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Trucker in deadly Texas immigrant case pleads guilty, faces life sentence

The driver of a truck packed with immigrants, 10 of whom died due to sweltering Texas heat in July, pleaded guilty on Monday to human smuggling charges and could face up to life in prison, prosecutors said. James Bradley Jr., 61, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death and one count of transporting aliens resulting in death, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas said in a statement. Prosecutors said he knew he was transporting human cargo and acted with careless indifference to human life.

Woman accusing Trump of misconduct subpoenas presidential campaign

A woman who has said that U.S. President Donald Trump groped her during a 2007 meeting has subpoenaed his presidential campaign for any documents concerning similar allegations, according to a subpoena filed in New York State Supreme Court. Summer Zervos, a former contestant on Trump's reality TV show "The Apprentice," sought all documents from his campaign pertaining to "any woman alleging that Donald J. Trump touched her inappropriately," identifying nine by name, the subpoena said.

U.S. Army Sergeant Bergdahl could face life sentence for endangering troops

By Colleen Jenkins FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl pleaded guilty on Monday to deserting his duties in Afghanistan in June 2009 and endangering the lives of fellow troops, a step toward resolving the politically charged case that could send him to prison for life. During last year's presidential campaign, Republican Donald Trump called Bergdahl "a no-good traitor." In court on Monday, Bergdahl admitted wrongdoing but said he never intended to put anyone at risk. "I didn't think there'd be any reason to pull off a crucial mission to look for one guy," he said, adding that his actions were "very inexcusable." Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, with the latter offense carrying a possible life sentence.

U.S. police deaths on duty spiked in 2016: FBI

By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sixty-six police officers were killed on the job by felons in 2016, up about 61 percent from 41 deaths a year ago, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Monday. The number was the second highest since 2011, when 72 officers were killed by felons, according to the FBI report. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a statement called the numbers "shocking" and "unacceptable," and said the Justice Department would work toward reducing violent crime.

U.S. Supreme Court to decide major Microsoft email privacy fight

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to resolve a major privacy dispute between the Justice Department and Microsoft Corp over whether prosecutors should get access to emails stored on company servers overseas. The justices will hear the Trump administration's appeal of a lower court's ruling last year preventing federal prosecutors from obtaining emails stored in Microsoft computer servers in Dublin, Ireland in a drug trafficking investigation.

Massachusetts court: Yahoo can give dead man's emails to siblings

By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - The top court in Massachusetts ruled against Yahoo on Monday by concluding that federal law does not bar it from providing the representatives of an deceased man's estate access to his email account. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision marked a victory for two people who fought Yahoo for years after their brother's death in 2006, seeking access to contents of his email account.

EPA head seeks to avoid settlements with green groups

By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a directive to his agency on Monday seeking to end the practice of settling lawsuits with environmental groups behind closed doors, saying the groups have had too much influence on regulation. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who sued the agency he now runs more than a dozen times in his former job as attorney general of oil producing Oklahoma, has long railed against the so-called practice of "sue and settle." The EPA under former President Barack Obama quietly settled lawsuits from environmental groups with little input from regulated entities, such as power plants, and state governments, he argues.

U.S. Senator Menendez's corruption trial to proceed: judge

By Joseph Ax NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - The bribery case against U.S. Senator Bob Menendez survived a key test on Monday, as the federal judge overseeing his trial rejected a defense motion to throw out the most serious charges. U.S. District Judge William Walls in Newark, New Jersey, allowed the trial to proceed on all charges, five days after suggesting he was inclined to dismiss the heart of the case based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that narrowed the legal definition of public corruption. Prosecutors have accused Menendez, a 63-year-old Democrat, of taking bribes from Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen in exchange for using his office to help the doctor in a variety of ways.

Trump says working on welfare reform proposals

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he is weighing recommendations for welfare reform as his government looks for ways to cut costs. Speaking to reporters at the beginning of a cabinet meeting, Trump said some welfare recipients are taking advantage of the system, while others are not receiving enough benefits to live. He did not discuss specific recommendations. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton)

Search goes on for worker missing after Louisiana oil platform explosion

The search continued for a worker missing from an oil production platform in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain that exploded and caught fire late Sunday, sending six others to hospital with injuries, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Coast Guard rescue crews were battling 4 foot to 5 foot (1.2-1.5 meter) waves on the lake and a helicopter joined the search at daybreak after an overnight effort failed to locate the worker, officials said at a briefing on Monday. Three workers remain in hospital for blast and burn treatment, some in critical condition, Mike Guillot, emergency medical services director at East Jefferson General Hospital, said during a news briefing on Monday.

