US & World News

China’s Xi Faces Threat From Public Anger Over ‘Zero COVID’

SHANGHAI (AP) — Barely a month after granting himself new powers as China’s potential leader for life, Xi Jinping is facing a wave of public anger of the kind not seen for decades, sparked by his “zero COVID” strategy that will soon enter its fourth year. Demonstrators poured into the streets over the weekend in cities including Shanghai and Beijing, criticizing the…

Biden Boosts US Effort To Stem Sexual Violence In War Zones

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is strengthening U.S. policy aimed at stemming sexual violence in war conflict zones, elevating the problem — increasingly documented in Ukraine and elsewhere — to the level of a possible serious human rights abuse that triggers sanctions and other actions against foreign perpetrators. Biden, a Democrat, on Monday will sign a presidential memorandum that seeks to combat the…

Biden Brings Thanksgiving Pies To Nantucket First Responders

NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday delivered at least half a dozen pies to Massachusetts firefighters during a Thanksgiving Day show of appreciation and his toddler grandson walked away with a red fire hat topping his blond curls. “Oh wow,” Biden was heard to say upon seeing Beau Biden, who is nearly 3, emerge from the headquarters building wearing…

Holiday Shopping Kicks Off With Inflation Dampening Spirits

NEW YORK (AP) — While Black Friday will mark a return to familiar holiday shopping patterns, uncertainty still remains. The U.S. job market remains strong, consumer spending is resilient and inflation has been slowing. But elevated prices for food, rent, gasoline and other household costs have taken a toll on shoppers. As a result, many are reluctant to spend unless…

Walmart Shooting Raises Need For Violence Prevention At Work

NEW YORK (AP) — The mass shooting Wednesday at a Walmart in Virginia was only the latest example of a workplace shooting perpetrated by an employee. But while many companies provide active shooting training, experts say there is much less focus on how to prevent workplace violence, particularly how to identify and address worrisome behavior among employees. Workers far too often don’t…

Walmart Manager Opens Fire In Break Room, Killing 6

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) — A Walmart manager opened fire on fellow employees in the break room of a Virginia store, killing six people in the country’s second high-profile mass shooting in four days, police and a witness said Wednesday. The gunman, who apparently shot himself, was dead when police found him, Chesapeake Police Chief Mark G. Solesky said. There was…

Biden To Extend Student Loan Pause As Court Battle Drags On

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that his administration will extend a pause on federal student loan payments while the White House fights a legal battle to save his plan to cancel portions of the debt. “It isn’t fair to ask tens of millions of borrowers eligible for relief to resume their student debt payments while the courts consider…

Supreme Court OKs Handover Of Trump Tax Returns To Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the imminent handover of former President Donald Trump’s tax returns to a congressional committee after a three-year legal fight. The court, without comment, rejected Trump’s plea for an order that would have prevented the Treasury Department from giving six years of tax returns for Trump and some of his businesses…

US Renews Push For COVID Boosters As Data Show They Protect

(AP) — Americans who got the updated COVID-19 booster shots are better protected against symptomatic infection than those who haven’t — at least for now, U.S. health officials said Tuesday. Updated boosters rolled out by Pfizer and rival Moderna in September have been a hard sell for vaccine-weary Americans. Only about 13% of U.S. adults so far have gotten a…

‘It’s The Reflex’: Veteran Helped Disarm Gunman At Gay Club

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in. First, he ducked to avoid any potential incoming fire, then he moved to try to disarm the shooter. “It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the…

A Rail Strike Looms And Impact On US Economy Could Be Broad

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — American consumers and nearly every industry will be affected if freight trains grind to a halt next month. One of the biggest rail unions rejected its deal Monday, joining three others that have failed to approve contracts over concerns about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time. That raises the risk of a strike, which could start as…

Biden Opens Holidays, Pardons Turkeys Chocolate And Chip

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden continued a 75-year tradition Monday and pardoned a pair of Thanksgiving turkeys named after his favorite flavor of ice cream while cracking jokes about his political party’s better-than-expected performance in this month’s midterm elections. “The votes are in, they’ve been counted and verified,” Biden said as he welcomed Chocolate and Chip before hundreds of people gathered on…

