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Hawaii helicopter evacuation readied as new lava stream hits ocean

By Marco Garcia PAHALA, Hawaii (Reuters) - A third lava flow from Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano streamed into the ocean on Thursday as U.S. Marine Corps helicopters stood by to evacuate a Big Island community should molten rock or huge cracks block its final escape route. Six huge fissures sent rivers of molten rock through a blackened, volcanic wilderness that was once jungle, farmland and rural homes. Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, entered the fourth week of what may be an unprecedented, simultaneous eruption at its summit crater and along a six-mile (9.7-km) string of fissures 25 miles (40 km) down its east flank.

Uber disabled emergency braking in self-driving car: U.S. agency

Uber had disabled an emergency braking system in a self-driving vehicle that struck and killed a woman in Arizona in March even though the car had identified the need to apply the brakes, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report released on Thursday. At 1.3 seconds before impact, the self-driving system determined emergency braking was needed. The report gives new fuel to opponents in Congress who have stalled a bill designed to speed the deployment of self-driving cars on U.S. roads and puts a spotlight on the fact that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is also investigating, does not test self-driving vehicles or certify them before they are deployed on U.S. roads.

U.S. Senate approves bill to address Capitol Hill sexual harassment

The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously approved legislation that would step up protections for congressional staffers facing workplace harassment, including requiring lawmakers to use their personal funds to cover the cost of settlements if they were the alleged harassers. The bipartisan legislation, which had more than 40 co-sponsors in the 100-seat Senate, would also make public the harassment settlements and the lawmakers involved, automatically refer such settlements to the Senate Ethics Committee and more closely track allegations of harassment within the U.S. Capitol.

Movie producer Weinstein to surrender on sex assault charges

By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Film producer Harvey Weinstein was expected to surrender to authorities in New York on Friday, months after he was toppled from Hollywood's most powerful ranks by scores of women accusing him of sexual assault, a person familiar with the case said. Weinstein's spokesman Juda Engelmayer and Weinstein's lawyer Benjamin Brafman both declined to comment. The imminent criminal charging of Weinstein, which was first reported by the New York Daily News, follows a months-long investigation, including by the Manhattan district attorney's office.

'It is happening everywhere' Texas mass shooting victims tell governor

Victims and survivors of mass shootings in Texas choked back tears, recounted the bloodshed that unfolded before their eyes and pleaded with Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday to improve safety so that another massacre does not take place. "May 18th came around and it finally happened to our school and we weren’t surprised," said Grace Johnson, a senior at Santa Fe High School, the latest campus in a string of deadly U.S. mass shootings that stoked a debate about the best ways to stop the carnage. "Why Santa Fe and we said why not.

Players react to Trump's comments; linebacker Marshall calls them 'disgusting'

Several NFL players responded harshly Thursday to President Donald Trump's comments supporting the league's new national anthem policy, which calls for fines or punishment for any form of disrespect during the anthem. "I think that's good," Trump said in an interview with "Fox & Friends" that taped Wednesday and aired Thursday. You have to stand proudly for the national anthem.

Movie producer Weinstein to surrender on sex assault charges

By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Film producer Harvey Weinstein was expected to surrender to New York police on Friday, months after he was toppled from Hollywood's most powerful ranks by scores of women accusing him of sexual assault, a person familiar with the case said. Weinstein's spokesman Juda Engelmayer and Weinstein's lawyer Benjamin Brafman both declined to comment. The charging of Weinstein, which was first reported by the New York Daily News, follows a months-long investigation, including by the Manhattan district attorney's office.

U.S. Senate approves bill to address Capitol Hill sexual harassment

The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously approved legislation that would step up protections for congressional staffers facing workplace harassment, including requiring lawmakers to use their personal funds to cover the cost of settlements if they were the alleged harassers. The bipartisan legislation, which had more than 40 co-sponsors in the 100-seat Senate, would also make public the harassment settlements and the lawmakers involved, automatically refer such settlements to the Senate Ethics Committee and more closely track allegations of harassment within the U.S. Capitol.

Uber disabled emergency braking in self-driving car: U.S. agency

Uber [UBER.UL] had disabled an emergency braking system in a self-driving vehicle that struck and killed a woman in Arizona in March even though the car had identified the need to apply the brakes, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report released on Thursday. At 1.3 seconds before impact, the self-driving system determined emergency braking was needed. The report gives new fuel to opponents in Congress who have stalled a bill designed to speed the deployment of self-driving cars on U.S. roads and puts a spotlight on the fact that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is also investigating, does not test self-driving vehicles or certify them before they are deployed on U.S. roads.

