U.S./World category, Page 1143
U.K.’s Johnson moves to suspend Parliament ahead of Brexit
LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson maneuvered Wednesday to give his political opponents even less time to block a no-deal Brexit before the Oct. 31 withdrawal deadline, winning Queen Elizabeth II’s approval to suspend Parliament. His critics were outraged. Though Johnson previously had refused to rule out such a...
Survey finds new auto technology can annoy drivers
A survey shows that alerts from new driver assist systems are so annoying that some motorists are turning the features off. The 2019 J.D. Power Tech Experience study also found that frustrated drivers may avoid the systems in future vehicle purchases. J.D. Power says the findings are a major concern...
Italy’s Stromboli volcano erupts anew, spewing fiery lava
ROME — The Stromboli volcano has erupted, spewing fiery chunks of lava onto the tiny Italian island and alarming residents and tourists. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology says a strong volcanic explosion just after noon Wednesday sent flaming lava rolling down the volcano’s slopes to the edge of...
Popeyes sold out of chicken sandwiches in 2 weeks
“Love that chicken from Popeyes.” No kidding. The new chicken sandwiches at Popeyes didn’t last long. Fifteen days, to be exact. The fried chicken chain announced Tuesday it is sold out of the sandwiches nationwide. Fret not. Popeyes said via Twitter that the sandwich would make a return, and this...
U.S. is becoming more diverse — and quickly, in certain places
The United States is becoming more diverse as the white share of the population declines and Hispanic, Asian and African American populations grow — and that change is happening quickly in certain places. While whites remain the largest racial or ethnic group nationwide, accounting for 60% of all Americans, 109...
FanDuel debuts sportsbook app in West Virginia
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — A West Virginia resort owned by Gov. Jim Justice has launched a sportsbook app this week with fantasy sports company FanDuel. The app debuted Monday for use by bettors inside West Virginia’s border. Last year, New York-based FanDuel reached an agreement for retail, online and...
Appeals judge allows New Jersey’s aid-in-dying law to go forward
A New Jersey appellate court Tuesday reversed a lower court’s decision to grant a temporary restraining order against the state’s aid-in-dying law. The law became effective Aug. 1, but was suspended on Aug. 14 after a suit filed by Josef Glassman, a Bergen County physician, argued that the lack of...
Basketball-sized world-record grapefruit grown in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, La. — A basketball-sized grapefruit has brought two world records to a Louisiana couple. The giant citrus grew in the yard of Mary Beth and Doug Meyer of Slidell. The Guinness Book of World Records says it’s the world’s heaviest and largest in circumference. It weighed 7 pounds,...
How the Amazon plays a role in global climate change
RIO DE JANEIRO — Fires across the Brazilian Amazon have sparked an international outcry for preservation of the world’s largest rainforest. Here’s a look at the role the Amazon plays in regulating the world’s climate. Is the world`s oxygen supply at risk? No. While it’s commonly said that the Amazon...
Woman fighting request to turn in 15-year-old vanity plate
ROCHESTER, N.H. — A New Hampshire woman is fighting the state Department of Motor Vehicles over her 15-year-old vanity license plate showing a common parental phrase. Seacoastonline.com reports Wendy Auger, of Rochester, has been asked to surrender the plate, which reads “PB4WEGO.” The state says phrases related to excretory acts...
Mother, deputy indicted over filmed sex act involving child
ST. GABRIEL, La. — A grand jury has indicted a Louisiana woman who’s accused of performing a sex act on her 1-year-old son, as well as the sheriff’s deputy accused of filming it. The Advocate reports the mother had told investigators that Iberville Parish Sheriff’s deputy Shaderick Jones coerced her...
Federal judge blocks Missouri’s 8-week abortion ban
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new Missouri ban on abortions at or after eight weeks of pregnancy won’t take effect Wednesday after a federal judge temporarily blocked it from being implemented. U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs put a pause on the law as a legal challenge against it plays out...
