GLOBAL NEWS TODAY -: U.S. Top News: Former Illinois Governor Blagojevich to have final word before prison

miércoles, 14 de marzo de 2012

U.S. Top News: Former Illinois Governor Blagojevich to have final word before prison

Reuters » Top News

03/14/2012

Reuters Election 2012 Daily round-up of the day's top news from the campaign trail, the White House and all the politics in between

Former Illinois Governor Blagojevich to have final word before prison

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, never one to mince words during his political career, will have a final moment in the spotlight on Wednesday when he makes a statement before reporting to a federal prison to serve a 14-year sentence for corruption.

Banks to pay $25 million to NY state over mortgage system

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Five major U.S. banks have agreed to pay $25 million to New York State over their use of an electronic mortgage database that the state said resulted in deceptive and illegal practices that led to more than 13,000 foreclosures.

Transformer fire plunges Boston into darkness

BOSTON (Reuters) - A three-alarm fire in an electrical transformer in a popular Boston neighborhood caused a massive blackout on Tuesday, plunging part of the city into darkness, disrupting public transport and briefly prompting authorities to urge residents to stay indoors because of fears of toxic fumes.

Powerful Alabama Congressman Bachus survives tough primary

MOBILE, Alabama (Reuters) - Powerful Alabama Congressman Spencer Bachus overcame aggressive campaign ads and allegations of insider trading to beat his Republican challengers by a wide margin in Tuesday's primary contest.

Floods spurred by rising seas threaten 5 million

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For the nearly 5 million people who live along the U.S. coasts from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico and the West Coast, rising seas fueled by global warming have doubled the risk of so-called once-a-century floods, according to a trio of environmental reports released on Wednesday.

Heli-ski guide killed in Alaska avalanche

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A back country ski guide from Colorado was killed on Tuesday in an avalanche while helicopter skiing in steep mountains overlooking the coastline near the southeast Alaska town of Haines, Alaska State Troopers said.

Insight: Behind the healthcare-law case: The challengers' tale

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A little over a year ago, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was on a mission. Along with a group of like-minded officials from other states, she was determined to be the first to test President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law at the U.S. Supreme Court. And she wanted to find the right lawyer to do it.

Jobless rates in some swing states at 3-year lows

(Reuters) - Ahead of a presidential election widely considered a referendum on President Barack Obama's job creation efforts, all but two states reported improving jobless rates in January from a year ago, with some swing states hitting the lowest rates in three years.

Obama, Cameron catch "March Madness" basketball game

DAYTON, Ohio (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, America's basketball fan-in-chief, treated British Prime Minister David Cameron to courtside seats for "March Madness" on Tuesday, taking him to an NCAA tournament game in the presidential election swing state of Ohio.

Colonel from troubled U.S. Army base charged with making threats

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A U.S. Army officer from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the home installation of the soldier suspected of massacring Afghan civilians, was charged on Tuesday with threatening the lives of his estranged wife, a girlfriend and his boss.