AP National

Associated Press DALLAS (AP) — Works from the Boy Scouts of America’s art collection, including some paintings by Norman Rockwell, will go up for auction to help compensate tens of thousands of people, mainly men, who were sexually abused while in scouting. Heritage Auctions in Dallas will offer up more than two dozen works on

Associated Press The election of Republican Kelly Ayotte as New Hampshire’s governor means 13 women will serve as a state’s chief executive next year, breaking the record of 12 set after the 2022 elections. Governors hold powerful sway in American politics, shaping state policy and often using the experience and profile gained to launch campaigns

AP Entertainment Writer The first “Saturday Night Live” since Donald Trump’s election victory began with the most somber of tones as a group of plainly dressed cast members, primarily women and minorities, described their new reality. “To many people, including many people watching right now, the results were shocking and even horrifying,” Ego Nwodim soberly

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council has imposed sanctions on two generals in Sudan’s paramilitary force for their key roles in the war against the country’s military. The war has seen ethnically motivated attacks and atrocities. Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary

Democratic Rep. Andrea Salinas won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Oregon on Friday. Salinas, a first-term congresswoman, defeated Republican Mike Erickson, who also ran against her unsuccessfully in 2022. Democrat Joe Biden would have comfortably carried the Salem-based district in the 2020 presidential election. The Associated Press declared Salinas the winner at 8:31

Democrat Lateefah Simon won election to a U.S. House seat representing California on Friday. The district in northern California is the most Democratic district in the entire country, according to the Cook Partisan Voter Index. Simon, born legally blind, has served on the Bay Area Rapid Transit board of directors since 2016 and was elected

Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Cherokee Nation Entertainment has filed a lawsuit challenging a measure Arkansas voters approved this week that revokes its license for a planned casino in the state. The lawsuit filed in federal court on Friday claims the measure violates its constitutional rights. The lawsuit seeks to have the constitutional

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Gunmen have killed a navy rear admiral in Mexico, one of the highest-ranking officers slain in the country in the last decade. The navy said Friday that a rear admiral _ which is just below full admiral, the Navy’s highest rank _ had been shot to death in the Pacific coast

PHOENIX (AP) — A natural gas utility that serves more than 2 million customers in Arizona, Nevada and parts of California is being fined $2 million by regulators in Arizona. The Arizona Corporation Commission on Friday announced it reached a consent agreement with Southwest Gas that includes the civil penalty and requires more inspections. At

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A former sheriff in Mississippi’s largest county has been convicted on federal charges of soliciting bribes and providing ammunition to a convicted felon. Marshand Crisler of Jackson was acting Hinds County sheriff for part of 2021 after the death of the elected sheriff, Lee Vance. Crisler was convicted Friday and faces

NEW YORK (AP) — A parked vehicle containing gas cylinders and other flammable materials has exploded on a residential street in New York City, damaging homes, other vehicles and overhead power lines. Deputy Fire Chief George Healy says no injuries were reported, but five homes and five vehicles were destroyed in the Friday morning blast.

Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Army has awarded a $435 million contract to build a TNT production plant in western Kentucky. Officials said Friday it will become the first domestic source for the explosive material in decades. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was a key player in securing the funding. He says

Associated Press The rhesus macaque monkeys that escaped a South Carolina medical lab this week are among the most studied animals on the planet. For more than a century, they’ve held a mirror to humanity through research on their behaviors, organ systems and genetic code. These bare-faced primates with expressive eyes have been launched into

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency in 23 counties swamped by flooding rainstorms. Kemp’s order Friday covers a wide section of southern Georgia that was inundated Wednesday and Thursday by heavy rains. The National Weather Service says more than 12 inches of rainfall caused flooding in Valdosta

Associated Press INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A woman and a child are dead after an officer fired a weapon while responding to a domestic disturbance at an apartment in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri. “Heartbreaking” is how Police Chief Adam Dustman described it at a news conference. He says the woman was armed

Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Board of Corrections has approved an 815-acre site where it plans to build a new prison, despite objections from some residents. The board on Friday voted to accept the land the state had purchased for nearly $3 million to build a planned 3,000-inmate prison. Gov. Sarah

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Several federal and state agencies are investigating how racist mass texts were sent to Black people across the country in the wake of the presidential election this week. The text messages invoking slavery were sent to Black men, women and children, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other law enforcement

Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A federal judge has overturned Illinois’ ban on semiautomatic weapons, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms. U.S. District Judge Stephen P. McGlynn said his Friday decision applied universally, not just to the lawsuit’s plaintiffs. The Protect

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police have apprehended a man who they say shot and wounded another man on a Manhattan street and then fled into the city’s vast subway system. The shooting led to delays during the Thursday morning commute. Police say Eduardo Diaz was apprehended at his home in Queens on

WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy; radio host Charlamagne tha God. ___ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. ___ CNN’s “State of the Union” — Sanders; Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. ___ CBS’ “Face the Nation” — National security adviser Jake Sullivan;

