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Friend of Boston bombers had confessed to 2011 triple murders claims FBI

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:03:51 -0400

NEW YORK A Chechen acquaintance of dead Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev has confessed to slashing the throats of three people in a 2011 gruesome triple murder, federal law enforcement officials have said. Ibragim Todashev, who made the confession, was killed early Wednesday during a confrontation with the FBI and Massachusetts State Police in Orlando, Florida, a federal law ...

Drone strikes are legal and extend to US citizens as well, says Obama

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:41:57 -0400

WASHINGTON - In a major counter-terrorism speech, President Barack Obama Thursday defended the covert US drone program and stressed that despite the controversies around it, the strikes are legal and save lives. He also said the use of lethal force extends to U.S. citizens as well. This disclosure comes a day after his administration acknowledged publicly for the first time that four US ...

Kerry holds talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:37:23 -0400

JERUSALEM - US Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday separately began meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials but appeared doubtful about his success on getting the two warring sides back to peace negotiations. This is Kerry's fourth trip to the Middle East in as many months of his assuming the office of the top US diplomat. He was been trying to revive a peace process that has been ...

Royalty Pharma takeover bid fails to find Elan ecceptance

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:52:46 -0400

DUBLIN/ WASHINGTON Ireland-based biotechnology firm Elan Thursday rejected Royalty Pharma's increased $6.4 billion takeover bid, shortly after the U.S. firm cut the acceptance bar for its latest offer to 50 percent plus one share. Royalty raised its hostile cash bid to $12.50 per share on Monday, from $11.25 previously, but made the new offer conditional on Elan shareholders rejecting, at a ...

Volunteers Help Revive LAs Concrete River

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:15:08 -0400

LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles River is a concrete drainage channel through much of its 80-kilometer length. It channels waste-water from storm drains and has become a receptacle for much of the city's trash. But, the river is slowly being restored to its natural state with the help of volunteers, who take part in an annual clean-up. Thousands of volunteers turned out on a recent weekend ...

Chidambaram says U.S. Federal Reserves statement misunderstood calls for calm

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:01 -0400

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday sought to calm stock markets in India after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested bond purchases could be scaled back if the U.S. economy improves. Addressing a news conference here, Chidambaram said fears that the Federal Reserve would start reversing its U.S. monetary stimulus programme were being misunderstood in stock market and investor ...

US officials say hypersonic weapons likely to hit battlefield by 2025

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:03 -0400

US military officials say high-tech weapons may be flying through the skies at five times the speed of sound by the middle of the next decade. According to military officials, it depends on continued research into hypersonic vehicles like the Air Force's X-51A Waverider, which completed its final test flight earlier this month, reports Fox News. Charlie Brink, X-51A program manager for the Air ...

Lydia Davis pips Indian writer U.R. Ananthamurthy to win Booker International Prize 2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:02 -0400

American short story writer Lydia Davis, whose works can be as brief as a single sentence, has won the fifth Man Booker International Prize topling other authors including an Indian named U.R. Ananthamurthy. The influential American writer accepted the 60,000 pounds honour, which is presented every two years to a living, non-UK author for a body of work published in English, at a ceremony held ...

Self-regulation skills better in American girls than boys

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:30:04 -0400

A new study has shown that there is a gender gap when it comes to behavior and self-control in American young children - one that does not appear to exist in children in Asia. In the United States, girls had higher levels of self-regulation than boys. Self-regulation is defined as children's ability to control their behavior and impulses, follow directions, and persist on a task. It has been ...

Sharp decline in US drone strikes in Pakistan

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:30:03 -0400

Islamabad, May 23: (ANI): Drone strikes in Pakistan have fallen sharply since their peak in 2010, perhaps in response to increasing scrutiny of the programme by the US Congress and the American public, according to a media report. This comes just ahead of President Barack Obama's long-awaited address on drones at Washington's National Defence University on Thursday. Bruce Riedel, a former CIA ...

US tourist stabbed in Italy loses kidney

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:20:01 -0400

A 68-year-old American tourist underwent emergency surgery to remove a kidney after he was stabbed in Italy's Florence city. The tourist, who was not named, was attacked near the famous Duomo cathedral. Doctors at the Santa Maria Nuova hospital said the man suffered knife wounds to a kidney and a lung but was no longer critical, and was conscious and breathing unaided. Police arrested a ...

Boy Scouts lift ban on admitting gay scouts

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:54:22 -0400

Ending a process that started four months ago, Boy Scout leaders have voted to allow gay scouts but the ban on gay adult leaders remains in place. NBC's Pete Williams ...

Obama in heated exchanges with Code Pink anti-war protester

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:47:23 -0400

1 of 2. Protester Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the Code Pink activist group, interrupts U.S. President Barack Obama as he speaks about his administration's counter-terrorism policy at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, May 23, ...

Feds to review policy on media leaks

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:41:53 -0400

WASHINGTON -- President Obama said on Thursday that the Justice Department will review the policy under which it obtains journalists' records in investigations of the leak of government ...

Video 523 Obama The war on terror like all wars must end baby born as tornado struck

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:40:03 -0400

Warning of the danger of keeping America on a "perpetual wartime footing," President Obama called for an end to the war on terror; and, With a tornado and a baby on the way, doctors and nurses at the Moore Medical Center really had to ...

