U.S Attorney General Visits Birmingham
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch spent Wednesday in Birmingham to meet with local law enforcement officers and city leaders about improving cooperation between police and their communities. She also addressed issues raised by last week’s shooting at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina.
Hate Crimes and the Confederate Flag
Lynch says crimes like that shooting, which killed 9 people, are tantamount to domestic terrorism even if they aren’t called that. The Justice Department has said it’s investigating the Charleston shooting as a hate crime. While Lynch says she can’t comment on the specific case, she says hate crime statutes were created to go after domestic terrorism perpetrated by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.
“They are classified as hate crimes because that is the impetus behind them,” said Lynch. “But make no mistake about it, hate crimes are the original domestic terrorism.”
Images of the Charleston shooting suspect flaunting the Confederate battle flag have also spurred debate over its power as symbol of white supremacy as well as culture. Lynch says if states want to commemorate that part of their history, a museum is an appropriate place to do it.
Mending Relationships Between Police and Community
Loretta Lynch’s visit comes as some police departments face criticism, particularly for shootings of unarmed black men. She says she believes police and the communities they serve can mend that fractured relationship with better communication.
“So when incidents do happen there can be a context to have a discussion,” said Lynch. “It doesn’t mean there won’t be disagreement or difficult times or challenges. Those exist and we will deal with them. But we can at least have a discussion about it with some basis of understanding.”
She praised Birmingham police for their efforts to combat gun crime and says she hopes it can be a model for other cities.
Trump says he’s fighting crime. Illinois Gov. Pritzker sees a power grab before 2026
Steve Inskeep speaks with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker about President Trump's threats to send National Guard troops to Chicago and the future of the Democratic Party.
Who is Lachlan Murdoch, the anointed media tycoon?
His position in leading News Corp. and Fox is now secure, as his father ends a dramatic succession battle. Lachlan grew up in New York City but has lived in Australia for much of his adult life.
Trump’s control of the D.C. police is due to expire tonight. Then what?
Trump needs an extension from Congress to control D.C. police for more than 30 days. Some Republican lawmakers are focused on pursuing legislation that would exert power over D.C. in other ways.
33 million voters have been run through a Trump administration citizenship check
Tens of millions of voters have had their information run through the tool — a striking portion of the U.S. public, considering little has been made public about the tool's accuracy or data security.
You’re more likely to reach for that soda when it’s hot outside
People drink more sugary beverages when it's hot, researchers found, significantly increasing their sugar intake. That impact could grow as climate change raises the world's temperatures.
Poland says it shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace
Poland said Wednesday that it and its NATO allies had shot down Russian drones that violated Polish airspace in what it called an "act of aggression" as Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine.
