AP National News

By HAVEN DALEY Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Colo. (AP) — Colorado authorities say last week’s wildfire caused $513 million in damage and destroyed 1,084 homes and structures. It’s the first estimate of economic damage for the Dec. 30 blaze, the most destructive wildfire in state history. Boulder County released the new totals Thursday after further assessing

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A filing with state officials says the company that runs QVC is shutting down a North Carolina distribution center heavily damaged by a fire, putting nearly 2,000 people out of work. News outlets report that on Dec. 29, Qurate Retail Group filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining and Notification notice with

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Knoxville Fire Department officials say a fire that destroyed a Tennessee Planned Parenthood clinic was intentionally set. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that officials are looking for a suspect and asked the public to provide tips to the fire department. The building erupted in flames last Friday, with fire shooting through

By JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Houston police and city officials are investigating an hourslong delay by authorities in responding to a shooting early on New Year’s Day in which the 4-year-old grandniece of George Floyd was wounded while she slept in her Houston apartment.  The family of Arianna Delane says the

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A 44-year-old man from China admitted in court that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto while he worked in Missouri. Federal prosecutors say Haitao Xiang, formerly of Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Missouri to conspiracy to commit economic espionage. Federal prosecutors say Xiang transferred a trade

By MATTHEW LEE and ROBERT BURNS Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Top U.S. and Japanese officials are highlighting new defense agreements, including a five-year deal on sharing the cost of the American military presence in Japan. That deal ends a Trump-era row that had been an irritant in relations between Tokyo and Washington. U.S. Secretary

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations is warning that some U.N. agencies and aid groups will be forced to halt operations in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region if humanitarian supplies, fuel and cash are not delivered very soon. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday that no trucks with food

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — An Italian citizen charged with stealing numerous unpublished books has pleaded not guilty and will be released on bail despite prosecutors’ attempts to keep him incarcerated. Filippo Bernardini entered the plea Thursday in Manhattan federal court to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges lodged against

By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Classes in Chicago were canceled for a third consecutive day amid an ongoing fight with the teachers union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety protocols. Families in the nation’s third-largest district were notified of Friday’s cancelation on Thursday evening, noting that “in-person learning and activities may

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has slapped a travel ban on eight Cuban officials it says have been complicit in the repression of opposition protesters and other dissidents. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced visa restrictions on Thursday in a statement that condemned an ongoing crackdown on participants in demonstrations that began last July.

By CLAUDIA LAUER, MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Investigators are looking into whether a 5-year-old who was playing with a lighter set a Christmas tree on fire, sparking a conflagration that killed 12 family members in a Philadelphia rowhome. That’s according to a search warrant application revealed Thursday. City and

By CALVIN WOODWARD Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Jan. 6 insurrection anniversary has meant a day of solemn remembrance, but mainly for Democrats. Republicans are in large measure quiet about the assault on the U.S. Capitol a year ago. They say it’s time to move on. In remarks at the Capitol, President Joe Biden

By LISA MASCARO, ZEKE MILLER and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is forcefully accusing Donald Trump and his supporters of holding a “dagger at the throat of democracy” with his election lies that sparked last year’s deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol. Biden used the anniversary of the attack

By CALEB JONES Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — The Monsanto company pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally using and storing agricultural chemicals in Hawaii, and will pay $12 million in fines. Monsanto was charged with 30 environmental crimes after allowing workers to go into corn fields on Oahu in 2020 after a product named Forfeit 280

By MICHAEL BALSAMO and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The deputy director of the beleaguered federal Bureau of Prisons will leave his position at the end of May. He is the second top executive to announce a departure in as many days. Gene Beasley will retire from the agency on May 31.

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Keechant Sewell spent her entire policing career in suburban Long Island before recently becoming New York City’s first police commissioner from outside the department in over two decades. The new mayor says he picked her in part because of her poise in handling a mock

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Media coverage of the first anniversary of the U.S. Capitol attack reflected and reinforced differing political realities. Solemn remembrances dominated some of the coverage, while on outlets that appeal to Republicans, the coverage was considerably lighter. A CNN analyst said President Joe Biden’s speech may

By JIM HEINTZ Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Orthodox Christians in Russia, Serbia and other countries are holding Christmas observances amid restrictions aimed at dampening the spread of coronavirus. But few worshipers appeared concerned as they streamed into churches Thursday. The majority of Orthodox believers celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7,  with midnight services especially popular.