10 Things to Know for Friday

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:37:57 -0400

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Friday: 1. HOW OBAMA IS DEFENDING DRONE STRIKES The attacks are legal, effective and necessary as threats evolve, he says in a speech outlining America's post-war counterterror policies. 2. BOY SCOUTS END BAN ON GAY YOUTHS The decision is unlikely to end a bitter debate over the ...

Chicago Blackhawks vs Detroit Red Wings Live Stream Free Watch Online Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals Game 4

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:02:54 -0400

Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard (L) is congratulated by teammate Jakub Kindl after the Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks during Game 2 of their NHL Western Conference semi-final playoff hockey game in Chicago, Illinois, May 18, 2013. Chicago Blackhawks vs Detroit Red Wings takes place in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 4 on Thursday night, with the Blackhawks looking to go on the road ...

Mother in labor during tornado reunited with nurses

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:57:06 -0400

Thanks to the quick work of Moore, Okla., nurses, Shayla Taylor was able to safely deliver her son Braeden Immanuel - who is now nicknamed 'Twister.' NBC's Ron Mott ...

Arlington prepares for Memorial Day

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:57:03 -0400

arlington cemetery . they placed flags on grave sites of each service member buried at arlington. 267,000 in all in the annual tradition known as flags ...

Birdman an unlikely difference-maker for Miami in more ways than one

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:56:02 -0400

Greg Nelson/SI MIAMI -- The Mohawk had been lacquered and spiked while Chris "Birdman'' Andersen was making his large yet minimalist impact on Game 1 of the Eastern finals Wednesday night. On Thursday after practice he and his hair were more relaxed. The hair lay tousled along the top of his head like a strip of highway median. His tattooed skin was like cheerful pop-art ...

Row between U.S. agencies over Texas plant explosion deepens

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:45:21 -0400

(Reuters) - A dispute between government agencies over the investigation into the deadly explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant intensified on Thursday when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives hit back after being criticized by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board ...

Arizona jury deadlocks over Jodi Arias sentencing

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:45:20 -0400

Jodi Arias addresses the jury during the penalty phase of her murder trial at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, Arizona May 21, ...

Video Extra Okla. dog owner and dog Bowser reunited

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:34 -0400

After all the heartbreak in Moore, Oklahoma, one moment has touched people all over the world: when a dog named Bowser crawled out of the rubble, and into his owner's ...

Video Mother-to-be was in labor as Oklahoma tornado hit

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:34 -0400

With a tornado and a baby on the way, doctors and nurses at the Moore Medical Center really had to deliver. Shayla Taylor survived, and her son was born at a hospital a few miles away. Elaine Quijano ...

Video Victim of Bangladesh factory collapse shares story

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:33 -0400

A teenager who survived the massive Bangladesh factory collapse says she was afraid to go to work the day of the incident. Those who try to improve working conditions face retaliation. Holly Williams ...

Video President Obama defends drone strikes

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:32 -0400

President Obama delivered a major policy speech outlining a downgrade of the war on terror. He defended drone strikes and urged Congress to close the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Major Garrett ...

Video U.S. drone strikes spark anger in Pakistan

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:32 -0400

Pakistan's new prime minister wants to improve relations with the U.S., but he has to answer to angry voters, who resent U.S. drone strikes that have killed over 3,000 people over the last 10 years in Pakistan. Elizabeth Palmer ...

Video Resentment over wars may have motivated London terror attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:32 -0400

A brutal terror attack in London on Wednesday was said to be caused by the anti-Western views of the two suspects. Their victim was confirmed to be Lee Rigby, a 25-year-old solider and father of a two-year-old son. Mark Philips ...

Hung jury in Arias penalty phase new panel to be chosen

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:31 -0400

Jodi Arias reacts to being found guilty of first-degree murder, May 8, 2013, in a Maricopa County courtroom, in the death of her onetime lover Travis ...

Oklahoma miracle baby -- born amidst tornado chaos

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:43:31 -0400

Shayla Taylor was in labor when the devastating Moore, Oklahoma tornado hit. She had to moved to the operating room where there were no windows and braced herself along with the ...

Watch Jodi Arias Jury Cannot Decide on Life or Death Sentence

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:41:27 -0400

The clerk will read -- -- -- State of Arizona vs -- and areas sentencing verdict. We the jury duly impaneled and sworn and above entitled action upon our -- Yunnan has unanimously find ...

Marlins Face White Sox In Chicago Friday

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:40:03 -0400

MIAMI (AP) — Even though John Danks is about to begin his seventh season in the majors, he admits he will have some nerves heading into his first outing in more than a year for the Chicago White Sox. Danks will make his first start since arthroscopic shoulder surgery in Friday night’s opener of a three-game home set against the Miami Marlins. The left-hander last pitched May 19, ...

US military fears taking on Assads troops in drawn-out Syrian war says Bob Carr

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:39:04 -0400

Foreign Minister Bob Carr has told a group of Syrian refugees in Lebanon that the United States military does not want to risk a drawn-out war with the Syrian army. Senator Carr spoke with the refugees during a visit to their camp in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, on the border with Syria. The refugees urged Senator Carr to back military intervention to bring the civil war in Syria to an end. ...

