USA

HOUSTON, April 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — Thousands of residents have been asked to evacuate as “half the state” of New Mexico faces the threat of growing wildfires, authorities said.

More than 20 wildfires were burning in at least 16 of the state’s 33 counties, fueled by gusty winds and drought conditions, the state’s governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said at an online news conference.

“Half the state has a fire issue,” said the governor. Since Friday, a state of emergency has been declared for five counties.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was expected to call for compromise in negotiations to replenish the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund and to pay frontline worker bonuses during his State of the State address on Sunday.

Legislative leaders are deadlocked on the unemployment insurance issue, causing an automatic tax increase on employers statewide after lawmakers missed a March 15 deadline.

DALLAS (AP) — The retrial of a man charged with killing 18 older women in the Dallas area over a two-year span is set to begin Monday, after the first jury to hear a case against him deadlocked.

Billy Chemirmir, 49, faces life in prison without parole if he’s convicted of capital murder in the smothering of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris. Prosecutors have said he followed the widow home from Walmart, killed her, and stole her jewelry and cash.

NEW YORK (AP) — In the aftermath of their hard-won labor victory, Amazon workers in the New York City borough of Staten Island popped Champagne, cheered their victory and danced in celebration. But their jovial attitude will be tested by a company that seems likely to drag its feet to the bargaining table.

Among other things, the nascent Amazon Labor Union, or ALU, has said it wants longer breaks for warehouse employees, more time off and a dramatically higher minimum hourly wage of $30, up from just over $18 an hour now at the Staten Island facility.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — At home, two-term Republican Sen. John Boozman is known as an unassuming figure who talks almost in a whisper and is more comfortable chatting about policy or the University of Arkansas Razorbacks’ football record than giving fiery speeches.

But you wouldn’t know that if you turned on the television lately.

MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Sundays at the Bullock home in rural Kentucky were filled with lasting memories: big family dinners, cornhole, basketball and karaoke.

Those gatherings ended the night of Dec. 10, when a massive tornado obliterated their Dawson Springs house, trapping Chris Bullock, 17-year-old son Stevie and miniature poodle Dewey under a crumbled brick wall in the basement. Her husband pulled them from the rubble with minor injuries, but the house where she and her family lived for 26 years was gone.

MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Sundays at the Bullock home in rural Kentucky were filled with lasting memories: big family dinners, cornhole, basketball and karaoke.

Those gatherings ended the night of Dec. 10, when a massive tornado obliterated their Dawson Springs house, trapping Chris Bullock, 17-year-old son Stevie and miniature poodle Dewey under a crumbled brick wall in the basement. Her husband pulled them from the rubble with minor injuries, but the house where she and her family lived for 26 years was gone.

(AP) --- COVID-19 vaccinations are at a critical juncture as companies test whether new approaches like combination shots or nasal drops can keep up with a mutating coronavirus — even though it’s not clear if changes are needed.

Already there’s public confusion about who should get a second booster now and who can wait. There’s also debate about whether pretty much everyone might need an extra dose in the fall.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ′ deepening feud with Walt Disney World is testing the limits of his combative leadership style while sending an unmistakable message to his rivals that virtually nothing is off limits as he plots his political future.

WASHINGTON, Apr 23 (APP): The United States Friday welcomed a Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC)’s statement ruling out foreign conspiracy behind Imran Khan’s ouster from power, saying Islamabad is critical to Washington’s interests.

Responding to a question at the daily news briefing, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said, “So, as we have continued to say all along, there’s absolutely no truth to those rumours, so we welcome this statement.