Birmingham Water Works Pension Loses Millions in Fraud Scheme
After all the criticism heaped on the Birmingham Water Works Board for shockingly high bills and questionable legal contracts, a new controversy emerged this week. The water works pension fund lost more than $4 million in what’s described as a “Ponzi-style” scheme. The scheme spans from New York financial types to an Indian tribe in South Dakota to the Cayman Islands. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald has the details.
Trump levies new sanctions on Russian oil giants in a push to end Ukraine war
President Donald Trump's administration announced Wednesday new "massive sanctions" against Russia's oil industry that are aimed at bringing an end to Moscow's brutal war on Ukraine.
Misty Copeland hangs up her pointe shoes after performing at retirement show
Misty Copeland took one last spin on her pointe shoes Wednesday, as she retired after a trailblazing career in which she became an ambassador for diversity in an overwhelmingly white art form.
This nation has the fastest rising rate of cancer cases — and deaths — in the world
According to a new report, cancer rates are skyrocketing in this tiny country. What's causing this to happen? And what steps can be taken to turn the tide?
Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms
The discovery of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes was confirmed this week by the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, which said the mosquitoes likely arrived by freight.
Alabama board seeks to ban books that ‘positively’ depict trans themes from library youth sections
The Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors is considering a proposed rule change that expands the existing requirement for youth sections to be free of “material deemed inappropriate for children.” The new proposal said that includes any material that “positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders.”
After months of the same songs on the Hot 100, ‘Billboard’ tweaks its rules
Billboard has revised its system of removing songs from the Hot 100 singles chart once they've gotten too old to qualify as contemporary hits.