NATION/WORLD BRIEFING
2 shot, 1 dead after homecoming event at South Carolina college
DENMARK, S.C. – One man died and another was injured after they were shot after a homecoming party on a South Carolina college campus. Voorhees College in Denmark celebrated its homecoming Friday. The school said in a statement that the two men were shot later that night after an event on campus.
The school said neither of the two shooting victims was a student at the school. The shooter had not been identified. The residential side of the campus was on lockdown, and only students, faculty and staff with proper ID or decal were allowed to enter.
George W. Bush, Laura Bush honored for work with veterans
PHILADELPHIA – Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush are this year’s recipients of the National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal for their commitment to veterans.
Former Vice President Joe Biden presented the award to the couple at the Philadelphia History Museum on Sunday, Veterans Day.
Biden says the commitment veterans and their families give to America is why the initiatives like the Bush Institute are “critically important.” He commends “their efforts to honor and assist these brave men and women.”
Professor sues over rebuke for calling transgender student male
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – A professor is suing officials at his small, public university in Ohio after receiving a written warning for violating its nondiscrimination policy by not addressing a transgender student using the gender terms preferred by the student.
Nicholas Meriwether filed a federal lawsuit last week against officials at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, 85 miles south of Columbus. He contends they violated his rights by compelling him to speak in a way that contradicts his religious beliefs as a Christian.
Meriwether argued he didn’t discriminate and that he treated the student like “other biologically male students.” He unsuccessfully challenged his reprimand in a grievance process.
Migrant caravan heads to central Mexican city of Irapuato
QUERETARO, Mexico – Local Mexican officials were once again Sunday helping thousands of Central American migrants find rides on the next leg of their journey toward the U.S. border.
At a toll plaza to the west of the central Mexico city of Queretaro, where the group spent Saturday night, police helped find trucks to take migrants and prevented them from trying to stop drivers themselves.
The government of Queretaro said via Twitter that 6,531 migrants had moved through the state between Friday and Saturday. It said that 5,771 of those were departing Sunday morning after staying in three shelters it had prepared, the largest of which was a soccer stadium in the state capital.
Israeli leader criticized for money transfer to Gaza
JERUSALEM – Israel’s prime minister on Sunday defended his decision to allow the transfer of $15 million from Qatar to Gaza’s Hamas rulers, rejecting criticism that the move had strengthened the Islamic militant group.
Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters that it was “the right step” at the moment, and that he was committed to restoring quiet along the Israel-Gaza frontier and preventing a humanitarian crisis in the coastal Palestinian territory.
Israeli critics, including members of his hard-line coalition, accused Netanyahu of capitulating to violence and of granting relief to the embattled Hamas group.
US-backed Syrian fighters resume offensive against IS
BEIRUT – U.S.-backed Syrian fighters resumed their ground offensive Sunday against the Islamic State group in the last territories controlled by the extremists in eastern Syria.
The Syrian Democratic Forces said in a statement that the decision to resume the fighting came after threats from Turkey against the Kurdish-led force dropped due to diplomatic activities.