Month: August 2021

By SAM METZ, JANIE HAR and JOHN ANTCZAK Associated Press/Report for America SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — Officials say they lucked out with favorable weather conditions that kept a huge forest fire out of the city of South Lake Tahoe, California. But they also say the tourist hot spot of 22,000 residents on the

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel approved a series of measures easing its blockade of the Gaza Strip, including opening the main commercial crossing with the Palestinian enclave to imports. Wednesday’s announcement by COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, came as tensions have run high in recent weeks as Hamas activists have launched

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has warned U.S. climate envoy John Kerry that deteriorating U.S.-China relations could undermine cooperation between the two on climate change. Wang told Kerry by video link that such cooperation cannot be separated from the broader relationship and called on the U.S. to take steps to improve ties.

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets are higher as investors waited for U.S. jobs data that might influence when the Federal Reserve starts to wind down its stimulus. Shanghai and Hong Kong advanced. Tokyo, South Korea and Sydney declined. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index added 0.1%, pushed up

By JAY REEVES Associated Press HOUMA, La. (AP) — Main Street in the Louisiana town of Houma resembles a canyon of rubble after Hurricane Ida. Metal roofs peeled off buildings covered the sidewalks Tuesday, and red bricks from a collapsed building mingled with broken glass on a corner. A once shady square a block away

By JESSICA GRESKO, PAUL J. WEBER and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press The nation’s most far-reaching curb on abortions has taken effect in Texas, with the Supreme Court silent so far on an emergency appeal to put the law on hold. If allowed to remain in force, the law would be the most dramatic restriction on

By REBECCA SANTANA, MELINDA DESLATTE and JANET MCCONAUGHEY Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Residents of Louisiana communities hit hard by Hurricane Ida are seeing small signs of progress amid the need for a monumental recovery. About 11,000 people in New Orleans saw their lights come back on early Wednesday. But officials say full restoration

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — The wildfire threatening communities around Lake Tahoe has drawn what officials call an aggressive response to try to stop it from reaching areas, including the town of South Lake Tahoe, home to more than 20,000 people. The fire is named the Caldor Fire, after the road where it started

By TERENCE CHEA and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — While more than 20,000 people packed roads leading out of Lake Tahoe on Monday to flee the Caldor Fire closing in on the resort community, a handful of people decided to buck the mandatory evacuation orders and stay behind. In

By ROBERT BURNS and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say it’s “possible” the U.S. will coordinate with the Taliban on any future counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others. Milley says the Taliban is a “ruthless” group, and

By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Response to disasters such as Hurricane Ida falls primarily to state and local officials, but the federal government is playing an important support role. It is making available millions of dollars in aid and coordinating with local officials and private relief groups for everything from meals to

By AAMER MADHANI, LYNN BERRY and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his first meeting with a foreign leader since ending the war in Afghanistan to send the message that the United States — unburdened of its “forever war”— is determined to become a more reliable ally to its friends.

By ROXANA HEGEMAN and ALLEN G. BREED Associated Press BOYDTON, Va. (AP) — U.S. farmers of color are battling in the courts to save a $4 billion debt relief program approved by Congress. Congress approved the debt relief for 16,000 farmers of color in March as part of a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package. The

By ROXANA HEGEMAN and ALLEN G. BREED Associated Press BOYDTON, Va. (AP) — U.S. farmers of color are battling in the courts to save a $4 billion debt relief program approved by Congress. Congress approved the debt relief for 16,000 farmers of color in March as part of a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package. The

By THOMAS BEAUMONT and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press MEQUON, Wis. (AP) — A loose network of conservative groups with ties to major Republican donors and party-aligned think tanks is quietly lending firepower to local activists engaged in the culture war fights in schools across the country. While they are drawn by the anger of parents

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL and RISHABH R. JAIN Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India has dramatically increased COVID-19 vaccination rates in its vast rural hinterland, where around 65% of its nearly 1.4 billion people live in villages served by fragile health care systems. A blend of innovative strategies tailored for villages, alongside a communication strategy

By COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press TAYLOR, Mich. (AP) — Experts in the firearms industry as well as gun-rights advocates say more and more Black women are considering gun ownership for personal protection. Fear of crime, especially as shootings and murders have risen in cities big and small, is one driver of the trend. But a

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — This summer’s coronavirus surge has been labeled a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” by government officials from President Joe Biden on down. That sound bite captures the glaring reality that unvaccinated people overwhelmingly account for new cases and serious infections. In fact, a recent study of government data

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The sports minister for Victoria state says tennis players at January’s Australian Open can expect fewer restrictions on their movements around Melbourne if they are vaccinated for COVID-19. Martin Pakula also said he was “very confident” of the first Grand Slam tournament of 2022 proceeding at Melbourne Park from January 17

By JULIE WATSON Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — A day after a U.S. Navy helicopter crashed in the ocean off Southern California near an aircraft carrier, rescue crews are still searching for five missing sailors. Wednesday’s search is happening after the Navy said in a statement that one sailor was rescued shortly after Tuesday’s

LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) — A U.S. Marine who was among 13 killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan was honored Tuesday evening in her hometown. Officials in Lawrence, Massachusetts, held a vigil with Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo’s family at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The 25-year-old died in the Aug. 26 bombing at the airport in Kabul,

By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — One of two British nationals charged with joining with the Islamic State group and conspiring to torture and behead American and European hostages in Syria is scheduled to plead guilty to criminal charges. Federal court records show a change of plea hearing has been scheduled

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears and her new attorney say her father is trying to get about $2 million in payments before stepping down from the conservatorship that controls her life and money. In a court filing Tuesday, Spears and her lawyer say she “will not be extorted”

By GARY GERARD HAMILTON Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — After nearly four decades in the music business helping craft hits for icons like Michael and Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and more, songwriting and producing duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis recently released their debut album, “Jam & Lewis, Volume One.” The

By GERALD HERBERT Associated Press GRAND ISLE, La. (AP) — Ida caused mass devastation on Grand Isle, a Louisiana town on a narrow barrier island that bore the full power of the Category 4 storm Sunday. About half of the properties in Grand Isle were either heavily damaged or destroyed by Ida. Splintered houses were

By ACACIA CORONADO and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he will sign sweeping changes to the state’s election code that would make it harder — sometimes even legally riskier — to cast a ballot. Both the Texas House and Senate gave the legislation final approval on Tuesday.

WACO, Texas (AP) — A Central Texas school district is closing its schools after two teachers died last week of COVID-19. Connally Independent School District officials closed its seven suburban Waco schools for the rest of the week Tuesday after the Saturday COVID-19 death of 41-year-old Natalia Chansler. She taught social studies to sixth graders

By JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — A grand jury has declined to indict a Texas police officer in the death of a Black man who was shot as he ran away after being confronted. Twenty-two-year-old Joshua Feast died Dec. 9 after he was shot by La Marque police Officer Jose Santos. Civil

Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — A retired Naval officer admitted in federal court in San Diego to sending a Malaysian defense contractor classified ship schedules for the Navy’s Seventh Fleet in exchange for more than $45,000 in bribes, including stays at luxury hotels. Retired Chief Warrant Officer Robert Gorsuch also admitted in Tuesday that