U.S./World category, Page 763
Mike Pompeo got $5,800 whisky gift from Japan, but where is it?
WASHINGTON — The State Department said Wednesday it’s looking into the apparent disappearance of a nearly $6,000 bottle of whisky given more than two years ago to then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by the government of Japan. Pompeo knows nothing about the gift or an inquiry, a representative said. In...
Sturgis bike rally revs back bigger, despite delta variant
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Crowds of bikers are rumbling their way toward South Dakota’s Black Hills this week, raising fears that covid-19 infections will be unleashed among the 700,000 people expected to show up at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The rally, which starts Friday, has become a haven for those...
Hot, gusty weather could mean explosive fire growth in West
GREENVILLE, Calif. — California’s largest wildfire continued to grow Wednesday as thousands of firefighters prepared for a tougher fight as dangerous weather returns. A red flag warning was issued through Thursday because of hot, bone-dry conditions with winds up to 40 mph (64 kph). That could drive flames through timber,...
This hurricane season could see even more storms than first expected, NOAA says
MIAMI — Just a few weeks shy of the peak of hurricane season, NOAA released an updated prediction for the number of storms to expect this year — and it’s a bit higher. The latest prediction calls for 15 to 21 named storms, an uptick from the May update that...
16 killed by lightning on way to wedding party in Bangladesh
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Lightning killed at least 16 people who were traveling to a wedding party in western Bangladesh and injured several others, including the groom, an official said.. Local government official Sakib Al-Rabby said the bride was not with the group when the incident occurred Wednesday in Shibganj in...
Mexico sues U.S. gun manufacturers over arms trafficking toll
The Mexican government sued United States gun manufacturers and distributors Wednesday in U.S. federal court, arguing that their negligent and illegal commercial practices have unleashed tremendous bloodshed in Mexico. The unusual lawsuit was filed in U.S. federal court in Boston. Among those being sued are some of the biggest names...
This year’s summer of climate extremes hits wealthier places
As the world staggers through another summer of extreme weather, experts are noticing something different: 2021′s onslaught is hitting harder and in places that have been spared global warming’s wrath in the past. Wealthy countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany and Belgium are joining poorer and more vulnerable...
Illinois officer dies trying to stop fleeing car on bridge
BROOKLYN, Ill. — An Illinois police officer died early Wednesday while trying to stop a car fleeing police into Missouri, authorities said. The officer from Brooklyn was struck around 3 a.m. on the McKinley Bridge, which connects the two states. He was setting up stop sticks, which flatten tires, when...
Police brass eyed in probe of Black man’s deadly arrest
MONROE, La. — Federal prosecutors are investigating whether Louisiana State Police brass obstructed justice to protect the troopers seen on long-withheld body camera video punching, dragging and stunning Black motorist Ronald Greene during his fatal 2019 arrest. It marks a significant expansion of the federal inquiry that began as a...
U.K. to roll out covid vaccines to 16- and 17-year-olds
LONDON — The U.K. is to offer coronavirus vaccines to 16 and 17-year-olds in the coming weeks after the independent body of scientists that makes recommendations over the rollout changed its advice. The four nations of the U.K. all accepted the change in advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination...
Airstrikes pummel Taliban positions in southern Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. and Afghan airstrikes hit Taliban targets overnight in southern Helmand province in an effort to dislodge the insurgents after they captured much of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, officials said Wednesday. The United Nations and Human Rights Watch asked both sides to take care to...
3 in fatal Michigan rock-throwing case get probation
FLINT, Mich. — Three young Michigan men who were teens when they were part of a rock-throwing incident that killed a motorist on Interstate 75 were put on probation after spending more than three years in custody while their case was stuck in court. The court hearing Tuesday ended a...
Pentagon IDs officer killed in violence outside building
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon police force on Wednesday identified the officer who was fatally stabbed at a transit center outside the Pentagon. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency said Officer George Gonzalez was a New York native and Army veteran who served in Iraq. He’d been on the police force for...
Obama curtails 60th birthday bash after delta variant surge
WASHINGTON — The party for the nation’s 44th president will go on, but only for family and close friends. Former President Barack Obama has scaled back his 60th birthday bash set for this weekend due to the surge of infections blamed on the delta variant of the coronavirus, his office...
Judge blocks Texas troopers from stopping migrant transports
AUSTIN — A federal judge Tuesday blocked Texas from allowing state troopers to stop vehicles carrying migrants on the grounds that they may spread covid-19 as worries and new cases are rising along the U.S.-Mexico border. The temporary order by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of El Paso is at...
Missouri governor pardons gun-waving St. Louis lawyer couple
JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday announced that he made good on his promise to pardon a couple who gained notoriety for pointing guns at social justice demonstrators as they marched past the couple’s home in a luxury St. Louis enclave last year. Parson, a Republican, on...
‘This attack happened’: Medals to honor Jan. 6 responders
WASHINGTON — The Senate has voted to award Medals of Honor to the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department for protecting Congress during the Jan. 6 insurrection, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature. Under the bill, which passed by voice vote with no objections, there...
Taliban take much of provincial capital in south Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban pressed ahead with their advances in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, capturing nine out of 10 districts of the Helmand provincial capital, residents and officials said. Afghan government forces launched airstrikes, backed by the U.S., in a desperate effort to defend the city of Lashkar Gah....
Relatives of Dayton shooting victims sue gun magazine maker
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The high-capacity magazine used by the man who gunned down nine people in Dayton two years ago serves no purpose other than allowing for the killing of as many people as possible, family members of four victims alleged in a lawsuit against the magazine maker. The complaint...
Wall of ice collapses at Titanic Museum in Tennessee, 3 hurt
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — A wall of ice at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Tennessee collapsed and injured three guests, the museum’s owners said. Those harmed were taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries, Mary Kellogg Joslyn and John Joslyn wrote on the attraction’s Facebook page. “Needless to say, we...
Florida takes Ben & Jerry’s divestment step over Israel
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida has taken a step to halt investment of state resources in the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s over its decision to stop selling ice cream in contested parts of Israel. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that the State Board of Administration added London-based Unilever...
Officer dead, suspect killed in violence outside Pentagon
WASHINGTON — A Pentagon police officer died after being stabbed Tuesday during a burst of violence at a transit center outside the building, and a suspect was shot by law enforcement and died at the scene, officials said. The Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military, was temporarily placed on...
NYC will require vaccination proof for indoor dining, gyms
New York City will soon require proof of covid-19 vaccinations for indoor activities, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday, making it the first big city in the U.S. to impose such restrictions. The new requirement, which will go into effect Aug. 16, applies to indoor dining, gyms and indoor entertainment...
Maricopa County refuses Arizona Senate’s subpoena in election audit
PHOENIX — Maricopa County officials refused Monday to turn over routers sought by two top Republicans in the Arizona Senate in the latest subpoenas related to the contentious 2020 election audit and unprecedented review of former President Donald Trump’s loss in Arizona’s largest county. The subpoenas issued on July 26...
Most Indonesians want to get vaccinated but lack access to doses
Most Indonesians cited a lack of available doses as the reason why they’re not vaccinated against covid-19. Among those who haven’t had their shots, 80% said they’re waiting for their appointment, are looking for available doses or haven’t been able to get inoculated due to other reasons, including health conditions...
