R. Kelly, the R&B superstar known for his anthem “I Believe I Can Fly,” was convicted Monday in a sex trafficking trial after decades of avoiding criminal responsibility for numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children.
Stories by Associated Press
Biden Gets COVID-19 Booster Shot After Authorization
President Joe Biden received his COVID-19 booster shot on Monday, days after federal regulators recommended a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for Americans age 65 or older and approved them for others with preexisting medical conditions and high-risk work environments.
Garrett, Browns Rough Up Rookie QB Fields, Slam Bears 26-6
Justin Fields had nowhere to run or hide. Passing was strictly prohibited. Myles Garrett and the Browns made the rookie quarterback’s first NFL start unforgettable — for all the wrong reasons.
Investigators Probe Deadly Amtrak Derailment in Montana
A team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board was at the site of an Amtrak derailment in north-central Montana that killed three people and left seven hospitalized Sunday, officials said.
Pelosi Vows To Pass Infrastructure, Eyes Smaller Social Bill
With President Joe Biden’s broad domestic agenda at risk of collapse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday vowed that Democrats will pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill this week and push ahead on the bigger $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate change bill.
Ex-Northwestern Professor To Stand Trial in Fatal Stabbing
A former Northwestern University professor is set to stand trial in the stabbing death of his boyfriend as part of what prosecutors said was a sexual fantasy he shared with another man who was charged in the case.
Melvin Van Peebles, Godfather of Black Cinema, Dies at 89
Melvin Van Peebles, the groundbreaking filmmaker, playwright and musician whose work ushered in the “blaxploitation” wave of the 1970s and influenced filmmakers long after, has died. He was 89.
Petito Case Renews Call to Spotlight Missing People of Color
The disappearance of Gabby Petito, a white 22-year-old woman who went missing in Wyoming last month, has drawn a frenzy of coverage on traditional and social media, bringing new attention to a phenomenon known as “missing white woman syndrome.”
States at Disadvantage in Race to Recruit Cybersecurity Pros
Hiring and keeping staff capable of helping fend off a constant stream of cyberattacks and less severe online threats tops the list of concerns for state technology leaders.
Cards Match Record With 14th Straight Win, Rip Cubs 12-4
The surging St. Louis Cardinals emphatically matched a team record with their 14th straight win on Friday night, pounding the Chicago Cubs 12-4 in the second game of a doubleheader behind Tyler O’Neill’s three-run homer and a pair of solo shots by Lars Nootbaar.
R. Kelly’s Fate Now in Jury’s Hands in Sex Trafficking Trial
Prosecutors and defense attorneys finished their closing arguments this week. The 54-year-old singer is accused of running a Chicago-based criminal enterprise that recruited his accusers for unwanted sex and mental torment.
Official Says Only 225 Migrants Remain in Texas Border Town
Only 225 migrants remained in a Texas border camp where almost 15,000 mostly Haitian migrants had gathered just days ago hoping to seek asylum, the top elected official in Val Verde County said Friday.
Groundbreaking for Obama Presidential Center Set for Tuesday
“Michelle and I could not be more excited to break ground on the Obama Presidential Center in the community that we love,” the former president says, seated beside his wife, in a video announcement shared first with The Associated Press.
White Sox Clinch AL Central with Victory Over Indians
Chicago, a wild-card team last year, is going to the postseason in consecutive years for the first time. The White Sox are in their first season under Tony La Russa, who will turn 77 on Oct. 4.
CDC Endorses COVID Booster for Millions of Older Americans
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday endorsed booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans, opening a major new phase in the U.S vaccination drive against COVID-19.
Jury Urged To Make R. Kelly Pay for His Alleged Sex Crimes
A prosecutor in closing arguments at the sex-trafficking trial of R. Kelly urged jurors on Thursday to make the R&B superstar “pay” for his alleged crimes, while a defense lawyer told them they’ve been misled by opportunistic accusers about consensual relationships.
Muti Extends to 2022-23 as Chicago Symphony Music Director
Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra announced he has extended his contract as music director by one year through the 2022-23 season. The 80-year-old Italian became music director of the CSO in 2010, succeeding Daniel Barenboim.
EPA Rule Sharply Limits HFCs, Gases Used as Refrigerants
In what officials call a key step to combat climate change, the Environmental Protection Agency is sharply limiting domestic production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.
FDA Backs Pfizer COVID-19 Boosters for Seniors, High-Risk
The U.S. moved a step closer Wednesday to offering booster doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens and others at high risk from the virus as the Food and Drug Administration signed off on the targeted use of extra shots.
R. Kelly’s Rules Protected Him, Prosecutors in Sex Trial Say
R. Kelly got away with sexually abusing underage victims for more than two decades by ruling his inner circle enablers with an iron fist, a prosecutor told jurors on Wednesday at the R&B singer’s sex-trafficking trial.
Options Shrink for Haitian Migrants Straddling Texas Border
Options narrowed Tuesday for thousands of Haitian migrants straddling the Mexico-Texas border as the United States government ramped up expulsion flights to Haiti, and Mexico began flying and busing some away from the border.
House OKs Debt and Funding Plan, Inviting Clash With GOP
The House voted late Tuesday to keep the government funded, suspend the federal debt limit and provide disaster and refugee aid, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Republicans who oppose the package despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.
Biden Promises ‘Relentless Diplomacy’ to Skeptical Allies
President Joe Biden summoned the world’s nations to forcefully address the festering global issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuses in his first address before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.
Lawyer: R. Kelly Unlikely To Take Stand in Trafficking Trial
The remark Tuesday by attorney Deveraux Cannick, made with the jury out the courtroom, came as the defense wound down its case at the trial in federal court in New York City.
J&J: Booster Dose of its COVID Shot Prompts Strong Response
Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday that a booster of its one-shot coronavirus vaccine provides a stronger immune response months after people receive a first dose.
US Officials Defend Expulsion of Haitians From Texas Town
More than 6,000 Haitians and other migrants have been removed from an encampment at a Texas border town, U.S. officials said Monday as they defended a strong response that included immediately expelling migrants to their impoverished Caribbean country.
