US & World News

Police Say 17-Year-Old Killed A Sixth Grader And Wounded Five In Iowa School Shooting

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police said a sixth grader was killed and five other people were wounded by a 17-year-old suspect in the shooting Thursday at a small-town Iowa high school. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Multiple people were shot inside a small-town Iowa high school early Thursday, as students…

Russia And Ukraine Exchange Hundreds Of Prisoners Of War In Biggest Release So Far

(AP) — Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release of captives since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian authorities said that 230 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home in the first exchange in almost five months. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 248 Russian servicemen have been freed under the deal…

Harvard President Claudine Gay Resigns Amid Plagiarism Claims, Backlash From Antisemitism Testimony

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned Tuesday amid plagiarism accusations and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say unequivocally that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy. Gay is the second Ivy League president to resign in the past month following the congressional testimony — Liz Magill,…

Russia Fires 122 Missiles And 36 Drones In What Ukraine Calls The Biggest Aerial Barrage Of The War

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched 122 missiles and dozens of drones against Ukrainian targets, officials said Friday, killing at least 27 civilians across the country in what an air force official called the biggest aerial barrage of the war. At least 144 people were injured and an unknown number were buried under rubble during the roughly 18-hour onslaught, Ukrainian officials said. A…

Sweden Moves Closer To NATO Membership

Turkey's parliamentary committee gave approval Tuesday.

The United Nations Security Council meets on North Korea, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, at U.N. headquarters. (AP) ANKARA, Turkey (AP)–The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee has given its consent to Sweden’s bid to join NATO. The move on Tuesday draws the previously nonaligned Nordic country closer to membership in the Western military alliance. Sweden’s accession protocol will now need to…

The Secret Life Of Gift Cards: Here’s What Happens To The Billions That Go Unspent Each Year

(AP) — Gift cards make great stocking stuffers — just as long as you don’t stuff them in a drawer and forget about them after the holidays. Americans are expected to spend nearly $30 billion on gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation. Restaurant gift cards are the most popular, making up one-third of those sales. Most of those…

Supreme Court Will Hear A Case That Could Undo Capitol Riot Charge Against Hundreds, Including Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear an appeal that could upend hundreds of charges stemming from the Capitol riot, including against former President Donald Trump. The justices will review a charge of obstruction of an official proceeding that has been brought against more than 300 people. The charge refers to the disruption of Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential…

Biden Takes A Tougher Stance On Israel’s ‘Indiscriminate Bombing’ Of Gaza

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza, speaking out in unusually strong language as the United Nations neared a vote on demanding a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. “Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It…

Zelenskyy Will Address The US Military In Washington As Funding For Ukraine’s War Runs Out

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address U.S. military officers at the National Defense University on Monday as part of a last-minute push to convince Congress to provide more money for weapons before funding runs out. President Joe Biden has asked Congress for $61.4 billion for wartime funding for Ukraine as part of a $110 billion package that also includes…

Centenarian Survivors Of Pearl Harbor Attack Are Returning To Honor Those Who Perished 82 Years Ago

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The ceremony to honor the more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor got underway Thursday in Hawaii with a moment of silence at the exact moment the assault began 82 years ago. A half-dozen survivors who are still living — most of them over 100 years old — traveled…

Authorities Responding To Reports Of Multiple Victims In Shooting At University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police said a suspect was found dead Wednesday as officers responded to an active shooter and reports of multiple victims at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The university said on X, formerly Twitter, the shooter was at the Beam Hall, Frank and Estella Building, home of UNLV’s Lee Business School, and that police were responding…

Former Career US Diplomat Charged With Secretly Spying For Cuban Intelligence For Decades

MIAMI (AP) — A former American diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Bolivia has been charged with serving as a secret agent for Cuba’s intelligence services dating back decades, the Justice Department said Monday. Newly unsealed court papers allege that Manuel Rocha engaged in “clandestine activity” on Cuba’s behalf since at least 1981, including by meeting with Cuban intelligence operatives and…

The House Expels Rep. George Santos. An Ethics Report Had Accused Him Of Breaking Federal Law

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted on Friday to expel Republican Rep. George Santos of New York after a critical ethics report on his conduct that accused him of converting campaign donations for his own use. He was just the sixth member in the chamber’s history to be ousted by colleagues. The vote to expel was 311-114. Expulsion requires support from two-thirds of the…

Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, The First Woman On The Supreme Court, Has Died At 93

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, an unwavering voice of moderate conservatism and the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, died Friday. She was 93. O’Connor died in Phoenix, of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness, the Supreme Court said in a news release. Chief Justice John Roberts mourned her death….