RI education board approves arming university cops

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:05:15 -0400

The proposal would leave it to URI officials to decide whether to arm the university's police force. Right now, Rhode Island is the only state that prohibits public higher education police officers from carrying ...

Jurors deadlock on Jodi Arias penalty

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:47 -0400

Jodi Arias stands as the jury enters the courtroom on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 during the penalty phase of her murder trial at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. Jodi Arias was convicted of first-degree murder in the stabbing and shooting to death of Travis Alexander. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher, ...

Parking deck collapses at Md. mall 1 killed

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:45 -0400

BETHESDA, Md. -; A parking garage partially collapsed Thursday outside a shopping mall in suburban Maryland, and officials said one construction worker died after being trapped under a concrete ...

IRS replaces official in tea party controversy

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:42 -0400

In this May 22, 2013, photo, Lois Lerner listens on Capitol Hill in Washington. A day after she refused to answer questions at a congressional hearing, Lerner has been replaced as director the Internal Revenue Service division that oversaw agents who targeted tea party groups. Danny Werfel, the agency's new acting commissioner, told IRS employees in an email Thursday, May 23, 2013, that he ...

Three taxes fizzle for now

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:00:40 -0400

The Senate Appropriations Committee suspended consideration of the tax proposals amid its review of scores of bills to meet a legislative deadline. The levy on cigarettes could be heard later this year while the authors of the soda and oil severance taxes expect to have to wait until ...

Severe weather to impact Memorial Day travel

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:57:48 -0400

bad weather is making news elsewhere tonight as well a lot of unsettled weather in the northeast in particular have made a very hectic holiday travel weekend ...

Hard-hit region revitalized by RV sales

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:57:46 -0400

rv sales plunged 58% as the recession deepened and banks stopped lending. as the economy bounces back so have sales. shooting up 72%. good news for ...

Warrant for rapper Tim Dog despite death reports

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:57:20 -0400

JACKSON, Miss. -- Lack of a death certificate or of a burial site and sparse obituary information led to talk in hip-hop circles that rapper Tim Dog, who owes thousands of dollars to women he was convicted of swindling, faked his own death in February.The 46-year-old, whose real name is Timothy Blair, is best known for a 1990s song "F-- Compton" that criticized West Coast ...

Fossil area closed after 2 boys die in Minn. park

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:57:19 -0400

Authorities on Thursday recovered the body of a second child killed when a rockslide hit a group of fourth-graders in a St. Paul park a day earlier, and announced that the popular fossil-hunting area would be closed ...

Invest In American Manufacturing Five Charts For Your Business Decision

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:53:29 -0400

Is manufacturing a good bet in America these days? The talk about reshoring, in which companies return to the United States those operations that they had previously located in a foreign country, is spurring renewed interest in factories here. Let's roll through five key points about the outlook for ...

Report calls for diversification in Latin American economic ties

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:51:04 -0400

/enpproperty--> China should diversify its economic relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean and drop its previous model of relying more on trade, according to a "yellow book" by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences released on Thursday. Cooperation with the region would not only boost trade but also promote more investment and financial ties, said the Annual ...

Scouting Community Fear Sex Politics of Gay Agenda Will Fracture Boy Scouts of America

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:50:49 -0400

May 23, 2013 3:21 pm GRAPEVINE, Texas – Opponents of the BSA's resolution to allow openly-gay membership in the scouts frequently speak about keeping sex and politics out of the scouts – an institution where young boys, many of whom grow up in fatherless homes, depend on mentors who can teach them how to become moral and upstanding citizens, according to Robert Schwarzwalder, ...

Father of slain man linked to Boston bombing suspect maintains sons innocence

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:45:12 -0400

Ibragim Todashev is seen in a mug shot on May 4 after his arrest for aggravated battery in Orlando. Todashev, who was being questioned in Orlando by authorities in the Boston bombing probe, was fatally shot on May 22, when he initiated a violent confrontation, FBI officials ...

Moore children head back to school

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:45:12 -0400

Days after a tornado ripped apart the town of Moore, Okla., students from the two devastated schools reunited for their final assembly that ends the school year. NBC's Janet Shamlian ...

Oklahoma tornado recovery continues – as does politics of storm relief

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:45:10 -0400

MSNBC host Craig Melvin reports on day three of damage assessment in Oklahoma before Martin Bashir salute Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) for his consistency - but not his position - on disaster ...

Zimmerman defense releases texts about guns fighting from Trayvon Martins phone

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:45:10 -0400

George Zimmerman, defendant in the killing of Trayvon Martin, stands in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Florida, with his attorney Mark O'Mara, right, for a pre-trial hearing on April ...

Tesoro expected to take over BP Los Angeles refinery June 1 - sources

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:38:38 -0400

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Independent refiner Tesoro Corp (TSO.N) is expected to take control of BP Plc's (BP.L) 240,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Los Angeles-area refinery in Carson, California, on June 1 as part of a $2.5-million purchase of the ...

