US judge finds for 3 drug distributors in WVa opioid lawsuit

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A federal judge on Monday ruled in favor of three major U.S. drug distributors in a landmark lawsuit that accused them of causing a health crisis by distributing 81 million pills over eight years in one West Virginia county ravaged by opioid addiction. The...

Singapore urged to halt hanging of Malaysian drug trafficker

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Anti-death penalty activists in Malaysia urged Singapore's government on Monday to halt the execution of a convicted Malaysian drug trafficker this week, the second in less than three months. Kalwant Singh, who was convicted in 2016 of bringing heroin...

Missouri lawmaker resigns from House after fraud conviction

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri legislator has resigned her seat after being convicted of falsely claiming she was giving patients stem cell treatments for COVID-19. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday that Republican state Rep. Tricia Derges of Nixa sent her...

Texas' border mission grows, but crossings still high

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Following the horror of a human-smuggling attempt that left 53 people dead, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state troopers to inspect more trucks — again expanding a border security mission that has cost billions, given the National Guard arrest powers and bused...

Mother and son who ran drug ring get lengthy prison terms

BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts mother and son who ran a large-scale drug ring that made and distributed hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills containing the powerful opioid fentanyl to the region north of Boston have both received lengthy prison terms. Vincent Caruso, 27, was...

Opposition: Philippines should rejoin international court

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Opposition leaders asked new Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday to restore the country's membership in the International Criminal Court to strengthen defenses against human rights abuses. Former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose six-year...

American basketball star Brittney Griner has arrived at a Russian court for the beginning of her trial on drugs charges

Washington justices blast racist questioning by prosecutor

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously overturned a man’s conviction for assaulting police officers, blasting a series of racist remarks by the prosecutor who handled the case. During jury selection in the trial against Joseph Zamora, Garth Dano, who...

Killing of Mexican reporter may be linked to local politics

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Mexico’s president said Thursday that the killing of a reporter in the northern border state of Tamaulipas — the 12th so far this year in Mexico — may be linked to local politics. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said federal prosecutors...

Woman brought baby, stash of drugs to Florida prison visit

ARCADIA, Fla. (AP) — A 44-year-old Florida woman brought her infant grandchild along with a stash of cocaine and heroin to a recent prison visit, officials said. But guards searching visitors at the DeSoto Correctional Institution on Sunday found nearly 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of...