The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after King, has died at 84
CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson has died. He was 84. Jackson was a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King and became a leader of the Civil Rights Movement for decades after King was assassinated in 1968. A two-time presidential candidate, Jackson led a lifetime of political crusades. He advocated for the poor and underrepresented on issues from voting rights and job opportunities to education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders and channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms. He used his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to pressure executives to make America a more open and equitable society. His family confirmed he died Tuesday.
AP Was There: A profile of Jesse Jackson as he prepared his 1984 campaign for the presidency
CHICAGO (AP) — In 1983, The Associated Press profiled the Rev. Jesse Jackson when he was a 41-year-old civil rights activist preparing his historic 1984 campaign for the presidency. Jackson at the time described himself much like a prophet. In the ’60s, he battled for equal rights, picketing restaurants and marching for open housing. In the ’70s, he stressed self-respect and economic justice. In the '80s, he turned to leadership, making a run for president. Friends and foes described him similarly. They mention his ego, his drive, his grand ideas, his weakness as an organizer, and his clever courting of the media.
Iran temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz as it held latest round of indirect talks with US
GENEVA (AP) — Iran announced the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz for live fire military drills as its negotiators held another round of indirect talks with the United States in Geneva over its disputed nuclear program. It was the first time Iran has announced the closure of the key international waterway, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, since the U.S. began threatening Iran and rushing military assets to the region. It marks a further escalation in a weekslong standoff that could ignite another war in the Middle East. The talks lasted almost three hours before wrapping up, Iranian state media reported.
Lunar New Year prayers, robots and festivities usher in the Year of the Horse
BEIJING (AP) — People are celebrating the Lunar New Year with prayers, fireworks and street festivals for the Year of the Horse. On Tuesday, crowds gather at temples and events across Asia and beyond. In Hong Kong, people lined up at midnight to light incense and make wishes. In Vietnam, singers led countdown shows and fireworks light up city skies during Tet. In Moscow, two weeks of Lunar New Year events are underway with food stalls and red lanterns. In Taiwan, worshippers heard a temple bell ring 108 times and left flower offerings.
Police credit a good Samaritan for ending a deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink
A gunman who opened fire at a Rhode Island youth hockey game, killing two adults and injuring three others, was stopped after a fellow spectator intervened. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said Monday that the shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Goncalves says investigators think the shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket on Monday afternoon was targeted and may have involved a family dispute. Video online shows players and fans scrambling for cover and rushing to exits. Gov. Dan McKee says the state is grieving again after another recent mass shooting.
Russian and Ukrainian officials meet in Geneva for US-brokered talks after almost 4 years of war
GENEVA (AP) — Russian and Ukrainian delegations are meeting in Geneva for U.S.-brokered talks although both sides are far apart on issues such as land, security and a possible ceasefire. The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, posted photos on social media of the meeting at a Swiss hotel. The talks are due to run over two days. A person familiar with the talks said that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be taking part. The same person also said military chiefs will discuss how a ceasefire monitoring could work. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia’s latest drone and missile attacks undermine the push for peace.
EU privacy investigation targets Musk's Grok chatbot over sexualized deepfake images
LONDON (AP) — X faces a new EU privacy investigation after its Grok chatbot generated nonconsensual deepfake images on the platform. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said on Tuesday that it has opened the case under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. The regulator says Grok has created and shared sexualized images of real people, including children. Researchers say some examples appear to involve minors. X did not respond to a request for comment. X had added some limits to Grok, but European authorities weren't satisfied. X also faces other probes in Europe over illegal content and user safety. That includes Spain, which has has ordered prosecutors to investigate X, Meta and TikTok for alleged crimes related to AI-generated child sex abuse materials on their platforms.
Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigators work with Walmart after identifying suspect’s backpack
Investigators working on the disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother are consulting with Walmart management to develop leads. That's because a backpack the suspect was wearing is sold exclusively at Walmart stores. Chris Nanos, the sheriff of Pima County, Arizona, told The Associated Press in a text message on Monday that the suspect's “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” is the only clothing item that has been “definitively identified.” Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. The Federal Bureau of Investigation released surveillance videos of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door the night she vanished.
Trump administration ordered to restore George Washington slavery exhibit it removed in Philadelphia
A federal judge has ordered an exhibit about nine people enslaved by George Washington to be restored at his former home in Philadelphia after President Donald Trump’s administration took it down last month. The order came on Presidents Day, the federal holiday honoring Washington’s legacy. The city of Philadelphia sued last month after the National Park Service removed the panels from Independence National Historical Park. The removal followed a Trump executive order on “restoring truth and sanity to American history” at the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe said all materials must be restored while a lawsuit challenging the removal’s legality plays out.
Opening statements held in the trial of a Georgia high school shooting suspect's father
The trial has started for a man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school in 2024. Lawyers gave opening statements Monday in the case against Colin Gray. Prosecutors say Gray gave his son, Colt, access to a gun and ammunition despite warning signs. They link that decision to the four deaths at Apalachee High School. Investigators say the 14-year-old planned the attack and brought a rifle in his backpack. Gray's attorney says his client wasn't told about the planning and timing of the shooting and shouldn't be held criminally responsible The trial is being held in Winder, where the shooting happened, with jurors from nearby Hall County.
