Expert: Chauvin never took knee off Floyd’s neck area
MINNEAPOLIS — Officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd’s neck area — and was bearing down with most of his weight — the entire 9 1/2 minutes the Black man lay facedown with his hands cuffed behind his back, a use-of-force expert testified Wednesday at Chauvin’s murder trial.
Tiger Woods was driving more than 80 mph when he crashed SUV
LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods was driving more than 80 mph — nearly twice the posted speed limit — on a downhill stretch of road when he lost control of an SUV and crashed in a wreck that seriously injured the golf superstar, authorities said Wednesday.
US military cites rising risk of Chinese move against Taiwan
WASHINGTON — The American military is warning that China is probably accelerating its timetable for capturing control of Taiwan, the island democracy that has been the chief source of tension between Washington and Beijing for decades and is widely seen as the most likely trigger for a potentially catastrophic U.S.-China war.
NRA boss says he didn’t tell group leaders before bankruptcy
DALLAS — Wayne LaPierre, the embattled leader of the National Rifle Association, said Wednesday that he put the powerful gun-rights group into bankruptcy without first informing most of its board members and top officials.
In bipartisan unity, police reform bills advance in Oregon
SALEM, Oregon — Republicans and Democrats on the Oregon House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved almost a dozen bills on police reform, a show of bipartisan unity in a Legislature that has been bitterly divided.
Summoning seniors: Big new push to vaccinate older Americans
CLARKSDALE, Miss. — The first hurdle was getting on the bus. Seventy-four year old Linda Busby hesitated outside a community center where older people were loading up to go get the coronavirus vaccine.
Discarded masks litter beaches worldwide, threaten sea life
SANDY HOOK, N.J. — To the usual list of foul trash left behind or washed up on beaches around the world, add these: masks and gloves used by people to avoid the coronavirus and then discarded on the sand.
More governors publicly vaccinated, but Florida’s kept mum
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has received a single-dose coronavirus vaccine, his office confirmed Wednesday. He did so out of the public eye even as governors elsewhere across the political spectrum have been vaccinated publicly to reassure Americans that the shots are safe.
Major economies support $650 billion boost in IMF resources
WASHINGTON — Finance officials of the world’s major economies on Wednesday agreed on a proposal to boost the resources of the International Monetary Fund by $650 billion as a way to provide more support to vulnerable countries struggling to deal with a global pandemic.
UK advises limiting AstraZeneca in under-30s amid clot worry
LONDON — British authorities recommended Wednesday that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine not be given to adults under 30 where possible because of strengthening evidence that the shot may be linked to rare blood clots.
Boy, 16, killed during Honolulu police car chase identified
HONOLULU — The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s office on Wednesday released the name of the 16-year-old boy shot and killed by police during a car chase.
Honolulu building plans examiner admits to taking bribes
HONOLULU — A Honolulu building plans examiner admitted during a court hearing Wednesday that she expedited a local architect’s projects in exchange for bribes.
Honolulu mayor wants eased virus restrictions despite uptick
HONOLULU — Honolulu’s mayor wants to change Oahu’s coronavirus guidelines to allow for less restrictions despite a growing number of COVID-19 cases on the island.
Murder conviction affirmed in case of pregnant Maui woman
WAILUKU — A Hawaii court ruling rejected the appeal of a man serving a life sentence for the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend.
Hawaii quarantines 81 football players due to COVID-19 cases
HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii on Tuesday placed 81 football players in quarantine after eight players tested positive for COVID-19 over the past week.
Timbers embraces community throughout pandemic
LIHU‘E — Timbers Kaua‘i at Hokuala is one of the many resort properties on Kaua‘i now accepting trans-Pacific visitors through the Hawai‘i Safe Travels program.
Koke‘e Nature Trail trampled Easter weekend
KOKEE — Easter celebrations in Koke‘e State Park over the weekend left native plants destroyed along a trail that runs behind the Koke‘e Museum.
2 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday
Tuesday’s cases were identified via the Enhanced Movement Quarantine or “Resort Bubble” post-travel test program. Contacts are being identified, directed to quarantine, and offered testing.
Cowden fined for unintentional ethics violations
LIHU‘E — For unintentionally violating the county’s Code of Ethics, Kaua‘i County Councilmember Felicia Cowden has paid a $500 fine.
Food pantry available for UH students at KCC Puhi campus facility
PUHI — Prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were two food-pantry programs being operated at Kaua‘i Community College.