Republican Rep. Don Bacon won a fifth term representing the Omaha-centered U.S. House district for Nebraska on Friday. In yet another hard-fought bid, Bacon defeated Democrat Tony Vargas, a state lawmaker, in a rematch of their 2022 race. Unlike other GOP candidates in the solidly Republican state, Bacon emphasized his bipartisan credentials and highlighted his

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Hunger experts are warning that there’s “a strong likelihood” famine is imminent in parts of northern Gaza where Israeli forces are conducting a major offensive. An alert issued Friday by the four experts called the humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip “extremely grave and rapidly deteriorating” and worst in

Associated Press LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Hundreds of Bolivian devotees have arrived at the municipal cemetery of La Paz carrying human skulls adorned with flowers for the Ñatitas festival. It is a custom rooted in the Andean region, but not recognized by the Catholic church. According to Bolivian belief, devotees ask Ñatitas for health,

WASHINGTON (AP) — Spain’s largest telecommunications operator will pay more than $85 million to resolve a U.S. Justice Department investigation into a scheme to bribe Venezuelan officials with a lavish Caribbean vacation and expensive watches. The agreement with Telefónica S.A. announced Friday is the second time that the telco giant has faced bribery accusations in

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people is a top focus for Canada s the country plans to deal with a possible influx north. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau re-established a special Cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations this week to address his administration’s concerns

Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — A jury has awarded more than $12 million to a woman who lost her job at a Michigan insurance company after declining to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Much of the award is for punitive damages against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Lisa Domski worked at Blue Cross for more

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. government has extended avocado import permissions to Guatemala, but don’t expect that to result in cheaper guacamole anytime soon. For nearly 30 years, Mexico has been practically the only source of imported avocados — along with small amounts from South America — because of concerns that plant diseases and

Associated Presss WASHINGTON (AP) — A good-governance group is warning of severe consequences if President-elect Donald Trump continues to steer clear of formal transition planning with the Biden administration — inaction that it says is already limiting the federal government’s ability to provide security clearances and briefings to the incoming administration. Without it, says Max

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to try next week to pass a Social Security-related bill to ensure benefits for workers who are also eligible for other pensions. The effort comes despite a surprise move by hard-right Freedom Caucus leaders to derail the bill. The legislation, if approved, would repeal the provisions that reduce

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian police said that unidentified gunmen in a black car killed at least one person and wounded another three Friday afternoon at Sao Paulo’s international airport in Guarulhos. Police said the fatal victim is Antônio Vinícius Lopes Gritzbach, who had previously received death threats from the First Command of the Capital,

HAVANA (AP) — Hurricane Rafael has weakened into a tropical storm as it swirls through the Gulf of Mexico where it is expected to break apart after plowing through Cuba, knocking out the country’s power grid and collapsing hundreds of houses. On Friday night, the tropical storm was located 240 miles (390 kms) north of

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky police officer has been reprimanded for firing non-lethal rounds at a TV camera crew during street protests over Breonna Taylor’s death in 2020. A crew from WAVE-TV was filming live as Louisville Police Officer Dustin Dean fired pepper rounds at them in May 2020. The first protests over Taylor’s

Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A Chinese national is jailed on trespassing charges after police say he tried to enter President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in violation of a court order that he stay away following a previous attempt. Zijie Li was being held Friday without bond after being arrested Thursday when he

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the Pentagon is easing restrictions to allow a small number of private American defense contactors to work inside Ukraine, helping repair and maintain equipment. The officials say the contractors will be far away from the front lines during Russia’s invasion and will not be taking part in

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump put billionaire Elon Musk on the line with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when the Ukrainian leader called to congratulate the incoming U.S. president, according to a Ukrainian official with direct knowledge of the phone call. The person, who was not authorized to comment on the matter publicly,

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former first lady Michelle Obama’s brother and his wife have settled a lawsuit they filed in 2022 alleging a private school in Milwaukee refused to reenroll their children after the couple raised concerns about racism. Craig and Kelly Robinson alleged in the lawsuit that the University School of Milwaukee terminated their

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has filed a new request for bail, saying changed circumstances, along with new evidence, mean he should be allowed to prepare for a May trial from outside jail. Lawyers for Combs filed the request in Manhattan federal court on Friday. His requests for bail have been

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City man has been charged with staging a car accident for insurance fraud purposes last month in a case that received wide publicity after the victim shared dashboard camera footage of the crash. Prosecutors say the 28-year-old Brooklyn man was in a car whose driver cut

AP Sports Writer CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — University of Miami president Joe Echevarria has had football season tickets since 1978, the year he graduated from the school. The seats he buys now are as good as most people can get, field club seats right behind one of the goalposts. He doesn’t use them. He’s

AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It looks like the 2025 Grammy Awards may be a different kind of award show. Beyoncé leads the nods with 11, bringing her career total to a record-breaking 99 nominations. There’s an incredible diversity of genres represented across the major categories, and women continue to succeed. So… who

Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday proposed tighter restrictions on oil, solar and wind energy development across more than 6,500 square miles (17,000 square kilometers) of federal land in the U.S. West to protect a declining bird species. However, it is doubtful the changes would survive under President-elect Donald

