Pruitt guts EPA science panels, will appoint new members

WASHINGTON (AP) " The head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday he intends to replace the outside experts that advise him on science and public health issues with new board members holding more diverse views.In announcing the changes, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt suggested many previously appointed to the panels were potentially biased because they had received federal research grants. The 22 boards advise EPA on a wide range of issues, including drinking water [...]

The Latest: Trump ups 'Extreme Vetting' after truck attack

NEW YORK (AP) " The Latest on a vehicle driving onto a bike path near the World Trade Center site and memorial (all times local):10:15 p.m.President Donald Trump says he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security "to step up our already Extreme Vetting Program" following the deadly truck rampage on a New York City bike path.A man in a rented pickup truck mowed down pedestrians and cyclists along a busy bike path near the World Trade Center on Tuesday, killing at [...]

Ex-Trump adviser's guilty plea poised to rattle White House

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump dismissed George Papadopoulos on Tuesday as a "liar" and a mere campaign volunteer, but newly unsealed court papers outline the former adviser's frequent contacts with senior officials and with foreign nationals who promised access to the highest levels of the Russian government.They also hint at more headaches for the White House and former campaign officials. Papadopoulos, now cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller as he investigates [...]

The Latest: Senators slam tech companies over Russia links

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on congressional hearings on Russia-linked posts on social media (all times EDT):10 p.m.Senators are harshly criticizing representatives of Facebook, Twitter and Google for not doing more to prevent Russian agents interfering with the American political process.At one point, Sen. Al Franken shook his head after he couldn't get all the companies to commit to not accepting political ads bought with North Korean currency.After Franken [...]

Utah nurse settles over rough arrest caught on video

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " A Utah nurse who was arrested for refusing to let a police officer draw blood from an unconscious patient settled Tuesday with Salt Lake City and the university that runs the hospital for $500,000.Nurse Alex Wubbels and her lawyer, Karra Porter, announced the move nearly two months after they released police body-camera video showing Detective Jeff Payne handcuffing Wubbels. The footage drew widespread attention online amid the national debate about police use of [...]

The Latest: Governor adds security after bike path attack

NEW YORK (AP) " The Latest on a vehicle driving onto a bike path near the World Trade Center site and memorial (all times local):8:25 p.m.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (KWOH'-moh) has increased security at airports, bridges, tunnels and mass transit systems around the state following a vehicle attack on a bike path near the World Trade Center.The Democratic governor has directed the lights on the spire of 1 World Trade Center be lit in red, white and blue in honor of [...]

The Latest: House GOP delays tax overhaul plan

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's tax overhaul (all times local):8:20 p.m.House Republicans are delaying their rollout of a tax plan until Thursday amid a struggle to finalize details.That's the word from a senior GOP aide late Tuesday night. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the individual was not allowed to publicly discuss the schedule.The tax-writing Ways and Means Committee was working throughout the day and evening to [...]

Senators blast Facebook, Twitter, Google in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " Exasperated U.S. senators harshly criticized representatives of Facebook, Twitter and Google at a hearing Tuesday for not doing more to prevent Russian agents interfering with the American political process as early as 2015.At one point, Sen. Al Franken shook his head after he couldn't get all the companies to commit to not accepting political ads bought with North Korean currency.The hearing by a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary panel was moved last week [...]

California wildfire insurance claims top $3.3 billion

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " Property damage claims from a series of deadly October wildfires now exceed $3.3 billion, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Tuesday.The figure represents claims for homes and businesses insured by 15 companies and is more than triple the previous estimate of $1 billion. Jones said the number will continue to rise as more claims are reported.The amount of claims now reported means that the fires caused more damage than California's 1991 [...]

Bitcoin gains more currency with forthcoming futures market

CHICAGO (AP) " Investors will soon have another way to make or lose money on the digital currency bitcoin.CME Group plans to open a futures market for bitcoin before the end of the year, if the Chicago-based exchange can get approval from U.S. regulators.Tuesday's announcement is likely to give further credibility to bitcoin, a high-tech creation spawned about a decade ago as an alternative to government-issued currencies.Bitcoin initially was used primarily to buy [...]

Former Trump adviser's guilty plea could rattle White House

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump dismissed George Papadopoulos on Tuesday as a "liar" and a mere campaign volunteer, but newly unsealed court papers outline the former adviser's frequent contacts with senior officials and with foreign nationals who promised access to the highest levels of the Russian government.They also hint at more headaches for the White House and former campaign officials. Papadopoulos is now cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller as he [...]

Tribe considers plan to build tram, hotel in Grand Canyon

A project that would build an aerial tram to take visitors to a riverside boardwalk in the Grand Canyon with stores, hotels and restaurants is up for a key vote Tuesday by tribal lawmakers who have been reticent to develop sacred land at one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.The special session is the first time the Navajo Nation's full Tribal Council takes up the measure introduced last year. It needs 16 votes to pass and has so far gotten a cold reception from lawmakers from [...]

10 commercial satellites launched from California

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) " Ten commercial Earth-imaging satellites have been launched into space from California.An Orbital ATK Minotaur C rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 2:37 p.m. Tuesday.Deployment was to occur about 12 minutes later during a communications blackout period. Confirmation of deployment was expected about an hour and a half after launch, according to the Orbital ATK webcast.The six SkySat satellites and four miniature [...]

Facebook, Twitter, Google defend their security measures

As revelations emerged that Russian-linked accounts reached many more American voters than previously thought, tech giants Facebook, Twitter and Google on Tuesday defended their security measures and promised a Senate subcommittee they would do more to stop the misuse of their platforms by foreign nations.Lawyers for the three companies acknowledged to U.S. lawmakers that Russian-linked accounts began exploiting their services in 2015 to sway last year's presidential election. [...]

8 killed by New York motorist in 'cowardly act of terror'

NEW YORK — A man in a rented pickup truck drove onto a busy bicycle path near the World Trade Center memorial Tuesday, killing at least eight people and injuring several others in what the mayor called "a particularly cowardly act of terror."The 29-year-old driver was shot by police after jumping out of the truck with what turned out to be a fake gun in each hand, officials said. He was taken into custody. His condition was not immediately disclosed.Witnesses [...]

The Latest: Senators rip websites over Russia-linked ads

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on congressional hearings on Russia-linked posts on social media (all times EDT):4:40 p.m.Senators are ripping Facebook, Twitter and Google for missing signs that advertisers with ties to Russia were exploiting their services to sway last year's presidential election.Minnesota Democrat Al Franken was especially outraged as he questioned Facebook's top lawyer Tuesday during a Senate subcommittee hearing into Russia's interference in the 2016 [...]

Ex-mayor 'whoops tail' of accused burglar with paddle

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) " The former mayor of Mississippi's largest city subdued and paddled a man who police say was burglarizing his vehicle.Jackson police arrested 22-year-old Juwuan Bibbs on Sunday at Tony Yarber's house. Yarber told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he caught Bibbs breaking into his truck.Yarber dragged Bibbs into his garage, held him on the floor and hit him with a paddle while awaiting police.In a video , Yarber shouts at the suspect and says: [...]

No charges for Indianapolis officers in fatal shooting

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) " Two Indianapolis police officers won't face criminal charges for the June shooting death of an unarmed black motorist who crashed his car while fleeing from a traffic stop, a special prosecutor announced Tuesday.St. Joseph County Prosecutor Kenneth Cotter cited the claims of self-defense from the officers in deciding he wouldn't file charges against them in the death of 45-year-old Aaron Bailey."There is insufficient evidence to refute either the officer's [...]

Motorist hits people on bike path near World Trade Center

NEW YORK (AP) " A motorist drove onto a busy bicycle path near the World Trade Center memorial and struck several people Tuesday, then emerged from the vehicle screaming and firing what appeared to be a gun, police and witnesses said.At least two bodies could be seen lying motionless on the path beneath tarps near mangled bicycles.The New York Police Department posted on its Twitter feed that one person was in custody. The department said it was unclear whether anyone was shot [...]

The Latest: Senator asks tech giants about 'Honest Ads' bill

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on congressional hearings on Russia-linked posts on social media (all times local):4:10 p.m.Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is pressing representatives of Facebook, Google and Twitter to declare whether they will support the "Honest Ads" bill she has introduced with Sen. Mark Warner, which would bring political ad rules from TV, radio and print to the internet.Each of the tech giants is offering qualified support rather than answering "yes. [...]

Trade board urges tariffs, quotas on solar imports

WASHINGTON (AP) " A U.S. trade commission recommended on Tuesday that the Trump administration impose tariffs as high as 35 percent to slow an influx of low-cost solar panels imported from China and other countries.The four-member International Trade Commission split over the exact nature of the remedies but agreed that a surge in imported solar cells and panels has caused serious harm to U.S. manufacturers.The panel's chairwoman, Rhonda Schmidtlein, recommended tariffs ranging [...]

Bill shielding Mueller from Trump unlikely soon in Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) " Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell exhibited no interest Tuesday in considering legislation shielding the special counsel from Donald Trump, even as Republicans warn the president against interfering with Robert Mueller's investigation.McConnell's remarks came as Trump has continued using Twitter to complain about the continued focus on "phony Trump/Russia" connections, instead of on Hillary Clinton and Democrats. They also came a day after Mueller's inquiry into [...]

Facebook, Twitter, Google defend security measures

WASHINGTON (AP) " As revelations emerged that Russian-linked accounts reached many more American voters than previously thought, Tech giants Facebook, Twitter and Google on Tuesday defended their security measures and promised a Senate subcommittee they would do more to stop the misuse of their platforms by a foreign nation.Just before top lawyers from the three companies began their testimony before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., quoted President Donald [...]

Great British Bake Off blunder: Judge tweets winner's name

LONDON (AP) " A judge on the Great British Bake Off, a widely watched television cooking competition in the U.K., has been forced to apologize after revealing the winner hours before the final episode was scheduled to air.Prue Leith posted the name of the winner on her Twitter feed while traveling in Bhutan, which is six hours ahead of Britain, thinking that fans had already seen the last installment. The show airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Britain.Leith, 77, later tweeted: "I am so [...]

US to vote 'no' on UN resolution condemning Cuba embargo

WASHINGTON (AP) " The United States will vote this week against an annual United Nations resolution condemning the U.S. embargo on Cuba, reversing the Obama administration's abstention last year.The State Department says U.S. will restore its opposition to the resolution when it comes up for a vote in the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday. The vote is the first on the embargo since President Donald Trump came into office and reflects his administration's new policy toward Cuba, which [...]