More Israeli Hostages Freed By Hamas As Truce In Gaza Lasts Another Day

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas began freeing Israeli hostages Thursday in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of a last-minute deal to extend their cease-fire in Gaza by another day. But any further renewal of the truce, now in its seventh day, could prove more daunting since Hamas is expected to set a higher price for…

Rosalynn Carter Honored By Family, Friends, First Ladies And Presidents — Including Husband Jimmy

ATLANTA (AP) — Rosalynn Carter was memorialized Tuesday as a matriarch who felt more comfortable among the impoverished and vulnerable than world leaders, as a rare gathering of all living U.S. first ladies and multiple presidents, including her 99-year-old husband Jimmy Carter in the front row, mourned her. The tribute service at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta marked the second…

Twin Ports Grad Sharing Naval Academy Experience

Talks to students about his desire to serve his country, as well as the opportunities.

Rising global tension has put a spotlight on armed forces around the world. Some of those currently training to serve were among college students who were home for the Thanksgiving weekend. Kai Braaten grew up in the Twin Ports and is now a Midshipman Third Class at the United States Naval Academy. He said a primary goal for him was…

Israel And Hamas Agree To Extend Truce For Two More Days, And To Free More Hostages And Prisoners

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, the Qatari government said, bringing the prospect of a longer halt to their deadliest and most destructive war and further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The announcement, made by Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al Ansary in a post…

Border Crossings Closed After Vehicle Explosion On Bridge Connecting New York And Canada

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Two people were found dead in a vehicle that exploded at a checkpoint on the American side of a U.S.-Canada bridge in Niagara Falls Wednesday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. A…

Israeli Cabinet Approves Truce For Hostages Deal With Hamas; Palestinian Prisoners Also To Be Freed

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a temporary cease-fire with the Hamas militant group that is expected to bring the first halt in fighting in a devastating six-week war and win freedom for dozens of hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for the release of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons. The deal calls for a…

4 Las Vegas High School Students Charged With Murder As Adults In Classmate’s Fatal Beating

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Prosecutors in Las Vegas have formally charged four high school students as adults with murder in the deadly beating of their schoolmate, a fight that was captured on cellphone video and has been widely shared across social media. The two 16-year-olds and two 17-year-olds are charged with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit battery. After court, District…

What’s Open And Closed On Thanksgiving This Year? Here’s A List Of Stores

(AP) — The holiday season is here, which means spending time with family on Thanksgiving and also, for millions of people, hunting for the best deals on Black Friday. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November each year, which takes place this week. A lot of national retailers are keeping the doors closed on Thursday to give employees time with…

Biden Pardons National Thanksgiving Turkeys While Marking His 81st Birthday With Jokes About His Age

WASHINGTON (AP) — Liberty and Bell can spread their wings without fear. The two Thanksgiving turkeys played their part Monday in an annual holiday tradition at the White House: a president sparing them from becoming someone’s dinner. “I hereby pardon Liberty and Bell. Congratulations, birds,” Biden said after one of the National Thanksgiving Turkeys was placed on a table near him. The…

Rosalynn Carter: Advocate For Jimmy Carter And Many Others, Always Leveraging Her Love Of Politics

PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The Washington chattering class, often unsure what to make of outsiders, dubbed Rosalynn Carter the “Steel Magnolia” when she arrived as first lady. A devout Baptist and mother of four, she was diminutive and outwardly shy, with a soft smile and softer Southern accent. That was the “magnolia.” She also was a force behind Jimmy Carter’s…

Tens Of Thousands Of Supporters Of Israel Rally In Washington, Crying ‘Never Again’

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of Israel rallied by the tens of thousands on the National Mall under heavy security Tuesday, voicing solidarity in the fight against Hamas and crying “never again.” The “March for Israel” offered a resounding and bipartisan endorsement of one of America’s closest allies as criticism has intensified over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, set off by the bloody…

