Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faces growing claims of vaccine favoritismVideo
MIAMI — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state health officials came under deeper scrutiny amid revelations that seniors in a wealthy enclave in Key Largo received hundreds of life-saving vaccinations as early as mid -January, giving ammunition to critics who say the Republican governor is favoring wealthy constituents over ordinary...
Bucking GOP trend, Alabama governor extends mask order
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Breaking from other Southern GOP governors, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey extended her state’s mask order for another month Thursday but said the requirement will end for good in April. Following the recommendations of medical officials, Ivey said she will keep the mask order that was set to...
Another Trump on the ballot? Lara Trump eyes Senate seat
RALEIGH, North Carolina — A Trump may be on the ballot next year — but not Donald Trump. The former president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is eyeing the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Richard Burr. While many in the state are skeptical she will move forward, an entrance...
Pennsylvania reports 50 covid deaths, cases rise, hospitalizations fall
Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported 50 new coronavirus deaths, 3,028 additional coronavirus cases and 1,628 people hospitalized for the virus. Of the deaths newly reported Thursday, 10 are from this month, 37 are from February, one is from January and two are from December. The total number of...
GOP state lawmakers seek to nullify federal gun limits
SALT LAKE CITY — With Democrats controlling the presidency and Congress, Republican state lawmakers concerned about the possibility of new federal gun control laws aren’t waiting to react. Legislation in at least a dozen states seeks to nullify any new restrictions, such as ammunition limits or a ban on certain...
Law enforcement on alert after plot warning at U.S. Capitol
WASHINGTON — Law enforcement was on high alert Thursday around the U.S. Capitol after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” by a militia group to storm the iconic building yet again, two months after a mob of Donald Trump supporters smashed through windows and doors to try to stop Congress from...
Covid cases up 9% in Europe in significant shift
GENEVA — Covid-19 cases rose 9% last week over a 53-country region of Europe, snapping a six-week run of declines, the World Health Organization said Thursday as its European chief insisted that countries need to get “back to the basics.” Dr. Hans Kluge says more than 1 million cases were...
Bystander’s baby critically hurt in Houston police shooting
HOUSTON — A shooting by a police officer in Houston critically wounded a baby and killed a man who was driving a car linked to several robberies, authorities said. Officers tried to pull over a black Mercedes about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday because the car had been connected to several aggravated...
Hong Kong court denies bail to 32 democracy activists
HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court on Thursday denied bail to 32 out of 47 pro-democracy activists charged under a Beijing-imposed national security law, ending a four-day marathon court hearing. The group of activists was charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under the law and detained on Sunday over...
House passes sweeping voting rights bill over GOP opposition
WASHINGTON — House Democrats passed sweeping voting and ethics legislation Wednesday over unanimous Republican opposition, advancing to the Senate what would be the largest overhaul of the U.S. election law in at least a generation. House Resolution 1, which touches on virtually every aspect of the electoral process, was approved...
Biden blasts Abbott for ‘big mistake’ and ‘Neanderthal thinking’ in lifting Texas’ covid-19 restrictions
WASHINGTON — A day after Gov. Greg Abbott announced an end to all pandemic-related precautions in Texas, President Joe Biden slammed him Wednesday for putting lives at risk by clinging to “Neanderthal thinking” rather than heeding advice from the nation’s top scientists. “I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden told...
Pennsylvania hauled to court over blocking plastic bag bans
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia and three other municipalities in Pennsylvania sued the state Wednesday over what they say was a covert abuse of legislative power to block local bans or taxes on plastic bags that retailers give out to customers and, they say, end up as pollution and litter. The lawsuit...
West Virginia lowers general age limit for virus vaccine
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday the state has lowered the age limit for covid-19 vaccinations to all residents 50 and older. Justice said at a news conference that education workers who are at least age 40 can now receive the vaccine. The previous limit for...
Democrats agree to narrow who gets $1,400 checks in covid-19 relief bill
WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic leaders and President Joe Biden have agreed to more narrowly target which Americans would be eligible for a $1,400 stimulus payment in the latest covid-19 relief measure, a Democratic source familiar with the negotiations said Wednesday. To ease the bill’s way with moderate Senate Democrats, the...
SUV in California crash came through hole in border fence
HOLTVILLE, Calif. — Thirteen people killed in one of the deadliest border crashes on record were among 44 people who entered the U.S. through a hole cut into Southern California’s border fence with Mexico, the Border Patrol said Wednesday. Gregory Bovino, the agency’s El Centro sector chief, told The Associated...
Man who used van to kill 10 pedestrians in Toronto guilty
TORONTO — A man who admitted using a van to kill 10 pedestrians in Toronto was found guilty on Wednesday in a case that drew attention to an online world of sexual loneliness, rage and misogyny. Alek Minassian faced 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder...
Pandemic puts 1 in 3 nonprofits in financial jeopardy
NEW YORK — More than one-third of U.S. nonprofits are in jeopardy of closing within two years because of the financial harm inflicted by the viral pandemic, according to a study being released Wednesday by the philanthropy research group Candid and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. The study’s findings underscore...
N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo addresses harassment claims, vows to stay in office
ALBANY, N.Y. — Besieged by sexual harassment allegations, a somber New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo apologized Wednesday, saying he “learned an important lesson” about his own behavior around women, but he said he intended to remain in office. “I now understand that I acted in a way that made people...
GOP takes aim at Biden’s health care pick on abortion rights
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s pick for health secretary is taking heat from Republicans for his actions in support of abortion rights. They want to define him — and the new administration — as out of the mainstream. The Senate Finance Committee deadlocked Wednesday along party lines on the nomination...
Yard sale find turns out to be artifact worth up to $500,000
HARTFORD, Conn. — Talk about your yard sale finds. A small porcelain bowl bought for $35 at a Connecticut yard sale turned out to be a rare, 15th century Chinese artifact worth between $300,000 and $500,000 that is about to go up for auction at Sotheby’s. The white bowl adorned...
Pennsylvania adds 2,577 covid cases, 69 deaths
Pennsylvania added 2,577 more coronavirus cases on Wednesday, its highest total in the past four days. The additional cases bring the state’s total to 938,411, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The state also added 69 deaths to increase that total to 24,169. Philadelphia had the most new cases...
Solid sign-ups for Biden’s new ‘Obamacare’ coverage offer
WASHINGTON — More than 200,000 people signed up for coverage in the first two weeks after President Joe Biden reopened HealthCare.gov as part of his coronavirus response, the government said Wednesday. The solid start to the three-month special enrollment period indicates a pent-up demand for health insurance as the covid-19...
Police uncover ‘possible plot’ by militia to breach Capitol again
WASHINGTON — Capitol Police say they have intelligence showing a “possible plot” by a militia group to breach the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, nearly two months after a mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the iconic building to try to stop Congress from certifying now-President Joe Biden’s victory....
Big winner in Minnesota snowplow contest: Plowy McPlowFace
MINNEAPOLIS — The next time it snows, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will dispatch Plowy McPlowFace to clear the roads. Darth Blader and Plow Bunyan will be out there, too. They are among the winning names in MnDOT’s “Name a Snowplow” contest in which the agency sought witty monikers for...
Official: Dems OK tighter income limits for covid relief
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Democrats agreed Wednesday to tighten the upper income limits at which people could qualify for stimulus checks, a Democratic official said, a major concession to moderates as party leaders prepared to move their $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill through the Senate. The covid-19 relief...
