Top General News

House GOP votes to oust Democrat Omar from major committee
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House voted after raucous debate Thursday to oust Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the chamber's Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her anti-Israel comments, in a dramatic response to Democrats last session booting far-right GOP lawmakers over incendiary...

At Nichols' funeral, Black America's grief on public display
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The sound of the djembe drums started as a low tremble and grew more distinct as the musicians drew closer to the hundreds gathered inside the Memphis church. “We love you, Tyre,” the drummers chanted, referring to Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man...

Biden's handwritten notes part of classified docs probe
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is a man who writes down his thoughts. And some of those handwritten musings over his decades of public service are now a part of a special counsel's investigation into the handling of classified documents. It isn't clear yet what the...

First sweeping federal gun crime report in 20 years released
WASHINGTON (AP) — The most expansive federal report in over two decades on guns and crime shows a shrinking turnaround between the time a gun was purchased and when it was recovered from a crime scene, indicating firearms bought legally are more quickly being used in crimes around the country. ...

US to send Ukraine longer-range bombs in latest turnaround
WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of agonizing, the U.S has agreed to send longer-range bombs to Ukraine as it prepares to launch a spring offensive to retake territory Russia captured last year, U.S. officials said Thursday, confirming that the new weapons will have roughly double the range of any...

Don’t like Phil’s forecast? Check out these rodents instead
Rodents predicting weather trends. Why? Just as fair a Groundhog Day question, though, is this: Why not? And more importantly, why should Punxsutawney Phil always get to, well, hog the press? The spring-heralding (or spring-delaying) small animal has taken firm root...

Iranian film director goes on hunger strike in prison
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian director who was arrested last summer, weeks before his latest film was released to widespread acclaim, has gone on hunger strike to protest his continued detention amid more than four months of anti-government protests. Jafar Panahi,...

Psychedelic churches in US pushing boundaries of religion
HILDALE, Utah (AP) — The tea tasted bitter and earthy, but Lorenzo Gonzales drank it anyway. On that frigid night in remote Utah, he was hoping for a life-changing experience, which is how he found himself inside a tent with two dozen others waiting for the psychedelic brew known as ayahuasca to...

Frustrated Texans endure winter storm with no power, heat
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Thousands of frustrated Texans shivered in their homes Thursday after more than a day without power, including many in the state capital, as an icy winter storm that has been blamed for at least 10 traffic deaths lingered across much of the southern U.S. Even...

Eye drops linked to US drug-resistant bacteria outbreak
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials are advising people to stop using over-the-counter eye drops that have been linked to an outbreak of drug-resistant infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday night sent a health alert to physicians, saying the...
Latest General News

At Nichols' funeral, Black America's grief on public display
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The sound of the djembe drums started as a low tremble and grew more distinct as the musicians drew closer to the hundreds gathered inside the Memphis church. “We love you, Tyre,” the drummers chanted, referring to Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man...
Grandmother indicted after boy, 9, fatally shoots teen girl
BALTIMORE (AP) — A Baltimore grandmother faces criminal charges for failing to secure the gun that her 9-year-old grandson was carrying when he fatally shot a teenage girl last summer, officials announced Thursday, saying the indictment should serve as a warning about the importance of safe...
Gov. Lee appoints Dwight Tarwater to Tennessee Supreme Court
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday announced that he's selected his predecessor's one-time lead legal counsel, Dwight Tarwater, to serve on the state's highest court. Tarwater will replace outgoing Justice Sharon Lee upon her retirement on Aug. 31. Justice Lee...
Police say 'active shooter situation' happening in Oregon
HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP) — An active shooter situation was happening Thursday afternoon in the city of Hood River, Oregon, according to police. The Hood River Police Department said on Facebook at about 12:40 p.m. that the situation was going on “right now” near a Dairy Queen. ...

Interior: $580M headed to 15 tribes to fulfill water rights
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fifteen Native American tribes will get a total of $580 million in federal money this year for water rights settlements, the Biden administration announced Thursday. The money will help carry out the agreements that define the tribes' rights to water from rivers...

Jessy Wilson on 'Keep Rising' anthem and the hope it brings
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Singer-songwriter Jessy Wilson was ready to give up her musical dream when a film about female African warriors showed her the power of perseverance. Wilson’s Grammy -nominated song “Keep Rising,” was picked by director Gina Prince-Bythewood to be...

Oklahoma AG apologizes for cabinet secretary's indictment
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s new attorney general has apologized to one of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s former cabinet secretaries for his criminal indictment in 2020 by a previous attorney general, saying he believes the secretary “committed no wrongdoing.” Attorney General...

Wall Street piles more onto big start to year as tech surges
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s bang to start the year got even bigger Thursday, as tech stocks and a surge for Facebook’s parent company led the market higher. The S&P 500 rallied 1.5% a day after hitting its best level since August. The Nasdaq composite soared 3.3%, while...

Financial misdeeds allowed in Alex Murdaugh murder trial
A judge has ruled that prosecutors can call witnesses to testify how Alex Murdaugh allegedly stole money as part of the double murder trial for the disbarred South Carolina attorney as long as they can show it is convincing evidence and linked to the killings. Judge Clifton Newman on...

Amazon beats Q4 revenue estimates, but profits slump
NEW York (AP) — Amazon on Thursday reported worse-than-expected profits, but its revenue beat expectations boosted by sales in North America businesses and the cloud-computing unit AWS. Amazon said it made $300 million in profits, or 3 cents per share, falling below the $2.03...
