Month: February 2024

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — An Ecuadorian judge has ruled that five of six suspects in last year’s assassination of a presidential candidate will stand trial, including a leader of a powerful criminal gang who authorities accuse of coordinating the slaying from his prison cell. Judge Irene Pesántez on Wednesday ruled that Carlos Angulo, the imprisoned

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Two scientists at a high-security infectious disease laboratory in Canada lost their jobs after security reviews found they failed to protect sensitive assets and information, newly released records show. The scientists, Xiangguo Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, were stripped of their security clearances at the National Microbiology Laboratory in 2019

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Canada’s International Development minister says Canada is working to airdrop humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible. The confirmation that an active effort is underway comes after Ahmed Hussen’s office said Ottawa was exploring new options to deliver aid. He says the provision of airdrops in partnership with

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities in Arizona say there is no evidence a house fire that left five children dead was caused by arson. Bullhead City Police said in a news release Wednesday that investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found no trace of accelerants on debris samples taken from

CHICAGO (AP) — A Cook County judge ruled the Illinois State Board of Elections must take former President Donald Trump’s name off the state’s March 19 primary ballot Wednesday. But she placed her order on hold until Friday to allow an appeal. Judge Tracie Porter issued her decision after a group of voters trying to

By FELICIA FONSECA and SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A Native American tribe with one of the largest outstanding claims to water in the Colorado River basin is closing in on a settlement with more than a dozen parties, putting it on a path to piping water to tens of thousands of

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Indiscriminate violence in Haiti is escalating, especially in the capital and surrounding region. The United Nations humanitarian coordinator in the conflict-wracked Caribbean nation says armed gangs are carrying out killings and acts of sexual violence. Ulrika Richardson told U.N. reporters at a virtual press conference

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch has reached a contract agreement with the Teamsters union that avoids a strike at its U.S. plants. The union had threatened to strike the brewer’s 12 U.S. plants if an agreement on a new five-year contract wasn’t reached by 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday. But both sides

By JOHN DUERDEN Associated Press Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for one match for making an alleged offensive gesture during a Saudi Arabia league game while playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The suspension was announced in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the match took place. Footage on social media appeared to show

By ERIC TUCKER, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s decision to consider whether Donald Trump can face prosecution in his federal 2020 election interference case injects immediate uncertainty into the legal and political calendar over the next several months. Wednesday’s decision raises the potential that a trial

By SARAH RANKIN Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia lawmakers have passed legislation that if approved by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin would allow recreational retail sales of marijuana to begin next year. In 2021, Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana. But because of political gridlock since then, the state still hasn’t

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Federal regulators have issued a $55,000 fine after St. Louis’ largest nursing home closed without warning, although experts said the amount collected will likely be smaller. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the fine in a letter to the owners of Northview

By ROB GILLIES Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — An official familiar with the matter says the Canadian government is reimposing some visa requirements on Mexican nationals visiting Canada. Quebec’s premier has been urging the federal government to slow the influx of refugees which he says has been straining resources. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government lifted

TORONTO (AP) — The Canadian Football League says it is investigating allegations made by a former Toronto Argonauts strength and conditioning coach that they were wrongfully dismissed and quarterback Chad Kelly harassed them. The coach filed a statement of claim with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice last week alleging a pattern of harassment by

By DENISE LAVOIE Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A bill that would have let people serving with prison terms in Virginia petition a court to consider reducing their sentences after serving a minimum of 15 years has been defeated in the state’s General Assembly. This is the third consecutive year that a so-called second

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Crowds lined up in San Francisco on Wednesday to see — and smell — the blooming of an endangered tropical flower that releases a pungent odor when it opens once every several years. An Amorphophallus titanum, also known as a corpse flower, began blooming Tuesday afternoon at the California Academy of

By KIM CHANDLER Associated Press MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — More than 200 in vitro fertilization patients have gathered at the Alabama Statehouse to urge lawmakers to find some way to restore IVF services in the state. Those gathered at the Statehouse Wednesday included patients and doctors alike. Three IVF providers in Alabama paused services after

By JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The lyrics to “Hotel California” and other classic Eagles songs should never have ended up at auction, Don Henley told a court Wednesday. “I always knew those lyrics were my property. I never gifted them or gave them to anybody to keep or sell,” the Eagles

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and DAVID HAMILTON AP Business Writers NEW YORK (AP) — A social media backlash to media reports that said fast-food chain Wendy’s had plans to increase menu prices during its busiest hours shows a limit to where, when and for what U.S. consumers will trade more cash for convenience. While customers may

By The Associated Press Fellow comedians, famous fans, co-stars and friends are paying tribute to Richard Lewis after his death at age 76. Lewis’ “Curb Your Enthusiasm” co-star Larry David says he and Lewis were born three days apart and were like brothers for most of their lives. David says Lewis “had that rare combination

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — A newly released report on last year’s fatal crash involving a pickup truck and a group of bicyclists near Phoenix has cast doubts about the driver’s claim that the vehicle’s steering locked up. The National Transportation Safety Board released a report Tuesday on the Feb. 25, 2023, crash on a Goodyear

By SARA CLINE Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bill allowing Louisiana residents, 18 and older, to carry a concealed handgun without a permit received final approval from lawmakers Wednesday. After years of GOP-led efforts for permitless concealed carry, the bill is poised to become law with Gov. Jeff Landry signaling that he

By DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Authorities say an offshore oil spill that led Trinidad and Tobago to declare a national emergency earlier this month has reached the shores of the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire hundreds of miles away. It’s the first sign of how far the leaked oil

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit couple is charged with having a dangerous animal causing death after authorities say their three dogs fatally mauled a 35-year-old man. Prosecutors say 40-year-old Roy Goodman was arraigned Wednesday and his wife is expected to be arraigned at a later date. The dogs are alleged to have attacked Harold Phillips

By MICHAEL HILL Associated Press The giant meat producer JBS was accused of making misleading claims about its greenhouse gas emission goals to boost sales among environmentally conscious consumers in a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in a state court in Manhattan alleges that the company claimed

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG Associated Press/Report For America JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi’s Republican-led House has passed a bill to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands more residents in one of the poorest states in the U.S. It would be a landmark shift after state leaders refused to consider the policy for years. The bill passed

McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — A man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty in the attacks of four women who were sexually assaulted in their homes throughout the Dallas area, including three women who were alumnae of the same national Black sorority. Jeffery Lemor Wheat, who is 52, entered the pleas Tuesday in

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have blocked legislation that would protect access to in vitro fertilization, objecting to a vote on the issue Wednesday even after widespread backlash to a recent ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that threatens the practice. The objection was to a

By LEANNE ITALIE AP Lifestyles Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Leap year. It’s a delight for the calendar and math nerds among us. So how did it all begin and why? Ancient civilizations had calendars that made periodic corrections to realign with lunar and solar cycles. But it was Julius Caesar who put into practice

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and MIKE HOUSEHOLDER Associated Press DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Dearborn and two other Michigan cities with large Arab and Muslim populations turned against President Joe Biden in the state’s primary after Democratic leaders there warned for months that voters were angry about his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Biden won the state

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to decide whether former President Donald Trump can be prosecuted on charges he interfered with the 2020 election and set a course for a quick resolution. The justices’ order maintains a hold on preparations for a trial focused on Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss.

By HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington state House has overwhelmingly approved legislation that would ban police from hog-tying suspects, a restraint technique that has long drawn concern because of the risk of suffocation. The vote on Wednesday came nearly four years after Manuel Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, died in Tacoma,

By LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Republican-controlled House of Delegates has approved a bill that doctors treating transgender youth in the state say would prevent the prescription of certain medical interventions like hormone therapy to patients at risk for self-harm or suicide. The proposal, which now heads to the Senate,

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE Associated Press ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana’s parliament has passed a highly controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill that could send people to prison for more than a decade. The bill was introduced to parliament three years ago and criminalizes members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as its supporters, including promotion and funding of

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian space officials have acknowledged a continuing air leak from the Russian segment of the International Space Station, but say it poses no danger to its crew. The Roscosmos state corporation said Wednesday that specialists were monitoring the leak and the crew “regularly conducts work to locate and fix possible spots of

By The Associated Press Stacy Wakefield, the widow of former Boston Red Sox pitcher and two-time World Series champion Tim Wakefield, has died. Her family said in a statement released through the Red Sox that she died Wednesday at her Massachusetts home, less than five months after her husband died at the age of 57.