Attorneys, judge debate jury instructions at Menendez trial

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) " Attorneys in the bribery trial of New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez are arguing over what legal instructions the jury will hear from the judge before deliberating.They gathered Tuesday with the jury not present.The Democratic senator's trial is in its ninth week. Jurors could hear closing arguments from both sides on Wednesday or Thursday. But before that happens they'll be instructed by the judge on the specifics of the law.The jury instructions are [...]

Warrant: Punished child forced to brush teeth with cat feces

SAN ANTONIO (AP) " A San Antonio-area couple punished their young children by forcing one to eat and brush her teeth with cat feces, shocking the same child with a dog's training collar and beating them all with a thorny switch, according to arrest warrants provided by the Bexar County sheriff's office.James Howard Chalkley, 32, was charged Monday with one count of injury to a child and his 22-year-old wife, Cheyanne, was charged with two counts of injury to a child. James Chalkley is [...]

Man with same name as ex-Trump aide sets Twitter straight

WASHINGTON (AP) " A Michigan financial adviser who shares the same name as a former member of President Donald Trump's campaign team caught up in an investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 elections has been trying to sort out a case of mistaken identity.George Papadopoulos identifies himself on Twitter as a certified public accountant who offers financial advice. On Monday, it was revealed that a former foreign policy adviser to Trump also named George Papadopoulos pleaded [...]

Trick-or-treating delayed amid cleanup after Northeast storm

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) " Hundreds of out-of-state reinforcements bolstered utility crews struggling to restore power throughout New England on Tuesday, a day after a powerful storm blew down trees and postponed Halloween activities in many communities.The storm, packing gusts that topped 80 mph (129 kph), left nearly 1.5 million homes and business across the region in the dark at the peak Monday. More than 800,000 customers remained without power Tuesday.The storm caused more [...]

Judge accidentally reveals winner of hot UK baking program

LONDON (AP) " A judge on the Great British Bake Off, a widely watched television cooking competition in the U.K., has been forced to apologize after revealing the winner hours before the final episode was scheduled to air.Prue Leith posted the name of the winner on her Twitter feed while traveling in Bhutan, which is six hours ahead of Britain, thinking fans had already seen the last installment. The show airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Britain.Leith, 77, later tweeted: "I am so [...]

Senate GOP welcomes Roy Moore to weekly gathering

WASHINGTON (AP) " Senate Republicans are welcoming Roy Moore to their weekly luncheon even though he wasn't their first choice for the Alabama Senate seat.Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other top Republicans backed Sen. Luther Strange. Moore, with the support of former White House adviser Steve Bannon, knocked out Strange in a runoff in September. During the campaign, the former jurist cast himself as a fierce foe of McConnell and the GOP establishment.Moore told reporters [...]

Despite war, hurricane, man finally sees brother's wedding

PENNDEL, Pa. (AP) " A war kept Wayne Wood's brother from attending his first wedding, and a hurricane briefly derailed the secret plans for his second, but the 84-year-old has finally said "I do" again " this time with his unsuspecting brother serving as best man.Wood and his new wife, Joyce Wood, live in Lake Placid, Florida, but devised a ruse to marry in Pennsylvania while visiting Wood's brother, Gordon Wood. The Bucks County Courier Times reports the ceremony was scheduled for [...]

Trade board urges tariffs, restrictions on solar imports

WASHINGTON (AP) " A U.S. trade commission recommended on Tuesday that the Trump administration impose tariffs or other restrictions to slow an influx of low-cost solar panels imported from China and other countries.The four-member International Trade Commission split over the exact nature of the remedies but agreed that a surge in imported solar cells and panels has caused serious harm to U.S. manufacturers.The panel's chairwoman, Rhonda Schmidtlein, recommended tariffs ranging [...]

Facebook, Twitter to tell Congress about Russia-linked posts

WASHINGTON (AP) " Tech giants Facebook, Twitter and Google are set to go before senators Tuesday to defend their security measures as new revelations have emerged that Russian-linked accounts reached many more American voters than previously thought.Testimony from Facebook obtained by The Associated Press on Monday revealed that posts generated by a Russian internet agency potentially reached as many as 126 million users. In the testimony, the company said that pages created by [...]

Trump ad incorrectly blames Dem for GOP health care struggle

NEW YORK (AP) " President Donald Trump is lashing out at Democrats in a new TV ad that incorrectly blames Democratic leaders for blocking efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system.The new ad, set to begin running on cable stations nationwide on Tuesday, seizes on "skyrocketing" insurance premiums. It blames Democrats for thwarting "a better plan to repeal and replace Obamacare once and for all."Despite the claims, the GOP's health care problems are largely of its own [...]

The Latest: Trump meets with business groups on tax overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's tax overhaul (all times local):12:20 p.m.President Donald Trump is meeting with business industry leaders to build momentum for his tax overhaul ahead of his lengthy trip to Asia.Trump says he's hoping to sign the tax bill into law by Christmas and predicts the White House signing ceremony will be "the biggest tax event in the history of our country."The president is meeting with the leaders of the U.S. [...]

Trump: Aide at center of Russia probe 'proven to be a liar'

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a former campaign aide thrust into the center of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe "has already proven to be a liar."On Twitter, Trump sought to dismiss George Papadopoulos, who has provided key evidence in the first criminal case connecting Trump's team to alleged intermediaries for Russia's government.Said Trump: "Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a [...]

Slow flow of human immigration may have doomed Neanderthals

NEW YORK (AP) " What killed off the Neanderthals? It's a big debate, and now a study says that no matter what the answer, they were doomed anyway.Our close evolutionary cousins enjoyed a long run in Europe and Asia, but they disappeared about 40,000 years ago after modern humans showed up from Africa.The search for an explanation has produced many theories including climate change, epidemics, or inability to compete with the modern humans, who may have had some mental or [...]

UN environment chief: US likely to live up to Paris accord

GENEVA (AP) " The head of the U.N. environment program said Tuesday the United States is likely to live up to the Paris climate deal despite President Donald Trump's planned pullout, because "all the big American companies" are working toward greener operations.The comments from UNEP executive director Erik Solheim came as the U.N. agency presented its latest "Emissions Gap" report , which gives a scientific assessment about how national efforts are affecting the greenhouse gas [...]

Judge accidentally reveals winner of hot baking program

LONDON (AP) " A judge on the Great British Bake Off, a widely watched television cooking competition in the U.K., has been forced to apologize after revealing the winner hours before the final episode was scheduled to air.Prue Leith posted the name of the winner on her Twitter feed while traveling in Bhutan, which is six hours ahead of Britain, thinking fans had already seen the last installment. The show airs at 8 p.m. (2000 GMT) in Britain.Leith, 77, later tweeted: "I am so [...]

The Latest: Trump says Podesta resignation biggest story

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump and the Russia investigation (all times local):10:20 a.m.President Donald Trump is tweeting that the "biggest story" out of the charges announced Monday in the Russia investigation is the resignation of Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta from his eponymous firm.Podesta, the elder brother of former Hillary Clinton aide John Podesta, announced that he would step aside from powerhouse Democratic firm 'The Podesta Group' [...]

University of Utah: Student from China killed in carjacking

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " The University of Utah says an international student was killed in a fatal carjacking near the school late Monday, causing a campus-wide lockdown as police continue to search for the suspected gunman.ChenWei Guo was killed, university spokesman Christopher Nelson said Tuesday morning. He was studying pre-computer science and was a peer adviser in the international Student and Scholar Services Office, President David W. Pershing said in a statement.Pershing [...]

Run Forrest! Gump impersonator jogs around California city

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) " Halloween started early in one Southern California city, where a man dressed as Forrest Gump has been running around neighborhoods and stopping to take pictures with residents.Video and a photo from police show the man sporting a mangy fake beard, red shorts and a red "Bubba Gump" hat during his jogs around the city of Riverside. It's the same outfit worn by Tom Hanks in the 1994 Oscar-winning film "Forrest Gump." Hanks' character spends part of the movie [...]

The Latest: UN environment chief: US will uphold Paris deal

GENEVA (AP) " The Latest on the U.N. report on climate change (all times local):2 p.m.The head of the U.N. environment program is predicting that the United States will live up to the Paris climate accord despite President Donald Trump's planned pullout.UNEP executive director Erik Solheim says that's because "all the big American companies are dedicated to go in the green direction."Solheim spoke Tuesday via videoconference from Nairobi to Geneva, where UNEP [...]

Cops: Man stole wallet to pay court fines for assault charge

LEECHBURG, Pa. (AP) " Police say a man who was at a Pennsylvania judge's office to pay court fines stole a wallet that was near the payment window and used the cash inside to pay his fees.Allegheny Township Patrolman Kerry Myers tells the Tribune-Review surveillance cameras caught the actions of Steven Rago.Rago was out on bail on simple assault charges and was at a district court judge's offices on Thursday to pay fees.Myers says video shows the 31-year-old Rago putting [...]

Tech companies find more signs of Russian election activity

WASHINGTON (AP) " Major tech companies plan to tell Congress Tuesday that they have found additional evidence of Russian activity on their services surrounding the 2016 U.S. election.Facebook, for instance, says a Russian group posted more than 80,000 times on its service during and after the election, potentially reaching as many as 126 million users. The company plans to disclose these numbers to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the [...]

Gunman on run after fatal carjacking near University of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " Authorities were searching for the suspected gunman in a fatal carjacking near the University of Utah that caused a campus-wide lockdown late Monday, police said.University of Utah Police Chief Dale Brophy said early Tuesday that an injured woman came to the school and reported that her husband had assaulted her while they were camping in Red Butte Canyon, which abuts the east campus.Brophy said authorities were searching for the woman's husband, 24-year- [...]

The Latest: Power being restored after Northeast storm

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) " The Latest on a severe storm in the Northeast that brought hurricane-force wind gusts and torrential rain (all times local):7:30 a.m.Power is slowly being restored to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in New England, one day after a powerful storm downed numerous trees and power lines and flooded roads.The lack of power Tuesday forced dozens of school districts across the region to cancel classes for a second consecutive day, while many [...]

UN environment report urges revived effort to cut emissions

GENEVA (AP) " The U.N.'s environment program said Tuesday countries and industries need to do more to meet targets to trim emissions of greenhouse gases that experts say are contributing to global warming.In its latest "Emissions Gap" report issued ahead of an important climate conference in Germany next week, the program takes aim at coal-fired electricity plants being built in developing economies and says investment in renewable energies will pay for itself " and even make money " [...]

