Month: January 2022

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Clyde Bellecourt, a leader in the Native American struggle for civil rights and a founder of the American Indian Movement, has died. He was 85. Bellecourt died Tuesday morning from cancer at his home in Minneapolis. Bellecourt was a co-founder in 1968 of AIM, which began as a local organization in Minneapolis

By MARK GILLISPIE Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — The twin sister of a slain Cleveland police officer says she knew her brother wanted to be a cop as children while playing with walkie talkies and using their calls signs “peanut butter” and “jelly.” Shane Bartek was memorialized Tuesday during a funeral service at Grace Church

By JEFF AMY Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — There was a prominent Atlanta resident missing Tuesday when President Joe Biden swung through the city to press for voting rights protections: Stacey Abrams. The absence of one of the nation’s most prominent voting rights activists caused something of an awkward moment. For Biden, it was an

By KATIE OYAN Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Native American communities have seen more robust news coverage in recent years, in part because of an increase in Indigenous affairs reporting positions at U.S. newsrooms and support from foundations. A Media Impact Funders report found journalism-focused philanthropy quadrupled from 2009 to 2019. An increasingly diverse population

By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An swarm of earthquakes has been recorded off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, including the largest with a magnitude of 6.8 followed by aftershocks. There have been no reports of damage in Tuesday’s undersea quakes in the North Sea and few reports of them being felt in nearby

By TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press As smoke poured through the halls a New York City high-rise on Sunday, killing 17 people, tenants were faced with a life or death decision: Should they stay put or try to escape? Several survivors later told reporters that when they saw their hallways fill with smoke, they returned to

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Investigators of a Philadelphia rowhouse fire that killed 12 family members say they are left with the words of “a traumatized 5-year-old child” as they piece together how a lighter ignited a nearby Christmas tree. Commissioner Adam Thiel hesitated to point blame at a news conference Tuesday but said the boy was

By MARIA CHENG and CARLA K. JOHNSON Associated Press Scientists are seeing signals that COVID-19′s alarming omicron wave may have peaked in Britain and is about to do the same in the U.S., at which point cases may start dropping off dramatically. The reason: The variant has proved so wildly contagious that it may already

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Sites associated with Black history in five Southern states will each receive grants of $50,000 from the Southern Poverty Law Center, a liberal advocacy group based in Alabama. Officials with the nonprofit law center say the recipients were selected in consultation with members of the Congressional Black Caucus. They include the

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made clear in his State of the State speech that he likes teachers, first responders and freedom and he doesn’t like Dr. Anthony Fauci, critical race theory, abortion, illegal immigration and Burmese pythons. DeSantis opened his speech Tuesday with a subject he

By GENE JOHNSON Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — A Neo-Nazi who helped lead a campaign to threaten journalists and Jewish activists in three states has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison. A jury convicted Kaleb Cole in September of having sent Swastika-laden posters to journalists and employees of the Anti-Defamation League in Washington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Health Department is ordering all hospitals in the state to allow the transfer of critically ill patients. It’s an effort to help people in rural areas receive care as the state continues to see a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases. The department said Tuesday that a system called Mississippi

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The presence of a senior Iranian official at the investiture of Nicaragua’s president has angered Argentina, which alleges the official was involved in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the appearance of Mohsen Rezaei, the Iranian

MONTREAL (AP) — The premier of the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec says adult residents who refuse to get vaccinated against the coronavirus will be charged a financial penalty. Premier Francois Legault says that not getting vaccinated leads to consequences for the health care system and not all Quebecers should pay for that. He said

By SYLVIE CORBET The Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron says people spreading fake news online should be held accountable and possibly brought to justice. The issue is becoming even more significant ahead of the country’s presidential election on April 10. Macron warned against the threat to democracy caused by online misinformation

By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s prime minister says there’s no need to panic over the ultra-contagious omicron variant. Naftali Bennett said during a Tuesday night press conference that Israel is managing the wave in “the right and responsible way,” by keeping the economy open, protecting the most vulnerable Israelis

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER and AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — Officials say the U.S. Navy will comply with Hawaii’s order to remove fuel from a massive underground storage tank facility blamed for contaminating the Navy’s drinking water system. Rear Adm. Blake Converse tells members of Congress the Navy is making preparations to defuel

By STEPHEN McGRATH Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s president wants to add sections on climate change and environmental issues to the national school curriculum to enable students to learn more about the challenges the world faces from climate change. President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday launched a public debate over 141-page report at the

By CLAUDIA LAUER and THALIA BEATY Associated Press UPPER DARBY, Pa. (AP) — Authorities and witnesses say a pilot crash landed a medical helicopter without loss of life in a residential area of suburban Philadelphia, somehow avoiding a web of power lines and buildings as the aircraft fluttered, hit the street and slid into bushes

By MARTHA BELLISLE Associated Press Many top Nordic skiers and biathletes say crashes are becoming more common as climate change reduces the availability of natural snow, forcing racers to compete on tracks with the manmade version. Olympic and World Cup race organizers are already used to needing snow-making equipment to create a ribbon of white

By KEVIN McGILL Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans is bringing back an indoor mask mandate to fight the spread of COVID-19 while preparing for an influx of visitors for the Mardi Gras season. The city health director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, announced the plan Tuesday. The mandate takes effect Wednesday at 6 a.m.

By AMY FORLITI Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The judge handling the federal trial for three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights is urging attorneys to “move the case along” to reduce chances that the proceeding will be disrupted by COVID-19. Jury selection starts Jan. 20 for Tou

ROME (AP) — Police in Italy have arrested a nurse on charges he faked giving coronavirus vaccinations to at least 45 people so they could get a health pass without actually getting the shot. The nurse ditched the vaccines in a bin and even put bandages on his “patients” so the scam would not be

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister has announced a second round of sales tax cuts as part of the right-wing government’s efforts to fight inflation after it reached a 21-year high last month. Premier Mateusz Morawiecki said Tuesday that the tax on engine fuels will be cut to 8% from 23% from February through

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — J. Cole, Tool and Stevie Nicks will headline this year’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The four-day festival in Manchester, Tennessee, is set to return June 16-19 after a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic and weather. Other performers include The Chicks, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, 21 Savage, Machine Gun

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press HAVANA (AP) — Relatives of Cubans arrested during the largest demonstrations in decades on the island say that at least 57 protesters are scheduled for trial this week. Some reportedly face prison sentences of up to 30 years. The relatives say three collective trials are scheduled — in the eastern

By JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s president says the country will hold a parliamentary election on April 3. The vote will decide whether right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban will keep power after 12 years in office. President Janos Ader made the announcement on the election date on his website Tuesday. April