10 Local Stories of the Week
There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.
Lawyers Seek Class Status for Miss. Prison Lawsuit
Lawyers suing the state over conditions at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility near Meridian have asked a federal judge to certify them to represent all inmates there.
Palestinian Leader in New UN Bid to End Occupation
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel on Friday of conducting a "war of genocide" and a "series of absolute war crimes" during the 50-day summer conflict in Gaza, but stopped short of saying he will pursue war crime charges against the Jewish state at the International Criminal Court.
Syrian Refugees See Future in Continental Europe
Surrounded by compatriots among a row of white canvas tents and prefabricated homes, Bahjat Molla sings mournfully of missing his Latakia home, of the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, of sitting with his mother.
US-Led Strikes Hit IS Group as Coalition Grows
American warplanes and drones hit Islamic State group tanks, Humvees, checkpoints and bunkers in airstrikes Friday targeting the extremists in Syria and Iraq, as the U.S.-led coalition expanded to include Britain, Denmark and Belgium.
Stewpot to Close Two Shelters
Stewpot Community Services may have to close two of its emergency shelters at the beginning of next year due to a decrease in funding in 2014.
Rewind: T.I. Gets Key to Jackson, AG Holder Steps Aside and Life After Lumumba
T.I. could have had whatever he liked in Jackson this week. After traveling to several Jackson schools to talk to local students, the rapper was given the key to the city on Wednesday.
Zero the Blue Heeler
Zero, Swell-O-Phonic owner Ron Chane's blue heeler best bud, has been a Jackson icon practically since birth.
Police, Protesters Scuffle After Ferguson Apology
Police and protesters clashed briefly in Ferguson just hours after the St. Louis suburb's police chief issued an apology to the family of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old who was fatally shot by a white police officer last month.
Rain Helps Reduce Threat from California Wildfire
Helpful rains and more than 8,000 firefighters brought solid advances against a huge wildfire in Northern California, leading evacuations to dwindle and the number of threatened homes to fall from thousands to just a few hundred.
European Flight Safety Regs: Electronics Allowed
Passengers on European airlines may soon be able to use portable electronics including cell phones and tablet computers any time during flights, under new safety guidelines issued Friday.
6 Charter School Applications to be Considered
Mississippi's Charter School Authorizer Board says groups have submitted six eligible applications to open schools in the current cycle.
Better Options for JPS’ Boys of Color?
Dr. Cedrick Gray, the eternally upbeat bowtie-wearing superintendent of the Jackson Public Schools, says there was a time when he was a hardheaded little boy coming up in Memphis.
Resigning AG Eric Holder Was Key in Mississippi Cases
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the nation's first African American AG and one of the longest-tenured members of first-black-President Barack Obama's cabinet, is stepping down.
Administration Says Hospitals Will Save $5.7B from Unpaid Bills Due to Health Law
Hospitals are projected to save $5.7 billion this year as previously uninsured patients gain coverage through the 2010 health care law, the Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday.
Sierra Leone Cordons Off 3 Areas to Control Ebola
Sierra Leone restricted travel Thursday in three more "hotspots" of Ebola where more than 1 million people live, meaning about a third of the country's population is now under quarantine.
Ukraine's Poroshenko Sure that Peace is on the Way
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he believes the conflict with Russia-backed separatists in the east is on the wane and that peace efforts will work.
US-Led Strikes Hit IS-Held Oil Sites in Syria
U.S.-led airstrikes targeted Syrian oil installations held by the extremist Islamic State group overnight and early Thursday, killing at least 19 people as the militants released dozens of detainees in one of their strongholds, fearing further raids, activists said.
Navajo to Get $554 Million in Settlement with U.S.
The Navajo Nation will receive more than $550 million as part of a settlement with the federal government that officials say is the largest of its kind.
