Reuters US Domestic News Summary

08/28/2016 19:51

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Mississippi man arrested in stabbing death of two nuns: police

A Mississippi man has been arrested in the stabbing death of two Catholic nuns at their home earlier this week, police said on Friday. Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, faces two counts of capital murder in the death of two nuns in Durant, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety said in a statement.

Partial win in fight over North Carolina transgender bathroom law

North Carolina's university system must allow two transgender students and a transgender employee to use bathrooms matching their gender identity, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday, in a partial victory for those fighting the state's restrictive restroom law. Most transgender people in North Carolina, however, will still be bound by the law adopted in March that requires them to use bathrooms in government buildings and public schools that correspond with the sex on their birth certificate.

NFL's 49ers support quarterback after he refused to stand for anthem

National League quarterback Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco 49ers refused to stand for the national anthem before a preseason game on Friday, drawing boos from some fans and criticism on social media, but his team said it backed his right to protest. Kaepernick, a former starter who led San Francisco to the 2013 Super Bowl but has since been demoted to backup, said he sat on the bench during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to make a statement about racial injustice in the United States.

Two dead, 41 hurt in bus crash involving Louisiana flood-relief volunteers

A bus with an unlicensed driver spun out of control near New Orleans on Sunday, killing two people and injuring 41, while taking volunteers to help with Louisiana flood relief, officials said. St. John the Baptist Fire District Chief Spencer Chauvin was among those killed in the early morning crash after the chartered bus slammed into him as he tried to help victims of another accident, Louisiana State Police spokeswoman Melissa Matey told reporters at a news conference.

Two Chicago brothers on parole charged in murder of NBA star's cousin

Chicago police on Sunday said they have arrested two brothers and charged them with the fatal shooting of basketball star Dwyane Wade's cousin as she pushed a baby in a stroller, a murder that has stunned a city plagued by a surge in gang-related violence. In a case that has emerged as a talking point in the U.S. presidential race, Darwin Sorrells Jr., 26, and Derren Sorrells, 22, are facing charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the death of Nykea Aldridge, a 32-year-old mother of four, police said.

Kansas City area hit by floods after three days of downpour

The Kansas City area was flooded late Friday after a three-day downpour, forcing emergency services to conduct about 10 water rescues in Missouri's largest city, officials said. News photos showed vehicles stopped or abandoned as flood waters swelled across streets. No injuries nor fatalities were reported.

Video emerges showing U.S. police pursuing deaf driver

A video has emerged purportedly showing the beginning of a chase that resulted with a Highway Patrol trooper fatally shooting a deaf driver two weeks ago. The motorist, Daniel Harris, 29, of Charlotte, was shot during a traffic stop on Aug. 18. The shooting occurred amid a national debate over the use of deadly force by police.

Tropical Storm Madeline forms east of Hawaiian Islands: NHC

Tropical storm Madeline has formed in the northern Pacific ocean, well east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory on Friday. The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 km per hour), is about 1,235 miles (1,990 km) east-southeast of the Big Island of Hawaii, the Miami-based weather forecaster said.

California legal setback fails to discourage tenure opponents

A nationwide drive to weaken job guarantees for U.S. public school teachers shows no sign of fading away even though an extended legal battle to stop the practice of granting tenure in California went down in defeat last week. The California challenge, which would have made it easier for school districts to fire teachers deemed to be underachievers, reached the end of the line when the California Supreme Court declined to take up the case.

Two United Airlines pilots held on alcohol charge in Scotland

Two United Airlines pilots were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol in Scotland on Saturday as they were about to fly to the United States, police and the airline said. Police Scotland said the two men, aged 35 and 45 years, were detained under a section of the Railways and Transport Safety Act which covers carrying out pilot function or activity whilst exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol.

08/28/2016 19:51