National: Breaking US News from Reuters News

Here is the latest US News from Reuters.

US officials extend emergency water assistance for Flint, Michigan
(Reuters) – Federal officials have extended an emergency declaration for Flint that has provided supplies of bottled water, filters and test kits to the Michigan city suffering from lead contamination in drinking water, the state governor said on Friday.

Federal judge blocks section of Alabama abortion law
(Reuters) – A federal judge on Friday struck down an Alabama law that required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.

Highest officer in U.S. Navy bribe scheme sentenced to 46 months
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – A federal judge in San Diego on Friday sentenced a U.S. Navy captain caught in a $30 million bribery scandal to 46 months in prison, bringing to a close the case against the highest-ranking officer in the fraud scheme.

Wisconsin man sentenced to three years for threatening to kill Obama
(Reuters) – A federal judge on Friday sentenced a Wisconsin man to three years in prison for threatening to kill U.S. President Barack Obama, court records showed.

Skier Picabo Street to be cleared of assaulting father: attorney
(Reuters) – Assault and domestic violence charges against U.S. Olympic gold medalist skier Picabo Street are expected to be dismissed, her attorney said on Friday, a day after prosecutors moved to drop the case stemming from an incident with her father.

California judge denies bail for flight attendant in drug case
(Reuters) – A federal judge in California on Friday effectively overruled a Brooklyn magistrate and ordered a flight attendant held without bail on charges that she dumped a bag of cocaine and fled authorities at Los Angeles International Airport.

Kentucky House votes to use single form for marriage licenses
(Reuters) – Kentucky’s House of Representatives on Friday approved a bill to create a single marriage license form for opposite-sex and same-sex couples that would allow applicants to identify as “bride,” “groom” or “spouse.”

Florida governor signs law ending funding to clinics providing abortions
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) – Florida Governor Rick Scott on Friday signed a law that cuts off state funding for preventive health services to clinics providing abortion and imposes abortion restrictions already being tested before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Winds expected to feed wildfires in Kansas, Oklahoma
(Reuters) – Crews battling wildfires that scorched roughly 400,000 acres in Kansas and Oklahoma braced on Friday for wind gusts to resume, feeding a fire so big it shows on satellite images and its smoke has reached Kentucky.

Switzerland to hand Venezuela oil firm bank records to U.S.
ZURICH (Reuters) – In a widening corruption probe into Venezuela’s state oil company by U.S. authorities, Swiss regulators have agreed to provide U.S. prosecutors with records from at least 18 banks relating to the oil firm.

Two siblings based in New York confirmed killed in Belgian bombings
(Reuters) – Two siblings who lived in New York have been identified as among those killed this week in suicide bombings in Brussels, family and close friends confirmed on Friday.

U.S. attempt to unlock San Bernardino iPhone could impact N.Y. case: Apple
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Apple Inc said the U.S. Justice Department’s new attempts to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters without the tech giant’s help could eliminate the government’s need for its assistance in a similar dispute in New York.

Chicago civic leaders urge local choice for next top cop
CHICAGO (Reuters) – After a decade of outsiders serving as Chicago’s police chief, local politicians and church leaders are pushing for an insider to take charge of the 12,000-member force after a history of police shootings that have damaged public trust in the department.

Korean-American in North Korea confesses to stealing secrets – media
SEOUL (Reuters) – A Korean-American man detained in North Korea has confessed to stealing military secrets and plotting subversion with South Koreans, the North’s official news agency and foreign media reported on Friday.

Two Americans killed in Brussels bombings, Kerry offers help
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Two Americans were killed in Tuesday’s suicide bombings in Brussels, a senior U.S. official said on Friday, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Belgian leaders and offered condolences and help following the attack.

Web of agencies at U.S. airports could hinder security overhauls
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Travelers passing through New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport this week witnessed a show of force following the Brussels airport attack: U.S. Army soldiers in khaki camouflage bearing assault rifles, police officers in black bullet-proof vests and private security guards directing traffic in neon-yellow vests.

