Top General News
R&B superstar R. Kelly convicted in sex trafficking trial
NEW YORK (AP) — R. Kelly, the R&B superstar known for his anthem “I Believe I Can Fly,” was convicted Monday in a sex trafficking trial after decades of avoiding criminal responsibility for numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children. A...
Biden rule to shield 'Dreamers' seeks to bypass Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Monday renewed efforts to shield hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the United States as young children from deportation, the latest maneuver in a long-running drama over the policy’s legality. The...
Hospitals fear staffing shortages as vaccine deadlines loom
Hospitals and nursing homes around the country are bracing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19. With ultimatums taking effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island and...
Uncertain start to post-Merkel era after close German vote
BERLIN (AP) — The party that narrowly beat outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc pushed Monday for a quick agreement on a coalition government, but Europe’s biggest economy could still be in for weeks of uncertainty after an election that failed to set a clear direction. ...
Taliban, ex-Afghan government dispute ends with no UN speech
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The dispute between Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers and its former government over who should speak at the United Nations' annual meeting of world leaders finally has an answer: no one. The Taliban had challenged the credentials of the...
Small islands caught between tourism economy, climate change
NEW YORK (AP) — Come visit the Maldives, its president entreated the world at this year's United Nations General Assembly, moments before switching to an impassioned plea for help combating climate change. The adjacent appeals illustrated a central dilemma for many small island developing...
Biden plan seeks to expand education, from pre-K to college
WASHINGTON (AP) — As Democrats push ahead with President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion rebuilding plan, they’re promising historic investments across the arc of an education — from early childhood to college and beyond — in what advocates describe as the most comprehensive package of...
Facebook puts Instagram for kids on hold after pushback
Facebook is putting a hold on the development of a kids' version of Instagram, geared toward children under 13, to address concerns that have been raised about the vulnerability of younger users. “I still firmly believe that it’s a good thing to build a version of...
John Hinckley, who shot Reagan, to be freed from oversight
A federal judge said Monday that John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan four decades ago, can be freed from all remaining restrictions next year if he continues to follow those rules and remains mentally stable. U.S. District Court Judge Paul...
Safety officials seek answers in deadly Amtrak derailment
JOPLIN, Mont. (AP) — Federal investigators examined overturned rail cars and a stretch of tracks Monday as they worked to figure out why an Amtrak train derailed in rural Montana over the weekend, killing three people. The westbound Empire Builder was traveling from...
Latest General News
West Virginia leaders hopeful that pandemic peak is waning
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — As deaths from the coronavirus in West Virginia continued a staggering climb in September, Gov. Jim Justice deflected attention toward his hope that the latest pandemic peak is starting to wane. Active cases have been cut in half over the past...
Greece, France, expected to announce major warship deal
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The leaders of Greece and France are expected to announce a major, multibillion-euro deal in Paris on Tuesday involving the acquisition by Greece of at least six French-built warships, Greek state ERT TV reported. ERT said Monday that Greece was...
The Latest: Massachusetts extends public school mask mandate
MALDEN, Mass. — State education officials on Monday extended Massachusetts’ public school indoor mask mandate an extra month. The mandate that applies to students, staff and faculty, was scheduled to expire on Oct. 1, but will now run through at least Nov. 1, state...
Booster shot registration open to 75 and older in Vermont
More older Vermonters are eligible to sign up for booster shots against COVID-19 this week. Registration opened Monday for Vermonters ages 75 and older to get the Pfizer vaccine booster. On Wednesday, people 70 and older can start signing up followed by the 65 and older...
Army: Soldier says she was assaulted by Afghan refugees
A soldier reported that she was assaulted by a small group of Afghan refugees at a shelter complex set up for the refugees in New Mexico, Fort Bliss officials said. A Fort Bliss statement said the assault happened Sept. 19 at the Fort Bliss Doña Ana County Range Complex...
Taliban issue no-shave order to barbers in Afghan province
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban on Monday banned barbershops in a southern Afghanistan province from shaving or trimming beards, claiming their edict is in line with Shariah, or Islamic, law. The order in Helmand province was issued by the provincial Taliban...
US aims to relax testing of contaminants at nuke weapon lab
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Energy Department wants to switch to less stringent testing for detecting cancer-causing chemicals at and around one of its premier nuclear weapons laboratories despite concerns from environmentalists and New Mexico regulators. The...
R. Kelly's life, from troubled talent to trafficking trial
NEW YORK (AP) — R. Kelly has long faced and denied allegations of lurid behavior and sex abuse. A jury has now found him guilty of sex trafficking in a federal trial in New York stemming from those allegations. A timeline of Kelly’s life: — Jan....
Police use new ordinance to crack down on street racing
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Law enforcement used a new Portland code to issue citations, tow eight cars and arrest over a dozen people for street racing Sunday night, officials said. Portland police officers, Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police...
Biden gets COVID-19 booster shot after authorization
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden joked about his age Monday as he rolled up his sleeve for a COVID-19 booster shot, encouraging Americans to get vaccinated against the virus that has killed 688,000 in the U.S. and for those authorized to get their booster doses for more enduring...