With first charges, Mueller sends warning to Trump, aides

WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Robert Mueller has sent a warning to individuals in President Donald Trump's orbit: If they lie about contacts between the president's campaign and Russians, they'll end up on the wrong end of federal criminal charges.  With the disclosure of the first criminal cases in his investigation, Mueller also showed that he will not hesitate to bring charges against people close to the campaign even if they don't specifically [...]

Trump chief of staff Kelly decries removal of monuments

WASHINGTON (AP) " White House chief of staff John Kelly says Confederate General Robert E. Lee was "an honorable man" and applying current thinking on social issues to figures in history is "very, very dangerous."Kelly also said in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham that aired Monday night that the removal of monuments to the Confederacy shows "a lack of appreciation of history." The retired Marine Corps general was responding to a question about a Virginia church's [...]

With first charges, Mueller sends warning to Trump, aides

WASHINGTON (AP) " Special counsel Robert Mueller has sent a warning to individuals in President Donald Trump's orbit: If they lie about contacts between the president's campaign and Russians, they'll end up on the wrong end of federal criminal charges.With the disclosure of the first criminal cases in his investigation, Mueller also showed that he will not hesitate to bring charges against people close to the campaign even if they don't specifically pertain to Russian election [...]

Timeline of key events in the Trump-Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " Key dates related to the investigation of the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia:" 2006: Paul Manafort and Rick Gates begin work as consultants for the Party of Regions, a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine led by Victor Yanukovych, the country's former prime minister. Manafort is a veteran Republican political operative who worked on the U.S. presidential campaigns of Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole." February 2010: With the [...]

Russia probe centers on Trump campaign aide

WASHINGTON (AP) " A former Donald Trump campaign aide described by the White House as a low-level volunteer was thrust Monday into the center of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, providing key evidence in the first criminal case connecting Trump's team to alleged intermediaries for Russia's government.George Papadopoulos was approached by people claiming ties to Russia and offering "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails, according to court documents [...]

Mueller probe into Russian meddling charges these 3 men

WASHINGTON (AP) " The first criminal charges to come from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into foreign meddling in the 2016 election stem from different activities. A primer on those charged:PAUL MANAFORTBefore Manafort became GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's top strategist between late March and August 2016, he had a storied career in Republican politics.A lawyer by training, Manafort gained prominence rounding up delegates for Gerald Ford at the 1976 [...]

Militant accused in Benghazi attack on his way to US jail

WASHINGTON (AP) " U.S. special operations forces captured a militant in Libya accused of playing an instrumental role in the Benghazi attacks, officials say, in a high-stakes operation designed to bring the perpetrators to justice five years after the deadly violence.President Donald Trump on Monday identified the militant as Mustafa al-Imam and said his capture signified that the four Americans who died "will never be forgotten." Justice Department officials were escorting al-Imam by [...]

Bergdahl testifies about his experience in Taliban captivity

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) " Gut-wrenching testimony at the sentencing hearing for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will likely continue Tuesday as the deserter's defense team questions officials who treated and debriefed the soldier following his brutal five years of captivity by Taliban allies.The defense presentation began Monday with Bergdahl himself describing his experience in enemy hands. And that served as a dramatic counterpoint to the emotional testimony of the final prosecution witness, [...]

Google-bred Waymo aims to shift robotic cars into next gear

ATWATER, Calif. (AP) " Google's self-driving car spin-off is accelerating efforts to convince the public that its technology is almost ready to safely transport people without any human assistance at all.Waymo, hatched from a Google project started eight years ago, showed off its progress Monday during a rare peek at a closely guarded testing facility located 120 miles southeast of San Francisco. That's where its robots complete their equivalent of driver's education.The tour [...]

Maine Medicaid expansion vote seen as Obamacare referendum

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) " The roiling national debate over the government's proper role in health care is coming to a head in a state more commonly known for moose, lobster and L.L. Bean.On Nov. 7, voters in Maine will decide whether to join 31 other states and expand Medicaid under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. It is the first time since the law took effect nearly four years ago that the expansion question has been put to voters.The ballot measure comes [...]

Police: 1 dead after shooting near University of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " Police say one person is dead after a shooting near the University of Utah campus Monday night.The Deseret News reports that the university sent an alert at 9 p.m. to students and staff to shelter in place. People on campus remained on lockdown hours later.Salt Lake City police posted on Twitter officers are searching nearby Red Butte Canyon for 24-year-old Austin Boutain, who is suspected in the shooting. He is considered armed and dangerous.At [...]

The Latest: First indictments, guilty plea in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):9:45 p.m.The special counsel investigating possible coordination between the Kremlin and Donald Trump's presidential campaign has indicted its former chairman.Special counsel Robert Mueller has also revealed how a campaign adviser lied to the FBI about meetings with Russian intermediaries.Paul Manafort, who steered [...]

First guilty plea, indictment of Trump aides in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " On a black Monday for Donald Trump's White House, the special counsel investigating possible coordination between the Kremlin and the Trump presidential campaign announced the first charges, indicting Trump's former campaign chairman and revealing how an adviser lied to the FBI about meetings with Russian intermediaries.The formal charges against a total of three people are the first public demonstration that special counsel Robert Mueller and his team believe they [...]

Tribes in Columbia River Gorge hit by White House decision

SALEM, Ore. (AP) " The Trump administration is neglecting the U.S. government's obligation to build new homes for Indians whose original abodes were submerged by dams along the Columbia River, members of Congressional delegations from Oregon and Washington state said.The hundreds of tribal members are living in dilapidated trailers and other substandard housing along the Columbia River. The promised new homes haven't been built yet even though decades have passed since the dams were [...]

Tech companies find more signs of Russian election activity

WASHINGTON (AP) " Major tech companies plan to tell Congress Tuesday that they have found additional evidence of Russian activity on their services surrounding the 2016 U.S. election.Facebook, for instance, says a Russian group posted more than 80,000 times on its service during and after the election, potentially reaching as many as 126 million users. The company plans to disclose these numbers to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the [...]

Russia probe: Conspiracy, lies and offshore accounts

WASHINGTON (AP) " Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling ramped up Monday, with charges against President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman and one of his associates. Separately, former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos is pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.A look at what we know now:WHO WAS INDICTED?Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and former Manafort business [...]

Utilities warn that power could be out for days in Northeast

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " A severe storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast early Monday, knocking out power for nearly 1.5 million homes and businesses and forcing hundreds of schools to close in New England.Falling trees knocked down power lines across the region, and some utility companies warned customers that power could be out for days. Trees also fell onto homes and vehicles, but no serious injuries were reported.New England got [...]

Rebel GOP members win deal on property taxes as plan shifts

WASHINGTON (AP) " House Republicans from high-tax states who threatened to sink President Donald Trump and the Republicans' tax plan have wrung a key concession from GOP tax-writers, days ahead of the rapidly shape-shifting plan getting a public rollout.The breakaway lawmakers, from states such as New York and New Jersey, had threatened to sink the sweeping tax-cutting plan that is a pressing legislative imperative for Trump and the Republicans. The GOP House members have opposed the [...]

The Latest: Google: "Some" evidence of Russia-linked misuse

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on tech-company disclosures related to the Russia investigation (all times local):7:20 p.m.Google says it found "some evidence" of misuse of its platforms by a pro-Russian government group, but said the activity was "limited." It found that two accounts linked to the group spent $4,700 on ads its platforms during the 2016 election.Its statement came a day before Facebook, Twitter and Google are scheduled to appear at a congressional hearing [...]

Top US leaders say current war authority sufficient

WASHINGTON (AP) " Senior U.S. national security officials told Congress on Monday the 2001 war authorization for combat operations against terrorist groups is legally sufficient and warned that prematurely repealing the law could signal America is "backing away from this fight."Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee three months after they informed the panel the post-Sept. 11, 2001 law gave the military [...]

Facebook: Russia-linked posts distributed to 126M users

WASHINGTON (AP) " Facebook says a Russian group posted more than 80,000 times on its service during and after the 2016 election, potentially reaching as many as 126 million users.The company plans to disclose these numbers to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the testimony. The person declined to be named because the committee has not officially released the testimony. Facebook, Twitter and Google will testify at three hearings Tuesday and [...]

Freddie Gray case: Disciplinary board hears officer's case

BALTIMORE (AP) " A Baltimore police officer who was acquitted of criminal charges in the death of a suspect while in custody is now fighting an administrative procedure that could cost him his job.Officer Caesar Goodson is facing a police disciplinary board hearing over the death of Freddie Gray, who sustained fatal spinal cord injuries while being transported in a police van in April 2015. Goodson was the driver of the van.Attorney Neil Duke, who is representing the Baltimore [...]

Trump, first lady welcome ghosts, goblins on Halloween eve

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are welcoming ghosts, goblins and everything in between to the White House for trick-or-treating on Halloween eve.The first lady announced last week that children from more than 20 schools in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia were invited to the festivities on the South Lawn. Military families and members of community organizations are also attending.Pumpkins carved with the likenesses of past [...]

Fires destroy part of Hewlett-Packard archives

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) " California's deadliest wildfires have also destroyed an irreplaceable collection of Silicon Valley history.The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported that more than 100 boxes of letters and other materials from tech pioneers William Hewlett and David Packard burned in the fires.Hewlett and Packard started an early technology company in a Palo Alto, California, garage in 1938. They founded Hewlett-Packard, now known as HP. Former HP archivist Karen Lewis [...]

Trump fumes as Mueller probe enters new phase with charges

WASHINGTON (AP) " Special counsel Robert Muller's charges Monday against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and two other aides marked a new phase in his sprawling investigation into Russia and President Donald Trump, underscoring the ongoing threat Mueller poses to the president.Trump immediately sought to distance himself after Manafort and Rick Gates pleaded not guilty to a 12-count indictment alleging money laundering, conspiracy and other offenses and as another former [...]

The Latest: Indictment marks a new phase in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the Russia probe (all times local):6 p.m.Special counsel Robert Muller's charges against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and two other aides mark a new phase in his sprawling investigation into Russia and President Donald Trump.The charges underscore the ongoing threat Mueller poses to the president.Trump immediately sought to distance himself after Manafort and Rick Gates pleaded not guilty to a 12-count indictment [...]

Trump campaign aide steps to center of Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " A former Donald Trump campaign aide belittled by the White House as a low-level volunteer was thrust Monday into the center of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign. The former Trump aide provided key evidence in the first criminal case that connects Trump's team and alleged intermediaries for Russia's government.News of George Papadopoulos' guilty plea and cooperation with Mueller's team was [...]

