Associated Press stories, Page 364
Storm brings squalls to the Northeast; 2 dead from heart attacks after shoveling snow
Snow squalls — sudden bursts of heavy snow and gusty wind — created whiteout conditions in parts of the northeast during a storm that brought even more snow to the Great Lakes region Thursday. Two people died from heart attacks after shoveling snow in upstate New York, officials said. The...
Secret Service director vows overhaul as Congress presses him on Trump assassination attemptVideo
WASHINGTON — The acting director of the Secret Service said Thursday that the agency is “reorganizing and reimagining” its culture and how it operates following an assassination attempt against Donald Trump on the campaign trail. Members of a bipartisan House task force investigating the attempt on Trump’s life pushed Ronald...
George Floyd protester injured by Fort Lauderdale police gets $2M in settlement
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A protester who suffered eye damage when a rubber bullet fired by Fort Lauderdale police struck her in the face during a 2020 protest over George Floyd’s murder has received $2 million from the city to settle a federal lawsuit accusing the officer and the department...
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. falls to 6.69%
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased again this week, slipping to its lowest level since late October. The rate dropped to 6.69% from 6.81% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago the rate averaged 7.03%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages,...
UnitedHeathcare CEO killer left eerie message on bullets, AP sources say
NEW YORK — The masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” two law enforcement officials said Thursday. The words were written in permanent marker, according to...
Taylor Swift ‘Eras’ tie-in book is a smash, selling more than 800,000 copies in first weekend
NEW YORK — Just one retail chain was enough for Taylor Swift to have the top-selling book last week and the biggest publishing launch of 2024. According to Circana, Swift’s “Eras Tour Book” sold 814,000 copies over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Circana tracks around 85% of the print market, but...
Consumer Reports survey finds electric vehicle reliability improving but lagging gas models
DETROIT — The reliability of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids has dramatically improved, narrowing a wide gap with gas-powered automobiles, according to the latest survey by Consumer Reports. But vehicles with internal combustion engines and gas-electric hybrids are still far more dependable, the survey found. Consumer Reports subscribers, who filled...
Syrian insurgents capture central city of Hama in another blow to Syrian president
BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents entered the central city of Hama Thursday after days of intense clashes with government forces as they push forward with their week-long offensive that brought large parts of Syria under their control. The Syrian army said it has withdrawn from Hama after insurgents broke through its...
Congo government says it’s ‘on alert’ over mystery flu-like disease that killed dozens
KINSHASA, Congo — Public health officials in Africa urged caution Thursday as Congo’s health minister said the government was on alert over a mystery flu-like disease that in recent weeks killed dozens of people. Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters that more...
U.S. applications for jobless benefits rise last week but remain at low levels
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels. Jobless claim applications rose by 9,000 to 224,000 for the week of Nov. 30, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s more than the 214,000 analysts were forecasting. Continuing claims, the total number of...
Police release new photos in the search for the gunman in the UnitedHealthcare CEO killing
NEW YORK — The masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” two law enforcement officials said Thursday. The words were written in permanent marker, according to...
OPEC+ oil producers’ alliance postpones production increases as U.S. drivers enjoy cheaper gasoline
FRANKFURT, Germany — Eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries decided Thursday to put off increasing oil production as they face weaker than expected demand and competing production from non-allied countries — factors that could keep oil prices stagnant into next year. The OPEC+ members decided at...
Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark as the post-election rally continues. What’s next?
NEW YORK — Bitcoin topped $100,000 for the first time this week as a massive rally in the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, largely accelerated by the election of Donald Trump, rolls on. The cryptocurrency officially to rose six figures Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to...
Why Trump and the Federal Reserve could clash in the coming years
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that his policies would reduce high borrowing costs and lighten the financial burden on American households. But what if, as many economists expect, interest rates remain elevated, well above their pre-pandemic lows? Trump could point a finger at the Federal Reserve,...
As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Richard Andre Newman thought he would live the rest of his life in his quiet, leafy neighborhood in suburban Virginia. He was born and raised in Bren Mar Park, where children ride their bikes and neighbors wave hello. But now, as he’s approaching 60, he’s considering selling...
Yoon replaces the defense minister as South Korea’s parliament moves to vote on their impeachments
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president replaced his defense minister Thursday as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning-but-brief imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets. The Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach President Yoon...
Gunman may have targeted California religious school in shooting that wounded 2 kindergarteners
PALERMO, Calif. — Two children were in “extremely critical condition” after being shot at a tiny religious K-8 school in Northern California and the gunman died at the scene, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot, police said. The gunman may have targeted the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo...
Big 12 commissioner insists his league’s champion should have playoff bye over any G5 champVideo
FORT WORTH, Tex — Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark clearly expressed his displeasure about the College Football Playoff rankings while insisting Wednesday that his conference’s champion should get a first-round bye over any Group of Five champion. Arizona State and Iowa State, the 10-2 teams that will play in the...
Raw milk recall in California expands after tests detect more bird flu virus
A California farm expanded a recall of raw milk sold in stores and halted production after state health and agriculture officials found bird flu virus in more milk samples. Raw Farm, of Fresno, voluntarily recalled all whole milk and cream products from stores late Tuesday after tests found bird flu...
Children, ages 5 and 6, wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California school
PALERMO, Calif. — Two children were wounded Wednesday in a shooting at a tiny religious K-8 school in Northern California and deputies arrived to find the gunman on the ground near the playground, dead after apparently shooting himself, sheriff’s officials said. The children, ages 5 and 6, were taken to...
Texas-based Army soldiers arrested on human smuggling charges along the border with Mexico
ALPINE, Texas — Three U.S. Army soldiers at Fort Cavazos, Texas, have been arrested on human smuggling charges, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said Thursday Soldiers Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, 20, and Enrique Jauregui, 25, were arrested after a vehicle allegedly driven by Palma...
WWE seeking a bigger stage and Netflix, pushing for more live events, is providing it
WWE will perform on a stage next month that could be vastly larger than its current home on cable television when “Raw,” its weekly live show, makes its debut on Netflix. The sports entertainment company is moving to a platform with about 283 million subscribers worldwide as it departs its...
SEC, Big Ten powers lead way on signing day
The arrival of the early signing period Wednesday offered a stark reminder for college football fans. If recruiting rankings offer any accurate gauge in the era of the transfer portal, those teams competing for College Football Playoff berths now should keep contending for years to come. Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon...
Democrat Jerry Nadler steps aside from top Judiciary role, avoiding party fight
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jerry Nadler announced Wednesday that he will be stepping down as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee next year, avoiding an intra-party fight over a prominent position as the party prepares to confront a second Trump presidency. Nadler’s decision to relinquish control of the powerful...
Ravens suspend WR Diontae Johnson, saying he refused to enter game against the Eagles
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens have suspended receiver Diontae Johnson for their next game, saying he refused to enter their recent matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson did not play in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles even though receiver Rashod Bateman was dealing with knee soreness. Coach John...