Army Special Operations Command Mourns 5 US Troops Killed In Helicopter Crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army Special Operations Command on Monday identified the five Army aviation special operations forces killed when their helicopter crashed in the Eastern Mediterranean over the weekend, calling each a “national treasure” whose loss cut deeply. The military’s European Command said the UH-60 helicopter went down during an air refueling mission as part of military training. The five…

White House Releases Plan To Grow Radio Spectrum Access, With Possible Benefits For Internet, Drones

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday announced a strategy to potentially expand the availability of radio spectrum needed for cellphones, satellites, navigation, space travel and other emerging technologies. The increasingly digitized and mobile economy has put pressure on the available range of frequencies used for wireless communication. The spectrum is also vital for national security and responding to disasters. “We all…

Israeli Forces Cut Off North Gaza To Isolate Hamas As Palestinian Deaths Surpass 10,000

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli army severed northern Gaza from the rest of the besieged territory and pounded it with airstrikes Monday, preparing for an expected push by ground forces into the dense confines of Gaza City and an even bloodier phase of the month-old war. Already, the Palestinian death toll passed 10,000 people, the Health Ministry in Hamas-run…

House Approves Nearly $14.5 Billion In Military Aid For Israel. Biden Vows To Veto The GOP Approach

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved a nearly $14.5 billion military aid package Thursday for Israel, a muscular U.S. response to the war with Hamas but also a partisan approach by new Speaker Mike Johnson that poses a direct challenge to Democrats and President Joe Biden. In a departure from norms, Johnson’s package required that the emergency aid be offset with cuts in government…

These Numbers Show The Staggering Toll Of The Israel-Hamas War

JERUSALEM (AP) — The latest Israel-Hamas war has quickly become the deadliest and most destructive of the five wars fought between the sides since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 from the Palestinian Authority. The fighting erupted on Oct. 7 when Hamas carried out a bloody attack in southern Israel. Since then, Israel has relentlessly pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes that…

UN Agency In Gaza Says Urgent Cease-Fire Is A Matter Of Life And Death For Millions Of Palestinians

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees told a U.N. emergency meeting Monday “an immediate humanitarian cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” accusing Israel of “collective punishment” of Palestinians and the forced displacement of civilians. Philippe Lazzarini warned that a further breakdown of civil order after the agency’s warehouses were…

On Day 2 Of Multistate Search For Mass Killing Suspect, Maine Residents Shelter Behind Locked Doors

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Police asked thousands of Maine residents to stay in their homes Friday as heavily armed local and federal law enforcement agents searched for a second day for an Army reservist who they say fatally shot 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar in the worst mass killing in state history. Nearly two days after the shooting, police have…

Republican Mike Johnson Has Secured Enough Votes To Become House Speaker As Ballot Draws To A Close

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Mike Johnson easily secured enough votes to be elected House speaker on Wednesday, as Republicans were eagerly elevating the little-known conservative leader to the seat of U.S. power and ending for now the political chaos in their majority. With voting still underway, Johnson, of Louisiana, was picking up support from most all Republicans anxious to put the past…

Republicans Pick Tom Emmer As Their Nominee For Speaker As They Try For A Third Time To Fill The House’s Top Position

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three weeks now since the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, House Republicans are meeting privately Tuesday to try nominating a new House speaker to accomplish the seemingly impossible job of uniting a broken, bitter GOP majority and returning to the work of governing in Congress. In early round ballots the senior-most lawmaker, Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP Whip, jumped out front…

World’s Oldest Dog Ever Dies In Portugal, Aged 31 (Or About 217 In Dog Years)

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A 31-year-old dog in Portugal that had been ranked as the world’s oldest dog ever has died, his owner said Monday. The guard dog, called Bobi, died over the weekend in a veterinary hospital, Leonel Costa told The Associated Press. Bobi lived on a farm in the village of Conqueiros in Portugal with Costa and four cats. He…

Judge Fines Donald Trump $5,000 After Post Maligning Court Staffer Is Found On Campaign Website

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump was fined $5,000 on Friday after a disparaging social media post about a key court staffer in his New York civil fraud case lingered on his campaign website for weeks after the judge ordered it deleted. Judge Arthur Engoron avoided holding Trump in contempt, for now, but reserved the right to do…

Israel Evacuates Town Near Lebanese Border In Sign Of Impending Gaza Ground Assault

