicians under fire as icebound U.S. South gets relief
ATLANTA (Reuters) – City and state leaders admitted missteps on Thursday in their handling of a rare ice storm that swept across the U.S. South, killing at least 14 people, snarling traffic and setting off a barrage of criticism from Atlanta residents….
U.S. says results encouraging for healthcare delivery reforms
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration on Thursday reported what it called encouraging results from efforts to reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of care for more than 5 million Medicare beneficiaries under Obamacare
California needs big steps to save water as drought worsens: governor
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – California residents should dramatically cut back on water use, the governor said on Thursday, as the worst drought in nearly four decades threatened agriculture, triggered bans on fishing and led to mandatory rationing in some …
McDonald’s worker charged with selling heroin in happy meal boxes
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – A McDonald’s worker accused of dealing heroin in Happy Meal boxes to customers using the code phrase “I’d like to buy a toy” was being held on bail on Thursday in Pittsburgh, a spokesman for a local prosecutor said.
Half of U.S. nuclear missile wing implicated in cheating
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Just over half of the 183 nuclear missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana have been implicated in a widening exam cheating scandal, the Air Force said on Thursday, acknowledging it had “systemic” problem wi…
Real-life Philomena goes to Washington, seeks help on Irish adoption law
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The 80-year-old Irish woman who inspired the Oscar-nominated film “Philomena” took her campaign for access to adoption records to the U.S. Congress on Thursday, and a senator said lawmakers might urge Ireland to act on the issue….
U.S. to launch clemency effort for low-level drug offenders
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department plans to launch an effort on Thursday to identify non-violent prison inmates convicted of low-level drug charges who would be good candidates for clemency from President Barack Obama.
$21.6 million in counterfeit NFL goods seized ahead of Super Bowl
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Phony NFL merchandise and tickets worth $21.6 million have been seized and 50 people arrested in a crackdown on counterfeiting ahead of this weekend’s Super Bowl, U.S. law enforcement officials said on Thursday.
New York City ends legal defense of stop-and-frisk police tactic
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who ran on a pledge to reform the police department’s aggressive use of stop-and-frisk practices, reached a deal with a civil liberties group on Thursday to end the long legal fight.
Toyota alerts U.S. safety board to issue that could result in recall
(Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp has alerted U.S. safety officials about seat material in several vehicles that does not meet fire retardation standards, which could result in a recall depending on what the safety agency decides.