Tillerson, Mattis tell senators new war authority not needed

WASHINGTON (AP) " Senior U.S. national security officials told Congress on Monday a new war authorization is "not legally required" to conduct combat operations against terrorist groups and warned lawmakers that prematurely repealing current law could signal the U.S. is "backing away from this fight."Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee three months after they informed the panel a post-Sept. 11, 2001 [...]

Pennsylvania OKs betting online, in airports, at truck stops

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) " Pennsylvania, the nation's second-largest commercial casino state, is taking an even deeper plunge into gambling and will allow people to bet online, in airports and at truck stops.With government leaders searching for money to plug holes in the state's tattered finances, Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed legislation authorizing a major expansion of gambling.Under the measure, the state will become the fourth to allow online gambling, joining Nevada, New [...]

Sprint, T-Mobile slide as reports cast doubts on merger

NEW YORK (AP) " Shares of Sprint and T-Mobile have tumbled as several news reports cast doubt on a long-expected deal between the two wireless carriers.The Nikkei Asian Review kicked off by reporting from Japan that Sprint's owner, Japan's SoftBank, plans to break off deal negotiations with T-Mobile's parent company, Germany's Deutsche Telekom, over disagreements about who would control the combined company.The Wall Street Journal reported later Monday that SoftBank is [...]

'Obamacare' curveball: free insurance in 1,500-plus counties

WASHINGTON (AP) " In an odd twist, low-income people in about half of U.S. counties will now be able to get a taxpayer-subsidized "Obamacare" policy for free, according to a new study that suggests some actions by President Donald Trump against the health law could backfire.Monday's analysis of government data by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation runs counter to the perception of staggering across-the-board increases in costs for consumers under the Affordable Care Act. It [...]

Fancy suits at center of ex-Trump campaign chief charges

NEW YORK (AP) " At $7,500 apiece, the handmade custom suits former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort wore were meant to dazzle and impress.An indictment unsealed Monday detailing conspiracy and money laundering charges against him suggest they certainly caught the eye of special counsel Robert Mueller.A luxury clothing store in New York is among 19 vendors Manafort paid some $12 million to between 2008 and 2014 from foreign bank accounts he didn't disclose, using [...]

Administration official: Powell top candidate for Fed chair

WASHINGTON (AP) " Jerome "Jay" Powell, a member of the Federal Reserve's board, is President Donald Trump's leading candidate to replace Janet Yellen as the head of the nation's central bank, with an announcement planned for Thursday, according to senior administration officials.One senior official said Monday that the announcement is planned for Thursday. Another said Powell is the president's top choice for the job but stressed that the decision still isn't final. The two officials [...]

The Latest: Tillerson vows justice for Benghazi attack

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the capture of a militant that the U.S. says was instrumental in the 2012 Benghazi attack (all times local):4:15 p.m.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the U.S. will "spare no effort to ensure that justice is served" to the militants who committed the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.Tillerson is thanking U.S. military, law enforcement and intelligence officials for the capture of a man they're describing as [...]

SpaceX racks up another rocket launch, its 16th this year

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) " SpaceX has racked up another rocket launch, its 16th this year.That's double last year's count, and 2017 still has two months remaining.The unmanned Falcon rocket blasted off Monday afternoon from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, hoisting a communications satellite for the South Korean company KT SAT. This newest Koreasat will replace a failed satellite launched in 2006, and serve both Asia and the Middle East.Once separated, the 15-story first- [...]

Guilty plea, two indictments in Trump-Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " A former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, special counsel Robert Mueller said Monday, while former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Manafort's business partner pleaded not guilty to felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.The guilty plea by former adviser George Papadopoulos marked the first criminal case that cites interactions between Trump campaign [...]

On stand, Bergdahl apologizes to those hurt looking for him

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) " In an unexpected and emotional statement, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl apologized in court Monday to all the military personnel who were wounded searching for him and described the daily nightmares and flashbacks to his five years in captivity of Taliban allies he still endures.Bergdahl was the first witness in what's expected to be a multi-day presentation by the defense to the judge who will decide his punishment for endangering comrades by walking off his post in [...]

'Miracle on 405': Freeway plane crash survivors tell story

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) " A pilot whose small plane crashed and burst into flames on a California freeway over the summer said he realized he was trapped after he made sure his wife could get out of the burning aircraft.Frank Pisano said Sunday that his legs were stuck and he had no feeling from the waist down as the plane burned around him on Interstate 405 in Orange County."When I was trapped, I was ready to die," he told a crowd of about 250 people at Mount of Olives [...]

Timeline of key events in the Trump-Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " Key dates related to the investigation of the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia:" 2006: Paul Manafort and Rick Gates begin work as consultants for the Party of Regions, a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine led by Victor Yanukovych, the country's former prime minister. Manafort is a veteran Republican political operative who worked on the U.S. presidential campaigns of Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole." February 2010: With the [...]

U. of Michigan expert puts bird-like robot through its paces

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) " A rare bird has landed at the University of Michigan: a two-legged robot named "Cassie" that researchers hope could be the forerunner of a machine that one day will aid search-and-rescue efforts.Cassie " whose name is derived from the cassowary (KASS'-uh-WAIR'-ee), a flightless bird similar to an ostrich " stands upright on legs with backward-facing knees. The biped that weighs about 66 pounds (29.94 kilograms) may not have feathers or a head, but she is [...]

Latest: Manafort, Gates plead not guilty in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):2:10 p.m.Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his business associate Rick Gates have pleaded not guilty following their arrest on charges related to conspiracy against the United States and other felonies. The charges are the first from the special counsel investigating possible coordination between the Trump [...]

Officials: US captures key militant key in Benghazi attack

WASHINGTON (AP) " U.S. officials say special operations forces have captured a militant who was instrumental in the attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. The attack resulted in the death of the American ambassador to the country.The officials say U.S. commandos captured the unidentified man in Libya and are transporting him back to the U.S. The officials say the mission was approved by President Donald Trump and done in coordination with Libya's internationally [...]

Trump enjoys early success with GOP-led Senate on judges

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is having more success getting judges confirmed than Democrat Barack Obama did at this early stage in their presidencies.That disparity is expected to increase this week as the GOP-led Senate pushes through more of Trump's choices.Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has set the stage for votes on four of the president's appellate court nominees and one district court nominee starting Monday night. In doing so, he declared that Democrats [...]

Trump-Russia probe charges: 2 not guilty pleas, 1 guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) " A former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, special counsel Robert Mueller said Monday, while Trump's former campaign manager and that official's business partner pleaded not guilty to felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.The guilty plea by former adviser George Papadopoulos marked the first criminal case that cites interactions between Trump campaign [...]

Menendez defense rests case in bribery and fraud trial

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) " The defense in the bribery trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez rested its case Monday, shortly after the judge turned down a bid to have a mistrial declared over his rulings during the trial.Neither the Democratic senator from New Jersey nor co-defendant Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor, testified during the trial, which in its ninth week. Closing arguments are expected later this week after the judge and attorneys settle on instructions for the jury.An [...]

Bobcat in bathroom of Oklahoma newspaper startles publisher

SAPULPA, Okla. (AP) " A small-town Oklahoma newspaper publisher found a startling front-page story practically in his newsroom: There was a hissing bobcat in the bathroom.Sapulpa Herald publisher Darren Sumner says the wild animal jumped at him one recent morning as he was heading into the restroom at his office in Sapulpa, a Tulsa suburb.Sumner shut the door and trapped the adult male cat inside until police and a game warden arrived. Wildlife control workers captured the [...]

Jury selection to begin for Bundy, 2 sons in standoff case

LAS VEGAS (AP) " Jury selection is set to begin in Las Vegas for the long-awaited trial of Nevada rancher and states' rights figure Cliven Bundy, two sons and one other co-defendant on charges stemming from an armed standoff with federal agents in April 2014.The trial starting Monday for the 71-year-old Bundy, sons Ryan and Ammon Bundy, and Ryan Payne of Montana alleges that they led a self-styled militia to prevent the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from enforcing court orders to [...]

Strong rainstorm rips Northeast, leaves 1.5M without power

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " A severe storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast early Monday, knocking out power for nearly 1.5 million homes and businesses and forcing hundreds of schools to close in New England.Falling trees knocked down power lines across the region, and some utility companies warned customers that power could be out for a few days. Trees also fell onto some homes and vehicles, but no serious injuries were reported.New [...]

Latest: Democrat warns Trump against pardoning associates

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):  11:30 a.m.The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee says lawmakers must make clear to President Donald Trump that pardoning any of his associates in the Russia probe would be "unacceptable, and result in immediate, bipartisan action by Congress."Trump's former campaign chairman, [...]

Manafort and Gates face decades in prison, millions in fines

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and Manafort's business associate Rick Gates face decades in federal prison and millions of dollars in potential fines if convicted on all counts in a sprawling federal indictment unsealed Monday.Manafort potentially faces up to 80 years in prison, according to a review of the federal charges and the relevant statutes by The Associated Press. Gates, who also worked for the Trump campaign, faces up to [...]

Judge: Bergdahl to get fair sentence, despite Trump remarks

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) " President Donald Trump's scathing criticism of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl won't prevent the soldier from receiving a fair sentence for endangering comrades by walking off his post in Afghanistan in 2009, a judge ruled Monday.The judge, Army Col. Jeffery Nance, said the court has not been directly affected by Trump's remarks, nor would the comments cause a reasonable member of the public to have doubts about the fairness of the military justice system. He had to [...]

American Indian activist Dennis Banks dies at age 80

Dennis Banks, a co-founder of the American Indian Movement and a leader of the 1973 Wounded Knee occupation, has died, his family announced Monday. He was 80.Banks was one of several activists who founded the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis in 1968, and he was a leader of AIM's armed takeover of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota in 1973, in a protest against both the tribal and U.S. governments. The village had been the site of a massacre by U.S. [...]

The Latest: Ryan says he isn't commenting on indictments

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):12:01 p.m.House Speaker Paul Ryan isn't commenting on the indictments of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman and an associate.Ryan said in a radio interview on WTAQ in his home state of Wisconsin that he doesn't have anything to say on that, other than "nothing's going to derail what we're doing in Congress [...]

Supreme Court seems favorable to Texas death row inmate

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Supreme Court appears likely to rule for an inmate on Texas' death row who was denied money to investigate his history of mental illness and other claims that could spare him from being executed.The case the justices heard Monday involves an immigrant from Honduras who was sentenced to death for strangling a woman in her home in Houston.The immigrant's lawyers for his appeals in the federal court system determined that his trial and state appellate lawyers [...]

