Men on trial for Ahmaud Arbery death, strikes in Haiti, Apple event: 5 things to know Monday

Editors

October 18, 2021 at 6:59 AM·4 min read

Murder trial of 3 men in death of Ahmaud Arbery starts

The murder trial of the three white men charged in the death of 25-year-old Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery is set to begin Monday, a case where no arrests were made for months until video of the shooting emerged publicly and sparked protests. Arbery was fatally shot while jogging just outside the city of Brunswick, about 70 miles south of Savannah in Georgia, on Feb. 23, 2020. The video of his last moments recorded by one of the defendants is at the center of the case. Public figures including civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms have condemned the killing, calling it a “lynching.” The defendants' attorneys say the men pursued Arbery to make a citizen’s arrest because they suspected he was a burglar and that Travis McMichael shot Arbery in self-defense.

Video shows Arbery 'engaged in no illegal activity,' lawyers say
Man who recorded shooting was a witness, lawyer says

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Strike planned after US missionaries abducted in Haiti

U.S. officials are working with Haitian authorities to try to secure the release of 12 adults and five children who were kidnapped on Saturday. The 16 Americans and one Canadian were in the country with the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries. Police said the group were abducted by a gang called 400 Mawozo as they left a Haitian orphanage. It came days after a team of U.S. officials visited the country and pledged $15 million to help reduce gang violence. The National Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti called for a nationwide strike Monday to denounce increasing security breakdowns in the country. In recent months, 400 Mawozo members have increasingly engaged in mass kidnappings involving buses and carloads of victims. In April, the gang kidnapped five priests and two nuns, prompting multiple Catholic universities and schools to close in protest.

'I lost everything': As the world focuses on Del Rio, the people of Haiti focus on survival

Vaccine deadline looms for Washington State coach

Washington State won its third straight game Saturday, a dramatic 34-31 win over Stanford. It also might have been the final game for its head coach. Nick Rolovich, who is not yet vaccinated, faces a Monday deadline to get the COVID-19 vaccine or get approved for a religious exemption, which he is seeking. The vaccine mandate was levied by the state of Washington for all state employees. If employees don't get the vaccine or an exemption by Oct. 18, they will be fired. Rolovich said he "believes it's going to work out the right way" for him to keep his job, but "I don't think this is in my hands."

ESPN loses reporter: Alison Williams leaving network over vaccine mandate

New MacBooks, AirPods on the way?

Tech giant Apple on Monday hosts a virtual event where it is widely expected to reveal a new generation of MacBooks and possibly a new set of AirPods. The event comes after Apple rolled out the iPhone 13 last month as well as released iOS 15, the latest version of its mobile operating system. It also kicks off a big week in tech: Google on Tuesday hosts its own virtual stream focused on its Pixel smartphone, while Samsung on Wednesday will host an event to show how it is "opening up new experiences for self-expression through technology."

Too much chaos on your phone? Time to organize your apps

'Wendy Williams Show' to premiere without show's star: Wendy Williams

What's "The Wendy Williams Show" without Wendy Williams? We'll find out Monday.The TV personality will be sitting out the Season 13 premiere of her talk show as she continues to deal with medical issues, according to a post on the series' Instagram page. "She is making progress but is experiencing serious complications as a direct result of Graves' disease and her thyroid condition," the show said. "It has been determined that more time is needed before she is able to return to her live hosting duties." The show was previously scheduled to start Sept. 20. Medical issues delayed the premiere to Oct. 4, then to Oct. 18.

More on talk shows: Candace Cameron Bure reflects on stress of co-hosting 'The View': 'It was so difficult'

Wendy Williams will be sitting out the Season 13 premiere of her talk show.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ahmaud Arbery, Apple event, Nick Rolovich: 5 things to know Monday

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