When protesters cry ‘defund the police,’ what does it mean?Video
WASHINGTON — Protesters are pushing to “defund the police” over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement. Their chant has become rallying cry — and a stick for President Donald Trump to use on Democrats as he portrays them as soft on crime. But...
12 covid-19 cases in Pennsylvania traced to New Jersey shore
DOYLESTOWN — Health officials in eastern Pennsylvania have traced 12 new coronavirus cases to a person who attended recent beach house gatherings at the New Jersey shore, the Bucks County Department of Health said. The department said 11 cases on Saturday were linked to a New Jersey resident who was...
Taliban say they are readying for talks with Kabul leaders
ISLAMABAD — The Taliban have started putting together their agenda for negotiations with the political leadership in Kabul, Taliban officials said, a significant first step toward talks seen as perhaps the most critical next phase in the Afghan peace process. No date has yet been set for negotiations but Washington’s...
Support grows to toughen penalties in Pennsylvania for boating while under the influence
Those who are boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs may face penalties similar to those for people who are caught driving under the influence as measures to stiffen the law are gaining support in the Pennsylvania Legislature. The state House and a state Senate committee overwhelmingly passed...
CDC: Some Americans are gargling with bleach and drinking household cleaners to prevent coronavirus
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report indicates Americans are putting household disinfectants including bleach into their bodies because they believe such practices can ward off coronavirus — “preventive” measures are ineffective and dangerous. The study, posted by the CDC, explored how much its 502 participants knew about...
As White House’s strong-arm tactics get pushback, Trump takes credit for peaceful protestsVideo
WASHINGTON — Asserting that “everything is under perfect control,” President Donald Trump claimed credit Sunday after a national wave of demonstrations against police abuses turned calmer, even as the White House faced fresh pushback over strong-arm tactics used against peaceful protesters. Protests appeared peaceful Sunday, a day after riot police...
Minneapolis council majority backs disbanding police force
MINNEAPOLIS — A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city’s police department, an aggressive stance that comes just as the state has launched a civil rights investigation after George Floyd’s death. Nine of the council’s 12 members appeared with activists at...
Virginia officer charged in use of stun gun on black manVideo
FAIRFAX, Va. — A white Virginia police officer was charged with assault and battery in connection with the use of a stun gun on a black man, authorities announced. Fairfax County police Officer Tyler Timberlake arrived on scene and fired his stun gun at the man after other officers had...
Colin Powell backs Biden, says Trump has ‘drifted’ from ConstitutionVideo
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized President Donald Trump for threatening to use active-duty U.S. troops against protesters, saying it shows he has “drifted away” from the U.S. Constitution. In a CNN interview, Powell aimed a broad critique at Trump’s approach to the military, a foreign policy he said...
New York Times editorial page editor resigns amid fury over op-ed
NEW YORK — The New York Times’ editorial page editor resigned Sunday after the newspaper disowned an opinion piece by U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton that advocated using federal troops to quell unrest, and it was later revealed he hadn’t read the piece prior to publication. James Bennet resigned and his...
Strong wind, rain as tropical storm makes Louisiana landfallVideo
NEW ORLEANS — Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall Sunday on the Louisiana coast, packing 50 mph wind and spinning dangerous weather as far east as northern Florida, where it spawned a tornado that uprooted trees and downed power lines. The lopsided storm moved ashore between the mouth of the Mississippi...
10-foot great white shark kills surfer in AustraliaVideo
SYDNEY — A 60-year-old surfer was attacked and killed by a 10-foot great white shark off the coast of northern New South Wales state on Sunday, officials said. The man received a bite to the back of his thigh and was brought to the shore by other surfers who had...
Virginia man’s hand blown off; note references violence against women
ABINGDON, Va. — A southwest Virginia man who blew off his hand in an apparent explosives accident has been charged in federal court after authorities say they found evidence he was making a bomb and wanted to target “hot cheerleaders” because of his sexual frustrations. An FBI affidavit filed Friday...
AG William Barr denies Trump demanded 10,000 troops to quell protestsVideo
Attorney General William Barr on Sunday denied that President Donald Trump wanted 10,000 active duty troops sent onto American streets to quell unrest. Barr, in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation,” pushed back on reports by several news organizations that the president initially made the demand before backing down...
Democrats’ legislation would overhaul police accountability
WASHINGTON — Democrats are proposing to overhaul legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force episodes and ban police choke holds in legislation coming Monday in response to the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement, according to a draft outline obtained by The Associated...
Philadelphia mural of controversial ex-mayor Rizzo removed amid protests
PHILADELPHIA — The image of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo was removed from the side of a building in south Philadelphia amid large protests in the city on the issue of police brutality. Mural Arts Philadelphia said Sunday morning that the mural was being painted over with the consent of...
Watery end for statue of slave trader in UK city of Bristol
LONDON — For someone who died nearly three centuries ago, Edward Colston has become a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement in Britain. The toppling of his statue in Bristol, a city in the southwest of England, on Sunday by anti-racism protesters was greeted with joyous scenes, recognition of...
Officials urge Floyd protesters to get coronavirus tests
NEW YORK — As New York City prepared to reopen after a more than two-month coronavirus shutdown, officials on Sunday lifted a curfew that was put in place amid protests of police brutality and racial injustice. But they also urged that demonstrators be tested for covid-19. “Get a test. Get...
Deputy killed in California ambush by Air Force sergeant
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A Northern California sheriff’s deputy was killed and two law enforcement officers wounded Saturday when they were ambushed with gunfire and explosives while pursuing a suspect, authorities said. The U.S. Air Force confirmed Sunday that the suspect was an active duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air...
World reaches 400,000 virus deaths as Pope urges caution
BARCELONA, Spain — The confirmed global death toll from the covid-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities on Sunday, a day after the government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country....
‘A long time coming’: Iconic Lee statue to be removed
RICHMOND, Va. — David Harris Jr., a nephew of humanitarian and tennis legend Arthur Ashe, tried for decades to get a street named after his uncle in Richmond, the hometown that once denied Ashe access to segregated public tennis courts. Finally, in 2019, the City Council approved the renaming over...
Left out: More workers now losing hope of getting back jobs
NEW YORK — Eric Benz didn’t worry very much when his graphic design firm in Atlanta laid him off in March. He felt sure he’d be recalled to work once the viral pandemic eased and his firm’s clients resumed spending. Three months later, there’s been no call. Instead, Benz has...
Protesters flood U.S. streets in huge, peaceful push for change
WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of protesters streamed into the nation’s capital and other major cities Saturday in another huge mobilization against police brutality and racial injustice, while George Floyd was remembered in his North Carolina hometown by mourners who waited hours for a glimpse of his golden coffin. Wearing...
Fox News apologizes for stock graphic referencing Floyd, MLK deaths
NEW YORK — One day after Fox News aired a graphic correlating stock market gains following notable tragic events involving black Americans, it offered an apology. The contrite concession came Saturday after outraged viewers howled over the insensitive chart shown during Friday’s broadcast of “Special Report With Bret Baier.” The...
Zuckerberg-funded scientists: Rein in Trump on Facebook
BOSTON — Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Mark Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting President Trump use the social media platform to “spread both misinformation and incendiary statements.” The researchers, including 60 professors at leading U.S. research institutions, wrote the Facebook CEO on Saturday asking Zuckerberg to...
