Today: September 25, 2024
Today: September 25, 2024

World

World

A key part of Biden's strategy to control immigration at the US-Mexico border gets a court hearing

A judge will hear arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit opposing an asylum rule that is a key part of the Biden administration’s immigration policy. Critics say the rule endangers migrants trying to cross the southern border and is against the law, while the administration argues that it encourages migrants to use lawful pathways into the U.S. and prevents chaos at the southern border. The new rule took effect May 11 with the expiration of a COVID-19 restriction known as Title 42 that had limited asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. The new rule makes it extremely difficult

July 19, 2023
A key part of Biden's strategy to control immigration at the US-Mexico border gets a court hearing
World

Northwestern hazing scandal puts school in company with schools such as Penn State

Northwestern has been added to a long list of American universities to face a scandal in athletics and may eventually join the trend of making large payouts following allegations of sexual abuse. A former Wildcats football player filed the first lawsuit against Pat Fitzgerald and members of the school’s leadership on Tuesday, seeking damages stemming from a hazing scandal that cost the former football coach his job. More lawsuits, filed by multiple law firms, are expected to follow from former football and baseball players as well as from student-athletes who played other sports for the private school. The private, Big

July 19, 2023
Northwestern hazing scandal puts school in company with schools such as Penn State
World

Mothers hope for answers as authorities announce 'person of interest' in deaths of 4 women in Oregon

The announcement that authorities are holding a person of interest in the case of four women found dead this year around Portland has mothers of the victims hoping they may finally get answers about what happened to their daughters. One of the victims was Charity Lynn Perry, 24, whose body was discovered April 24 in a state park along the Columbia River Gorge. Her mother, Diana Allen, said Tuesday that she learned the news about the person of interest from traditional and social media, although she is in communication with a detective on the case. “I’m

July 19, 2023
Mothers hope for answers as authorities announce 'person of interest' in deaths of 4 women in Oregon
World

12 MLB teams score in double digits for 1st time since 1894, when record 13 accomplished feat

Major League Baseball had a night of offense not seen in 129 years, with 12 teams scoring double-digit runs. Three games ended 11-10 on the same day for the first time. Twelve teams tied May 30, 1884, for the second-most with double-digit runs in one day, trailing only 13 on July 4, 1894, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Chicago Cubs topped the scoring Tuesday night by routing Washington 17-3 and Arizona outlasted Atlanta 16-13. San Francisco beat Cincinnati, the New York Mets topped the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City edged Detroit, all by

July 19, 2023
12 MLB teams score in double digits for 1st time since 1894, when record 13 accomplished feat
World

No winner in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing. Jackpot reaches $720 million

The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to an estimated $720 million after no winning ticket was sold — again. It’s now one of two national lotteries with enormous jackpots but equally enormous odds against winning them. No ticket for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing matched the white balls 19, 22, 31, 37, 54 and the gold Mega Ball 18. The new jackpot is Mega Million’s 7th largest-ever, the lottery said in a news release. On Monday, the nation’s other big lottery game — Powerball — also went without a winner, and its jackpot now stands at an

July 19, 2023
No winner in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing. Jackpot reaches $720 million
World

Adrift for months, Australian and his dog lived on raw fish until Mexican fishermen rescued him

Lost at sea for months on a disabled catamaran, with no way to cook and no source of fresh water but the rain, Australian Timothy Shaddock said he expected to die. There was a lot to like about the experience, he said. Like when he would plunge into the sea for a swim, or when his dog, Bella, would stir him to keep going. “I did enjoy being at sea, I enjoy being out there,” he said. He recalled the full moon in early May that illuminated his turn away from the Baja Peninsula, his last

July 19, 2023
Adrift for months, Australian and his dog lived on raw fish until Mexican fishermen rescued him
World

Spain's political escape artist Pedro Sánchez has odds against him yet again in national election