In deeply religious Oklahoma prayer brings solace after tornado

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:34:25 -0400

Justin Stephan (L) shows his son Timothy, 3, his tornado-destroyed home for the first time since the storm on 6th Avenue in Moore, Oklahoma May 23, ...

Lawsuits seek more than U.S. acknowledgement of drone killings

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:34:24 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama makes a point about his administration's counter-terrorism policy at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, May 23, ...

Kansas reporters run for tornado shelter during newscast

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:32:14 -0400

Television cameras were rolling when staff at an NBC affiliate in Kansas had to run for cover as a tornado approached in Wichita. JD Rudd, KSN-TV's weatherman, was reporting on a tornado warning in the area, to the point where the news team needed to follow their own advice and take ...

Cubs Lose 4th Straight As Pirates Beat Chicago 4-2

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:28:39 -0400

Michael McKenry #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits an RBI sinlge in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs during the game on May 23, 2013 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty ...

Boy Scouts of America approve plan to accept openly gay boys

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:26:30 -0400

Boys Scout Alex Derr speaks out against anit-gay rules during the Equal Scouting Summit Press Conference being held near where the Boy Scouts of America are holding their annual meeting Wednesday, May 22, 2013, in Grapevine, Texas. The boxes in front of Derr hold petitions calling for the Boy Scouts of America to end its anti-gay policies. (AP Photo/LM ...

NYPD Merchant held for ransom tortured for month

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:42 -0400

NEW YORK -; A businessman was snatched from a New York City street in broad daylight, then held captive for more than a month in a warehouse where he was bound and burned with acid as he was held for a $3 million ransom his family back in Ecuador did not have, authorities ...

Rep. Jo Bonner resigning to take Ala. college post

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:42 -0400

MOBILE, Ala. -; U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner says he is resigning from Congress effective in August to take a post with the University of Alabama ...

Obama sees narrower terror threat defends drones

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:40 -0400

President Barack Obama continues to speaks about national security, Thursday, May 23, 2013, at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, as CODEPINK founder Medea Benjamin of Code Pink shouted at him from the back of the auditorium. (AP Photo/Carolyn ...

NJ students to help Michelle Obama harvest garden

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:39 -0400

WASHINGTON -; Schoolchildren from New Jersey shore communities battered by Superstorm Sandy will join Michelle Obama for a garden harvest next ...

Tea party vs. old guard in Senate GOP rift

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:38 -0400

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2013, file photo, Senate Armed Services Committee member Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, questions Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The committee's ranking Republican Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. listens at left. A long-simmering feud in the Senate between establishment Republicans and tea ...

AP others fight for details in Maine girls death

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:38 -0400

BANGOR, Maine -; News organizations are challenging a judge's decision to keep the public from seeing details of how and why police believe a 15-year-old girl from Maine was killed by a 20-year-old ...

IRS replaces official who oversaw targeting

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:37 -0400

IRS official Lois Lerner is sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 22, 2013, before the House Oversight Committee hearing to investigate the extra scrutiny IRS gave to Tea Party and other conservative groups that applied for tax-exempt status. Lerner told the committee she did nothing wrong and then invoked her constitutional right to not answer lawmakers' questions. (AP ...

Ohio kidnap case hero gets year of free McDonalds

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:35 -0400

FILE - This May 6, 2013 file photo shows neighbor Charles Ramsey speaking to media near the home where missing women Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight were rescued in Cleveland. Ramsey, the man who famously put down his Big Mac to help rescue three women held captive for a decade in an Ohio house will never have to pay for another burger in his hometown. Ramsey has been promised free ...

Manson disciples tapes being analyzed by LAPD

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:35 -0400

LOS ANGELES -; Los Angeles police have obtained the decades-old taped conversations between a Manson family disciple and his attorney, officials confirmed ...

Obama increases fed share of Sandy relief for NY

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:34 -0400

WASHINGTON -; President Barack Obama is providing more Hurricane Sandy disaster relief to New York, increasing the share of public assistance that the government will pay from 75 percent to 90 percent of the ...

Obamas drone policy at a glance

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:33 -0400

President Barack Obama defended the United States' use of drone attacks as an important part of the U.S. counterterrorism policy on Thursday but signed new presidential policy guidelines to spell out for Congress and the public the standards that the U.S. will use before carrying out drone ...

New rules for labeling meat go into effect in US

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:32 -0400

But the rules that went into effect for meat on Thursday provide more detailed information. Instead of seeing a label that says, "Product of the U.S.A. and Canada," shoppers might find one that says "Born in Canada, raised and slaughtered in the United ...

WWII historian taking on American Revolution

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:32 -0400

FILE - This April 6, 2003 file photo shows Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and reporter Rick Atkinson in Karbala, Iraq. Henry Holt and Company announced Thursday, May 23, 2013, that Atkinson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and reporter, plans an American Revolution trilogy covering the years 1775-1781. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, Sgt. Jason L. Austin, ...

Girl injured in Boston bombings begins rehab

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:58 -0400

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) Police converged early Friday on a neighborhood outside Boston where there were reports of explosives being detonated and police are telling reporters to turn off their ...

