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Storm shelters few in 'Tornado Alley'

Agence France-PresseMay 22, 2013 17:15
Seventy-five percent of the world's tornadoes occur in the United States, yet few people who live in "Tornado Alley" bother with the trouble and expense of a proper shelter from the storms. Mel Evridge, 69, a retired builder who experienced both Monday's twister in this Oklahoma City suburb that killed 25 and a still deadlier one in May 1999, is a proud member of that minority.

Lawsuit on Montana's executions delayed; lawyer says limbo good for Ronald Smith

The Canadian PressMay 22, 2013 17:01
CALGARY - Normally, the lawyer for a Canadian on death row in Montana would not be happy in limbo. But Ron Waterman, lead counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, is gaining confidence that his lawsuit challenging the way the state carries out its executions could end up with a positive ending for Ronald Smith.

FDA panel favours Merck sleeping aid despite safety concerns over drowsiness, driving issues

The Canadian PressMay 22, 2013 17:00
WASHINGTON - A federal panel of medical experts says that an experimental insomnia drug from Merck A majority of panelists on the Food and Drug Administration panel voted that Merck's sleeping aid, suvorexant, helped patients get to sleep and stay asleep. In a separate set of votes, the same panel voted that the drug appeared safe at the starting doses proposed by the company.

Dubai contractor Arabtec says workers end strike

May 22, 2013 16:46
DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai contractor Arabtec <ARTC.DU> said on Wednesday a four-day strike by foreign workers seeking higher pay was over and the emirate's police chief said 200 of them would be repatriated. The company, in which Abu Dhabi state-owned fund Aabar owns a near 22-percent stake, did not say whether workers' demands for a wage hike of about $50 per month had been met. Thousands of workers stayed away from work from Saturday in a rare labor protest in Dubai where trade unions are banned.

Tory-dominated committee deleted tough parts of Duffy report: document

The Canadian PressMay 22, 2013 16:03
OTTAWA - The Tory-dominated, closed-door Senate committee studying Mike Duffy's improper housing expenses deleted a specific reference to his failure to co-operate with auditors before releasing its report to the public. Duffy, meanwhile, said Wednesday he's pleased that same committee will be reviewing his expenses once again. A draft of the internal economy committee's report, obtained by The Canadian Press, shows the sections of the report that were later dropped on the direction of the Conservatives.

Man murdered in London in suspected Islamist terror attack

Agence France-PresseMay 22, 2013 15:30
A man believed to be a serving British soldier was brutally murdered Wednesday near a London barracks in what Prime Minister David Cameron said appeared to be a terrorist attack. Cameron called the attack "appalling" and said: "There are strong indications that it is a terrorist incident." Armed police shot and wounded the two suspected attackers. One broadcaster showed footage of one of the men at the scene carrying a blood-covered knife and meat cleaver saying to the camera: "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you."

Thrifty Merrimack developing new cancer drugs at lower cost

May 22, 2013 15:17
By Bill Berkrot NEW YORK (Reuters) - Little known biotechnology company Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc has quietly built a large pipeline of experimental cancer treatments that it aims to deliver at a fraction of the cost spent by larger rivals. That could translate into lower-cost treatments for large unmet needs, such as pancreatic cancer, at precisely the time when pressure is mounting to reduce runaway healthcare spending.

Illinois pays down bills but backlog could rise again in August

May 22, 2013 15:15
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Higher-than-expected revenue from state income tax enabled Illinois to reduce its unpaid bills to $5.8 billion from $8.5 billion at the beginning of April, the state comptroller said on Wednesday while cautioning the improvement could be short lived.

Muslim imams pray at Auschwitz for Holocaust dead

Agence France-PresseMay 22, 2013 15:00
Muslim leaders from across the globe knelt in prayer for the Holocaust dead at the Auschwitz's notorious Wall of Death on Wednesday, in an emotional visit to the Nazi German death camp in southern Poland. Imams from Bosnia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States offered traditional Muslim "salat" prayers facing south towards their holy city of Mecca, shoes removed, during a Holocaust awareness visit to the site.

Quebec government polls public on 'problem' of religious accommodation

The Canadian PressMay 22, 2013 14:48
QUEBEC - The Quebec government is turning to public opinion as it seeks to set guidelines for minority rights. The cabinet minister responsible for drafting a so-called "Charter of Secularism" says the government will seek public input as it delays debate on the plan until the fall. Bernard Drainville, a Parti Quebecois cabinet minister, is putting together the secularism policy proposed in the last election campaign. It's believed the policy will curb the presence of certain religious symbols, notably Muslim headwear, in public institutions.
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