Many Capitol riot cases could hinge on 1st trial’s outcomeVideo
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department launched one of the largest and most complex criminal investigations in its history after a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol over a year ago. Now it’s time for a jury to hear some of the government’s evidence about the unparalleled attack...
Report: Atlantic City casino smoking ban may cost 2,500 jobs
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Amid a renewed push to ban smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos, a new report released Wednesday predicts that doing so could cost up to 2,500 casino jobs and nearly 11% of casinos’ revenue as they struggle to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. The independent gambling research...
ICC prosecutor to open probe into war crimes in Ukraine
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he plans to open an investigation “as rapidly as possible” into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement that the investigation will look at alleged crimes committed...
Europe welcomes Ukrainian refugees — others, less so
BARCELONA, Spain — They file into neighboring countries by the hundreds of thousands — refugees from Ukraine clutching children in one arm, belongings in the other. And they’re being heartily welcomed, by leaders of countries like Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania. But while the hospitality has been applauded, it...
A look inside a cartel ‘extermination site’ in Mexico, which nears 100K missing
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico — For the investigators, the human foot — burned, but with some fabric still attached — was the tipoff: Until recently, this squat, ruined house was a place where bodies were ripped apart and incinerated, where the remains of some of Mexico’s missing multitudes were obliterated. How...
Georgia moves to exempt military retirement pay from taxes
ATLANTA — Georgia would exempt up to $35,000 a year in military retirement income from state income tax under a bill passed Monday by the state House. Representatives voted 161-0 for House Bill 1064, under which the state is projected to forgo an estimated $55 million to $60 million in...
Ukraine applies to join European Union
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has signed an application for Ukraine to join the European Union. The action comes five days after Russia invaded its smaller neighbor, touching off widespread international condemnation and offers of military assistance from the 27-member nation EU and elsewhere. Andrii Sybiha,...
Photo gallery: Exit out of Ukraine: escape by foot, train, car
LVIV, Ukraine — By car, train, foot and — in at least one case — office chair, tens of thousands of Ukrainian war refugees have sought safety in the bordering nations of Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova, and the Czech Republic. The chaotic run for freedom was captured by Associated Press...
Zimbabwe: 1 dead after clashes at opposition party rally
HARARE, Zimbabwe — One person died and others were injured in clashes at an opposition party rally in Zimbabwe over the weekend, police said Monday. The country’s main opposition leader claimed his followers were attacked by ruling party supporters armed with machetes, spears and rocks. Police spokesman Paul Nyathi confirmed...
Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa to start seeking doctor help
If there is no doctor in the house, Amazon’s Alexa will soon be able to summon one. Amazon and telemedicine provider Teladoc Health are starting a voice-activated virtual care program that lets customers get medical help without picking up their phones. The service, for health issues that aren’t emergencies, will...
Pa. driver opens fire after 2-vehicle crash involving Amazon van
A two-vehicle crash involving an Amazon delivery van was then followed by one of the drivers opening fire on the other. As 6ABC reports, the possible road-rage incident occurred around 12:20 p.m. Sunday in normally quiet Clifton Heights, Delaware County. Police tell the news station the two drivers collided at...
Ukraine slows Russian advance under shadow of nuclear threat
KYIV, Ukraine — Russian and Ukrainian officials met for talks Monday amid high hopes but low expectations for any diplomatic breakthrough, after Moscow ran into unexpectedly stiff resistance when it unleashed the biggest land war in Europe since World War II. Outgunned Ukrainian forces managed to slow the Russian advance,...
Ruble plummets as sanctions bite, sending Russians to banks
MOSCOW — Ordinary Russians faced the prospect of higher prices and crimped foreign travel as Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine sent the ruble plummeting, leading uneasy people to line up at banks and ATMs on Monday in a country that has seen more than one currency disaster in...
New York to lift statewide school mask mandate by March 2
NEW YORK — New York’s statewide masking requirement in schools will be lifted by March 2, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday, citing a dramatic drop in covid-19 infections and new federal guidelines. Hours later, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he’s considering lifting vaccine mandates on restaurants, bars and...
Inflation pain means Biden gets no credit for roaring economy
WASHINGTON — Karen Downing, a U.S. Navy retiree living on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, voted for Joe Biden in November 2020 — expecting the new president to end the covid-19 crisis and then pivot to tackling broader and long-standing social ills, like alleviating student loan debt and increasing access to mental...
Trump talks Putin, grievances as GOP focuses on midterm wins
ORLANDO, Fla. — Leading Republicans spent much of three days avoiding Donald Trump’s chief grievances or ignoring him altogether as they unified behind a midterm message designed to win back the voters the polarizing former president alienated while in office. That changed Saturday night. Facing thousands of cheering activists at...
Sorting fact, disinformation after Russian attack on Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine — Associated Press journalists around Ukraine and beyond are documenting military activity during Russia’s invasion. With disinformation rife and social media amplifying military claims and counterclaims, determining exactly what is happening is difficult. Here’s a look at what could be confirmed Sunday. WHAT ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS? Huge...
On cusp of Biden speech, a state of disunity, funk and peril
WASHINGTON — In good times or bad, American presidents come to Congress with a diagnosis that hardly differs over the decades. In their State of the Union speeches, they declare “the state of our union is strong,” or words very much like it. President Joe Biden’s fellow Americans, though, have...
Fence being reinstalled around U.S. Capitol for Biden speech
WASHINGTON — Fencing installed around the U.S. Capitol for months after the January 2021 insurrection will be put back up before President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday as concern grows about potential demonstrations or truck convoys snarling traffic in the nation’s capital. Capitol Police Chief Tom...
How is Russia-Ukraine war linked to religion?
Ukraine’s tangled political history with Russia has its counterpart in the religious landscape, with Ukraine’s majority Orthodox Christian population divided between an independent-minded group based in Kyiv and another loyal to its patriarch in Moscow. But while there have been appeals to religious nationalism in both Russia and Ukraine, religious...
West unleashes SWIFT bans, more crushing penalties on Russia
WASHINGTON — The United States and European nations agreed Saturday to impose the most potentially crippling financial penalties yet on Russia over its unrelenting invasion of Ukraine, going after the central bank reserves that underpin the Russian economy and severing some Russian banks from a vital global financial network. The...
Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert, escalating tensions
KYIV, Ukraine — President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, while Ukraine’s embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putin’s troops and tanks drove deeper into the country, closing in around the capital. Citing “aggressive statements” by NATO and...
Rep. Greene’s speech at white nationalist event draws new calls for reprimand
Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene headlined a white nationalist conference in Florida where attendees cheered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and chanted the name of President Vladimir Putin shortly before she was introduced. The Rome lawmaker was the surprise guest at the America First Political Action Conference in Orlando,...
14 shot at Vegas hookah parlor; 1 dead and 2 critically hurt
LAS VEGAS — Fourteen people were shot before dawn Saturday morning at a hookah parlor, and police said one person died and that two of the victims suffered critical injuries. The shooting happened at about 3:15 a.m. and preliminary information indicated there was a party during which two people got...
No notes, same logo: Dr. Oz’s campaign is like his TV show
NEWTOWN — The banners and big red video screen all said Dr. Oz, the host gave a rousing introduction and in strode the candidate, Mehmet Oz, to take up the microphone and become the center of attention for more than an hour. Welcome to Oz’s campaign for U.S. Senate, where...