Month: December 2021

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a woman who died when her car went into the icy rapids above Niagara Falls likely drove into the river on purpose. The New York State Park Police said Thursday “entry into the water appears to be an intentional act,” and an investigation was ongoing. The driver was

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Noncitizens in the country’s most populous city are closer to gaining the right to vote in municipal elections. The New York City Council overwhelmingly approved a measure Thursday that would give access to the ballot box to 800,000 green card holders and so-called Dreamers. Only

By JOSHUA GOODMAN and JIM MUSTIAN Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A once-standout U.S. narcotics agent who used his badge to build a lavish lifestyle of luxury cars and Tiffany jewelry has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to launder money with a Colombian cartel. But even as Jose Irizarry

Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A student at an aeronautical university in Florida was arrested after authorities received tips from other students that he was planning to shoot people on campus on the last day before winter break. When officers arrested 19-year-old  John Hagins on Thursday morning at his apartment in Daytona Beach,

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has brushed aside complaints about prosecutors’ move to shut down one of the country’s most prominent human rights groups, claiming that it listed Nazi collaborators among the victims of Soviet-era repression. Speaking during a video call Thursday with members of the Kremlin human rights council, Putin responded to

By ERIC TUCKER and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled against an effort by former President Donald Trump to shield documents from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The three-judge panel said Thursday there was a “unique legislative need” for documents that the

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The U.N. political chief says she had “frank and useful” discussions with a wide range of Afghans including senior Taliban officials during a three-day visit. She says the aim is “an Afghanistan that is inclusive, abides by its human rights obligations and is a resolute partner in suppressing terrorism.” She pointed

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s governor has declared an emergency over the state’s chronic nursing shortage amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Andy Beshear took executive actions Thursday aimed at boosting enrollment in nurse-training programs. He says Kentucky is projected to need more than 16,000 additional nurses by 2024. His

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Allegations from the U.S. government that El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s administration negotiated with the country’s powerful street gangs touched a sensitive topic. Previous administrations in El Salvador have done so and paid a political price. Prosecutions of some former officials are ongoing for past pacts.

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has rejected a takeover offer from the Alden Global Capital hedge fund that is one of the largest newspaper owners in the country with a reputation for intense cost cuts and layoffs. Lee said Thursday that its board unanimously rejected Alden’s offer to buy the

BOSTON (AP) — A former media company CEO who authorities say paid more than $500,000 to get her two children into elite universities has been sentenced to prison time. Elisabeth Kimmel, of Las Vegas, was the 29th parent to be sentenced in the nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. As part of a plea deal, Kimmel

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s capital city has agreed to pay $5.75 million to people injured during last year’s racial injustice and police brutality protests, plaintiffs’ lawyers and city officials said Thursday. The payouts will vary based on the extent of protesters’ individual injuries, and will be determined during a

By JOCELYN GECKER and TERRY SPENCER Associated Press The Los Angeles Board of Education has chosen the longtime superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools to be the next superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest in the nation. The board announced the appointment of Alberto Carvalho after a unanimous vote Thursday. An

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has lost another costly court ruling over his coal companies’ environmental violations. A federal judge in Virginia has ruled Southern Coal Corp. and two dozen other companies must pay $2.5 million. That’s for in penalties at mine sites in Tennessee. A joint filing by the U.S.

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California truck drivers will soon have to worry about pollution tickets along with speeding tickets. The California Air Resources Board on Thursday approved a new smog check program for heavy duty trucks. Many newer trucks have computers on board that monitor emissions and send data to

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is moving ahead with a fast-track plan for raising the debt limit. A key hurdle was cleared on Thursday with the support of 14 Republicans and 50 Democrats, and that likely averts another last-minute rush to avoid a federal default. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — A Catholic diocese in Michigan is asking its pastors to deny baptism, confirmation and other sacraments to transgender and nonbinary people unless they have “repented,” a policy that’s possibly the most sweeping of its kind in the U.S. The guidance from the Diocese of Marquette also stipulates that transgender people may

By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Draft maps for new congressional districts in Virginia would provide Democrats a strong chance to win a majority of the state’s 11 seats, but they also draw Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger out of her Richmond-area district. The maps released Wednesday were prepared by two special

By EMMA H. TOBIN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists say fossilized tracks from 120 million years ago show two-legged dinosaurs ran fast. The tracks from Spain join the ranks of one of the fastest known sets of dinosaur footprints. They also add to the growing evidence that two-legged meat-eating dinosaurs were highly agile.

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer The Sundance Film Festival is returning to the Utah mountains in January armed with documentaries about Bill Cosby, Princess Diana, Kanye West and Lucille Ball as well as the directorial debuts of Eva Longoria, Tig Notaro and Jesse Eisenberg. Festival organizers unveiled the lineup for the 2022 edition on

By BRIAN WITTE Associated Press ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland General Assembly has voted to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of Maryland’s congressional map. The Republican governor said Thursday the veto override would not be the end of the process, because the map will be challenged in court. Hogan says the map for the