NEW YORK — In federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday, attorney Samuel Hirsch filed a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s on behalf of New York children who have suffered health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Hirsch argued that the high fat, sugar and cholesterol content of McDonald’s food is “a very insipid, toxic […]

WASHINGTON — United States officials said today an “extensive analysis” of the recently recorded audiotape had convinced intelligence experts that the tape “almost certainly” contained the voice of Osama bin Laden, ending the debate in the government over whether the terrorist leader is still alive. No evidence that the tape is a hoax could be […]

WASHINGTON — FBI officials said Tuesday they have “lost control” of an agency-created watch list of people wanted for questioning after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The list, which has gone through several manifestations, has made it to the Internet and contains names of people who have been cleared of any possible connection to last […]

ILLINOIS — Madison County Judge Nicholas Byron put a new twist into the proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit against James Blair Down, the Canadian mastermind of an international lottery ring that swindled elderly Americans out of more than $120 million. Byron’s amendment stipulates that Down must deposit the full $10 million as a […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether top executives at Computer Associates, which is based in Islandia N.Y., inflated the company’s sales and profits during the late 1990’s to reach a $1.1 billion payday that was tied to the performance of the company’s stock. Prosecutors are also looking into an accounting change that Computer […]

SPAIN — The Bahamian-flagged tanker Prestige broke in half on Tuesday, spilling more than 1 million gallons of oil off Spain’s northwest coast, also known as “coast of death” because of the many shipwrecks there. Spanish authorities are scrambling to protect the coastline as heavy winds and waves would move any slick that develops into […]

WASHINGTON — A House-Senate Joint Intelligence Committee report suggests evidence indicates the Saudi Arabian government funneled money to two of the September 11 hijackers through two Saudi Students. There is some evidence that the Saudi students received a payment through Princess Haifa Al-Faisal, wife of Saudi ambassador to the United States, according to the report. […]

BIRMINGHAM, AL — A jury Tuesday ordered Metabolife International to pay $4.1 million to four users of Metabolife 356, a popular over-the-counter appetite suppressant, who experienced health problems. The jury said the company should have warned customers that Metabolife 356 pills contained Ephedra, an herb that increases blood pressure and has been blamed for […]

WASHINGTON — Metabolife International, leading seller of the dietary supplement Ephedra, Tuesday gave the Justice Department 1,400 additional records of customer complaints, including 14 that mention serious side effects. The Justice Department is investigating into whether the company had lied about ephedra’s safety. Metabolife had previously turned over 14,700 customer health complaints to the Justice […]

WASHINGTON — A ruling by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, which operates almost entirely in secret, made it clear that the Justice Department can use foreign intelligence wiretaps not only to gather on spies or terrorists, but also to build evidence for criminal cases. The three-judge panel unanimously removed limits yesterday that a […]