(AP News)
Jump in hiring fuels optimism for US economic recovery
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. hiring accelerated more quickly than expected last month, evidence that a year after the pandemic took hold, the economy is...
NY officials removed fuller tally of nursing home deaths
NEW YORK (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo's health department confirmed reports late Thursday that members of his COVID-19 task force altered a state Health...
House impeachment manager sues Trump, allies over riot
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Eric Swalwell, who served as a House manager in Donald Trump’s last impeachment trial, filed a lawsuit Friday against the...
Officials seeking answers to Puerto Rico telescope collapse
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The National Science Foundation said Friday that it could cost up to $50 million just to clean up...
Elijah McClain’s mom says his death sparked push for change
DENVER (AP) — Sheneen McClain is not always hopeful but thinks it's possible the death of her son Elijah McClain could create change.
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Pitcher Sam Dyson banned 1 yr under domestic violence policy
NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Sam Dyson was suspended for the 2021 season by Major League Baseball on Friday under the domestic violence policy...
Detroit mayor turned down J&J vaccine in favor of others
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Detroit this week turned down 6,200 doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, favoring shots from Pfizer...
US to open more beds for immigrant children as numbers rise
HOUSTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is instructing long-term facilities that hold immigrant children to lift capacity restrictions enacted during the coronavirus pandemic...
Tech rebound pulls stocks out of a slump and to weekly gain
A late-day rebound in technology companies pulled the stock market out of a slump and helped give the S&P 500 its first weekly gain...
WHO head wants virus vaccine patents waived to boost supply
GENEVA (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization called Friday for patent rights to be waived until the end of the coronavirus...
Dems draw on civil rights history to push Amazon union vote
BESSEMER, Alabama (AP) — Some Democratic members of Congress and national union leaders on Friday sought to rustle up support for unionizing a massive...
Wyoming governor quietly mobilized Guard troops in Cheyenne
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — While the Wyoming National Guard was sending more than 100 troops to Washington, D.C., to help with security around President...
New California law aims to put kids in class. Will it work?
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s public schools can tap into a $6.6 billion school reopening plan that Gov. Gavin Newson signed into law Friday,...
Protesters defy Myanmar security forces as UN action urged
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Demonstrators defied growing violence by Myanmar security forces and staged more anti-coup rallies Friday, while the U.N. special envoy for...
Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 still wait for advice
More than 27 million Americans fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will have to keep waiting for guidance from federal health officials for what they...
What’s in California law aimed at returning kids to school?
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law on Friday aimed at returning students to classrooms in the nation’s most populous...
UK says vaccine shipment from India won’t hurt poor nations
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s vaccines minister on Friday dismissed suggestions that the country was getting key COVID-19 jabs intended for poorer countries, insisting that...
Civilian jet trainer crashes in California desert; crew safe
MOJAVE, Calif. (AP) — A military-style jet trainer operated by a civilian test pilot school crashed in California’s Mojave Desert on Friday and the...
US consumers eased off credit card borrowing in January
WASHINGTON (AP) — Borrowing by Americans fell in January for the first time in five months, as a big drop in the use of...
Alaska Native group, Neiman Marcus settle lawsuit over coat
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska Native cultural organization and the luxury department store Neiman Marcus have settled a lawsuit over the sale of...
VIRUS TODAY: Vaccinated adults await advice on family visits
Here's what's happening Friday with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.:
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Africa welcomes COVAX doses but warns against ‘selfishness’
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Urgent calls for COVID-19 vaccine fairness rang through African countries on Friday as more welcomed or rolled out doses from...
Giuliani probe awaits Garland as he nears AG confirmation
NEW YORK (AP) — With Merrick Garland poised to be confirmed as attorney general as early as next week, one of the first major...
Dem split on jobless benefits slows relief bill in Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats laid aside one battle over boosting the minimum wage but promptly descended into another internal fight Friday as the party...
Protests for opposition leader escalate amid new charges
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Police fired tear gas in Senegal’s capital to disperse protesting supporters of the country’s main opposition leader, who appeared in...
The Latest: Italy surpasses 3 million coronavirus cases
ROME — Italy surpassed 3 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, the third straight day this week that daily new caseloads exceeded 20,000 cases....
