U.S./World category, Page 1270
Amid clouds of dust, border wall prototypes are demolished
SAN DIEGO — The government is demolishing eight prototypes of Donald Trump’s prized border wall that instantly became powerful symbols of his presidency when they were built nine months after he took office. The Trump administration says elements of the prototypes have been melded into current border fence designs and...
Ex-postal manager pleads guilty to stealing $630K in stamps
KENNER, La. — Prosecutors say a former New Orleans-area post office manager has admitted to stealing more than $630,000 in stamps and selling them online to support his gambling addiction. News outlets report U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser says in a statement that 46-year-old Ryan Cortez pleaded guilty Friday to misappropriation...
Military spent about $8M on transgender care since 2016
SAN DIEGO — Lindsey Muller served in the Army as a man for nearly a decade before telling her commanders in 2014 that she identified as a woman and would resign because military policy barred transgender personnel. Her superiors, citing her outstanding performance, persuaded the decorated attack helicopter pilot to...
Man accused of dipping testicles in salsa as payback for low tip
A Tennessee man is facing felony charges for allegedly placing his private parts in someone’s food. Howard Matthew Webb, 31, is accused of dipping his testicles into a low-tipping customer’s salsa, according to The Daily Times. He was a passenger in a car delivering a meal from a Mexican restaurant....
Great horned owl battles red-tailed hawk over nest, guess who wins?Video
It’s not surprising which bird won the battle over a nest in San Francisco earlier this month as evidenced by live webcam footage showing the clash between a red-tailed hawk and a great horned owl. The “Presidio Raptor Cam” documented a red-tailed hawk family last year successfully raising their young...
Witness: Driver in train-car crash was fleeing earlier crash
WESTBURY, N.Y. — A witness told police that the driver who caused a deadly crash by trying to go around a lowered railroad gate on New York’s Long Island was fleeing the scene of an earlier crash, a police official said Wednesday. “The witness said that individual was involved in...
Watch live: Michael Cohen speaks about Trump before House committeeVideo
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, is planning to tell a House committee that Trump knew ahead of time that WikiLeaks had emails damaging to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and that Trump is a “racist,” a “conman” and a “cheat.” Read Cohen’s prepared remarks. The hearing began at...
Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s prepared remarks to Congress
The prepared testimony of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, as released by the House Oversight and Reform Committee before his appearance Wednesday: Chairman Cummings, Ranking Member Jordan, and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here today. I have asked this Committee to ensure that...
Cohen sticks to Trump accusations, shaking off GOP criticism
WASHINGTON — Shaking off criticism from House Republicans, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer declared under oath Wednesday that Trump knew ahead of time and embraced the news when told that WikiLeaks had emails damaging to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Michael Cohen also testified that Trump is a “racist,” a...
Trump, Kim share smiles, dinner before nuke talks
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, leaders of two nations with a long history of hostility, opened their second summit Wednesday with smiles, hopeful talk and a friendly dinner that set the stage for the much more difficult talks to come about...
Pakistan says 2 Indian warplanes downed, 2 pilots captured
MUZAFARABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan shot down two Indian warplanes Wednesday in the disputed region of Kashmir and captured their pilots, its military said, raising tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals to a level unseen in 20 years. India acknowledged one of its air force planes was “lost” in skirmishes with Pakistan...
Gay rights activist accused of setting own home on fire
JACKSON, Mich. — Michigan police say a transgender, gay rights activist tried to fabricate a hate crime by setting his home on fire, but the man’s attorney is questioning the evidence. Attorney Daniel Barnett said the evidence is circumstantial and doesn’t provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Nikki Joly...
Trump, Kim begin talks with one-on-one meeting
HANOI, Vietnam — President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dove into the details of nuclear negotiations Thursday against a backdrop of swirling questions about what Kim was willing to give up and what Trump may demand in the face of rising domestic turmoil. Tempering expectations, Trump opened...
Man who bought $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies arrested on federal drug charges
That’s how the cookie crumbles. One day after becoming a viral sensation on social media in one of the feel-good stories of the year, the man who bought $540 worth of Girl Scout cookies from a South Carolina troop because he didn’t want the girls out in the cold weather...
Flood threat prompts Northern California evacuations
SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of people in Northern California’s wine country were ordered to evacuate Tuesday evening shortly before a river reached flood stage as a winter storm dumped torrential rain and heavy snow that shut down major mountain highways. Authorities said evacuations were ordered for about 4,000 people in...
3 people killed in train-vehicle collision on Long Island
WESTBURY, N.Y. — Authorities say three people were killed when their vehicle was struck by Manhattan-bound commuter train on Long Island. Nassau County police say the vehicle was “trying to beat the gate” when it was struck at an intersection in Westbury just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police say all...
United Methodist delegates defeat bid to ease LGBT bans
ST. LOUIS — The United Methodist Church, America’s second-largest Protestant denomination, faces a likely surge in defections and acts of defiance as a result of delegates at a crucial conference Tuesday rejected a move to ease the faith’s ban on same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT clergy. Some supporters of...
U.S. disrupted Internet access of Russian troll factory on day of 2018 midterms
The U.S. military blocked Internet access to an infamous Russian entity seeking to sow discord among Americans during the 2018 midterms, several U.S. officials said, a warning that the group’s operations against the United States are not cost-free. The strike on the Internet Research Agency in St. Petersburg, a company...
U.S. keeps air pollution standard established under Obama
BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. environmental regulators Tuesday announced they are leaving intact an air quality standard for power plant pollution that can worsen asthma in children, despite calls by health advocates for a tougher standard. The move keeps in place a threshold for sulfur dioxide pollution established in 2010 by...
Crews rescue fat rat wedged in manhole
Once upon a time (Sunday) … in a town far, far away (Germany) … there was a damsel in distress. “She had a lot of winter flab and was stuck fast at her hip — there was no going forward or back,” animal rescuer Michael Sehr told local media, according...
Attack on Argentine chief rabbi raises fear of anti-Semitism
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — An attack that badly injured Argentina’s chief rabbi has alarmed authorities both in the South American nation and in Israel, who raised concerns on Tuesday that it could have been prompted by anti-Semitism. Several assailants entered the Buenos Aires home of Rabbi Gabriel Davidovich on Monday...
Nigeria president’s campaign says he has numbers to win vote
KANO, Nigeria — Nigeria’s president appeared poised to win a second term in Africa’s largest democracy, with unofficial results on Tuesday showing a victory, a campaign spokesman said — news that set off celebrations in the capital. With President Muhammadu Buhari leading by nearly 3.5 million votes, it appeared his...
Brexit: Parliament to decide between no deal and delay
LONDON — Britain’s bumpy journey out of the European Union took a major turn Tuesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May handed the steering wheel to Parliament, giving lawmakers the power to slam on the brakes and divert Britain away from a disruptive and chaotic Brexit. Bowing to pressure from within...
Tornado Alley could see more severe storm risks this year
FORT WORTH, Texas — It’s that time of year to start worrying about the spring storm season. And one private weather forecaster, AccuWeather, is predicting a higher frequency of severe storm risks in Tornado Alley, which will include parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. “We believe that the more...
Sides clash in officer’s trial for killing black motorist
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Both sides agreed Tuesday that the fatal shooting of a stranded black motorist by a then-Florida police officer was a tragedy. But while a prosecutor told jurors during opening statements that former Palm Beach Gardens officer Nouman Raja’s actions turned what should have been...