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been prematurely counted out more than once in his relatively short but action-packed political career. Battered and bruised after seeing his Socialists take a drumming in local and regional elections in May, Sánchez took no time to lick his wounds. The very next day he stunned his buoyant rivals by bringing forward general elections from December to this Sunday, smack in the middle of the sweltering Spanish summer. Translated from politics to street talk that was the equivalent of saying: Let’s settle this, once and for all. Most polling points

July 19, 2023
Spain's political escape artist Pedro Sánchez has odds against him yet again in national election
World

Britain’s MI6 intelligence chief says AI won’t replace the need for human spies

Artificial intelligence will change the world of espionage, but it won’t replace the need for human spies, the head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency says in prepared remarks released Wednesday. Richard Moore, director of the U.K.’s foreign intelligence agency, is set to speak in Prague on evolving threats to the West from Russia and Iran, and argue that the “human factor” will remain crucial in an era of rapidly evolving machine learning. “AI is going to make information infinitely more accessible and some have asked whether it will put intelligence services like mine out of business,” he

July 19, 2023
Britain’s MI6 intelligence chief says AI won’t replace the need for human spies
World

UK’s governing Conservatives face a reckoning with voters in 3 special elections

Bad things may come in threes for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose Conservative Party faces a trio of unwanted verdicts from voters this week. The U.K. is holding three special elections for House of Commons seats on Thursday that will let a broad cross-section of voters — in northern England, southwest England and on London’s suburban fringe — deliver a verdict on the party that has governed Britain since 2010. The Tories are bracing for the worst. “Midterm by-elections for incumbent governments are always difficult,” Sunak said Monday. “I don’t expect these to be any different

July 19, 2023
UK’s governing Conservatives face a reckoning with voters in 3 special elections
World

11 dead after a wall collapses near an under-construction bridge in Pakistan during monsoon rains

Eleven workers were killed early Wednesday after a portion of the outer wall of a sprawling compound collapsed after being weakened by rains near an under-construction bridge on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, police and rescue officials said. The wall fell while the workers sat inside their roadside tents at the construction site. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement expressed his sorrow and grief over the deaths. Local police official Mohammad Akram and Emergency Service Rescue 1122 said the collapse happened amid the monsoon rains near the neighborhood of Golra and that the bodies of

July 19, 2023
11 dead after a wall collapses near an under-construction bridge in Pakistan during monsoon rains
World

Russia launches intense night attacks across Ukraine, targeting southern port city for second night

Russia launched an intense series of night-time air attacks sending drones and missiles toward places across Ukraine, and targeting the southern port city of Odesa for a second night in a row, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday. Meanwhile, Russian emergency officials in Crimea said that over 2,200 people were evacuated from four villages because of a fire at a military facility. The fire also caused the closure of an important highway, according to Sergey Aksyonov, the Russia-appointed head of the region, which was annexed in 2014. He did not specific a cause for the fire at the

July 19, 2023
Russia launches intense night attacks across Ukraine, targeting southern port city for second night
World

UK homeowners get some respite as inflation falls by more than anticipated to a 15-month low

Inflation in the U.K. has fallen by more than anticipated to a 15-month low, official figures showed Wednesday, a development that may ease the pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates sharply over the coming months to the potential relief of struggling households. The Office for National Statistics said that inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index, fell to 7.9% in the year to June from 8.7% the previous month. Most economists had expected a more modest decline to 8.2%. The statistics agency said the falling of fuel prices was the biggest driver

July 19, 2023
UK homeowners get some respite as inflation falls by more than anticipated to a 15-month low
World

Climate and violence hobble Nigeria's push to rely on its own wheat after the hit from Russia's war

Abubakar Salisu was terrified when he discovered arid sand in the middle of his farmland, rendering a broad strip unfit for crops. Now, extreme heat is killing his wheat before it is ready for cultivation. Wheat normally requires heat, but in the last three years, farmers in Nigeria’s far north, part of Africa’s Sahel region that largely produces the country’s homegrown food, have seen an “alarming” increase in heat — much more than required, said Salisu, a local leader of wheat farmers in Kaita, Katsina State. Plus, rain is irregular. “The unpredictable rain pattern is affecting

