Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Poll: Americans favor Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert over conservatives for punditry

Jon Stewart has spent 16 years skewering U.S. politicians and media as the liberal host of television's "The Daily Show" - and many Americans think he gets it right on the issues with his satirical look at the news. In a Reuters/Ipsos online poll, the Comedy Central comic topped a list of 10 pundits, with more than half of respondents saying they agreed with him on at least some issues. Only 12 percent did not agree with him on any issues at all.

Hillary Clinton woos technorati, draws comparison to Eleanor Roosevelt

Hillary Clinton makes the final stop on Friday on a California fundraising tour where she has courted technology titans for her 2016 campaign and where one of her admirers tried comparing her to fellow former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Clinton, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, is gladhanding her way through the Bay Area's establishment and the newer technology class that could serve as an important source of money, votes and credibility among the broader electorate.

FBI warned local police gunman had interest in Texas cartoon event

The FBI warned police in Garland, Texas, about three hours before a shooting at a weekend exhibit of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad that one of the gunmen who launched the failed attack was interested in the event, FBI Director James Comey said on Thursday. The FBI issued a bulletin to the police department saying Elton Simpson had an interest in the Sunday event held in the Dallas suburb but gave no indication that he planned an attack, Comey told reporters in Washington, according to an FBI spokesman.

White House fence getting sharper spikes in security upgrade

The black iron fence surrounding the White House will be topped with a row of "sharp metal points" in July, the U.S. Secret Service said on Thursday, part of a series of security upgrades for the famous mansion where the president and his family live. The planned changes were sparked by an intrusion last September when an Iraq war veteran carrying a knife scaled the fence, ran across the North Lawn and entered the residence, running through a large ballroom before being tackled by a Secret Service officer.

NSA's phone spying program ruled illegal by appeals court

A U.S. spying program that systematically collects millions of Americans' phone records is illegal, a federal appeals court ruled on Thursday, putting pressure on Congress to quickly decide whether to replace or end the controversial anti-terrorism surveillance. Ruling on a program revealed by former government security contractor Edward Snowden, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the Patriot Act did not authorize the National Security Agency to collect Americans' calling records in bulk.

Man found guilty of murder in 1995 kidnapping and stabbing in California

A Southern California man was convicted of murder on Thursday in a 1995 kidnapping and stabbing that gained international attention when his accomplice, who had become a professor in Europe, was arrested three years ago. The case stems from the killing in Orange County of 24-year-old Gonzalo Ramirez, who was hacked to death with a meat cleaver.

U.S. to launch federal probe into Baltimore police practices: Washington Post

Attorney General Loretta Lynch will launch a federal probe into whether Baltimore's police department has engaged in a "pattern or practice" of excessive force, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. The Post, citing two law enforcement officials, said Lynch's announcement of the investigation could come as soon as Friday.

Rescuers find California father, children missing after camping trip

A Northern California man and his two young children have been found safe two days after they failed to return home from a family camping trip in the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains, authorities said on Friday. Nicholas Vlahos, his 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter were discovered by rescuers around 8 p.m. local time on Thursday, the Sierra County Sheriff's Office said.

Delaware police release video of white officer kicking black suspect

Police in Delaware have released video from a 2013 incident showing a black suspect being kicked in the face by a white officer who has been charged with assault. The dash cam video was released by the Dover Police Department on Thursday after a federal judge ruled the images it contains are no longer confidential.

More storms headed for Great Plains after tornadoes kill one, injure 12 in Oklahoma

Thunderstorm and flash flood warnings were issued for several Great Plains states on Thursday, a day after a series of tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma, causing one death, injuring 12 and flattening buildings. One woman who sought safety in her home's storm shelter died when it flooded in Wednesday night's storms, Oklahoma police said.