NEW YORK — Donald Trump walked into his hush money trial Friday and wished his wife Melania a happy birthday — the day after former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified Trump never mentioned worrying about what she thought about his alleged affairs at the heart of the state’s case against him.

“I want to start by wishing ...Read more

CHICAGO — R. Kelly’s sex-crime conviction and 20-year sentence in Chicago’s federal court will stand, an appeals court ruled Friday in a blistering opinion.

“For years, Robert Sylvester Kelly abused underage girls. By employing a complex scheme to keep victims quiet, he long evaded consequences. In recent years, though, those crimes ...Read more

A corrections counselor at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City is suing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for interest on back pay that was seized in what he described as whistleblower retaliation in response to him complaining of discrimination.

Joshua Kuzmicz has worked at Pelican Bay since March 2001, and for ...Read more

ATLANTA — Emory University President Gregory L. Fenves said Friday he was “saddened” and “horrified” at protests that took place at the school Thursday, but said actions that disrupt the campus will not be tolerated.

The message to the school community came a day after at least 23 people were booked into the DeKalb County Jail on ...Read more

CHICAGO — R. Kelly’s sex-crime conviction and 20-year sentence in Chicago’s federal court will stand, an appeals court ruled Friday in a blistering opinion.

“For years, Robert Sylvester Kelly abused underage girls. By employing a complex scheme to keep victims quiet, he long evaded consequences. In recent years, though, those crimes ...Read more

NEW YORK — Donald Trump walked into his hush money trial Friday and wished his wife Melania a happy birthday – the day after former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified Trump, after he announced his candidacy, never mentioned worrying about what she thought about his alleged affairs at the heart of the state’s case against ...Read more

NEW YORK — The pro-Gaza encampment at Columbia University persisted Friday, after a deadline for students to clear the lawn of a series of colorful tents expired.

“There is a rumor that the NYPD has been invited to campus this evening,” university officials said overnight Thursday. “This rumor is false.”

“The talks have shown ...Read more

ATLANTA — Simultaneous gatherings were held at Emory University on Thursday evening, hours after an encampment on campus led to clashes with responding officers and multiple arrests.

A small group of Jewish students, local residents and officials stood outside Ali’s Cookies at Emory Village at 7 p.m. for a Passover gathering and to show ...Read more

United Methodist delegates have overwhelmingly endorsed a constitutional amendment many say could defuse debates over the role of LGBTQ people in the church. The amendment, approved Thursday at the denomination’s gathering in Charlotte, N.C., gives each region of the international church the ability to make their own decisions on divisive ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA —Former labor leader John Dougherty's federal extortion trial ended in a mistrial Thursday after jurors declared they were at a stalemate and unable to reach a unanimous verdict, offering an inconclusive ending to the ex-union chief's third trial in as many years.

So, what happens now?

Why was a mistrial declared?

After 11 ...Read more

Nonfatal shootings have spiked 39% so far this year, despite recent efforts at tackling Kansas City’s gun violence problem.

That uptick is in part attributed to the mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl rally where two dozen people were shot and one bystander was killed on Valentine’s Day.

But even March saw a drastic increase — 42% —...Read more

NEW YORK — The NYPD is investigating two recent Israeli flag thefts in Manhattan as hate crimes amid pro-Palestinian protests over the Gaza conflict continue to grip the city, officials said Friday.

In one of the two incidents, a Columbia University protester set the flag on fire after a rock was thrown at its owner, police said.

The first ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Biden administration is confronting the country’s worsening maternal mortality rate with visits to multiple states, including Georgia on Monday, to focus attention on women’s access to health care.

The visit to Atlanta is part of a year-long initiative launched in January to expand the federal government’s work to address ...Read more

Recent high-profile mass shootings at SEPTA bus stations have left Philadelphia commuters on high alert. Two gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in the Ogontz neighborhood on March 4, 2024, striking five people and killing 17-year-old Dayemen Taylor. Two days later, a group of teenagers shot eight other teens waiting at a bus stop near Northeast...Read more