Park Service drops funding for Black Panther Party project

WASHINGTON (AP) " The National Park Service has withdrawn plans to pay nearly $100,000 for a project honoring the legacy of the Black Panther Party after police groups complained to President Donald Trump.The park service had pledged $98,000 to the University of California, Berkeley for a two-year research project on the black power group, which was founded in Oakland in 1966.The Fraternal Order of Police sent a letter to Trump expressing "outrage and shock" that the park [...]

Trump says any Manafort misdeeds occurred 'years ago'

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump moved quickly Monday to distance himself and the White House from the indictment of his former campaign chairman and another aide, saying Paul Manafort's alleged misdeeds occurred "years ago" and insisting there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.Responding to news that two former senior campaign aides were charged by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating interactions between Trump's presidential campaign and [...]

Latest: Former Trump aide pleads guilty in Mueller probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):  10:30 a.m.A former campaign aide to President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents working for special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his probe into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.George Papadopoulos (PAH'-pah-dah-puh-lus) pleaded guilty [...]

The Latest: Trump campaign cites 'new opposition'

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):10:20 a.m.President Donald Trump's campaign is telling supporters that he is "still standing" Monday, hours after two former top aides turned themselves in to federal authorities.The fundraising e-mail from Eric Trump, the president's son, warns that "There's new opposition against my father and this Administration every [...]

Manafort, Gates indicted in first charges from Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former Manafort business associate, Rick Gates, were indicted Monday on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, and several other financial counts involving tens of millions of dollars routed through offshore accounts.The indictments, the first arising from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's sprawling investigation into possible coordination [...]

Group rescues deer with head stuck in plastic pumpkin bucket

CINCINNATI (AP) " A deer that got its head trapped in an orange plastic pumpkin bucket is free after residents in suburban Cincinnati spent the weekend tracking it.WCPO-TV reports the Anderson Township Family Pet Center got calls over four days from residents concerned about the deer with the bucket stuck over its nose.Daryl Meyerrenke at the pet center warned that it would be dangerous for neighbors to try to rescue the deer, but he says they were determined to help the animal [...]

Severe storm leaves about 700K without power in Northeast

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " A severe storm packing hurricane force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast early Monday, knocking out power for more than 700,000 and forcing hundreds school closures in northern New England.Some utility companies warned customers that power could be out for a few days.National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Dellicarpini said there were reports of downed trees and power lines around the region and roads that were impassable in spots [...]

Latest: Manafort, Gates surrender to federal authorities

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the investigation into possible coordination between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia (all times local):  8:45 a.m.President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former business associate, Rick Gates, surrendered to federal authorities Monday. That's according to people familiar with the matter.The charges are the first in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation [...]

The Latest: Conway shrugs off Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the Russia probe (all times local):8 a.m.White House counselor Kellyanne Conway is shrugging off developments in the Russia probe as speculation, saying the White House isn't aware of what will happen next.Conway spoke on "Fox and Friends" Monday morning shortly before The New York Times reported that Trump's ex-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former business associate have been told to surrender to federal authorities. [...]

NYT: Manafort, Gates told to surrender in Mueller probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The New York Times is reporting that President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former business associate, Rick Gates, have been told to surrender to authorities.Those are the first charges in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. The Times on Monday cited an anonymous person involved in the case.Mueller was appointed as special counsel in May to lead the [...]

UN agency: CO2 concentrations grew at record rate in 2016

GENEVA (AP) " The U.N. weather agency is warning that carbon-dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere increased at record-breaking speed last year.World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas says rapid cuts to CO2 and other greenhouse gases are needed to avoid "dangerous temperature increases" by 2100 that would far surpass targets set in the Paris climate accord.He says "we are actually moving in the wrong direction."The latest WMO Greenhouse Gas [...]

Severe weather sweeps through Northeast, 300K without power

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " Severe weather pounded the Northeast region with powerful winds and drenching rains early Monday, leaving nearly 300,000 without power.Southern New England appeared to suffer the brunt of the storm damage overnight.Eversource reported more than 155,000 Connecticut customers were without power around 6:30 a.m. Monday. National Grid also reported more than 141,000 customers were without power in New York state, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.About 22, [...]

AP sources: Education Dept. could scale back help on loans

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Education Department is considering only partially forgiving federal loans for students defrauded by for-profit colleges, according to department officials, abandoning the Obama administration's policy of erasing that debt.Under President Barack Obama, tens of thousands of students deceived by now-defunct for-profit schools had over $550 million in such loans canceled.But President Donald Trump's education secretary, Betsy DeVos, is working on a plan that [...]

Senators to press Tillerson and Mattis on new war authority

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's national security brain trust faces Congress on the need for a new war authorization as the deadly ambush in Niger is igniting a push among many lawmakers to update the legal parameters for combat operations overseas.Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are scheduled to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday. They told the panel behind closed doors three months ago that a 2001 law gave the [...]

Health law sign-ups start, and some see a 'hostile takeover'

WASHINGTON (AP) " It's sign-up season for the Affordable Care Act, but the Trump administration isn't making it easy " cutting the enrollment period in half, slashing advertising and dialing back on counselors who help consumers get through the process.Many people already faced fewer choices and higher premiums. But President Donald Trump's decision to cancel a subsidy to insurers that lowers consumer costs compounded the turmoil, pushing premiums even higher.Add it all up and [...]

Wounded soldier's wife expected to testify against Bergdahl

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) " Emotional testimony is expected Monday when the wife of a seriously wounded soldier takes the stand during the sentencing hearing for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.Prosecutors told a judge that they intend to call Shannon Allen to the stand to discuss a traumatic brain injury suffered by her husband when he was shot during a search mission for Bergdahl after he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009.Bergdahl has pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior [...]

Severe weather leaves thousands without power in Northeast

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " Thousands of people in the Northeast were without power early Monday as severe weather pounded the region with powerful winds and drenching rains.Southern New England appeared to suffer the brunt of the storm damage overnight.Eversource reported more than 150,000 Connecticut customers were without power around 2 a.m. Monday. National Grid also reported more than 130,000 customers were without power in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.National Weather [...]

Menendez judge to rule on defense mistrial motion

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) " Defense attorneys for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and a wealthy friend have accused the judge in their bribery trial of not letting them present evidence and witnesses to prove their case.They filed a mistrial motion on Sunday. It alleges that U.S. District Judge William Walls abused his discretion by not letting jurors see certain evidence the attorneys say would contradict the prosecution's contentions.Walls could rule on the motion on Monday. The defense is [...]

The Latest: Whitefish 'disappointed' contract is canceled

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) " The latest on Puerto Rico's contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings (all times local):7:15 p.m.Whitefish Energy Holdings says it is "very disappointed" that authorities in Puerto Rico have canceled its $300 million contract to help rebuild the U.S. island's electricity system.The contract had been questioned because the company had only two full-time employees when the contract was awarded and it is based in the Montana hometown of the U.S. [...]

Downed trees, flood damage as severe weather hits East Coast

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) " Severe weather is hitting the East Coast with damaging winds and torrential rains.Southern New England appeared to be suffering the brunt of the damage late Sunday night.Eversource reported more than 50,000 Connecticut customers without power before midnight, with that number expected to grow.The National Weather Service says the storm will continue through early Monday morning.Flash flood and high wind warnings have been issued across the [...]

The Latest: Rescued sailors effusive in thanks to Navy ship

WHITE BEACH NAVAL FACILITY, Japan (AP) " The Latest on the rescue of two sailors lost nearly six months in the Pacific (all times local):11 a.m.Two sailors rescued after nearly six months lost at sea were effusive in their thanks to the crew of the ship that picked them up in the Pacific.Tasha Fuiava said everyone she's talked to on the USS Ashland has been open-hearted and has seemed to become "my new best friend."Jennifer Appel said in remarks the Navy shared on [...]

Menendez attorneys file for mistrial over judge's rulings

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) " The judge in the bribery trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and a wealthy friend is facing another decision on a motion for a mistrial.Attorneys for both defendants filed papers with the court on Sunday.They alleged that U.S. District Judge William Walls has abused his discretion by stopping them from calling certain witnesses or introducing certain evidence they feel would let them adequately present their case, while allowing prosecutors more leeway. [...]

The Latest: Whitefish 'disappointed' contract is cancelled

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) " The latest on Puerto Rico's contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings (all times local):7:15 p.m.Whitefish Energy Holdings says it is "very disappointed" that authorities in Puerto Rico have cancelled its $300 million contract to help rebuild the U.S. island's electricity system.The contract had been questioned because the company had only two full-time employees when the contract was awarded and it is based in the Montana hometown of the U.S. [...]

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says no to run for governor

LOS ANGELES (AP) " Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says he will not run for governor of California.Garcetti tweeted his decision Sunday, saying he wants to continue to serve in Los Angeles because he's passionate about his city and family.The 46-year-old decisively won a second four-year term in March. He can't run for a third under LA term limits.Some political observers have speculated the Democrat may be eyeing a presidential bid in 2020.Several people are [...]

The Latest: Puerto Rico to scrap Whitefish contract

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) " The Latest on Puerto Rico's contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings (all times local):3:55 p.m.The head of Puerto Rico's government power company says the agency will scrap a $300 million contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings once it finishes current work on Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.Power company director Ricardo Ramos said Sunday that he's bowing to a demand by the U.S. territory's governor, Ricardo Rossello.Ramos says the [...]

Numerous events set to mark 5 years since Superstorm Sandy

NEW YORK (AP) " Communities across New York and New Jersey marked the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy on Sunday, a day that ironically saw the region hit by another strong storm system containing soaking rains and strong winds."Of course Mother Nature is taking another shot at us today. She has a sick sense of humor," Richard Thompson said Sunday while watching the rain fall at a convenience store in Toms River, New Jersey. "This storm obviously won't be anywhere near what Sandy [...]

Confusion coming with California's legal marijuana

LOS ANGELES (AP) " Ready or not, California kicks off recreational marijuana sales on Jan. 1. And, mostly, it's not.Los Angeles and San Francisco are among many cities still struggling to fashion local rules for pot shops and growers. Without the regulations, there could be limited options in many places for consumers eager to ring in the new year with a legal pot purchase."The bulk of folks probably are not going to be ready Jan. 1," conceded Cara Martinson of the California [...]

Collins: Clinton camp needs to fully explain dossier payment

WASHINGTON (AP) " A Senate Intelligence Committee member says Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman and the former Democratic Party head need to explain what they knew about a dossier of allegations about President Donald Trump's ties to Russia.Maine Sen. Susan Collins says the committee should further question John Podesta and Debbie Wasserman Schultz following disclosures last week that the Clinton campaign and DNC helped fund research that ended up in the dossier.Collins tells [...]

