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For more headlines on Breaking, National, Business, Finance, Sports and World News, visit our home page Birmingham News.net http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/cat/dc5bac5ce154af20/ en-us Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:16:40 -0400 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 02:16:40 -0400 30 WASHINGTON - The House has voted to delay sweeping food safety rules that would require farmers and food companies to be more vigilant about guarding against contamination.Lawmakers adopted an amendment by voice vote to a wide-ranging farm bill late Wednesday that would delay the rules signed into law in 2011 until the Food and Drug Administration conducts a study on their economic impacts.The ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215313433/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:40:50 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215313433/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By The Associated Press The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312976/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:28:17 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312976/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/HBO, Will Hart, File - This undated photo, provided by HBO, shows James Gandolfini, as Tony Soprano, left, Robert Iler, as Anthony Soprano Jr., right, and Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano in ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312468/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:25:03 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312468/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Elise Amendola - Chicago Blackhawks left wing Brandon Saad, center, celebrates a goal by Blackhawks center Michal Handzus, right, in front of Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312469/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:25:00 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312469/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 TOKYO (AP) -- Sony Corp. needs more time to study a key proposal from a U.S. hedge fund to spin off a part of its entertainment unit as a way to propel its fledgling revival, the chief executive told shareholders ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312711/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:19:40 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312711/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed Jun 19, 2013 10:54pm EDT (Adds actor's planned attendance at Sicily film festival, more reaction) By Piya Sinha-Roy and Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES, June 19 (Reuters) - James Gandolfini, the burly actor best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of a conflicted New Jersey mob boss in the groundbreaking cable TV series "The Sopranos," died on Wednesday vacationing in Italy. He was ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312508/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:54:12 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312508/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Alabama athletic director Bill Battle is not sure that any college football program ever has surpassed what the Crimson Tide and coach Nick Saban have accomplished over the last several years. (Robert Sutton | Halifax Media Group | ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312211/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:57:43 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215312211/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By The Associated Press Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday: 1. BERNANKE SPEAKS, DOW DROPS His announcement that the Fed will likely end its extraordinary bond-buying program next year sends the Dow down more than 200 points. 2. JAMES GANDOLFINI, MAGNETIC 'SOPRANOS' STAR, DIES The actor, most famous for his role ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215311279/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:16:35 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215311279/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 CLEVELAND -- A cat caring for four newborn kittens is nursing an orphaned week-old pit bull puppy in Cleveland.Sharon Harvey of the Cleveland Animal Protective League said Wednesday that Lurlene the cat welcomed Noland the puppy to her "unusual little family." The puppy was dropped off at the animal shelter last week when he was a day old.The staff decided to place Noland with the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309649/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:19:00 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309649/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is conducting a community assessment survey this week to help the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Alabama’s board of directors decide the club’s fate, which remains in ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310293/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:15:12 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310293/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A woman accused of stealing credit cards from local stores was arrested this month in Trussville and faces charges from throughout Northeast and Central ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310294/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:15:12 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310294/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A washer, dryer, DVD player, computer, laptop, air compressor and window air conditioning unit were stolen from a residence on Jackson Trail near Altoona between June 2 and ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310295/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:15:12 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310295/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Job Corps is a career training program run by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps low-income students learn a trade in order to help jump start them in a career of their choosing.Job Corps offers training in fields such as automotive and machine repair, information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing. Admissions Counselor Brenda Miller said young men and women can earn their ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310296/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:15:11 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215310296/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The planned outage will allow co-op personnel to perform essential upgrades inside the substation that cannot safely be done while the substation is energized. It should take about five hours to complete the work. Power is expected to be restored early Sunday morning.Substation upgrades are necessary to help prevent unscheduled future ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309586/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:15:11 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309586/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 President Dilma Rousseff has tried to placate the largely middle-class crowds by supporting their right to protest, and the Sao Paulo municipal government has rescinded the 10-cent hike in bus and subway fares that sparked the demonstrations in the first place. But as the protests grow even bigger, with two major marches called for Thursday, the Brazilian government seems at a loss over how to ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309480/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:07:53 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309480/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 food stamps by $2 billion a year as part of a wide-ranging farm bill. The chamber rejected 234-188 a Democratic amendment to the five-year, ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309529/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:04:53 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309529/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 In this photo provided by Matt Lautner is a fluffy male cow named Texas Tornado at Lautner Farms in Adel, Iowa. The art of grooming cows so they look like massive poodles is a well-known beautification practice in the show cattle industry that helps sell livestock. But tell that to the Internet, which became fascinated with the moniker “fluffy cow” after a photos of Texas Tornado and other ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215308519/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:14:24 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215308519/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tiffany Jacobs, left, hangs from a bar as LeeAnn McCollum looks on as they train for the Barbarian Challenge during a class at Absolute Fitness in Rainbow ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309031/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:10:48 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309031/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Bob and Barbara Schmidt dashed to their home on a dirt road in a heavily wooded area northeast of Colorado Springs as smoke from what would become the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history filled the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309032/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:06:46 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309032/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Supporters of a far-reaching immigration bill in the Senate see fresh momentum from a report by the Congressional Budget Office that the measure would boost the economy and reduce federal deficits by billions ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309033/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:06:43 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309033/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 University of Alabama chemistry professor awarded $1 million grant Al.com - June 18 The National Science Foundation has awarded a University of Alabama chemistry professor a $1 million dollar grant and a CAREER award, a recognition of top-performing young scientists. Patrick Frantom, an assistant chemistry professor who joined UA’s faculty in 2009, was awarded the five-year grant for his ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309034/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:05:56 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309034/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 legal status to immigrants living in the United States unlawfully while the additional security was being put into place. No green cards -- signifying permanent residence status -- could be issued to them until the plan was fully implemented. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to disclose terms of a plan that was not yet finalized. If agreed to, the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215308376/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:03:05 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215308376/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The bodies of two other passengers - an unidentified man and woman - have been sent to the Department of Forensic Sciences in Huntsville for ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309035/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:57:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215309035/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Political leaders in drug-plagued Kentucky say retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. has responded to a multi-state campaign and stopped selling flasks, shot glasses and pint glasses that look like prescription pill bottles.Gov. Steve Beshear released a statement Wednesday saying he was very pleased with the decision.Urban Outfitters caters to teens and young adults. The Courier-Journal of Louisville ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307641/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:14:06 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307641/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Car buyers increasingly want high-tech features like voice recognition and navigation. But they're not very forgiving of the car company when those systems fail.The top complaints in J.D. Power's closely-watched survey of new vehicle owners, released Wednesday, involved technologies that drivers are clamoring for. Voice recognition systems either didn't recognize commands or ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307638/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:14:04 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307638/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; President Barack Obama is planning a major push using executive powers to tackle the pollution blamed for global warming in an effort to make good on promises he made at the start of his second ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306854/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:12:50 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306854/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A demonstrator holds up a Brazilian flag in front of a group of protestors gathered in the main plaza of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Some of the biggest demonstrations since the end of Brazil's 1964-85 dictatorship have broke out across this continent-sized country, uniting multitudes frustrated by poor transportation, health services, education and security despite a heavy ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307251/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:07:30 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307251/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON - The head of the Senate Intelligence Committee says she opposes the force-feeding of terror suspects at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is pressing the Pentagon to establish a more humane treatment.Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California wrote to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday saying the force-feeding is a policy that conflicts with ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307682/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:07:21 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307682/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Norton, a Guntersville native, has served as president of the Arab Chamber of Commerce since January 2010. Under Norton's leadership, the Arab Chamber has developed a strategic plan and maintained a membership of 320 businesses. She has continued to be a driving force for redevelopment in Arab's historic downtown and positioned the chamber to serve as an advocate for business growth and ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307684/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:05:01 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307684/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A Crossville woman was arrested on drug charges and may face theft charges over stolen property recovered at her residence, according to DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307685/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:05:01 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307685/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Carlos Osorio - Investigators stand at the scene in Oakland Township, Mich., Wednesday, June 19, 2013 where officials attempt to restore the field to its natural condition after the FBI ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306879/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:57:09 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306879/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Taliban announced the opening of their political office in Qatar. The rift delayed the announced visit to the region this week by the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Karzai was upset that the Taliban used its formal name -- the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan -- making it look like a parallel institution to his government. Karzai also halted negotiations with the US on a ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307199/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:34:55 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215307199/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The Federal Reserve sketched a slightly brighter picture of the U.S. economy this year and next, a sign it is moving closer to slowing its bond-buying program.The Fed now predicts unemployment will fall to 7.2 percent or 7.3 percent at the end of 2013 from 7.6 percent now. It thinks the rate will be between 6.5 percent and 6.8 percent by the end of 2014, better than its projection from March of ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306324/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:04:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306324/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The price of oil fell slightly Wednesday as the Federal Reserve indicated it's closer to easing up on economy boosting measures that have been a boon for commodities.Oil swung in a range of about $1 after the Fed delivered a mixed message: The central bank said it would continue buying bonds at a pace of $85 billion a month, which helps keep interest rates at low levels. But chairman Ben ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306325/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:04:38 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306325/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 DALLAS -; A government analyst says the merger of American Airlines and US Airways would reduce competition on more than 1,600 routes traveled by more than 53 million ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305546/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:03:37 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305546/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; By saying he intends to bargain with Russia over new reductions in nuclear weapons, rather than make cuts on his own, President Barack Obama is asking for cooperation from a former Cold War foe in no mood to ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305840/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:03:35 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305840/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; The U.S. is criticizing China and Russia for failing to meet minimum standards in fighting human trafficking, ranking them on a par with North Korea and ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305821/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:03:34 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305821/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 FILE -- In this file photo taken on Jan. 12, 2013, Italian fashion designers Stefano Gabbana, left, and Domenico Dolce bow to the audience after presenting their Dolce & Gabbana men's Fall-Winter 2013-14 collection in Milan, Italy. A Milan court convicted fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana of tax evasion. The pair were found guilty Wednesday of failing to declare euros ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306041/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:59:31 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306041/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 NEW YORK -- Financial markets shuddered Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it could start scaling back its huge bond-buying program later this year and end it by the middle of 2014.The Fed's $85 billion in monthly bond purchases have been a boon for the U.S. economy, keeping interest rates near historic lows and lifting the stock market more than 140 percent over the past four years. ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305507/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:59:31 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305507/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 SAVANNAH, Ga. - Celebrity cook Paula Deen says she has used racial slurs in the past but insists she and her brother, who are accused of racial and sexual discrimination in a lawsuit by a former manager of their restaurant, don't tolerate hateful behavior.In a court deposition filed Monday in federal court, an attorney for former restaurant manager Lisa Jackson presses the 66-year-old Deen ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306396/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:58:54 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306396/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Federal Reserve sketched a brighter economic outlook on Wednesday and signaled it's moving closer to slowing its bond-buying program, which is intended to keep ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305517/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:50:01 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305517/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Michael Kappeler,Pool - US President Barack Obama, left, waves to invited guests next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel . right, in front of Brandenburg Gate at Pariser Platz in Berlin, ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305501/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:47:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305501/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Farah Abdi Warsameh - African Union peacekeepers and unidentified foreigners stand outside the main U.N. compound, following an attack on it in Mogadishu, Somalia Wednesday, June 19, ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305502/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:47:23 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305502/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By DALE GAVLAKAssociated Press AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - For Syrians, no visit to Damascus' Old City is complete without a stop at a more than century-old ice cream parlor in its main souq where you can watch them make their distinctive desert by pounding it into shape with giant wooden mallets, then enjoy a bowl of it sprinkled with pistachios. Now those who fled their country's bloody ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306050/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:44:00 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306050/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Bob and Barbara Schmidt dashed to their home on a dirt road in a heavily wooded area northeast of Colorado Springs as smoke from what would become the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history filled the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306373/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:41:38 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306373/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama athletic director Bill Battle isn't sure any football program has ever topped the Crimson Tide's current run under Nick Saban.Battle's background and perspective make that high praise, indeed. He played for coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's first national championship team at Alabama in 1961 and was a successful Southeastern Conference head ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306368/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:35:43 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306368/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The leaders of two Alabama private school organizations don't expect many new students to apply in the wake of a law providing tax credits for students transferring from failing ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306369/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:26:46 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215306369/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Hopes dimmed for talks aimed at ending the Afghan war when an angry President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday suspended security negotiations with the U.S. and scuttled a peace delegation to the Taliban, sending American officials scrambling to preserve the possibility of dialogue with the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305787/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:21:21 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215305787/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Federal prosecutors have secured new indictments against a former BP engineer and a former BP executive charged separately with obstructing probes of the company's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304628/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:50:34 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304628/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Forecasters say a tropical depression crossing Mexico's Bay of Campeche is getting better organized and is expected to become a tropical storm before making landfall along Mexico's Gulf ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304550/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:50:33 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304550/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A protester stands in front of the Greek state television ERT headquarters in Athens, on Tuesday, June 18, 2013. State TV channels in Greece remained off-air Tuesday as the political storm over the future of public broadcaster ERT rages on despite a court ruling that the prime minister's decision to pull the plug was wrong. The banner on the top reads in Greek "ERT is, and will remain ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304699/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:49:12 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304699/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 2013. The committee in the Republican-led House is preparing to cast its first votes on immigration this year, on a tough enforcement-focused measure that Democrats and immigrant groups are protesting loudly. (AP Photo/Carolyn ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304254/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:38:57 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304254/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 federal government is spending less and less on its main program for preventing blazes in the first place. A combination of government austerity and the ballooning cost of battling the ruinous fires has taken a bite out of federal efforts to remove the dead trees and flammable underbrush that clog Western forests. The ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304255/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:38:56 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304255/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 BEIRUT (AP) -- Hezbollah fighters joined Syrian forces in battling rebels in a Damascus suburb that is home to a revered Shiite Muslim shrine, in a push to secure the area around the ornate, golden domed ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304495/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:13:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215304495/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; House Republicans are pushing to eliminate money for high-speed rail and a popular grant program for transportation ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303120/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:47:32 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303120/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Gary Pruitt, president and chief executive officer of the Associated Press speaks at the National Press Club (NPC) in Washington, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Pruitt, addressed a luncheon at the NPC and spoke about how the Justice Department violated its own rules in subpoenaing AP phone records. (AP Photo/Charles ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303341/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:47:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303341/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 From left, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and Vice President Joe Biden applaud during a ceremony to dedicate the statue of Frederick Douglass, seen behind them, Wednesday, June 19, 2013, in the Emancipation Hall of the United ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303340/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:47:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303340/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Here are five key facts to know about the health care overhaul before major portions of it begin next year.1. The 2010 law is still in effect, having survived Congressional and Supreme Court challenges.2. Most Americans will need to have coverage next year or pay an annual penalty. 3. Millions will get coverage next year with help from tax credits or through an expansion of the state-federal ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302982/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:43:35 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302982/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 SEATTLE - Passengers from a United Airlines Denver-to-Tokyo flight that diverted to Seattle when the Boeing 787 had an oil filter issue resumed their trip Wednesday, a spokeswoman said.The airline put about 200 passengers in hotels Tuesday night and they took off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Wednesday morning on another 787, spokeswoman Mary Ryan said in an email.There's no ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303480/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:42:10 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303480/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By STEVE ROTHWELLAP Markets Writer NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are falling after the Federal Reserve gave a slightly more optimistic outlook for the U.S. economy, which investors took as a hint that the bank was nearer to a decision to reduce its economic stimulus program. The Dow Jones industrial average fell as much as 87 points shortly after the Fed's statement came out at 2 p.m. Eastern ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303790/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:34:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303790/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 2013. The committee in the Republican-led House is preparing to cast its first votes on immigration this year, on a tough enforcement-focused measure that Democrats and immigrant groups are protesting loudly. (AP Photo/Carolyn ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302979/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:31:24 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302979/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 HAVANA - A State Department official says the United States and Cuba have agreed to resume bilateral talks on migration issues next month, in the latest evidence of a thaw in chilly relations. The talks will be held in Washington on July 17. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publically. The two Cold War enemies just concluded discussions in ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303453/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:27:30 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303453/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 SAO PAULO (AP) -- Scattered street demonstrations popped up around Brazil Wednesday as protesters continued their collective cry against the low-quality public services they receive in exchange for high taxes and rising ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303239/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:05:37 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215303239/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; Prospects for House passage of a new farm bill could turn on the level of food stamp cuts as Republicans leaders scrambled Wednesday to secure support for the five-year, half-trillion dollar ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301585/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:43:54 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301585/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 George Zimmer, the ousted founder and executive chairman of Men's Wearhouse, says Wednesday he was dismissed after he and the company's board disagreed about how it should look.In a statement released to CNBC following his termination, Zimmer says he expressed concerns to the board over the company's direction and that the board "inappropriately has chosen to silence my ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302448/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:40:46 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302448/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Murkowski says she believes same-sex marriage will encourage family values. She says she supports the right of all Americans to marry the person they ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301948/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:39:30 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301948/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 LONDON -; Britain's Supreme Court has quashed sanctions against an Iranian bank penalized over its alleged links to Iran's nuclear weapons ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301814/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:39:28 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301814/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 GENEVA -; Switzerland's lower house of parliament has for the second time rejected a government proposal on relaxing Swiss banking secrecy laws, a move that would have helped the country's banks avoid facing U.S. criminal charges for shielding tax ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301590/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:39:27 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301590/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A Parrot eBee, an ultra light civil professional drone used to shoot video and photos is displayed during the 50th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Francois ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301815/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:39:26 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301815/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 FBI Director Robert Mueller is leaving the law enforcement agency that he has run every day since the week before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the same way that he entered it: being grilled about how the FBI is carrying out the most high-profile criminal investigations in the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302020/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:35:03 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302020/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 DETROIT - Porsche is the top performer in an annual survey of new vehicle quality.J.D. Power questioned more than 83,000 U.S. car owners about problems with their 2013 vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership.In the results released Wednesday, Porsche, GMC, Lexus, Infiniti and Chevrolet owners reported the fewest problems. The worst performing brands were Scion, Fiat, Mitsubishi, Nissan and ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302517/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:33:48 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302517/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 One of the three bodies discovered Thursday in Weiss Lake has been identified, according to a release by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Coroner Broderick ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302470/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:30:58 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302470/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By PHILIP ELLIOTTAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - A bipartisan group of senators is floating a proposal that would avoid the doubling of rates on student loans on July 1. A document being circulated on Capitol Hill outlines a possible compromise that links student loan rates to the financial markets, a provision that was included in President Barack Obama's budget, as well as House and ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302471/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:26:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302471/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Warner Bros. Pictures, Clay Enos - This film publicity image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Henry Cavill as Superman in "Man of Steel." Warner Bros. enlisted Christian-focused ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301493/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:23:22 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215301493/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- An Alabama teenager was charged Wednesday with abducting a 10-month-old boy who was found safe in Texas almost two days after being taken from a home in Birmingham, police ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302472/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:17:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215302472/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -- Senators sought cost-cutting opportunities Wednesday in the Pentagon's $400 billion program for the next-generation F-35, a fighter jet with a troubled testing record that military leaders said America couldn't afford not to build. Chairing the hearing, Sen. Dick Durbin lamented that the F-35 already has cost taxpayers billions more than what Congress signed up for more ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298991/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:27:20 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298991/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 JERUSALEM -- Israel has decided to export 40 percent of the natural gas it expects to produce from offshore wells, keeping a larger amount for local use than expected. The figure, announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, is lower than the 53 percent recommended by an inter-ministerial committee last year. The remainder should provide Israel with enough gas for 25 years. The ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298993/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:27:17 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298993/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -- A new report says homeowners trying to avoid foreclosure must wait too long for their loan modification applications to be reviewed by some of the nation's top mortgage servicers. Such delays can plunge borrowers deeper in debt. Joseph A. Smith, the independent monitor of last year's national mortgage settlement, said Wednesday that while the banks are doing a better job ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298995/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:27:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298995/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 ZARQA, Jordan -; In a June 18 story about U.S.-led war games in Jordan, The Associated Press reported erroneously the organization that employs Tawfiq Hennawi. He works for the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, not the International Committee of the Red ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299737/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:27:03 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299737/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Two years ago, a judge threw out a tax evasion and fraud case against the pair, whose label Dolce&Gabbana is a Milan fashion mainstay. Italy's high court later ruled the designers could be prosecuted for tax evasion, though not for ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299739/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:27:00 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299739/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 NEW YORK -; The price of oil was down slightly Wednesday as traders waited to hear the latest on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy from chairman Ben ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299120/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:26:57 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299120/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; Secretary of State John Kerry leaves Friday to visit seven countries on a trip focusing on global issues such as the Syrian crisis, Middle East peace and the West's standoffs with Iran and North Korea over their nuclear ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299017/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:26:56 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299017/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A visitor watches General Electric the GEnx jet engine, powering Boeing 787 Dremliner, during the 50th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris, Wednesday June 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Remy de la ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299109/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:26:51 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299109/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 TOKYO -- Japan's nuclear watchdog formally approved a set of new safety requirements for atomic power plants on Wednesday, paving the way for the reopening of facilities shut down since the Fukushima disaster in a move critics charged was too hasty.The new requirements approved by the Nuclear Regulation Authority take effect July 8, when operators will be able to apply for inspections. If ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299836/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:22:14 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299836/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Steven Senne, File | AP Photo FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2012 file photo, New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez (81) holds his helmet as he steps onto the field before an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Houston Texans in Foxborough, Mass. State and local police spent hours at the home of Hernandez on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 as another group of officers searched an ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299213/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:20:39 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299213/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 FILE - In this Thursday, May 6, 1999 file photo, George Zimmer, second from left, gestures to Andy Dolich prior to a meeting, in Oakland, Calif. Men's Wearhouse Inc. says it has dismissed Zimmer, its founder and executive chairman. In a terse release issued Wednesday, June 19, 2013, the company didn't give a reason for the abrupt firing of Zimmer, who built Men's Wearhouse from one ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300457/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:20:26 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300457/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 At Tuesday’s monthly board meeting, Superintendent Ric Ayer said attendance grew last year, enabling the system to hire several additional teachers.During the meeting, the board also approved the salary schedule for the coming school year to include a 2 percent raise mandated by the state.Personnel actions included three supplement resignations, two leaves of absence, 18 transfers, 18 ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300683/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:18:11 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300683/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 TaxBreak, which provides tax credit consulting and processing to companies of all sizes and whose corporate office is on Broad Street, now offers a free app for iPhone and Android smartphones or ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300684/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:18:11 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300684/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing a $70,000 fine against the Tennessee Valley Authority for violations related to one of its East Tennessee nuclear ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300685/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:04:17 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300685/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Amateur footage shows Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna appearing to strike out at a fan with her microphone in Birmingham on Monday during the performer's Diamonds tour. The 25-year-old appears to hit out at the unidentified person after the fan grabs her arm as the singer walks near a screaming ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299594/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:59:25 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299594/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The company’s initial public offering of 5.94 million shares had been priced Tuesday at $17 per share, above its initial expectations of $14 to $16 per ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300338/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:56:48 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215300338/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The Carnival Corp. filed a lawsuit last week seeking more than $12 million in damage that its cruise ship, Triumph, sustained in an early April ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299207/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:48:54 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215299207/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The central bank wraps up a two-day policy meeting later and investors are looking to see if policymakers are moving towards any change in its monetary policy stance. The Fed's strategy of super-low interest rates and easy money over the past few years has been designed to shore up the U.S. economy. It has also helped drive sentiment in the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297772/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:15:54 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297772/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Somali men and a policeman carry a government soldier wounded during an attack on the U.N. compound in Mogadishu, Somalia Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Al-Qaida-linked militants detonated multiple bomb blasts and engaged in ongoing battles with security forces in an attempt to breach the main U.N. compound in Mogadishu, officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297829/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:15:52 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297829/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A banner supporting Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, is displayed at Central, Hong Kong's business district, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama defended top secret National Security Agency spying programs as legal in a lengthy interview, and called them transparent - even though they are ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297773/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:15:52 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297773/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 School of Social Work TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --The University of Alabama School of Social Work will host an informational brown bag lunch with Dr. Harold Kudler, clinical leadof the Rural Health Program Mid-Atlantic Veterans Integrated Service Network, known as VISN ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298477/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:02:14 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298477/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Nutrition TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --Summer time can often be a free-for-all when it comes to children and their eating habits, saidone University of Alabama nutrition expert. There are, however, several things parents can do to help make meal times fun — and nutritious. ';With the rise of obesity across the nation, research has shown the importance of teaching healthy eating habits at an ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298478/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:02:13 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215298478/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 BERLIN (AP) -- Issuing an appeal for a new citizen activism in the free world, President Barack Obama renewed his call Wednesday to reduce U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles and to confront climate change, a danger he called "the global threat of our ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297808/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:33:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215297808/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Somali government soldiers gather in front of the main U.N. compound, following an attack on it in Mogadishu, Somalia Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Al-Qaida-linked militants detonated multiple bomb blasts and engaged in ongoing battles with security forces in an attempt to breach the main U.N. compound in Mogadishu, officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296219/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:09:43 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296219/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; House lawmakers are beginning work on a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind education law that would give states more authority and Washington ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296329/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:05:07 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296329/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Cyprus' deputy government spokesman says the Cabinet has ratified a preliminary agreement with U.S. firm Noble Energy and its Israeli partners Delek Drilling and Avner Oil Exploration on their participation in the development of a planned natural gas processing facility.Victoras Papadopoulos didn't disclose Wednesday details of the deal. Cyprus is looking to have the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295752/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:01:00 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295752/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By DAVID KOENIGAP Business Writer DALLAS (AP) - FedEx Corp.'s fourth-quarter profit fell 45 percent as international customers traded down to less-expensive delivery options. Excluding charges, the results still beat Wall Street expectations. But the company's forecast for the next 12 months was shy of Wall Street forecasts and shares fell in premarket trading. The world's ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296935/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:52:28 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296935/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 College of Engineering TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --The autoXLR8R ';TechTour,'; a 13-week program to visit several of the region’s top automotive research institutions to refineautoXLR8R’stechnologies and work with world-renowned engineers and entrepreneurs, will bring its program to Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama June 24 and 25. The autoXLR8R Tech Tour is designed to ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296936/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:51:50 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296936/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Nisar Ahmad - Afghan police carry an injured Taliban fighter, who was captured after an overnight clash with Afghan police in Jalalabad, in the eastern province of Nangrahar, east of ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295740/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:48:53 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295740/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 After multiple escape attempts, two of them, J.W. and Clarence, eventually landed at the maximum-security