Trump, Democrats spar over whether tax plan will help middle class

By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Middle-class Americans' incomes would eventually rise more than $4,000 if corporate tax cuts were enacted, the Trump administration said in an analysis released on Monday to counter Democratic criticisms that its tax proposals overwhelmingly benefit the rich. The White House and top Republicans in Congress have unveiled a broad framework for tax reform but lawmakers have yet to work out details of a legislative proposal. President Donald Trump has said he would like to see the U.S. corporate income tax rate reduced to 20 percent from the current 35 percent rate.

Firefighters gaining edge in California wildfires that have killed at least 40

By Salvador Rodriguez SANTA ROSA (Reuters) - Firefighters began gaining ground on wildfires that killed at least 40 people in the past week, the deadliest blazes in California's history, as winds eased and searchers combed charred ruins for more victims with hundreds still missing. Two of the three most destructive Northern California fires were more than half contained early on Monday, and some residents who fled the flames in hard-hit Sonoma County could be allowed to return home later in the day, officials said. More than 5,700 structures were destroyed by more than a dozen wildfires that ignited a week ago and consumed an area larger than New York City.

Pot farmer's dreams go up in smoke during California wildfires

By Heather Somerville SANTA ROSA, Calif. (Reuters) - Andrew Lopas' plans to bring his marijuana business out of the black market with a legal, profitable and organic pot farm went up in smoke in the wildfires that have scorched Santa Rosa, California. After four decades of growing pot illegally, the 54-year-old saw an opportunity last year to start a legitimate business serving the medical marijuana market. Last Sunday, as the wildfires, which have now killed at least 40 people, first erupted, Lopas' cannabis farm in Santa Rosa went up in flames, leaving behind the stumps of two chimneys, heaps of ash, charred marijuana plants and a despairing entrepreneur.

Pot farmer's dreams go up in smoke during California wildfires

Andrew Lopas' plans to bring his marijuana business out of the black market with a legal, profitable and organic pot farm went up in smoke in the wildfires that have scorched Santa Rosa, California. After four decades of growing pot illegally, the 54-year-old saw an opportunity last year to start a legitimate business serving the medical marijuana market. Last Sunday, as the wildfires, which have now killed at least 40 people, first erupted, Lopas' cannabis farm in Santa Rosa went up in flames, leaving behind the stumps of two chimneys, heaps of ash, charred marijuana plants and a despairing entrepreneur.

Forty dead, neighborhoods burned to ash in California fires

Dry, warm gusts of wind are forecast for Sunday as firefighters continue to grapple with the deadliest blazes in California's history, which have killed at least 40 people and reduced entire neighborhoods to ash. More than 10,000 firefighters supported by air tankers and helicopters battled 16 major wildfires in areas north of San Francisco that have consumed some 214,000 acres (86,000 hectares), or roughly 334 square miles (865 sq km) - an area larger than New York City. Arid winds would eventually die down on Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service said, but no rain was forecast to fall on the fires till Wednesday.

Republican Senator Collins likely 'yes' vote to advance tax reform

U.S. Republican Senator Susan Collins, who helped torpedo President Donald Trump's effort to repeal Obamacare, said on Sunday she was leaning towards a 'yes' vote on the Senate budget resolution to advance tax reform. The Senate is expected to vote on the fiscal 2018 measure this week. The resolution contains a legislative tool that could facilitate adoption of a tax reform bill later this year.

Afghan Taliban deny former hostage's claims of murder, rape

A Taliban spokesman denied on Sunday accusations by a Canadian man that one of his children had been murdered and his wife raped while they were being held captive by militants who kidnapped them in Afghanistan in 2012. Joshua Boyle and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, were held by the Haqqani network, a semi-independent wing of the Afghan Taliban, before being rescued by Pakistani troops in northwest Pakistan, near the Afghan border, last week. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected that as propaganda by the Western governments that helped rescue the family.

