Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Obama makes biggest gun-control push in decades

Obama makes biggest gun-control push in decades


Obama makes biggest gun-control push in decades

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 04:36 PM PST

President Barack Obama signs executive orders on gun violence flanked by Hinna Zeejah, Taejah Goode, Julia Stokes and Grant Fritz during an event at the White House in WashingtonWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama launched the biggest U.S. gun-control push in generations on Wednesday, urging Congress to approve an assault weapons ban and background checks for all gun buyers to prevent mass shootings like the Newtown school massacre. Rolling out a wide-ranging plan for executive and legislative action to curb gun violence, Obama set up a fierce clash with the powerful U.S. gun lobby and its supporters in Congress, who will resist what they see as an encroachment on constitutionally protected gun rights. ...


"We expect Lance to be completely truthful": Livestrong

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 07:33 AM PST

File photo of Lance Armstrong in New YorkAUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The cancer foundation that Lance Armstrong founded said on Wednesday that it anticipates the former cyclist will be "completely truthful" in his chat with Oprah Winfrey set to air Thursday and Friday. "We expect Lance to be completely truthful and forthcoming in his interview and with all of us in the cancer community," the Austin, Texas-based Livestrong Foundation said in a statement. ...


California teacher fired for porn films loses appeal to keep job

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California middle school teacher fired for appearing in pornographic scenes under the alias "Tiffany" has lost an appeal to get back into the classroom after a panel found she acted immorally. The Oxnard school board in April voted unanimously to fire Stacie Halas, 32, over allegations that she was unfit to continue in her job as a teacher at Richard B. Haydock Intermediate School because of her role as a porn actress. ...

Virginia executes convicted murderer who wanted the death penalty

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:48 PM PST

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia (Reuters) - A man who admitted to strangling two fellow prison inmates and threatened to continue killing until he received the death penalty was executed in Virginia on Wednesday, the first time the state has used the electric chair in nearly three years. Robert Charles Gleason Jr., 42, was pronounced dead at 9:08 p.m. (0208 GMT on Thursday), Virginia Department of Corrections spokesman Larry Traylor said. ...

Defense casts accused would-be Oregon bomber as vulnerable

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:26 PM PST

Booking photo of Mohamed Osman MohamudPORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - Lawyers for the accused would-be bomber of an Oregon Christmas tree-lighting event sought on Wednesday to cast their Somali-born client as an emotionally fragile teenager prone to manipulation by undercover agents who coached him in planning an act of mass murder. One of those agents, testifying under defense cross-examination in federal court, acknowledged that the target of the FBI's sting operation was a lonely, financially strapped student whose parents' marriage was unraveling. Mohamed Osman Mohamud, a naturalized U.S. ...


As "Roe v. Wade" turns 40, most oppose reversing abortion ruling

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:49 PM PST

NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire volunteer Gail Laker-Phelps and NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire Campaign Director Melissa Bernardin put address labels mailers which read, "Do you want politicians in your bedroom?" in Concord(Reuters) - Most Americans remain opposed to overturning the controversial Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which 40 years ago legalized abortion at least in the first three months of pregnancy, according to a poll released Wednesday. The poll by the Pew Research Center found that 63 percent of Americans believe that Roe v. Wade should not be completely overturned, compared to 29 percent who believe it should be. These opinions have changed little from surveys conducted in 2003 and 1992, Pew reported. ...


Lawyer for accused Ohio rapist blames online group for notoriety

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:15 PM PST

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - An Ohio football player seeking to have his rape trial moved and closed to the public is blaming notoriety fueled by an online activist group, according to documents obtained on Wednesday by Reuters. Ma'Lik Richmond, 16, is one of two members of a Steubenville, Ohio, high school football team charged with raping a classmate at a party attended by many teammates last August. ...

Theft of $400,000 in diamonds reported in Florida

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:12 PM PST

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - A diamond wholesaler visiting Florida reported the theft of $400,000 worth of loose gems in what could amount to a well-orchestrated crime or the case of an ordinary burglar who got incredibly lucky, police said on Wednesday. Jain Rajesh, 47, of New Jersey told police he left the diamonds in a red bag in his Orlando rental car for 13 minutes on Monday evening outside a buffet restaurant and the bag and diamonds were gone when he returned. "They took the whole bag. ...

Football star Te'o's girlfriend and her death a hoax, U.S. college says

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 05:55 PM PST

(Reuters) - Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, whose on-field excellence after his grandmother and online girlfriend purportedly died made him a hero in the sports media, was the victim of a hoax because the girl never existed, the university said on Wednesday. School spokesman Dennis Brown said on the football team's Facebook page that the girlfriend, a Stanford graduate who called herself Lennay Kekua, was merely an online persona who "ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. ...

Dozens arrested in New York/New Jersey extortion probe

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 11:07 AM PST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dozens of organized crime figures from the New York area were arrested Wednesday following an investigation of extortion of local garbage haulers, authorities said. Many of those arrested are suspected members or associates of the Gambino, Genovese and Luchese organized crime families, three of the five largest Mafia factions in the New York area, according to a federal indictment. Thirty suspects in New York and New Jersey were taken into custody, the FBI said. ...

