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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah's Republican-controlled Legislature has passed a bill that allows county clerks to refuse to marry same-sex couples for religious reasons. But the bill requires a county clerk's office to designate someone who will marry gay couples if the clerk opts out. Utah's House voted 66-9 Wednesday night to approve the proposal. It's unclear if Republican Gov. Gary Herbert will sign it.
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — The police chief in Ferguson, Missouri has resigned, following last week's scathing Department of Justice report prompted by the fatal shooting of an unarmed black 18-year-old by a white police officer. The resignation of Chief Thomas Jackson becomes effective March 19. Jackson had previously resisted calls by protesters and some of Missouri's top elected leaders to step down over his handling of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown and the weeks of sometimes-violent protests that followed.
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian immigration officials have arrested a Pakistani man who they say was plotting to attack the U.S. consulate and other buildings in Toronto's financial district. Canadian authorities say 33-year-old Jahanzab Malik, who received weapons training in Libya, told an undercover police officer about his plans involving remote control explosives. He appeared in court in Toronto Wednesday for a hearing. Authorities say Malik is a self-proclaimed supporter of the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia is offering to cover Indonesia's costs for keeping two Australian heroin traffickers in prison for life if Jakarta doesn't execute them. Australia is lobbying hard to prevent the executions by firing squad of the two Australian men who are among nine foreign drug convicts to be executed soon. The offer to pay for the prisoners' keep was made by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last week in a letter to her Indonesian counterpart.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH'-zee-oh) plans to unveil a comprehensive plan to curb jail violence at Rikers Island jail complex. He'll meet correction officers Thursday and tour a newly-opened 250-bed unit for inmates jail officials call the department's most dangerous. The mayor's visit comes amid continued high levels of violence at Rikers.
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