Author: The Associated Press

Biden’s Midterm ‘Closing Argument’: Look At The Alternative

WASHINGTON (AP) — With Republicans increasingly confident about victory in this year’s midterm elections, President Joe Biden dismissed the polls in a speech at Democratic Party headquarters Monday, saying there’s still time for “one more shift” that will help his party. “If we get people out to vote, we win,” Biden said to scores of Democratic organizers who cheered and…

Michigan Teen Pleads Guilty To Killing 4 In School Shooting

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A teenager pleaded guilty Monday to terrorism and first-degree murder in a Michigan school shooting that killed four students and put an extraordinary focus on the boy’s home life and the alleged role of his parents in the tragedy. Ethan Crumbley, 16, pleaded guilty to all 24 charges, nearly a year after the attack at Oxford High School…

Minnesota GOP Secretary Of State Hopeful Seeks Tighter Rules

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Legislature should mandate that the secretary of state’s office proofread every county’s ballots before they’re mailed out, Republican challenger Kim Crockett said Thursday as she decried ballot printing errors in four counties. Crockett acknowledged that state law does not require the secretary of state’s office to review the ballots of each precinct across…

Pentagon To Provide Funds, Help For Troops Seeking Abortions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will provide travel funds and support for troops and their dependents who seek abortions but are based in states where they are now illegal, according to a new department policy released Thursday. The military will also increase privacy protections for those seeking care. The order issued by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin outlines the rights and protections service members and…

Social Security Now Allows Individuals To Self-Select Gender

WASHINGTON (AP) — Individuals will be allowed to make sure that their records with the Social Security Administration align with their gender identity under a plan announced Wednesday. The action, which is part of the agency’s “Equity Action Plan,” follows through on a March announcement to do so by the agency’s acting commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi. Kijakazi said the move is…

COVID-19 Linked To Increase In US Pregnancy-Related Deaths

WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 drove a dramatic increase in the number of women who died from pregnancy or childbirth complications in the U.S. last year, a crisis that has disproportionately claimed Black and Hispanic women as victims, according to a report released Wednesday. The report lays out grim trends across the country for expectant mothers and their newborn babies. It finds that…

Scammers Target Grieving Families In Minnesota, Wisconsin

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Three families dealing with the heartbreaking losses of loved ones who recently died suddenly in Minnesota and Wisconsin say they have the added burden of dealing with scammers who are trying to solicit donations using fake online accounts. In Wisconsin, the small community of Rice Lake is mourning the deaths of two teenagers who were passengers in…

Biden To Release 15M Barrels From Oil Reserve, More Possible

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve Wednesday as part of a response to recent production cuts announced by OPEC+ nations, and he will say more drawdowns are possible this winter, as his administration rushes to be seen as pulling out all the stops ahead of next month’s…

Wisconsin Republican Michels Walks Back Abortion Pledge

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Republican running for governor in Wisconsin suggested Tuesday that he did not support enforcing the swing state’s near-total ban on abortions, saying “I will never arrest a doctor” before his campaign walked back his comment. Michels’ spokesperson Anna Kelly attempted to clarify his comment, saying it was the district attorneys, not the governor, who enforce laws. “He’s…

Everything To Know To Apply For Student Loan Forgiveness

NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. announced in August, will cancel up to $20,000 in debt per borrower. The application process is now open, and the administration says the forms should take five minutes to complete. Borrowers who apply before mid-November should see forgiveness before Jan. 1, when payments on loans are scheduled to restart after a pause…

Lawsuit Filed Against Wisconsin Senator In Fatal Car Crash

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The father of a 5-year-old girl who died in a car crash involving Democratic Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the lawmaker. The lawsuit was filed Friday in Ashland County Circuit Court by Brandon Fink, father of Khaleesi Fink, who died with her mother Alyssa Ortman in July, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Tuesday….

Biden Prioritizing Abortion Legislation Before Midterms

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will promise Tuesday that the first bill he sends to Capitol Hill next year will be one that codifies Roe v. Wade — if Democrats control enough seats in Congress for Biden to sign abortion protections into law. That’s a big if. It’s the first time Biden has prioritized abortion legislation in this way…

First Lady Jill Biden Talks Cancer Prevention On Newsmax

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Jill Biden took her husband’s unity agenda to an unlikely venue on Monday, when conservative cable station Newsmax aired an interview with her about cancer research. Curing cancer is a central goal for President Joe Biden, whose eldest son, Beau, died from a brain tumor seven years ago. Last month he urged Americans to embrace a “moonshot” initiative to…

Application Site Launches For Biden Student Debt Cancelation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Education Department has begun accepting applications for President Joe Biden’s student debt cancellation — a plan that makes 43 million Americans eligible for at least some debt forgiveness. Borrowers were notified late Friday that an early, “beta launch” version of a new online form was made available as the department looks to find and fix any glitches….

