AP-National

By MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Preliminary tests by a University of Nebraska road safety research facility and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers point to concerns that the nation’s roadside guardrails are no match for new heavy electric vehicles. At a news conference Wednesday, a university official said a first-of-its-kind

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The PGA Tour is getting a $3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group. The deal gives players access to more than $1.5 billion as equity owners in the new PGA Tour Enterprises. The launch of PGA Tour Enterprises comes eight months after the PGA

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democratic candidates Peter Herzberg and Mai Xiong have advanced in the race to fill open seats in two Democratic-leaning Michigan House districts. Xiong is a second-term commissioner in Macomb County and will face Republican Ronald Singer in the April 16 special election. Herzberg has served on

FRYEBURG, Maine (AP) — Police say a Massachusetts man who led police on a chase in two states was fatally shot after crashing in Maine and emerging from his truck with a knife. Police say 52-year-old Kenneth Ellis then approached a police officer who fired his weapon Tuesday night on Main Street in Fryeburg. Ellis

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has vowed to drive Ukrainian forces back to reduce the threat of attacks on Russian territory as he met with activists running his campaign ahead of the March presidential election that he’s all but certain to win. Asked Wednesday about plans for the military

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Fueled by the internet, conspiracy theories are having a big moment in America. They’re driving online chat room conversations, influencing our politics and adding to the polarization threatening to undermine our democracy. For one Tennessee woman named Ramona, conspiracy theories also offered explanations and answers during the

By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer Biogen will stop selling its Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm. The drug was once seen as a potential blockbuster but it stumbled after its launch a few years ago. The drugmaker also said Wednesday that it will end a study of the drug needed for full approval from the Food and

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Denmark’s King Frederik X has begun his first trip abroad as monarch with a three-day visit to Poland. Frederik was proclaimed king on Jan. 14 and received a red-carpet welcome on Wednesday at the presidential palace in Warsaw. Denmark’s monarchs traditionally travel to another Scandinavian country

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Sometimes a story is more appealing than the truth. Experts say that’s one of the reasons to explain the popularity of conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories have always been around. They’re alternative explanations for world events and they’re often not supported by the facts. Today, they’re playing an

By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Budweiser’s Super Bowl ad is bringing back some familiar characters this year. The perennial Super Bowl advertiser is bringing back fan favorites the Clydesdales and a Labrador, in a nod to previous commercials that aired during advertising’s biggest night. Ahead of Super Bowl 58, some

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A brutal conflict in Europe was fresh in people’s minds and the race for the White House turned ugly as talk of secret societies and corruption roiled the United States. It was 1800, and conspiracy theories were flourishing across America. Partisan newspapers spread tales of European elites

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Pay and benefits for America’s workers slowed last quarter, a trend that could affect the Federal Reserve’s decision about when to begin cutting interest rates. Compensation as measured by the government’s Employment Cost Index rose 0.9% in the October-December quarter, down from a 1.1% increase in

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — An array of U.N. organizations have united to warn of “catastrophic consequences for the people of Gaza” if key donor countries don’t resume funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, the main lifeline for people in the besieged territory. The United States and more than a

MADRID (AP) — Court officials say Spanish soccer player Hugo Mallo will go on trial after being accused of inappropriately touching a mascot before a game in 2019. Mallo denies wrongdoing. He was with Celta Vigo when the alleged incident happened before a league match against Espanyol. The 32-year-old Mallo currently plays for Brazilian club

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A former leader of Scotland has acknowledged that she deleted WhatsApp messages sent during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Nicola Sturgeon insists that anything of relevance to how policymaking was conducted has been made available for the public record. Sturgeon told the United Kingdom’s public inquiry into the

By MIKE CATALINI and TASS VEJPONGSA Associated Press LEVITTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A man in suburban Philadelphia has been charged with first-degree murder and abusing a corpse after his father was found decapitated. Police are investigating a video on social media that allegedly shows him holding up the head. The father was found decapitated in

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has announced the nomination of a new Chinese bishop, the third in less than a week. Bishop Peter Wu Yishun was consecrated bishop of Minbei in southeast China. The Vatican says all three nominations took place “within the framework” of the 2018 Vatican-China accord. The 2018 deal aimed to unite

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The leaders of five European Union countries are urging their allies to ramp up military support for Ukraine. The leaders from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany and the Netherlands argued Wednesday that helping Ukraine throughout 2024 “is a matter of our common European security.” Almost two

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — One of the world’s largest and most influential publishers, Simon & Schuster is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Highlights will include promotional giveaways, a dedicated web site and a spring gala featuring Judy Blume, Bob Woodward and dozens of other authors. For starters, the

By MICHAEL CANTU Edmunds Driving an electric vehicle during winter is different from driving a gas- or diesel-powered vehicle. Because of the lithium-ion battery pack that powers an EV, there are certain things EV owners should know about driving in freezing conditions. Edmunds rounds up several important tips EV owners should know for when freezing