National News - Page 108

Garland announces national strategy to combat domestic terrorism, invoking US Capitol riot

By Kate Sullivan, Maegan Vazquez and Christina Carrega Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday announced a new strategy to combat domestic terrorism after the Biden administration completed a sweeping assessment of the threat posed by domestic violent extremism following the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. Garland tied the new policy directly to the attack on the US Capitol. The Justice Department, he said, has an “enormous task ahead to move forward as a country, to punish the perpetrators, to do everything possible to prevent similar attacks, and to do so in a manner that affirms and values on which our justice system

Southern Baptists grapple with race, gender, sex and God in pivotal annual meeting

By Michael Warren There’s a political fight brewing inside the nation’s largest Protestant denomination as the Southern Baptist Convention gathers in Nashville this week for its annual meeting. On one side is a hardcore vanguard of conservatives seeking to beat back what’s viewed as a move toward “wokeness.” On the other is the SBC establishment that’s adopted a more conciliatory approach on progressive social issues such as Black Lives Matter, critical race theory and ordaining female ministers — all in an attempt to attract a broader group of adherents. The battle, which culminates in a vote for a new president on Tuesday,

Second man charged in shooting of British Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson

By Lindsay Isaac and Dakin Andone A second man has been charged in the shooting last month of Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson, the London Metropolitan Police said in a statement Saturday. Devonte Brown, 18, of Southwark, was charged Friday with conspiracy to murder Johnson and was expected to appear at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, the statement said. Johnson — a 27-year-old mother and a vocal campaigner for equal rights — was shot in the head during the early hours of May 23 in south London, though police said they do not believe she was specifically targeted. Johnson,

Southwest Airlines begins resuming flight operations after data issues grounded planes

By Tina Burnside, Amanda Jackson and Hollie Silverman Southwest Airlines said it is beginning to resume flight operations after the airline’s third-party weather data provider experienced intermittent performance issues Monday evening, grounding planes and delaying travel across the US. Delta and Alaska Airlines also reported experiencing computer issues that impacted their ability to sell tickets. Passengers across the country took to social media to express their frustration and demand answers after the issue left some people grounded, stranded and stuck on planes. As the world has returned to pre-pandemic era air travel, flights have seen an uptick in issues, with the

Milwaukee area teachers oppose GOP bills to restrict racial, sexual discussions in class

By Rose Schmidt Across the nation, teachers are organizing a “National Day of Action to Teach the Truth.” A year after a historic social justice movement, several states, including Wisconsin, are moving to define what race concepts schools can teach. However, local teachers think that’s a mistake. “Today, we say ‘no’ to bullying, ‘no’ to censorship. We say ‘yes’ to academic freedom, and we say ‘yes’ to teaching the truth,” said Bob Peterson, president of the Milwaukee Public School Board. On Saturday, June 12, teachers, students and school board members in the Milwaukee area held a news conference to oppose

Gun violence in 6 states this weekend brings US mass shootings to 272 so far this year

By Chris Boyette, Jay Croft and Hollie Silverman As the nation marked the fifth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando on Saturday, it has a staggering and grim new statistic to contend with for 2021. So far this year, we have suffered 272 mass shootings, according to Gun Violence Archive. From Friday afternoon to Sunday, at least nine people were killed and another 47 were injured in eight mass shootings in six states, according to data compiled by CNN and the Gun Violence Archive. An 18-month-old and 4-year-old were among the youngest victims, authorities said. The total number

Have suitcase, will travel! Americans take to the skies in almost pre-pandemic numbers as Covid-19 restrictions ease

By Alanne Orjoux As more Americans get vaccinated against Covid-19 and states and cities further ease pandemic restrictions, more people are flying for vacations, family visits or just getting away. The Transportation Security Administration screened more than 2 million passengers Friday, the highest number since March 7 of last year, just before lockdowns and coronavirus restrictions started keeping people home. The data confirms the recent upward air travel trend to levels not seen since before the pandemic: On June 11, 2019, the TSA screened 2.7 million people. “The growing number of travelers demonstrates this country’s resilience and the high level

Florida bans teaching critical race theory in schools

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By Leah Asmelash Florida has become the latest state to ban critical race theory, continuing the growing charge by Republican lawmakers against schools teaching about systemic racism. After hours of debate and public comment Thursday, the Florida State Board of Education unanimously approved the amendment banning critical race theory. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed much of the board, spoke ahead of the meeting, saying critical race theory would teach children “the country is rotten and that our institutions are illegitimate.” “That is not worth any taxpayer dollars,” he said. The amendment states topics must be “factual and objective,” and

Robert E. Lee’s former mansion reopens with new focus on the enslaved people who lived there

By David Williams The Virginia plantation house where Gen. Robert E. Lee lived before he abandoned it to lead the Confederate army during the Civil War has reopened after a multimillion-dollar renovation that focuses new attention on the enslaved people who lived and labored there. Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, was built by enslaved people and indentured workers between 1802 and 1818, and more than 100 African Americans were enslaved there in the decades leading up to the war, according to the National Park Service. The park service worked with the descendants of several enslaved families to tell

High school recipient of $40K scholarship asks that it be given to a community college student

By Anna Sturla A Massachusetts high school student made an unexpected announcement during her graduation ceremony last week when she asked that a $40,000 scholarship awarded to her be given to a student attending community college instead. “I am so very grateful for this. But I also know that I am not the one who needs this the most,” Verda Tetteh, 17, said during the Fitchburg High School graduation ceremony on Friday. The crowd, made up of her fellow classmates, their families, teachers and school administrators, applauded and cheered Tetteh after she made her announcement. “When she started speaking on

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