Month: May 2023

By PATRICK ORSAGOS Associated Press AKRON, Ohio (AP) — When Julia and Robert Jones discovered that a judge from the Akron Municipal Court in Ohio would be officiating “Star Wars”-themed weddings on May the Fourth, the couple felt the Force calling them to commit to the ceremony. “There was no other right decision, that was

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Former Florida Democratic candidate for governor Andrew Gillum, who came within a whisker of defeating Republican Ron DeSantis in 2018, was acquitted Thursday of lying to the FBI in a corruption case that also involved illegal use of campaign contributions. But the federal jury hung on charges that

By ARLEIGH RODGERS Associated Press/Report for America INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s governor on Thursday signed a bill that will require schools to notify a parent if a student requests a name or pronoun change at school, one of the final bills approved in a legislative session that had targeted LGBTQ+ people in the state, especially

By BILL BARROW Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s Republican secretary of state has set the battleground state’s 2024 presidential primary for March 12. That rebuffs Democrats, including President Joe Biden, who wanted Georgia to be an early nominating state. The Democratic National Committee already tapped South Carolina for the party’s opening slot and proposed

By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A bill that would allow South Carolina to buy the drugs needed for lethal injection without revealing the name of the company who sells them will soon be heading for the governor’s desk. The state Senate on Thursday approved minor changes the House made in the

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer When it comes to social media, families are seeking help. With ever-changing algorithms pushing content at children, parents are seeing their kids’ mental health suffer, even as platforms like TikTok and Instagram provide connections with friends. Some are questioning whether kids should be on social media at all, and

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers have asked a federal court to take control of his criminal case. They argued Thursday that the former president can’t be tried in the state court where his historic indictment was brought because the alleged conduct occurred while he was in office.

By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. deaths fell last year, and COVID-19 dropped to the nation’s No. 4 cause, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. COVID-19 deaths trailed those caused by heart disease, cancer and injuries such as drug overdoses, motor vehicle fatalities and shootings. In 2020

By ROB GILLIES Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s foreign minister says the country is considering the expulsion of Chinese diplomats over an intelligence agency report saying one of them plotted to intimidate the Hong Kong relatives of a Canadian lawmaker. Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Thursday that her department was summoning China’s ambassador to

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Sons of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán have denied accusations made by U.S. prosecutors last month, saying in a letter that they have no involvement in the production and trafficking of the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl. The letter was provided to The Associated Press by José Refugio Rodríguez,

By CLAIRE RUSH and ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Most Republican members of the Oregon Senate failed to show up for the second straight day Thursday, delaying action by the majority Democrats on bills on gun safety, abortion rights and gender-affirming health care. The stayaway prevented a quorum, with Senate President Rob

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Israel’s defense minister says Iran could have enough enriched uranium to make five nuclear weapons, and warned Tehran that proceeding to weapons-grade enrichment could “ignite the region.” Yoav Gallant made the remarks during a visit on Thursday to Greece. His remarks echoed international concerns, which have mounted over the past months,

By LESLIE AMBRIZ Associated Press Before taking on a new role, Melissa Barrera asks herself, “What is the message that I’m trying to send out into the world with this?” The Mexican actor and singer is intentional with the projects she selects, including her latest movie, “Carmen,” the feature directorial debut of “Black Swan” choreographer

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS Associated Press NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The European Union’s commissioner for justice says the bloc’s executive arm wants to delve deeper into why Cyprus has only frozen 100 million euros worth of assets belonging to Russians facing sanctions amid the war in Ukraine. European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders told reporters Thursday

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The seditious conspiracy convictions of leaders of the Proud Boys extremist group mark another major victory for the Justice Department in its massive prosecution of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jurors on Thursday found former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio and

MOSCOW (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to Russia has visited Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan in a remote Russian prison. “Paul has been wrongfully detained in Russia for more than four years, and his release remains an absolute priority,” Ambassador Lynne Tracy wrote on Twitter that securing Whelan’s freedom “remains an absolute priority” and