(AP) — Israel is bombarding Gaza and evacuating a sizable town near the Lebanese border in the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil. Israel’s defense minister has ordered troops to prepare to see Gaza “from the inside,” hinting at a ground offensive aimed at crushing Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers. Aid shipments badly needed…

Gaza Awaits Humanitarian Aid, As Israel Tells Troops To ‘Be Ready’ For Ground Invasion

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes on Thursday, including in the south where Palestinians were told to take refuge, and the country’s defense minister told ground troops to “be ready” to invade, though he didn’t say when. Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals tried to stretch out ebbing medical supplies and fuel for generators, as authorities…

President Biden Wraps Up His Visit To Wartime Israel With A Warning Against Being ‘Consumed’ By Rage

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — President Joe Biden swept into wartime Israel for a 7 1/2-hour visit Wednesday that produced a heaping dose of support for the Israeli people, a deal to get limited humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt and a warning not to allow rage over the deadly Hamas attack to consume them. “I understand. Many Americans understand,” Biden said…

Blast Kills Hundreds At Gaza Hospital; Hamas And Israel Trade Blame, As Biden Heads To Mideast

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. The health ministry said at least 500…

Republicans Reject Rep. Jim Jordan For House Speaker On The First Ballot, But More Voting Likely

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans rejected Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker on a first ballot Tuesday, as an unexpectedly numerous 20 holdouts denied the hard-charging ally of Donald Trump the GOP majority needed to seize the gavel. More voting is expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy for the job. The House went into recess as the…

6-Year-Old Boy Is Buried And Mother Treated After Attack That Police Call An Anti-Muslim Hate Crime

CHICAGO (AP) — A 71-year-old Illinois landlord upset over the Israel-Hamas war attacked a Palestinian American woman with a knife when she proposed they “pray for peace” and killed her 6-year-old son, authorities said Monday. The details emerged as Joseph Czuba appeared in court on murder, attempted murder and hate crime charges while the boy’s Muslim family prepared to bury him in the…

Trump Has Narrow Gag Order Imposed On Him By Federal Judge Overseeing 2020 Election Subversion Case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge overseeing the 2020 election subversion case against Donald Trump in Washington imposed a narrow gag order on him on Monday, barring the Republican former president from making statements targeting prosecutors, possible witnesses and the judge’s staff. The order from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is a milestone moment in the federal case that accuses Trump of illegally conspiring…

EU Leaders Will Meet To Deal With The Fallout In Europe From The Israel-Hamas War

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Tuesday as concern mounts that the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas could fuel inter-communal tensions in Europe and bring more refugees in search of sanctuary. The leaders will also attempt to restore some order after a series of social media messages, statements and visits by EU…

Israel Orders Unprecedented Evacuation Of 1 Million In Gaza As Possible Ground Offensive Looms

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group. The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse — with just a 24-hour…

The US Is Moving Quickly To Boost Israel’s Military. A Look At What Assistance It’s Providing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Within hours of the horrific attack by Hamas, the U.S. began moving warships and aircraft to the region to be ready to provide Israel with whatever it needs to respond. A second U.S. carrier strike group departs from Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday. Scores of aircraft are heading to U.S. military bases around the Middle East. And special operations…

$1.765 Billion Powerball Jackpot Goes To Lucky Lottery Player In California

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A player in California won a $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot Wednesday night, ending a long stretch without a winner of the top prize. The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, according to the California Lottery. Phone calls Wednesday…

As Strikes Devastate Gaza, Israel Forms Unity Government To Oversee War Sparked By Hamas Attack

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a leading opposition figure on Wednesday created a war-time Cabinet overseeing the fight to avenge a stunning weekend attack by Hamas militants. In the sealed-off Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighborhoods and the territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel. The new war-time Cabinet establishes…

Powerball Jackpot Grows To $1.55 Billion For Monday; Cash Option Worth $679.8 Million

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.55 billion for Monday night’s drawing after no one matched the game’s six numbers for the giant prize Saturday. The $1.55 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 30 years. Most jackpot winners opt for cash, which…

What Is Indigenous Peoples Day? A Day Of Celebration, Protest And Reclaiming History

(AP) — From Alcatraz Island to a park in New York City, Native American people will celebrate their centuries-long history of resilience on Monday with ceremonies, dances and speeches. The events across the U.S. come two years after President Joe Biden officially commemorated Indigenous Peoples Day. An increasing number of states and cities have also recognized it — pivoting from a…