Defense Sec.: U.S. adds 500 troops in Germany, despite Trump pledge
BERLIN — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Tuesday that he is expanding the U.S. military presence in Germany by 500 troops and has stopped planning for large-scale troop cuts ordered by the Trump administration. “This planned increase in U.S. personnel underscores our commitment to Germany and the entire NATO...
Expert says Chauvin was justified in pinning down George FloydVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — Former Officer Derek Chauvin was justified in pinning George Floyd to the ground because he kept struggling, a use-of-force expert testified for the defense Tuesday, contradicting a parade of authorities from both inside and outside the Minneapolis Police Department. Taking the stand at Chauvin’s murder trial, Barry Brodd,...
France suspends all Brazil flights due to virus variants
PARIS — France’s prime minister has announced the suspension of all flights between Brazil and France amid concerns over coronavirus variants. Prime Minister Jean Castex made the announcement Tuesday in parliament. He said: “We note that the situation is getting worse and so we have decided to suspend all flights...
Pennsylvania scores C- for condition of roads, bridges, infrastructure
Just how bad are Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges? According to the federal government’s Infrastructure Report Card, released Monday by the White House, each driver pays $620 a year in costs related to driving on roads in disrepair. That’s in addition to everyday costs — gasoline, routine maintenance — related to...
Official: Iran to enrich uranium to highest level ever
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran will begin enriching uranium up to 60% purity after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility, a negotiator said Tuesday, pushing its program to higher levels than ever before though still remaining short of weapons-grade. The announcement marks a significant escalation after the sabotage...
Facebook users can appeal harmful content to oversight board
LONDON — Facebook’s quasi-independent Oversight Board said Tuesday that it will start letting users file appeals over posts, photos, and videos that they think the company shouldn’t have allowed to stay on its platforms. The board said it will accept cases from users who object to content posted by others...
Putin foe Navalny says he sues prison for withholding Quran
MOSCOW — Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Tuesday he was suing his prison for withholding the Quran, which he intended to study while serving time in a prison outside Moscow. Navalny has been on a hunger strike for two weeks, protesting prison officials’ refusal to let his physician...
Poll: 15% of Americans worse off a year into pandemic
While most Americans have weathered the pandemic financially, about 38 million say they are worse off now than before the outbreak began in the U.S. Overall, 55% of Americans say their financial circumstances are about the same now as a year ago, and 30% say their finances have improved, according...
Voters to weigh in on Pa. government pandemic power struggle
HARRISBURG — A pandemic power struggle that has raged for a year between Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor and its Republican-led Legislature will land on voters’ laps next month in the form of two proposed constitutional amendments that could limit the length of disaster emergencies. There are four statewide ballot questions being...
UK hits vaccine target; Boris Johnson warns of more virus deaths
LONDON — Britain began offering coronavirus vaccinations to anyone over 45 on Tuesday after hitting its target of giving at least one dose to everyone over 50 by the middle of April. Despite the good news, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the U.K. would inevitably see “more hospitalization and...
U.S. recommends pause in using Johnson & Johnson covid-19 vaccine
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is recommending a “pause” in administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson covid-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots. In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating unusual clots...
Pa. House Speaker quarantining at home after being exposed to confirmed case of covid-19
Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, said in a press release Monday afternoon that he is currently under quarantine at home after learning that he was exposed to someone who has a confirmed case of covid-19. “Quarantine, social distancing, mask-wearing and the vaccine are all important to reducing...
Japan to start Fukushima water release to sea in 2 years
TOKYO — Japan’s government said Tuesday it has decided to start releasing massive amounts of radioactive water stored in tanks at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant in two years after treatment. The decision, long speculated but delayed for years because of safety concerns and protests, came Tuesday at a meeting...
Regeneron’s antibody drug can help prevent covid-19 from spreading among household membersVideo
PHILADELPHIA — Drugs that can keep high-risk covid-19 patients out of the hospital are going begging because the supposed breakthrough treatments require an hour-long intravenous infusion and offer a rather small chance of benefit. On Monday, Regeneron announced results that may help make its monoclonal antibody combination, now branded REGEN-COV,...
Mobile covid vaccination clinic headed to minority communities in Pennsylvania
A former mobile covid-19 testing clinic that made stops all over Pennsylvania last year will begin its next tour targeting underserved communities, this time as a vaccine and education clinic. State health officials and community leaders announced the department’s partnership with advocacy group Latino Connection and Highmark Blue Shield on...
All schools in Ontario to shut and go to online learningVideo
TORONTO — All schools in Canada’s most populous province will be shut down and move to online learning because of a record number of coronavirus infections fueled by more-contagious virus variants, Ontario’s premier announced Monday. Premier Doug Ford said his government is moving to online-only after the April break this...
Biden nominee Christine Wormuth would be 1st woman to lead Army
BERLIN — President Joe Biden plans to nominate Christine Wormuth, a former senior Pentagon official, to be the first woman to lead the Army, the White House said Monday. If confirmed by the Senate as Army secretary, Wormuth would be one of the more powerful officials in a defense establishment...
Student fires at officers at Tennessee school, is killedVideo
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A student opened fire on officers responding to a report of a possible gunman Monday at a Tennessee high school, and police shot back and killed him, authorities said. The shooting wounded an officer and comes as the community reels from off-campus gun violence that has left...
Georgia sheriff: 3 officers wounded, 1 suspect dead, 1 held from chase
VILLA RICA, Ga. — Three Georgia police officers were shot and wounded as they pursued two brothers from Alabama in a high-speed chase that ended early Monday with one brother shot and killed and the other in custody, authorities said. A Georgia State Patrol trooper clocked a Nissan Sentra going...
Biden Republicans? Some in GOP open to president’s agenda
RALEIGH, N.C. — Jay Copan doesn’t hide his disregard for the modern Republican Party. A solid Republican voter for the past four decades, the 69-year-old quickly regretted casting his 2016 ballot for Donald Trump. When Trump was up for reelection last year, Copan appeared on roadside billboards across North Carolina,...
Feds won’t play ‘whack-a-mole’ by sending more vaccines to MichiganVideo
DETROIT — The federal government will not change its covid-19 vaccine distribution strategy, “playing whack-a-mole,” by sending more doses to Michigan, said Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for covid-19 response, during a Monday morning news briefing. Michigan is in the midst of another massive spike in coronavirus cases, with...
One shot of vaccine may be enough for covid-19 survivors, studies suggest
For people who have bared their arms for a two-dose covid-19 vaccine, the message from public health officials has been clear: Get the second shot if you want full protection. But an emerging body of evidence suggests that there may be an exception to that rule. If you’ve already battled...
‘Skilled predator’ FBI boss harassed 8 women, watchdog finds
NEW YORK — One woman carried a ruler at FBI headquarters so she could smack James Hendricks’ hands when he reached for her legs and breasts. Another went home shaken after he tugged on her ear and kissed her cheek during a closed-door meeting. And when Hendricks went on to...
Tweaked covid vaccines being tested with aim to fend off variants
Dozens of Americans are rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of covid-19 vaccine — this time, shots tweaked to guard against a worrisome mutated version of the virus. Make no mistake: The vaccines currently being rolled out across the U.S. offer strong protection. But new studies of experimental...
Ukraine leader’s request to talk to Putin ignored: official
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s leader has asked for a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Russian troop buildup across his country’s border and the escalating tensions in eastern Ukraine, but the request has not been answered so far, his spokeswoman said Monday. The concentration of Russian troops...