Murder suspect’s death accusations shock to Orlando neighbors

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:57 -0400

KISSIMMEE -- Ibragim Todashev, the Chechen martial-arts fighter killed by an FBI agent in Orlando on Tuesday, was a bit of a mystery to his neighbors in his modest gated community in Kissimmee.They knew little about his lifestyle, his travels or his relationship with one of the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing.They did know him as the kind of guy who helped neighbors in the ...

NH woman convicted of child porn gets 40 years

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:55 -0400

The star witness in the state of Florida's case against a woman accused of killing foster child Rilya Wilson has walked out of state ...

Miami Beach developer neighbors settle dispute

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:54 -0400

The residents of Sunset Islands 3 and 4 have settled their differences with the developers of a mixed-used condo building at the foot of an historic bridge leading into the island community. The agreement, which was submitted to the city on May 13, marks an end to dozens of hours of hearings, rehearings, appeals and private meetings regarding the project, slated to take the place of what’s ...

Foreign Service officer made millions in visa-for-money scam feds charge

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:32 -0400

WASHINGTON - A State Department official “received several million dollars in bribes” from Vietnamese residents seeking visas, according to newly public court documents. In a previously undisclosed criminal complaint, Foreign Service officer Michael T. Sestak faces charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and bribery in an alleged scheme that investigators say spanned several ...

Feds cut off funding for counter-terrorism efforts in Las Vegas

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:22 -0400

Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV), right, takes a tour of the Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center, also known as the Fusion Center, with Jim Owens, left, deputy chief of Metro’s homeland security division, and Capt. Al Salinas, center director, at Metro Police Headquarters Thursday, May 2, 2013. Officials at the center are concerned that budget cuts that might negatively affect its ...

Former American soccer players talk about big game

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:43:58 -0400

Pre-game pep rally at Kiener Plaza NewsChannel 5's Frank Cusumano spoke with ESPN analyst, former St. Louisan and retired American soccer player Taylor Twellman and retired American soccer player Alexi Lalas about the big game. Click the video player above to hear what they had to say. ...

Miami Heat Burns Indiana Pacers

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:42:27 -0400

Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel told his players on Tuesday that they would win Game 1. He was wrong on that front, and many will say he also was wrong to remove his shot blocker and defensive enforcer, Roy Hibbert, on two late defensive sequences in which LeBron James drove undeterred for layups, including a basket just before time expired. Vogel said a strong case could have been made ...

Former Chicago Police Officer and Two Members of Latin Kings Street Gang Sentenced in Indiana for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:40:54 -0400

WASHINGTON-A former Chicago Police officer and two members of the Latin Kings street gang were sentenced to prison today in Hammond, Indiana federal court for racketeering conspiracy and related crimes. Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement following the ...

CBRE will join Colliers in American Century tower

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:40:48 -0400

American Century Investments is at 4500 Main St. in Kansas City. Kansas City's close-knit commercial real estate brokerage community is about to get even closer. The Kansas City office of CBRE Inc. has executed a 10-year lease for 10,000 square feet on the sixth floor of American Century Tower II, 4520 Main St. home of the 10th-floor, Kansas City offices of Colliers International. The CBRE ...

Holder OKd search warrant for Fox News reporters private emails official says

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:32:57 -0400

Attorney General Eric Holder agreed to a review of Justice Department guidelines for investigations involving journalists, President Barack Obama said ...

15-year-old Utah boy arrested in death of two younger brothers

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:32:54 -0400

By Becky Bratu, Staff Writer, NBC News A 15-year-old in Utah was arrested Thursday in the deaths of his two younger brothers, ages 4 and 10, police said.Authorities are treating the case as a double ...

Two children killed in Minnesota field trip landslide

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:32:41 -0400

Rescue personnel gather near an entrance to Lilydale Regional Park above the Mississippi River during a suspension of search efforts to find a fourth child missing after a landslide swept over a group of children on a fourth grade field trip Wednesday, May 22, 2013, in St. Paul, ...

Judge wont let Orleans out of police reform pact

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:27:27 -0400

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A federal judge has refused to let the city of New Orleans out of a potentially expensive agreement to reform its troubled police ...

A white paper on the controversy over homosexuals in the Boy Scouts of America

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:27:06 -0400

NARTH offers the following synopsis of scientific research on homosexuality that may be helpful to the national council of the Boy Scouts of America as it deliberates a change in policy that would allow homosexually-identified youth as members.[1] The development of homosexuality is influenced by environment. Homosexuality is not an unchangeable biologically determined trait like ...

Obama orders review of guidelines for probing journalists

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:26:49 -0400

By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON | Thu May 23, 2013 6:26pm EDT WASHINGTON May 23 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday he directed Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a review of Department of Justice guidelines for investigations that involve journalists and report back by early July. Obama has come under criticism for his administration's pursuit of journalists who have ...

California reveals prices for health insurance under Obamacare

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:26:02 -0400

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California unveiled prices on Thursday that consumers will pay for a selection of health plans offered through the state under the Affordable Care Act, providing a glimpse into how health care reform may look as it is rolled out across the ...

Local lawyer named to corruption fighting Chicago prosecutor job

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:22:06 -0400

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has nominated Chicago attorney Zachary Fardon to be the U.S. prosecutor in Chicago, which has seen the indictments of many top local politicians and mob figures, the two U.S. senators from Illinois announced on ...