prison on Alcatraz Island in northern ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296755/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:43:46 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296755/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- A rapid that has gained a notorious reputation as part of a new whitewater course on the Chattahoochee River has been reopened after dozens of rafters were dumped into the rushing water during its first ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296937/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:43:33 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296937/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The highly mobile unit is made up of soldiers who are trained and equipped to treat wounds from bullets and improvised explosive devices and other combat ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296938/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:43:33 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296938/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 BEIJING (AP) -- China's new leader Xi Jinping is commanding wayward Communist Party cadres to purify themselves of corruption, and he's summed it up in a pithy slogan as Mao Zedong might have done: Look in the mirror, take a ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296184/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:23:28 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296184/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Obama said at a news conference in Berlin Wednesday that he has confidence in the eurozone's policies to resolve the 17-nation bloc's debt crisis, but also warned that policymakers must not lead to lose sight "of our main goal, which is to make people's life ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296186/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:23:26 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215296186/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 In this Tuesday, June 18, 2013 photo, Zita, a liger - half-lioness, half-tiger - carries her one month-old liliger cub in the Novosibirsk Zoo. The cub's father is a lion, Sam. (AP Photo /Ilnar ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294254/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:55:46 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294254/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stock futures are mixed in light trading with investors holding back before the Federal Reserve reveals its stance on the economy. Markets have swung wildly for weeks leading up to the two-day meeting, which ends Wednesday. Dow Jones industrial futures are down 14 points to 15,230. The broader S&P futures have fallen less than a point to 1,644.40. Nasdaq futures are up ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295087/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:41:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295087/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 IRONDALE, Ala. (AP) - An Alabama town has decided not to pass an ordinance that would have banned bicyclists from riding on a stretch of road. The Irondale City Council this week voted against the ordinance, which involves Grants Mill Road. WBRC-TV reports ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295528/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:41:43 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215295528/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Barack Obama on Wednesday defended U.S. Internet and phone surveillance programs as narrowly targeted efforts that have saved lives and thwarted at least 50 terror threats. "This is not a situation in which we are rifling through ordinary emails" of huge numbers of citizens in ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294010/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:38:49 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294010/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Rahmat Gul - Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks at a press conference during a ceremony at a military academy on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Afghan ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294011/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:38:48 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294011/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Farah Abdi Warsameh - Somali government soldiers gather in front of the main U.N. compound, following an attack on it in Mogadishu, Somalia Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Al-Qaida-linked ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294012/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:38:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215294012/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Visitors walk among planes displayed at the 50th Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airport, north of Paris, Wednesday June 19, 2013. Visible at foreground is a Bombardier Global 6000 jet.(AP Photo/Remy de la ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292666/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:49:32 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292666/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 TRENTON, N.J. -- If doctors and patients used prescription drugs more wisely, they could save the U.S. health care system at least $213 billion a year, by reducing medication overuse, underuse and other flaws in care that cause complications and longer, more-expensive treatments, researchers conclude.The savings would come by reducing medication overuse, underuse and other flaws in care that ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291775/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:39:05 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291775/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 *You will receive up to 21 messages per week per alert list, with most alerts sending no more than 7 messages per week. Message and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel. You may receive subsequent messages clarifying or confirming your opt-out request. Terms & Conditions and Privacy ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292243/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:33:27 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292243/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By The Associated Press Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. OBAMA TO PUSH NUCLEAR CUTS A senior administration official says Obama will propose reduce the U.S. and Russian stockpiles by up to one-third at a speech in Berlin. 2. TALIBAN STRIKE ON US TROOPS AFTER PEACE TALK AGREEMENT Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai also ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292245/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:31:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292245/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/NBC, Trae Patton - In this image provided by NBC Blake Shelton, Danielle Bradbery and Cher, right, pose after Bradbery won season-four of "The Voice" Tuesday June 18, 2013. Bradbery never ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291608/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:27:47 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291608/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The study by the Tax Foundation says federal funding accounts for 38.2 percent of the state government's revenue in Alabama. Mississippi ranked first at 49 percent and Alaska was 50th at 24 percent.Tennessee was at 44 percent, Georgia measured 41.1 percent, and Florida came in at 36.9 percent.The study looked only at a state's tax revenue and did not consider a state's income from ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292246/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:07:25 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215292246/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 MADRID -; The International Monetary Fund says recession-wracked Spain is making progress but is urging policymakers both within the country and in Europe to take "urgent action" to slash the country's crippling 27 percent unemployment ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290936/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:43:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290936/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 A worker stretches on a chair during a morning trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo Monday, June 17, 2013. Asian stocks edged up Monday amid hopes that the U.S. Federal Reserve will put off plans to wind down its stimulus program. Tokyo's Nikkei 225, the regional heavyweight, jumped 2.2 percent to 12,960.81, extending Friday's 2.4 percent gain. (AP Photo/Koji ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290681/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:38:19 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290681/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 STOCKHOLM -; Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB on Wednesday said profits fell by 11 percent in the second quarter due to the strong Swedish krona and increased markdowns as it tried to shift its ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290786/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:38:17 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290786/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 GREENWOOD, MISS. — Greenwood will host the 2014 Mississippi-Alabama Rural Tourism Conference. The conference focuses on assisting smaller communities in bolstering tourism. The 2014 conference is scheduled for Oct. ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290809/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:43 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290809/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tracey Lynn Garner pleaded not guilty Tuesday to killing an Alabama woman by giving silicone injections as a buttocks enhancement. / Rogelio V. Solis/AP ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291279/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:42 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291279/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 CLAY — The mayor of an Alabama town says that city officials will reconsider a ban on pit bulls after dozens of pet owners and animal advocates showed up at a city council meeting to protest the decision. The Clay City Council had approved the pit bull ban two weeks ago, but animal advocates say the public should have been given more warning about the new ordinance. They also contend that ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291281/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:41 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291281/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 MOBILE — The Carnival Corp. filed a lawsuit last week seeking more than $12 million in damage that its cruise ship, Triumph, sustained in an early April windstorm. AL.com reported that in the lawsuit, Carnival argues that mooring equipment being used by BAE Systems was defective. The ship broke free of its mooring during a storm that packed winds of more than 60 mph. A dock worker drowned ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291280/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:41 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291280/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 BIRMINGHAM — Authorities in Alabama were looking for a missing infant and a teenage girl who may be linked to the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291282/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:40 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291282/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Alabama Board of Education member Mary Scott Hunter of Huntsville is considering entering the Republican race for governor and plans to decide by the end of summer. / ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291283/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:39 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215291283/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 LONDON -- British bankers could soon be facing harsher penalties for behaving badly.After a year which has seen major scandals involving rate-rigging, money-laundering and rogue-trading rock the UK's financial industry, an influential parliamentary committee recommended Wednesday that senior bankers should be held more accountable for their bank's actions. One measure, it said, should ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290759/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:34:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290759/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Video shows Justin Bieber running into a photographer with his white Ferrari in Hollywood, but police say there was no crime and the injuries aren't ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290715/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:22:27 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290715/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 MILAN (AP) -- The former head of the Italian aerospace and defense giant Finmeccanica goes on trial in a case involving alleged bribes to win a 560 million euro ($670 million) helicopter contract in ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290942/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:16:41 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290942/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 LE BOURGET, France -; Boeing Co. says it is selling 30 of its new generation 737-MAX 8 jets, extending the popularity of the fuel-efficient short-haul aircraft at the Paris Air ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289760/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:33:18 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289760/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON -; A wide-ranging farm bill the House is considering would cut food stamps by $2 billion a year and make it more difficult for some people to qualify for the domestic food aid ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289814/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:33:17 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289814/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By STEPHEN OHLEMACHERAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - The Internal Revenue Service is about to pay $70 million in employee bonuses despite an Obama administration directive to cancel discretionary bonuses because of automatic spending cuts enacted this year, according to a GOP senator. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa says his office has learned that the IRS is executing an agreement with the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290346/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:21:46 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290346/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By VALERIE BONKAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - The 19th-century orator and writer Frederick Douglass will once again stand tall in the U.S. Capitol. A 7-foot bronze likeness of Douglass is being unveiled Wednesday in a ceremony led by House Speaker John Boehner. The statue joins sculpted tributes to fellow black Americans Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and Sojourner Truth on permanent ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290345/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:21:45 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215290345/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 View Photo Associated Press/Carolyn Kaster - People shout out against the Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act in the hall outside the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289778/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:18:31 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289778/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican lawmakers have a message for those who want the party to soften its emphasis on social conservatism in hopes of reaching a wider national audience: Not so fast. ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289779/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:18:30 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289779/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The obscure oversight board that President Barack Obama wants to scrutinize the National Security Agency's secret surveillance system is little known for good reason. The U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has operated fitfully during its eight years of its low-profile existence, stymied by Congressional in-fighting and its work at times censored by government lawyers. The ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289780/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:18:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289780/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Cu Huy Ha Vu's books come with pages torn out by prison guards. Only some of his letters reach home. He is not allowed to access evidence from his trial or to see his wife ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289940/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:13:00 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289940/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A heat wave hitting Alaska doesn't rival the blazing heat of Phoenix or Las Vegas, but to residents of the 49th state, the weather feels like a stifling oven - or a tropical paradise.With temperatures topping 80 degrees in Anchorage, and higher in other parts of the state, people have been sweltering in a place where few homes have air conditioning.The official ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289113/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:25:27 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215289113/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 authorities she was held captive for more than a year by three people who forced her to do housework, raided her bank account and menaced her with snakes ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288836/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:13:21 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288836/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 SAO PAULO (AP) -- Tens of thousands of Brazilians again flooded the streets of the country's biggest city to raise a collective cry against a longstanding lament - people are weighed down by high taxes and high prices but get low-quality public services and a system of government infected with ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288983/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:48:55 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288983/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The image was stark (AP) -- a silent, solitary figure standing in passive defiance to the Turkish prime minister's demand for protesters to clear Taksim Square in central ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288984/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:48:52 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288984/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha, left, and Malia disembark from Air Force One at the Tegel airport in Berlin Tuesday, June 18, 2013. Obama arrived for a two-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Michael ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288229/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:29:49 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288229/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 In this Wednesday, May 22, 2013 photo, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Federal Reserve ends a policy meeting Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Investors have been nervously speculating that the Fed will soon scale back its economic stimulus and send interest rates up and stock prices down. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288029/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:29:48 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288029/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban have claimed responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan that killed four U.S. troops just hours after the insurgent group announced it would hold talks with the Americans on finding a political solution to ending the nearly 12-year war.Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said on Wednesday that the militants fired two rockets into the Bagram Air Base late on ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288262/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:21:42 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215288262/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON - There's no guarantee that President Barack Obama's health care law will launch smoothly and on time, congressional investigators say in the first in-depth independent look at its progress.But in a report to be released Wednesday, the congressional Government Accountability Office also sees positive signs as the Oct. 1 deadline approaches for new health insurance markets ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215286428/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:12:22 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215286428/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By JON KRAWCZYNSKIAP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) - LeBron James shrugged off a poor start to get 30 points, nine assists and eight rebounds and Ray Allen hit a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds to play that helped put Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs into overtime tied at 95 on Tuesday night. James missed nine of his first 12 shots, but scored 16 points in the ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215286831/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:05:17 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215286831/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 WASHINGTON Google on Tuesday sharply challenged the federal government's gag order on its Internet surveillance program, citing what it described as a First Amendment right to divulge how many requests it receives from the government for data about its customers in the name of national security. The move came in a legal motion filed in the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215286281/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:49:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215286281/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Charlie Sheen sitcom "Anger Management." In a statement Tuesday, producer Lionsgate says the actress won't be returning to the FX comedy. The company says it wishes her "the very best" but has no further comment. Blair's departure comes while the comedy is about halfway through completing its 90-episode order from FX. The actress's publicist didn't ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285494/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:55:30 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285494/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night. Duncan made 11 of 13 shots in a performance straight out of 2003 and Kawhi Leonard added 10 points and five boards ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285493/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:55:29 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285493/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 This undated photo released by the Department of Justice shows Daniel Brown. Authorities in Ohio have arrested three people, including Brown, on charges of enslaving a mentally disabled young mother and her daughter over a two-year period. Federal agents and Ashland police said Tuesday, June 18, 2013 the trio forced the woman to do housework, threatened her and the girl with violence and fed ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285521/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:54:24 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285521/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 People shout out against the Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act in the hall outside the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The committee in the Republican-led House is preparing to cast its first votes on immigration this year, on a tough enforcement-focused measure that Democrats and immigrant groups are protesting loudly. (AP ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215284534/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:05:38 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215284534/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 By The Associated Press Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Wednesday: 1. TALIBAN, US AGREE TO PEACE TALKS Obama cautions, though, that the process won't be quick or easy. 2. WHO'S TAKING A SWIPE AT ROE V. WADE The House passes a bill restricting almost all abortions to the first 20 weeks after conception, defying most ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285215/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:52:40 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285215/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Satellite TV operator Dish Network Corp. said Tuesday it would not submit a revised bid for Sprint, leaving the path open for the wireless carrier to accept what it already considers a superior offer from Japan's ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285173/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:50:32 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285173/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Award-winning journalist and war correspondent Michael Hastings has died in a car accident in Los Angeles. Buzzfeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith says he learned from a family member that the 33-year-old died early Tuesday. Hastings wrote about politics for the popular news site and has written books about dealing with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Hastings won a Polk Award for magazine ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285312/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:38:27 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215285312/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 SEATTLE -; United Airlines says an oil filter issue has prompted the crew of a Boeing 787 flying from Denver to Tokyo to divert to Seattle-Tacoma International ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283841/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:58:22 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283841/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The Justice Department and the state of Arkansas filed suit against the oil giant ExxonMobil over a March 29 pipeline rupture that spilled 210,000 gallons of oil into a residential neighborhood and waterways in the small town of ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283736/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:54:16 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283736/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Sprint is suing to stop Dish Network's buyout of wireless data network operator Clearwire. The nation's third-largest cellphone carrier said the proposed deal violates the rights of Sprint and other Clearwire ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283737/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:54:15 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283737/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 NEW ORLEANS -- Scientists in Michigan and Louisiana are predicting a big summer "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico unless a tropical storm hits the area shortly before or during the annual measurement. In the Chesapeake Bay, scientists expect a smaller-than-average area where there's too little oxygen to support fish, shellfish and other aquatic life.The hypoxic zone in the Gulf is ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215284109/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:54:14 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215284109/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 TOKYO -- Japan's trade deficit rose nearly 10 percent in May to 993.9 billion yen (nearly $10.5 billion) as rising costs for imports due to the cheaper yen matched a rebound in exports.The Ministry of Finance reported Wednesday that exports rose 10.1 percent in May over a year earlier to 5.77 trillion yen ($60.7 billion) while imports also surged 10 percent, to 6.76 trillion yen ($71.1 ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283479/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:54:13 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283479/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 He confessed to beating Zettle and Ostrander, who was 19 and now lives out of state. Rodriguez was sentenced to life in prison for Zettle's death and 15 years for the attempted murder of ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215284210/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:36:54 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215284210/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 AUGUSTA, Maine -- A spokeswoman for Maine Gov. Paul LePage says the administration will no longer comment for stories published in three of Maine's daily newspapers.Adrienne Bennett told the Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/17Wn2Of ) on Tuesday the administration won't be talking to that publication, the Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel. All are owned by MaineToday ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215282650/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:48:13 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215282650/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Bernard Simeton, president of the Alabama chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, will be the featured speaker Thursday at the Gadsden Etowah NAACP branch’s annual Freedom Fund ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283084/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:44:37 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283084/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The council approved the change order for $3,121 for Metro Mechanical Services of Birmingham, which installed a water-cooled rotary screw chiller at City Hall.City Engineer Chad Hare told the council a factory- mounted disconnect switch had to be installed on the unit.With the change order, the total price of the project was $96,873. Hare said the unit has a five-year warranty.The council also ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283083/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:44:37 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215283083/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 The two-story, 12,000-square-foot addition will be built directly behind the current main office on Walnut Street. This addition will bring administration and operations for all ATCU branches into one central location, allowing the credit union to more efficiently serve its members.';The continued support of Gadsden, Etowah County and Northeast Alabama residents has dictated the need for ... http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215282373/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:44:37 -0400 http://www.birminghamnews.net/index.php/sid/215282373/scat/dc5bac5ce154af20