Evansville

R. Kelly bond on sexual assault charges set at $1 million, due back in court Monday

In Cook County court, prosecutor Jennifer Gonzalez said Kelly met one of the teenaged victims during his trial on child pornography charges in 2008 when she sought his autograph after a day in court and repeatedly had sex with her between 2009 and 2010. Kelly was acquitted of the child porn charges. The fourth victim was Kelly's hairdresser, then 24, who said Kelly tried to force her to have oral sex in 2003 before ejaculating on her shirt, according to prosecutors.

As 2020 candidates turn left, some Democrats worry about the center

Party activists have been energized as Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris and other candidates endorsed plans to provide Medicare coverage to every American, some form of tuition-free college, a national $15 minimum wage and the so-called “Green New Deal” advocated by U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Some Democrats fear the argument has potency.

R&B crooner R. Kelly charged with sexually assaulting teenage girls

Grammy-winning R&B singer R. Kelly was charged in Chicago on Friday with the aggravated sexual assault of four people, including three teenage girls, following years of accusations against the performer. Kelly, 52, was charged in a 10-count Cook County Circuit Court indictment handed down two months after the debut of a six-hour documentary series on the Lifetime television network in which multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct and abuse. The R&B superstar, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, surrendered to Chicago police on Friday evening, the Hollywood trade publication Variety reported.

Trump administration bans abortion referrals at U.S.-funded clinics

The Trump administration said on Friday that taxpayer-funded family planning clinics which primarily serve low-income Americans will no longer be able to refer patients for abortions, a move that critics vowed to challenge in court. The new regulation was announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of Title X, a government family planning program that serves about 4 million people. The program currently subsidizes health centers such as those run by the non-profit Planned Parenthood, which provides contraception, health screenings and abortions.

Grand jury examining whether Zinke lied to investigators: Washington Post

The Post said the deliberations were focused on Zinke's refusal to grant a petition by two Native American tribes, the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan, to operate a commercial casino in East Windsor, Connecticut. In response to the tribes' efforts, competing casino operator MGM Resorts International, which opposed the planned casino, launched a lobbying campaign, The Post said. The tribes alleged that Zinke refused the petition under political pressure.

NASA clears SpaceX test flight to space station

The approval cleared a key hurdle for SpaceX in its quest to help NASA revive America's human spaceflight program, stalled since space shuttle missions came to an end in 2011. NASA has awarded SpaceX $2.6 billion, and aerospace rival Boeing Co $4.2 billion to build separate rocket and capsule launch systems to carry U.S. astronauts to and from the space station, an orbital research laboratory that flies 250 miles (402 km) above Earth. "Following a full day of briefings and discussion, NASA and SpaceX are proceeding with plans to conduct the first uncrewed test flight of the Crew Dragon on a mission to the International Space Station," NASA said in a statement announcing its decision.

Singer R. Kelly charged with sexually abusing teenage girls

Grammy-winning singer R. Kelly was charged on Friday with criminal sexual abuse of at least three teenagers under age 17, the local state's attorney said, following years of allegations against the 52-year-old R&B singer. Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx, at a news conference in Chicago announcing the charges, said Kelly was expected to appear in court on Saturday for a bond hearing on the 10 counts he was charged with under a grand jury indictment. At least two of the alleged victims were girls, while the gender of the other two was not clear from the court documents.

Florida mayor jailed, 'lucky he's not dead' after allegedly shooting at deputies

After Port Richey Mayor Dale Massad refused to open the front door when sheriff's deputies tried to execute a search warrant, SWAT team members forced it open and were met with gun fire, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said. "He shot at our members, he's lucky he's not dead," Nocco told reporters hours after the brief standoff in which no one was injured. Authorities said they had a "strong suspicion" Massad, 68, was on drugs when he fired two rounds from a .40 caliber handgun.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged in Florida prostitution sting

Kraft, 77, a billionaire businessman who built the Patriots into the National Football League's most dominant franchise, was swept up in a police sting targeting sex-trafficking in day spas and massage parlors in several Florida counties. Kraft, who lives in Massachusetts but owns property in Palm Beach, Florida, is accused of visiting Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida, on two separate occasions to solicit sex.

