U.S./World category, Page 942
Supreme Court for now stays out of police immunity debate
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is for now declining to get involved in an ongoing debate by citizens and in Congress over policing, rejecting cases Monday that would have allowed the justices to revisit when police can be held financially responsible for wrongdoing. With protests over racism and police brutality...
EU, U.K. leaders agree ‘new momentum’ needed in Brexit talksVideo
BRUSSELS — A video conference between EU officials and British Prime minister Boris Johnson focusing on their post-Brexit relationship produced only a declaration of good will, with both parties acknowledging Monday that a “new momentum was required” to break the deadlock in negotiations. Following Britain’s political departure from the bloc,...
Supreme Court rejects several gun rights cases for next term
The Supreme Court on Monday passed up several challenges to federal and state gun control laws, over the dissent of two conservative justices. Gun rights advocates had hoped the court would expand the constitutional right to “keep and bear arms” beyond the home. Instead, the justices left in place restrictions...
Landmark civil rights law extends to LGBTQ employees, Supreme Court rulesVideo
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court declared Monday that the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ employees from workplace discrimination. In a major victory for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer workers, the justices said the law’s ban on job discrimination on the basis of “sex” can be read...
Alabama city’s Confederate statue relocated to a museum
MOBILE, Ala. — A Confederate statue removed from Alabama’s port city earlier this month has been relocated to a museum, the city’s mayor said. The History Museum of Mobile has received the bronze likeness of Admiral Raphael Semmes, which stood in a middle of a downtown street near the Mobile...
First lady announces youth art project on women’s suffrage
WASHINGTON — Melania Trump wants to use art to help children learn about women’s suffrage. The first lady on Monday announced a youth art project to coincide with the ratification nearly 100 years ago of the constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote. The project, “Building the Movement:...
Japan to scrap costly land-based U.S. missile defense system
TOKYO — Japan’s Defense Ministry said Monday that it has decided to stop unpopular plans to deploy two costly land-based U.S. missile defense systems aimed at bolstering the country’s capability against threats from North Korea. Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters that he decided to “stop the deployment process” of...
Europe’s borders reopen but long road for tourism to recoverVideo
BERLIN — Borders opened up across Europe on Monday after three months of coronavirus closures that began chaotically in March. But many restrictions persist, it’s unclear how keen Europeans will be to travel this summer and the continent is still closed to Americans, Asians and other international tourists. Border checks...
Reports: Chinese billionaire held hostage, rescued by police
BEIJING — The billionaire founder of the world’s biggest appliance manufacturer, Midea Group, was held hostage by intruders in his home in southern China but was rescued by police, news reports said Monday. Police received a call Sunday evening that intruders had broken into a home in Foshan, near Hong...
American sentenced to 16 years in Russia on spying charges
MOSCOW — A Russian court on Monday sentenced an American businessman to 16 years in prison on spying charges, a sentence that he and his brother rejected as being political. The Moscow City Court read out the conviction of Paul Whelan on charges of espionage and sentenced him to 16...
Pilot of U.S. Air Force jet that crashed in North Sea is dead
LONDON — The pilot of a fighter jet that crashed into the North Sea, off the coast of northern England, has been found dead, the U.S. Air Force said Monday. In a statement hours after the crash, it said “the pilot of the downed F-15C Eagle from the 48th Fighter...
Hank Williams Jr.’s 27-year-old daughter killed in accident
PARIS, Tenn. — The 27-year-old daughter of country singer Hank Williams Jr. was killed in a highway accident in Tennessee, police said. Katherine Williams-Dunning of Springville was the driver of an SUV that was towing a boat when it crossed the median and rolled over Saturday night on U.S. Route...
Elected officials call for independent investigation into hanging death of black man in California
LOS ANGELES — Two state officials have joined a Los Angeles County supervisor in calling on California Atty. Gen. Xavier Beccera to investigate the death of a young black man found hanging from a tree in a park near Palmdale City Hall. “”The attorney general, as the lead attorney and...
Minneapolis officers quit in wake of George Floyd protests
MINNEAPOLIS — At least seven Minneapolis police officers have quit and another seven are in the process of resigning, citing a lack of support from department and city leaders as protests over George Floyd’s death escalated. Current and former officers told The Minneapolis Star Tribune that officers are upset with...
Yankee go home: What does moving troops out of Germany mean?
BERLIN — After more than a year of thinly-veiled threats to start pulling U.S. troops out of Germany unless Berlin increases its defense spending, President Donald Trump appears to be proceeding with a hardball approach, planning to cut the U.S. military contingent by more than 25%. About 34,500 American troops...
U.S. base namesakes include slaveholders, failed generals
CINCINNATI — As much as President Donald Trump enjoys talking about winning and winners, the Confederate generals he vows will not have their names removed from U.S. military bases were not only on the losing side of rebellion against the United States, some weren’t even considered good generals. The 10...
Atlanta officer fired after fatal shooting of black manVideo
ATLANTA — An Atlanta police officer was fired following the fatal shooting of a black man and another officer was placed on administrative duty, the police department announced early Sunday. The moves follows the Saturday resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, who stepped down as the Friday night killing...
Protesters in U.S. call attention to deaths of more black men
Protests initially ignited by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police continued over the weekend, as anti-racism protesters in the United States sought to call attention to the deaths of two more black men and Black Lives Matter demonstrations unfolded in London and Paris....
China reports 57 new coronavirus cases, highest daily number in 2 months
BEIJING — China on Sunday reported its highest daily total of new coronavirus cases in two months after the capital’s biggest wholesale food market was shut down following a resurgence in local infections. There were 57 confirmed cases in the 24 hours through midnight Saturday, the National Health Commission reported....
SpaceX launches another batch of Starlink satellites before sunrise
ORLANDO, Fla. — An hour before sunrise Saturday, SpaceX launched yet another batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral, continuing the company’s mission to build a constellation of satellites that can deliver high-speed internet to the entire planet. The launch, which went off as scheduled at 5:21 a.m. from Cape...
Kim’s sister warns North Korean army ready for action on South
The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said it is “high time” to break relations with South Korean authorities, adding the next action against the “enemy” will come from the army. It’s better to take a series of retaliatory measures rather than release statements condemning South Korea’s behavior,...
Election fiasco reveals flaws with Georgia’s new voting system
ATLANTA — Georgia’s expensive new voting machines weren’t working. Poll workers at some precincts couldn’t call up voters’ registrations. Touchscreens that were supposed to display ballots faded to black. Delays compounded into more delays, frustrating voters. “They have a line,” a report from one precinct said, “and people are leaving.”...
Police to investigate hanging death of California black man near city hall
PALMDALE, Calif. — Authorities in the Southern California city of Palmdale are investigating the death of a 24-year-old black man found hanging from a tree near city hall, which they originally described as an apparent suicide, prompting outrage in the community. A passerby reported seeing Robert Fuller’s body about 3...
Trump speaks to West Point graduates about ‘turbulent’ times
WEST POINT, N.Y. — President Trump highlighted unity and America’s core values in remarks to 1,107 graduating cadets of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Saturday, steering clear of overt references to current controversies. The ceremony, months in the planning, comes as the backlash to the president’s threat...
Body camera footage released of shooting of handcuffed man in South Carolina
CHESTER, S.C. — Police in South Carolina released body camera video of officers fatally shooting a handcuffed black man they said was wielding a gun in a Walmart parking lot. Ariane Lamont McCree, 28, was shot and killed by police in November outside a Chester Walmart. He was handcuffed at...