California 'horror' fires kill at least 38, deadliest in state history

By Heather Somerville SANTA ROSA, Calif. (Reuters) - Fast-moving fires spread by shifting winds forced thousands more Californians to evacuate their homes on Saturday as the death toll from the deadliest blaze recorded in the state's history rose to at least 38, with hundreds of people still missing. About 10,000 firefighters supported by air tankers and helicopters overhead were battling 16 major wildfires, some encompassing several smaller merged blazes, in areas north of San Francisco that have consumed nearly 214,000 acres (86,000 hectares) over seven days, or roughly 334 square miles (865 sq km) - an area larger than New York City. The 38 confirmed fatalities, including 20 in Sonoma County, already make it the deadliest fire event in California history.

Latino workers flee California wine country fires for shelters, beaches

By Noel Randewich and Peter Henderson PETALUMA, Calif./SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - At the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds north of San Francisco, Spanish is the language that dominates many conversations about shelters, work and how to survive the California wine country wildfires, one of the deadliest fire events to strike the Golden State. Flames bore down on a vineyard where Sofia Rivera, 50, was picking grapes at about 2 a.m. on Monday. The Latino population of Sonoma and Napa counties grew by more than 60 percent each between 2000 and 2015, outpacing a 38 percent growth in the Bay Area as a whole, according to U.S. Census data provided by Sonoma County.

Canadian says child killed, U.S. wife raped during Afghan kidnapping

OTTAWA/TORONTO (Reuters) - A U.S.-Canadian couple freed in Pakistan this week, nearly five years after being abducted in Afghanistan, returned to Canada on Friday where the husband said one of his children had been murdered and his wife had been raped. American Caitlan Coleman and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, were kidnapped while backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012 by the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. "Obviously, it will be of incredible importance to my family that we are able to build a secure sanctuary for our three surviving children to call a home," Boyle told reporters after arriving at Toronto's Pearson International Airport, wearing a black sweatshirt and sporting a beard.

Trump calls Puerto Ricans 'wonderful'; reprises comments on island's pre-storm woes

President Donald Trump praised Puerto Rico's people on Friday, calling them "wonderful" and having an "unmatched spirit" as the U.S. territory struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria and he weathers criticism for his handling of the disaster. "The wonderful people of Puerto Rico, with their unmatched spirit, know how bad things were before the [hurricanes]," Trump said on Twitter.

Advocates for Americans held in Iran worried by Trump's hard line

By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Advocates for Americans imprisoned by Iranian authorities said on Friday they were concerned the Trump administration's hard line on Iran would close off the chance for talks to secure the prisoners' release. In a major shift in U.S. policy, President Donald Trump announced he would not certify that Iran is complying with a 2015 nuclear deal and warned that he might ultimately terminate the agreement. The administration also designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the dominant player in the country's security, economy and politics, as a terrorist group, a move one expert said would make the group less willing to negotiate over the prisoners.

U.S. states sue to block Trump Obamacare subsidies cut

By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Dan Levine WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Eighteen U.S. states sued President Donald Trump's administration on Friday to stop him from scrapping a key component of Obamacare, subsidies to insurers that help millions of low-income people pay medical expenses, even as Trump invited Democratic leaders to negotiate a deal. One day after his administration announced plans to end the payments next week, Trump said he would dismantle Obamacare "step by step." His latest action raised concerns about chaos in insurance markets. The subsidies cost $7 billion this year and were estimated at $10 billion for 2018, according to congressional analysts.

Las Vegas police say no delay in massacre response

(Reuters) - Las Vegas police presented a third version on Friday of the timeline of events for the Las Vegas gunman who killed 58 people and himself, saying they responded immediately to the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, who oversees the Las Vegas police department, told reporters that gunman Stephen Paddock shot at Mandalay Bay hotel security guard Jesus Campos outside his room on Oct. 1 at about the same time he opened fire on the more than 20,000 concertgoers at an outdoor venue. Previously, police said that Paddock shot Campos six minutes before he started firing on the crowd, raising questions as to whether police and hotel security could have acted faster to prevent casualties in the attack.

32 dead, hundreds missing as California wildfires rage

By Noel Randewich SONOMA, Calif. (Reuters) - Firefighters made headway on Friday against devastating wildfires in the heart of California's wine country but said the death toll of 32 was expected to rise with hundreds of people still missing. Giordano said 45 search-and-rescue teams and 18 detectives had been deployed to comb ruined neighborhoods for more victims.