'El Chapo' to seek new trial after juror admits breaking rules

Convicted Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman intends to seek a new trial after one of the jurors who convicted him told Vice News that jurors read media about the case despite the judge's instructions not to, a lawyer for Guzman said in a court filing on Friday. "Mr. Guzman intends to file motion for a new trial based on the disclosures in the article and to request an evidentiary hearing to determine the extent of the misconduct," lawyer Eduardo Balarezo said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, who presided over the trial in Brooklyn federal court. Guzman was found guilty on Feb. 12 of running a continuing criminal enterprise as leader of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, along with drug trafficking, weapons and money laundering conspiracy charges.

California couple plead guilty to torturing their 13 children

David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise Turpin, 50, who were arraigned in Riverside County Superior Court, made the plea as part of a deal with prosecutors to serve sentences of 25 years to life in prison, Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said. The children, whose ages now range from 3 to 30, are in the care of child and adult protection agencies.

U.S. judge will not block Amazon-Berkshire-JPMorgan health venture's new hire

A federal judge on Friday declined to block a UnitedHealth Group Inc unit's former executive from working at a new healthcare venture launched by Amazon.com Inc, Berkshire Hathaway Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co. The decision by U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf in Boston came in a lawsuit closely watched in the industry for clues about the future plans of the venture, which was announced in January 2018 with a goal of lowering healthcare costs. UnitedHealth's Optum unit had sought a court order blocking David Smith from working at the venture, saying he could share trade secrets that would give it a competitive advantage.

U.S. farmers receive $7.7 billion in trade aid to date: USDA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Department of Agriculture has paid out $7.7 billion so far to farmers, William Northey, Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation, said on Friday, in aid designed to offset the negative impact of tariff imposition.

War memorial or religious symbol? Cross fight reaches U.S. high court

There was nothing about it that made me think it was anything other than a Christian cross," Edwords, 70, said in an interview. Edwords and two other plaintiffs filed a 2014 lawsuit challenging the cross as a violation of the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from establishing an official religion and bars governmental actions favoring one religion over another. While the Establishment Clause's scope is a matter of dispute, most Supreme Court experts predict the challenge to the Peace Cross will fail, with the justices potentially setting a new precedent allowing greater government involvement in religious expression.

U.S. judge weighs expanding lawsuit over family separations to cover more children

The Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in a report published earlier this year that the agency had identified many more children in addition to the 2,737 included as part of the class action lawsuit challenging family separations brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) last year. In response to the lawsuit, Sabraw ordered the families identified through a court process to be reunited with their children.

Trump, adult children urge dismissal of marketing scam lawsuit

U.S. President Donald Trump and his adult children on Thursday urged a federal judge to dismiss a racketeering lawsuit accusing them of using the family name to promote sham marketing opportunities to vulnerable, financially struggling investors. Calling the lawsuit "implausible," the Trump family said in a filing in federal court in Manhattan that the four plaintiffs failed to prove there was fraud or intent to cause harm, or that any statements by Donald Trump caused losses. The lawsuit said the Trumps deliberately conned victims into believing Donald Trump stood behind the investments and thought they would pay off, when the real goal was to enrich themselves.

Trump, adult children urge dismissal of marketing scam lawsuit

U.S. President Donald Trump and his adult children on Thursday urged a federal judge to dismiss a racketeering lawsuit accusing them of using the family name to promote sham marketing opportunities to vulnerable, financially struggling investors. Calling the lawsuit "implausible," the Trump family said in a filing in federal court in Manhattan that the four plaintiffs failed to prove there was fraud or intent to cause harm, or that any statements by Donald Trump caused losses. The lawsuit said the Trumps deliberately conned victims into believing Donald Trump stood behind the investments and thought they would pay off, when the real goal was to enrich themselves.

North Carolina elections board orders new U.S. House election

The bipartisan board's 5-0 decision came after Republican candidate Mark Harris requested a new vote, telling the panel that evidence of possible ballot fraud had undermined confidence in the election. In the televised hearing, board Chairman Bob Cordle said "the corruption" and "absolute mess" with the election's absentee ballots had cast doubt on the fairness of the contest.

U.S. Coast Guard officer accused of terror plot could face more charges

A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant accused of amassing a cache of weapons and plotting to attack Democratic politicians and journalists was ordered held for two weeks on Thursday while federal prosecutors consider charging him with more crimes. Chris Hasson, 49, appeared in a burgundy jumpsuit but did not speak during a brief hearing in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. "There is an intent to murder innocent civilians," U.S. Attorney Jennifer Sykes told Judge Charles Day.

