AP National

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger, according to a new poll. In the survey from NORC at the University of Chicago, about 8 in 10 U.S. adults

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government has placed sanctions on seven companies in response to recent U.S. announcements of military sales and aid to Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday that the sanctions also come in response to the recent approval of the

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Years before Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce was born, his father spent time in prison for an armed robbery conviction that prosecutors now say was tainted by a detective’s lies and “highly suggestive” photo identification techniques. Jeffrey Koonce, now 67, had his conviction vacated and his indictment

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Osamu Suzuki, the charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. who helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company, has died, the company said Friday. He was 94. Suzuki was known for his candid remarks and friendliness, calling himself an “old guy from a small to mid-size

Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israeli soldiers stormed and burned a hospital after forcibly removing staff and patients. The Israeli military said Friday the hospital in northern Gaza was being used by Hamas fighters as a base, although it did not provide evidence. Last week, the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders accused Israel of systematically

Associated Press FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday ordered parliament dissolved and set new elections for Feb. 23 in the wake of the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition, saying it was the only way to give the country a stable government capable of tackling its problems. Scholz lost a confidence

Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has raised concerns over the rising number of government critics who were apparently abducted, as four people were reported missing over the weekend. That brings the total number of abductions to 82 since the anti-government protests in June. Four social media users

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition-controlled National Assembly has voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo. The assembly approved the impeachment motion in a 192-0 vote on Friday. Governing party lawmakers boycotted the vote. Han, who is also prime minister, had been acting leader after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached

DALLAS (AP) — Parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas were under severe weather watches early Friday as the National Weather Service predicted a storm system in the Gulf of Mexico could bring high winds, hail and possible tornadoes to the region. “Heavy showers and thunderstorms continue to race across Louisiana and the Gulf waters at

Associated Press FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war from 1991-2002 created about 28,000 amputees. Now many live on the streets and beg, facing discrimination. They are often regarded as a shameful reminder of the war. One initiative is tackling this by training amputees to farm and strengthen their independence. Despite its

Associated Press Artificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters.

Associated Press ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s left-leaning president, an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, is running for reelection this weekend against an array of contenders, including the candidate backed by the conservative government. President Zoran Milanović is seen as a favorite ahead of the presidential election

Associated Press Scientists say human-caused climate change added an average of 41 days of dangerous heat worldwide in 2024. The analysis from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central comes after a year likely to be the world’s hottest on record. The heat scorched everywhere from cities in North America to West Africa to the Acropolis

Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — Florida condominium owners are looking at higher costs from condo associations in the new year. That’s a consequence of a Florida condo safety law passed by state lawmakers in 2022. It requires condo associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs and to conduct a survey of reserves every

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of burning a sleeping woman to death inside a New York City subway train has been indicted on murder and arson charges, prosecutors announced Friday, as authorities continue working to identify the victim. Sebastian Zapeta is accused by prosecutors of lighting the woman on fire on

Associated Press Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot soared above $1 billion, and that’s still a big deal. After three months without anyone winning the top prize, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night. The high number evoked headlines and

Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — China launched a new amphibious assault ship Friday, capable of launching fighter jets and designed to strengthen the navy’s combat ability in distant seas. The Sichuan, the first ship of the 076 type, is China’s largest such ship yet, displacing 40,000 tons and equipped with an electromagnetic catapult which will

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese Cabinet has approved a record 8.7 trillion yen ($55 billion) defense budget plan for 2025 as Japan accelerates building up its strike-back capability with long-range cruise missiles and starts deploying Tomahawks to further fortify the country against growing threat from China, North Korea and Russia. The Cabinet-endorsed draft

Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — China’s leader Xi Jinping wants the recent spree of mass killings that shocked the country not to happen again. He ordered local governments to prevent future “extreme cases.” The attacks, where drivers mow down people on foot or knife-wielding assailants stab multiple victims, are not new in China, but the

Associated Press GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — A probe into the military’s role in the disappearance of four children in Ecuador this month was delayed for almost two weeks, even though police had access to surveillance videos implicating soldiers in the disappearance. The children went missing on Dec. 8 in the coastal city of Guayaquil after

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, has died. He was 76. Parsons died Thursday at his Manhattan home. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back

AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is proposing a rule that cosmetic companies would have to take extra steps to ensure that any products containing talc are free of asbestos. The rule was proposed Thursday and is intended to reassure consumers about the safety of makeup, baby powder and other