University of North Carolina dodges penalty after sham-course probe

The University of North Carolina has avoided major penalties for running sham classes taken by scholarship athletes after a probe found they did not violate National Collegiate Athletic Association academic rules, the sports body said on Friday. Had the NCAA infractions panel found the classes existed solely to benefit athletes, the university could have faced penalties such as having its powerhouse men's basketball team barred from playing in the national championship tournament. The panel found two violations in the case - a former department chair and a former curriculum secretary failed to cooperate during at least part of the investigation, the NCAA said.

NFL not seeking mandate for players to stand during anthem

The NFL said on Friday it has no plans to mandate players stand for the U.S. national anthem, but will rather present a possible solution on how to end the controversial protests when it meets with team owners next week. Commissioner Roger Goodell, along with the head of the NFL Players Association, will meet with the owners from Oct. 17-18 in New York where the issue of player protests during the U.S. national anthem is expected to command much attention. "(Goodell) has a plan that he is going to present to owners about how to use our platform to both raise awareness and make progress on issues of social justice and equality in this country," NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said on a conference call.

House Speaker Ryan says 'more to come' for Puerto Rico aid

(Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Friday that the federal government would provide more funding for Puerto Rico's long-term rebuilding, although he did not say when that funding would be approved.

Tourniquets, once out of favor, helped save lives in Vegas shootings

By Lisa Girion LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - When the sniper’s bullet shattered Paola Bautista’s arm, her sister and a stranger in the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Festival got her to cover. Daisy Bautista stuffed a sock into the hole in her sister’s arm, and the man who was helping them pulled a belt tight above the wound. Bautista, a country music lover from California, is one of several Las Vegas shooting victims who benefited from the use of a controversial and centuries-old life-saving tool that is making a comeback - the tourniquet.

Trump calls Puerto Ricans 'wonderful'; reprises comments on island's pre-storm woes

President Donald Trump praised Puerto Rico's people on Friday, calling them "wonderful" and having an "unmatched spirit" as the U.S. territory struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria and he weathers criticism for his handling of the disaster. "The wonderful people of Puerto Rico, with their unmatched spirit, know how bad things were before the [hurricanes]," Trump said on Twitter. "I will always be with them!" On Thursday, Trump tweeted criticisms of Puerto Rico's economic problems, saying power and other infrastructure were a "disaster" before the hurricanes and adding that Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal relief personnel could not be on the island "forever." Irma grazed Puerto Rico and Maria hit directly as the most powerful storm to lash the island in 90 years, devastating the power grid and other infrastructure.

Social media firms summoned to U.S. Congressional hearings on Russia

Representatives of Facebook, Twitter and Google have been asked to appear on Nov. 1 at hearings on alleged Russian interference in U.S. politics called by the U.S. Senate and House Intelligence Committees, officials said. Facebook and Twitter have already agreed to send representatives to the Senate committee hearing, a Congressional official said.

Military helicopter teams bring aid to Puerto Rico

Sixteen days after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, Maria de Lourdes Sandoval heard helicopters over her village of Bajura. Hundreds of villages, isolated by power outages, impassable roads and downed telephone lines, are being helped by helicopter teams from the U.S. Army's First Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade and the 101st Airborne Division's "Dustoff" unit.

Trump says Puerto Ricans are 'wonderful,' have 'unmatched spirit'

U.S. President Donald Trump praised the people of Puerto Rico on Friday, calling them "wonderful" and praising their "unmatched spirit" as the U.S. territorial island struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria and he weathers criticism for his handling of the aftermath. "The wonderful people of Puerto Rico, with their unmatched spirit, know how bad things were before the [hurricanes]," Trump said on Twitter.

FAA orders A380 engine inspections after Air France incident

U.S. aviation authorities have ordered visual inspections of fan hubs in engines used on some Airbus SE A380 jets after an engine came apart on an Air France flight last month, forcing it to make an emergency landing. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive requiring owners and operators of Engine Alliance (EA) Model GP7200 series engines to visually inspect the engines and remove the fan hub if defects are found. The EA engines are manufactured by a 50-50 joint venture between General Electric Co and United Technologies Corp's Pratt & Whitney unit.