July 19, 2023
Climate and violence hobble Nigeria's push to rely on its own wheat after the hit from Russia's war
World

Women's World Cup spotlight shining on Australia as co-host New Zealand seeks its own attention

In a country known more for its love of rugby than women’s soccer, New Zealand is aiming to win fans as well as matches. The Football Ferns kick off the Women’s World Cup on Thursday night with a Group A match against Norway. The Ferns got the nod for the tournament opener just an hour ahead of co-host Australia’s match against Ireland in Sydney. “I hope there will be a lot of people here for not just our games, but all of the games. It’s a world tournament and something we’ve been so excited to

July 19, 2023
Women's World Cup spotlight shining on Australia as co-host New Zealand seeks its own attention
World

As Macron's criticism reverberates, US economist says she won't take top EU job

One day after French President Emmanuel Macron criticized her appointment because of her nationality, the American candidate to become one of the European Union’s chief economists will now not take up the position because of the political controversy it stirred, the bloc announced Wednesday. In a letter to the EU’s executive Commission released early Wednesday, Yale economics professor Fiona Scott Morton wrote that she had “determined that the best course of action is for me to withdraw and not take up the Chief Economist position.” EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who had pushed through the decision to

July 19, 2023
As Macron's criticism reverberates, US economist says she won't take top EU job
World

Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Street rally despite mixed signals on regional economies

Asian shares were mostly higher on Wednesday after a rally on Wall Street fueled by the frenzy around artificial intelligence. U.S. futures were little changed and oil prices fell. The Asian Development Bank issued an update on regional economies noting that exports have weakened as growth has slowed in China and other major economies. Demand for key technology exports fell sharply, the report by the regional development lender said. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 0.3% to 18,968.45, partly due to selling of property shares after troubled developer China Evergrande reported its total debts rose in the

July 19, 2023
Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall Street rally despite mixed signals on regional economies
World

36 years later, London's Met Police apologizes to family of murdered private investigator

London’s Metropolitan Police apologized Wednesday to the family of private investigator Daniel Morgan, who was killed with an ax in a pub car park 36 years ago, for the force’s failure to bring those responsible to justice. The Met, which has been embroiled in a series of scandals over many years that have led to it being labelled racists, misogynistic and homophobic, admitted that its investigation had been “marred by a cycle of corruption, professional incompetence and defensiveness.” “I unequivocally and unreservedly apologize for the failure of the Metropolitan Police Service to bring those responsible for the

July 19, 2023
36 years later, London's Met Police apologizes to family of murdered private investigator
World

Chinese e-retailer Temu files lawsuit in US against rival Shein, alleging antitrust violations

Chinese e-commerce retailer Temu has filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts accusing its rival Shein of violating U.S. antitrust law by preventing garment makers from working with it. Temu, which is owned by popular Chinese e-commerce site Pinduoduo Inc., is alleging that Shein has compelled clothing manufacturers to submit to unfair supply chain arrangements preventing them from working with Temu after it entered the U.S. market in 2022. Shein (SHE-in) and Temu (TEE-mu) are fast-rising online shopping platforms. Shein has grabbed the largest share of the fast fashion market in the U.S., at over 50%, according to

July 19, 2023
Chinese e-retailer Temu files lawsuit in US against rival Shein, alleging antitrust violations
World

China prepares for naval drills with Russia in sign of continuing support amid Ukraine conflict

China said Wednesday it has dispatched navy ships in preparation for joint exercises with Russia’s sea forces, in a sign of Beijing’s continuing support for Moscow’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The move comes despite the growing economic and humanitarian repercussions of the bloody 16 month-old air, sea and ground assault. China claims to be neutral in the conflict, but has accused the U.S. and its allies of provoking Russia and has maintained robust economic, diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow. The exercise involves more than 10 ships and 30-plus aircraft, according to China’s Xinhua News Agency. The ministry and Xinhua

