national news
Whole neighborhoods razed by Oklahoma tornado that killed 24

People look at the destruction after a huge tornado struck Moore, OklahomaBy Carey Gillam and Ian Simpson MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Rescuers went building to building in search of victims and thousands of survivors were homeless on Tuesday, a day after a massive tornado tore through a suburb of Oklahoma City, wiping out whole blocks of homes and killing at least 24 people. Nine children were among the dead, including seven who died at Plaza Towers Elementary School, which took a direct hit in the deadliest tornado to hit the United States in two years. ...


Tue May 21 15:03:53 UTC 2013
Jodi Arias urges Arizona jury to spare her death penalty

Jodi Arias addresses the jury during the penalty phase of her murder trial in PhoenixBy Tim Gaynor PHOENIX (Reuters) - Convicted killer Jodi Arias urged jurors on Tuesday to spare her the death penalty and sentence her to life in prison for brutally killing her ex-boyfriend in Arizona five years ago, saying she could lead a productive life behind bars. Arias, 32, was found guilty earlier this month in the premeditated murder of Travis Alexander, whose body was found slumped in the shower of his Phoenix-area home in June 2008. He was stabbed multiple times, had his throat slashed and was shot in the face. ...


Tue May 21 14:51:36 UTC 2013
Healthcare workers strike at five California public hospitals
By Ronnie Cohen SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Thousands of healthcare workers walked off the job at the University of California's five medical centers on Tuesday, delaying surgeries, diagnostic procedures, treatments and emergency care throughout the state. The union representing nearly 13,000 vocational nurses, respiratory therapists and radiology technologists said they staged the strike - scheduled to last two days - to draw attention to staffing shortages that they say undermine patient care at the hospitals in San Francisco, Davis, Los Angeles, San Diego and Irvine. ...
Tue May 21 14:34:07 UTC 2013
Residents’ storm stories: ‘We can’t go back, the destruction is so bad’
Susan and Bob Njoo's destroyed home. They managed to escape from the rubble with minor injuries. (Photo courtesy of Larry Ong) Yahoo News invited Oklahoma City area residents to share their firsthand experiences and observations from Monday’s tornadoes and rescue efforts, and the cleanup that began Tuesday. Below are excerpts from what they’ve written. *** [...]
Tue May 21 15:05:45 UTC 2013