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez asked a federal judge on Thursday to delay his end-of-January sentencing on bribery charges and acting as an agent of the Egyptian government, saying his family would suffer a “tremendous emotional toll” if the New Jersey Democrat were sentenced during his wife’s trial. His

Associated Press HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs on Thursday, a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed after checkpoints were set

AP Sports Writer Two sailors on separate boats have died in boom accidents two hours apart on a storm-ravaged first night of the annual Sydney to Hobart race, adding to the event’s long history of deaths at sea. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Sydney, which administers the yacht race, said Friday that one

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and witnesses in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday., saying the investigation would focus on the

Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s health minister has been removed from his post following a deadly gang attack on the largest public hospital in the capital, Port-au-Prince. In a statement published on Thursday afternoon, Haiti’s transitional council named Justice Minister Patrick Pelissier as interim Health Minister until a replacement is found for the

WHARTON, N.J. (AP) — A sinkhole that opened up along Interstate 80 in northern New Jersey has forced authorities to close the eastbound lanes of the heavily traveled highway. The sinkhole was discovered Thursday morning near Wharton. That’s about 40 miles west of New York City. Crews are evaluating how to repair the sinkhole and

Associated Press DENVER (AP) — A 7-year-old boy who died in a shooting that left 24 bullet holes in a home on a tribal reservation in Colorado was lying next to his father in bed when he was hit, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. Zackieus Lang told investigators that his son was on the

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian authorities say more bodies have been found after the collapse of a bridge linking two northern states, raising the death toll from the accident to eight. The country’s navy said on Thursday that at least nine people are still missing, four days later. On Sunday, cars and trucks crossing the

Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel’s “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the

DALLAS (AP) — Some flights were delayed or canceled in Texas on Thursday after a line of thunderstorms started moving across parts of the state in a system the National Weather Service predicted could bring high winds, hail and possible tornadoes. More than 100 flights were delayed and dozens more canceled at Dallas Fort Worth

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in the fighting in Russia’s Kursk region and facing logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks, Ukraine’s military intelligence said Thursday. The intelligence agency, known under its acronym GUR, said Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units.

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) — Teenage actor Hudson Meek has died after he fell out of a moving vehicle in Alabama, authorities said. Meek, 16, was hurt on Dec. 19 while on a street in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham. He died two days later, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. The Vestavia

Associated Press Viewers may gasp, cringe or cry out watching characters die on Netflix’s “Squid Game,” but those simulated deaths have a different effect on its creator, writer and director. Instead, Hwang Dong-hyuk feels happiness seeing them go. The show has a huge cast and Hwang says it was “really difficult” to manage everyone on

PHOENIX (AP) — A shooting at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix left two people injured by gunfire and another person stabbed in an incident related to a family dispute, police say. Phoenix police said the shooting happened at about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday at an airport restaurant located outside the security checkpoints in Terminal 4. A

The World Health Organization’s director-general said airstrikes on Yemen’s main airport occurred as he was about to board a flight in the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa. The Israeli military said it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport as well as power stations and ports. One of the U.N. plane’s crew

Associated Press PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A Cambodian court has convicted an opposition party leader of inciting social disorder and sentenced him to two years in prison, the latest legal assault on opponents and critics of the government of Prime Minister Hun Manet. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court also banned Nation Power Party president

Associated Press MAPUTO, Mozambique. (AP) — Mozambique’s police chief says at least 6,000 inmates escaped from a high-security prison in the capital of Maputo on Christmas Day after a rebellion, as widespread post-election riots and violence are roiling the country. The police chief Bernardino Rafael said that 33 prisoners died and 15 others were injured

Associated Press HEBBRONVILLE, Texas (AP) — In this corner of southern Texas, the plump cacti seem to pop out of arid dust and cracked earth, like magic dumplings. It’s only here and in northern Mexico that the bluish-green peyote plant can be found growing naturally, nestled under thorny mesquite, acacia and blackbrush. For many Native

Associated Press MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — The late Amada Cardenas was called many things — the “angel of peyote,” the “peyote rose” or simply “Grandma Amada.” The beloved Mexican American peyotera — who was the first authorized dealer of peyote in the United States — not only played a vital role in the history

