U.S. Top News: U.S. Congress ends default threat, Obama signs debt bill

	Click to View in Browser 10/17/2013 U.S. Congress ends default threat, Obama signs debt bill WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Wednesday approved an 11th-hour deal to end a partial government shutdown and pull the world's biggest economy back from the brink of a historic debt default that could have threatened financial calamity. San Francisco rail strike averted for another day; no deal yet SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A potentially crippling commuter rail strike in the San Francisco Bay Area was averted for another day after marathon contract talks, with a federal mediator saying progress had been made and promising trains would run on Thursday. Wisconsin adds sales tax to Amazon.com shopping cart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wisconsin next month will become the 14th U.S. state to begin collecting sales tax on online purchases through Amazon.com Inc, joining a trend toward squeezing more revenue from e-commerce. New Jersey voters elect Democrat Cory Booker to U.S. Senate NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - Democrat Cory Booker, the charismatic mayor of Newark, was the unofficial winner of a New Jersey special election on Wednesday, handily defeating a conservative Republican to fill the state's vacant U.S. Senate seat. Ohio bill would compensate women held captive by Ariel Castro CLEVELAND (Reuters) - A bill that would compensate three women held captive for nearly a decade in Ariel Castro's home in Cleveland came one step closer to becoming law on Wednesday. Suspect claims dry ice bombs planted at Los Angeles airport were a prank LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A 28-year-old airport employee accused of setting off two dry ice bombs at Los Angeles International Airport apparently meant them as a prank, but would still face prosecution, police said on Wednesday. Accused Colorado theater shooter's lawyers want car, computer evidence barred CENTENNIAL, Colo. (Reuters) - Attorneys for accused Colorado theater gunman James Holmes, who could be sentenced to death if convicted of murdering 12 moviegoers last year, on Wednesday renewed their bid to bar key evidence from his upcoming trial. Engine failure on Spirit Airlines plane under investigation by U.S. safety officials DALLAS (Reuters) - An engine failure that forced an emergency landing of a Spirit Airlines Inc jet near Dallas is under investigation by federal safety officials who are recalling some employees furloughed by the U.S. government shutdown to help with the probe. Lockheed to lay off 600 workers in mission systems, training WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp, the largest U.S. defense contractor, on Wednesday became the latest weapons maker in recent months to announce layoffs, saying it would let go of 600 workers in its Mission Systems and Training Division later this month. Pentagon chief apologizes for lost Medal of Honor nomination WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel apologized on Wednesday to a former Army captain whose nomination for the nation's highest military honor was misplaced for two years after he complained about a lack of artillery and air support during a deadly 2009 firefight in Afghanistan. Related Video Suicide bomber kills Pakistani provincial law minister, 7 others Edward Snowden has more secrets to share Great Debate Are there still 'millionaires next door'? Apple attempts to become fashionable A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend