U.S./World category, Page 1043
First lady helps honor women from 12 countries for courage
WASHINGTON — Melania Trump drew parallels Wednesday between her youth welfare initiative and a group of women from around the world whom the State Department has recognized for acts of courage in their countries. Although the “Be Best” initiative was designed for children, the first lady said the program “ties...
Twitter tests disappearing tweets, starts in Brazil
SAN FRANCISCO — Twitter is starting to test tweets that disappear after 24 hours, although initially only in Brazil. The company says the ephemeral tweets, which it calls “fleets” because of their fleeting nature, are designed to allay the concerns of new users who might be turned off by the...
Supreme Court divided in 1st big abortion case of Trump era
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared divided in its first major abortion case of the Trump era, leaving Chief Justice John Roberts as the likely deciding vote. Roberts did not say enough to tip his hand in an hour of spirited arguments at the high court Wednesday. The court’s election-year...
Spanish minister defends bold slogan for bill on sex crimes
MADRID — Spain’s minister of equality defended herself Wednesday from attacks by right-wing opposition parties who have criticized her use of a bold slogan to support the government’s draft bill on sex crimes. The ministry included the slogan “Drunk and alone, I want to make it home” on a message...
Ukraine prime minister ousted, president seeks ‘new brains’
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to accept the resignation of the prime minister, whose performance over his six-month tenure came under severe criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The president’s Servant of the People party, which dominates the parliament, took the lead in relieving Oleksiy Honcharuk of his...
Toyota adds 1.1M vehicles to fuel pump recall
DETROIT — Toyota is adding 1.1 million U.S. vehicles to a major recall to fix possible fuel pump failures that can cause engines to stall. The company said Wednesday that the added vehicles bring the total to 1.8 million. In January, Toyota recalled nearly 700,000 vehicles in the United States...
Bloomberg drops out of presidential race, endorses BidenVideo
NEW YORK — Billionaire Mike Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and pumped more than $500...
Trump says he spoke to a Taliban leader, had ‘good talk’Video
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he spoke on the phone to a Taliban leader, making him the first U.S. president believed to have ever spoken directly with the militant group responsible for the deaths of thousands of U.S. troops in nearly 19 years of fighting in Afghanistan....
Numerous weapons found after UPS worker threatened mass shooting
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — A UPS worker suspected of threatening a mass shooting at the company’s facility in Silicon Valley has been arrested after investigators found numerous firearms and ammunition at his home, police said. Thomas Andrews, 32, surrendered late Sunday after leading officers on a brief car pursuit on U.S....
911 dispatcher in Ohio suspended after refusing to send ambulance to stroke victim
CINCINNATI — An Ohio emergency dispatcher accused of violating several procedures while taking a call about a man who later died from a stroke was suspended. The dispatcher’s suspension was the result of an investigation by Cincinnati’s Emergency Communication Center of a call on Jan. 12, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported....
Tensions rise as U.S. death toll from coronavirus reaches 9
SEATTLE — Tensions over how to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus escalated Tuesday in the United States as the death toll climbed to nine and lawmakers expressed doubts about the government’s ability to ramp up testing fast enough to deal with the crisis. All of the deaths have occurred in Washington...
VA sued over veteran’s death from wrongful insulin injection
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A woman is suing the federal government over the 2018 death of her father from a wrongful insulin injection at a West Virginia veterans hospital. Melanie Proctor filed the lawsuit Monday against Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie. It details a “widespread system of failures” at the Louis...
U.S. Supreme Court debates presidential power on Super Tuesday
The Supreme Court wrestled Tuesday with whether to make it easier for the president to fire the head of the agency that enforces federal consumer financial laws, a decision that could ultimately impact a vast range of agencies. The high court was hearing arguments in a case involving the Consumer...
3 professional Frisbee players die in Michigan highway crash
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Three professional Frisbee players have died after they were involved in car crash en route to a team practice in Detroit, authorities said. Kevin Coulter, Drew Piet and Michael Cannon died after their vehicle was rear-ended Saturday evening on Interstate 96 in Ionia County, roughly 100...
Lawmakers close in on $7.5B bipartisan measure to battle coronavirus
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are finalizing a $7.5 billion emergency bill to fund the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, in a burst of bipartisan cooperation that’s atypical of today’s Washington. Sen. Chuck Schumer, a caustic critic of President Donald Trump’s handling of the spreading crisis, said he’s expecting a bipartisan...
Klan group plans another rally in Dayton; mayor upset
DAYTON, Ohio — A Ku Klux Klan group that caused tensions with a rally in Ohio last year has applied to hold another one this year. The Honorable Sacred Knights of Indiana recently asked for a permit for a Sept. 5 rally in Dayton. Montgomery County’s administrator said the application...
W.Va. House passes bill making it easier to use solar energy
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It could soon be easier for power companies to use solar energy under a bill passed Tuesday in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Lawmakers voted 75-23 to approve the measure after around an hour of debate that revolved around whether it’s better to focus on coal...
UAW, stung by corruption, seeks $1.3M for vacation home
DETROIT — The United Auto Workers is seeking $1.29 million for the Michigan vacation home of its former president. The Detroit News reports that the home’s design plan included granite counters, stainless-steel appliances, a fireplace, wine cooler and a hidden storage room. It was built for Dennis Williams, who retired...
Mexican accused by U.S. as Russian agent pleads not guilty
MIAMI — A Mexican scientist pleaded not guilty Tuesday to U.S. charges that he spied for Russia in Miami. The plea was entered in a brief hearing by Ronald Gainor, attorney for 35-year-old Hector Cabrera Fuentes. Cabrera stood nearby in chains and a tan jail outfit but did not speak....
2 convicted in slaying of 3-year-old boy on Ohio interstate
TOLEDO, Ohio — Two men face up to life in prison after being convicted in a shooting on Interstate 75 that killed a 3-year-old as his family headed home from a Thanksgiving gathering. A jury on Monday convicted K’veon Giles, 19, and Matthew Smith, 18, of aggravated murder, murder and...
Federal Reserve cuts benchmark rate by half-pointVideo
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by a half-percentage point in its first emergency rate cut since the Great Recession in response to the spreading coronavirus. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the coronavirus “poses evolving risks to economic activity.” The Fed’s statement Tuesday also said...
Report: U.S. natural gas consumption set record in 2019
Consumption of natural gas, mostly for electric power uses, set a new record in the United States in 2019, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said. Use of natural gas for the creation of electric power grew by 7% — 2 billion cubic feet per day — but consumption remained relatively...
Israeli exit polls: Netanyahu ahead, but short of majorityVideo
JERUSALEM — Israel’s embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced an uncertain path to staying in office on Tuesday, even as preliminary results showed his Likud party pulling ahead of its opponents in the country’s third election in less than a year. Exit polls on Israeli TV stations showed Likud and...
UN watchdog: Iran has 3 possible undeclared nuclear sites
VIENNA — The UN’s nuclear watchdog says Iran has more than tripled its supply of enriched uranium in the past three months and now has more than a ton stockpiled, in violation of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential...
Consent the key in Spain’s new sex crimes draft bill
MADRID — The Spanish government Tuesday approved a new draft bill on sex crimes that makes consent a key determinant in cases, freeing victims of having to prove that violence or intimidation was used against them. The “Only Yes is Yes” bill comes in the wake of the furor raised...
