AP National

Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers for the state of Louisiana are asking a federal appeals court in New Orleans to immediately block a judge’s ruling ordering education officials to tell all local districts that a law requiring schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms is unconstitutional. A judge found the law unconstitutional

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A judge has found that the man charged with shooting and wounding three college students of Palestinian descent in Vermont last year is fit to stand trial. The decision on Jason Eaton’s status came during a hearing at Chittenden County Superior Criminal Court on Tuesday by Judge John Pacht, who also

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A federal judge has denied an effort to temporarily block enforcement of a constitutional amendment Arkansas voters approved that revokes the state’s license for a planned casino. Judge D. Price Marshall Jr. on Tuesday denied Cherokee Nation Entertainment’s request to block the measure voters approved last week that blocks its

Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves says he will push lawmakers to phase out the state income tax, even if federal spending is slashed during Donald Trump’s second term as president. Mississippi is one of the poorest states. It receives billions of dollars a year from the federal government. One

Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — Several U.S. Catholic bishops on Wednesday encouraged the church to boldly share Vatican teachings on a range of hot-button issues, including the condemnation of abortion, euthanasia, surrogacy and gender-affirming surgery. The prelates acknowledged theirs is often a countercultural view. “We have been too apologetic for too long,” said Bishop Robert

Associated Press In picking Rep. Matt Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general, President-elect Donald Trump is looking to install a fierce loyalist — who has been seen as divisive even within his own party — over some of the more established attorneys whose names had been mentioned for the nation’s top federal prosecutor post.

Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Republican-led Ohio Senate has approved a bill banning transgender students from using bathrooms that fit their gender identities. Wednesday’s 24-7 vote sends the measure to GOP Gov. Mike DeWine, who plans a legal review. The bill applies to public K-12 schools, colleges and universities. It would not apply

OWASSO, Okla. (AP) — A federal investigation into an Oklahoma school district launched after the death of a nonbinary student has led to the school agreeing to develop policies to prevent sexual discrimination and harassment. The death of 16-year-old Owasso High School student Nex Benedict the day after a fight in a school bathroom was

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Protests have erupted in Paris against a controversial gala organized by far-right figures in support of Israel. The Wednesday event is intended to raise funds for the Israeli military and included Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich among its invited guests.  The minister, a hard-line settler leader, has been accused of

AP Business Writers In picking billionaire Elon Musk to be “our cost cutter” for the U.S. government, President-elect Donald Trump won’t be the first American president to empower a business tycoon to look for ways to dramatically cut federal regulations. President Ronald Reagan tapped J. Peter Grace to lead a bureaucratic cost-cutting commission in 1982.

Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The FBI said Wednesday it is offering up to $25,000 as a reward for information about the suspect behind recent ballot box fires in Oregon and Washington state. Authorities believe a male suspect that may have metalworking and welding experience was behind three ballot drop box fires in Portland

AP Health Writer At least 104 people have been sickened, with 34 hospitalized, in an outbreak of E. coli food poisoning tied to onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that cases have been detected in 14 states. One person died in Colorado and four

Associated Press CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Sudan’s military-controlled government says a key border crossing with Chad will stay open to keep much-needed humanitarian aid flowing into the western Darfur region which has been a center of fighting in the country’s ongoing war. Sudan’s ruling Sovereign Council says the decision on the Adre crossing followed a

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard to be the next director of national intelligence. If confirmed by the Senate Gabbard would take over a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s intelligence services. Gabbard is a veteran who deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and who later

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — European food delivery giant Just Eat Takeaway.com is selling Grubhub for $650 million, a fraction of the billions it spent to buy the U.S. platform just three years ago. Wonder Group, a New York-based food ordering company that touts “fast fine” dining, is set to be Grubhub’s new

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Tenants searching for an apartment in New York City have long been forced to pay thousands of dollars to real estate brokers. That was true even if that person was hired by the landlord. But a new bill passed Wednesday would shift those costs to landlords, bringing New York