Trump pardons late black boxing champion Jack Johnson

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a posthumous pardon to boxer Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champion, who was jailed a century ago due to his relationship with a white woman. "I believe Jack Johnson is a worthy person to receive a pardon, to correct a wrong in our history," Trump said. In a case that came to symbolize racial injustice, Johnson was arrested in 1912 with Lucille Cameron, who later became his wife, for violating the Mann Act.

Ex-New York town official found not guilty in bribery case

A former town official in New York's Nassau County was found not guilty on Thursday of taking bribes from a restaurateur, as jurors continued to weigh the fate of the county's former top elected executive charged in the same case. Former Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto was acquitted following a trial in federal court in Central Islip, New York, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for federal prosecutors. Marzulli declined to comment on the verdict.

U.S. House starts recess as immigration battle rages

The U.S. House of Representatives broke on Thursday for an 11-day recess with majority Republicans deadlocked over legislation to protect "Dreamer" immigrants from deportation while President Donald Trump insisted that Congress meet all his hard-line immigration demands. Republicans have been deeply divided for years over immigration.

Trump asks if NFL players who protest should be in country

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed a decision by the National Football League to fine teams if players on the field refuse to stand for the national anthem, saying in an interview broadcast on Thursday that if they do not want to stand, perhaps they should not be in the United States. Last season some NFL players took a knee during the anthem to protest police shootings of unarmed black men, sparking a controversy. Trump denounced the players as unpatriotic and repeatedly demanded an end to such protests.

U.S. Chemical Safety Board urges chemical plants to weigh disaster risks

By Erwin Seba HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Chemical Safety Board on Thursday urged chemical plants to weigh the risks of natural disasters just as they would the integrity of pipes and production equipment. "Such facilities should perform an analysis to determine their susceptibility to extreme weather events," the board said in its final report on a chemical fire at the Arkema SA plant in Crosby, Texas, during Hurricane Harvey in August and September 2017. "In addition, companies should assess seismic hazard maps to determine the risk of earthquakes and consider the risk of other extreme weather such as high-wind events," the board said in the report.

With gratitude, ailing John McCain looks back in HBO documentary

By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - At age 81, and with a terminal cancer diagnosis, U.S. Senator John McCain is looking back on his life, not with rancor or to settle old scores, but with immense gratitude. "John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls," an HBO documentary premiering on May 28, takes its title from the Ernest Hemingway novel that McCain says he has used as a guide for his life. "You will never talk to anyone who is as fortunate as John McCain," says the six-term senator from Arizona, two-time presidential candidate and Vietnam War hero, summing up his life.

United Air CEO grilled over NRA discount, workers rights at annual meeting

United Airlines executives faced questions about ending its discount for a gun rights group and how it treats its workers at the carrier's annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday. Asked about United's decision to sever ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the wake of the recent U.S. high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Chief Executive Oscar Munoz said the decision was reached largely in response to a United pilot's daughter who was killed in the massacre. United was one of several companies, including rival Delta Air Lines Inc, to end its relationship with the NRA after the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 students and staff members dead.

In costly quest for security, U.S. schools face law of diminishing returns

Pressure from parents and community members to find solutions, both high and low tech, has grown in the wake of deadly mass shootings at high schools in Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas, among other violent incidents. Meanwhile, some schools are spending precious funds on untested technologies, safety experts said, even though the most robust and effective safety measures can only mitigate the risk, not eliminate it. School officials must also strive to balance the need for security with a desire to preserve an atmosphere conducive to learning, experts said, warning that schools can become fortified bunkers that feel like prisons to students.

California man, two others indicted in fatal Kansas 'swatting' case

Using a false name, Tyler Barriss, 25, of California, contacted Wichita authorities and reported that after a fight between his parents, he had shot and killed his father, held his mother and brother at gunpoint and threatened to light the house on fire before committing suicide, according to the indictment unsealed on Wednesday. A Wichita police officer fatally shot Andrew Finch, 28, after law enforcement officials rushed to his home following the false reports. On Dec. 28, Casey Viner, 18, of Ohio, got into a dispute while playing an online game with Shane Gaskill, 19, of Kansas, the indictment said.

