U.S. military giving troops more leeway for religious clothing, beards
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon took steps on Wednesday to give individual troops greater latitude to wear turbans, head scarfs, yarmulkes and other religious clothing with their uniforms, but advocacy groups said the new policy fell short of what …
California Governor Brown urges continued fiscal restraint
SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) – California Governor Jerry Brown took credit for his state’s fiscal rebound in a state of the state address on Wednesday that also urged continued restraint by lawmakers seeking to rebuild a social safety net tattered …
Seattle-area Catholic school head quits in furor over gay educator’s firing
(Reuters) – A Seattle-area Catholic school president, who dismissed the vice principal for violating religious doctrine by marrying his same-sex partner, has resigned in the ensuing furor, a school spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Third California student pleads not guilty in hate crime case
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The last of a group of California university students accused of racial hazing of a roommate pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor hate crime and battery charges on Wednesday in a case that has prompted campus protests and outrage…
State court tosses lawsuit over Carnival port in South Carolina
(Reuters) – Carnival Cruise Lines on Wednesday won a round in a three-pronged legal battle with residents and environmental groups in Charleston, South Carolina, over the impact of port operations on the historic downtown.
6.3 million eligible for Medicaid since Obamacare launch: U.S. agency
NEW YORK (Reuters) – More than 6.3 million Americans were deemed eligible for government healthcare plans for the poor since the October 1 launch of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law through December, federal officials reported on Wednesday.
Bitter cold lingers as U.S. northeast digs out from snow
NEW YORK/MAPLEWOOD, New Jersey (Reuters) – Residents of the northeastern United States on Wednesday dug out from a deadly winter storm that dumped more than 15 inches of snow in some places, with frigid temperatures forcing school closings and extensiv…
Inmates at Alabama women’s prison face sexual abuse: U.S. Justice
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) – Inmates at an Alabama women’s prison have been sexually abused and harassed by guards and in some instances allegedly forced to perform sex acts to obtain basic sanitary supplies, a U.S. Department of Justice report rele…
Worker injured during Exxon Baytown gofiner overhaul: sources
HOUSTON (Reuters) – A worker was injured on Wednesday after falling into a reactor while performing an overhaul on a shut gofiner unit at Exxon Mobil Corp’s 560,500 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Baytown, Texas, according to sources familiar with ope…
Ex Dallas Cowboys’ Brent guilty of intoxication manslaughter
DALLAS (Reuters) – A Texas jury found former Dallas Cowboys player Josh Brent guilty on Wednesday of intoxication manslaughter for drinking heavily at a club, getting behind the wheel and causing a car crash that killed teammate Jerry Brown Jr. in Dece…
