Military flees Bolivia government palace after coup attempt fails, general taken into custody
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Armored vehicles rammed into the doors of Bolivia’s government palace Wednesday as President Luis Arce said the country faced an attempted coup and urged people to mobilize. He called for “democracy to be respected” in a message on his X account. Hours later, Arce announced new heads of the army, navy and air force amid the roar of supporters. The new army head ordered soldiers back to their barracks, and soon after troops and armored vehicles start pulling back from Bolivia’s presidential palace. The incident was met with a wave of outrage by other regional leaders.
The Latest | Bolivian army general apparently behind failed coup attempt has been arrested
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivian authorities say the army general apparently behind the failed coup attempt has been arrested after the attorney general opened an investigation against him. Juan José Zúñiga was previously replaced by President Luis Arce, along with other heads of the armed forces, while the rebellion was still underway. It is not immediately clear what the charges against Zúñiga are. Before entering the government palace earlier Wednesday, Zúñiga told journalists that “Surely soon there will be a new Cabinet of ministers; our country, our state cannot go on like this.” Zúñiga did not explicitly say whether he was leading a coup. But he said the army was trying to “restore democracy and free our political prisoners.”
Justices seem set to allow emergency abortions in Idaho for now, a prematurely posted opinion says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appears poised to allow emergency abortions in Idaho when a pregnant patient’s health is at serious risk, as a legal case plays out. That’s according to a Bloomberg News report. Bloomberg says a copy of the opinion was briefly posted Wednesday on the court’s website. Bloomberg says the document suggests the court will conclude it shouldn’t have gotten involved in the case so quickly and will reinstate an order that had allowed hospitals in the state to perform emergency abortions to protect a pregnant patient’s health. Such an outcome would leave the issues at the heart of the case unresolved.
The Supreme Court rules for Biden administration in a social media dispute with conservative states
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sided with the Biden administration in a dispute with Republican-led states over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security. The justices in a 6-3 vote on Wednesday threw out lower-court rulings that favored Louisiana, Missouri and other parties in their claims that officials in the Democratic administration leaned on the social media platforms to unconstitutionally squelch conservative points of view. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote for the court that the states and other parties did not have the legal right to sue.
Biden and Trump are set to debate. Here’s what their past performances looked like
WASHINGTON (AP) — Four years ago, then-President Trump arrived at the first debate with Joe Biden in Cleveland seemingly determined to steamroll Biden at every turn. The debate turned into chaos. The second and final presidential debate of 2020, held in Nashville, Tennessee, was far more subdued. But if the Biden-Trump debate this Thursday in Atlanta spirals into pandemonium, consider that we could see this coming by looking back at that first Biden-Trump faceoff on Sept. 29, 2020. Here are some of the key moments.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to Australia a free man after US legal battle ends
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has returned to his homeland Australia aboard a charter jet hours after pleading guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets. Assange raised his right fist as he emerged for the plane to a cheer from supporters at the Canberra airport. The deal with the Justice Department concludes a drawn-out legal saga. It came to a surprise end in a most unusual setting with Assange entering his plea in a U.S. district court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, on Wednesday.
Kenya’s president says he won’t sign a finance bill that led protesters to storm the parliament
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president says he won’t sign into law a finance bill proposing new taxes that prompted thousands of protesters to storm the parliament on Tuesday. Watchdogs say more than 20 people were killed as police opened fire. Kenyans say the proposed bill would have caused more economic pain as millions struggle to get by. The chaos led Kenya’s government to deploy the military. President William Ruto called protesters’ actions “treasonous” but now says he has conceded to the will of the people. The events are a sharp turn for Ruto, who has been embraced by the United States as a welcome, stable partner in Africa.
Illinois man rejects deal to plead guilty to 7 murder charges in shooting at 2022 July Fourth parade
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — The man accused of opening fire at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago in 2022 has rejected a deal requiring him to plead guilty to seven charges of murder in the attack. Twenty-three-year-old Robert E. Crimo III on Wednesday rejected the deal that prosecutors said would have come with a life sentence. Crimo’s public defenders left court without speaking with reporters. The attack killed seven people and wounded more than 40. Family members of people killed said they hoped Wednesday would bring some closure ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. Instead, they plan to refocus on a trial, which is set for February.
Pennsylvania bishop Sean Rowe elected new leader of Episcopal Church. He’s the youngest since 1789
Sean Rowe, a 49-year-old bishop from western Pennsylvania, has become the youngest person ever elected as leader of the Episcopal Church. Rowe will succeed Bishop Michael Curry, the first African American to hold the position, when Curry’s nine-year term ends on Nov. 1. The presiding bishop serves as the denomination’s chief pastor, president and CEO. Rowe was elected over four other nominees in voting during the Episcopalians’ weeklong General Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The only presiding bishop younger than Rowe was the first one — William White — who was 41 when he took the job without an election in 1789.
Baby cousin with cancer inspires girls to sew hospital gowns for sick kids across U.S. and Africa
FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) — Sick children across the country and in Africa are having their hospital stays brightened somewhat by the efforts of two young sisters from New Jersey, who make and donate brightly colored, kid-themed hospital gowns for kids. Giuliana and Audrina Demma have made and donated 1,800 gowns to them since 2021, and have since added small pillows to their creations. Giuliana was inspired by seeing her young cousin Giada in a huge, ill-fitting drab colored gown while fighting cancer as a toddler. When Giuliana learned to sew years later, she recalled how sad little Giada looked in the standard-issue hospital gown. So she decided to create bright, cheery gowns for kids.
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