Korean-American held in North Korea confesses to trying to steal military secrets: media
SEOUL (Reuters) – A Korean-American man who had been detained in North Korea has confessed to trying to steal military secrets from the isolated state, Japan’s Kyodo and China’s Xinhua news agencies reported on Friday.

Man who refused to descend from Seattle tree also resists court appearance
(Reuters) – A man who grabbed national headlines for refusing to descend from his perch in a giant sequoia tree in downtown Seattle also refused to appear in court on Thursday, records indicate.

Delta Air Lines in agreement to settle lawsuit against Republic
(Reuters) – Delta Air Lines Inc has agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused Republic Airways Holdings Inc of breaching a contract to operate flights for Delta, Republic said in a news release Thursday.

Protesters target North Carolina repeal of Charlotte transgender law
(Reuters) – Hundreds gathered in front of the North Carolina governor’s mansion on Thursday to protest passage of a state law that blocks cities from allowing transgender people to use public bathrooms that match their gender identities.

Blizzard sweeps through the U.S. Midwest, two die in accident
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The blizzard that blasted Colorado and shut down Denver’s airport swept through the U.S. Midwest on Thursday, leading to at least two weather-related traffic deaths and dumping up to 12 inches (30 cm) of snow in Wisconsin, officials said.

Children facing deportation from U.S. have right to attorneys, lawsuit argues
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Lawyers for nine children suspected of being illegal immigrants argued on Thursday that they have the right to a court-appointed attorney, in a lawsuit that challenges the notion that minors can competently represent themselves.

Texas grand jury clear university policeman in fatal shooting
DALLAS (Reuters) – A University of North Texas police officer who fatally shot an axe-wielding student last year has been cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury, the school said on Thursday.

Arkansas state judge sentenced 10 years for accepting bribes
(Reuters) – A former Arkansas judge was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday in a federal court in Little Rock after he pleaded guilty to lowering the amount of damages a jury awarded in a civil suit in exchange for campaign contributions.

Lockheed’s minehunting system canceled: Pentagon
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon formally canceled a remote controlled minehunting system built by Lockheed Martin Corp after years of delays and questions about its reliability, the Defense Department said in a report on Thursday. It said there was no plan to buy more of the minehunters.

Guilty plea expected in Sandy Hook charity fraud case
(Reuters) – A Tennessee man charged last year with using a fake charity to steal money following the December 2012 shooting deaths of 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut has agreed to enter a guilty plea.

Anguish for relatives of Americans missing in Brussels
(Reuters) – Families of Americans missing in Brussels since this week’s deadly suicide bombings by Islamist militants were desperate on Thursday for any word of their loved ones after a false alarm that a missing U.S. couple had been found.

U.S. trying to account for two U.S. government employees after Belgium blasts: official
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said on Thursday it was still trying to account for U.S. citizens who were in Brussels at the time of the recent bombings, including two who were U.S. government employees or their family members.

Man pleads guilty over noose on statue at University of Mississippi
(Reuters) – A former University of Mississippi student pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge on Thursday, admitting to his role in draping a noose around the neck of a statue of the school’s first black student, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Minnesota town evacuated after train derailment
(Reuters) – A small Minnesota town was being evacuated on Thursday after a Canadian Pacific freight train collided with a semi-truck hauling propane, officials said.

New York doctor indicted on sexual assault charges
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York doctor accused of sexually assaulting two female patients at a Manhattan hospital was indicted on Thursday on charges involving two other women, prosecutors said.

Brussels bomber brothers were on U.S. watch lists before attack -sources
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two brothers who carried out suicide bombings in Brussels this week were known to U.S. government agencies before the attacks, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Illinois high court strikes down Chicago pension reform
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a 2014 state law aimed at boosting the sinking finances of two pension funds for Chicago city workers, saying it violated pension protections in the state’s constitution.

