- ALBUQUERQUE HOMICIDES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The city of Albuquerque has now surpassed 100 homicides since the start of the year. The Albuquerque Journal reports a man officers found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Sunday night is the city's 101st homicide victim. Several hours earlier around 1 a.m. police responded to a shooting at an Albuquerque food market that left one man dead and another wounded. Albuquerque is now at its its highest homicide total and rate in recorded history. Police Chief Harold Medina says the department is devoting resources to the increase in homicides. Mayor Tim Keller signed an executive order last month creating a task force to focus on gun violence.
- BC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVAJO NATION
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation has reported 60 more COVID-19 cases but no new deaths. The latest numbers released Sunday pushed the tribe's totals to 37,411 confirmed COVID-19 cases from the virus since the pandemic began more than a year ago. The known death toll remains at 1,498. Tribal officials still are urging people to get vaccinated, wear masks while in public and minimize their travel. All Navajo Nation executive branch employees had to be fully vaccinated against the virus by the end of September or submit to regular testing. The tribe's reservation is the country's largest at 27,000 square miles and covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
- AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The U.S. has fully reopened its borders with Mexico and Canada and lifted restrictions on travel that covered most of Europe. The new rules set the stage for emotional reunions nearly two years in the making and provided a boost for the travel industry decimated by the pandemic. Lines moved quickly Monday morning at San Diego's border with Mexico, the busiest crossing in the United States. That's despite the added checks for vaccinations required to enter the country. The new rules also allow air travel from a series of countries from which it has been restricted since the early days of the pandemic. Air travelers need proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test.
- AP-AS-MYANMAR-US-RICHARDSON
BANGKOK (AP) — Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson acknowledges criticism of his humanitarian visit to Myanmar last week, but says he feels his trip was constructive. Richardson, also a former governor of New Mexico, is the most high-profile American to visit the Southeast Asian nation since its military seized power in February. He traveled there last week to discuss delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies and other public health needs. The U.S. government shuns Myanmar's military-installed government and urges a return to democracy. Opponents of the government who are conducting a militant civil disobedience campaign want the outside world to treat the generals as pariahs, so Richardson ran into a storm of online criticism for engaging with the government.
- AP-US-CLIMATE-DIRECT-AIR-CAPTURE
NEW YORK (AP) — Leading scientific agencies say even if the world manages to stop producing harmful emissions, that won't be enough to stop a climate catastrophe. They say we need to suck massive amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air and put it back underground. Just a few years ago, this technology, known as "direct air capture," was seen by many as an unrealistic fantasy. But the technology has evolved to where people consider it a serious tool in fighting climate change.
- FATAL MOTORCYCLE CRASH
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police in Albuquerque say they are investigating a fatal hit-and-run involving a car and a motorcycle. They say officers responded to the scene around 9 p.m. Saturday. Police say the motorcyclist died at the scene. The name, age and gender of the victim weren't immediately released. Witnesses told police they saw a white four-door car flee the scene. Investigators believe speed was a factor in the crash. Witnesses say the motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed when the sedan pulled out from a hotel and turned onto a street. The brakes of the motorcycle reportedly locked up and the bike began to skid. Witnesses say the motorcycle went down and the rider may have struck the car, which then left the scene.
- ALBUQUERQUE-FATAL SHOOTING
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Police in Albuquerque say they are investigating a homicide after two men were shot and one of them died. They say the shooting occurred around 1 a.m. Sunday at a food market. Police say one man died at the scene and the other was transported to the hospital. The condition of the survivor isn't immediately known. Police say their investigation is ongoing.
- AP-US-NAVAJO-SMOKING-BAN
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The leader of the largest Native American reservation in the U.S. signed legislation Saturday to ban smoking in many indoor locations, including the tribe's casinos. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez calls the ban "a monumental achievement and bold step in the right direction to promote healthy living" among the Navajo people. Tribal lawmakers approved the bill in October. It prohibits the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, electronic cigarettes and other commercial products in public buildings and workspaces, including a 25-foot buffer outdoors. The ban would not apply to the ceremonial use of tobacco or in homes unless they are being used as businesses.