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Cosby to stand trial on sexual assault charge
A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday ordered comedian Bill Cosby to stand trial on accusations of sexual assault, the most serious setback so far for a man who epitomized the all-American dad on the 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show.” Judge Elizabeth McHugh found that prosecutors presented enough evidence to support allegations that he drugged and assaulted a woman in 2004. The judge rejected arguments from Mr. Cosby’s defense lawyers that the case should be thrown out.
Bill Cosby to go on trial in June 2017
Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial in Pennsylvania has been scheduled for June. And if prosecutors have their way, more than a dozen accusers will take the stand to detail what they claim is a decades-long pattern of attacks.
Under scrutiny, Trump announces plans to dissolve his foundation
President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to dissolve his charitable foundation, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which has been under investigation by the New York attorney general. The president-elect gave no timeline for winding down the foundation, but said in a statement released on Dec. 24 that he wanted “to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president.”
Bump stocks banned
The Trump administration on Tuesday banned the high-power gun attachments of the type used in last year’s Las Vegas shooting massacre of 58 people, giving the owners of “bump stocks” 90 days to turn in or destroy the devices and blocking owners from being able to register them.
LeBron delivers promise, leads Cavs to NBA title
LeBron James powered the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in an electrifying Game 7 to complete an improbable comeback unlike any seen before and capture their first NBA championship.
Painful testimony from 72-year-old survivor of S.C. church massacre
A 72-year-old retired nurse recounted for jurors on Wednesday how she cowered under a table while Dylann Roof killed nine of her fellow worshippers at a historic black church but spared her so she could tell the story of what he had done.
Harvard admissions lawsuit may impact race, affirmative action in college admissions
Harvard University discriminates against Asian-American applicants in order to limit how many it admits, a lawyer for a group suing the school said on Monday at the start of a trial that could have wider implications for the role of race in U.S. college admissions.
Rap scores Grammy breakthrough while girl power rules awards show
“This is America,” Childish Gambino’s searing indictment of police brutality and racism, scored a breakthrough for rap on Sunday at the Grammy Awards by winning both record and song of the year and becoming the first hip-hop track to win either of the top Grammy categories in 61 years.
Biles to lead diverse U.S. women’s gymnastics team to Tokyo Olympics
Simone Biles’ Olympic encore is finally here.
Republicans make repealing Obamacare ‘first order of business’
President Obama exhorted fellow Democrats on Wednesday to preserve his legacy-defining health care law as Republicans moved ahead with their long-desired bid to scrap it in what Vice President-elect Mike Pence called the “first order of business” of the incoming Donald Trump administration. The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate brushed aside unified opposition by Democrats and voted to open debate on a resolution setting in motion the Republican drive to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which has helped upwards of 20 million previously uninsured Americans obtain health insurance. As early as 2018, the millions of people who gained insurance under the law could see their coverage in jeopardy — especially if Congress fails to find a replacement to the law beforehand.
Independence day: Queen blesses Harry's and Meghan's exit as senior royals
Queen Elizabeth has reluctantly agreed to the wish of her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife, former American actress Meghan Markle, for a more independent future after the British royal family held crisis talks on Monday to resolve a widening rift among the Windsors.
Transgender law tweaked in N.C. after backlash
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory slightly altered a new state law denounced as discriminatory with an executive order Tuesday, but the Republican stood firm on a controversial provision restricting transgender bathroom access. The governor’s order expands protections against discrimination for state employees to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Gov. McCrory also asked lawmakers to restore the right to sue in state court for discrimination, an option taken away by the measure passed last month.
Sessions denies any collusion with Russia during Trump campaign
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday denounced as a “detestable lie” the idea he colluded with Russians meddling in the 2016 election, and he clashed with Democratic lawmakers over his refusal to detail his conversations with President Trump.
Chicago police officer charged with murder in death of black teen
A white Chicago policeman was charged Tuesday with murdering a black teenager, and authorities are hoping to stave off a fresh burst of the turmoil over race and police use of deadly force that has shaken the United States for more than a year. Officer Jason Van Dyke, 37, was denied bail at a hearing in Chicago’s main criminal courthouse hours after prosecutor Anita Alvarez announced charges of first-degree murder, or killing without lawful justification. If convicted, Officer Van Dyke could face 20 years to life in prison.
President Trump fires Attorney General Jeff Sessions
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired on Wednesday after receiving unrelenting criticism from President Trump for recusing himself from an investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential race.
Nobel winner Kofi Annan, the first black African to lead the United Nations, dies at 80
Former U.N. Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan died on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, his foundation said, after decades of championing efforts to try to end protracted conflicts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Religion survey finds faith falling
Americans are becoming less religious, judging by such markers as church attendance, prayer and belief in God, and the trend is more pronounced among young adults, according to a poll released Tuesday.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar wins Pulitzer for music
California rapper Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music Monday for his album “DAMN.,” organizers announced. Mr. Lamar, 30, is the first rapper to win the prestigious award. The Pulitzer follows the five Grammy awards won by Mr. Lamar in January for the album.
‘Mother of South Africa’ dies at 81
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who emerged as a combative anti-apartheid campaigner during her former husband Nelson Mandela’s decades in jail but whose reputation was later tarnished by allegations of violence, died on Monday, April 2, 2018, at the age of 81.
Michael Brown family files lawsuit against Ferguson
The family of Michael Brown has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Mo., seeking unspecified damages and police reforms after the black teen’s killing by a white policeman prompted a national debate on law enforcement and race. The civil lawsuit filed April 23 in St. Louis County, Mo., names the city of Ferguson, former Police Chief Thomas Jackson and former police officer Darren Wilson as defendants.
