U.S./World category, Page 218
Massachusetts man wrongfully convicted of murder was awarded $13 million. He won’t get all of it
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — For the nearly three decades that he was behind bars, Michael Sullivan’s mother and four siblings died, his girlfriend moved on with her life and he was badly beaten in several prison attacks. All for a murder he long insisted he never committed. Earlier this month, the...
New York City found in contempt over conditions in city jails
NEW YORK — A federal judge found New York City in contempt on Wednesday over conditions in its city jails, saying conditions have only worsened in the nine years since the city settled accusations of abuse and violence. Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan issued a written ruling finding the...
Number of Americans filing for jobless benefits falls again and hovers near 7-month lows
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining near seven-month lows. Jobless claim applications fell by 2,000 to 213,000 for the week of Nov. 23, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. The previous week’s level was revised up by 2,000 from 213,000, to 215,000. However, continuing claims,...
2 companies drop McGregor after civil jury ruled he must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her
LONDON — Two companies have cut ties with Conor McGregor after a civil court jury in Ireland ruled last week that he must pay nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) to a woman who accused the mixed martial arts fighter of raping her. Proximo Spirits, the owner of Irish whiskey brand Proper...
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire appears to hold as Lebanese begin streaming south to their homes
TYRE, Lebanon — A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that began Wednesday appeared to be holding, as residents in cars heaped with belongings streamed back toward southern Lebanon despite warnings from the Israeli and Lebanese militaries that they stay away from certain areas. If it holds,...
Police say FBI agent sexually assaulted 2 women after promise of free tattoos, modelingVideo
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — An FBI agent charged in Maryland with sexually assaulting two women contacted his alleged victims through social media with a promise to give them free tattoos and modeling work, police said Tuesday as they encouraged other potential victims to come forward. Neither woman knew that their alleged...
Judge excuses Rudy Giuliani lawyers, refuses to delay trial amid courtroom outburst from ex-mayorVideo
NEW YORK — A judge on Tuesday cut loose Rudy Giuliani’s attorneys in his bankruptcy-related matter and denied efforts to push back his trial so he could participate in Donald Trump’s inauguration at a manic Manhattan federal court hearing that ended with an outburst from the former New York City...
Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah start ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingVideo
JERUSALEM — The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants began early Wednesday as a region on edge wondered whether it will hold. The ceasefire announced Tuesday is a major step toward ending nearly 14 months of fighting sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. There...
Biden proposes Medicare, Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans
WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans with obesity would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The costly proposal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services immediately sets the stage...
Proposals to repeal no-fault divorce cause concern even as efforts stall
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Married couples across the U.S. have had access to no-fault divorce for more than 50 years, an option many call crucial to supporting domestic abuse victims and key to preventing already crowded family courts from drowning in complicated divorce proceedings. But some advocates for women worried as...
Cleveland casino dealer accused of stealing from the pot more than a dozen times
CLEVELAND — A former casino dealer in Ohio has been charged with skimming from the pot more than a dozen times this summer. How much the onetime poker room dealer at the JACK Cleveland Casino is accused of stealing isn’t spelled out in court records. The 51-year-old man, of North...
Trump threatens to impose broad new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on 1st day in office
NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country...
Former Kentucky sheriff pleads not guilty in the fatal courthouse shooting of judge
A former Kentucky sheriff charged in a judge’s shooting death pleaded not guilty Monday in the same courthouse where they worked together and where the attack occurred, and one of his attorneys later predicted they will present a compelling case in his defense. Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines...
White Florida woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting Black neighbor in lengthy dispute
A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute over the neighbor’s boisterous children was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of killing Ajike “A.J.” Owens, 35, by firing...
Voting machine firm suing Fox News now wants to probe Murdoch family trust fight
Lawyers for a voting machine company that’s suing Fox News want to question founder Rupert Murdoch about his contentious efforts to change his family trust, the attorneys told a court Monday. Election-tech company Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation suit regards Fox’s reporting on 2020 voting fraud claims. But Smartmatic’s attorneys suggest...
Raw milk from California dairy recalled after routine testing detected bird flu virus
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The bird flu virus was detected in a retail sample of raw milk from a dairy in Fresno, California, state health officials said. The sample obtained at a store tested positive Nov. 21 during routine screening by Santa Clara County health officers, the state Department of Public...
Joe Biden begins final White House holiday season with turkey pardons for ‘Peach’ and ‘Blossom’
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. The 82-year-old president welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under...
DHL cargo plane crashes and skids into a house in Lithuania, killing Spanish crew member
VILNIUS, Lithuania — A DHL cargo plane crashed on approach to an airport in Lithuania’s capital and skidded into a house Monday morning, killing a Spanish crew member but not harming anyone on the ground. The cause of the accident is under investigation. A surveillance video showed the plane descending...
Israeli ambassador to U.S. says Hezbollah cease-fire deal could come ‘within days’
The Israeli ambassador to Washington says that a cease-fire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached “within days.” Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there remained “points to finalize” and that any deal required agreement from the government. But he...
Vatican to install a webcam at St. Peter’s tomb as part technological outreach for Holy Year
VATICAN CITY — Roman Catholic faithful will be able to view St. Peter’s tomb remotely as part of the Vatican’s technological outreach with its far-flung flock during the upcoming Holy Year. Pope Francis will inaugurate a webcam on Dec. 2 to be installed beneath the main altar of St. Peter’s...
The number of children recruited by gangs in Haiti soars by 70%, UNICEF says
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gangs in Haiti are recruiting children at unprecedented levels, with the number of minors targeted soaring by 70% in the past year, according to a report released Monday by UNICEF. Currently, between 30% to 50% of all gang members in the violence-wracked country are children,...
Loa Angeles judge delays decision on resentencing Menendez brothers until January
LOS ANGELES — A judge on Monday delayed until January his decision on whether to resentence Erik and Lyle Menendez for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion 35 years ago, squashing their family’s hope the brothers would be released and home for the holidays. Superior Court Judge Michael...
White woman who fatally shot Black neighbor through door faces manslaughter sentence in Florida
A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute over the neighbor’s boisterous children faces sentencing Monday for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of killing 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens by firing a single shot from her...
‘Busiest Thanksgiving ever’: How the TSA plans to handle record air travel
DALLAS — Just as there are good odds the turkey will taste dry, airports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end in another record day for air travel in the United States. The people responsible for keeping security lines, boarding areas...
Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales battle floodwaters after weekend storm
LONDON — Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales were battling floodwaters Monday morning after the second major storm of the winter brought widespread disruption to the U.K. Several rail operators cancelled services as more than 180 flood warnings remained in place after Storm Bert lashed the country with heavy...