Trump comes ahead with fresh criticism of Russia inquiry

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is unleashing new criticism of the investigations into possible ties between his campaign associates and Russia.Trump " in a series of tweets " is making reference to what he calls "phony Trump/Russia 'collusion,' which doesn't exist." He says Democrats are using " in his words " a "witch hunt" for "evil politics" and adds that Republicans are "fighting back like never before."Trump's tweets follow a CNN report that a federal grand jury [...]

University sets record for people dressed like penguins

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) " An Ohio university has apparently set a world record for the number of people dressed in penguin costumes.The Vindicator reports 972 Youngstown State University students, alumni and community members gathered on the school's campus Saturday in their best penguin finery to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary as a university.Youngstown State's nickname is the Penguins.Saturday's waddle of faux birds apparently broke a mark recognized by the [...]

Doctors prepare for deep dive into Las Vegas shooter's brain

LAS VEGAS (AP) " Scientists are preparing to do a microscopic study of the Las Vegas gunman's brain, but whatever they find, if anything, likely won't be what led him to kill 58 people in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, experts said.Stephen Paddock's brain is being sent to Stanford University for a months-long examination after a visual inspection during an autopsy found no abnormalities, Las Vegas authorities said.Doctors will perform multiple forensic analyses, [...]

'Penance': NC congressman writes to families of dead troops

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) " On a Sunday morning more than two weeks after four U.S. soldiers were ambushed and killed in Niger, Rep. Walter Jones sat at the desk in his North Carolina office, doing what he's done more than 11,000 times in 14 years: signing letters to families of the dead troops."My heart aches as I write this letter for I realize you are suffering a great loss," the letter begins.It's a form letter, but the Republican congressman signs each one personally " penance, [...]

Bali volcano's alert status lowered after decreased activity

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) " Indonesian authorities lowered the alert status of Bali's Mount Agung volcano from the highest level on Sunday, following a significant decrease in activity in recent days.More than 140,000 people fled the area around the mountain after its alert status was raised to the highest level on Sept. 22, indicating an eruption may be imminent.The region has been rattled daily by hundreds of tremors from the volcano. Mount Agung, located about 70 kilometers [...]

Pentagon identifies soldier killed in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Pentagon has released the name of a U.S. soldier who died of wounds sustained in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan.The Friday crash in Logar province killed Jacob M. Sims " a 36-year-old chief warrant officer from Juneau, Alaska. He was assigned to 4th Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.The U.S. military has said six other crew members aboard the helicopter were injured in the [...]

Missing Russian helicopter found on seabed in the Arctic

HELSINKI (AP) " Norwegian rescue officials say the wreckage of a Russian helicopter that crashed with eight people onboard off the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard has been located on the seabed.The Joint Rescue Coordination Center for northern Norway said Sunday that the Mi-8 helicopter, which went down Thursday near the Svalbard settlement of Barentsburg, is around two kilometers (one mile) east of Cape Heer at a depth of 210 meters (685 feet).A remote-controlled submarine was [...]

Full recovery from California wildfires may take years

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) " It will take at least months and likely years to fully recover from devastating wildfires that ripped through Northern California earlier this month, destroying at least 8,900 structures and killing 42 people, Sonoma County officials said Saturday."We don't control these things, and it makes you realize how small you are in the world when something like this happens," Sheriff Rob Giordano said. "I don't think we understand the level at which it is going to [...]

Trump suggests Michael Moore's Broadway debut was a flop

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump has set his sights on a new target: filmmaker and Trump critic Michael Moore.Trump tweets: "While not at all presidential I must point out that the Sloppy Michael Moore Show on Broadway was a TOTAL BOMB and was forced to close. Sad!"Trump criticized the liberal activist on Saturday, several days after Moore's one-man show, "The Terms of My Surrender," concluded its limited Broadway run on Oct. 22.Playbill.com says the anti-Trump [...]

AP sources: DeVos may only partly forgive some student loans

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Education Department is considering only partially forgiving federal loans for students defrauded by for-profit colleges, according to department officials, abandoning the Obama administration's policy of erasing that debt.Under President Barack Obama, tens of thousands of students deceived by now-defunct for-profit schools had over $550 million in such loans canceled.But President Donald Trump's education secretary, Betsy DeVos, is working on a plan that [...]

Fat grizzly killed for preying on calves to be displayed

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) " A grizzly bear killed for preying on cattle in Montana will be stuffed and put on display.Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks plans to donate the young male grizzly to Benefis Health System, which operates a hospital and other medical facilities in Great Falls.Montana grizzly bear management specialist Mike Madel says the grizzly was one of the fattest he'd handled. The Great Falls Tribune reports bears in the area south of Glacier National Park where the [...]

Northern California may need years to recover from wildfires

LOS ANGELES (AP) " Sonoma County officials said Saturday it will take at least months and likely years to fully recover from devastating wildfires that ripped through Northern California earlier this month, destroying at least 8,900 structures and killing 42 people."We don't control these things, and it makes you realize how small you are in the world when something like this happens," Sheriff Rob Giordano said during a memorial ceremony honoring the 42 lives lost. "I don't think we [...]

AP learns DeVos may only partly wipe away some student loans

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Education Department is considering only partially forgiving federal loans for students defrauded by for-profit-colleges, The Associated Press has learned, abandoning the Obama administration's policy of fully erasing that debt.Under President Barack Obama, tens of thousands of students deceived by now-defunct for-profit schools had over $550 million in such loans canceled completely.But President Donald Trump's education secretary, Betsy DeVos, is working [...]

Annabella Sciorra alleges she was raped by Harvey Weinstein

NEW YORK (AP) " Annabella Sciorra is alleging she was raped by Harvey Weinstein after he barged his way into her apartment in the 1990s.Daryl Hannah is also speaking out, saying the movie mogul once tried to force his way into her hotel room.The actresses were quoted this week in The New Yorker. Sciorra told the magazine that Weinstein "shoved" her onto her bed and they had nonconsensual sexual intercourse.Hannah recalled fleeing her hotel room as Weinstein demanded to [...]

Fantasy Fest returns to Key West after Hurricane Irma

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) " Things are weird, as usual, in Key West.A pair of Vikings push a stroller full of stuffed chimps down Duval Street. A man with a ponytail swallows a steel sword. People dressed only in body paint and glitter wander and jiggle from bar to bar.Fantasy Fest " one of Key West's major tourist draws of the year " is in full swing. And that's a relief for Florida Keys business owners trying to weather the economic storm that hit after Hurricane Irma battered the [...]

Power of anti-Trump resistance in question in Virginia race

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) " Virginia's gubernatorial election stands as a test for the anti-Donald Trump resistance, and whether it can energize voters and donors for the less glamorous races featuring traditional Democratic politicians.The Nov. 7 contest pits Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician, Army veteran and former state senator, against Ed Gillespie, onetime aide to President George W. Bush and former head of the Republican Party. The current governor, Democrat Terry [...]

Trump dossier research triggered by website with GOP ties

NEW YORK (AP) " A conservative website with strong ties to the Republican establishment triggered the investigation into Donald Trump's past that ultimately produced the dossier that alleged a compromised relationship between the president and the Kremlin.The Washington Free Beacon on Friday confirmed it originally retained the political research firm Fusion GPS to scour then-candidate Trump's background for negative information, a common practice known as "opposition research" in [...]

JFK files release leaves real-life whodunit unsettled

WASHINGTON (AP) " Botulism pills. Conspiracy theories. What the government might have known and still won't say about Lee Harvey Oswald.The release of thousands of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy hasn't settled the best-known, real-life whodunit in American history. But the record offered riveting details of the way intelligence services operated at the time and are striving to keep some particulars a secret even now."The Kennedy records [...]

JFK files release is Trump's latest clash with spy agencies

WASHINGTON (AP) " It was a showdown 25 years in the making: With the world itching to finally get a look at classified Kennedy assassination files, and the deadline for their release just hours away, intelligence officials were still angling for a way to keep their secrets. President Donald Trump, the one man able to block the release, did not appreciate their persistence. He did not intend to make this easy.Like much else surrounding investigations of the 1963 killing of President [...]

Pentagon chief says North Korea engages in 'outlaw' behavior

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) " The threat of nuclear missile attack by North Korea is accelerating, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday, accusing the North of illegal and unnecessary missile and nuclear programs and pledging to repel any strike.In remarks in Seoul with South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo at his side, Mattis said North Korea engages in "outlaw" behavior and that the U.S. will never accept a nuclear North.The Pentagon chief added that regardless [...]

JFK files release does little to quell conspiracy theories

WASHINGTON (AP) " Botulism pills. Conspiracy theories. What the government might have known and still won't say about Lee Harvey Oswald.The release of thousands of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy hasn't settled the best-known, real-life whodunit in American history. But the record offered riveting details of the way intelligence services operated at the time and are striving to keep some particulars a secret even now."The Kennedy records [...]

Emergency plan, food, gear vital for long-distance sailing

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) " It's a romantic idea " sailing across the ocean, sleeping under the stars.But earlier this week, the U.S. Navy rescued two women adrift in the Pacific Ocean about 900 miles off Japan, at sea for months after their sailboat became disabled.While some people wing it, experts recommend thoroughly understanding what you're getting into and being as prepared as possible " taking lessons, having emergency and navigational gear, and packing more than enough food. [...]

Puerto Rico power contract a local issue: White House

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration scrambled Friday to distance itself from the decision to award a $300 million contract to help restore Puerto Rico's power grid to a tiny Montana company from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's hometown.The White House said federal officials played no role in the selection of Whitefish Energy Holdings by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.The administration disavowed the contract amid a growing number of investigations and a [...]

Weirdness returns to Key West after Hurricane Irma

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) " Things are weird, as usual, in Key West.A pair of Vikings push a stroller full of stuffed chimps down Duval Street. A man with a ponytail swallows a steel sword. People dressed only in body paint and glitter wander and jiggle from bar to bar.Fantasy Fest " one of Key West's major tourist draws of the year " is in full swing. And that's a relief for Florida Keys business owners trying to weather the economic storm that hit after Hurricane Irma battered the [...]

Mattis says threat of nuclear attack by NKorea accelerating

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) " U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Saturday the threat of nuclear missile attack by North Korea is accelerating.In remarks in Seoul with South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo at his side, Mattis accused the North of illegal and unnecessary missile and nuclear programs " and vowed to defeat any attack.Mattis said the North engages in "outlaw" behavior and that the U.S. will never accept a nuclear North.He added that regardless of what [...]

