AP-National

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire veteran has admitted to faking his need for a wheelchair for 20 years to claim more than $660,000 in benefits he wasn’t entitled to. Forty-nine-year-old Christopher Stultz pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court on Thursday to one count of making false statements. He faces a maximum prison

By FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is raising concerns over a series of recent U.S. military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Members of Congress are urging the Biden administration to get congressional authorization before taking further military action in the Middle East. The coalition of nearly 30 House

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ top court issued a series of orders to Israel to protect Palestinians in Gaza to prevent genocide there. Friday’s ruling was one of the court’s most closely-watched since its creation in 1948. Among the measures, the court ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent the

By RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The June 2022 announcement was addressed to parents horrified by the massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas: Iowa would spend $75 million in federal pandemic relief funds to improve school building security. Citing an urgent need to act after Uvalde and shootings

By TOM ODULA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s high court has blocked the U.N.-backed deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti to help the Caribbean country bring gang violence under control. Kenya’s parliament had passed a motion in November allowing the deployment of 1,000 officers to lead a multinational force in Haiti. But

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City woman has been charged with concealing a corpse after officers discovered a man’s head and body parts in her apartment’s refrigerator. New York City police say 45-year-old Heather Stines was charged Wednesday, two days after officers visited her Brooklyn apartment as part of wellness check. Court records

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man who authorities say picked up a teenager awaiting trial in a homicide case after the youth escaped outside a Philadelphia hospital this week is now facing charges while the search for the teen continues. City police announced Friday that 18-year-old Michael Diggs is accused of hindering apprehension, escape, criminal conspiracy

WRENTHAM, Mass. (AP) — A second Rhode Island man charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct in connection with the death of a fan at a New England Patriots game has pleaded not guilty. In a brief court appearance Friday, 39-year-old Justin Mitchell entered the plea over allegations that he and 59-year-old John Vieira

ROSEVILLE, Mich. (AP) — Officers in a Detroit suburb found a furry surprise when they patted down a theft suspect: A tiny blue-eyed puppy zipped inside the man’s jacket pocket. Roseville police found the palm-sized blue pit bull puppy on Jan. 16 while arresting a man accused of stealing money from a bank customer. The

NEW YORK (AP) — JetBlue Airways warned that it may end its bid to acquire low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines as soon as this weekend after a federal judge blocked the deal, sending Spirit shares sharply lower Friday. Spirit shot back that it finds no reason to terminate the deal and will continue to meet its

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — A Baltimore woman suspected of striking people with her car and randomly stabbing others in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., has been arrested and charged with attempted murder. The attacks occurred over roughly two hours Thursday night in Prince George’s County. Police say six people were injured, including two

Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety regulators have closed an investigation into complaints that the doors on some Ford Escapes can open while the SUVs are being driven, without seeking a recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says its probe opened last July found that there is a low potential hazard to

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Crowned Miss Japan this week, Ukrainian-born Carolina Shiino cried with joy, thankful for the recognition of her identity as Japanese. But her Caucasian look rekindled an old question in a country where many people value homogeneity and conformity: What does it mean to be Japanese? Shiino has

By MARIA SHERMAN and JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP Entertainment Writers LOS ANGELES (AP) — Women lead the major categories at the Grammys this year, with names like SZA, Taylor Swift, Victoria Monét, Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Rodrigo and Brandy Clark topping the list. But who will take home music’s most coveted trophies on Feb. 4? Associated

By DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Fatih Terim is facing his next challenge in neighboring Greece after his storied career as a player and coach in Turkey. The restless 70-year-old took charge of Panathinaikos at the new year and his team next plays PAOK in Thessaloniki on Sunday. The two teams currently

By MARIA SHERMAN and BERENICE BAUTISTA Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Regional Mexican music is a catchall term that encompasses mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres. It’s become a global phenomenon, topping music charts and reaching new audiences. While it has been around the U.S. for decades, something extraordinary happened in the

By NICOLE WINFIELD and PAOLO SANTALUCIA Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy’s president has denounced the rise in antisemitism and delivered a powerful speech in support of the Jewish people. President Sergio Mattarella commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day, which has been overshadowed by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and a rise in anti-Israel acts in Italy.

BALTIMORE (AP) — An underground fire and an hourslong power outage in downtown Baltimore snarled the morning commute and closed the city’s two courthouses. The Office of Emergency Management says firefighters were called to North Charles Street on Thursday night for a report of an underground fire and a possible explosion. They found fire coming

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Authorities in Denmark are working against the clock to stop a slow-moving landslide of contaminated soil from reaching a nearby water source. Meanwhile, public officials and the company that operated the site are arguing over who should pay for the massive cleanup. The 75-meter (250-foot)

ZURICH (AP) — Disgraced Spanish soccer official Luis Rubiales has lost his appeal against a three-year ban by FIFA for misconduct at the Women’s World Cup final. He forcibly kissed star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s 1-0 win over England and grabbed his crotch as a victory gesture while standing close to