Parents sue Pittsburgh Zoo over toddlers mauling death

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:22:06 -0400

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - The parents of a 2-year-old boy mauled to death by African wild dogs at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the zoo of failing to protect visitors from dangerous ...

Catholic order to pay $16.5 million to more than 400 claiming sex abuse

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:22:05 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An order of the Roman Catholic Church has agreed to pay $16.5 million to more than 400 adults who said they were sexually abused as children by religious leaders, the parties announced on Thursday in separate ...

Egyptian-American Pastor Michael Youssef Preaches to 15000 in Largest Muslim Country

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:21:33 -0400

Egyptian-American Pastor Michael Youssef, president of Leading the Way global radio ministry, will be preaching at a massive three-day event in the world's largest Muslim country, Indonesia, ...

Video Injured Okla. teacher I wish I could have done more

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:20:18 -0400

Web extra: Moore, Okla., third-grade teacher Jennifer Doan's sternum and spine were fractured while she tried to save her students from the devastating tornado that killed dozens. She tells Vinita Nair she wishes she could have done more to protect the ...

Video Amanda Seyfried talks filming Seth MacFarlanes new Western

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:20:13 -0400

Amanda Seyfried is currently shooting a new movie in Santa Fe, N.M., called "A Million Ways to Die in the West," written, starring, and directed by "Family Guy" creator and one-time Oscars host Seth MacFarlane. While promoting her latest film "Epic," Seyfried shared some details with CBSNews.com's Ken Lombardi about MacFarlane's upcoming ...

Cop Shot in Evil Evan Manhunt Returning

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:17:58 -0400

27-year-old Montague County Sheriff's Deputy James Boyd was gunned down during a routine road block on March 21 in Bowie, Texas. After months of recovery, Boyd plans to return to work on Sunday. "I'm ready to go back," Boyd told ABCNews.com today. "I'm kind of nervous about it but I know I can do the job, so I'm ready to go back to it." Boyd was ...

The United States and Britain on Monday pledged to forge ahead with diplomatic e…

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:14:48 -0400

WASHINGTON (AFP) The United States and Britain stepped up pressure on Russia over Syria, but President Barack Obama warned old suspicions could trample new "common ground" on the crisis. Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron sought to build momentum behind a new US-Russia sponsored conference on Syria, now expected to take place in June, as they met at the White House. ...

Boy 12 first to find pirate treasure in New York scavenger hunt

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:12:31 -0400

A New York 12-year-old won $10,000 worth of actual pirate treasure in a scavenger hunt organized to promote a Discovery Times Square exhibit. Sebastian Bekkaoui was one of 700 participants to receive the first clue Friday, and he and his mother, Sheila Doherty, 45, followed the clues to city locations where people in pirate garb handed out fresh clues. Bekkaoui and Doherty were the first to ...

Feds keep Prebles mouse on threatened list

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:10:53 -0400

CHEYENNE, Wyo.-The federal government will continue to protect as a threatened species a mouse that lives in Wyoming and Colorado. The state of Wyoming and the group Coloradoans for Water Conservation had long-standing petitions to remove the Preble's meadow jumping mouse from Endangered Species Act protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday that following a review, ...

St. Regis San Francisco on market for $140 million

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:48:07 -0400

Hoping to ride the profitable wave of recent hotel sales, the San Franciscos St. Regis just landed on the market for a whopping $140 million asking price. With 260 rooms, 46 suites and 15,000 square feet of meeting space, thats in the range of more than $530,000 per key. If the hotel snags a buyer at the suggested price which has been the trend lately it would be the biggest deal in recent ...

United Airlines makes changes in Seattle

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:45:45 -0400

The new United Club lounge at Seattle-Tacoma is styled after the prototype that opened late last year at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. United Airlines has opened its newly remodeled United Club lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The revamped lounge comes as the Chicago-based carrier is completing a consolidation of its operations in Concourse A at the Seattle airport and a ...

Yemen welcomes Obama decision on Gitmo transfers

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:39:19 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Yemen is welcoming President Barack Obama's decision to lift his ban on the transfer of Yemeni prisoners from the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.In a statement released Thursday shortly after Obama announced the step, the Yemeni Embassy said it appreciated the switch. It said Yemen would work with the U.S. to ensure the safe return of Yemeni detainees ...

The Fastest-Growing Cities in America

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:38:30 -0400

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the state's cities seem to have taken it to heart. The Census Bureau on Thursday released estimates of the fastest-growing cities in America, and the Lone Star State claims 8 of the 15 cities that posted the fastest population growth from 2011 to ...

Coffee Leaf Rust Plant Disease Threatens Central American Crops

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:37:35 -0400

Zoom in on the Indian Ocean for our Geo Quiz. We’re looking for an island nation. Its neighbors to the southwest are the Maldives. The island we’re in search of offers an interesting example of how plants changed the world. Back when it was under Dutch control, there were valuable cinnamon plantations across the island we want you to name. In the 19th century the economy shifted ...

Why have North American indexes defied the sell in May strategy

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:37:00 -0400

The media remains fascinated with the expression "sell in May and go away." Media expectations are that North American equity markets will move lower from the beginning of May to the end of October.Their fascination has been triggered by weakness in North American equity markets from May to July during the past three years. From its peak in late April to its low in July, the S&P 500 ...