Republican Rep. Ken Calvert won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing California on Wednesday. Calvert faced a rematch against his 2022 Democratic opponent, Will Rollins, in a competitive district east of Los Angeles that Republican Donald Trump narrowly carried in 2020. Now elected to a 17th term, Calvert remains the longest-serving Republican in the

Associated Press McLEAN, Va. (AP) — A federal inspector general has exonerated two U.S. Park Police officers who fatally shot a Virginia man after a highway chase seven years ago. The report issued Tuesday by the Department of Interior’s inspector general found the officers, Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya, did not violate procedures when they

AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — An arbitrator upheld five-year suspensions of the chief executives of Bad Bunny’s sports representation firm for making improper inducements to players and cut the ban of the company’s only certified baseball agent to three years. Ruth M. Moscovitch issued the ruling Oct. 30 in a case involving Noah

Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Sen. Marco Rubio as his choice for secretary of state. Rubio, 53, was born in Miami and still calls the city his home. He is the son of Cuban immigrants. He was a longshot candidate against then-Gov. Charlie Crist for the 2010 GOP nomination

Associated Press South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem built a national profile that had fellow Republicans buzzing about her future. Lawmakers describe the man set to replace her as a friendly, plain-spoken rancher and specialty welder whom they expect to focus more on issues within the state. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday picked Noem as the

AP Science Writer Doctors say requests for permanent sterilizations and long-term birth control like IUDs have surged across the nation since Donald Trump was elected president last week. People who feel uncertain about access to birth control and abortions in the coming years are stockpiling emergency contraception and abortion pills in case they need them.

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military judge at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has scheduled hearings in early January for alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants to enter guilty pleas in exchange for life sentences. That is despite Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s effort to scuttle the plea agreements. The move Wednesday comes

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s military says troops have faced off with insurgents in two separate raids on their hideouts in the country, killing 12 militants. Four insurgents were killed in the first raid in Kech, a district in the restive southwestern Balochistan province. The raid in Balochistan came days after a suicide bomber blew himself

Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Robert Larry Hobbs, an Associated Press editor who guided Florida news coverage for more than three decades, has died. He was 83. Hobbs, who went by “Larry,” was known for his unflappable calm and gentle counsel. His nephew, Greg Hobbs, said he died Tuesday night in his sleep of

Associated Press SAN JUAN DE LA MAGUANA, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been granted supervised release after being arrested and charged for illegally carrying a gun in his vehicle during an altercation in a parking lot in the Dominican Republic. Dominican judge Viamerca Ruiz said Wednesday that Franco needs to

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Senior Greek and Turkish coast guard officials have agreed to boost cooperation in restricting one of the main illegal migration routes into Europe. Greece’s coast guard say Tuesday’s meeting on Greece’s eastern Aegean Sea island of Chios was the first of its kind in five years. It’s scheduled to be followed

CHOWCHILLA, Calif. (AP) — A powerful dust storm known as a haboob caused a vehicle pile-up on a central California highway, sending several people to hospitals with minor injuries, authorities said. An enormous rolling cloud of dust reduced visibility Monday afternoon on State Route 152 in Madera County, causing motorists to crash into one another,

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seems likely to keep alive a class-action lawsuit accusing Nvidia of misleading investors about its dependence on selling computer chips for the mining of volatile cryptocurrency. The justices heard arguments Wednesday in the tech company’s appeal of a lower-court ruling allowing a 2018 suit led by a

AP Film Writer TORONTO (AP) — Karla Sofía Gascón’s performance in “Emilia Pérez” as a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirmation surgery to become a woman has brought her global acclaim and set Gascón on a path that may make her the first openly transgender actor ever nominated for an Oscar. “Emilia Pérez,” an