Waves Of Suicide Drones Strike Ukraine’s Capital, 4 Killed

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Waves of explosives-laden suicide drones struck Ukraine’s capital Monday, setting buildings ablaze and tearing a hole in one of them. People scurried for shelter or tried to shoot down the kamikazes. The concentrated use of the drones was the second barrage in as many weeks — after months where air attacks had become become a rarity in central…

For Biden And Trump, 2022 Is 2020 Sequel — And 2024 Preview?

WASHINGTON (AP) — This year’s midterm elections are playing out as a strange continuation of the last presidential race — and a potential preview of the next one. Donald Trump, who refused to exit the stage after his defeat and continues to rally his supporters with lies about voter fraud, has spent months raging against Joe Biden, reshaping down-ballot campaigns…

Biden Turning To Trump-Era Rule To Expel Venezuelan Migrants

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years ago, candidate Joe Biden loudly denounced President Donald Trump for immigration policies that inflicted “cruelty and exclusion at every turn,” including toward those fleeing the “brutal” government of socialist Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now, with increasing numbers of Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border as the Nov. 8 election nears, Biden has turned to an unlikely source for a…

Wisconsin Gov. Evers, Trump Pick Michels To Debate

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Republican challenger Tim Michels, locked in a tight race with implications on the 2024 presidential race in the battleground state, were scheduled to meet Friday for their one and only debate. Evers has cast himself as the only block against a Republican-controlled Legislature. Michels, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, calls himself a political outsider…

Biden Pushing Lower Prescription Drug Costs In Midterm Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to highlight his administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug costs on Friday as part of his three-state Western tour this week, as he confronts a sobering inflation report in the waning weeks before midterm elections. Biden will head to a community college in Irvine, California, to meet with older adults and…

Retail Sales Flat In September As Inflation Takes A Bite

NEW YORK (AP) — The pace of sales at U.S. retailers was unchanged in September from August as rising prices for rent and food chipped away at money available for other things. Retail sales were flat last month, down from a revised. 0.4% growth in August, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Retail sales fell 0.4% in July. Excluding sales of…

Abortion, Economy Take Center Stage In Craig-Kistner Debate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig on Thursday portrayed her GOP challenger as a pawn of Big Oil and Big Pharma who conceals his opposition to abortion rights. Republican congressional candidate Tyler Kistner meanwhile said Craig bears responsibility for inflation and other economic woes because she supports President Joe Biden’s policies. Craig and Kistner met for their only…

Jan. 6 Hearing Focuses On Trump With ‘Surprising’ Details

Watch it live on Fox 21's Facebook page: https://fb.watch/g7-GFiQk7K/

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Jan. 6 committee is focused Thursday on “surprising” details including evidence from Donald Trump’s Secret Service about the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol in what is likely to be its last public hearing before the November midterm elections. The 10th public session, which convened shortly after 1 p.m., is expected to delve into Trump’s “state of mind” and the…

Parkland School Shooter To Get Life Sentence For Killing 17

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will be sentenced to life without parole for the 2018 murder of 17 people at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, after the jury said Thursday that it could not unanimously agree that he should be executed — a decision that left some parents in tears as they exited the courtroom. The jury’s recommendation…

Alex Jones Ordered To Pay $965 Million For Sandy Hook Lies

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — The conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay $965 million to people who suffered from his false claim that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax, a jury in Connecticut decided Wednesday. The verdict is the second big judgment against the Infowars host over his relentless promotion of the lie that the 2012 massacre never…

FDA Clears Updated COVID Boosters For Kids As Young As 5

(AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday authorized updated COVID-19 boosters for children as young as 5, seeking to expand protection ahead of an expected winter wave. Tweaked boosters rolled out for Americans 12 and older last month, doses modified to target today’s most common and contagious omicron relative. While there wasn’t a big rush, federal health officials are urging that people seek…

Biden Reevaluating US-Saudi Relationship Amid Democrat Anger

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is reevaluating America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia as the Riyadh-led OPEC+ alliance moves to cut oil production and Democratic lawmakers call for a freeze on cooperation with the Saudis. John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, said Tuesday that Biden believes “it’s time to take another look at this relationship…

Wisconsin Gov Bids To Make Abortion A Central Issue In Race

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Tuesday that he wouldn’t sign a bill creating exceptions for rape and incest if it would keep in place the state’s 1849 abortion ban. Evers faces Republican Tim Michels, who supported the 1849 ban before changing positions after he won the Republican primary and now says he would sign a bill granting exceptions. “I…

King Charles III To Be Crowned May 6 Next Year, Palace Says

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6 in a ceremony that will embrace the past but look to the modern world after the 70-year reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Tuesday’s announcement from Buckingham Palace comes amid speculation that the coronation will be shorter and less extravagant than the three-hour ceremony…

Search For Victims Done, Florida Coast Aims For Ian Recovery

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — An army of 42,000 utility workers has restored electricity to more than 2.5 million businesses and homes in Florida since Hurricane Ian’s onslaught, and Brenda Palmer’s place is among them. By the government’s count, she and her husband, Ralph, are part of a success story. Yet turning on the lights in a wrecked mobile home that’s likely…

