Charges dismissed against Philadelphia officer in fatal traffic-stop shooting

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A judge dismissed murder and other charges Tuesday against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver through a rolled-up driver’s side window, agreeing with defense attorneys who said the officer could have feared for his life because he thought the driver had a gun. Police body camera footage showed the driver, 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry, holding a knife near his right leg as police approached his stopped vehicle on a residential street after a short pursuit prompted by erratic driving.

More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of additional students in schools serving low-income communities will be eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost under a rule change announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At schools where 25% of families participate in income-based public benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, the federal government now will cover the cost of free meals for all enrolled students. Previously, the qualifying threshold was 40%. Roughly 3,000 additional school districts serving more than 5 million students will now be eligible, officials said.

Woman dies after falling from a cliff at a Blue Ridge Parkway scenic overlook

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (AP) — A South Carolina woman died after falling from a scenic overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina, according to the National Park Service. Park service dispatchers received a report of a woman who fell down a steep cliff at Glassmine Falls Overlook on Saturday afternoon, officials said in a news release. Rescuers found 61-year-old Nancy Sampson of Greer, South Carolina, about 150 feet below the overlook and park service law enforcement rangers confirmed that the woman had succumbed to injuries from her fall, officials said.

Rioter who trained for a ‘firefight’ with paintball gets over four years in prison

(AP) — A California man whom prosecutors say was fixated on arresting Democratic leaders and training for combat with paintball fights after the 2020 presidential election was sentenced on Tuesday to more than four years in prison for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot. Edward Badalian planned for weeks before he and a friend traveled from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., and joined a mob in storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to prosecutors. They said Badalian organized group paintball sessions to train for a “firefight” and fantasized about meting out “vigilante justice” against politicians he believed to be “traitors.”

Amazon sued by FTC and 17 states over allegations it inflates online prices

(AP) — U.S. regulators and 17 states are suing Amazon over allegations the e-commerce behemoth abuses its position in the marketplace to inflate prices on and off its platform, overcharge sellers and stifle competition. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Amazon’s home state of Washington, is the result of a yearslong investigation into the company’s businesses and one of the most significant legal challenges brought against it in its nearly 30-year history. The Federal Trade Commission and states that joined the lawsuit allege Amazon is violating federal and state antitrust laws