New Hampshire man linked to Bundy standoff to face trial in Nevada
(Reuters) – A U.S. judge has approved the extradition of a New Hampshire man to Nevada, where he is to face trial on charges that he helped organize a high-profile armed standoff with federal agents at the ranch of Cliven Bundy in 2014.

No specific threats against U.S. after Brussels blast: Attorney General Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Thursday the United States has received no specific, credible threats following the Brussels attacks on Tuesday but that Justice Department officials remain vigilant and in contact with their Belgian counterparts.

Twenty-seven alleged Boston gang members charged after morning raids
BOSTON (Reuters) – U.S. prosecutors said that 27 alleged Boston gang members face drug and gun charges on Thursday following a morning series of raids and arrests focused on a housing project in a southern part of the city.

U.S. officials hopeful they can unlock San Bernardino iPhone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials said on Thursday that they are hopeful they will be able to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters without help from Apple Inc, but said the national debate over privacy and encryption must still be resolved.

Gunman reported in U.S. Navy hospital in San Diego: base spokesman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A security alert was issued at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in San Diego Thursday after a gunman was reported to have been seen inside the main hospital, but no shots were fired, a base spokesman said.

Arizona gunman’s lawsuit vs Gabby Giffords may be hoax: report
(Reuters) – A bizarre lawsuit purportedly filed by the gunman in the 2011 mass shooting in Arizona that critically injured U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords may be a hoax, an Arizona news website reported on Thursday.

U.S. regulators finalize new silica limits for construction, other industries
(Reuters) – Capping a decades-long effort, U.S. workplace regulators on Thursday announced a final rule to boost protections against occupational exposure to crystalline silica, a carcinogenic dust ubiquitous in construction, foundries and fracking.

Michigan Senate approves emergency funds for Detroit schools
(Reuters) – The Michigan Senate on Thursday approved a $48.7 million emergency spending package aiming to keep the cash-strapped Detroit public schools open in April.

JetBlue attendant who dropped 70 pounds of cocaine nabbed in New York
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A JetBlue flight attendant will appear in federal court in New York on Thursday, six days after authorities say she dropped a bag containing almost 70 pounds (32 kg) of cocaine at Los Angeles International Airport, took off her shoes and ran away.

Illinois high court delivers defeat to union on back-pay dispute
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The Illinois Supreme Court reversed two lower court rulings on Thursday and held that unionized state workers whose 2011 raises were withheld during a state budget crisis are not entitled to back pay unless the state legislature appropriates the money.

Indiana likely to ban abortions based on fetal disabilities
(Reuters) – Indiana is likely to become the second U.S. state to prohibit abortions based on the diagnosis of the fetus with a disability such as Down syndrome.

UAW union membership rises 1.3 percent in 2015
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Membership in the United Auto Workers union rose by nearly 5,200 workers in 2015 to 408,639, the sixth straight year of small gains for the American union.

Ohio man opts to wear ‘thief’ sign over jail time
(Reuters) – A northeast Ohio man convicted of stealing has chosen to wear a sign reading “I AM A THIEF. I STOLE FROM WALMART” over spending 30 days in jail.

Two Texas metro areas make biggest U.S. population gains: U.S. Census
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – Texas’ biggest metropolitan areas were the biggest magnet for newcomers in the United States in the year through last July, even as a fall in energy prices sent shockwaves through the oil-rich state, U.S. Census Bureau data released on Thursday said.

Colorado judge asked to send accused clinic gunman to mental hospital
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) – A lawyer for the man accused of killing three people and wounding nine others in a shooting rampage at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic in November asked a judge on Thursday to commit the defendant to a state mental hospital.

South Carolina governor urges U.S. to divert plutonium from Japan
TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has written to U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz demanding a shipment of weapons-grade plutonium en route to her state from Japan be turned back or sent elsewhere, according to a copy of the letter seen by Reuters.