Reporter faces trial in case seen as attack on press rights
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa journalist faces trial Monday on charges stemming from her coverage of a protest against racial injustice, a...
UN envoy calls for urgent action to reverse Myanmar coup
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar called Friday for urgent Security Council action to reverse Myanmar’s military coup, saying about...
At least 10 dead in bombing at restaurant in Somali capital
MOGADISHU. Somalia (AP) — A car packed with explosives rammed into a popular restaurant in Somalia's capital on Friday night, and police said at...
Canada clears Johnson & Johnson vaccine, first to approve 4
TORONTO (AP) — Canada is getting a fourth vaccine to prevent COVID-19 as the country's health regulator has cleared a Johnson & Johnson shot...
Astros minus 8 pitchers because of coronavirus protocols
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Houston Astros are minus eight pitchers because of COVID-19 protocols, but general manager James Click said there...
Spacewalkers finish solar panel prep for station power boost
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Spacewalking astronauts completed the first round of prep work Friday for new solar panels, part of a major power...
Affidavit: Man found Tiger Woods unconscious after SUV crash
ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, Calif. (AP) — A man found Tiger Woods unconscious in a mangled SUV after the golf star crashed the vehicle in...
EXPLAINER: 5 key takeaways from the February jobs report
WASHINGTON (AP) — America's job market delivered a burst of strength in February. It lifted hopes that the rollout of viral vaccines, the distribution...
NFL, NFLPA seek alternatives to opioids for pain management
The NFL is taking steps to learn more about different ways to help players manage pain.
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Boone better with pacemaker, to return to Yanks this weekend
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Boone felt something was wrong.
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Exam finds multiple cracks in part of United jet’s engine
Microscopic examination supports early suspicions that wear and tear caused a fan blade to snap inside one engine of a United Airlines plane that...
Journal’s ‘appalling’ racism podcast, tweet prompt outcry
A prominent medical journal’s provocative tweet was meant to prompt interest in a podcast on racism. Instead, the Twitter post and the podcast stoked...
Woman impaled by tree limb has 7 broken ribs, husband says
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A Maine passenger who was impaled when a falling pine tree struck the vehicle she was riding in suffered seven...
First oak trees selected to replace Notre Dame’s spire
PARIS (AP) — The first eight oak trees destined to replace the destroyed spire of Paris' scorched Notre Dame cathedral have been selected from...
EU, US agree to suspend tariffs over Airbus-Boeing dispute
BRUSSELS (AP) — A first phone call Friday clinched the first trade breakthrough to start rebuilding trans-Atlantic relations between the United States and the...
Mass 2020 exodus from California did not happen, study says
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — A popular notion that there was a mass exodus from California last year is wrong, according to research from a...
New SC abortion law remains on hold under judge’s order
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A new South Carolina law banning abortions will stay on hold following a judge's order on Friday to extend a...
Report: Ex-LSU AD wanted Miles fired amid sexual complaints
LSU's former athletic director recommended in 2013 that Les Miles be fired as Tigers football coach because of his behavior with female student workers.
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Blackhawks’ Seabrook calls it a career because of injury
Brent Seabrook gutted out injuries and played through pain to win the Stanley Cup three times for the Chicago Blackhawks and take home an...
AP Interview: Lawyer says Kelly innocent of Ghosn pay scheme
TOKYO (AP) — The chief lawyer for Greg Kelly, an American on trial in Japan on charges of under-reporting Nissan former Chairman Carlos Ghosn’s...
Meghan: talk with Oprah without royals’ input ‘liberating’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex has described to Oprah Winfrey how “liberating” it was to have a conversation - let...
3rd-degree murder count could be reinstated in Floyd’s death
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Friday ordered a judge to reconsider adding a third-degree murder charge against a former Minneapolis...
St. Louis-area mom, 2 children killed; baby taken, but safe
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis-area man fatally shot his estranged wife and two of her children before fleeing with the couple's baby,...
Nonprofits stepping up to bolster COVID vaccination efforts
The messy and confusing distribution of vaccines has prompted a broad array of nonprofits and volunteers nationwide to step in to fill the gaps....
AP-NORC poll: Americans largely back Biden’s virus response
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden is enjoying an early presidential honeymoon, with 60% of Americans approving of his job performance thus far and even...
