AP-Newswatch

When the US left Kabul, these Americans tried to help Afghans left behind. It still haunts them

Three years ago, the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan when the last American plane departed Kabul. But for some Americans, that was not the end of the story. In the three years since, a smattering of volunteers in the United States have worked to get some of the nation’s Afghan allies out of the Taliban-controlled country and into new lives abroad. Sometimes they work alone. Sometimes the work has been frustrating and has affected their mental health. They see it as a duty for those left behind who helped Americans at great risk to their own safety. And, they say, they need to fill in where the U.S. government hasn’t.

One day, their children didn’t make it back home. Faith helps these Mexican mothers’ search for them

MEXICO CITY (AP) — According to official data, at least 115,000 people have disappeared in Mexico since 1952. In the last two decades, specific causes and perpetrators have blurred as officials have fought drug cartels and organized crime has tightened its grip in several states. But human trafficking, kidnapping, acts of retaliation and forced recruitment are some of the reasons listed by human rights organizations. Among the relatives searching for their loved ones are mothers whose children never came back home. With whatever resources they find, and the support from various religious leaders, some find in their faith the strength to keep looking for answers about what happened to their children.

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and brother killed when bicycles hit by car on eve of sister’s wedding

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets has been killed after being hit by a car while riding a bicycle in his home state of New Jersey. He was 31. New Jersey State Police confirmed Gaudreau and brother Matthew were hit by a driver of a car on Thursday night in Salem County, not far from their native Carneys Point. Officials said the driver was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto. The Blue Jackets called it an unimaginable tragedy.

Murder conviction remains reinstated for Adnan Syed in ‘Serial’ case as court orders new hearing

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland’s highest court has reinstated Adnan Syed’s murder conviction and ruled a 2022 court hearing that freed him from prison violated the legal rights of the victim’s family and must be redone. Friday’s 4-3 ruling means Syed’s murder conviction remains reinstated for the foreseeable future. It comes about 11 months after the court heard arguments in a case that has been fraught with legal twists since Syed was convicted in 2000 of killing his high school ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Syed has been free since October 2022, and while the Maryland Supreme Court’s ruling reinstates his convictions, the justices did not order any changes to his release.

A centuries-old cemetery for people who were enslaved is reclaimed in New York

KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) — A historic cemetery for African Americans in Kingston, New York, is being reclaimed as the Pine Street African Burial Ground. People denied church burials were interred in the cemetery for more than 120 years until the late 19th century. The cemetery was covered over by a lumberyard as the city by the Hudson River grew. Archaeological excavations over the last three summers have located the remains of up to 27 people. Now money is being raised to turn the urban backyard into a respectful resting place. Advocates hope DNA and other tests will provide information on those buried there and possibly identify descendants.

Travelers are getting a head start on the Labor Day weekend, packing airports and highways

Airports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be packed across the U.S. this Labor Day weekend as a lot Americans mark the unofficial end of summer the same way they celebrated the season’s unofficial start: by traveling. After what’s already been a record-breaking summer for air travel, the Transportation Security Administration predicted its agents would screen more than 17 million people during a holiday period that started Thursday and runs through next Wednesday, about 8% more than last year. The TSA anticipates Friday to be the busiest day. Weather is the leading cause of flight delays. Forecasts call for rain from Texas to New England plus parts of Florida over the weekend.

How one Brazilian judge could suspend Elon Musk’s X

SAO PAULO (AP) — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice could shut down the local operation of X nationwide if its billionaire owner Elon Musk doesn’t name a legal representative. Earlier this month, X removed its remaining legal representative in Brazil, saying that Alexandre de Moraes had threatened her with arrest. On Wednesday, the justice ordered the social media platform to appoint a new representative within 24 hours. That’s based on his interpretation that local legislation requires foreign companies to have legal representation to operate in the country.