Pennsylvania high court picks new map of U.S. House districts
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s highest court broke a partisan deadlock Wednesday over a new map of congressional districts by selecting boundaries that broadly adhere to the outlines of current districts, even as the state loses one seat because of sluggish population growth. The Democratic-majority state Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision...
Abolition newspaper revived for nation grappling with racism
America’s first newspaper dedicated to ending slavery is being resurrected and reimagined more than two centuries later as the nation continues to grapple with its legacy of racism. The revived version of The Emancipator is a joint effort by Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research and The Boston Globe’s Opinion...
UN: Wildfires getting worse globally, governments unprepared
A warming planet and changes to land use patterns mean more wildfires will scorch large parts of the globe in coming decades, causing spikes in unhealthy smoke pollution and other problems that governments are ill prepared to confront, according to a U.N. report released Wednesday. The Western U.S., northern Siberia,...
Is omicron leading us closer to herd immunity against covid?
Is omicron leading us closer to herd immunity against covid-19? Experts say it’s not likely that the highly transmissible variant — or any other variant — will lead to herd immunity. “Herd immunity is an elusive concept and doesn’t apply to coronavirus,” says Dr. Don Milton at the University of...
Judge to rule if Michigan school shooter stays in adult jail
A 15-year-old boy charged with fatally shooting four fellow students at his Michigan high school also wrote of raping and killing a girl at the school, prosecutors said Tuesday during a hearing to decide if he remains in an adult jail. Text messages to a friend and items from a...
Trump praises Putin as ‘genius’ and ‘very savvy’ for invading Ukraine
Former President Trump praised Russian strongman Vladimir Putin as a “genius” for invading portions of Ukraine — and blasted President Biden for weakness. Showering praise on a top geopolitical rival of America, Trump said on Tuesday the “very savvy” Putin outsmarted Biden by recognizing two breakaway regions as independent nations....
Florida GOP ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill advances in House
TALLAHASSEE — Florida House Republicans on Tuesday advanced a bill to forbid discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, rejecting criticism from Democrats who said the proposal demonizes LGBTQ people. The measure, dubbed by opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, is now set for a final vote...
Florida Sen. Rick Scott wants to ‘rescue America’ through Pledge of Allegiance, strict gender roles
WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Rick Scott wants to rescue the nation by declaring men and women biologically different, raising taxes on low-income earners and spurring children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The Florida senator and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee issued his “11 Point Plan to Rescue...
‘Superbly preserved’ pterosaur fossil unearthed in ScotlandVideo
LONDON — The fossil of a 170 million-year-old pterosaur, described as the world’s best-preserved skeleton of the prehistoric winged reptile, has been found on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, scientists said Tuesday. The National Museum of Scotland said the fossil of the pterosaur, more popularly known as pterodactyls, is...
National Guard to help D.C. control traffic for truck convoys
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation’s capital as it prepares for trucker convoys that are planning protests against pandemic restrictions beginning next week. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the request Tuesday from the District of Columbia government and the...
U.S. House candidate from Oklahoma apologizes for intoxication during sleepover
OKLAHOMA CITY — A U.S. House candidate in Oklahoma has apologized after reports that she became intoxicated at a Valentine’s Day weekend sleepover for middle-school-aged girls, berated several of the children and vomited in a hamper. Democrat Abby Broyles, 32, told television station KFOR that she had an adverse reaction...
Sentence upheld for Coast Guard officer tied to terror plot
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — A federal appeals court Tuesday upheld a prison sentence of more than 13 years for a former Coast Guard officer accused of stockpiling weapons and plotting politically motivated killings inspired by a far-right mass murderer. Christopher Hasson argued the district court judge who sentenced him in...
Biden announces sanctions against Russia for invasion of UkraineVideo
MOSCOW — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the United States will impose its first tranche of economic sanctions against Moscow in response to what he described as “the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” “I’m going to begin to impose sanctions in response far beyond the steps we...
Lawsuit seeks halt to Pa. justices picking congressional map
HARRISBURG — A federal lawsuit claims the Pennsylvania Supreme Court would overstep its authority by selecting a new set of congressional district maps, and the plaintiffs also want a restraining order to prevent the state justices from changing the election calendar. Two Republicans running for Congress, a member of the...
Supreme Court shuts down Trump bid to shield records from Jan. 6 investigation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has formally rejected President Donald Trump’s effort to block release of documents from his administration to the House Jan. 6 Select Committee, bringing a formal end to his executive privilege claims in connection with the records. The decision follows the court’s Jan. 19 order...
Beekeepers turn to anti-theft technology as hive thefts rise
For a few frenzied weeks, beekeepers from around the United States truck billions of honeybees to California to rent them to almond growers who need the insects to pollinate the state’s most valuable crop. But as almond trees start to bloom, blanketing entire valleys in white and pink flowers, so...
Man tries to enter Boston zoo’s tiger cage, arrested
A Worcester man was arrested Monday for trying to enter a tiger enclosure after breaking into Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo. The Massachusetts State Police said that when questioned, the man only said he was very interested in tigers. Matthew Abraham, 24, allegedly climbed over a gate into the zoo at...
What are the U.S.’s toughest sanctions against Putin, Russia?
WASHINGTON — With the White House calling Russian deployments in eastern Ukraine an invasion, it’s expected to follow up with tough sanctions. President Joe Biden has made clear the United States intends to deploy sweeping financial penalties, not American troops, to hit Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s moves against Ukraine....
All 3 defendants convicted of hate crimes in Arbery killingVideo
BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The three men convicted of murder in Ahmaud Arbery’s fatal shooting were found guilty of federal hate crimes and other lesser charges Tuesday for violating Arbery’s civil rights and targeting him because he was Black. In addition to the federal hate crimes, the jury also found father...
High court takes case involving refusal to serve gay couples
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new clash involving religion and the rights of LGBT people. The high court said Tuesday it would hear the case of Colorado-based web designer Lorie Smith. Smith offers graphic and website design services and wants to expand to wedding website...
Lawmakers give Putin permission to use force outside Russia
MOSCOW — Russia’s upper house of parliament has given President Vladimir Putin permission to use military force outside the country. That could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the U.S. said an invasion was already underway there. Putin asked the country’s parliament on Tuesday for the permission. Several European...
Queen Elizabeth still has mild covid symptoms, cancels online meetings
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II canceled scheduled online engagements on Tuesday because she is still experiencing mild cold-like symptoms after testing positive for covid-19, Buckingham Palace said. The 95-year-old monarch “has decided not to undertake her planned virtual engagements today, but will continue with light duties,” a palace spokesman said....
Woman accused of stabbing husband 140 times in Florida home
PALM SPRINGS, Fla. — A 61-year-old Florida woman is accused of stabbing her physically disabled husband more than 140 times and hitting him on the head with a meat cleaver to make sure he was dead. Joan Burke was arrested Sunday and charged with first-degree murder, according to Palm Springs...
4 Pennsylvania state troopers hurt in crash during pursuit
CHAMBERSBURG — A crash during a police pursuit left four Pennsylvania state troopers injured, authorities said. The chase began in Chambersburg around 11:45 p.m. Monday when the troopers attempted to stop the driver of a vehicle after observing traffic violations, state police said in a news release. The driver failed...
World leaders focus on how to punish Russia over Ukraine
BRUSSELS — With the smell of war in the air over Europe, world leaders got over the shock of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to deploy troops to separatist regions of eastern Ukraine and they are focused on producing as forceful a reaction as possible. Germany made the first big...