AP Sports Writer The National Basketball Players Association has connected with former Duke star and NBA player Kyle Singler’s family after he said he fears for his life in a cryptic Instagram video he posted. The NBPA said it offers support to all current and former members. The 36-year-old Singler spoke slowly and was shirtless

Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria has inked a $1.2 billion deal with a Chinese firm to revitalize a gas processing facility, a move that officials say could propel the African country to a leading position in aluminum production. The deal between the Chinese state-owned CNCEC and the BFI Group, a major investor in

MADRID (AP) — New storms in Spain have caused school closures and train cancellations two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other areas killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Coastal areas of Valencia have been placed under the highest alert as forecasters say up to 7 inches of rain could

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Wow, much bull market. Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency whose mascot is a super-cute dog that muses things like “much wow,” has been racing higher in value since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week. It got another bump after Trump named Tesla’s Elon Musk as one of the

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced he will ask for a vote of confidence in December, setting the path for an early election in February. His three-party coalition government collapsed last week when Scholz fired the finance minister following disagreements over how to revive the shrinking economy. Here are five things to

NEW DELHI (AP) — An association of editors and rights groups has condemned a decision by Bangladesh’s interim government to cancel press accreditations for 167 journalists, calling it a threat to press freedom in the country. The move to cancel accreditations has added to concerns over press freedom and harassment of journalists following the ouster

NEW YORK (AP) — James Patterson’s latest philanthropic project marks a deepening of ties to his undergraduate alma mater. The bestselling author is teaming with Manhattan University on the James Patterson Honors Program, which has a mission to “provide a strong foundation in critical thinking, writing, and creative problem-solving to prepare top students for fulfilling

Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rapper Nelly won’t face drug charges following his arrest this summer at a St. Louis-area casino, a prosecutor said. “We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday. Nelly, 49, whose birth name

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The process of vetting candidates for some of the European Union’s top jobs has bogged down in acrimony. The biggest political faction in the bloc’s parliament, the European People’s Party, is accused by critics of collaborating with the hard right. Senior lawmakers have been questioning the 26 new members of

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Daniele Rustioni will become just the third principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in its nearly century-and-a-half history, leading at least two productions each season starting in 2025-26 as a No. 2 to music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Rustioni agreed to a three-year term. He is to helm revivals

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s trade minister says Turkey expects to be offered “partner country” status with the BRICS bloc of developing economies. The state-run Anadolu Agency quoted his remarks during a parliamentary committee meeting. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the bloc’s summit in Russia last month. Turkey requested to join the group as a

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia’s mass transit system is proposing a 21.5% fare increase starting New Year’s Day and also considering severe service cuts that would take effect in the summer. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority announced its plans Tuesday and scheduled a Dec. 13 public hearing on its proposal. If approved by SEPTA’s board, riders

Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The father of imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova says she’s considering asking authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko for a pardon after more than four years behind bars. Alexander Kolesnikov spoke to The Associated Press a day after seeing his daughter at a prison near Gomel where the 42-year-old musician-turned-activist

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A tribunal in Argentina has upheld a six-year sentence term and lifetime ban from holding public office sentence against former President Cristina Fernández, a dominant political leader in recent years in the South American country. Fernández was convicted and sentenced in 2022 for a fraud scheme that embezzled millions of

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus said that leaders shouldn’t be negotiating at United Nations climate talks this year, with countries responsible for warming up the planet instead just providing the funds to deal with the global crisis. Yunus was chosen to head Bangladesh’s interim government after the nation’s longtime

NEW YORK (AP) — Disruptions to Amtrak service on the Northeast corridor are continuing due to a fire near a train route in New York City. Service between New York and New Haven, Connecticut, remains suspended and passengers are advised to take Metro-North. Railroad officials said Tuesday night that they expected normal service to resume

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Nearly $1 billion in donations were pledged within days of the fire that ravaged Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral five years ago. The restoration chief Philippe Jost says 140 million euros, or around $148 million, still remains from the unprecedented outpouring of funds. The surplus, sourced from both billionaire benefactors and