Weiner gets started stumping in NYC mayoral race

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:19 -0400

New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner discusses his policies with a passerby while greeting commuters during a campaign event outside a Harlem subway station, Thursday, May 23, 2013 in New York. Weiner, who ran for mayor in 2005 and nearly did in 2009, is getting into the race to succeed three-term Mayor Michael Bloomberg about two years after a series of tawdry tweets, and obfuscating ...

Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:18 -0400

WASHINGTON -; President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen in his renewed effort to close the ...

Smooth confirmation hearing for Pritzker

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:17 -0400

Chicago billionaire business executive Penny Pritzker, President Obama's pick for Commerce Secretary, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 23, 2013, before the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on her nomination. A longtime Obama friend who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for both of his presidential campaigns, Pritzker is facing scrutiny at a Senate confirmation ...

2 charged in slayings of 6 on Tenn.-Ala. border

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:16 -0400

FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. -; Authorities say two men have been charged in six killings, including a toddler and unborn baby, near the Tennessee-Alabama border last fall during a dispute over drug ...

Christian Brothers reach deal in US abuse claims

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:15 -0400

NEW YORK -; The Christian Brothers have agreed to pay more than $16 million to people who were molested as children by members of the U.S. religious ...

Dallas man gets death for drowning 2 sons in creek

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:14 -0400

DALLAS -; A father who told two of his sons to pretend they were swimming as he drowned them in a Dallas-area creek was sentenced to death on ...

House immigration group resolves dispute

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:13 -0400

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens to a reporter's question during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles ...

Pa. woman convicted in fiances wedding day death

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:11 -0400

Prosecutors say Franklin and 36-year-old Billy Brewster got into an argument early in the morning on Aug. 11, the day they were to be ...

US criticized over response to Indonesia attacks

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:11 -0400

WASHINGTON -; The U.S. is expressing concern over increased attacks on religious minorities in Indonesia, but human rights groups accuse Washington of downplaying the problem as it looks to forge stronger relations with ...

Obama sketches more targeted anti-terror plan

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:10 -0400

Out with the "global war on terror." In with more narrowly targeted counterterrorism policies that persistently zero in on violent extremists at home and ...

OKC police correct damage estimate to 12K homes

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:10 -0400

Monty Montgomery surveys the scene as he prepares to clean up a friend's tornado-ravaged home Thursday, May 23, 2013, in Moore, Okla. Cleanup continues three days after a huge tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburb, flattening a wide swath of homes and businesses. (AP Photo/Charlie ...

GOP Ariz. rep. who supports Medicaid is threatened

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:09 -0400

PHOENIX -; A Republican member of the Arizona House says she received an obscene and threatening voicemail at her office because she supports Gov. Jan Brewer's push to expand ...

Pilots in fatal Alaska crash on different signals

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:35:07 -0400

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -; The National Transportation Safety Board says the pilots involved in a midair collision in Alaska that killed a family of four apparently were communicating on different radio frequencies before the ...

Senator Questions White Houses Handling Of Drone Program

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:32:23 -0400

Robert Siegel speaks with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon about the Obama administration's shift on drone policy. Wyden was part of a group of senators who demanded that the administration turn over secret documents related to the operation against Amwar al-Awlaki, a US citizen killed in Yemen in a drone ...

Feds Career drug dealer admits steroids distribution on LI

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:32:12 -0400

More coverage: 4 killed in Medford drug store shooting A Florida man, who authorities said was making $1 million-a-year distributing drugs on Long Island and in New York City, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Central Islip to conspiracy to illegally distribute steroids and distributing steroids, according to officials.When Gregory Kovar, 48, of Miami Beach, was arrested last June, ...

US Lock up ex-Michigan justice for bank fraud

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:31:22 -0400

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Federal prosecutors are urging a judge to send a former Michigan Supreme Court justice to prison for bank fraud.The U.S. government filed a sentencing memo in the case against Diane Hathaway ahead of a hearing next Tuesday in Ann Arbor federal court.Prosecutors say her crime was "coordinated" and "methodical." They're seeking a prison sentence of a ...

Driver in Ill. van wreck had license suspension

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:31:17 -0400

Emergency personnel gather at the scene near Vandalia, Ill., Monday, May 20,2 013, where a van veered off a southern Illinois highway and overturned several times, killing five people and sending six others to hospitals. Details about what caused the crash or who owned the white 2002 Dodge van, which had no decals or displayed markings, were not immediately ...

Family of former Marine kidnapped in Mexico speaks out hope hes alive

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:27:00 -0400

The family of a former U.S. Marine is hoping he's still alive despite not having heard from him since he was kidnapped in Mexico. The whereabouts of Armando Torres, 27, who served in Iraq in 2009 as a mechanic fixing military vehicles, are still unknown. The FBI and Mexican authorities are investigating the case and a fellow Marine continues lobbying for congressional help. Torres' ...

Bed Bugs Now Car Bugs

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:26:59 -0400

Even if you don't sleep in your car, you might have to worry about bedbugs coming along for the ride this summer. The little critters may not be in the headlines like they were a couple of years ago, ...