Weeks after Oregon, standoff lingers over American West’s public lands
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Federal government control of public lands in the U.S. West remains a political flashpoint weeks after an armed standoff in Oregon fizzled, with lawmakers debating proposals and a left-leaning think tank urging scrutiny of extremist groups.

Palo Alto considers subsidized housing for salary up to $250K
(Reuters) – Palo Alto officials are considering providing subsidized housing for people earning up to $250,000, as rent and home prices soar in the Silicon Valley city.

Chicago teachers authorize one-day walkout
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The Chicago Teachers Union’s governing body voted on Wednesday to send its 27,000 members and support staff off the job for one day next month to protest slow-moving contract talks and inadequate education funding.

University of California softens anti-Semitism statement
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The University of California’s regents declared on Wednesday they would not tolerate anti-Semitism on campus but rejected a proposal to equate anti-Zionism with religious bigotry, as they tried to defuse tensions between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian students.

U.S. Navy tug found off California 95 years after going missing
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Navy tug missing since 1921 has been discovered sunk off San Francisco, officials said on Wednesday, solving a nearly century-old maritime mystery.

Phoenix mayor calls for probe of county’s handling of presidential nominating vote
PHOENIX (Reuters) – Phoenix’s mayor on Wednesday urged a federal probe into the local county’s handling of voting in Arizona’s presidential nominating contest, questioning whether minority voters were granted a fair chance to cast their ballots.

Feds bust drug smuggling ring using tunnel under U.S.-Mexico border
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – U.S. federal agents have arrested four people and seized nearly 3,000 pounds of marijuana in an operation to bust a drug smuggling ring that had tunneled under the U.S.-Mexico border, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.

U.S. charges consultant to Iran’s U.N. mission-hearing
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled criminal charges at a Brooklyn, New York, court hearing against a consultant to the Iranian mission to the United Nations.

Pentagon to move ahead with $3 billion F-35 upgrade program in 2018
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon expects to award contracts for a $3 billion, six-year effort to upgrade its newest warplane, the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet, by the end of 2018, the Air Force general who runs the $391 billion program said on Wednesday.

Alleged victim of ex-House Speaker Hastert could testify: Tribune
CHICAGO (Reuters) – An alleged sex abuse victim of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert could testify at his sentencing on a conviction for trying to hide hush money he was paying to another alleged victim, the Chicago Tribune reported on Wednesday.

Texas grand jury charges 48 more people in deadly biker fight
DALLAS (Reuters) – A central Texas grand jury issued indictments for 48 people on Wednesday who are accused of engaging in organized crime in connection with the 2015 shootout among rival motorcycle gangs in Waco that left nine people dead, prosecutors said.

Oklahoma City Public Schools District announces teacher layoffs
(Reuters) – The Oklahoma City Public Schools District will eliminate 208 classroom teaching positions to help grapple with a $30 million revenue shortfall, the district’s top official said on Wednesday.

Pentagon official ties released Guantanamo detainees to U.S. deaths
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Some detainees released from Guantanamo Bay are responsible for the deaths of Americans, a senior Defense Department official said on Wednesday, yet the administration still believes it is in the country’s best interests to close the controversial prison.

Officer who killed black man should not go to prison: Brooklyn DA
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A former New York City police officer found guilty of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man should not go to prison, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said on Wednesday.

Texas student sues over video of sorority sisters’ topless dancing
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – A Southern Methodist University student sued a national sorority on Wednesday, saying it unlawfully copied and distributed a secretly made video showing sorority sisters dancing topless or in other states of undress at an event to welcome new members.

Flight attendant accused of leaving behind cocaine stash arrested in NY
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A flight attendant who ran from Los Angeles International Airport moments before a search turned up 66 pounds (30 kg) of cocaine in her luggage surrendered to authorities in New York on Wednesday, law enforcement officials said.

U.S. bill targets babies born dependent on opioids
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – A bill that aims to protect babies born to mothers who used heroin or other opioids during pregnancy was introduced on Wednesday in the House as part of the government’s response to a Reuters investigation.

