U.S.National ReviewChauvin Trial Judge Says Maxine Waters Comments Could Lead to Trial Being ‘Overturned’ on Appeal
The judge in the Chauvin trial stated Monday that inflammatory remarks by Representative Maxine Waters could lead to the trial being “overturned” on appeal. Waters had called for demonstrators to “get more confrontational” and protest in the streets if no guilty verdict was reached in the case. Waters delivered the comments over the weekend ahead of closing arguments in the high-profile case against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who's been charged with the murder of George Floyd.
U.S.Associated PressNevada inmate fighting execution seeks firing-squad option
A convicted killer who is fighting a possible June execution date that would make him the first person put to death in Nevada in 15 years is calling for the state to consider the firing squad as an option, a rare method in the United States. Attorneys for Zane Michael Floyd say he does not want to die and are challenging the state plan to use a proposed three-drug method, which led to court challenges that twice delayed the execution of another convicted killer who later took his own life in prison. “This is not a delaying tactic,” Brad Levenson, a federal public defender representing Floyd, said Monday.
WorldNBC NewsSteady increase in Russian troops in Crimea on Ukraine border, says Pentagon
The number of Russian troops deployed in occupied Crimea near Ukraine's border has steadily increased over the past two weeks and has surpassed the size of the force that annexed the peninsula in 2014, the Pentagon said on Monday. Press secretary John Kirby declined to provide specific numbers on the growing Russian troop presence. A spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week there are about 80,000 troops now stationed along the country's border with Russia, 40,000 of them in Crimea.
WorldReutersSome progress in nuclear talks, interim deal possible -Iranian officials
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran and world powers have made some progress on how to revive the 2015 nuclear accord later abandoned by the United States, and an interim deal could be a way to gain time for a lasting settlement, Iranian officials said on Monday. Tehran and the powers have been meeting in Vienna since early April to work on steps that must be taken, touching on U.S. sanctions and Iran's breaches of the deal, to bring back Tehran and Washington into full compliance with the accord. "We are on the right track and some progress has been made, but this does not mean that the talks in Vienna have reached the final stage," Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told a weekly news conference in Tehran.
U.S.INSIDERJudge denies Chauvin defense's motion for a mistrial, but says Rep. Maxine Waters' comments 'could lead to this whole case being overturned'
Derek Chauvin's defense cited comments from US Rep. Maxine Waters in a motion for a mistrial. Over the weekend, Waters called on protesters to stay on the streets if there's no guilty verdict. Judge Peter Cahill denied the motion but said Waters may have given the defense a successful appeal.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanSearch to end for 8 missing crew members from capsized boat in Gulf, Coast Guard says
The U.S. Coast Guard says it will end its search at sundown Monday for the remaining crew members of a commercial lift boat that capsized last week near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Officials said 19 people were aboard the Seacor Power on April 13 when the boat began taking on water. “Suspending a search is one of the toughest decisions the Coast Guard has to make,” Capt. Will Watson, commander of Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, said in a statement.
BusinessCBS NewsAmazon buying Atlas 5 rockets to launch its internet satellites
Amazon plans to buy nine powerful Atlas 5 rockets from United Launch Alliance to boost an initial wave of the company's planned Kuiper internet satellites into orbit. The satellites will be part of a planned constellation of 3,236 relay stations that will compete with OneWeb and SpaceX's fast-growing Starlink system. "We're determined to make affordable broadband a reality for customers and communities around the world," Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said in a statement.
U.S.The IndependentShooting at Chicago McDonalds drive-through kills seven-year-old girl and seriously injures father
A shooting at one of Chicago's McDonald's drive-through has left a seven-year-old girl dead and resulted in serious injuries to her father. According to the Chicago police, the young girl, Jaslyn Adams, was with her father Jontae Adams, 28, in their car in the McDonald's parking lot in the Homan Square neighbourhood on Sunday afternoon when they were shot. The news report said just after the shooting Mr Adams called his mother, Lawanda McMullen.
WorldBusiness InsiderChina is committing 'crimes against humanity' with its treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, human rights group says
China is arbitrarily detaining up to 1 million people in Xinjiang, Human Rights Watch said Monday. The group said China is justifying its repression in the language of a "global war on terrorism." HRW said Chinese authorities are committing "crimes against humanity," but didn't label it genocide.
WorldBBCByron Bay: Calls for Netflix boycott over reality show plans
Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for a boycott of a proposed Netflix reality show to be set in the Australian beach town of Byron Bay. Anger has erupted in the community over the planned influencer-led series titled Byron Baes. It has gained prominence in influencer culture and over the past year, has also become a mecca for visiting Hollywood stars.
U.S.The IndependentPig’s head thrown at former residence of Derek Chauvin defence witness who claimed use of force was justified
A pig's head has been thrown at the former home of a defence witness in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The incident occured in the early hours of Saturday morning in Santa Rosa, California, at a residence that defence witness and use of force expert Barry Brodd used to live in. A person who resides at the house found the pig's head on the front porch, and the area around it was splattered with blood.
U.S.The StateEerie blue glow illuminates Washington coastline, photos show. What caused it?
A photographer captured an eerie blue light glowing on the waves of the Washington coast, photos show. Matt Nichols also caught a video showing how the light reflected off the whitecaps of the waves. “I am excited to announce that bioluminescent season has begun!” Nichols wrote.
WorldBusiness InsiderThe war against Russia's spies just cost Putin billions from a cancelled nuclear contract
Russia announced on Monday the expulsion of at least 20 Czech diplomats in a furious response to the gutting of Moscow's most critical intelligence station in central Europe over the weekend, when Czech authorities accused Russian intelligence of being behind two blasts at an ammunition storage facility in 2014. Czechia has accused a notorious Russian intelligence unit implicated in multiple operations across Europe and the UK of conducting two operations in 2014 that led to explosions at a munitions factory in 2014. At the time, the ammunition was said to be headed for Russia's rivals in Ukraine.