July 19, 2023
China prepares for naval drills with Russia in sign of continuing support amid Ukraine conflict
World

Firefighters battle wildfires surrounding Athens as second heat wave hits the Mediterranean country

New evacuations were ordered Wednesday as wildfires raged near the Greek Capital after a second heat wave hit the Mediterranean country from the west following days of record-high temperatures that baked southern Europe. In a round-the-clock battle to preserve forests, industrial facilities, and vacation homes, evacuations continued for a third day along a highway connecting Athens to the southern city of Corinth. Water-dropping planes and helicopters resumed operation at first light. Fires continued to burn on three fronts around Athens, gutting homes and farms, with strong gusts of wind advancing the flames over hilly terrain

July 19, 2023
Firefighters battle wildfires surrounding Athens as second heat wave hits the Mediterranean country
World

China looks to Kissinger meeting to improve strained relations with US

Amid a steep downturn in relations with the United States, China has looked to a meeting with former U.S. national security adviser and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to revive positive momentum. The 100-year-old Kissinger met Wednesday with the ruling Communist Party’s diplomat Wang Yi, who said it was “impossible” to transform, encircle or contain China, reiterating top Chinese leaders’ statements on what they say the U.S. is trying to do based on differences over trade, technology, Taiwan and China’s human rights record. On Tuesday, Kissinger held talks with Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who is barred from

July 19, 2023
China looks to Kissinger meeting to improve strained relations with US
World

At least 4 injured in Kenya anti-government protests as schools remain closed

At least four protesters were injured in Kenya Wednesday as police clashed with demonstrators who are calling for the government to lower the cost of living. The opposition has called for three days of countrywide protests starting Wednesday in a new wave of demonstrations aimed at forcing the president to address the rising cost of living. President William Ruto had vowed that no protests would take place in the country, saying he would take on opposition leader Raila Odinga “head-on.” Four protesters were injured in the capital, Nairobi’s Mathare area, according to a police officer who

July 19, 2023
At least 4 injured in Kenya anti-government protests as schools remain closed
World

The surreal Korean border village where a US soldier crossed into the North

Blue-roofed huts, a raised slab of concrete and some raked gravel are all that separate the rival Koreas at Panmunjom, a rare point of close contact along the most heavily armed border in the world. People have stepped across that thin dividing line, but only under very special circumstances, passing between two nations that are still technically at war. Former U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did it. Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in walked hand-in-hand with Kim across the border. In 2017, a defecting North Korean soldier stumbled across nearby, under

July 19, 2023
The surreal Korean border village where a US soldier crossed into the North
World

Judge rejects moving trial of man charged in Nancy Pelosi's husband attack out of San Francisco

A federal judge on Wednesday denied a motion to move the trial of a man charged in last year’s attack against former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband out of San Francisco, saying she wasn’t convinced the court wouldn’t be able to find impartial and fair jurors in the San Francisco Bay Area. David DePape’s defense attorneys argued that the intense publicity the case has received means he won’t get a fair trial in the city. They had asked Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley to move the trial to Eureka, a city near the border with Oregon.

July 19, 2023
Judge rejects moving trial of man charged in Nancy Pelosi's husband attack out of San Francisco
World

Tourist who saw US soldier sprint to North Korea initially thought it was a stunt

Sarah Leslie thought she was witnessing a stunt when she saw an American soldier start sprinting toward North Korea. Leslie and her father, tourists from New Zealand, were part of a group that left Tuesday morning from Seoul to visit the Demilitarized Zone that divides South and North Korea. Private 2nd Class Travis King was among the group of 43 tourists, Leslie told The Associated Press, although he was casually dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and she had no idea at the time that he was a soldier, or in legal trouble. King, 23,

July 19, 2023
Tourist who saw US soldier sprint to North Korea initially thought it was a stunt

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