Pennsylvania budget to go into effect, ending long stalemate
(Reuters) – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said on Wednesday he would allow a Republican budget bill for fiscal 2016 to become law without his signature, ending nine months of stalemate that starved schools and social service agencies of funding.

Honduras arrests U.S. woman for alleged leadership role in gang
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – A 21-year-old American woman was detained in Honduras, authorities said on Wednesday, for allegedly heading a faction of the Mara Barrio 18, one of the gangs responsible for a crime wave in the Central American nation that has sent families flocking to the United States seeking refuge.

Man nested in Seattle’s landmark giant sequoia tree, draws coos, boos
(Reuters) – A man who nested in a giant sequoia tree in downtown Seattle, drew a flock of Twitter comments, with some cooing over #ManInTree and others condemning him for damaging the 80-foot-tall (24-meter-tall) city landmark before coming down on Wednesday.

FBI seeks help nabbing bank robber known as ‘Count Down Bandit’
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Authorities were hunting on Wednesday for a well-dressed man suspected of robbing at least seven New Jersey banks and dubbed the “Count Down Bandit” for his habit of counting down during the thefts.

Ohio school security guard arrested after making bomb threats
(Reuters) – A security guard at an Ohio school district was arrested on Wednesday after school and police officials said he threatened to blow up school buildings twice this week.

Chinese national pleads guilty in U.S. to computer hacking conspiracy
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A businessman from China pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring to hack into the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors including Boeing Co , the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.

Frozen power lines trigger hundreds of flight cancellations at Denver airport
(Reuters) – More than 300 flights were canceled at Denver International Airport on Wednesday after freezing snow on power lines from a blizzard triggered a power outage, an airport spokesman said.

N.C. legislators seek to repeal Charlotte transgender bathroom law
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) – North Carolina legislators convened for a special session on Wednesday to consider a measure blocking a Charlotte city ordinance that would allow transgender people to use public bathrooms that match their gender identity.

F-35 flight tests show radar software problems: Pentagon
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Radar software being tested for the F-35 stealth fighter jet made by Lockheed Martin Corp is not stable enough, Pentagon officials said in a written statement at a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday.

Pianist’s wife pleads not guilty to murder of children in Texas
DALLAS (Reuters) – The estranged wife of celebrated Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to capital murder in the killings of her two children last week in her suburban Fort Worth, Texas home.

Michigan state officials accountable in Flint water crisis: inquiry
DETROIT (Reuters) – A task force appointed by Michigan’s governor said on Wednesday state officials showed stubbornness, lack of preparation, delay and inaction in failing to prevent a health crisis in the city of Flint caused by lead contamination in the drinking water.

U.S. court upholds money manager Vilar’s 10-year prison term
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday ruled that a federal judge was justified in increasing the prison sentence of money manager and arts patron Alberto Vilar to 10 years in prison from nine for securities fraud.

Buffett son’s foundation commits $90 million to help U.S. women of color
(Reuters) – A charitable foundation run by billionaire Warren Buffett’s youngest son on Wednesday said it will spend $90 million to improve the lives of girls and young women of color in the United States.

Brussels airport bombing may have targeted Americans: U.S. lawmaker
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The suicide bombers behind the Brussels attacks may have attempted to target Americans, the top lawmaker on the intelligence committee in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Wednesday.

Atlanta airport evacuated day after deadly Brussels bombings
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials on Wednesday sought to confirm the whereabouts of Americans missing in Brussels following Tuesday’s suicide bombings and Atlanta’s airport was briefly evacuated because of a suspicious package as travelers remained on edge.

Five bald eagles killed in Delaware
(Reuters) – Five bald eagles have died in Delaware, state officials said on Tuesday, weeks after 13 of the U.S. national birds were determined to have been killed by humans in neighboring Maryland.