Army landlords agree to expand tenant rights, curb fees in latest reform after Reuters reports

Executives from seven real estate companies, which manage some 87,000 Army housing units at more than 40 bases, pledged a series of reforms following a Pentagon meeting earlier this week with the Army’s three senior leaders – Secretary Mark Esper, Chief of Staff Mark Milley and Sergeant Major Daniel Dailey. In one story, the news agency described how military families lack basic tenant protections in disputes with their landlords over vermin, mold and other hazards. Local inspectors generally lack enforcement authority on military bases, and base command staff said they had limited power to intervene under the companies’ 50-year contracts.

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals defends $375,000 drug price after Bernie Sanders rebuke

Sanders, a vocal critic of high drug prices, had written to Florida-based Catalyst earlier this month, asking it to justify its price for Firdapse, a medication for a rare neuromuscular disease that affects about one in 100,000 people in the United States. It was also one of the campaign promises made by President Donald Trump in the 2016 elections. Last month, the Trump administration proposed a rule to overhaul the industry's system of rebates, or discounts, while Sanders unveiled legislation aimed at lowering drug prices.

Philadelphia sues seven big banks, alleges municipal bond collusion

The city of Philadelphia has filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing seven major banks of conspiring to inflate interest rates for a type of bond used by cities, towns and other public entities, costing them potentially billions of dollars. In a complaint filed on Wednesday night, Philadelphia accused Bank of America Corp, Barclays Plc, Citigroup Inc, Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Royal Bank of Canada and Wells Fargo & Co of secretly manipulating rates for tax-exempt bonds known as VRDOs, or variable-rate demand obligations.

Former Trump campaign chief Manafort to be sentenced March 8

Manafort, 69, could spend the rest of his life in prison for charges stemming from his work as an international political consultant and lobbyist. Mueller is urging a federal judge in Virginia to impose a prison sentence of up to 24 years and a fine of up to $24 million, after a jury found Manafort guilty of trying to hide millions of dollars he earned as a consultant for pro-Russian leaders in Ukraine, and lying to banks to secure loans to fund his lavish lifestyle after that income dried up. Manafort is also due to be sentenced on March 13 in a parallel federal case in Washington.

Trump urges U.S. telecommunications companies to step up 5G systems

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called on U.S. telecommunications companies to boost their work to build faster 5G wireless communications networks, saying they were lagging and at risk of being left behind other countries' efforts. "American companies must step up their efforts, or get left behind," Trump said in a pair of tweets. Representatives for the White House could not be immediately reached for comment.

Johnson & Johnson receives federal subpoenas related to baby powder litigation

The disclosure in Johnson & Johnson's annual report on Wednesday is the first time that the company disclosed it had received subpoenas from federal agencies regarding its talc powder products. The Justice Department declined to comment and the SEC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

New York City settles U.S. claims over Superstorm Sandy

New York City reached a $5.3 million settlement on Wednesday to resolve charges it improperly billed the U.S. government for damage to city vehicles caused by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. The accord resolves claims that the city falsely certified to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in May 2014 that the storm had damaged Department of Transportation (DOT) vehicles beyond repair, entitling it to funds for replacements. According to the federal government, many of the 132 passenger, commercial and heavy equipment vehicles covered by the certification had been damaged or left inoperable long before Sandy and were therefore ineligible for indemnification.

Woman who joined Islamic State cannot return to U.S., Pompeo says

Hoda Muthana, 24, traveled to Syria over four years ago to join Islamic State, also known as ISIS. In media interviews this week from a detention camp in Syria, Muthana said she was sorry for her actions and wanted to return to her family in Alabama with her toddler son. Pompeo said Muthana was not a U.S. citizen and would not be admitted into the United States.

U.S. Coast Guard officer who planned mass attack arrested -prosecutors

U.S. authorities have arrested a U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant who described himself as a white nationalist and had amassed a cache of weapons to "murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country," according to court documents. Christopher Paul Hasson, who is assigned to the Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington and lives in a Maryland suburb, was arrested on Friday on weapons and drugs charges, prosecutors said in court documents. The Office of the Federal Public Defender in Maryland did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the Coast Guard could not immediately be reached for comment.

In U.S., pope's summit on sex abuse seen as too little, too late

In the study of his home outside Washington, victims’ advocate Tom Doyle searched a shelf packed with books to find the thick report that led him to stop practicing as a priest and devote himself to helping those who had been sexually abused by clergymen. The 1985 report was one of the first exposes in a sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the Catholic Church. Pope Francis has called senior bishops to meet for four days starting on Thursday to discuss how to tackle the worsening crisis.