Louisiana news

• Up to 117 civilians died in strikes during Obama presidency

  19-01-2017 21:39 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - U.S. intelligence officials say as many as 117 civilians have been killed in drone and other counterterror attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere during President Barack Obama's presidency.
      
  Intelligence officials late Thursday released their second report on civilian deaths in response to mounting public pressure for more information about lethal U.S. operations overseas.
      
  The first report, released last year, said bet
  
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• Crew enters Hawaii dome for 8-month Mars study

  19-01-2017 21:35 via wbrz.com
  
  Six carefully selected scientists have entered a man-made dome on a remote Hawaii volcano as part of a human-behavior study that could help NASA as it draws up plans for sending astronauts on long missions to Mars.
      
  The four men and two women moved into their new simulated space home Thursday afternoon on Mauna Loa, settling into the vinyl-covered shelter of 1,200 square feet, or about the size of a small, two-bedroom home, for an eight-month stay.
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• Company that HHS pick invested in faced criminal penalty

  19-01-2017 20:17 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - A medical device company in which congressman Tom Price purchased stock last year agreed this month to a $17 million Justice Department criminal penalty in a foreign bribery case.
      
  Democrats are challenging President-elect Donald Trump's pick for health secretary on his investments and potential conflicts of interest.
      
  Price bought stock last year in Zimmer Biomet, a medical device maker. The acquisition came around the s
  
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• Thousands gather for New Orleans' Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

  19-01-2017 19:47
  
  Thousands gathered on the steps of New Orleans City Hall on Jan. 16, 2017 for a rally, and then parade down Loyola Ave. in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The marchers paraded from City Hall from the rally to...
  
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• Edwards' office calls GOP leader's plan 'vague'

  19-01-2017 19:45 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A spokesman for Gov. John Bel Edwards' says a budget-rebalancing proposal released by the House Republicans' leader offers "vague recommendations" the administration will review.
      
  Rep. Lance Harris released a spreadsheet Thursday recommending how to make $304 million in cuts without calling lawmakers into a special session. The cuts could be made by the Democratic governor and the Legislature's joint budget committee.
      
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• Judge not inclined to delay Aaron Hernandez murder trial

  19-01-2017 19:23 via wbrz.com
  
  BOSTON - A judge presiding over the double murder case against former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez says he's not inclined to delay the trial, scheduled to begin next month.
      
  Hernandez' lawyers sought a delay Thursday among several other motions during a hearing in Suffolk Superior Court.
      
  Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to killing two men in 2012. Prosecutors say he followed the men and opened fire on their car at a stop
  
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• Doe's Eat Place getting backlash for inauguration watch party

  19-01-2017 18:02 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Doe's Eat Place is getting some backlash for hosting a watch party for President-Elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony on Friday.
  The restaurant booked a watch party for a group of Baton Rouge Republicans, however another group, called the Pantsuits Nation of Baton Rouge, is not happy about the event.
  Some of the the group's members posted to Facebook about the event stating that they would boycott the restaurant. The restaurant has even received some ugly ph
  
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• Homeowner dealing with water in home again

  19-01-2017 17:53 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A flash flood warning puts one homeowner on alert. Her son says every time there's a good downpour, he worries water will find its way into the house.Thursday, that's what happened.Dennis Smart says he's had enough."This has been going on for several years," he said.It's been going on so long, four years ago Smart says he replaced the wood floors with tile to decrease the cleanup.Thursday morning, his mother's home got about an inch of water inside, which was just enough to warp so
  
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• Student arrested after claiming to bring a gun to school

  19-01-2017 17:31 via wbrz.com
  
  PATTERSON - A high school student was arrested Thursday after he claimed to bring a firearm to school.A school resource officer received a tip early Thursday afternoon that a student had a gun at Patterson High School.Units responded and identified Jacob Bankston, 17, as the subject involved and detained him. St. Mary Parish Sheriff's deputies searched Bankston's person and the school but found no weapon.Detectives say he intenionally made false statements threatening the schoo
  
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• Lanes of I-110 SB blocked at Government St due to crashes

  19-01-2017 17:19 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The left and right lanes of of I-110 South are blocked at the Government Street exit due to what appears to be two separate crashes. According to DOTD, traffic is passing through the center lane. Congestion from the crash has reached Capitol Access Road.It appears that two cars hit the guard rails on the right and left side of the interstate. EMS has been called to the scene.
  There are no reports of injuries at the time of this post.Permalink| Comments
  
