| Judge orders tobacco companies to admit deception publicly Nov 27th 2012, 20:42 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major tobacco companies must take out advertisements saying they deliberately deceived the U.S. public about the danger and addictiveness of cigarettes, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. The ruling in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia attempts to finalize the wording of the advertisements that the judge first ordered in 2006 after finding the companies violated federal racketeering law. Tobacco companies fought a public admission of deception, calling it a violation of their free speech rights. (Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by Gary Hill) |  | Shippers seek White House's help to keep Mississippi River open Nov 27th 2012, 20:28 (Reuters) - Mississippi River barge operators and shipping groups on Tuesday asked U.S. President Barack Obama to declare a state of emergency on the river and direct the Army Corps of Engineers to keep the drought-lowered waterway open to commercial traffic to avert an "economic catastrophe." Water on the Mississippi River along the busy stretch from St. Louis to Cairo, Illinois was expected to recede to record-low levels by mid-December, effectively halting the flow of barges that carry billions of dollars worth of grain, coal, steel, fuel and other products. ... | | Senators ask Justice to probe California gasoline prices Nov 27th 2012, 19:53 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department should investigate whether oil refineries created a perceived shortage of gasoline supply in May and October of this year when West Coast prices spiked to record highs, six Democratic senators said on Tuesday. The senators want the Justice Department to subpoena records from California refineries to see whether public reports of maintenance shutdowns were accurate. If not, the refineries could face fines. ... | | New Jersey gay conversion therapy group sued for fraud Nov 27th 2012, 19:52 (Reuters) - Four gay men who underwent treatment designed to change their sexual orientation filed a lawsuit in New Jersey on Tuesday accusing their therapists of fraud, in what may be the first suit of its kind against conversion therapists. Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH), a Jersey City-based non-profit organization, falsely claimed to be able to eliminate the four men's homosexual desires through a scientifically proven process, according to a complaint filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey. ... | | Powerball jackpot jumps to record $500 million, drawing Wednesday Nov 27th 2012, 19:29  (Reuters) - The jackpot for the Powerball lottery soared on Tuesday to a record $500 million and could increase again by the time the winning numbers are drawn on Wednesday, a lottery official said. The payout jumped nearly $175 million due to brisk ticket sales after no one won the top prize in Saturday's drawing, said Mary Neubauer, a spokeswoman for the Iowa Lottery, where Powerball is based. "It really gets into uncharted territory at this point," she said on Tuesday. "Sales across the country are just through the roof. ...
| | Ex-Elmo puppeteer faces new sex-with-minor allegation Nov 27th 2012, 19:09  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The puppeteer formerly behind the "Sesame Street" character Elmo faces a new accusation of having sex with an underage boy, a week after a similar allegation prompted him to resign from the iconic public television children's program. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, a man identified only as John alleges Kevin Clash engaged in oral sex and other sex acts with him when John was 16 years old. The suit seeks at least $75,000 in damages. ...
| | ACLU sues over policy barring women from ground combat Nov 27th 2012, 19:03  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union sued on Tuesday on behalf of four U.S. servicewomen to challenge a longstanding policy barring women from thousands of ground combat positions, citing the changing nature of warfare and fairness for career soldiers. The civil rights group argued in a legal complaint filed in federal court in Northern California that a military policy to bar women from combat roles on the basis of gender was unconstitutional. ...
| | Appeals court upholds New York gun licensing law Nov 27th 2012, 18:40  (Reuters) - The state of New York can continue to require residents who want to carry a concealed handgun in public to obtain a special license, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York rejected a challenge brought by several Westchester residents and the Second Amendment Foundation against the state's handgun licensing scheme. Like numerous other states, New York imposes restrictions on individuals who wish to carry concealed firearms in public. ...
| | Seattle police plan for helicopter drones hits severe turbulence Nov 27th 2012, 17:53 SEATTLE (Reuters) - One of the latest crime-fighting gadgets to emerge on the wish lists of U.S. law enforcement agencies - drone aircraft - has run into heavy turbulence in Seattle over a plan by police to send miniature robot helicopters buzzing over the city. A recent push for unmanned police aircraft in several cities is being driven largely by grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including more than $80,000 the city of Seattle used to buy a pair of drone choppers in 2010. ... | |
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