Minn. Man’s 2,560-Pound Pumpkin Wins California Contest; Sets Record

Travis Gienger from Anoka, Minn., stands behind his winning pumpkin at the 49th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. AP Photo/Haven Daley) HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) – A horticulture teacher from Minnesota has set a new U.S. record for the heaviest pumpkin after raising a giant gourd weighing 2,560 pounds. Travis Gienger,…

Biden Pardons Thousands For ‘Simple Possession’ Of Marijuana

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pardoning thousands of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana, as his administration takes a dramatic step toward decriminalizing the drug and addressing charging practices that disproportionately impact people of color. He is also calling on governors to issue similar pardons for those convicted of state marijuana offenses, which reflect the vast majority…

Jan. 6 Committee Schedules Next Public Hearing For Oct. 13

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has scheduled its next hearing for Oct. 13, pushing the investigation back into the limelight less than three weeks before the midterm election that will determine control of Congress. It will be the panel’s first public session since the summer, when lawmakers worked through a series of…

Amazon To Hire 150,000 Workers For Holidays, Similar To 2021

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon will hire 150,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees across its warehouses ahead of the holiday season. The announcement, made Thursday, shows the e-commerce behemoth is taking a less conservative approach to its holiday planning than Walmart, which said last month it would hire 40,000 U.S. workers for the holidays, compared to 150,000 in 2021. Amazon, which…

OPEC+ Makes Big Oil Cut To Boost Prices; Pump Costs May Rise

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries decided Wednesday to sharply cut production to support sagging oil prices, a move that could deal the struggling global economy another blow and raise politically sensitive pump prices for U.S. drivers just ahead of key national elections. Energy ministers cut production by a larger-than-expected 2 million barrels per day starting in November after gathering…

Russian Launches To Space From US, 1st Time In 20 Years

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.. (AP) — For the first time in 20 years, a Russian cosmonaut rocketed from the U.S. on Wednesday, launching to the International Space Station alongside NASA and Japanese astronauts despite tensions over the war in Ukraine. Their SpaceX flight was delayed by Hurricane Ian, which ripped across the state last week. “I hope with this launch we…

Biden To Focus On Hurricane Victims In Florida, Not Politics

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is headed to hurricane-ravaged Florida on Wednesday with a pledge that federal, state and local governments will work as one to help rebuild homes, businesses and lives — putting politics on mute for now to focus on those in need. Hurricane Ian has resulted in at least 84 people confirmed dead, including 75 in Florida, as hundreds…

US Announces New $625M Security Package For Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. announced plans on Tuesday to provide an additional $625 million in military aid to Ukraine, a package that includes additional advanced rocket systems credited with helping the country’s military gain momentum in its war with Russia. President Joe Biden provided details on the latest package, which includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, artillery…

Wisconsin Democrats Put Abortion In Spotlight

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democrats up for election in five weeks put abortion in the spotlight Tuesday, with the Republican-controlled Legislature taking less than a minute to reject Gov. Tony Evers’ call to create a way for voters to get a chance to repeal the state’s 1849 abortion ban. The move by Evers is the latest by Democrats in the battleground…

US To Require More Rest Between Shifts For Flight Attendants

(AP) — Airlines will be required to give flight attendants at least 10 hours off duty between shifts, one more hour than currently, under a rule announced Tuesday by the Federal Aviation Administration. Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said that the extra hour of rest would contribute to safety. The rule goes into effect in 30 days, and airlines have…

2 Guilty Of Violating Floyd’s Rights To Begin Federal Term

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two of the four former Minneapolis police officers who were convicted of violating George Floyd’s civil rights during the May 2020 restraint that killed him are scheduled to begin serving their federal sentences Tuesday. J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao are scheduled to report to the U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday morning. The Bureau of Prisons typically would assign…

Officials: US To Send Ukraine More Advanced Rocket Systems

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will soon deliver to Ukraine four more of the advanced rocket systems credited with helping the country’s military gain momentum in its war with Russia. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, will be part of a new $624 million package of aid expected to be announced on Tuesday, according to U.S. officials….

Frustrations Mount As Hurricane Ian’s Effects Linger

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Days after the skies cleared and the winds died down in Florida, Hurricane Ian’s effects persisted Monday, as people faced another week without power and others were being rescued from homes inundated with lingering floodwaters. Frustrations mounted in the path the storm cut through Florida, and the hurricane’s remnants, now a nor’easter, weren’t done with the U.S. The mid-Atlantic and…

Judge Who Voided Minnesota Abortion Limits Blocks Appeal Bid

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota judge who struck down key restrictions on abortion in the state has rejected a bid by a county prosecutor who hopes to appeal the ruling. Ramsey County District Judge Thomas Gilligan ruled Tuesday night that Traverse County Attorney Matthew Franzese is not entitled to intervene in the case. Franzese had hoped to pursue an appeal after Attorney General Keith…

Supreme Court Welcomes The Public Again, And A New Justice

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court began its new term Monday with a new justice on the bench, the public back in the courtroom and a spirited debate in a case that pits environmental protections against property rights. The new member of the court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, wasted no time joining the lively give-and-take, asking questions throughout nearly two hours of arguments in…