By AMY BETH HANSON and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale says he will seek reelection to his U.S. House seat representing eastern Montana. Rosendale, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, announced his reelection bid Wednesday after abandoning a short-lived Senate campaign under pressure from party leaders.

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A person who previously pleaded guilty in a welfare misspending case in Mississippi is making new allegations about former Gov. Phil Bryant. Nancy New says in a court filing Monday that Bryant told people at a 2019 Christmas party, weeks before leaving office, that he’d

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City Chiefs superfan known as “ChiefsAholic” pleaded guilty Wednesday to a string of robberies and attempted robberies of banks and credit unions in multiple states. Xaviar Michael Babudar, 29, pleaded guilty in federal court in Kansas City, Missouri, to one count each of money laundering, transporting stolen property

By ISABELLA O’MALLEY Associated Press Wildfires raging in the Texas Panhandle have been growing at a staggering rate, resulting in widespread evacuations. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties late Tuesday. The blaze grew to 1,300 square miles on Wednesday, rivaling the largest in state history. The fast-moving fires are rare,

BERKELEY Leaders of the University of California, Berkeley, have denounced a protest against an event organized by Jewish students that forced police to evacuate attendees and a speaker from Israel. Chancellor Carol Christ and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Benjamin Hermalin say the incident Monday night violated fundamental values. A crowd of about 200 protesters

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Lewis, an acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain,” has died. He was 76. Lewis, who revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2023, died at

By DAVID SHARP Associated Press AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Democrats in the Maine Legislature have unveiled sweeping gun violence measures, including a 72-hour waiting period for most gun purchases and $17.5 million in spending for community mental health programs. The proposals unveiled Wednesday add to firearm legislation and mental health spending already proposed by the

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are planning an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium that would begin after the team plays host to games for the 2026 World Cup and take about four years to complete. The plan is to bring the third-oldest stadium in

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York state Legislature has approved a Democrat-drawn congressional map that gives the party a modest boost in a few battleground districts, helping their candidates in a heavily contested election year when House races in the state could determine control of Congress. Lawmakers in the

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The family that had wanted to build the world’s tallest flagpole in rural eastern Maine has agreed to pay a $250,000 penalty for construction of more than 50 cabins without obtaining environmental permits from the state. The Board of Environmental Protection on Wednesday signed off on the consent agreement signed by

By KATIE MARIE DAVIS and DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press Russia’s 2024 presidential election isn’t expected to bring change to the Kremlin. With most opposition figures either in jail or abroad and many independent media outlets blocked, the Kremlin maintains a tight control over the country’s political system and the vote is all but guaranteed to

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Old age may be debated as a liability on the presidential campaign trail, but it’s not at this year’s Oscars. The 83-year-old Hayao Miyazaki is the older director ever nominated for best animated film. Martin Scorsese, at 81, is the oldest best director nominee ever.

By KATHLEEN FOODY Associated Press Wisconsin cities recorded nearly 60-degree swings in temperatures within 24 hours from Tuesday into Wednesday morning. A review of the National Weather Service data shows the changes tied a record in at least one city and may have set a record for Milwaukee. Madison’s 70-degree high on Tuesday plunged to

By SCOTT BAUER Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The last remaining child of famed conservationist and author Aldo Leopold has died. Estella Leopold was a researcher and scientist who dedicated her life to the land ethic philosophy of her famous father. She died Sunday in Seattle at the age of 97 after several months

By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A proposal meant to guide electoral authorities in setting the date for Venezuela’s presidential election includes more than 20 potential options ranging from as soon as the last week of March through early December. The proposal announced Wednesday will be presented over the next few

By VALERIE GONZALEZ and ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Presidential visits to the border are usually short on substance and long on political theater and symbolism, starting with the choice of location. President Joe Biden and his rival and immediate predecessor, Donald Trump, are going to the Texas border Thursday, but Biden’s