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• I-110 South closed at Government Street due to multiple crashes

  19-01-2017 17:19 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - I-110 South were briefly closed to traffic due to multiple crashes near the Government Street exit.According to DOTD, Traffic was not passing through and the congestion from the incident has reached North 22nd Street. Earlier in the day, the left and right lanes of I-110 were blocked due to two separate accidents. Pictures from the scene showed a SUV propped up on a guardrail.The left and center lns are open leaving the right ln blocked I-110 S before Government due to an
  
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• Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' being extradited to the U.S.

  19-01-2017 17:09 via wbrz.com
  
  Infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is being extradited to the United States.A spokesman for the Mexican Attorney General confirmed the extradition to ABC News Thursday. The spokesperson would not confirm where in the U.S. El Chapo was being transported.El Chapo was recaptured last year after he escaped Mexican prison for the third time. He spent six months on the run.Permalink| Comments
  
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• McDonald's to introduce two new Big Mac sizes

  19-01-2017 16:53 via wbrz.com
  
  McDonald's is set begin selling two new sizes of the Big Mac.The Grand Mac will have two beef patties that will weigh in at a whopping one-third of a pound.The fast food giant will also release the Mac Jr. alongside the Grand Mac. The sandwich will be a single-layer Big Mac, leaving out the traditional middle bun of the original.“We listened to our customers who told us they wanted different ways to enjoy the one-of-a-kind Big Mac taste," McDonald's Chef Mike Haracz said. "The classic
  
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• Humane Society investigates dying horse after photo goes viral

  19-01-2017 16:28 via wbrz.com
  
  POINTE COUPEE- A picture of a dying horse taken by a concerned citizen has prompted the Humane Society of Louisiana to review parish investigative procedures and protocols. According to the Humance Society, several parish entities, individuals and departments were alerted to the condition of the horse while it was still alive. However none of the notified parties responded and the animal died late Wednesday afternoon.HSL Director Jeff Dorson received the report and photo of the
  
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• Feds: Natural gas leaking from pipeline in Gulf of Mexico

  19-01-2017 15:50 via wbrz.com
  
  CAMERON - Federal regulators say a pipeline is leaking natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana.The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard are responding to the leak in waters roughly 30 miles southwest of Cameron, Louisiana. It was reported Wednesday afternoon by offshore oil and gas operator Fieldwood Energy, LLC.Federal authorities say Fieldwood saw and reported the leak less than a mile southeast of Platform West Cameron-165, cu
  
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• Murder suspect's violent past includes Southdowns battle with police

  19-01-2017 15:43 via wbrz.com
  
  LIVINGSTON – The suspect in an overnight murder has a violent record that includes a gunfight with police in Baton Rouge two years ago.Sheriff's deputies in Livingston blame Thomas Fefee, 26, for a murder late Wednesday. Corey Graham was shot and killed during a robbery. Fefee was identified as the suspect Thursday afternoon.“Fefee is considered to be armed and dangerous,” the sheriff said. Click HERE to read more about the latest crime.In 2015, Fefee and his brothe
  
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• Fed: Nearly 60 New Orleans police recruits had risk factors

  19-01-2017 14:34 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Federal monitors say almost 60 recruits were accepted into recent New Orleans Police Department training academy classes despite records indicating any of a variety of "risk factors" - including possible domestic abuse and drug use.Thursday's report was filed by monitors overseeing federal court-ordered reforms in the scandal-plagued department, which has struggled to beef up depleted manpower.Monitors say the recruit files that contain the possible risk factors lack explanations a
  
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• Trump pays $25 million to settle Trump University cases

  19-01-2017 14:30 via wbrz.com
  
  SAN DIEGO - President-elect Donald Trump has paid $25 million to settle three lawsuits against his now-defunct Trump University, signaling that a judge's approval of a settlement agreement remains on track for March 30.Plaintiff attorney Jason Forge says Trump Entrepreneur Initiative paid the money into escrow ahead of Wednesday's deadline. Trump University was renamed Trump Entrepreneur Initiative in 2010 after New York state officials objected to the name because it wasn't an accredited school
  
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• House Republican leader offers his plan for $304M in cuts