Officials Man killed by FBI implicated self in 2011 triple-murder

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:26:59 -0400

A Chechen immigrant who was shot to death Wednesday by authorities in Florida -- while being questioned about his ties to one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects -- implicated himself in an unsolved 2011 triple murder, according to authorities. Ibragim Todashev, a 27-year-old mixed martial arts fighter, was fatally shot at his Orlando townhouse during a meeting with an FBI agent and two ...

Kid to McDs CEO No Tricks

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:26:59 -0400

McDonald's once again faced criticism that it's a purveyor of junk food that markets to children at its annual shareholder meeting Thursday. The world's biggest hamburger chain has been looking to keep up with changing tastes as people increasingly opt for foods they feel are fresh or healthy. Customers can now order egg whites in its breakfast sandwiches, for example. ...

Bruins Live Blog B’s Looking To Sweep Rangers In New York

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:21:48 -0400

5 p.m.: It’s hard to believe it, but tonight, the Bruins will be playing for the sweep. There is no way to track down every prediction for this series, but it is safe to assume that the people who called for a Boston sweep account for less than 1 percent of the prognosticators. With two teams seemingly so evenly matched, a six-game series seemed to be the shortest route possible to the ...

Oklahoma Governor ‘We’re proud of our spirit’

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:18:59 -0400

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin talks to NBC's Craig Melvin about the resiliency of the people of Oklahoma and updates on the Oklahoma recovery ...

American Horror Story Star Joins X-Men Days of Future Past

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:41 -0400

Twitter breaking the news that the young actor will portray Quicksilver in the upcoming Fox movie, which combines two X-Men franchises. "Before he was ...

Cannes Sundance Selects Nabs North American Rights to Clio Barnard’s The Selfish Giant

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:37 -0400

with the backing of British Film Institute and Film4, made its world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Sundance Selects/IFC Films ...

New York mayoral candidate Weiner uses Pittsburgh as backdrop

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:21 -0400

New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, a former U.S. House member and tweeter of lewd selfies, inexplicably splashed a photograph of Pittsburgh's Downtown across his campaign ...

Gun groups sue to block new Connecticut gun law

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:08:06 -0400

MILFORD, Connecticut (Reuters) - Leaders of Connecticut gun advocacy groups said on Thursday they had sued to knock down a strict new gun-control law passed in April because they believed the measure would not improve public ...

Summer Heat Is Going To Make New York Deadly

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:07:28 -0400

Summer heat waves can transform East Coast cities likes New York and Washington, DC, into humid, odiferous swamps of misery and stagnation. But with climate change conspiring toward increasingly hotter summers, New York and other towns won't just be more unpleasant; they'll be deadlier. ...

American Express CDC Take Home Top GoodWorks Effie Awards

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:52 -0400

GoodWorks Award highlights great work by companies using their platforms for greater social good while also moving their primary mission forward. ...

Dissidents visits to Miami spur new conversation about Cubas opposition exiles

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:51 -0400

MIAMI - When Cuban hunger striker Guillermo Farinas arrived in Miami, he said he was prepared to face rejection from radical members of the Cuban-American community who do not believe in pacific opposition. The reaction has been far different. When he went to the Versailles restaurant, a traditional gathering spot for older exiles in the city's Little Havana neighbourhood, he was embraced. ...

Obama Congress briefed on every drone strike America takes

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:19 -0400

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says his administration informs Congress about every drone strike America orders. In a national security speech Thursday, Obama said the administration has briefed the appropriate congressional committees about all drone strikes outside of Iraq and Afghanistan, such as in Yemen. He says the briefings included the one instance in which an American citizen was ...

Obama America at a crossroads in fighting terrorism

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:15 -0400

Updated: 4:03 p.m. ETIn a sweeping speech addressing the nation's counterterrorism strategy, President Obama on Thursday unveiled new restrictions on the nation's controversial targeted killing policy, and - despite repeated interruptions from a heckler -- officially outlined plans to restart transfers of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to third countries. During an hour-long speech at the ...

Oklahoma tornado damage numbers significantly downgraded

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:13 -0400

Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm as tornado survivors search for salvageable belongings at their devastated home May 23, 2013, in Moore, ...

First funeral held for young Oklahoma tornado victim

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:10 -0400

OKLAHOMA CITY Friends and family are attended the funeral services for a 9-year-old girl killed by Monday's tornado in an Oklahoma City suburb. Thursday's funeral for Antonia Candelaria was the first since the storm that killed 24 people. Ten of the victims were ...

Video Alex Gibney on Obama admin. and whistleblowers

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:06 -0400

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney talks to CBSNews.com about his latest documentary, "We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks," which recounts the rise and fall of Julian Assange, and the saga of Army SPC. Bradley Manning, who is facing trial for leaking classified material that cast a critical light on actions by the U.S. government and ...

Video Alex Gibney on WikiLeaks Assange and Manning

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:06 -0400

Two Bodies Found In Miami-Dade House

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:02:38 -0400

MIAMI (CBS4) – Miami-Dade Police are searching for answers Thursday evening after an anonymous call led them to two dead bodies in a ...