NEWS BRIEFING
Man held in homeless attacks in Calif. has criminal record
Jon David Guerrero, 39, was arrested Friday by police who heard a homeless man screaming after he was attacked.
Guerrero remained jailed Saturday on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and arson. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.
Police told reporters that they have no doubt they nabbed the man responsible for five attacks since July 3 that left three men dead. The victims — all homeless men — received serious upper-body injuries and two were set on fire.
Police said they have not determined a motive for the attacks.
Guerrero grew up in the wealthy community of Coronado, across the San Diego Bay, known for its mansions and picturesque beaches.
But since January he had been living in a rented one-room apartment in downtown's Alpha Square, a subsidized housing complex for the poor and homeless, KNSD-TV reported.
Bob McElroy, president of the Alpha Project, said he had met Guerrero.
“Nothing exceptional,” he told the TV station. “Very well mannered, ‘yes sir' and ‘no sir.' Cordial. Quiet. Loner.”
Guerrero has a history of criminal arrests and mental problems and spent time at a state mental hospital, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported citing public records.
Guerrero's criminal cases in San Diego date from 1999 to 2009.
The African Union summit Sunday is expected to discuss the continent's uneasy relationship with the International Criminal Court, which some say unfairly targets Africans.
Ahead of the summit, some African countries renewed efforts to quit the ICC en masse despite the opposition of some countries like Botswana. Nigeria, Senegal and Ivory Coast have been pushing back as well in recent days.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has led growing criticism of the ICC, calling it “useless” during his inauguration in May.
Some countries want a separate African court.
The Rev. Karen Oliveto was elected late Friday at a meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz., of the church's Western Jurisdiction. Oliveto is pastor of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco. She is the first openly gay bishop in the 12.7 million-member denomination.
The United Methodist Church is deeply divided over lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. Church law says same-gender relationships are “incompatible with Christian teaching.” But several regional districts are appointing gay clergy and allowing same-sex weddings in churches.
White ex-officer charged in death of black Atlanta resident
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said Saturday that James R. Burns, who was arrested Saturday, faces charges including felony murder in the June 22 shooting of Devaris Caine Rogers, 22.
Burns told investigators he shot a car that was “trying to run me over and kill me.”
But a police internal affairs investigation found that evidence contradicted Burns' version of what happened.
It showed Burns shot into a vehicle not knowing whether Rogers was the person he'd been called to investigate.
Burns also faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violation of his oath of office.
U.K.'s May boots another Cameron supporter
British Prime Minister Theresa May has made more changes to the government, removing another key supporter of predecessor David Cameron and appointing several new ministers.
Downing Street said Saturday that Arts Minister Ed Vaizey, a friend of Cameron, had left the government. Ros Altmann, Cameron's minister for pensions, was also dismissed, along with Business Minister Anna Soubry, a leading voice on the “remain” side during Britain's recent European Union referendum campaign.
May also backed staying in the EU but has appointed both “leave” and “remain” supporters to her Conservative government.
She has removed several veterans of the Cameron years, as well as rivals including Michael Gove, who ran against her for the party leadership.
Leaders of the nation's oldest civil rights organization on Saturday thanked the city for the warm welcome before a ribbon-cutting that officially opened the 107th NAACP convention.
The convention will include speakers, workshops and entertainment, running through Wednesday.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is scheduled to speak Monday. NAACP leaders say presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump turned down an invitation, citing scheduling conflicts with the RNC beginning Monday.
The convention will hear from Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops regained control of Kinsabba on Saturday after an offensive.
Andria Bishop Luigi Mansi led mourners Saturday in a stadium, where coffins of 13 of the 23 killed were laid side-by-side. Separate funerals are planned for the others.