Jeffrey Epstein accusers pour out their anger in court
NEW YORK — Women who say they were victimized by Jeffrey Epstein expressed anger Tuesday over his suicide in a New York City jail, saying during an unusual court hearing that he deprived them of a chance at justice. “He is a coward,” said Courtney Wild, who has said she...
Traveling with pets: No-deal Brexit would make it far harder
All across Europe, families and couples on vacation are seamlessly crossing borders with their beloved dog, cat or even ferret, thanks to the European Union Pet Passport scheme. Now, as a no-deal Brexit looms as a possibility for Britain, free pet travel is under threat. If the U.K. leaves the...
Trump portrays G-7 as a lovefest, papering over differences
BIARRITZ, France — Never mind his differences with world leaders on China, trade, Russia, Iran and more. President Donald Trump’s takeaway message from the Group of Seven summit in France was “unity.” In fact, “flawless” unity. During this year’s gathering of leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies, Trump went to...
Meek Mill pleads guilty, won’t serve more time in prison
PHILADELPHIA — Rapper Meek Mill pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge on Tuesday to resolve a case that’s kept him on probation for most of his adult life. The 32-year-old rapper, born Robert Williams, reached the plea agreement in Philadelphia after an appeals court threw out his conviction last...
Brazil leader demands French apology before accepting aid
JACUNDA NATIONAL FOREST, Brazil — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says Brazil will only accept an offer of international aid to fight Amazon fires if French leader Emmanuel Macron retracts comments that he finds offensive. Bolsonaro on Tuesday said Macron had called him a liar and he accused the French president...
Sheriff: Ohio dog owner faked story of abused animal to get free care
HAMILTON, Ohio — An Ohio sheriff says the person who told veterinarians a dog was found with its nose and mouth duct-taped and its throat slit was actually its owner, who made up the story to get the animal free care. Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones says his office’s investigation...
Poland plans no budget deficit for first time in 30 years
WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s prime minister says the 2020 state budget will for the first time in 30 years not run a deficit, chiefly thanks to efficient tax collection and changes to the pension system. Premier Mateusz Morawiecki spoke Tuesday following a weekly government session that approved a draft budget...
2 children killed, 10 hurt in Dayton crash with stolen police SUV
DAYTON, Ohio — The Dayton Police Department says two children were killed in a multi-vehicle accident involving a stolen police SUV. WHIO-TV reports that Maj. Eric Henderson says the incident started Monday evening with a complaint about a stabbing on Xenia Avenue. He says Dayton police responded and the suspect...
Man swimming at Maryland’s Ocean City fatally hit by large wave
OCEAN CITY, Md. — Officials for a Maryland town say a 76-year-old swimmer died in a beach accident when a large wave knocked him down. Ocean City communications manager Jessica Waters told the Salisbury Daily Times that authorities responded Sunday to Ocean City Beach for a report of a distressed...
Oklahoma judge rules Johnson & Johnson helped fuel opioid crisis, orders $572M payment
NORMAN, Okla. — An Oklahoma judge on Monday found Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries helped fuel the state’s opioid crisis and ordered the consumer products giant to pay $572 million to clean up the problem. Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman’s ruling followed the first state opioid case to...
Mormon leaders change rules against guns in church
SALT LAKE CITY — Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints already knew they were discouraged from taking their guns to church on Sunday. But it is making sure that message is crystal clear by tweaking the policy to prohibit all “lethal weapons.” The previous policy...
Man found with mummified remains in closet to remain jailed
NEWARK, N.J. — Prosecutors called a New Jersey man “dangerous to society” after pieces of a human body were found in his closet, including a head, part of an arm, and a torso dressed in a necktie and suit jacket. Robert Williams, of Newark, pleaded not guilty Monday to desecrating...
G-7 pledges funds to fight Amazon fires
PORTO VELHO, Brazil — The Group of Seven nations on Monday pledged tens of millions of dollars to help Amazon countries fight raging wildfires, even as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accused rich countries of treating the region like a “colony.” The pledge by rich countries included $20 million from the...
