Reuters: U.S.

Lawyers for ex-US Senator John Edwards rest case

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:46:40 -0400

GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) - The defense rested its case on Wednesday in the federal trial of ex-Senator John Edwards on charges he used presidential campaign finances to hide his then-pregnant mistress from voters, setting the stage for jury deliberations as early as this week.

Crews battle to contain raging Arizona wildfires

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:31:07 -0400

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Crews battled to contain wind-whipped Arizona wildfires on Wednesday that have raced across 27 square miles of parched ponderosa forest, brush and grassland, consuming several buildings and threatening a small town, authorities said.

Mild winter leads to more car-animal collisions

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:40:17 -0400

(Reuters) - The mild winter led to at least one unexpected consequence: many more costly collisions between cars and wildlife on American roads.

Immigrant women farm workers suffer sex abuse: report

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:04:53 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of female immigrant farm workers in the United States are at risk of sexual violence and harassment, the organization Human Rights Watch said in a report on Wednesday.

U.S. official: finding underwear bombmaker "very important"

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:18:14 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The bombmaker suspected of designing exotic weapons like underwear bombs for al Qaeda's Yemeni affiliate is a key target of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts, a top U.S. official said on Wednesday.

MIT's provost named president of university

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:42:36 -0400

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (Reuters) - The Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday named Rafael Reif, an electrical engineer born in Venezuela who has been the university's provost since 2005, as its 17th president.

Skechers settles charges over toning shoe ads

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:19:11 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Skechers USA has agreed to pay $40 million to settle charges that it made unfounded claims when it advertised that its "toning shoes" would enable users to get stronger and lose weight.

Two workers hurt in Texas fracking tank site blast

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:15:44 -0400

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Two workers were hurt in an explosion at a hydraulic fracturing tank site in south Texas early on Wednesday, a sheriff's dispatcher said.

Protesters disrupt State Street annual meeting

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:44:21 -0400

BOSTON (Reuters) - Protesters calling themselves the "99 percent" disrupted State Street Corp's annual meeting on Wednesday, using a coordinated plan to interrupt Chairman and Chief Executive Jay Hooley five different times.

Chicago braces for violence at NATO summit

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:48:59 -0400

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago police, who have a reputation for dealing toughly with protesters, will be prepared for the worst with new riot gear, including "sound cannon", if demonstrators at the NATO summit get out of line this weekend.