Trayvon Martin's mother urges Florida to repeal self-defense law

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:16 PM PST

Sybrina Fulton, mother of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin poses for photograph in New YorkTALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - The mother of Trayvon Martin urged lawmakers on Wednesday to throw their support behind a bill that would repeal Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law, which she blamed for the death of her son who would have turned 18 on February 5. Speaking to reporters outside the state Senate chambers, Sybrina Fulton said the 2005 Florida self-defense law that allows people who fear for their lives to use deadly force resulted in the February 26, 2011, shooting of her unarmed son by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. ...


New York City school bus drivers go on strike

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:48 PM PST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City school bus drivers went on strike for the first time in 34 years, creating headaches for up to 152,000 students in the nation's largest public school system on a sleet-soaked Wednesday. The strike was triggered by the city's decision to seek new, less expensive contracts for routes that serve children with special needs. The union representing bus drivers - who are employed by private contractors, not the city - says the city is unfairly blaming bus drivers for cost increases. ...

Detroit council approves cost cuts to stave off state takeover

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:37 PM PST

(Reuters) - The Detroit City Council on Wednesday continued its offensive against a possible state takeover of the city by passing a cost-cutting measure sought by Mayor Dave Bing for his reform agenda. A majority of the nine-member council has been approving contracts and measures in recent weeks to fill Detroit's near-empty coffers and aid efforts to restructure city operations. ...

Obama makes biggest gun-control push in decades

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:24 PM PST

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) high fives children who wrote him letters about guns and gun control before sitting down to sign executive orders on a series of proposals to counter gun violence during an event at the White House in WashingtonWASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama launched the biggest U.S. gun-control push in generations on Wednesday, urging Congress to approve an assault weapons ban and background checks for all gun buyers to prevent mass shootings like the Newtown school massacre. Rolling out a wide-ranging plan for executive and legislative action to curb gun violence, Obama set up a fierce clash with the powerful U.S. gun lobby and its supporters in Congress, who will resist what they see as an encroachment on constitutionally protected gun rights. ...


Massachusetts governor offers new gun laws after Newtown

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:27 PM PST

Massachusetts Governor Patrick addresses first session of the Democratic National Convention in CharlotteBOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick introduced a new series of gun laws on Wednesday that would tighten rules on sales of weapons and ammunition, in the wake of last month's deadly school shooting in neighboring Connecticut. Patrick made the announcement a day after New York state adopted one of the toughest gun-control laws in the United States and shortly before President Barack Obama proposed a new national assault-weapons ban and strengthened background checks on prospective gun buyers. ...


United Airlines says 787 fleet flying as scheduled

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 10:46 AM PST

ANA planes are seen at Haneda airport in Tokyo(Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc's United Airlines has inspected its fleet of Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners and all are flying as scheduled, the airline said on Wednesday. Two of the largest 787 customers have grounded their Dreamliner fleets following the latest safety incident on Wednesday. (Reporting By Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)


District of Columbia uses Obama's limo, parade to press for statehood

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Local politicians stepped up their campaign for the District of Columbia to become the 51st state this week, introducing a bill in the House of Representatives and mounting a PR campaign tied to President Barack Obama's inauguration next Monday. From presidential license plates to a parade reviewing stand, Washington is using the pomp of the inauguration to put its case for more self-government before crowds of onlookers and millions of television viewers. ...

Malicious virus shuttered power plant: DHS

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:54 PM PST

BOSTON (Reuters) - A computer virus attacked a turbine control system at a U.S. power company last fall when a technician unknowingly inserted an infected USB computer drive into the network, keeping a plant off line for three weeks, according to a report posted on a U.S. government website. The Department of Homeland Security report did not identify the plant but said criminal software, which is used to conduct financial crimes such as identity theft, was behind the incident. ...

Home builder sentiment holds near seven-year highs

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 07:06 AM PST

A construction worker erects scaffolding at a new apartment complex under construction in Silver SpringWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Homebuilder confidence in the market for single family homes held steady at near seven year highs in January, suggesting the outlook for the housing market remained upbeat. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market index was at 47 this month, the highest level since April 2006. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the index to edge up to 48. The National Association of Home Builders said prolonged negotiations over fiscal policy had caused some uncertainty among builders this month. A reading below 50 means more builders view market conditions as poor than favorable. ...


In test of influence, NRA gets personal in anti-Obama ad

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:32 PM PST

Van Meter, of Rhineland, WI, inspects a revolver during the National Rifle Association's (NRA) 141st Annual Meetings & Exhibits in St. LouisWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hours before President Barack Obama revealed his plan to decrease gun-related violence, the nation's leading gun-rights group took its opposition to a personal level by releasing a video ad that refers to Obama's two school-aged daughters. The ad released by the National Rifle Association, which advocated putting armed guards in schools after the December 14 massacre of 26 people in a Connecticut school last month, casts the president as elitist and hypocritical for wanting schools to be gun-free zones. ...