Wyoming approves controversial hunt of Yellowstone area grizzlies

By Laura Zuckerman PINEDALE, Wyo. (Reuters) - State wildlife officials approved plans on Wednesday for Wyoming's first season of grizzly bear hunting in 43 years, a move cheered by sportsmen but decried by Native Americans and conservation groups fighting to restore Endangered Species Act protections to the bears. The decision, clearing the way for hunters to shoot and kill as many as 22 grizzlies in a season that begins on Sept. 1, comes two weeks after the neighboring state of Idaho approved a plan allowing for no more than one grizzly to be taken in its hunting season opening the same day. The stage for state-licensed hunting of grizzlies outside of Yellowstone National Park was set last June when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the large, hump-shouldered bears would cease to be listed as a threatened species in the region.

Texas round table to include both sides of gun debate

By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Two groups at opposite ends of the gun debate will meet Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday as part of a second round of talks on preventing gun violence on campus, a response to last week's fatal shooting of 10 people in a Houston-area high school. Abbott invited representatives from the Texas State Rifle Association, which is affiliated with the National Rifle Association, and Texas Gun Sense, which favors gun control, to join him in Austin, the state capital. A group of experts are also expected to take part in the second of three round tables that the governor said would focus on mental health issues and the causes of gun violence.

Hawaii volcano belches new ash plume as geothermal wells secured from harm

By Marco Garcia VOLCANO, Hawaii (Reuters) - The restive Kilauea Volcano belched clouds of ash into the skies over Hawaii's Big Island twice more on Wednesday as civil defense authorities reported that pressurized geothermal wells at a nearby power plant had been secured from approaching lava. The latest back-to-back upheavals of ash from the main summit crater of Kilauea -- one before dawn and another several hours later -- came on the 21st day of what geologists rank as one of the biggest eruption cycles in a century from one of the world's most active volcanoes. The Hawaii County Civil Defense agency warned in its latest bulletin that residents downwind of Kilauea should take care to avoid exposure to ash, which can cause eye irritation and breathing difficulties, particularly in people with respiratory problems.

U.S. cautions citizens in China after 'abnormal' sound incident

By Michael Martina and Lesley Wroughton BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An American citizen working at the U.S. consulate in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has reported suffering from "abnormal" sounds and pressure leading to a mild brain injury, the U.S. embassy said on Wednesday and China said it was investigating the incident. The embassy, which issued a health alert to Americans living in China, said it could not link the case to health issues suffered by U.S. government staff in Cuba dating back to late 2016.

Bowing to Trump, NFL will require players to stand for anthem

The National Football League will fine teams if players on the field refuse to stand for the national anthem, the league said on Wednesday in a victory for U.S. President Donald Trump, who loudly demanded an end to such protests last year. Some NFL players knelt during the anthem to protest police shootings of unarmed black men, sparking a controversy as Trump criticized the players as being unpatriotic. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday announced a new policy that will fine teams if players on the field fail to stand during the "Star-Spangled Banner." Players who choose not to stand may now remain in the locker room until after the anthem is finished.

New Jersey governor signs nuclear power subsidy bill into law

(Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed several legislative initiatives on Wednesday to advance the state's clean energy goals, including a controversial bill that would subsidize the continued operation of nuclear power plants. The new nuclear law, which could cost about $300 million a year, establishes a Zero Emissions Certificate (ZEC) program to maintain New Jersey's nuclear energy supply, which contributes close to 40 percent of the state's electric capacity and is by far its largest source of carbon free energy. Plants seeking to participate in the program would be required, among other things, to demonstrate that they make a significant contribution to New Jersey air quality and are at risk of closure within three years.

Democratic voters challenge Ohio congressional district map

A group of Democratic voters asked a federal court on Wednesday to throw out a Republican-drawn map of Ohio's 16 U.S. House of Representatives districts, saying the boundaries were devised to entrench Republicans in power in violation of the voters' constitutional rights. Democratic voters residing in all of the districts filed suit in Cincinnati against Ohio Governor John Kasich and other Republican state officials over a practice called partisan gerrymandering. The U.S. Supreme Court is due by the end of June to issue rulings in two major partisan gerrymandering cases from Wisconsin and Maryland that could affect the Ohio suit.

Uber ends Arizona self-driving program following fatality

Uber has shut down its self-driving car operation in Arizona two months after a fatal crash involving one of its vehicles, the company said on Wednesday. Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] is not shuttering its entire autonomous vehicle program, a spokeswoman said, adding that it will focus on limited testing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and two cities in California. "We're committed to self-driving technology, and we look forward to returning to public roads in the near future," the spokeswoman said.

