A former Connecticut state representative is set to be sentenced for stealing more than $1.2 million from the city of West Haven and using a chunk of it to fuel his gambling addiction

The trial of a former Florida sheriff's deputy charged with failing to confront the Parkland school shooter is set to begin

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to begin his first full day of presidential campaigning with a four-stop blitz through Iowa, trying to prioritize personally connecting with voters while proving he has the mettle to take on former President Donald Trump

Smoke from raging wildfires in Nova Scotia that has forced nearly 18,500 people to evacuate is spreading from Canada to the United States and impacting cities across the northeast on Tuesday, weather officials said.

Governor Ron DeSantis was in Iowa on Tuesday for his first rally of the 2024 Republican primary cycle — but his remarks were clearly aimed at a general election audience. The conservative governor punched at a whole host of familiar GOP foes during the evening event in west Des Moines, where voters will have the first crack at the Republican field of 2024 candidates. But Mr DeSantis himself did not swipe at any of those rivals. Instead, he focused his fire on the news media, the federal government and its related bureaucracy, and even the Disney corporation which has become embroiled in a feud with him in his home state. His list of targets was a choice selection of Republican red meat. Dr Anthony Fauci, Hunter Biden, critical race theory, “gender ideology” and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives were all up for skewering. So to was George Soros, the Jewish billionaire whose involvement in Democratic-leaning politics has spawned a host of antisemitic conspiracy theories on the right; Mr DeSantis attacked “Soros-backed prosecutors” who he blamed for supposedly refusing to enforce laws of which they disapprove. It was a campaign speech that had all the signs of both the strengths that propelled Mr DeSantis to victory twice in Florida as well as the weaknesses which may very well doom his 2024 bid for the presidency unless a major change in the status quo takes place. The main weakness it highlighted: Mr DeSantis’s unwillingness to engage in a direct fight with Donald Trump, his presumed rival for the GOP nomination. Mr Trump remains the steady favourite in all available polling of the upcoming contest, and it is difficult to see how the Florida governor reverses his recent polling slide without confronting the former president by name. That was one thing Mr DeSantis avoided completely on Tuesday, a fact that drew into question his claim to be willing to stand up to any rival or political foe who came forth. Worse, the governor took a few veiled shots at the leading candidate — references to a single term in the White House being insufficient to clear out the “swamp” in Washington, blame for “empower[ing]” Republican foes like Dr Fauci — but those attacks failed to draw serious blood and left watchers of the address wondering why Mr DeSantis is so hesitant to call out the man who has been personally and politcally degrading him in statements for weeks. “If you are faced with a destructive bureaucrat in your myths like a Fauci, you do not empower somebody like Fauci, you bring him into the office and you tell him to pack his bags, you are fired,” said the governor in one half-hearted attempt at landing a blow on his rival. In another: “At the end of the day leadership is not about entertainment. It's not about building a brand. It's not about virtue signaling. It is about results. And in Florida, we didn't lead with merely words. We followed up our words with deeds, and we have produced a record of accomplishment that we would put up against anybody in this country.“ More follows... Read More Fair-weather DeSantis’ climate change rejection is ‘politicization’ at its finest LGBTQ people are fleeing Florida in ‘mass migration’ with some fundraising via GoFundMe Ron DeSantis called out for ‘ignoring’ Hollywood beach shooting: ‘He doesn’t care’

A New Mexico man who called 911 to confess to the 2008 killing of his former landlord has been arraigned on a charge of first-degree murder

Two men from Texas made a court appearance to confront drug-possession and firearms-related charges in connection with a deadly shootout at a motorcycle rally in northern New Mexico that left three people dead

By Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 17 people and entities based in

The 11-year-old boy who was shot in the chest by a Mississippi police officer after he called 911 for help says he began praying and singing during what he thought would be his last moments alive, while his mother pushed down on his wound to stop the bleeding.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faced criticism on Tuesday for failing to issue a statement about the mass shooting in Hollywood, Florida that left nine people, including four children, injured. Mr DeSantis, who announced his campaign for US president last week, made no mention of the victims or event on his social media nearly a day after the shooting. Five adults and four children, including a one-year-old, suffered gunshot wounds after two groups of people engaged in gunfire at the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk on Monday. The shooting is one of over 260 to occur in the US so far this year. It comes just one month after Mr DeSantis signed legislation that will loosen restrictions on concealed carry on 1 July. The Independent has reached out to Mr DeSantis for comment. Florida Senator, and former governor, Rick Scott tweeted that he was “heartbroken and angry to see this senseless violence” and indicated he would monitor the situation. Representatives Maxwell Frost, Lois Frankel, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Frederica Wilson all acknowledged the shooting on their social media pages. California Governor Gavin Newsom called out Mr DeSantis on Twitter for passing the legislation and contributing to “this kind of senseless violence.” “Until our leaders have the courage to stop bowing down to the NRA and enact common-sense gun safety this kind of senseless violence will continue,” Mr Newsom wrote. Mr DeSantis’ press secretary Jeremy Redfern replied to Mr Newsom “Hi Gavin, How does a law that doesn’t take effect until July 1st change this outcome?” Besides Mr Redfern’s response to Mr Newsom’s tweet, Mr DeSantis’ office had not issued a statement about the shooting leading to some criticsm on Twitter. “9 people were shot in Hollywood, Florida and it sure as hell wasn’t by Drag Queens,” one Twitter user said. A Twitter user named David tweeted: “I kind of appreciate Ron DeSantis not even bothering to offer thoughts and prayers to victims of the mass shooting in Hollywood Beach last night. He doesn’t care. It’s more honest.” “So is Governor DeSantis going to pretend that a mass shooting didn’t happen in his state so that he can have his rally in Iowa? Has he even made a public statement about the shooting yet?” Another Twitter user wrote. One Twitter user asked: “Does Ron DeSantis even offer thoughts and prayers when his state has another mass shooting or is it just another Monday in Florida?” Six of the nine shooting victims remained in the hospital on Tuesday, while three had been treated and discharged. Hollywood Police said they arrested two people but were still looking for three persons of interest connected to the shooting. Read More Hollywood beach shooting – live: Photos show suspects on the run after nine shot on Florida boardwalk One-year-old among nine people wounded in Memorial Day mass shooting at Florida beach boardwalk A sunny Memorial Day at the beach upended by gunfire: What we know about the shooting in Hollywood, Florida

A man in Virginia has been arrested and charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of Eunice Dwumfour, a 30-year-old councilwoman who was found shot to death in her car in Sayreville, New Jersey in February, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office announced Tuesday.

The government in the Chinese territory says the changes are in line with legislation in Hong Kong.