Category: USA

A wildfire burning near Twin Lakes in Colorado has grown to 413 acres, doubling in size since Tuesday. Evacuation and pre-evacuation orders remain in place for the Interlaken area and surrounding areas. The fire is burning in a popular hiking and camping zone about 12 miles south of Leadville. Multiple agencies are battling the blaze, which started on Tuesday afternoon from an unknown cause. Authorities have closed some trails, roads, and dispersed camping areas, prioritizing public and firefighter safety in the difficult terrain. Flames crown in treetops at the Interlaken fire near Twin Lakes on June 11, 2024.

Donald Trump completed a mandatory pre-sentencing interview on Monday, lasting less than 30 minutes, with a New York City probation officer via video conferencing. The confidential report, required by law, will aid the judge in determining Trump’s punishment for his conviction in the hush money case when he is sentenced on July 11. Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors will receive copies of the report before sentencing.

Jurors in Wilmington, Delaware began deliberating on Monday whether to convict Hunter Biden on federal firearms charges over a 2018 gun purchase when prosecutors say he was addicted to crack cocaine. Prosecutors used testimony, texts, and photos alleging drug use, while the defense argued Biden didn’t consider himself an addict at the time. The high-profile trial has exposed details of President Biden’s son’s troubled past with substance abuse.

Boeing and NASA are preparing to launch the new Starliner space capsule on June 5 after scrubbing its inaugural test flight attempt on Saturday due to a ground system computer issue. The teams worked overnight to replace a faulty ground power supply unit that triggered an automatic abort during the countdown. The CST-200 Starliner’s first crewed flight to the International Space Station remains a crucial milestone for Boeing’s efforts to compete with SpaceX for NASA contracts. Once launched, the capsule is expected to reach the ISS in about 24 hours.  Photo: REUTERS/Joe Skipper

Former President Donald Trump became the first US president to be convicted of a crime after a New York jury found him guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to a porn star before the 2016 election. The verdict plunges the US into uncharted territory ahead of the 2024 presidential election, where Trump is seeking to win back the White House from President Joe Biden. Photo: Reuters/Seth Wenig

At the Libertarian National Convention, Donald Trump faced a raucous audience with loud boos and jeers, contrasting with the adulation he typically receives from supporters. Libertarians criticized Trump’s pandemic response and vaccine push. Despite the hostile reception, Trump appealed for Libertarian support, promising cabinet positions and commuting Ross Ulbricht’s sentence if elected, but was met with skepticism. His appearance signaled concern over third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s potential to siphon votes.

US health authorities announced a second human case of bird flu, caused by the H5N1 virus, in a dairy farm worker in Michigan. Like the first case in Texas, the Michigan worker had mild symptoms and recovered. The risk to the general public remains low, but the CDC expects more cases as the outbreak circulates widely among dairy cows. As of Wednesday, 52 US herds across 9 states were infected. While concerning, there’s no evidence yet of human-to-human transmission. Photo: Reuters

The Republican-led US House of Representatives passed a bill that would force President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel, rebuking him for delaying bomb shipments amid calls for Israel to better protect civilians during its war with Hamas in Gaza. The vote underscored deep US election-year divisions over Israel policy. While the bill is unlikely to become law, Republicans accused Biden of turning his back on Israel, while Democrats claimed the GOP was distorting Biden’s position for political gains. photo: AP/ Patrick Semansky

Barron Trump, the 18-year-old youngest son of former President Donald Trump, has withdrawn from being a delegate at the upcoming Republican Party convention in July. Initially, Barron’s planned participation as part of the Florida delegation made global headlines, but a statement from his mother Melania Trump’s office cited “prior commitments” as the reason for his withdrawal. Barron has largely been shielded from the public eye, unlike his siblings who have been actively involved in Trump’s political endeavors. Photo: AFP

The judge in Donald Trump’s hush money trial stated that the former president was “cursing audibly” and shaking his head in a “contemptuous” manner during Stormy Daniels’ testimony on Tuesday. Judge Juan Merchan warned Trump’s lawyers to temper their client’s behavior, noting it had the potential to intimidate the witness and jury. Trump’s attorneys unsuccessfully sought a mistrial based on Daniels’ explicit testimony about their alleged affair. Trump later called the case a “disgrace” and said he should be campaigning instead.  Photo: AFP