U.S.Los Angeles Times OpinionOpinion: One reason tuition keeps soaring? Colleges' unhealthy obsession with 'yield'
It's all part of the hyperdrive of college admissions that is pushing college costs upward. It's not something we can afford to keep doing if we want free colleges like in much of Europe, or reduced costs, or even just keeping prices flat. The marketing is the first step toward bringing in enough applicants to fill university seats.
WorldThe IndependentDerek Chauvin: Prosecutor defends police while condemning officer who ‘abandoned his values’
Prosecutor Steve Schleicher claimed that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was not on trial for being a police officer, but solely because of his role in the death of George Floyd last year. Mr Schleicher was trying to convince the jury to separate their biases about police from the facts surrounding Mr Floyd's death. "Policing is a noble profession.
PoliticsUSA TODAYSupreme Court rejects Pennsylvania's lingering 2020 election challenge as moot
The Supreme Court on Monday said it will not hear a case out of Pennsylvania related to the 2020 election, a case that had lingered while similar election challenges had already been rejected by the justices. The justices had in February, after President Joe Biden's inauguration, rejected a handful of cases related to the 2020 election. The case involved a federal court challenge to a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision requiring election officials to receive and count mailed-in ballots that arrived up to three days after the election.
- WorldWPVI – Philadelphia
7 teens arrested in connection with carjackings, assaults in Delaware
Delaware State Police have announced that seven teenagers have been arrested in connection with several carjackings and violent attacks in the First State.
WorldBusiness InsiderThe bosses of the Suez Canal say the excavator operator who helped free the Ever Given is getting his overtime pay, plus a bonus
The excavator driver who helped free the Ever Given ought to have been paid, Suez Canal bosses said. Abdullah Abdul-Gawad, a subcontractor, earlier told Insider he was still waiting for overtime money. The Suez Canal Authority said it paid, though Insider couldn't reach Abdul-Gawad's direct employer.
CelebrityThe TelegraphNo man-to-man for Prince Charles and Harry as Duke heads back to US
The Duke of Sussex will return to California without having a private meeting with his father, The Telegraph understands. Many family members had hoped the pair would take the opportunity to spend some time together alone, to air their differences face to face. While the Duke's travel plans have not been disclosed, he is thought likely to return home to his pregnant wife, the Duchess of Sussex, 39, and their son Archie, who turns two next month, within the next day or two.
U.S.The IndependentGeorge Floyd’s brother has a message for America: ‘You have the right to be angry – but express it peacefully’
No words can adequately explain what this past year has been like for Terrence Floyd and the other members of George Floyd's family. On Monday, the jury is to hear closing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence, before it is sent away, sequestered and told to consider its decisions.
WorldThe IndependentClimate crisis: What has Joe Biden done for the environment in his first 100 days?
US president Joe Biden is approaching 100 days in office after making a swift start to his tenure in the White House in which he issued a flurry of executive orders, pushing major spending bills through Congress to fend off the coronavirus pandemic and stimulate the country's economy. Mr Biden is now turning his attention to the environment ahead of Earth Day, with his administration forced to pick up the pieces following the disastrous reign of Donald Trump, who considered the climate crisis “a hoax”, withdrew from the Paris accord, backed “beautiful clean coal” over the renewable energy sector and engaged in the hacking and slashing of regulations to permit drilling on once-protected public lands. Mr Trump's successor, also having been confronted with America's epidemic of gun violence, will host a virtual climate summit this week, bringing together world leaders in the hope of securing more ambitious commitments to united action.
LifestyleUSA TODAYResorts World Las Vegas announces June opening date. Here's what to expect
Resorts World Las Vegas will open on June 24. “We are filled with gratitude and excitement as we approach our opening this June and hope to play a role in Las Vegas's rebound after what has been an incredibly challenging year for the destination and greater hospitality industry," said Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World Las Vegas, in a statement, reports the Reno Gazette Journal, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. Resorts World Las Vegas will offer three hotel collections from Hilton – each with its own entrance and lobby.
EntertainmentBusiness InsiderSony admits it made the 'wrong decision' and will now keep storefronts open for classic PlayStation games after fans complained
Following an outcry from impassioned PlayStation fans, Sony is reversing course on a major recent announcement. The company will continue operating the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita digital storefronts, PlayStation leader Jim Ryan announced on Monday. "It's clear that we made the wrong decision here," Ryan said on the PlayStation Blog.
U.S.The IndependentMontana man dies following attack by grizzly bear
A man has died after he was attacked by a grizzly bear in Montana that officials think was protecting a moose carcass. Carl Mock, 40, suffered a massive stroke and other severe injuries after being mauled near a campground just outside Yellowstone National Park. Officials say that Mr Mock, who is from West Yellowstone, Montana, died at an Idaho Falls hospital on Sunday, several days after the attack.
CelebrityTheGrioToni Braxton, 53, unveils bald head and fit physique in bikini post
In a post on her official Instagram account, Toni Braxton, 53, unveiled her bald head and fit physique in a red bikini. Braxton is “letting it flow” on social media. The Grammy Award-winning singer shared her new look in an Instagram video, and her fans quickly chimed in on how great she looks.
“High-speed rail is bold and attention-grabbing, but the scale of the project makes it near impossible.”
“While a long, slow train ride across the country can be a great thing, the US needs real high-speed rail too.”
“Liberals are right that America has a car problem — but it's commutes, not road trips, that suck.”
“Investments into a high-speed rail system wouldn’t just improve the railroads — automobile traffic could also see some relief.”
“Big cities that are reasonably close together is pretty much a prerequisite for high-speed rail.”