Lockheed halts Boy Scouts donations over gay rights
DALLAS (Reuters) – Lockheed Martin Corp, the top U.S. defense contractor, has halted donations to the Boy Scouts of America because of the group’s policies on religion and to exclude some gays from its ranks, it said on Thursday.
U.S. court revives 9/11 victims’ case against Saudi Arabia
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A U.S. appeals court on Thursday revived claims by families of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks who alleged that Saudi Arabia provided material support to al Qaeda.
Free ride for NYC in union talks a ‘long shot’: report
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City will post a budget surplus this year and next but may have to use a large part of it to settle pay disputes with unions, the city’s Independent Budget Office said in a report on Thursday.
Massachusetts boosts scrutiny of CEO pay at charities
BOSTON (Reuters) – Massachusetts said it will require annual reporting of CEO compensation at the state’s public charities after a review found hospitals, health care plans, and universities giving their executives “high” and rapidly increasing pay.
Miami sues big banks over discriminatory mortgage lending
MIAMI (Reuters) – Miami has sued Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citibank in U.S. federal court in Florida, for discriminatory mortgage lending practices against minority residents that resulted in a rash of foreclosures, the city said on Thursday.
Wisconsin makes it harder to challenge race-based school mascots
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) – Republican Governor Scott Walker on Thursday signed into law a measure making it tougher for those who object to race-based mascots and sports team names to force a change at their school district.
California winner of half Mega Millions jackpot still unknown
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The owner of the second winning ticket in the Mega Millions lottery remained a mystery on Thursday, one day after a Georgia woman came forward to collect her share of the estimated total jackpot of $648 million.
U.S. pastor who performed son’s gay wedding to be defrocked
LOWER PROVIDENCE, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – An embattled Methodist pastor who officiated at his son’s same-sex wedding said on Thursday he would appeal a church decision to defrock him after he refused to say he would never perform another gay ceremony….
Detroit manager and mayor-elect agree to share power
DETROIT (Reuters) – Detroit Mayor-elect Mike Duggan will run most of the city’s day-to-day business and emergency manager Kevyn Orr will focus on the city’s emergence from bankruptcy as part of a power-sharing arrangement the two men announced Thursday…
Firefighters gain ground on California coastal fire
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Firefighters have turned a corner against a wildfire that has destroyed 22 homes and forced the evacuation of dozens more along a picturesque stretch of central California coastline, officials said on Thursday.