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Who gets to keep an engagement ring if a romance turns sour and the wedding is called off? That’s what the highest court in Massachusetts was asked to decide with a $70,000 ring at the center of the dispute. The court ultimately ruled Friday that an engagement ring must be

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman starring in “Deadpool & Wolverine” and the return of Apple TV+’s dark comedy “Bad Sisters” are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases. James Patterson’s psychologist detective Alex Cross finally has his own thriller TV show, “Cross” coming to Prime Video starring Aldis Hodge, and the Hulu original docuseries

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, he will be accompanied by a crew of longtime friends and aides and newfound, splashy allies. The Republican president-elect has barely begun naming key figures in his administration, but he has kept a rotation of associates with him on and

AP Auto Racing Writer AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a motion by two NASCAR teams — one owned by Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan — to be recognized as chartered teams as they proceed in an antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series and chairman Jim France. The motion was

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Teachers in two Massachusetts school districts have gone on strike over pay, paid parental leave and other issues. Teachers in Beverly and Gloucester voted Thursday to authorize a strike and schools were closed Friday as teachers in both district hit the picket line. Strikes by teachers are rare in Massachusetts,

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Good news for sea turtles along one Florida Gulf Coast beach — there were more nests counted this year. The bad news: Many of them were washed away by hurricanes. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium said Friday that 271 nests were documented this year along a 21-mile stretch of beach patrolled by

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case canceled any remaining court deadlines Friday while prosecutors assess the “the appropriate course going forward” in light of the Republican’s presidential victory. Special Counsel Jack Smith charged Trump last year with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Ireland’s President Michael Higgins has dissolved parliament to clear the way for a Nov. 29 election that will determine who controls government. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, who had to call for an election by March, had announced the date on Wednesday. A historic coalition government led by Harris’ Fine

BERLIN (AP) — German Eonomy Minister Robert Habeck says he hopes to become his Green Party’s candidate for chancellor in the coming election. The announcement Friday by Habeck follows the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition earlier this week. The Greens are a small party that lost popularity in recent elections and currently have

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams is discussing a possible plea deal with federal prosecutors following his arrest last month on charges of witness tampering and destroying evidence. In court papers filed this week, prosecutors said they were discussing a possible resolution of the case

Associated Press McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The longtime leader of the Texas Democratic Party is stepping down. Gilberto Hinojosa’s announcement Friday comes after another election cycle of lopsided defeats for Texas Democrats. The party also saw voters this week make a dramatic swing toward the GOP on the heavily Hispanic southern border. Hinojosa has been

Associated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Dakar Biennale of Contemporary African Art, or Dak’Art, has opened in the Senegalese capital. The international arts festival, founded in 1989 by the government, has over the years become one of the most important platforms promoting African artists. Organizers say the theme of this year’s edition is “Wake.”

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A relatively trouble-free presidential election was good news for those working to restore faith in the system. Less encouraging was a flood of misinformation that sought to undermine trust in voting and sow chaos, something experts say is likely to get worse in the years ahead. The most significant test

Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — The decadeslong ban of Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses” in his native India is now in doubt — not because of a change of heart more than two years after the author’s near-fatal stabbing, but because of what amounts to some missing paperwork. Earlier this week, a court in

Associated Press The husband of a missing Texas woman has been charged with murder in connection with her disappearance. Fifty-three-year-old Brad Simpson was charged Thursday in Bexar County, where he is jailed on a total of $5 million in bonds on charges of murder, unlawful restraint, assault, tampering with evidence and possession of a prohibited

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say a man shot and killed two women and two children at separate Minnesota homes before killing himself. Duluth police say all five of the dead knew one another, but they didn’t say how or disclose a possible motive for the shootings. A woman and a 15-year-old boy were found

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host and arch-rival Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore, “My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us

Associated Press Elwood Edwards, who voiced America Online’s ever-present “You’ve got mail” greeting, has died. He was 74. He died Tuesday at his home in New Bern, North Carolina, said his daughter Heather Edwards. The cause was complications from a stroke late last year, she said. Edwards taped his AOL greeting in 1989 into a

Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrats will keep their majority control of the Pennsylvania state House of Representatives next year after holding onto a Johnstown area seat. The reelection of incumbent Democratic Rep. Frank Burns means his party will have a one-vote margin, 102-101. That’s enough to retain the speakership and determine the chamber’s

Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Police say they have arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of shooting at least eight vehicles on a busy North Carolina highway as well as several area homes in recent days, in attacks that wounded a motorist. Andrew Thomas Graney was arrested Thursday at a home in Raleigh. A district

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The union that represents thousands of Philadelphia mass transit system workers has agreed to delay a potential strike, saying progress was being made in ongoing contract talks. Transport Workers Union Local 234 members had voted last week to authorize a strike once their one-year contract with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority expired

Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A Spanish research vessel that investigates marine ecosystems has been abruptly diverted from its usual task to take on a new job: Helping in the increasingly desperate search for the missing from Spain’s floods. The 24 crew members aboard the Ramón Margalef were preparing Friday to use its sensors