By MIKE CATALINI Associated Press TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey’s Democratic-led state government is considering legislation that would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortion. Gov. Phil Murphy has called on the Legislature to back the bill before the summer. The state already has laws protecting abortion rights and requiring insurers to cover abortion, but among
Continue ReadingANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska State Troopers say a woman and five children have died in a house fire in rural northwest Alaska. Troopers said Thursday that the remains of the six have been recovered. The home was in the Inupiat village of Noovik. The bodies have been sent to the state medical examiner in
Continue ReadingBy KIM CHANDLER Associated Press ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — Unless blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court, Alabama will attempt to put a man to death with nitrogen gas Thursday night, a never before used execution method that the state claims will be humane but critics call cruel and experimental. Kenneth Eugene Smith, a 58-year-old convicted
Continue ReadingBy AMY TAXIN Associated Press SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A jury on Thursday convicted a California man of murder for shooting to death a 6-year-old boy who was riding in the back of his mother’s car on a busy freeway. Jurors in Orange County found 26-year-old Marcus Eriz guilty of second-degree murder in the
Continue ReadingBy AMY TAXIN Associated Press SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A jury on Thursday convicted a California man of murder for shooting to death a 6-year-old boy who was riding in the back of his mother’s car on a busy freeway. Jurors in Orange County found 26-year-old Marcus Eriz guilty of second-degree murder in the
Continue ReadingBy PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Law enforcement officers say Maine’s yellow flag law that allows guns to be confiscated from someone in a mental health crisis is cumbersome and time consuming. They addressed their concerns Thursday to an independent commission that is investigating a mass shooting in which an Army reservist
Continue ReadingROME (AP) — A scandal over an Italian influencer’s Christmas-cake involvement that authorities alleged misled consumers has inspired a government crackdown. The Italian Cabinet on Thursday approved proposed legislation that would provide for fines as high as 50,000 euros ($55,000) in case manufacturers don’t clearly label products to indicate just what percentage of the sales
Continue ReadingBy MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press A federal judge has ruled that a Pennsylvania law making it a crime to release information about teacher disciplinary complaints is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. The judge sided with a school board member who wanted to publicize a misconduct allegation against his son’s school psychologist without fear
Continue ReadingCNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Personal Birth date: February 12, 1965 Birth place: Washington, DC Birth name: Brett Michael Kavanaugh Father: Everett Edward Kavanaugh Jr., president of a trade association Mother: Martha Kavanaugh, teacher, prosecutor and judge Marriage: Ashley (Estes) Kavanaugh Children: Liza
Continue ReadingCNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here is a look at the life of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and environmentalist Carole King. Personal Birth date: February 9, 1942 Birth place: New York, New York Birth name: Carol Joan Klein Father: Sydney Klein, New York City fire lieutenant Mother: Eugenia (Cammer) Klein, speech therapist Marriages: Rick Sorenson (1982-divorced); Rick
Continue ReadingCNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Personal Birth date: February 11, 1964 Birth place: Sandpoint, Idaho Birth name: Sarah Louise Heath Father: Charles Heath, a teacher Mother: Sarah (Sheeran) Heath Marriage: Todd Palin (1988-2020, divorced) Children: Trig, April
Continue ReadingCNN Editorial Research (CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida. Personal Birth date: February 11, 1953 Birth place: Midland, Texas Birth name: John Ellis Bush Father: George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States Mother: Barbara (Pierce) Bush Marriage: Columba (Garnica Gallo) Bush (February 23, 1974-present)
Continue ReadingBy Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — The first full moon of the new year, known as the wolf moon, will shine in the night sky Thursday. January’s full moon reached peak illumination at 12:54 p.m. ET, but it will appear full through Friday evening, according to NASA. Expect the bright orb to rise in the
Continue ReadingBy CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Survivors say gunmen killed at least 50 villagers over two days in Nigeria’s north-central Plateau state. The attacks prompted a 24-hour curfew and calls for authorities to end violence between nomadic cattle herders and farming communities. No group took responsibility Thursday for the killings over a
Continue ReadingBy JOSHUA GOODMAN Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — A group of Senate Republicans is urging the Justice Department to release its investigative file on a key financial fixer for Venezuela’s socialist government pardoned by President Joe Biden ahead of trial on money laundering charges. Alex Saab was released from federal prison last month as part
Continue ReadingANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey has published a measure approving Sweden’s membership in NATO in its official gazette. That finalizes the ratification, bringing the previously nonaligned country a step closer to joining the military alliance. Hungary now remains the only NATO ally not to have ratified Sweden’s accession. Turkey’s parliament endorsed Sweden’s accession in a
Continue ReadingBy DIANE JEANTET Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s federal police are investigating the former head of the nation’s intelligence agency as part of a probe into alleged spying on political opponents under former President Jair Bolsonaro. An officer with knowledge of the operations has told The Associated Press that Alexandre Ramagem was
Continue ReadingBy JAKE OFFENHARTZ, JENNIFER PELTZ, and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump began testifying Thursday in a New York defamation trial to determine how much he might owe the advice columnist E. Jean Carroll for disparaging her as a liar after she publicly accused him of a decades-old rape in 2019.
Continue ReadingBy COLLEEN BARRY AP Business Writer MILAN (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is slamming carmaker Stellantis, accusing it of weakening Italy’s industrial footprint since the merger of FiatChrysler and Peugeot that created the world’s fourth largest auto maker. As one of Italy’s top private sector employers, Fiat and its successors, FiatChrysler and then Stellantis,
Continue ReadingBy KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s top Republican lawmakers say they have no issue with the state’s strict policy on restoring voting rights for those convicted of a felony. GOP leaders added Thursday that people shouldn’t have violated the law if they wanted to continue casting ballots. Earlier this week, Tennessee’s
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