Gay Bar Shooting Suspect Facing Murder, Hate Crime Charges

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The man suspected of killing five people and injuring others at a gay bar in Colorado Springs is facing murder and hate crime charges, according to online court records obtained Monday. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, faces five murder charges and five charges of committing a bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury, the records show. A law…

Biden Sending Federal Aid As NY Digs Out From Huge Snowstorm

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — President Joe Biden is sending federal aid to western New York to help state and local authorities clean up from the massive storm that dumped as much as 6 feet (1.8 meters) of snow in western and northern New York, the White House announced Monday. The emergency declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the…

Taylor Swift Tickets Breakdown Probed By Attorneys General

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The breakdown in Ticketmaster’s sales of Taylor Swift tickets is a mess some attorneys general aren’t shaking off. With fans sharing outrage and heartache over the fruitless hours they spent trying for seats for Swift’s upcoming concert tour, top legal chiefs in Nevada, Tennessee and Pennsylvania have launched investigations into the fiasco. “Trouble, trouble, trouble,” tweeted Pennsylvania Attorney…

Police: Gunman Kills 5 At Gay Club, Is Subdued By Patrons

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 22-year-old gunman opened fire inside a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and leaving 25 injured before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who arrived within minutes, authorities said Sunday. Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at Club Q after the Saturday night shooting, said Police…

Garland Names Special Counsel To Lead Trump-Related Probes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland named a special counsel on Friday to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into the presence of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate as well as key aspects of a separate probe involving the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and efforts to undo the 2020 election. The appointment of veteran prosecutor Jack Smith, announced just three…

US Moves To Shield Saudi Crown Prince In Journalist Killing

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s high office should shield him from a lawsuit over his role in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist, making a turnaround from Joe Biden’s passionate campaign trail denunciations of the prince over the brutal slaying. The administration spoke out in support of a claim of legal immunity from Prince Mohammed…

Gabby Petito Family Settles $3M Suit In Killing By Fiance

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The families of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie have reached a $3 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit filed after authorities concluded he strangled her during a cross-country trip in August 2021. The settlement was signed Thursday by Sarasota County Circuit Judge Hunter W. Carroll. A lawyer for Petito’s parents said whatever money is…

Pelosi Won’t Seek Leadership Role, Plans To Stay In Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she will not seek a leadership position in the new Congress, a pivotal realignment making way for a new generation of leaders after Democrats lost control of the House to Republicans in the midterm elections. Pelosi announced in a spirited speech on the House floor that she will step aside after leading Democrats…

Republicans Win Back Control Of House With Narrow Majority

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans won control of the U.S. House on Wednesday, returning the party to power in Washington and giving conservatives leverage to blunt President Joe Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of investigations. But a threadbare majority will pose immediate challenges for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern. More than a week after Election Day, Republicans secured…

Starbucks Red Cup Day 2022: How To Get A Free Reusable Cup

Taken from Fox 9’s website. Credit: Starbucks SEATTLE (FOX 9) – Starbucks is ringing in the holiday season with its annual Red Cup Day. On Thursday, Nov. 17, the coffee giant is giving away free, limited-edition reusable red cups to customers who order a handcrafted holiday or fall beverage at participating U.S. stores. Earlier this month, Starbucks’ seasonal red cups and holiday beverages returned to…

Trump Criminal Probes Will Proceed — Even As He’s Candidate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s early announcement of his third White House bid won’t shield the former president from the criminal investigations already confronting him as an ordinary citizen, leaving him legally and politically exposed as he seeks the 2024 Republican nomination. The Justice Department is pushing ahead with its probes. And with the midterm elections now mostly complete and the 2024 presidential campaign…

US Retail Sales Rose 1.3% Last Month, A Sign Of Resilience

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans stepped up their spending at retailers, restaurants, and auto dealers last month, a sign of consumer resilience as the holiday shopping season begins amid painfully high inflation and rising interest rates. The government said Wednesday that retail sales rose 1.3% in October from September, up from a flat reading in September from August. The increase was led by car…