No winners: UK waits for Harry, Meghan’s take on royal split
LONDON (AP) — The timing couldn’t be worse for Harry and Meghan.
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AP source: Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons agree to buyout
DETROIT (AP) — Blake Griffin's time in Detroit is over, another significant step in a rebuilding process that has the Pistons at the bottom...
Antivirus software creator charged with cheating investors
NEW YORK (AP) — Antivirus software entrepreneur John McAfee was indicted on fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges alleging that he and cohorts made...
Greek militant on hunger strike suffers kidney failure
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A hospital in central Greece said Friday a far-left militant convicted of 11 murders is in critical condition after suffering...
Teacher vaccinations go untracked amid school reopening push
The national rush to vaccinate teachers in hopes of soon reopening pandemic-shuttered schools is running into one basic problem: Almost no one knows how...
Swiss mull ‘burqa ban’ in vote centering on security, rights
GENEVA (AP) — At a time when seemingly everyone in Europe is wearing masks to battle COVID-19, the Swiss go to the polls Sunday...
Myanmar cracked down brutally on protests. It may get worse.
TOKYO (AP) — Myanmar's security forces have killed scores of demonstrators protesting a coup. The new junta has jailed journalists — and anyone else...
Swelling after COVID-19 shots may cause cancer false alarms
Getting a mammogram or other cancer check soon after a COVID-19 vaccination? Be sure to tell the doctor about the shot to avoid false...
Israel postpones drive to vaccinate Palestinian workers
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Friday postponed plans to vaccinate Palestinians who work inside the country and its West Bank settlements until further notice....
Ex-chief: Dallas cop kept on job to not tip him off to probe
DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Police Department allowed an officer to continue patrolling for more than a year while investigating whether he ordered two...
Washington releases Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith
Washington released AP Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith on Friday, a move that was expected but still provides a cold ending to...
Pope urges Iraq to embrace its Christians on historic visit
BAGHDAD (AP) — Pope Francis opened the first-ever papal visit to Iraq on Friday with a plea for the country to protect its centuries-old...
January 2022 trial set for IS militants nicknamed ‘Beatles’
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A federal judge in Virginia has tentatively scheduled a January 2022 trial for two Britain militants charged with being part...
Judge: Paper must run Page 1 statement on Meghan’s legal win
LONDON (AP) — A British judge has ordered the Mail on Sunday to publish a front-page statement highlighting the Duchess of Sussex’s legal victory...
France backs Italy in vaccine ban as EU defends mechanism
BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's vaccine solidarity got a boost on Friday after France said it could emulate Italy's move to block coronavirus vaccine exports...
Trump State Department aide charged with assault at Capitol
A former State Department aide in President Donald Trump's administration has been charged with participating in the deadly siege at the Capitol and assaulting...
Germany gives nuke plant operators $2.9B for early shutdown
BERLIN (AP) — The German government said Friday it has agreed with four utility companies that they will receive a combined 2.4 billion euros...
American Academy of Arts and Letters expands, diversifies
NEW YORK (AP) — One of the country's oldest cultural instititutions, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, is undergoing some of its biggest...
NFL hires first Black female game official, Maia Chaka
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has hired Maia Chaka as the first Black female official in league history. She will work games during...
Czech state orders students to help at struggling hospitals
PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech government is ordering medical and other university and high school students to help out at hospitals struggling to cope...
The Latest: Pope honors massacre victims at Baghdad church
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Latest on Pope Francis' historic visit to Iraq to deliver a message of hope to the country's dwindling Christian community...
France: Man wielding knife arrested outside Jewish school
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Police in the French city of Marseille detained a man Friday who was wielding a knife outside a Jewish school...
Scandals reveal Cuomo known by New Yorkers to wider nation
It was Andrew Cuomo’s Emmy-winning performance: daily televised coronavirus briefings in which the New York governor projected competence and compassion, helping to calm a...
As other states close prisons, Nebraska may build a big one
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Across the nation officials are closing prisons as crime rates drop and views about drug use change, but not in...
Biden signals support to replace war power authority
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday signaled support to replace decades-old authorizations for the use of military force in the Middle East,...