  19-01-2017 14:27 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The leader of Louisiana's House Republican delegation is offering his proposal for closing a $304 million midyear deficit without needing a special legislative session.Alexandria Rep. Lance Harris' plan would levy the deepest reduction, $147 million, on the health department. Harris cites the agency's significant budget growth over 14 years.Public colleges wouldn't take a hit, and the state wouldn't use its "rainy day" fund under the plan Harris provided Thursday to The Associated
  
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• NOLA bakery offering free king cake for a year for info on stolen truck

  19-01-2017 13:13 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS - Haydel's Bakery in New Orleans is offering one free King Cake per week for a full year to anyone who has information about a truck stolen from the bakery early Thursday morning. The bakery posted on Facebook about the incident looking for information about a man who broke into the bakery's freight truck and stole it. The truck is described as a 24-foot International Freight truck. The truck has a crack at the bottom of the rear door on the driver's side and a scra
  
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• Judge removed from string of cases after trial's abrupt end

  19-01-2017 12:50 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The mystery behind unusual happenings in a federal judge's courtroom is deepening. Court records show the judge has removed herself from more than two dozen cases since a trial she presided over abruptly ended last month.The one-page orders reviewed by The Associated Press say U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi asked for at least 27 cases to be reassigned, but no reason is given.On Dec. 6, a trial in Minaldi's Lake Charles courtroom was cut short without explanation before a jury
  
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• Trump Cabinet is first without Latino in decades

  19-01-2017 12:31 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - President-elect Donald Trump's spokesman is dismissing concerns about the absence of a Latino in the new Cabinet.Trump's selection of Sonny Perdue for the position of Agriculture Secretary finalizes his Cabinet - and makes it the first Cabinet absent a Latino in nearly three decades.Sean Spicer says the president-elect is committed to "uniting this country."At a news conference Thursday, Spicer defended the diversity of Trump's chosen Cabinet by pointing to nominees Elaine
  
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• US bombers strike Islamic State camps in Libya

  19-01-2017 12:25 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers and drones attacked a pair of Islamic State military camps in Libya, seeking to eliminate extremists who had escaped the former IS stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced on Thursday.Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement that the camps were located about 45 kilometers, or 28 miles, southwest of the central coastal city of Sirte.The strikes were carried out overnight and were authorized by President Barack Obama, marking perhaps the fi
  
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• LGBT activists hold dance party near Pence home

  19-01-2017 12:23 via wbrz.com
  
  Eds: APNewsNow. Updates with dance party near Pence home. With AP Photos.WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):7:30 a.m.With glow sticks, hula hoops and rainbow flags, protesters took a dance party to the streets near the vice president-elect's temporary home to oppose his positions on LGBT issues.News outlets report that more than 100 people accompanied by a truck blasting music danced Wednesday night through the usually quiet Chevy Chase area of northwes
  
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• One more day: Obama in his final hours in the White House

  19-01-2017 12:16 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - Eight tumultuous years at the helm of American power have come and gone, but for President Barack Obama, this is finally the end.The president is spending his last full day at the White House on Thursday before becoming an ex-president. The big decisions and grand pronouncements are all behind him, but Obama is still in charge until President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath at noon on Friday.The White House left Obama's schedule mostly empty for his last day, while saying he'd use
  
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• NJ lawmakers: Put pro-police blue lines on right side of law

  19-01-2017 12:12 via wbrz.com
  
  TRENTON, N.J. - Two New Jersey congressmen have introduced legislation to allow towns to paint strips of blue on roadways to honor police after regulators said the tributes crossed the line of federal safety rules.Republican Leonard Lance and Democrat Bill Pascrell introduced legislation Tuesday to permit the blue lines that have sprung up in towns around the state and elsewhere after more than 100 police officers were killed in the line of duty last year.The thin blue line traditionally represe
  
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• EXCLUSIVE: A week after being shot, victim talks about mid-city shooting

  19-01-2017 11:42 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The family involved in a Mid City parking lot shooting is speaking to just one station, detailing the horrifying moments they were shot at leaving Doe's Eat Place restaurant.The bullet struck Jacob Price just one quarter of an inch from his heart, missing his lungs, lodging in his liver."I'm happy that I got to see my son's birthday," he says. "I'm happy I'm still here to provide. I don't even know how to explain it. I'm happy I'm still here to live."Jacob, Aly and their two-year-o
  