Head of USA Gymnastics apologizes to sex abuse victims

By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top executive of USA Gymnastics apologized during a congressional hearing on Wednesday to hundreds of female athletes who were sexually abused by longtime team doctor Larry Nassar and declared that "those days are over." Kerry Perry, chief executive of USA Gymnastics since December, said she was "appalled and sickened" by Nassar's sexual abuse of athletes while he was a USA Gymnastics volunteer. "First, I want to apologize to all who were harmed by the horrific acts of Larry Nassar," she said during the hearing of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee looking into whether U.S. Olympic sports have done enough to protect athletes from sexual abuse.

U.S. veteran pleads guilty to airport killings to avoid death penalty

A U.S. veteran of the war in Iraq on Wednesday pleaded guilty to fatally shooting five people to death at Fort Lauderdale International Airport in January 2017, in a deal approved by a federal judge that spared him the death penalty. Esteban Santiago, 28, agreed in U.S. District Court in Miami to a plea deal that calls for him to serve five consecutive life sentences followed by 120 years in prison without a right to appeal. Santiago flew from his home in Anchorage, Alaska, to Fort Lauderdale, retrieved a Walther 9mm pistol and two clips of ammunition that he had checked on the flight and opened fire near a baggage carousel.

Gun control support fades three months after Florida massacre: Reuters/Ipsos poll

By Daniel Trotta NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Parkland, Florida, school massacre has had little lasting impact on U.S. views on gun control, three months after the shooting deaths of 17 people propelled a national movement by some student survivors, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Wednesday. While U.S. public support for more gun control measures has grown slowly but steadily over the years, it typically spikes immediately after the mass shootings that have become part of the U.S. landscape, then falls back to pre-massacre levels within a few months. The poll found that 69 percent of American adults supported strong or moderate regulations or restrictions for firearms, down from 75 percent in late March, when the first poll was conducted following the Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

As U.S. shrinks refugee operations, new arrivals in Kansas town lose a lifeline

Through all the confusing experiences since they arrived in February, Htoo, his wife Htoo Say and their 2-year-old child had been guided by a refugee center run by the non-profit International Rescue Committee (IRC), one of nine designated resettlement agencies in the country. Now, on an overcast March morning, staff members were eager to help him land a job quickly.

'Surf's up' takes on new meaning for California foilboarders

Harnessing the "foiling" technology more typically seen on racing catamarans in sailing's America's Cup, the surfboards appear to fly above the water thanks to a fin attached to the bottom of the board. "You feel like a little kid," said professional athlete and stuntman Chuck Patterson, who rides a custom short board with a aluminum and fiberglass hydrofoil. The foil is like a wing that extends into the water under the surfboard.

University of Southern California torn by scandal surrounding gynecologist

By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two-hundred faculty members of the University of Southern California on Tuesday called for the USC's top official to resign over the school's handling of complaints that a campus health clinic gynecologist sexually abused his patients during pelvic exams. The demand for USC President C.L. Max Nikias to step down came in an open letter from professors to the school's Board of Trustees as USC faced a mounting tide of litigation accusing Dr. George Tyndall of misconduct and the university of complicity and negligence. Tyndall resigned from the university last year after an internal inquiry found his pelvic examination practices were beyond accepted medical standards and that he had harassed patients.

Ocean, jungle explosions new risks from Hawaii eruption

By Jolyn Rosa HONOLULU (Reuters) - Lava from Hawaii's erupting Kilauea volcano is exploding as it pours into the ocean, shooting rock fragments that are a danger to boaters. Inland, where molten rock is burning through jungle, methane explosions are hurling boulders while toxic gas is reaching some of the highest levels seen in recent times. Lava edged towards a geothermal power plant on Tuesday after destroying an old warehouse near the facility, County of Hawaii Civil Defense said.

U.S. court backs transgender student at center of bathroom dispute

A U.S. judge on Tuesday ruled that federal law protects a transgender student who fought all the way to the Supreme Court for the right to use a bathroom at a high school in Virginia that corresponded with his gender identity. U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen in Norfolk rejected a bid by the Gloucester County School Board to dismiss the civil rights lawsuit filed by student Gavin Grimm. The judge said Grimm has valid claims under a federal law, called Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, that bars discrimination on the basis of sex in education as well as the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law.