AP-National

By MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press The Environmental Protection Agency announced new limits on certain types of PFAS chemicals in drinking water. PFAS is a large family of chemicals and they’ve been used to make nonstick pans and waterproof clothing over many decades. Scientific evidence of their harms, however, has accumulated in recent years. As a

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is now 0 for 3 in last-minute attempts to get a New York appeals court to delay his looming hush money criminal trial. An appeals court judge Wednesday swiftly rejected the latest salvo from the former president’s lawyers, who argued

PARIS (AP) — French authorities say an explosion and fire hit a French factory that treats dangerous substances. One person was critically injured. The cause of the explosion is being investigated. Firefighters brought the blaze under control soon after the explosion at the Saipol oil products factory in the port of Sete, on the Mediterranean

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Federal authorities have arrested a man they said placed a homemade explosive device outside the Alabama attorney general’s office in February. The U.S. Justice Department said 26-year-old Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert of Irondale was arrested Wednesday on charges of malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says he’s considering a request from Australia to drop the decade-long U.S. push to prosecute Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for publishing American classified documents. For years, Australia has called on the U.S. to drop its prosecution against Assange, an Australian citizen who has fought U.S. extradition efforts from prison

By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto’s Jontay Porter could face expulsion from the league if the gambling-related accusations against him are found to be true, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday. Silver, speaking after a two-day meeting of the league’s Board of Governors, did not reveal any specifics about the

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A former high-ranking Democratic legislator in New Mexico has pleaded not guilty to numerous federal charges stemming from a corruption investigation. Sheryl Williams Stapleton entered her plea Tuesday during an initial court appearance in Albuquerque. She is accused of diverting millions of dollars meant for vocational education in the state’s largest

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press Woodford Reserve undermined unionization efforts at its Kentucky distillery by awarding pay raises, relaxing its vacation policy and handing out bottles of whiskey to workers before a vote on whether to unionize, a federal judge ruled. The sweeteners the prominent bourbon maker offered to workers were timed to influence the

By BILL BARROW Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump has stirred religious controversy again in his presidential comeback bid, lashing out at Jewish voters who back President Joe Biden and framing Election Day as a referendum on Christianity’s strength in America. Jews who support Biden “should have their head examined,” he said. Trump made

By SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON Associated Press/Report for America COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — On a cold and dreary October day, Heather C. Jarvis packed everything she had into a pink duffle and a plastic trash bag and waited for the rest of her life to begin. Sitting in the lobby of the Ohio Reformatory for Women in

By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — An off-duty police officer in South Carolina has been charged with murder after state investigators say he shot a man trying to drive away after the two fought in a fast food restaurant parking lot. The State Law Enforcement Division says 64-year-old Anthony DeLustro told investigators

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala’s president has issued a natural disaster declaration as 44 forest fires continue to burn across the Central American country. President Bernardo Arévalo made the announcement Wednesday, and said that 80% of the fires were started by people. Authorities canceled classes across three central provinces to protect students from the prevailing

PLAINFIELD, Vt. (AP) — Vermont’s Goddard College is closing at the end of the semester after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles. The board of trustees announced the closing Tuesday and says the school created in 1938 faces financial insolvency. The small school is known for its progressive education. It currently has 220 students

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — Margot Robbie has her sights on another toy. The “ Barbie ” producer and star is making a Monopoly movie, with Hasbro and Lionsgate behind it, the companies announced Wednesday at the CinemaCon conference in Las Vegas. Robbie, and her production company LuckyChap, were the

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 97th Academy Awards will be held March 2. The date announced by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday moves the annual ceremony up about a week. This year’s Oscars were held on March 10. The telecast that culminated in the best picture win for “Oppenheimer, was

By WAYNE PARRY Associated Press ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Add investors to the list of people that opponents of smoking in casinos are enlisting in hopes of banning the practice. A national non-smoking group and a Michigan health system have placed shareholder proposals on the agenda of annual meetings for two major gambling companies

By DAVID BILLER Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s Senate has created a commission to investigate soccer match-fixing. The move comes amid allegations from the top shareholder of a team that dominated the national league throughout most of last year but failed to clinch the championship. The panel will probe accusations involving players,

By LISA MASCARO, JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — With his job on the line, House Speaker Mike Johnson is dashing to Florida to meet with Donald Trump this week. He has also offered far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a seat on his own “kitchen cabinet” advisory group. Facing the threat

By KATE BRUMBACK Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — One of two people who filed paperwork to run against the judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s 2020 Georgia election interference case has been disqualified but says she’ll appeal that decision. Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger issued a final decision Tuesday saying Tiffani Johnson

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cracked jokes and invoked a touchstone of American culture as he quoted from “Star Trek” at Wednesday’s state dinner, telling guests at the White House that he hoped the “unshakable relationship” between his country and the U.S. would