Conservative site with GOP ties funded Trump research

NEW YORK (AP) " A conservative website with strong ties to the Republican establishment triggered the investigation into Donald Trump's past that ultimately produced the dossier that alleged a compromised relationship between the president and the Kremlin.The Washington Free Beacon on Friday confirmed it originally retained the political research firm Fusion GPS to scour then-candidate Trump's background for negative information, a common practice known as "opposition research" in [...]

Trump frustrated by intelligence community's JFK secrecy

WASHINGTON (AP) " It was a showdown 25 years in the making: With the world itching to finally get a look at classified Kennedy assassination files, and the deadline for their release just hours away, intelligence officials were still angling for a way to keep their secrets. President Donald Trump, the one man able to block the release, did not appreciate their persistence. He did not intend to make this easy.Like much else surrounding investigations of the 1963 killing of President [...]

The Latest: Utah governor doesn't know Trump plan specifics

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on Trump's decision to shrink two national monuments in Utah (all times local):7:40 p.m.Utah's governor says he doesn't know the specifics of President Donald Trump's plan for two national monuments he seeks to shrink in Utah.Gov. Gary Herbert says he expects the White House to protect local antiquities and give Native American tribes co-management authority at one site.Herbert is among Utah Republican officials who have urged Trump to [...]

White House: Trump plans to make choice for Fed next week

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump said Friday that he has someone "very specific in mind" to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve and he will be announcing his choice next week."It will be a person who hopefully will do a fantastic job," Trump said in a video address he tweeted out late Friday. "I think everybody will be very impressed. But most importantly, I think at the end of eight years, you really will be impressed because things are looking good."Trump did [...]

Prosecutors: US conspiracy came amid slow sales of opioid

PHOENIX (AP) " A new mouth spray that delivered the powerful painkiller fentanyl to end-stage cancer patients wasn't selling as well as anticipated. So drug company executives moved quickly to make its production worthwhile.U.S. court records in the case against an immigrant billionaire who is one of Arizona's wealthiest men describe the daunting market challenges that Insys Therapeutics founder John N. Kapoor and fellow executives faced after launching the opioid medication Subsys in [...]

The Latest: JFK file has Hoover talking KGB theory

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the John F. Kennedy assassination files (all times local):___6 p.m.Even the former Soviet Union's intelligence agency had a theory about who killed President John F. Kennedy.That's according to long-secret files on the assassination released Thursday. In a 1966 letter to a presidential assistant, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover wrote that KGB officials claimed to have information "purporting to indicate" President Lyndon B. Johnson had [...]

Senate Judiciary's Russia probe veers into partisanship

WASHINGTON (AP) " The once-bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 election has broken along partisan lines, with the committee's top Democrat contacting witnesses independently and asking for a broad swath of new information.After months of negotiations with Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley stalled, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein sent five letters of her own on Friday to witnesses and companies involved in the probe. The [...]

Trump administration proposes health law benefit changes

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration on Friday proposed new health insurance regulations that could affect basic benefits required by the Affordable Care Act, but not for a couple of years.Loosening "Obamacare" benefit requirements was a major sticking point for congressional Republicans in thus-far fruitless efforts to repeal the law.The complex new plan from the administration would give states a potential path to easing some requirements.Starting in 2019, states [...]

GOP faith ambassador quits, complains of priorities of RNC

NEW YORK (AP) " The national GOP's director of evangelical outreach is quitting, and lodging complaints about what he calls the party's "tone deaf attitude" toward a crucial Republican voting bloc.Chad Connelly, who served as the Republican National Committee's director of faith engagement for the last four years, announced his resignation in an email circulated to close friends late Thursday. He complained that religious outreach has not been prioritized at the RNC under the [...]

Botulism pills, the CIA, the Mob and the JFK assassination

WASHINGTON (AP) " Botulism pills. Conspiracy theories. What the government might have known and still won't say about Lee Harvey Oswald.The release of thousands of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy hasn't settled the best-known, real-life whodunit in American history. But the record offered riveting details of the way intelligence services operated at the time and are striving to keep some particulars a secret even now."The Kennedy records [...]

Man's possible disability key issue in Kansas capital case

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) " A south-central Kansas man's attorneys asked the state Supreme Court on Friday to spare him from execution for the murder of a college dance team member because of questions about whether he is developmentally disabled.The court heard arguments in an appeal from Justin Eugene Thurber, who was sentenced to die for the January 2007 rape and strangulation of Jodi Sanderholm, a 19-year-old Cowley College student. The death sentence came after the trial judge rejected a [...]

Science Says: Jack Frost nipping at your nose ever later

WASHINGTON (AP) " Winter is coming ... later. And it's leaving ever earlier.Across the United States, the year's first freeze has been arriving further and further into the calendar, according to more than a century of measurements from weather stations nationwide.Scientists say it is yet another sign of the changing climate, and that it has good and bad consequences for the nation. There could be more fruits and vegetables " and also more allergies and pests."I'm happy [...]

Locked in cooler, Wisconsin man starts drinking

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (AP) " Police have cited a Wisconsin man who began drinking after he got locked inside a convenience store's beer cooler.USA Today Network-Wisconsin reports police were called to a Marshfield Kwik Trip early Wednesday after a customer noticed a man in the cooler. Employees opened the door around 6 a.m. and he fled.The store manager told police the 38-year-old man drank a beer and three malt beverages before he got out.Police later located the man. [...]

The Latest: Watchdog to review awarding of power contract

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on questions surrounding a $300 million contract for Puerto Rico's power grid (all times local):4 p.m.An internal watchdog at the Department of Homeland Security says it will review the decision to award a $300 million contract to help restore Puerto Rico's power grid to a tiny Montana company in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's hometown.A spokesman for the department's inspector general says federal auditors will look into the selection of [...]

State Department warns against business with Russian firms

WASHINGTON (AP) " The State Department on Friday moved belatedly to implement a sanctions law President Donald Trump had resisted, publishing a list of toxic Russian companies and warning third parties they're at risk of tough U.S. financial penalties should they do business with any of them.The guidance includes more than three dozen entities, including arms trader Rosoboronexport and missile manufacturer Almaz-Antey, that sell weapons and aircraft to U.S. allies in the Middle East [...]

Woman wins hearts with weird voice-to-text comment on site

BOSTON (AP) " A Massachusetts woman is generating online buzz for accidentally sharing more than she intended on The New York Times' website.Christine McMorrow says she was using her iPhone's voice-to-text function to leave a comment on a political story Thursday when she was interrupted by a friend's visit.She says the phone continued transcribing parts of their conversation and posted it online.It starts out, "Zero optimism that the Democrats can ever regain," before [...]

Trump administration disavows Puerto Rico power contract

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration said Friday it had no involvement in the decision to award a $300 million contract to help restore Puerto Rico's power grid to a tiny Montana company in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's hometown.White House spokesman Raj Shah said Friday that federal officials played no role in the selection of Whitefish Energy Holdings by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.The Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a statement that any [...]

State Department releases list of off-limits Russian firms

WASHINGTON (AP) " The State Department is warning countries and companies they risk tough U.S. sanctions if they do business with more than three dozen Russian companies, including arms trader Rosoboronexport and missile manufacturer Almaz-Antey.The department on Friday published a list of businesses and individuals linked to Russia's defense and intelligence agencies. The list , nearly a month overdue, was required by a sweeping new sanctions law Congress passed in July and President [...]

Cue the bats, fog: Trumps to host trick-or-treaters Monday

WASHINGTON (AP) " The White House says it will be welcoming ghost and goblins to the South Lawn for trick-or-treating on the eve of Halloween.Families of school children from 20 schools in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia have been invited, along with military families and community organizations.President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will be handing out presidential M&M's and treats from the White House pastry kitchen, and the South Portico will be [...]

The Latest: White House weighs in on Puerto Rico contract

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on questions surrounding a $300 million contract for Puerto Rico's power grid (all times local):1:35 p.m.The White House says it's unaware of any federal role in the decision to award a $300 million, no-bid contract to a tiny Montana company to help restore Puerto Rico's power grid.White House spokesman Raj Shah says the decision to award the contract to Whitefish Energy Holdings was made exclusively by the Puerto Rico Electric Power [...]

Burglar gets prison for taking $1, plant he confused for pot

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) " A Pennsylvania man who stole $1 and a houseplant he thought was marijuana during a series of break-ins in March has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.The Morning Call reports 21-year-old Maico Rosado Jr. was sentenced Wednesday to 7 ½ to 15 years after pleading guilty in August to robbery and three counts of burglary.Police say Rosado broke into Jabber Jaws Bar & Grille in Allentown. Police say the manager confronted Rosado but backed off when [...]

What to expect at the Baltimore police disciplinary hearing

BALTIMORE (AP) " The police officer who prosecutors once said was most responsible for the in-custody death of Freddie Gray will appear Monday before a disciplinary board that will determine whether or not he should be fired. It is the final effort to hold the officer accountable for the death of Gray, a 25-year-old black man who was critically injured during a police van ride.Gray was handcuffed and shackled, but left unrestrained by a seat belt, during the nearly 45-minute ride from [...]

Locked in beer cooler, Wisconsin man gets busy

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (AP) " When a central Wisconsin man got locked inside a convenience store cooler overnight, he made the best of it, knocking back a beer and three more malt beverages.USA Today Network-Wisconsin reports that police were called to a Kwik Trip in Marshfield Wednesday morning. A customer had noticed the 38-year-old man inside the cooler around 6 a.m., and when employees opened it, he fled.When police found and arrested the man, he told them he went into the store [...]

NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week

A roundup of some of the most popular, but completely untrue, headlines of the week. None of these stories are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked these out; here are the real facts:NOT REAL: REVEALED: La David Johnson Betrayed Fellow Soldiers in Niger AmbushTHE FACTS: The Defense Department says there's no truth to claims in a viral story from writer E.T. Williams that Sgt. La David Johnson betrayed his fellow soldiers in an [...]

FEMA disavows Puerto Rico power contract amid investigations

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday it had no involvement in the decision to award a $300 million contract to help restore Puerto Rico's power grid to a tiny Montana company in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's hometown.FEMA said in a statement that any language in the controversial contract saying the agency approved of the deal with Whitefish Energy Holdings is inaccurate. The contract, which was awarded by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, [...]

