By WAFAA SHURAFA and JACK JEFFERY Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees fired a number of its staffers in Gaza suspected of taking part in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and other militants on southern Israel, its director said Friday, prompting the United States — the
Continue ReadingBy STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson took a strong stand Friday against a bipartisan Senate deal to pair border enforcement measures with Ukraine aid, sending a letter to colleagues that aligns him with hardline conservatives determined to sink the compromise on border and immigration policy. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican,
Continue ReadingBy STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The National Football League has urged teams for years to hire more minority head coaches. That mission finally seems to be paying off. Four minority head coaches have been hired this year — Atlanta’s Raheem Morris, New England’s Jerod Mayo, Las Vegas’ Antonio Pierce and
Continue ReadingBy The Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin is pledging to make public the findings of Moscow’s investigation into the crash of a transport plane that he alleges Kyiv’s forces shot down despite having been informed Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board. In his first public remarks on Wednesday’s crash, Putin repeated previous comments
Continue ReadingBy Joan Biskupic, Devan Cole and Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — The Colorado voters trying to disqualify Donald Trump from the state ballot told the Supreme Court on Friday that the violence the former president provoked on January 6, 2021, qualifies as an insurrection under the terms of the Constitution and bars him from holding future office.
Continue ReadingCONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire veteran has admitted to faking his need for a wheelchair for 20 years to claim more than $660,000 in benefits he wasn’t entitled to. Forty-nine-year-old Christopher Stultz pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court on Thursday to one count of making false statements. He faces a maximum prison
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — JetBlue Airways warned that it may end its bid to acquire low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines as soon as this weekend after a federal judge blocked the deal, sending Spirit shares sharply lower Friday. Spirit shot back that it finds no reason to terminate the deal and will continue to meet its
Continue ReadingBy FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is raising concerns over a series of recent U.S. military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Members of Congress are urging the Biden administration to get congressional authorization before taking further military action in the Middle East. The coalition of nearly 30 House
Continue ReadingBy LARRY NEUMEISTER and JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump stormed out of closing arguments at his defamation trial Friday as a lawyer for E. Jean Carroll urged a jury to award at least $24 million in damages for the “storm of hate” caused by the former president as he reacted
Continue ReadingTHE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ top court issued a series of orders to Israel to protect Palestinians in Gaza to prevent genocide there. Friday’s ruling was one of the court’s most closely-watched since its creation in 1948. Among the measures, the court ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent the
Continue ReadingBy RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Republican governor announced in June 2022 that the state would use $75 million in federal pandemic relief funds to add security measures at schools. But more than 19 months and two deadly Iowa school shootings later, most of the money has not been
Continue ReadingBy TOM ODULA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s high court has blocked the U.N.-backed deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti to help the Caribbean country bring gang violence under control. High Court Judge Chacha Mwita ruled on Friday that Kenya’s National Security Council doesn’t have the authority to deploy regular police outside
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — A New York City woman has been charged with concealing a corpse after officers discovered a man’s head and body parts in her apartment’s refrigerator. New York City police say 45-year-old Heather Stines was charged Wednesday, two days after officers visited her Brooklyn apartment as part of wellness check. Court records
Continue ReadingPHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man who authorities say picked up a teenager awaiting trial in a homicide case after the youth escaped outside a Philadelphia hospital this week is now facing charges while the search for the teen continues. City police announced Friday that 18-year-old Michael Diggs is accused of hindering apprehension, escape, criminal conspiracy
Continue ReadingBy SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated Press Snowplows are essential to enduring winter in Minnesota, so maybe it’s not surprising that every year thousands of people vote on names for the giant machines that clear the state’s roads, such as Plowy McPlowFace and Darth Blader. The often-icy state began naming its 800 plows in 2020 and is
Continue ReadingBy SCOTT McFETRIDGE Associated Press Snowplows are essential to enduring winter in Minnesota, so maybe it’s not surprising that every year thousands of people vote on names for the giant machines that clear the state’s roads, such as Plowy McPlowFace and Darth Blader. The often-icy state began naming its 800 plows in 2020 and is
Continue ReadingBy Kevin Liptak, Alex Marquardt and Becky Anderson, CNN (CNN) — Efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza and broker a prolonged pause in fighting are at an important juncture as President Joe Biden deploys his point person on hostage talks to Europe for multiparty talks on the contours of a possible
Continue ReadingWRENTHAM, Mass. (AP) — A second Rhode Island man charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct in connection with the death of a fan at a New England Patriots game has pleaded not guilty. In a brief court appearance Friday, 39-year-old Justin Mitchell entered the plea over allegations that he and 59-year-old John Vieira
Continue ReadingBy Chandelis Duster and Nicole Chavez, CNN (CNN) — The American Museum of Natural History in New York and other museums across the United States are closing or adapting exhibits featuring Native American objects, in response to new regulations from the Biden administration. The regulations, which went into effect on January 12, require museums and federal agencies to consult and obtain informed consent from descendants,
Continue ReadingROSEVILLE, Mich. (AP) — Officers in a Detroit suburb found a furry surprise when they patted down a theft suspect: A tiny blue-eyed puppy zipped inside the man’s jacket pocket. Roseville police found the palm-sized blue pit bull puppy on Jan. 16 while arresting a man accused of stealing money from a bank customer. The
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