Associated Press The Native American Church is considered the most widespread religious movement among the Indigenous people of North America. It holds sacred the peyote cactus, which grows naturally only in some parts of southern Texas and northern Mexico. Peyote has been used spiritually in ceremonies, and as a medicine by Native American people for

Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed

MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian operator of a cargo ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria says it has been hit by a series of explosions in an act of sabotage. Oboronlogistica is a state-controlled company that operated the Ursa Major freighter. The company said the vessel was wrecked by three

Associated Press FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish police say authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables. It was the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and took control as they

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Jason LaCroix felt privileged to work from home, especially as a father to two young children. He needed flexibility when his son, then 6, suffered a brain injury and spent 35 days in intensive care. LaCroix, a senior systems engineer based in Atlanta, took time off and then worked

AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — China says its economy grew a bit more in 2023 than earlier thought, according to an economic census conducted every five years. The government said the revision would not affect its expectations for “about 5%” growth this year. It raised the estimate for total economic activity, or GDP, in

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s top security agency says that it has arrested several suspects accused of involvement in an alleged Ukrainian plot to assassinate senior military officers. The annoucnement on Thursday follows the killing of a top Russian general more than a week ago. The Federal Security Service or FSB said Thursday that it has

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s main opposition party has submitted a motion to impeach the country’s acting leader over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court’s review of rebellion charges against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol stemming from his short-lived martial law decree on Dec. 3.

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. “The air traffic control tower, the departure

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan Airlines has been hit by a cyberattack that caused delays to more than 20 domestic flights, but it managed to restore its systems within hours. The carrier said there was no impact on flight safety. JAL said the problem started Thursday morning when the company’s network connecting internal and

Associated Press ERWIN, Tenn. (AP) — Jerry and Sibrina Barrett never spent a day apart over 35 years. They worked long hours, never took vacations, and liked to relax with their son at home. They had no idea that a hurricane could reach them in the mountains of East Tennessee. Living in Johnson City, they

Associated Press EIN ZIVAN, Golan Heights (AP) — A dry mountain wind whipped through a cluster of Israeli flags at the entrance of a kibbutz in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, where the tranquility belies the tumultuous events unfolding nearby. Earlier this month, Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted after nearly 25 years in power. Within

Associated Press ZAMALKA, Syria (AP) — A Syrian family that survived a 2013 chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of people near the country’s capital, Damascus, says the ordeal they experienced haunts them to this day. The family members locked themselves inside a windowless room in their home for hours, escaping the fate of dozens

Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A survivor of the worst gang attack on Haitian journalists in recent memory describes seeing colleagues cut down by bullets and reporters with head and chest wounds going without help. Photographer Jean Fregens Regala said Wednesday there had been no apparent security preparations _ indeed, little preparation of any

AP Business Writer Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street Thursday, as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak.

Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Prosecutors in Taiwan indicted former presidential candidate and Taiwan People’s Party founder Ko Wen-je on corruption charges, accusing him of taking bribes during his time as mayor of Taiwan’s capital. Ko, a former mayor of Taipei, is accused of accepting bribes related to a real estate development during his

Associated Press NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — Communities and firefighters across Australia’s second-most populous state are bracing for potentially devastating wild fires as a heat wave fanned by erratic winds presented the worst fire conditions in several years. With temperatures in Victoria state reaching 37 degrees Celsius on Thursday and with wind changes expected throughout the

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a taxi driver hit six pedestrians in midtown Manhattan. A New York Police Department spokesperson said Wednesday that the taxi driver may have suffered a possible medical episode, but that the investigation had yet to confirm that. The spokesman said three people were transported to hospitals,

NEW YORK (AP) — A man accused of using a knife to slash a man and a woman in Manhattan’s Grand Central subway station is facing assault and menacing charges. Police say that the man was arrested on multiple charges after the attack at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. They say a 42-year-old man was left with

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finland’s prime minister says authorities are investigating an interruption in a power cable under the Baltic Sea between his country and Estonia. Petteri Orpo said on X that power transmission through the Estlink-2 cable suffered an outage Wednesday. Authorities have been on edge about undersea infrastructure in the Baltic after two

NEW YORK (AP) — Blake Lively’s claims that “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni unleashed a smear campaign against her have gained support from a new lawsuit that Baldoni’s former publicist filed against him. The lawsuit was lodged Tuesday in New York state court in Manhattan by Stephanie Jones, who began representing