Spartan Echo

  SINGAPORE (AP) — The parents of an American software engineer found dead in his Singapore apartment last year have left the city-state before the end of a coroner’s inquest. They say they have lost faith in the process and their lawyer says they will push for a U.S. congressional investigation. Rick and Mary Todd [...]

  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The number of Afghan women and girls jailed for “moral crimes” has risen dramatically in the past 18 months, raising concerns that gains in women’s rights might be reversed with the withdrawal of most international troops next year, a rights group said Tuesday. New York-based Human Rights Watch said 600 [...]

  WASHINGTON (AP) — The man who led the Internal Revenue Service when it was giving extra scrutiny to tea party and other conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status told Congress on Tuesday, May 21, that he knew little about what was happening while he was still commissioner. Douglas Shulman, who vacated his position last November when [...]

  WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress easily approved legislation Friday, April 26, ending furloughs of air traffic controllers that have delayed hundreds of flights daily, infuriating travelers and causing political headaches for lawmakers. The House approved the measure on a 361-41 vote, a day after the Senate swiftly agreed to the bill. The vote came as lawmakers [...]

  WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House declared Thursday, April 25,  that U.S. intelligence indicates Syrian President Bashar Assad has twice used deadly chemical weapons in his country’s fierce civil war, a provocative action that would cross President Barack Obama’s “red line” for a significant military response. But the administration said the revelation won’t immediately [...]

  WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid the celebration surrounding the opening of son George W. Bush’s presidential library Thursday, April 25, former first lady Barbara Bush brushed aside talk of a Jeb Bush run for the White House in 2016. Appearing in an interview from Dallas on NBC’s “Today” show, Mrs. Bush was asked if she [...]

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Sirens wailed and church bells tolled in Warsaw as largely Roman Catholic Poland paid homage Friday to the Jewish fighters who rose up 70 years ago against German Nazi forces in the Warsaw ghetto uprising. The mournful sounds marked the start of state ceremonies that were led by Polish President Bronislaw [...]

MOSCOW (AP) — President Barack Obama wants to ease diplomatic tensions with Moscow and had a letter hand delivered to President Vladimir Putin to propose new ways to cooperate, Russian officials said Monday. Obama’s national security adviser, Tom Donilon, met with Putin and other officials and presented the letter in an effort to improve relations, [...]

  WAKEFIELD, Va. (AP) — Before a nearly all-Republican crowd among the smallest in the Shad Planking’s 65 years, Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli dismissed his absent Democratic foe in this year’s governor’s race as a Virginia outsider and Washington insider. Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe chose not to attend the event, the [...]

  HELENA, Mont. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Max Baucus’ surprise announcement that he won’t run for a seventh term could mean a free-for-all for a Senate seat that has not been open since 1978, with a popular Democratic ex-governor and a freshman Republican congressman already showing interest. Republicans said the open Montana seat helps their [...]

  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island’s long-simmering debate on gay marriage will head to a pivotal vote Tuesday, Apr. 23, when a legislative committee decides whether to forward the legislation to the full Senate for a final vote. The entire Senate could take up the bill by week’s end if the Senate Judiciary Committee [...]