North America

UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on Wednesday to seek opinion of the world body's principal judicial organ on countries' obligations to address climate change.

The resolution, put forward by Vanuatu and adopted by consensus, requests for non-binding advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of states in respect of climate change.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter says it has removed thousands of tweets showing a poster promoting a “trans day of vengeance” protest in support of transgender rights in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

Ella Irwin, Twitter’s head of Trust and Safety, said in a tweet Wednesday that the company automatically removed more than 5,000 tweets and retweets of a poster promoting the event.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Hundreds gathered Wednesday at a candlelight vigil in Nashville to honor and mourn the three children and three adults who were killed in a shooting at a Christian school this week.

The downtown ceremony for the victims of the shooting at The Covenant School was somber and at times tearful, as speaker after speaker read the names of the victims and offered condolences to their loved ones. The family of Mike Hill, a 61-year-old custodian who was among those killed, was in attendance, including his seven children.

SAN MARTIN JILOTEPEQUE, Guatemala (AP) — The last Ana Marina López heard of her husband, the 51-year-old Guatemalan migrant told his family that he was being detained by Mexican immigration agents at the U.S.-Mexico border.

That was two days before a fire in an immigration detention center in Ciudad Juárez claimed the lives of at least 39 migrants and left more than two dozen injured.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Two Army helicopters crashed Wednesday night in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission, causing “several” casualties, military officials said.

The two HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, crashed around 10 p.m. Wednesday in Trigg County, Kentucky, according to a statement from Fort Campbell.

The 101st Airborne confirmed the crash, saying on Twitter it resulted in “several casualties” but did not specify whether those were injuries or deaths.

WASHINGTON, March 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stated plan to deploy nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, branding it “dangerous” talk.

“This is dangerous kind of talk and it’s worrisome,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

The Kremlin leader announced on Saturday that he was ordering the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, run by fellow authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko as one of Russia’s closest allies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is opening his second Summit for Democracy with a pledge for the U.S. to spend $690 million bolstering democracy programs around the globe.

The Biden administration wants to use the two-day summit that begins Wednesday to zero in on making “technology work for and not against democracy,” according to a senior administration official. Some 120 global leaders have been invited to participate.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Gov. Pedro Pierluisi announced new solar energy initiatives on Tuesday during his annual state of the territory address, a speech viewed by many as critical as he fights plummeting ratings amid growing discontent over costly electric bills, government corruption and slow-moving hurricane reconstruction.

The more than hourlong speech and ceremony at the U.S. territory’s seaside Capitol was powered entirely by generators to avoid any potential interruptions given the ongoing instability of the island’s crumbling power grid.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s sheriffs would be required to help federal agents who are interested in picking up jail inmates they believe are in the country illegally in legislation approved by the state House on Tuesday.

The 71-44 affirmative vote marks a key step in yet another effort by Republicans at the General Assembly to force sheriffs in several urban counties to work more closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after they declined to cooperate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the federal budget standoff, the majority of U.S. adults are asking lawmakers to pull off the impossible: Cut the overall size of government, but also devote more money to the most popular and expensive programs.

Six in 10 U.S. adults say the government spends too much money. But majorities also favor more funding for infrastructure, health care and Social Security — the kind of commitments that would make efforts to shrink the government unworkable and politically risky ahead of the 2024 elections.