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Woman admits to killing fiance in kayak incident on Hudson River

A woman who once reported her fiance missing after his kayak capsized on a frigid Hudson River pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide on Monday, admitting she pulled the plug on his kayak so it would fill with water, prosecutors said. Angelika Graswald, 37, also admitted that she knew he was not wearing a life vest or wet suit and that the locking clip to his paddle was missing, putting her husband-to-be in grave danger, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler's office said in a statement. The body of Vincent Viafore, 46, was eventually recovered from the river near the site of the incident, about 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City.

'Pharma bro' Shkreli says he will not testify in securities fraud trial

Shkreli's statement to U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto came after jurors had been dismissed for the day in the middle of testimony from U.S. prosecutors' last witness in the case, a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who investigated Shkreli. Shkreli, 34, outraged patients and U.S. lawmakers by raising the price of the anti-infection drug Daraprim to $750 a pill, from $13.50, in 2015, when he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals.

Wells Fargo asks court to require client information be returned

Wells Fargo & Co has asked judges in New York and New Jersey to require a lawyer representing a former employee to immediately return reams of client information the bank mistakenly sent to the attorney, a bank spokeswoman said on Monday. In response to a New Jersey court case involving a dispute between ex-Wells Fargo employee Gary Sinderbrand and his brother who also worked there, the bank disclosed tens of thousands of client names, Social Security numbers, account balances and more, a lawyer for Sinderbrand wrote in a letter to the court.

California teen driver arrested after fatal crash she reportedly livestreamed

Obdulia Sanchez, 18, of Stockton, was booked into the Merced County Jail for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs causing injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. The California Highway Patrol said in a statement that she was driving two 14-year-old girls on Friday near Los Banos, California, around 6:40 p.m. Merced County Sheriff Deputy Daryl Allen confirmed that the girl who died, Jacqueline Sanchez, was the driver's sister.

Durst kicked man in face at party before wife disappeared: testimony

Real estate scion Robert Durst, whose ties to three slayings were portrayed in the HBO series "The Jinx," kicked a man in the face without provocation in 1981, breaking a bone, the man testified on Monday ahead of a highly anticipated murder trial. Los Angeles county prosecutors have accused Durst of first-degree murder, saying he shot to death his friend Susan Berman, a writer and the daughter of an organized crime figure, in Los Angeles in 2000 because of what she knew about the unsolved disappearance and presumed slaying of his wife Kathleen. Durst, 74, has pleaded not guilty to Berman's murder and was never charged with killing his wife.

Montana blaze rages as California crews gain ground on wildfire

The biggest U.S. wildfire torched buildings and parched grassland forcing evacuations in eastern Montana while California firefighters gained ground on a massive blaze near Yosemite National Park on Monday, authorities said. The two-blaze Lodgepole Complex in Montana, the biggest wildfire in the United States currently, was only 5 percent contained on Monday after racing through 226,000 acres (91,500 hectares) of timber, brush and range land near the Missouri River, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center.

Driver in Texas denies he knew immigrants were in stifling truck

A man charged in Texas with transporting unauthorized immigrants in a stifling truck told investigators he had no idea that they were inside until he stopped and found dozens of dead and dehydrated people in the back, court papers showed on Monday. James Matthew Bradley Jr., 60, was arrested on Sunday and could face the death penalty after authorities found eight men dead in the back of his tractor trailer truck parked outside a Walmart store in San Antonio. Scores of other immigrants, including children, suffering from dehydration and heat stroke, were also inside.

Massachusetts cannot hold immigrants so U.S. can detain them: state top court

By Scott Malone BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts police do not have the authority to detain illegal immigrants solely to buy time for federal law enforcement officials to take them into custody, the state's top court ruled on Monday. The decision amounts to a rejection of requests by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for courts and law enforcement agencies to hold illegal immigrants, who are facing civil deportation orders, in custody for up to 48 hours after their cases are resolved. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled that doing so amounts to a fresh arrest of the person that is not authorized by state law, in the first such ruling to apply to an entire state, according to Massachusetts' attorney general.

Tearful parents of UK baby Charlie Gard agree to let him die

The parents of Charlie Gard tearfully gave up their legal battle to keep their terminally ill baby alive on Monday, saying his condition had deteriorated too far for any possible recovery, in a case they said had touched the world. "Charlie did have a real chance of getting better. Charlie has a rare genetic condition causing progressive muscle weakness and brain damage and his parents had sought to send him to the United States to undergo therapy, in a campaign backed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Francis.

U.S. allows fast processing again for some H-1B visa applications

President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on immigrants, whom he said were taking jobs from U.S. citizens, and signed an executive order in April calling for a review of the H-1B program. The visa allows foreigners with certain skills to work temporarily in the United States. On April 3, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) suspended "premium processing" of the visas for up to six months.