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s royal court says it will phase out a labeling system dating to the 1800s that grants companies the right to use the image of the Danish crown on their letterhead, packaging and labels. The palace says the five-year renewable designations, including “Holder of the Royal Warrant” and “By Appointment to

Associated Press Democratic governors and attorneys general are set to reprise their roles in battling President-elect Trump’s policies. They’re preparing for a tougher legal environment than they faced when he first took office eight years ago. Democratic attorneys general back then sued over Trump’s policies scores of times and had success in the courts, especially

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The only Church of England bishop to publicly demand the resignation of former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says his departure wasn’t enough to solve the church’s “profound failure” in safeguarding vulnerable people or ease the trauma suffered by victims of abuse. The 68-year-old Welby stepped down Tuesday after an

AP Sports Writer Seventy years since the last professional women’s baseball league, another one hopes to give women a chance to shine in baseball. The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is set to launch in 2026, the first professional women’s baseball league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League dissolved in 1954. Heightened interest in

Associated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Niger’s military junta has banned the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, or Acted, from working in the country amid tensions with France. The Ministry of the Interior signed a decree on Tuesday withdrawing the nonprofit organization’s licence to operate, without providing reasons for the decision.

Associated Press Aprons have their fans any time of year, but they especially go with Thanksgiving. For many people, aprons conjure up memories of family members cooking up a storm in the kitchen. For modern cooks, they can inspire confidence that you really can create something special for the holiday. Aprons carry all kinds of

AP Film Writer James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are being honored Sunday with an honorary Oscar. The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award celebrating producers is rarely given out, only 39 have been bestowed since its inception in 1937. But this honor is especially meaningful for the siblings: Their father, the late

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain’s waterways, has died, He was 90. In a statement Wednesday, his children said that

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Global sales of personal luxury goods are forecast to shrink next year for the first time since the Great Recession in 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to a new study by the Bain consultancy. It forecasts a 2% slowdown next year due to global turmoil and steep price

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that he will ask for a vote of confidence on Dec. 16, paving the way for early parliamentary elections in February. He declared his plans during a speech in parliament, a week after his three-party coalition government collapsed. Germany has been governed since 2021

Edmunds The end of the year is often the best time to buy a car.  To help get the best deal, Edmunds editors analyzed thousands of new-car transactions to find five of the vehicles most likely to produce great deals at the end of 2024. They include the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford Edge, GMC Terrain,

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 462,000 pickup trucks and big SUVs with diesel engines because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall in the U.S. covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2020 through 2022 model years. Also

Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy’s president has sharply rebuked Elon Musk. President Sergio Mattarella issued an unusually piqued statement on Wednesday following Musk’s weighing in on Italian court rulings that have stymied the government’s plans to process some asylum-seekers in Albania. Musk wrote earlier that the court rulings were unacceptable and that “these judges

BANGKOK (AP) — In case you can’t get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there’s now an official song featuring the internet’s favorite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans. The upbeat 50-second song “Moodeng Moodeng,” available in Thai, English, Chinese and Japanese versions, features simple lyrics

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A court in Greenland has again decided to extend the custody of anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson, until Dec. 4, while Denmark considers a Japanese extradition request. The Canadian-American citizen is a former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which has had high-seas confrontations with whaling vessels. Watson was arrested in

Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government says its law enforcement agencies will be obliged to cooperate if the International Criminal Court seeks the custody of former President Rodrigo Duterte as part of an investigation into thousands of deaths during his crackdown on illegal drugs. The Hague-based court has been investigating the widespread

Associated Press BEIT EL, West Bank (AP) — Advocates of Jewish settlement in the West Bank believe they have reason to celebrate after Donald Trump’s election win. Not only did settlement building surge during Trump’s first term, but his administration took unprecedented steps to support Israel’s territorial claims, including recognizing Jerusalem as its capital and