Schumer blasts 'foot dragging' on China trade probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Senate's top Democrat said Friday that he'll block two of President Donald Trump's key nominees unless the Commerce Department picks up the pace on its investigation of China's trade practices involving the aluminum and steel industries.Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he'll hold up two Commerce Department undersecretaries until Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross stops "foot dragging on this critical investigation" of China's subsidies of the two [...]

JFK Files: Thousands released but Trump holds back others

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump has blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, bending to CIA and FBI appeals, while the National Archives came out Thursday night with a hefty cache of others."I have no choice," Trump said in a memo, citing "potentially irreversible harm" to national security if he were to allow all records to come out now. He placed those files under a six-month review while letting 2,800 others come out, [...]

School honoring Confederate general has a new name: Justice

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) " A Virginia school board has chosen "Justice" as the new name for a high school that has honored a Confederate general since the 1950s.The Fairfax County school board had solicited input from families inside the school's attendance boundaries after deciding to rename J.E.B. Stuart High School in Falls Church. The community's top choice was to remove "J.E.B." and be known simply as "Stuart High School." Indeed, the board itself had suggested Stuart High as a [...]

Judge blocks Alabama laws restricting abortion access

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) " A federal judge has permanently blocked Alabama laws that tried to restrict abortion clinics near schools and to ban a common second-trimester procedure.The decision by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson came in 148-page ruling issued Thursday in which he prevented the state from enforcing the statutes. The decision made permanent a temporary ruling issued by Thompson a year ago; the state already is appealing that decision.The American Civil Liberties [...]

Letters from Harper Lee to friend sell for $12,500

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) " A batch of letters hand written by "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee has sold for more than $12,000.A statement from the Los Angeles-based Nate D. Sanders Auctions says 38 letters from the deceased novelist to friend Felic Itzkoff went for $12,500 in a sale held Thursday night.The letters span the period from December 2005 to May 2010 and include a note written on Jan. 20, 2009, the day Barack Obama was inaugurated as the nation's first black [...]

The Latest: British newspaper got early tip, JFK files say

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the John F. Kennedy assassination files (all times local):___7:30 a.m.Newly released files say a British newspaper received an anonymous call about "big news" in the United States minutes before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.A batch of 2,800 declassified documents includes a memo to the director of the FBI, dated November 26, 1963, about a call received by the Cambridge News on November 22.It says the caller [...]

AP Interview: SEAL wants Bergdahl dishonorably discharged

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) " Former Navy SEAL James Hatch, whose career as a commando ended when he was shot while searching for Bowe Bergdahl, said his feelings toward the Army sergeant have gone from "I would like to kill him" to thanking the soldier's lead attorney for working so hard to defend him.Hatch, who testified this week at Bergdahl's sentencing hearing on charges he endangered comrades by leaving his post in Afghanistan in 2009, has had eight years to think about the nighttime [...]

Trump tweets happy birthday wishes to wrong Lee Greenwood

WASHINGTON (AP) " A "happy birthday" tweet from President Donald Trump to "God Bless the USA" singer Lee Greenwood went off course early Friday after Trump mentioned the wrong Twitter user.Trump tweeted: "Happy birthday to the great @leegreenwood83. You and your beautiful song have made such a difference. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" The singer's Twitter name is @TheLeeGreenwood , but the president directed his message to a Lee Greenwood who describes himself as a New York lawyer with [...]

New York hospital delivers 4 sets of twins in single day

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) " A Long Island hospital has welcomed a rare four sets of twins in a six-hour period.The series of births at NYU Winthrop in Mineola started at 8:44 a.m. Wednesday when Brenda Alvarenga gave birth to Ava and Elena.Shannon and Anthony Rogone then welcomed twins Sarah and Elise around 10 a.m. The births of Alexa and McKenzi followed an hour later to parents Darlene and Joe Sica.Finally, Catherine and Joseph Monez welcomed twins Luke and Benjamin at 2:26 [...]

The Latest: Christie says US serious about fighting opioids

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the U.S. policy on the opioid epidemic (all times local):7:30 a.m.New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is defending President Donald Trump's push to combat opioid abuse, saying the president "gave compassion yesterday and hope" to families struggling with the epidemic.Christie says in an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that "Congress is serious" about the scourge and billions of dollars will need to be spent to address the problem. [...]

Caregiver of Indian girl found dead in Texas wants answers

NEW DELHI (AP) " A toddler whose body was recently found in a drain in suburban Dallas was cheerful, healthy and eating well a year ago when she met her new parents, according to the manager of the Indian orphanage from where Sherin Mathews was adopted.Babita Kumari said she wants to know what happened to the 3-year-old girl, whose father has been jailed after telling police that Sherin had choked to death while drinking milk in the middle of the night. Wesley Mathews has told police [...]

Guatemalan man admits smuggling chocolate-covered heroin

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) " A man has admitted smuggling chocolate-covered heroin on a flight from Guatemala to Newark Liberty International Airport.Jacobo Orellana-Estrada on Thursday pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute heroin.Prosecutors say the Guatemalan citizen arrived in Newark on a flight in June and Customs officers discovered what appeared to be six small layer cakes in his luggage. The cakes turned out to be packages of heroin coated in [...]

WannaCry cyberattack on UK health service 'preventable'

LONDON (AP) " An independent investigation has concluded that the debilitating cyberattack that crippled parts of Britain's National Health Service earlier this year could have been prevented with basic security measures.The National Audit Office probe found computers at 81 health trusts " or a third of such trusts across England " had not been updated to secure them against the WannaCry ransomware attack in May, which disrupted thousands of doctors' appointments and led to ambulances [...]

Russia's RT says Twitter pushed it for ads before election

MOSCOW (AP) " Russian state-owned television station RT says Twitter had pushed it to spend millions on advertising ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.The San Francisco company had announced Thursday that it would ban ads from RT and Sputnik, two state-sponsored Russian news outlets that the U.S. intelligence community has said tried to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.RT replied Thursday by publishing what it said were excerpts from Twitter's pitch [...]

Drug firm founder once among Arizona's richest billionaires

PHOENIX (AP) " The drug company founder charged with leading a nationwide conspiracy to bribe doctors and pharmacists to widely prescribe an opioid cancer pain drug for people who didn't need it came to the U.S. for postgraduate studies and for a time was listed among Arizona's richest billionaires.John N. Kapoor, the founder of Insys Therapeutics, several years ago was listed by Forbes as having a worth of $2.4 billion. That worth has fallen amid the indictments of numerous fellow [...]

US belatedly compiles list of off-limits Russians

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration has given Congress a list of Russian officials who may soon become off-limits to anyone who wants to avoid U.S. sanctions, as criticism mounted over the administration's tardy execution of new penalties on Moscow.Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former NATO chief and adviser to Ukraine's leader, said Russian President Vladimir Putin "must be laughing right now" at how successfully he's undermined Western democracy. He said the lack of answers from [...]

Trump calls for liberation from 'scourge' of drug addiction

WASHINGTON (AP) " In ringing and personal terms, President Donald Trump has pledged that "we will overcome addiction in America," declaring opioid abuse a national public health emergency and announcing new steps to combat what he described as the worst drug crisis in U.S. history.Trump's declaration, which will be effective for 90 days and can be renewed, will allow the government to redirect resources in various ways and to expand access to medical services in rural areas. But it [...]

5 years after Superstorm Sandy, the lessons haven't sunk in

Five years after Superstorm Sandy was supposed to have taught the U.S. a lesson about the dangers of living along the coast, disaster planning experts say there is no place in America truly prepared for climate change and the tempests it could bring.That is true even in New York and New Jersey, where cities and towns got slammed by deadly floodwaters that rose out of the Atlantic on the evening of Oct. 29, 2012.While billions have been spent to repair the damage, protecting [...]

Pentagon chief accuses NKorea of threatening 'catastrophe'

PANMUNJOM, Korea (AP) " U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused North Korea on Friday of building a nuclear arsenal to "threaten others with catastrophe" and said the Trump administration remains committed to compelling the North to accept complete nuclear disarmament.Calling the North a threat to global order, Mattis stood inside the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas and pledged solidarity with the South."We stand should to shoulder with you and the Korean [...]

The Latest: Mattis accuses NKorea of threatening catastrophe

PANMUNJOM, Korea (AP) " The Latest on U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Asia (all times local):12:30 p.m.U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is accusing North Korea of building a nuclear arsenal to "threaten others with catastrophe," and says the Trump administration remains committed to compelling the North to accept complete nuclear disarmament.Mattis pledged solidarity with the South in remarks while inside the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas. He [...]

Car drives into immigration protest; motorist arrested

BREA, Calif. (AP) " A man drove his car through marchers Thursday at an immigrant rights rally, with one demonstrator jumping on the hood as the car lurched forward and then stopped. Police quickly surrounded it and arrested the man.Brea Police Chief Jack Conklin said none of the demonstrators sought first aid but the SEIU United Service Workers West union later released a statement saying six people were taken to a hospital for evaluation.The union helped organize the protest [...]

AP Explains: Long-secret JFK assassination files released

BOSTON (AP) " The public is getting a look at thousands of secret government files related to President John F. Kennedy's assassination, but hundreds of other documents will remain under wraps for now.The government was required by Thursday to release the final batch of files related to Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. But President Donald Trump delayed the release of some of the files, citing security concerns."As long as the government is withholding [...]

Astros' World Series run lifts Houston amid Harvey recovery

HOUSTON (AP) " Paul Daulong hopes the Houston Astros jersey his daughter gave him after Hurricane Harvey's flooding devastated the family's home will be a good luck charm as his beloved baseball team tries to win its first World Series.So far, it seems to be working.Daulong started wearing the jersey after the Astros trailed the New York Yankees three games to two in the American League Championship Series. They won the next two games in Houston to advance to the fall classic [...]

JFK files: Thousands released but Trump holds back others

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, bending to CIA and FBI appeals, while the National Archives came out Thursday night with a hefty cache of others."I have no choice," Trump said in a memo, citing "potentially irreversible harm" to national security if he were to allow all records to come out now. He placed those files under a six-month review while letting 2,800 others come out, racing [...]

Mother of Hawaii woman lost at sea for months never gave up

HONOLULU (AP) " Two women and their dogs have been rescued after being lost at sea for months while trying to sail from Hawaii to Tahiti.The U.S. Navy rescued the women on Wednesday after a Taiwanese fishing vessel spotted them about 900 miles southeast of Japan, well off their planned course, and alerted the U.S. Coast Guard.The USS Ashland arrived early the next day, the Navy said in a statement released Thursday.The women, identified by the Navy as Jennifer Appel and [...]