NEW ORLEANS — The Archdiocese of New Orleans has agreed to pay nearly $180 million to victims of clergy sexual abuse under a settlement announced Wednesday, the latest in a […]
UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting
UNITED NATIONS — The top U.N. official for Syria warned Wednesday of the “real dangers of renewed conflict and deeper confrontation” in the war-battered country but also hoped for a […]
In lawsuit over teen’s death, judge rejects arguments that AI chatbots have free speech rights
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge on Wednesday rejected arguments made by an artificial intelligence company that its chatbots are protected by the First Amendment — at least for now. […]
Fire at historic Black church in Memphis was intentionally set, investigators say
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A fire that severely damaged a historic Black church that served as the headquarters for a 1968 sanitation workers’ strike, which brought the Rev. Martin Luther King […]
Trump administration uses multiple techniques to encourage and force deportation
WASHINGTON — Carrying out mass deportations was a key rallying cry during Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency. Since the day he was sworn into office, his administration has focused […]
Man who burned down Missouri church sentenced to more than 9 years in prison
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A man who admitted in federal court to setting the fire that destroyed an eastern Missouri church has been sentenced to more than nine years in […]
Oregon lawmakers OK changes to landmark bottle redemption law amid concerns
Oregon lawmakers approved changes to the state’s landmark bottle redemption law on Wednesday, allowing redemption sites that some say have become magnets for drugs and homelessness to refuse returns of […]
How federal consent decrees have been used in police reform across the US
The Justice Department announced Wednesday it was canceling proposed consent decrees reached with Minneapolis and Louisville to implement policing reforms in the wake of the killings of George Floyd and […]
Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people
WASHINGTON — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency clashed with Democratic senators Wednesday, accusing one of being an “aspiring fiction writer” and saying another does not “care about wasting […]
Louisiana lawmaker arrested on DWI, child endangerment charges after single-car crash
A Louisiana lawmaker is facing criminal charges after striking a concrete barrier while allegedly driving impaired with his three children in the vehicle, state police said on Wednesday. Rep. Kyle […]