Israeli firm helping FBI to open encrypted iPhone: report
TEL AVIV (Reuters) – Israel’s Cellebrite, a provider of mobile forensic software, is helping the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s attempt to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California shooters, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Attorneys for Cosby, accusers due back in Massachusetts court
BOSTON (Reuters) – Attorneys for Bill Cosby and those of seven women who have accused the comedian of sexual assault are due in a Massachusetts courtroom on Wednesday to argue about evidence in a defamation suit.

Nine guards on trial for beating of Rikers Island inmate in N.Y.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Nine correction officers are to go on trial on Wednesday for the brutal beating of an inmate and a subsequent coverup at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex.

Houston boy, 4, killed by SUV during pickup from daycare
(Reuters) – A 4-year-old boy waiting to be picked up from his Houston daycare was struck and killed on Tuesday by a sports utility vehicle operated by an elderly woman retrieving her grandchild, law enforcement said.

U.S. high court confronts Obamacare contraceptives challenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider appeals by Christian groups demanding full exemption on religious grounds from a requirement under President Barack Obama’s healthcare law to provide health insurance covering contraceptives.

U.S. urges caution while traveling in Europe after Brussels attacks
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The State Department warned U.S. citizens about the potential risks of travel in Europe after several attacks, including those earlier on Tuesday in Brussels claimed by Islamic State.

California couple in kidnapping first deemed hoax file lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A San Francisco-area couple who were victimized in a kidnapping that was deemed to be a hoax by local police filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on Tuesday, alleging that police destroyed their reputations.

Wrecked vessel washed ashore in Oregon may be from Japan tsunami
PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) – Algae and an oyster are among the clues Oregon biologists believe may link the vestiges of a sea-ravaged boat that washed up on a state beach on Tuesday to the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan.

Venezuelan businessman pleads guilty in U.S. energy bribery case
(Reuters) – A Venezuelan businessman accused by U.S. prosecutors of taking part in a $1 billion conspiracy to pay bribes to obtain contracts from Venezuela’s state oil company pleaded guilty on Tuesday.

Measure to hike California’s minimum wage to $15 qualifies for ballot
(Reuters) – A proposal to raise California’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2021 has qualified to be listed on the upcoming November ballot in the state, officials said on Tuesday.

House backs military burial honor for women pilots
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House of Representatives voted unanimously on Tuesday to allow women pilots from World War Two to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, the vast military cemetery just outside Washington.

Texas ex-trooper pleads not guilty in arrest of woman who died in jail
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – A Texas former trooper who arrested a black woman motorist later found hanged in her jail cell pleaded not guilty on Tuesday on a misdemeanor charge of lying on the arrest report he made of the July 2015 incident, a court official said.

Florida sheriff wants to charge mother accidentally shot by young son
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) – A Florida mother who was accidentally shot and wounded earlier this month by her 4-year-old son while she was driving should be charged with a misdemeanor related to unsafe storage of a firearm, a local sheriff’s office said on Tuesday.

Pianist’s wife may have suffocated daughters in Texas home: police report
DALLAS (Reuters) – The estranged wife of celebrated Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko is suspected of having smothered her children with pillows before attempting suicide inside their suburban Fort Worth home, according to a police report.

U.S. court rejects challenge to Colorado gun control laws
(Reuters) – A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered a lower court judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging gun control laws approved by Colorado in the wake of a movie theater massacre in a Denver suburb, saying the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case.

Oregon occupier charged with damaging tribal grounds remains at large
SEATTLE (Reuters) – A protester in the armed takeover of an Oregon wildlife refuge whose identity was revealed this week after he was indicted on three felony charges related to the occupation remains at large, officials said on Tuesday.

Security alert lifted at Denver airport as terminal fully reopens
(Reuters) – A security alert was lifted at Denver International Airport on Tuesday after police gave the all-clear to several suspicious packages that had prompted a brief evacuation in the main terminal, the airport said on Twitter.