Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says the United States doubled the number of forces in Syria to fight the Islamic State group before the overthrow of President Bashar Assad’s government. The U.S. has said 900 troops were in Syria, but Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, announced on Thursday that 2,000
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has filed a legal notice that he intends to sue a woman who accused him of sexual harassment. The filing on Thursday accuses former aide Charlotte Bennett of defaming him in a Dec. 9 statement that said the former governor sexually harassed her.
Continue ReadingAssociated Press In the first major flex of his influence since Donald Trump was elected, Elon Musk brought to a sudden halt a bipartisan budget proposal by posting constantly on his X megaphone and threatening Republicans with primary challenges. The social media warnings from the world’s wealthiest man preceded Trump’s condemnation of a measure negotiated
Continue ReadingAssociated Press Authorities say two Union Pacific employees were killed and three people were injured when a freight train collided with a tractor-trailer and derailed in a small West Texas city. The train also damaged the local Chamber of Commerce building. Officials in Pecos said the train derailed around 5 p.m. Wednesday. Nebraska-based Union Pacific
Continue ReadingBy MJ Lee, Arlette Saenz, Sarah Ferris, Michael Williams and Kayla Tausche, CNN Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden is choosing to stay out of the public spotlight in what could emerge one of the final domestic crises of his presidency, as the White House and Democrats in Washington are portraying a looming government shutdown
Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES (AP) — FBI agents searched the home of a Los Angeles deputy mayor this week as part of an investigation into whether he made a bomb threat against City Hall, officials said. A statement from the office of Mayor Karen Bass said she was notified of Tuesday’s search at the residence of Brian
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Prosecutors today addressed the dismissal of charges against a 38-year-old Palm Springs man who was accused of assaulting a resident with an iron during a home invasion. Taylor Donald Hurst was released Wednesday morning after a judge at Indio’s Larson Justice Center dismissed felony counts of robbery, assault with a non-firearm deadly weapon to cause
Continue ReadingAssociated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — American farmers are hoping that aid to agriculture will be revived as Congress struggles to avert a looming partial government shutdown. A one-year extension of federal farm programs, around $30 billion in economic relief and a break for the ethanol industry were part of a bipartisan deal that collapsed Wednesday
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Northern Virginia’s largest high school has canceled the final two days of classes in 2024 after fights at the school resulted in injuries to students and staff. Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said in a letter Wednesday to families that classes would be canceled Thursday and Friday
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Nearly 3 million people could receive a boost in Social Security payments under legislation that’s set for a final vote in the Senate. The Social Security Fairness Act would end longtime provisions that reduce the federal benefit for people who are also eligible for other pensions. The policies have heavily
Continue ReadingAP Sports Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser took a break from celebrating the start of an $800 million arena renovation project to correct misinformation circulating on social media about another major Washington sports project that is suddenly in jeopardy. Bowser took aim at incorrect statements being made on Elon Musk-owned
Continue ReadingAP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Who works harder than Questlove? The Academy Award winner has teamed up with Emmy winner Oz Rodriguez and NBC for a new film, “Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music,” celebrating 50 years of the program and spotlighting its memorable live music performances. The three-hour special will
Continue ReadingAP Health Writer Packaged foods in the U.S. must follow new rules in order to call themselves “healthy.” That’s according to changes finalized by the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. It’s an update of the agency’s definition originally devised 30 years ago. The move is aimed at helping Americans navigate food labels at the
Continue ReadingBy Pauline Lockwood, Mostafa Salem and Lauren Kent, CNN (CNN) — Former Syrian regime security forces have been handing in their weapons to the rebel-linked transitional government in the southern Syrian city of Latakia, according to video filmed by Agence France-Presse. The footage, filmed earlier this week, shows long lines of men dressed in plain
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CNN By Rene Marsh and Pamela Brown, CNN (CNN) — Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the two billionaires tasked with slashing government waste, are expected to recommend an agency-wide purge of spending on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, three sources familiar with their plans told CNN. That could include eliminating entire divisions involving DEI in
Continue ReadingCHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A former Virginia sheriff has been on bribery charges for deputizing individuals in exchange for cash payments. The federal jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, convicted former Culpeper Sheriff Scott Jenkins on all counts Wednesday night after several hours of deliberations. News outlets report that Jenkins took the stand in his own defense
Continue ReadingAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will travel to Italy next month to meet with Pope Francis and top Italian officials for what is expected to be the final international trip of his presidency. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden will meet with the Pope, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and
Continue ReadingRussian state media says that an Uzbek citizen accused of acting on behalf of Ukraine has been charged by Russian authorities with this week’s assassination of a senior Russian general and his assistant. The bombing has been claimed by Ukraine’s security services. The Tass state news agency reported that Akhmadzhon Kurbonov was ordered detained until
Continue ReadingAP Sports Writer NBC Sports makes its first foray into doing an NFL alternate broadcast on Saturday when it puts the matchup between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs into the realm of the Madden video game universe. The Madden altcast will be streamed on Peacock with the main broadcast airing on NBC, beginning
Continue ReadingGRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities continue to search for a Michigan woman reported missing at Grand Canyon National Park. National Park Service officials said 66-year-old Martha Anne Overholser was last seen at Mather Point on the canyon’s South Rim on Dec. 10 and later failed to return on a commercial bus tour.
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