California crews hold wildfire in check, let more residents go home

California authorities battling a massive wildfire near Yosemite National Park lifted evacuation orders on Sunday for more residents but said firefighters may need almost two more weeks to fully contain the blaze. The Detwiler Fire was 45 percent contained, a slight improvement from Saturday, after burning 76,250 acres (30,857 hectares) and more than 130 structures, including 63 homes, since it broke out on Monday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. Evacuation orders were lifted by midday Sunday for much of the historic gold rush era town of Coulterville and nearby areas as firefighters completed firelines to contain the blaze, Cal Fire said in a statement.

Death toll in suspected Texas human smuggling case rises to nine

By Jim Forsyth SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - At least nine men were found dead on Sunday alongside dozens of people discovered inside a sweltering tractor trailer parked at a Walmart store in San Antonio, Texas, in what authorities called a case of "ruthless" human trafficking. Thirty people, many in critical condition and suffering from heat stoke and exhaustion, were removed from the trailer, which lacked air conditioning or a water supply, San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said. Temperatures outside the vehicle topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius).

Firefighters gain on California wildfire, some evacuees return

By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A wildfire in central California was contained enough on Saturday for authorities to consider allowing more people back to their houses, a day after evacuation orders were lifted for a gold rush era town that was previously threatened. The Detwiler Fire just outside Yosemite National Park has scorched 75,500 acres (30,550 hectares)and destroyed more than 120 structures, including 60 homes, since it broke out on Monday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). The blaze, 40 percent contained as of Saturday afternoon, was named after a road near where it erupted in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Evacuation orders lifted but California wildfire rages on

(Reuters) - Residents of a historic gold-mining town in central California began returning home on Friday as evacuation orders prompted by a massive wildfire were lifted, but some 1,500 structures remained threatened by the flames. Around 2,000 residents of the town of Mariposa, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, fled their homes on Tuesday as the so-called Detwiler Fire bore down on them. The blaze, which has blackened more than 75,000 acres, destroyed 125 structures, 61 of them homes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Firefighters gain ground on Central California wildfire

By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A wildfire in central California was contained enough on Saturday for authorities to consider allowing more people back to their houses, a day after evacuation orders were lifted for a gold rush era town that was previously threatened. The Detwiler Fire just outside Yosemite National Park has scorched 75,200 acres (30,432 hectares) and destroyed 60 homes since it broke out on Monday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Authorities have since lifted evacuation orders for the town.

Senator McCain's daughter says went for hike with father

Thank you all for your best wishes!," the senator's daughter said in a tweet that included a picture showing the backs of two unidentified people sitting on a bench overlooking countryside resembling the senator's home state of Arizona. McCain, 80, a veteran senator and former Republican presidential candidate known as a strong and sometimes fiercely independent voice on defense and security issues, was found to have an aggressive form of brain tumor, glioblastoma, after surgery last week for a blood clot above his left eye. McCain's doctors said he was recovering from surgery well, and praised his underlying health as excellent.

U.S. Army sergeant indicted in Hawaii on charges of trying to help Islamic State

Ikaika Erik Kang, 34, is being held in jail and is scheduled to appear in court in Honolulu on Monday to face charges. Islamic State, a militant group that has claimed responsibility for suicide bombings and other attacks on civilians around the world, controls territory in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. abortion support groups put on more public face

    The Kentucky Health Justice Network, where she volunteers, is one of dozens of non-profit U.S. abortion funds providing money for procedures or covering travel costs to help women obtain abortions, particularly in states where Republican-backed laws have narrowed options.     For years, such organizations kept a low profile to avoid being targeted by abortion opponents.     The anti-abortion movement won a victory with the election of President Donald Trump, who has promised to appoint U.S. Supreme Court justices who would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision protecting a woman's right to abortion.

Evacuation orders lifted but California wildfire rages on

(Reuters) - Residents of a historic gold-mining town in central California began returning home on Friday as evacuation orders prompted by a massive wildfire were lifted, but some 1,500 structures remained threatened by the flames. Around 2,000 residents of the town of Mariposa, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, fled their homes on Tuesday as the so-called Detwiler Fire bore down on them. The blaze, which has blackened more than 75,000 acres, destroyed 125 structures, 61 of them homes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Minneapolis police chief resigns after Australian woman's shooting

(Reuters) - Minneapolis police chief Janee Harteau resigned on Friday at the request of the city's mayor, who said that she had lost confidence in Harteau following the fatal police shooting of an unarmed Australian woman. The death of Justine Damond, 40, from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen fired through an open window of a police patrol car, has outraged her relatives and the public in Australia. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called it "shocking" and "inexplicable." Mayor Betsy Hodges said in a statement that she and Harteau agreed during discussions on Friday that Harteau would step aside.