Same-Sex Marriage Faces Senate Test With GOP Votes Uncertain

WASHINGTON (AP) — Staring down the prospect of divided government in the next Congress, Senate Democrats are moving forward with legislation this week to protect same sex and interracial marriages. It’s a vote that’s “as personal as it gets,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Schumer is holding a test vote on the bill Wednesday, betting that at least 10 Republicans will…

NASA’s Mightiest Moon Rocket Lifts Off 50 Years After Apollo

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s new moon rocket blasted off on its debut flight with three test dummies aboard Wednesday, bringing the U.S. a big step closer to putting astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago. If all goes well during the three-week, make-or-break shakedown flight,…

Life Sentence Sought For Teen In Michigan School Shooting

DETROIT (AP) — Prosecutors said they’ll seek a life sentence with no chance for parole for a 16-year-old boy who killed four fellow students at a Michigan school and pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism. They disclosed their plans in a court filing Monday, three weeks after Ethan Crumbley, 16, withdrew a possible insanity defense and acknowledged the shooting at Oxford High School in…

Biden Asks For More Than $37 Billion In Ukraine Aid

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is asking Congress to provide more than $37 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine, a massive infusion of cash that could help support the nation as Russian forces suffer battlefield losses in their nine-month-old invasion. The administration’s funding request, which comes as lawmakers begin their post-election session, also seeks $9.25 billion in COVID-19 funding to…

GOP On Cusp Of Retaking House Control With Slim Majority

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans were on the cusp of retaking control of the House late Monday, just one victory shy of the 218 seats the party needs to secure a majority, narrowing the path for Democrats to keep the chamber and raising the prospect of a divided government in Washington. Democrats have already won control of the Senate, securing 50 seats…

Walmart Offers To Pay $3.1 Billion To Settle Opioid Lawsuits

(AP) — Walmart proposed a $3.1 billion legal settlement on Tuesday over the toll of powerful prescription opioids sold at its pharmacies, becoming the latest major drug industry player to promise major support to state, local and tribal governments still grappling with a crisis in overdose deaths. The retail giant’s announcement follows similar proposals on Nov. 2 from the two…

US Wholesale Inflation Eases To 8%, 4th Straight Slowdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prices at the wholesale level rose 8% in October from a year ago, the fourth straight decline and the latest sign that inflation pressures in the United States are easing from painfully high levels. The annual figure is down from 8.4% in September. On a monthly basis, the government said Tuesday that its producer price index, which measures costs…

Trump Prepares To Launch 3rd Campaign For The White House

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is preparing to launch his third campaign for the White House on Tuesday, looking to move on from disappointing midterm defeats and defy history amid signs that his grip on the Republican Party is waning. Trump had hoped to use the GOP’s expected gains in last week’s elections as a springboard to vault himself to his party’s nomination by locking in…

40 States Settle Google Location-Tracking Charges For $392M

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Search giant Google has agreed to a $391.5 million settlement with 40 states to resolve an investigation into how the company tracked users’ locations, state attorneys general announced Monday. The states’ investigation was sparked by a 2018 Associated Press story, which found that Google continued to track people’s location data even after they opted out of such…

Suspect Caught In Fatal Shooting Of 3 U.Va. Football Players

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Police on Monday captured a University of Virginia student suspected of fatally shooting three members of the school’s football team as they returned to campus from a field trip. The violence that also wounded two students erupted near a parking garage and sent the campus into a lockdown that lasted overnight while police searched for the…

Biden: Still Not Enough Votes To Codify Abortion Rights

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — President Joe Biden said Monday that Democrats still lack the power to codify abortion rights into law despite his party’s stronger-than-expected performance in the midterm elections. “I don’t think there’s enough votes,” he said at a press conference during the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia. Biden’s blunt comments reflected how Democrats’ euphoria over their strength…

