AP National News

By LISA MASCARO AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is convening global leaders determined to show the world that democracy can still deliver. But as the president launches the administration’s inaugural Democracy Summit on Thursday the United States is facing some of the gravest threats in years to its democratic traditions and

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — The billionaire daughter of the Publix Super Markets founder has died after having early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. She was 65. Publix announced Wednesday that Carol Jenkins Barnett died Tuesday night at her home in Lakeland, Florida. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016. Barnett was one of seven children of Publix founder

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — A U.S. Coast Guard diver was lowered from a hovering helicopter to pull a body from a partly submerged vehicle stuck in the frigid rapids above Niagara Falls. Petty Officer 2nd Class Derrian Duryea, a Detroit-based rescue swimmer, spent about two minutes recovering the body from the car, as water

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings will continue as tag-team hosts of “Jeopardy!” through the rest of this season. The show’s producer, Sony Pictures Television, announced that the interim hosts will finish out the 38th season. Last September, Bialik and Jennings were announced as fill-in hosts after Sony’s efforts to replace the

By SYLVIA HUI Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced tighter restrictions to stem the spread of the omicron variant. He is again urging people to work from home and mandating COVID-19 passes to get into nightclubs and large events. Johnson said it was time to impose stricter measures to

BERLIN (AP) — The German news agency dpa reports that the relatives of a Chechen man shot dead in Berlin two years ago are accusing the Russian government of trying to “send a message” to its political enemies with his slaying. A 56-year-old Russian man is on trial in the German capital accused of carrying

By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for a Maryland woman charged along with her husband in a scheme to sell Navy submarine secrets to a foreign government are pushing back on prosecutors’ arguments that she was motivated to leave the United States because she was afraid of getting caught. The attorneys for

By BRIAN MELLEY and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A report filed with federal regulators reveals the offshore pipeline that spilled tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil off the Southern California coast in October did not have a fully functioning leak detection system. The report was filed by pipeline operator,

By DON BABWIN and SARA BURNETT Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett’s defense attorney says charges against the former “Empire” actor rely on the testimony of brothers who are “sophisticated liars” and “the worst type of criminals.” Nenye Uche said during his closing argument Wednesday that prosecutors’ case against Smollett is “built like a

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It would be an understatement to say that Simon Rex is drawing the best reviews of his life playing a down-and-out adult film star in Sean Baker’s “Red Rocket.” It’s not just acclaim that’s new to the 47-year-old sometimes actor, sometimes rapper and Los Angeles

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologized and ordered an inquiry after a leaked video showed senior members of his staff joking about holding a lockdown-breaching Christmas party. The video has poured fuel on allegations that Conservative government officials flouted coronavirus rules they imposed on everyone else.

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE Associated Press SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The defense team for fallen Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has rested its case in Holmes’ criminal fraud trial, setting up several days of preparation before closing arguments begin. Those arguments are scheduled to be held December 16-17. The case could be turned over to the

By THOMAS ADAMSON Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French authorities have announced that a man arrested at Paris-Charles De Gaulle Airport linked to the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was misidentified.The Paris General Prosecutor’s office issued a short statement Wednesday after over 24 hours of checks. It said that the man arrested Tuesday

By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for a Maryland woman charged along with her husband in a scheme to sell Navy submarine secrets to a foreign government are pushing back on prosecutors’ arguments that she was motivated to leave the United States because she was afraid of getting caught. The attorneys for

By AAMER MADHANI, VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV and DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden says that he has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow will face a severe economic pain if it tries to attack Ukraine, but promised prospective talks to address Russia’s concerns about NATO’s expansion. Biden said he was

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced tighter restrictions to stem the spread of the omicron variant. He is again urging people to work from home and mandating COVID-19 passes to get into nightclubs and large events. Johnson said it was time to impose stricter measures to prevent a spike of hospitalizations

By The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The fraud trial of fallen Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes continues Wednesday with additional cross-examination of Holmes and possibly additional testimony from other witnesses. Holmes, 37, has pleaded not guilty to charges of defrauding investors and patients by failing to deliver on her promise to revolutionize health care

TALLAHASEE, Fla. (AP) — Advocacy groups are criticizing the Florida Department of Education for removing an anti-bullying webpage from its site, saying the decision will harm LGBTQ students. A spokesman for the state education department on Wednesday said it removed the portal because it contained links to federal sites that “previously provided helpful guidance and information, but

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — A federal jury in Arkansas has begun deliberations in the trial of former reality TV star Josh Duggar, who is accused of receiving and possessing child pornography. The jury deliberated for five hours Wednesday, a week after the trial began, and will resume Thursday morning. Duggar faces up to 20 years