VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Supreme Court of the Canadian province of British Columbia on Friday blocked new provincial laws against public consumption of illegal substances. The ruling imposes a temporary injunction until March 31, with the judge saying “irreparable harm will be caused” if the laws come into force. The Restricting Public Consumption
Continue ReadingBy DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The S&P 500 closed out 2023 with a gain of more than 24% and the Dow finished near a record high, as easing inflation, a resilient economy and the prospect of lower interest rates buoyed investors, particularly in the last two months of the
Continue ReadingSTANFORD, Ky. (AP) — Police in Kentucky found a missing 16-year-old North Carolina girl under a trap door in the bedroom of a 34-year-old man after the man’s mother called authorities to report a domestic dispute between the two. That is according to arrest reports filed by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. When deputies arrived
Continue ReadingBy LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump say he may testify at a mid-January civil trial set to decide how much he owes a columnist for defaming her after she said he sexually abused her three decades ago in a Manhattan luxury department store. The lawyers filed
Continue ReadingBy GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — If Nick Saban cared about such things, he could count all the times Alabama has been a betting underdog since 2009 on one hand. He would have to use two of those fingers for the Crimson Tide’s last and next games, however. Fourth-seeded Alabama (12-1)
Continue ReadingBy DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The S&P 500 closed out 2023 with a gain of more than 24% and the Dow finished near a record high, as easing inflation, a resilient economy and the prospect of lower interest rates buoyed investors, particularly in the last two months of the
Continue ReadingBy DAVID SHARP Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s top election official could face an impeachment attempt in the state Legislature over her decision to keep former President Donald Trump off the Republican primary ballot. At least one Republican lawmaker has vowed to pursue impeachment against Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows despite long
Continue ReadingBy Pierre Meilhan, Bethlehem Feleke, and Tamar Michaelis, CNN (CNN) — South Africa has filed an application at the International Court of Justice to begin proceedings over allegations of genocide against Israel for its war against Hamas in Gaza, the court said on Friday. South Africa accuses Israel of being “in violation of its obligations
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — Visitors to Times Square got a small preview of New York City’s famed New Year’s Eve party on Friday, as the event’s organizers heaved handfuls of colored paper skyward in a promotional event to test their confetti. With crowds of celebrants expected to pack into Times Square for the festivities, even
Continue ReadingBy TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — After facings the likes of Dak Prescott, Tua Tagovailoa, Brock Purdy, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts this season, the New York Giants are in for another treat in the penultimate week of the regular season. They get to go against arguably the NFL’s hottest
Continue ReadingBy The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Consumer Product Safety Commission has ordered a recall of toys sold at Walmart.com containing powerful magnetic balls that could pose a hazard to children if swallowed. The agency said Friday that the balls, which are 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter, exceed federal standards for magnetic
Continue ReadingBy JOHN RABY Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia is issuing the first checks from a fund established up by the settlement of opioid lawsuits. The Kanawha County Commission says it received a $2.9 million check and plans to discuss how it will be spent at its next meeting on Jan. 11. Last
Continue ReadingBy MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s governor is standing firm on his plans to reject $18 million in federal funding to help feed children who might otherwise go hungry while school is out. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen issued a statement Friday defending his decision not to allow the state to
Continue ReadingBy Nick Valencia and Olivia LaBorde, CNN (CNN) — A civil rights leader who said he was asked to leave a movie screening because of a specialized chair he tried to use has called the incident a violation of his 14th Amendment rights. At a Friday news conference, Bishop William Barber, 60, said the situation
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. citizen living in Egypt sought to join the al Shabaab terrorist organization and wage violent jihad against America and its allies in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, federal prosecutors said Friday. Karrem Nasr, 23, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, was arrested Dec. 14 after flying from
Continue ReadingBy DAVID SHARP Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s top election official could face an impeachment attempt in the state Legislature over her decision to keep former President Donald Trump off the Republican primary ballot. At least one Republican lawmaker has vowed to pursue impeachment against Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows despite long
Continue ReadingBy DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The S&P 500 closed out 2023 with a gain of more than 24% and the Dow finished near a record high, as easing inflation, a resilient economy and the prospect of lower interest rates buoyed investors, particularly in the last two months of the
Continue ReadingDETROIT (AP) — A pair of former Detroit Tigers scouts sued the team, alleging age discrimination over their terminations after the 2020 season. Gary Pellant and Randall Johnson filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Detroit, claiming a shift toward analytics was accompanied by a “false stereotype” that older scouts lacked acumen for newer
Continue ReadingBy JAMES POLLARD Associated Press/Report for America COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The new judge handling the fallout over Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions plans to hold an evidentiary hearing late next month. Murdaugh’s lawyers want another trial in the killings of the former lawyer’s wife and younger son, citing allegations that the court clerk improperly influenced
Continue ReadingBy COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Police were still searching Friday for a Colorado woman suspected of killing her two young children and wounding a third after police initially responded to a report of a burglary in their home. Kimberlee Singler, 35, was cooperative at first with police investigating the Dec. 19 deaths
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