Biden Says Climate Efforts ‘More Urgent Than Ever’ At Summit

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt” (AP) — President Joe Biden, speaking Friday at an annual international summit on climate change, urged world leaders to “double down” on their resolve to fight global warming, saying Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reinforces the need to phase out fossil fuels. “We can no longer plead ignorance to the consequences of our actions, or continue to repeat our…

Pelosi Faces Uncertain Future Weeks After Attack On Husband

WASHINGTON (AP) — The morning after the midterm election, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slipped on a sterling silver whistle given to her by her husband, who was attacked last month by an intruder at their San Francisco home. The whistle was similar to those worn by coaches or drill sergeants, and she wore it at her office after a long night of watching…

Biden To Climate Talks, 1st Leg Of Around-The-World Trip

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — President Joe Biden arrived Friday in Egypt for a global climate meeting with a giant domestic investment in tow — and he’s likely to face questions about how far the U.S. will go to pull other large greenhouse gas emitters along. His attendance at the U.N. climate conference, known as COP27, in the resort town of Sharm…

Alex Jones Ordered To Pay $473M More To Sandy Hook Families

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Infowars host Alex Jones and his company were ordered by a judge Thursday to pay an extra $473 million for promoting false conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook school massacre, bringing the total judgment against him in a lawsuit filed by the victims’ families to a staggering $1.44 billion. Connecticut Judge Barabara Bellis imposed the punitive…

GOP Nudges Closer To House Win; Senate Could Hinge On Runoff

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans inched closer to a narrow House majority Wednesday, while control of the Senate hinged on a few tight races in a midterm election that defied expectations of sweeping conservative victories driven by frustration over inflation and President Joe Biden’s leadership. Either party could secure a Senate majority with wins in both Nevada and Arizona — where the races…

US Consumer Inflation Eased To 7.7% Over Past 12 Months

WASHINGTON (AP) — Price increases moderated in the United States last month in the latest sign that the inflation pressures that have gripped the nation might be easing as the economy slows and Americans grow more cautious. Consumer inflation reached 7.7% in October from a year earlier and 0.4% from September, the government said Thursday. The year-over-year increase, down from…

Abortion Supporters Win In Conservative, Liberal States

WASHINGTON (AP) — Abortion rights supporters won in the four states where access was on the ballot Tuesday, as voters enshrined it into the state constitution in battleground Michigan as well as blue California and Vermont and dealt a defeat to an anti-abortion measure in deep-red Kentucky. In all, it was a dramatic illustration of how the U.S. Supreme Court’s…

Dems Beating Back GOP Surge, But Control Of Congress Unclear

WASHINGTON (AP) — Razor-thin margins around the country left control of Congress still undetermined Wednesday, but Democrats showed surprising strength in the midterm election, topping Republicans in a series of competitive races and defying expectations that high inflation and President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings would drag his party to key defeats. In the most heartening news for Democrats, John Fetterman flipped Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Senate…

Powerball Ticket Sold In California Snags Record $2.04B Win

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot after more than three months without anyone hitting the top prize. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball…

Putin-Linked Businessman Admits To US Election Meddling

(AP) — Kremlin-connected entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin admitted Monday that he had interfered in U.S. elections and would continue to do so — confirming for the first time the accusations that he has rejected for years. “Gentlemen, we have interfered, are interfering and will interfere. Carefully, precisely, surgically and in our own way, as we know how to do,” Prigozhin boasted…

Biden, Trump To Make Final Appeals Ahead Of Crucial Midterms

WASHINGTON (AP) — An election year that unfolded against the backdrop of economic turmoil, the elimination of federal abortion rights and broad concerns about the future of democracy is concluding with a final full day of campaigning in which leaders of both parties will issue urgent appeals to their supporters. President Joe Biden is holding a Monday evening rally in Maryland, where Democrats have…

US Employers Are Hiring Briskly Even In Face Of Rate Hikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers kept hiring vigorously in October, adding 261,000 positions, a sign that as Election Day nears, the economy remains a picture of solid job growth and painful inflation. Friday’s report from the government showed that hiring was brisk across industries last month, though the overall gain declined from 315,000 in September. The unemployment rate rose from a five-decade…