U.S. fines American, Delta, Frontier for consumer rule violations

Frontier Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have been fined for violating U.S. Transportation Department airline consumer protection rules, the department said on Friday. Frontier Airlines was fined $400,000 for violating oversales and disability rules, American Airlines $250,000 for failing to make timely refunds to passengers, and Delta Air Lines $200,000 for filing inaccurate baggage reports, the department said in a statement.

Al Qaeda suspect makes first appearance in U.S. federal court

Damache was indicted in 2011 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and one count of attempted identity theft to facilitate an act of international terrorism.

Trump orders review to strengthen U.S. defense industry

By Mike Stone and Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday initiating a government-wide review of the U.S. defense industry and suggest changes to strengthen it. The review is intended to identify and address potential weak points in the defense manufacturing base including companies that could go out of business and leave gaps in the supply chain for U.S. weapons systems, said Peter Navarro, the White House National Trade Council director. The executive order asked for recommendations on possible legislative, regulatory and policy changes that would improve and support the defense industry, calling it a "significant national priority".

Flow of asylum seekers crossing into Canada from U.S. rises in June

The number of asylum seekers walking across the U.S. border into Canada rose in June after dropping in the previous two months, according to government figures released on Friday. There were 884 refugee claimants who crossed the border between formal crossings and were picked up by Royal Canadian Mounted Police last month, bringing the total for the first half of 2017 to 4,345, the data showed. The vast majority, 88 percent, of June's crossers went to the province of Quebec, a marked contrast from previous months where upwards of 100 a month went to the prairie province of Manitoba.

Kentucky found liable for legal fees over same-sex marriage suit

Kentucky must pay the legal fees of lawyers who represented couples denied marriage licenses in 2015 by a county clerk in the state, a federal judge ruled on Friday in a same-sex marriage case that garnered world attention. U.S. District Judge David Bunning ruled that county clerk Kim Davis herself was not liable to pay the more than $224,700 in fees and associated costs accrued by plaintiffs. In the days after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, Davis, the Rowan County clerk, announced that she would no longer issue marriage licenses to any couple because same-sex marriage conflicted with her Apostolic Christian beliefs.

U.S. warship crew found likely at fault in June collision: official

The crew of the USS Fitzgerald was likely at fault in the warship's collision with a Philippine cargo ship in June and had not been paying attention to their surroundings, according to initial findings in an investigation, a U.S. defense official told Reuters on Friday. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are under way into how the USS Fitzgerald, a guided missile destroyer, and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17. The collision tore a gash below the Fitzgerald's waterline, killing seven sailors in what was the greatest loss of life on a U.S. Navy vessel since the USS Cole was bombed in Yemen's Aden harbor in 2000.

Lawsuit says North Carolina bathroom law still harmful

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - Transgender people still face discrimination and threats to their safety in North Carolina despite lawmakers replacing a measure that restricted their access to many public bathrooms, advocacy groups said in a new federal court action on Friday. The law thrust the state into the center of a national debate over equality, privacy and religious freedom last year by requiring transgender people to use restrooms in state-run buildings that matched the sex on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity. "When legislation fails to protect us, when it leaves us in limbo, it sends a message that our lives are expendable," plaintiff Joaquín Carcaño, a transgender man who works at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told reporters.

Activists, executives tell Texas Senate to ditch bathroom bill

By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Transgender activists and business leaders urged a Texas Senate panel on Friday to scrap legislation that would limit bathroom access for transgender people, saying it was a discriminatory measure that would hurt the state's economy. More than 250 civil rights activists, executives and others registered to speak to the Republican-dominated Senate as it began consideration of the measure, the most closely watched item on the state's agenda during a 30-day special session. Ashley Smith, a transgender woman and San Antonio architect, said transgender women suffer more violence than the general public, and a bathroom bill would make her more fearful.

Evacuation order may be lifted Friday as California wildfire grows

(Reuters) - Some residents of a historic gold-mining town in central California may be able to return on Friday after they fled their homes amid a spreading wildfire nearby that has destroyed dozens of houses over the past week, fire officials said. About 2,000 residents of the town of Mariposa, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, evacuated their homes on Tuesday as the so-called Detwiler Fire approached. "Even though the fire has grown in one area, there's containment in other areas and those are safe for the owners to go back," Cal Fire spokesman John Clingingsmith said on Friday.

Australian woman 'didn't have to die': Minneapolis police chief

The death of Justine Damond, 40, from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen fired through an open window of a police patrol car, has outraged her relatives and the public in both Australia and the United States. "Justine didn't have to die," Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau told reporters on Thursday in her first news conference about the shooting. Harteau said she apologized to Damond's fiance for the loss of life, adding that the action taken by Officer Mohamed Noor, who fired the fatal shot, reflected "one individual's actions." She said the body cameras of the two officers on the scene should have been activated.