Snow, sleet glaze roads, shut schools in Northeast

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:38 AM PST

(Reuters) - A wintry mix of snow and sleet pelted the Northeast early Wednesday, making for a sloppy morning commute that snarled roadways but delighting schoolchildren with a surprise day off. Up to six inches of snow fell from Pennsylvania to Massachusetts and Maine, while the New York City metropolitan area was glazed by sleet that turned to rain, said meteorologists on AccuWeather.com. The brief storm offered a taste of the frigid conditions in store later this week when an arctic air mass from Canada is expected to roll into New England, said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. ...

Moody's now has negative outlook for all U.S. universities

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 07:32 AM PST

The logo of credit rating agency Moody's Investor Services is seen outside the office in Paris(Reuters) - Moody's Investors Service now has a negative outlook for the entire U.S. higher education sector, the rating agency said on Wednesday, citing "mounting fiscal pressure on all key university revenue sources." Since 2009, Moody's had had a stable outlook for market-leading, research-driven colleges and universities and a negative outlook for the rest of the higher education sector. "The U.S. higher education sector has hit a critical juncture in the evolution of its business model," said Eva Bogaty, Moody's assistant vice president, in a statement. ...


White House calls NRA ad "repugnant and cowardly"

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 08:34 AM PST

White House Press Secretary Carney speaks during a media briefing at the White House in WashingtonWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House condemned as "repugnant and cowardly" an ad by the National Rifle Association that mentions President Barack Obama's children as receiving armed Secret Service protection. The ad comes as Obama unveils sweeping efforts to reduce gun violence that are for the most part opposed by the NRA, the nation's leading gun rights group. The ad accused Obama of hypocrisy for having the Secret Service protect his children while opposing the NRA's call for more armed guards in schools. ...


Missouri museum faces criminal probe over spending, document shredding

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:43 PM PST

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Known for its collections on the Lewis & Clark expedition, aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh and the Louisiana Purchase, the Missouri History Museum is coming under fire for a more recent land deal. St. Louis' top prosecutor has opened an investigation into reports of document shredding and unanswered questions about the museum's spending. The Missouri History Museum has been criticized for buying an acre of land from a former museum board member that the city says is worth only a fraction of the purchase price. ...

Oprah's OWN network gets ad premium for Armstrong confession

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:04 PM PST

Handout photo of Lance Armstrong speaking with Oprah Winfrey in Austin(Reuters) - Oprah Winfrey's cable network OWN is close to selling out advertising time at premium prices for the highly anticipated televised doping confession by former cycling champion Lance Armstrong, a senior network executive said. The network, a joint venture with Discovery Communications Inc, expects to sell all of the remaining commercial time for the two-part version of "Oprah's Next Chapter," OWN President Erik Logan said in an interview late on Tuesday. ...


Ex-subway chief leads New York Republicans in mayoral poll

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:00 AM PST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The man who stepped down as head of the New York City subway system to run for mayor of New York led rivals this month in a possible Republican primary battle but was far behind potential Democratic candidates, a poll released on Wednesday showed. Joseph Lhota was favored by 23 percent of those surveyed in a Quinnipiac University poll, more than any other Republican, but trailed the "undecided" category at 53 percent. The next closest potential candidate was businessman John Catsimatidis with 9 percent, Quinnipiac said. ...

FBI says Oregon bomb suspect originally wanted to blow himself up

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:31 PM PST

PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - A Somali-born man charged in a Christmas-season bomb plot in Oregon was eager to "martyr" himself in a suicide mission, but FBI agents posing as al Qaeda operatives talked him into a plan to set off explosives remotely instead, one of them testified on Tuesday. Returning to the witness stand on the second day of testimony in the trial of Mohamed Osman Mohamud, an undercover agent identified in court only by his pseudonym, Youssef, recounted offering the defendant a number of chances to back out of the plot. ...

Kids at center stage in emotional gun debate

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:46 PM PST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "Dear President Obama," began a letter from 8-year-old Grant Fritz, with the shaky printing -- missed words, spelling errors -- of someone just learning how to put thoughts down on paper. "I think there should be some changes in the law with guns," Fritz said in the December 17 letter he sent to the president days after the Newtown school shootings. Invited to the White House on Wednesday, Fritz and three other children in their Sunday best sat on stage as Obama read out parts of their letters to illustrate why he wants to tighten gun laws. ...

Factbox: Obama's gun-control plan draws strong response

Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:10 PM PST

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama revealed plans on Wednesday for America's biggest gun-control push in decades, spurred by last month's massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in which a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. Many of Obama's proposals, which include enhanced background checks for gun buyers and the reintroduction of a ban on assault weapons, face tough opposition from gun enthusiasts led by the powerful National Rifle Association. Below are some of the comments on gun rights and controls by key debate-shapers and observers. ...

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