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• Workers scrambled to unclog ditches in the rain

  19-01-2017 11:39 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE- Residents saw yards fill up with water and in some cases enter their homes Thursday. Many in the capital region experienced the worst rain since the August flood.Area cities beefed up public works crews to clear ditches, some of them still containing flood debris. Many of the spot cleanings were done by requests after worried residents called.There's still a much larger task of clearing flood debris out of creeks and rivers to improve overall drainage. Officials from area cities sai
  
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• Cedric Richmond will attend Trump inauguration

  19-01-2017 11:36 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON – Democratic Representative Cedric Richmond announced Thursday that he plans to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration.In a statement released Thursday morning, Richmond said he decided to attend the event marking the peaceful transfer of power between Barack Obama and Trump.“My attendance is in no way an endorsement of the President-elect or the destructive, divisive rhetoric that has defined him throughout his campaign and transition,” Richmond sa
  
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• Traffic shifting on Jones Creek due to construction starting on Jan. 23

  19-01-2017 11:22 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - City-Parish officials announced that traffic will be shifting on Jones Creek Road between Coursey Boulevard and Tiger Bend Road due to construction planned for Jan. 23.
  Officials say that the southbound traffic on Jones Creek Road will move to the far west side of the newly-constructed section of Jones Creek Road. The northbound traffic lane will remain on the far east side of the existing roadway.
  Phase 2 of construction will start between these two lanes, in the center of Jones C
  
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• PHOTOS: Severe weather spreads across Baton Rouge

  19-01-2017 11:18 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - A severe storm hit the Baton Rouge area early Thursday morning, prompting multiple road closures and a flash flood warning.Multiple high water areas have been reported, and the flash flood warning remains in effect in the area until 10:30 a.m. Permalink| Comments
  
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• New Orleans woman kicked boyfriend's face in front of officer

  19-01-2017 11:09 via wbrz.com
  
  NEW ORLEANS  - Authorities say a woman kicked her boyfriend in the face while he was sitting on a curb near a New Orleans police officer.Citing arrest documents, NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports 20-year-old Sabrina Lofstedt and her 22-year-old boyfriend spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day drinking at a Mississippi beach but became embroiled in a dispute on the drive back to New Orleans.Lofstedt told police that her boyfriend had slapped her in the face during an argument in the vehicle.
  
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• FEMA will not duplicate benefits of insurance

  19-01-2017 09:57 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Flood survivors must not accept the same benefits from more than one source, also known as the duplication of benefits, FEMA officials say.
  Federal and state agencies responding to disasters are prohibited from duplicating the benefits of insurance companies or other public or private entities. FEMA cannot legally provide disaster assistance for items or services already covered by flood insurance.
  When insured flood survivors apply for FEMA assistance, they must submit copies of t
  
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• List of school closures for Baton Rouge area

  19-01-2017 09:54 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - The following schools have announced that they will remain closed Thursday, Jan. 19 due to flooding in the Baton Rouge area.Democracy Prep Baton Rouge (11:00 a.m.)Baton Rouge Bridge Academy Baton Rouge College PrepBaton Rouge University Prep ElementaryInspire Charter SchoolAccording to the Mayor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Prepardness webiste, the above schools will reopen on Friday, Jan. 20. The following is a chart of school systems that
  
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• High water closes roads across Baton Rouge

  19-01-2017 09:12 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE – Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and other parish officials are urging motorists to use caution when driving across the Baton Rouge area Thursday.“We are urging caution as drivers travel on our highways as there is high water and flooding in some areas,” Broome said.Several roads have been closed due to high water and some schools are dismissing early, the mayor’s office said.The National Weather Service also issued a flash flood watch fo
  
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• Flooding closes multiple lanes on I-110 SB and I-110 NB

  19-01-2017 09:02 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Commuters may want to take an alternate route Thursday morning as there is flooding on I-110 at the Governor's Mansion curve. The two right lanes are blocked on both I-110 southbound and I-110 northbound.News 2's Ashley Fruge is monitoring the roadways. We will updates on WBRZ.com and Twitter.Permalink| Comments
  
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• All lanes now open on I-110 at the Governor's Mansion curve

  19-01-2017 09:02 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - All lanes are now open on I-110 at the Governor's Mansion curve.Thursday morning, flooding on I-110 at the curve shut down the right lanes on both I-110 southbound and I-110 northbound.News 2's Ashley Fruge is monitoring the roadways. We will updates on WBRZ.com and Twitter.Permalink| Comments
  
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• UPDATE: heavy rain prompts flash flood warning in Baton Rouge

  19-01-2017 08:40 via wbrz.com
  
  ***FLASH FLOOD WARNING*** for East Baton Rouge has been extended until 2:30 p.m.***FLASH FLOOD WATCH*** for the entire forecast area except Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana Parishes and Wilkinson County until 6 p.m.THE FORECAST: Today and Tonight: Heavy thunderstorms will continue into the afternoon. Localized flooding will occur as some locations have already received 2-3” of rain with an additional 1-2” possible. Avoid driving through water on roads and move away from
  
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• Groom Road holding water

  19-01-2017 08:23 via wbrz.com
  
  BAKER - Commuters may want to take an alternate route Thursday morning as Groom Road in Baker is holding water. Officials say Alabama Street is open.News 2's Ashley Fruge is monitoring the roadways during Good Morning America. We will have updates on WBRZ.com and Twitter.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Overturned vehicle at Gardere and Rush

  19-01-2017 07:51 via wbrz.com
  
  BATON ROUGE - Commuters may want to take an alternate route Thursday morning as sources confirm there is an overturned vehicle at the intersection of Gardere Lane and Rush Avenue.It is unclear at this point if there are any injuries or more than one vehicle involved.This is a developing story. We have a WBRZ crew heading to the scene now.News 2's Ashley Fruge is monitoring the roadways this morning during Good Morning America. We will have updates on WBRZ.com and Twitter.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Man convicted of killing family of 4 is executed in Virginia

  19-01-2017 07:34 via wbrz.com
  
  JARRATT, Va. - Virginia has put to death an inmate convicted of killing two little girls and their parents in their Richmond home in 2006.Thirty-nine-year-old Ricky Gray had no last words before he was given a lethal injection Wednesday evening at the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt. Gray also confessed to taking part in the murders of a 21-year-old woman and her parents.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Trump to return to Washington today

  19-01-2017 07:32 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - President-elect Donald Trump is expected to return to Washington today, in preparation for tomorrow's inauguration.Trump popped in to D.C. last night, attending two fundraisers and having dinner at his hotel before returning to New York.Tonight, Trump, following tradition, will stay at Blair House, the president's guest house.Advisers who've spoken with him say he's been thinking of spending his first night at the White House in the Lincoln Bedroom.Permalink| Comments
  
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• More commutations, pardons expected

  19-01-2017 07:29 via wbrz.com
  
  WASHINGTON - On his last full day in office, President Barack Obama is expected to grant more commutations and pardons today, after already issuing hundreds earlier this week.White House officials say this last batch would focus on nonviolent drug offenders serving long prison sentences.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Gambia president-elect plans inauguration in Senegal

  19-01-2017 07:28 via wbrz.com
  
  DAKAR, Senegal - Gambia's president-elect says he will be sworn in to office today at the Gambian embassy in neighboring Senegal, as his country's political crisis continues.The Facebook and Twitter accounts for Adama Barrow, run by his staff, say the inauguration will take place in the embassy in Senegal's capital, Dakar.Barrow won the December election, but President Yahya Jammeh, in power for more than two decades, is refusing to step down, saying he does not accept the result, citing irregul
  
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• Iran says 30 firefighters killed in collapse of high-rise

  19-01-2017 07:25 via wbrz.com
  
  TEHRAN, Iran - State media in Iran are reporting that at least 30 firefighters have been killed and some 75 people are injured after a high-rise building on fire collapsed.Onlookers wailed in grief as the iconic structure called the Plasco building crumbled to the ground today in Tehran.Firefighters had battled the fire for several hours before the building collapsed.Permalink| Comments
  
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• 30 missing in central Italy avalanche that buries hotel

  19-01-2017 07:22 via wbrz.com
  
  MILAN - An avalanche has buried a mountain hotel in an earthquake-hit region of central Italy.Authorities say at least 30 people are missing. Italian media say the avalanche covered the three-story hotel in the central region of Abruzzo.A man staying at a mountain hotel in central Italy says he escaped an avalanche when he went outside to get something out of his car.But the 38-year-old man says his wife and two children were buried inside the building.Italian news reports say that some guests i
  
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