Florida House passes GOP 15-week abortion ban

Republicans in the Florida House of Representatives early Thursday approved a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, moving to tighten access to the procedure ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could limit abortion rights in America. The GOP-controlled House passed the 15-week abortion ban after several hours of debate between Democrats who said […]

FBI: Defendants in Arbery killing used repeated racial slurs

Two of the three white men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery repeatedly used racial slurs in text messages and social media posts, including some violent comments by Arbery’s shooter about Black people, an FBI witness testified Wednesday in their federal hate crimes trial. FBI intelligence analyst Amy Vaughan led the jury through more than two dozen conversations […]

Officials: Florida plan has fed manatees 25 tons of lettuce

The unprecedented human effort to feed starving Florida manatees has so far provided the lovable marine mammals with more than 25 tons of lettuce, officials said Wednesday. The round-tailed, snout-nosed animals popular with locals and tourists have suffered a major die-off because their preferred seagrass food source is disappearing because of water pollution from agricultural, urban, septic tank and […]

US accuses China of backing away from free-trade commitments

The United States has accused China of failing to meet its commitments to the World Trade Organization and says it is exploring new ways to combat aggressive Chinese trade practices. In its annual report on Chinese compliance with WTO rules, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Wednesday that China isn’t keeping the promises […]

Germany announces end to most COVID restrictions on March 20

Germany’s leaders on Wednesday announced plans to end most of the country’s coronavirus restrictions by March 20, a decision that coincided with moves by neighboring Austria and Switzerland to drop many of their curbs sooner. A three-step plan was endorsed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the country’s 16 state governors as official figures show Germany’s […]

Investigation: Zinke misused position as Interior secretary

Former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke misused his position to advance a development project in his Montana hometown and lied to an agency ethics official about his involvement, according to a report from federal investigators released Wednesday. The investigation by the Interior Department’s inspector general found that Zinke continued working with a foundation on the […]

Bob Saget’s family seeks to block release of autopsy records

The family of comedian Bob Saget wants a Florida judge to prohibit the release of any photos, video or other records related to the investigation into his death, saying that doing so would cause them irreparable pain. Saget’s wife, Kelly Rizzo, and his three daughters filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, asking a […]

Library exhibit explores ‘The Black Experience in Lee County’

Step into “The Black Experience in Lee County” exhibition at the FGCU’s Archives and Special Collections, and several words immediately come to mind: resilience, tenacity, inspiration, community. “We focused on positive stories and pride,” says Bailey Rodgers, the archives coordinator. “We wanted to shine a light on how incredible the Black community is in Lee County.” […]

Biden orders release of Trump White House visitor logs to Congress

President Joe Biden is ordering the release of Trump White House visitor logs to the House committee investigating the riot of Jan. 6, 2021, once more rejecting former President Donald Trump’s claims of executive privilege. The committee has sought a trove of data from the National Archives, including presidential records that Trump had fought to […]

NATO sees no sign Russia is pulling back troops near Ukraine

Russia said Wednesday it was returning more troops and weapons to bases, but NATO declared it saw no sign of a drawdown as fears that Moscow could invade Ukraine soon persisted. Russia has massed about 150,000 troops east, north and south of Ukraine, sparking Western concerns it was planning an attack. Moscow denies it has […]