U.S. says Obamacare covers married gay couples under family plan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Married gay couples will be eligible for a family health policy under President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law, beginning in 2015, the U.S. government said on Friday, encouraging insurers to begin offering coverage this yea…
UPS raises freight unit shipping rates
(Reuters) – United Parcel Service Inc said it will raise shipping rates at its freight unit by 4.4 percent, more than rival FedEx Corp did earlier this month.
Uber expands insurance coverage for ridesharing drivers
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – UberX on Friday expanded the insurance coverage it offers to ridesharing drivers, a step toward easing U.S. regulators’ and lawmakers’ concerns and creating broader acceptance of the services.
Pinkberry yogurt chain co-founder gets seven years in prison in beating
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A co-founder of the Pinkberry frozen yogurt chain who was convicted last year of beating a homeless man with a tire iron over a tattoo he considered disrespectful was sentenced on Friday to seven years in prison.
Rare meningitis strain kills student at Drexel University
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – Drexel University confirmed on Friday that a student died this week from the rare strain of meningitis that hit Princeton University and the University of California at Santa Barbara last fall.
Maryland Senate votes to ease marijuana penalties
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (Reuters) – The Maryland state Senate voted overwhelmingly on Friday to decriminalize possession of a small amount of marijuana, part of a trend across the United States to ease penalties for pot.
Arizona man gets nine life terms for Buddhist temple murders
PHOENIX (Reuters) – An Arizona man convicted of the execution-style killings of six Buddhist monks and three others at a temple near Phoenix more than two decades ago was sentenced on Friday to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Los Angeles man arrested over Twitter threat to shoot random pedestrian
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A 20-year-old man has been arrested in Los Angeles after writing on Twitter that he would shoot a random pedestrian if people retweeted his message 100 times on the social media website, police said on Friday.
Security push at Boston Marathon bomb anniversary, but risks remain
BOSTON (Reuters) – Even as police prepare for a massive presence at Boston’s first marathon since the 2013 bombing attack that killed three people and injured 264, officials acknowledge the sheer scale of the event poses inevitable security risks.
New York Senate offers to fund signature de Blasio pre-K program
NEW YORK (Reuters) – State senators are offering New York City $540 million to fund universal pre-school and after-school programs in the coming financial year as they try to counter calls by Mayor Bill de Blasio to raise taxes on wealthy city resident…