US trade deficit up 1.9% in January on record goods imports
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — The level of imported goods to the U.S. in January reached unprecedented levels and pushed the trade deficit 1.9%...
Agreement could free Robert Indiana’s estate from lawsuit
ROCKLAND, Maine (AP) — A New York-based copyright holder that sued the late artist Robert Indiana a day before his death has reached a...
Lithuania refuses to extradite Belarus opposition figure
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania on Friday refused to extradite to Belarus opposition figure Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, with the Baltic nation's foreign minister saying “hell...
1 of 2 teens in Slender Man stabbing to ask for release
WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — One of the teens convicted of stabbing a classmate to please the fictional internet horror character Slender Man is expected...
After mixed messages, Europe warns against vaccine shopping
PARIS (AP) — First, France's president suggested that the AstraZeneca vaccine was “quasi-ineffective” in protecting older people from COVID-19. Now, Emmanuel Macron's government is...
Crocodile hunt: Search on for escaped reptiles in S. Africa
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Police and conservation officers were searching Friday for an unknown number of young crocodiles that escaped earlier in...
China sets growth target ‘over 6%,’ tightening HK control
BEIJING (AP) — China’s No. 2 leader set a healthy economic growth target Friday and vowed to make the nation self-reliant in technology amid...
Prince Philip transferred back to private hospital
LONDON (AP) — Prince Philip has been transferred from a specialist cardiac hospital to a private facility to continue his recovery after a heart...
Berlin film festival’s Golden Bear goes to ‘Loony Porn’
BERLIN (AP) — Judges at the Berlin Film Festival announced Friday that the satirical movie ‘Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn’ by Romanian director...
A timeline of disaster and displacement for Iraqi Christians
BAGHDAD (AP) — In Iraq, two decades of back-to-back conflicts have left ancient Christian communities that were once a vibrant and integral part of...
YouTube cancels Myanmar military-run channels, pulls videos
BANGKOK (AP) — YouTube has removed five channels run by Myanmar’s military for violating its community guidelines and terms of service.
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LeBron James going to All-Star with elections on his mind
LeBron James is going to Georgia this weekend for more than the NBA All-Star Game.
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China sets moderate new energy goals for climate change
BEIJING (AP) — China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, announced generally moderate new energy and climate targets on Friday that give little...
Dallas police officer charged with arranging two killings
DALLAS (AP) — A Dallas police officer was arrested Thursday on two counts of capital murder, more than a year and a half after...
Georgia GOP leaders who stood up to Trump back voting bills
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won wide praise last fall for firmly rejecting then-President Donald Trump’s...
Afghan suspected of stabbing 7 held in custody in Sweden
STOCKHOLM (AP) — A 22-year-old Afghan man who is suspected of having stabbed seven men in a town in southern Sweden, leaving three of...
New Tokyo Olympic president tries to assure Japan on safety
TOKYO (AP) — The new president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee has begun holding weekly news conferences hoping to win over a doubting...
Jobless French culture workers occupy theater to demand aid
PARIS (AP) — Out-of-work French culture and tourism workers are occupying an iconic theater on Paris’ Left Bank to demand more government support after...
German factory orders rise strongly in January
BERLIN (AP) — German factory orders rose more strongly than expected in January, a promising sign of strength in Europe's largest economy, official figures...
Simone says: Olympic champ pushes for change in, out of pool
The pool has long been home to Simone Manuel. Outside of it, the Olympic champion is pushing herself in a new endeavor to boost...
Quake-ravaged part of Croatia sees gaping sinkholes emerge
MECENCANI, Croatia (AP) — After the deadly earthquake came the sinkholes.
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China boosts defense spending by 6.8% amid debt, pandemic
BEIJING (AP) — China is increasing its defense spending by 6.8% in 2021 as it works to maintain a robust upgrading of the armed...
Heart problems may be rare in pro athletes after COVID-19
Heart inflammation is uncommon in pro athletes who’ve had mostly mild COVID-19 and most don’t need to be sidelined, a study conducted by major...
Flames fire coach Geoff Ward, replace him with Darryl Sutter
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — The Calgary Flames fired coach Geoff Ward on Thursday night and replaced him with Darryl Sutter, who will lead the...