| Sandy Hook kids to see new school decked out as "Winter Wonderland" Jan 2nd 2013, 18:02 NEWTOWN, Connecticut (Reuters) - Many of the children who escaped last month's massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school on Wednesday afternoon will get their first glimpse of their new school, which has been decked out as a "Winter Wonderland" with the help of thousands of kids from around the country. ... |  | Gun purchasers set new record in December: FBI Jan 2nd 2013, 17:30  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of FBI background checks for U.S. gun purchases set a record in December, as the Connecticut school massacre prompted renewed talk of limits on firearms, according to new FBI data. The FBI said it recorded 2.8 million background checks during the month, surpassing the record set in November of 2 million checks. The number was up 49 percent over December 2011, when the FBI performed a then-record 1.9 million checks. (Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by Bill Trott)
| | New FAA head among appointments approved by Senate Jan 2nd 2013, 17:04 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate late on Tuesday approved a number of key White House nominations to regulatory agencies, including the top job at Federal Aviation Administration that had been vacant for over a year. Michael Huerta was confirmed as FAA administrator for a five-year term after acting in that role since December 2011, when his predecessor resigned after being arrested and charged with drunk driving. Also confirmed were Joshua Wright to a seven-year term at the Federal Trade Commission and Mignon Clyburn to a second term as commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. ... | | NY, NJ governors slam U.S. lawmakers for delay of Sandy relief Jan 2nd 2013, 16:57  (Reuters) - Governors Chris Christie of New Jersey and Andrew Cuomo of New York excoriated the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday for delaying action on a $60.4 billion Superstorm Sandy disaster aid bill, according to a joint statement. Lawmakers ended their session on Tuesday night without voting on the measure, a move that Cuomo and Christie said was a "dereliction of duty." "This continued inaction and indifference ... is inexcusable," the governors said. Some residents are still without jobs, homes and heat more than two months after the storm made landfall. ...
| | Governor announces lawsuit vs NCAA over Penn State scandal Jan 2nd 2013, 16:54  (Reuters) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced on Wednesday he will ask a federal court to throw out the multimillion-dollar sanctions levied by the NCAA against Pennsylvania State University regarding the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal. "This was a criminal matter, not a violation of NCAA rules," Corbett said at a news conference, calling the NCAA sanctions "overreaching and unlawful." Sandusky, Penn State's former defensive coordinator, was convicted in June of 45 counts of sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years, some in the football team's showers. ...
| | Obama urges House Republicans to quickly pass Sandy aid package Jan 2nd 2013, 16:43  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged Republicans in the House of Representatives to vote Wednesday on a $60.4 billion Superstorm Sandy disaster aid bill, saying hard-hit states need the federal aid urgently to help rebuild after the October 29 storm. "When tragedy strikes, Americans come together to support those in need. I urge Republicans in the House of Representatives to do the same, bring this important request to a vote today, and pass it without delay for our fellow Americans," Obama said in a statement. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Bill Trott)
| | Accused Colorado theater gunman in court before major hearing Jan 2nd 2013, 16:12  CENTENNIAL, Colo. (Reuters) - Prosecutors and defense lawyers involved in the case of accused Colorado theater gunman, James Holmes, returned to court on Wednesday, ahead of a hearing next week that may offer the public the first broad look at evidence collected about the mass shooting. Holmes, 25, a former neuroscience graduate student, is charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder for a shooting rampage on July 20 that killed 12 people and wounded 58 in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Colorado. ...
| | Kidnapped U.S. journalist missing in Syria for six weeks Jan 2nd 2013, 16:03 BEIRUT (Reuters) - An American journalist is missing after being kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in northwest Syria six weeks ago, his family said on Wednesday. The family of freelance journalist James Foley, 39, launched a public campaign to bring him home after requesting a news blackout since Foley was taken on 22 November in Idlib province. According to GlobalPost, a news website he had previously reported for, Foley had been driving towards the Syrian border with Turkey when he was intercepted by a car. ... | | Lawyer behind Newtown claim says meant to prevent future attacks Jan 2nd 2013, 15:18  (Reuters) - The lawyer who filed and then quickly withdrew a $100 million legal claim against the state of Connecticut in the wake of the deadly Newtown elementary school shooting said on Wednesday his motive in the case is to prevent future school massacres and that he continues to investigate evidence for a future claim. New Haven, Connecticut-based attorney Irving Pinsky, appearing on CNN, said his job is "to stop this happening again." "It hurts me, but I know it's coming," Pinsky said, referring to the likelihood of a future attack on a school. ...
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment