Exclusive: Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade authorities

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice has begun a criminal investigation into Uber Technologies Inc's use of a software tool that helped its drivers evade local transportation regulators, two sources familiar with the situation said.

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Families of San Bernardino shooting sue Facebook, Google, Twitter

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Family members of three victims of the December 2015 shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California, have sued Facebook, Google and Twitter, claiming that the tech giants permitted Islamic State to flourish on social media.

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Reporter says Fox News fired her for using harassment hotline

(Reuters) - A Fox News radio correspondent filed a lawsuit on Thursday claiming she was fired for complaining about sex discrimination, after the U.S. television network encouraged employees to report harassment amid a barrage of legal claims.

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Macron cements bid for French presidency after bitter TV debate

PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - Independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron appeared to cement his position as favorite for the French presidency on Thursday as the dust settled on a rancorous final televised debate with far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

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State Dept. seeks social media checks in tough new visa rules

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of State has proposed tougher questioning of visa applicants who it believes warrant extra scrutiny, according to a government document published Thursday, in a push toward the "extreme vetting" sought by President Donald Trump.

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Trump signs order to ease ban on political activity by churches

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order on religious liberties designed to ease a ban on political activity by churches and other tax-exempt institutions.

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Trump to wade into Middle East politics on first foreign trip

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel this month as part of his first foreign trip, wading directly into the tangled diplomacy of Middle Eastern politics, a senior administration official said on Thursday.

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U.S. coaxes Mexico into Trump plan to overhaul Central America

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The United States is plotting an ambitious attempt to shore up Central America, with the administration of President Donald Trump pressing Mexico to do more to stem the flow of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in the region, U.S. and Mexican officials say.

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U.S. jobless claims fall, continuing claims hit 17-year low

WASHINGTON - New applications for U.S. jobless benefits fell more than expected last week and the

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Macron, earnings hopes send European shares to 20-month high

LONDON (Reuters) - Signs that centrist Emmanuel Macron was heading for victory in France's presidential election and reassuring results from HSBC pushed European shares to a near two-year high on Thursday, despite some wary signals from China and commodity markets.

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After North Korea criticism, China says wants to be good neighbor

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Thursday it wants to be good neighbors with North Korea, after the isolated country's state news agency published a rare criticism of Chinese state media commentaries calling for tougher sanctions over the North's nuclear program.

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U.S. needs to balance foreign alliances: Tillerson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday outlined for his staff how an "America First" agenda translates into foreign policy, but did not address the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts, which worry many diplomats.

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Trump to sign order lifting ban on political activity by churches

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is expected to take executive action on Thursday to effectively lift a ban on political activity by churches and other tax-exempt institutions, a senior White House official said on Wednesday.

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No federal charges for Louisiana police in shooting of black man

BATON ROUGE, La. (Reuters) - Two white Louisiana police officers will not face federal charges for the fatal shooting of a black man that sparked nationwide protests last year, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, though the state is opening its own criminal investigation.

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French presidential rivals clash in crucial TV debate

PARIS (Reuters) - Far-right leader Marine Le Pen criticized Emmanuel Macron, her centrist rival for the French presidency, as a "smirking banker" representing globalization gone wild when the two met in a crucial pre-election TV debate on Wednesday.

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Two dead, including suspect in Dallas-area college shooting: police

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A gunman who opened fire on Wednesday on a college campus in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas, apparently killed one victim and committed suicide, local police said.

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Fed holds interest rates steady, downplays economic weakness

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday and downplayed weak first-quarter economic growth while emphasizing the strength of the labor market, in a sign it was still on track for two more rate rises this year.

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Trump: Israelis, Palestinians appear willing to make peace deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he believes Israelis and Palestinians are both willing to make a peace deal, adding that he does not think it will be as difficult as people thought.

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Trump courts moderates, scrambles to head off healthcare defeat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and his aides courted moderate Republican lawmakers on Wednesday on a proposal to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system as the White House struggled to avoid another embarrassing defeat on a top legislative priority.

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U.S. House nearing passage of bill to fund government, avoid shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday was poised to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September and avoid a shutdown of many federal agencies on Saturday when existing money is depleted.

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