U.S./World category, Page 857
U.S. distances itself from Trump attempts to ban WeChat
A day after it put a hold on a proposed ban of TikTok, the Biden administration is distancing itself from attempts by former President Donald Trump to ban the Chinese messaging app WeChat. The Commerce Department is reviewing recent actions, such as the rules undermining TikTok and WeChat, to ensure...
6 killed in 130-vehicle pileup on icy Texas interstate near Fort WorthVideo
FORT WORTH, Texas — A massive crash involving more than 130 vehicles on an icy Texas interstate left six people dead and dozens injured Thursday amid a winter storm that dropped freezing rain, sleet and snow on parts of the U.S. At the scene of the crash on Interstate 35...
U.K. judge rules that newspaper invaded Meghan’s privacy
A British judge ruled Thursday that a newspaper invaded Duchess of Sussex’s privacy by publishing personal letter to her estranged father. Judge Mark Warby said Associated Newspapers misused the duchess’s private information in five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website, which published portions...
Congo officials confirm 2nd death from Ebola in the east
BENI, Congo — A second case and death of Ebola has been recorded in Congo’s North Kivu province, according to officials. The victim was a 60-year-old woman who died Wednesday in the health zone of Biena, according to provincial health minister Nzanzu Syalita. He said she had been to the...
3 years later, Parkland school shooting trial still in limbo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s been more than 1,000 days since a gunman with an AR-15 rifle burst into a Florida high school, killed 17 people and wounded 17 others. Yet, with Valentine’s Day on Sunday marking the three-year milestone, the trial of 22-year-old Nikolas Cruz is in limbo. One...
KKK member sentenced for driving into crowd of protesters
RICHMOND, Va. — An acknowledged member of the Ku Klux Klan was sentenced Tuesday to three years and eight months in prison on charges he drove his pickup truck through a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters near Virginia’s capital city. Harry Rogers, 37, of Hanover County, was convicted of...
Norway deports truck driver for not using snow chains
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Norwegian authorities deported a truck driver who was stopped by police twice within an hour for driving without mandatory snow chains near a city north of the Arctic Circle. The man, who has been banned from returning to Norway for two years, was “careless of the conditions,...
In first call with Xi, Biden looks to reset U.S.-China relationshipVideo
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday night for the first time since taking office, beginning the process of reshaping America’s approach in dealing with its most intense economic competitor and Pacific Rim strategic rival. Biden “shared his greetings and well wishes with the...
Petroleum spills into San Francisco Bay at Chevron refineryVideo
RICHMOND, Calif. — Crews are working to clean up a petroleum spill in San Francisco Bay near the wharf at Chevron’s oil refinery in Richmond, authorities said Wednesday. The spill was discovered at 3 p.m. Tuesday when a sheen was observed on the water, according to joint statements from federal,...
Prominent Saudi women’s rights activist released from prison
One of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent political activists was released from prison Wednesday, her family said, after serving nearly three years on charges that sparked an international uproar over the kingdom’s human rights record. Loujain al-Hathloul, who pushed to end a ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia, was arrested...
Navy commanders address 2 racist incidents on West Coast
WASHINGTON — Senior U.S. Navy commanders met this week with sailors on ships on the West Coast after two recent racist incidents triggered one of the first military stand-downs to address extremism in the ranks. The meetings came after a noose was found on one ship, and hate speech was...
Tennessee governor: Transgender athletes will ‘destroy women’s sports’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday advocated for banning transgender girls from playing on middle and high school sports teams, saying transgender athletes will “destroy women’s sports.” “I do believe that transgenders participating in women’s sports will destroy women’s sports,” Lee, who is up for reelection...
Government investigating massive counterfeit N95 mask scam
Federal authorities are investigating a massive counterfeit N95 mask operation in which fake 3M masks were sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies. The foreign-made knockoffs are becoming increasingly difficult to spot and could put health care workers at grave risk for the coronavirus....
Report: TikTok sale pushed by Trump is shelved
The Biden administration has “indefinitely” shelved a proposed U.S. takeover of the popular video app TikTok, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Last year, the Trump administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in the Chinese-owned app on national-security...
Biden orders sanctions against Myanmar after military coup
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered new sanctions against the military regime in Myanmar, taking action after the military this month staged a coup in the Southeast Asian country and arrested de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians. Biden said he was issuing an...
Russian Jehovah’s Witness sentenced to 7½ years in prison
MOSCOW — The Jehovah’s Witnesses say a member of the religious denomination that is banned in Russia has been sentenced to 7½ years in prison, the harshest punishment in scores of cases. The denomination’s European office said 63-year-old Alexander Ivashin was sentenced on Wednesday in the Krasnodar region of southern...
Chinese spacecraft enters Mars’ orbit, joining Arab ship
A Chinese spacecraft went into orbit around Mars on Wednesday on an expedition to land a rover on the surface and scout for signs of ancient life, authorities announced in a landmark step in the country’s most ambitious deep-space mission yet. The arrival of Tianwen-1 after a journey of seven...
Police report: Gunman had made prior threats against Minnesota clinic
BUFFALO, Minn. — A man who opened fire at a Minnesota health clinic, killing one staff member and wounding four others, previously threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the facility, according to a police report. Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, was arrested in Tuesday’s attack at an Allina clinic...
Finns in snowshoes create temporary artwork on golf course
An ephemeral artwork made with thousands of footsteps in the snow has captured attention near Finland’s capital of Helsinki. Under the guidance of local resident and amateur artist Janne Pyykko, 11 snowshoe-clad volunteers stamped a series of complex geometric patterns on a golf course. Together, the designs resemble a huge...
Russia wants Navalny ally arrested abroad; Lithuania refuses
MOSCOW — A Moscow court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of an exiled ally of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, but Lithuania, where the associate lives, bluntly rejected the demand to take him into custody. The action against Leonid Volkov by the Basmanny District Court was seen as part of...
Wisconsin Supreme Court asked to block statewide mask order
MADISON, Wis. — A new legal challenge to Gov. Tony Evers’ latest mask mandate is before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, filed less than a week after the Legislature struck down a previous order and the governor quickly issued a new one. Prominent Republican donor Jere Fabick asked the court late...
Attorney-at-paw? Filter makes lawyer look like cat in courtVideo
ALPINE, Texas — A West Texas judge has a word of caution to those attending court hearings via Zoom: Always check for filters before logging on. Judge Roy Ferguson’s warning comes after an attorney accidentally joined a Tuesday video conference of a civil forfeiture court hearing while using a Zoom...
Colorado cops fired over photos tied to Elijah McClain not reinstated
DENVER — Three suburban Denver officers fired over photos reenacting a neckhold like the one police used on Elijah McClain before the Black man died in 2019 won’t get their jobs back, officials said Tuesday. The Aurora Civil Service Commission issued a decision Tuesday upholding the firings of Officers Erica...
Ohio officer charged in Andre Hill’s death posts bail, is freedVideo
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The fired Ohio police officer charged with fatally shooting Andre Hill posted bail and was released from jail Tuesday hours to an audience of protesters after a judge reduced his bond from $3 million to a third of that. Former Columbus police Officer Adam Coy was freed...
Jill Biden promises free access to community college
WASHINGTON — Jill Biden is promising free access to community college and training programs, saying the schools will be an important part of Biden administration efforts to rebuild the economy. A longtime community college professor and advocate, the first lady said people struggling to get by during the coronavirus-induced economic...
