AP-National

By AYANNA ALEXANDER Associated Press CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The Democrats’ first primary of the 2024 presidential contest contains little mystery. South Carolina propelled President Joe Biden to the Democratic nomination four years ago and he faces only token opposition when voting concludes Saturday. What’s at stake for Biden is the depth of support he

By SOPHIE AUSTIN and TRÂN NGUYỄN Associated Press/Report for America SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California lawmaker whose family has an agricultural background is stepping into the state Senate’s top leadership post. State Sen. Mike McGuire is taking over from Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins. Policy advocates and fellow lawmakers say McGuire is honest

By WILL WEISSERT and MEG KINNARD Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden easily won South Carolina’s Democratic primary on Saturday, clinching a state he pushed to lead off his party’s nominating process after it revived his then-struggling White House bid four years ago. Biden defeated the other long-shot Democrats on South Carolina’s

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press COOKE CITY, Mont. (AP) — The day after a Minnesota man survived an avalanche while snowmobiling in Montana’s backcountry, government forecasters posted details of the near-tragedy as yet another cautionary tale. Avalanche safety specialists say their job has become more difficult in recent years as the number of skiers and

By THOMAS BEAUMONT and BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) — Facing a cash crunch and harsh criticism from a faction of far-right conservatives, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Friday called for the party to unite behind the goal of defeating President Joe Biden. McDaniel spoke at the RNC’s winter meeting

By JOSH FUNK Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The major freight railroads all promised safety improvements after the fiery derailment in eastern Ohio a year ago, but they have yet to make meaningful safety improvements and reform efforts have stalled in Congress. A few key measures in the latest Federal Railroad Administration statistics, including

By JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — He’s viewed by some Palestinians as their Nelson Mandela, and he’s a prime candidate to become their president in the future. He’s also the highest-profile prisoner held by Israel. Now Marwan Barghouti’s freedom is at stake in cease-fire negotiations between Hamas and Israel. Hamas leaders demanded Friday

By JADE LE DELEY Associated Press BOUSSY-SAINT-ANTOINE, France (AP) — Truck driver Jeremy Donf understands French farmers are struggling and he wants to support local food producers. But like many consumers, buying French produced food isn’t always an option. Farmer protests across Europe this week have highlighted how farmers and households are both hurting these

By VALERIE GONZALEZ Associated Press EAGLE PASS, Texas (AP) — A Texas border city has gained an unsolicited spotlight in an extraordinary showdown between the state’s Republican governor and Democratic White House over border security. Mayor Rolando Salinas says Eagle Pass is about “more than just the immigration crisis,” but that message is hard to

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations says members of an armed group fired on a U.N. helicopter in eastern Congo, injuring two South African peacekeepers, one seriously. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric says the U.N. peacekeeping department assumes the attack early Friday was carried out by members of the M23 rebel group in the Karuba

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said it has tested cruise missiles outfitted with new “super-large” warheads and a new type of anti-aircraft missile, extending a streak in weapons demonstrations that has rival South Korea worried. The report Saturday by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency came a

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials say a second defendant has pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with a series of drive-by shootings at the homes of state and local lawmakers in Albuquerque after the 2022 election. The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque on Friday announced the guilty pleas by Demetrio

BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a criminal case against a northern Michigan man accused of threatening President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The Detroit News reports that after a preliminary examination Friday in Bay City, U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Morris concluded that there was no probable cause and

STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) — A California judge has ordered Tesla Inc. to pay $1.5 million as part of a settlement of a civil case alleging the company mishandled hazardous waste at its car service centers, energy centers and a factory. The settlement was announced Friday by several of 25 county district attorneys involved in the

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A major work by surrealist painter René Magritte that hasn’t been shown in public for a quarter century could fetch 50 million pounds ($64 million) at auction next month. Christie’s auction house announced Saturday that it will offer “L’ami intime” (The Intimate Friend) at a March 7

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine (AP) — A family with an audacious plan to build the world’s tallest flagpole as a centerpiece for a billion-dollar project honoring veterans is abandoning the idea. An attorney said Friday that the Worcester family won’t pursue the flagpole project in Washington County or elsewhere. Instead they will look for other ways

WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — National security adviser Jake Sullivan; House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. ___ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Sullivan; House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. ___ CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Sullivan; Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz.; Reps. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Jim Himes, D-Conn.; International Monetary

HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard is asking mariners for help in finding a 60-year-old man sailing from California to Hawaii. The Coast Guard says Noel Rubio left Long Beach on Dec. 28 on the sailboat Malulani. He planned to arrive in Kaneohe on the island of Oahu three weeks later. He last made

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The police chief in New Mexico’s largest city vows that the Albuquerque Police Department will “leave no stone unturned” as it moves ahead with an internal investigation into allegations of possible corruption within the Driving While Intoxicated unit. Chief Harold Medina declined to give many