AP National News

HELSINKI (AP) — The foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland have reiterated in separate interviews published Saturday that the process for the two Nordic nations to join NATO is continuing. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström acknowledged in an interview with Swedish newspaper Expressen published on Saturday that Turkish anger over recent demonstrations and the burning

By TARA COPP Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Air Force general in charge of the nation’s air- and ground-launched nuclear missiles has requested an official investigation into the number of airmen who are reporting blood cancer diagnoses after serving at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. The illnesses became publicly known this week

By MEG KINNARD, HOLLY RAMER and JILL COLVIN Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump kicked off his 2024 White House bid with stops Saturday in New Hampshire and South Carolina, events in early-voting states marking the first campaign appearances since announcing his latest run more than two months ago. “Together we

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Delaware Gov. John Carney has tested positive for COVID-19. The governor’s office said Saturday that Carney tested positive late Friday using an at-home antigen test after experiencing mild symptoms. The 66-year-old Carney says he’s “feeling fine” and is isolating himself, and will work from home. This marks Carney’s second publicly announced

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — One of the two men charged with vandalizing electrical substations in Washington state over the holidays to cover a burglary was ordered released from federal custody Friday to seek substance abuse help. The News-Tribune reports a federal judge issued the order for Matthew Greenwood after renewed efforts by his attorney to

By ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The nation and the city of Memphis struggled to come to grips Saturday with video showing police pummeling Tyre Nichols — footage that left many unanswered questions about the traffic stop involving the Black motorist and about other law enforcement officers who stood by as he

By BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Playing up the advantages of incumbency he hopes to ride to reelectio n, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recently touted the state’s newest round of job-creation successes, honored a retiring police officer and highlighted recovery assistance for a flood-stricken region. The Democratic governor packed all three feel-good

ABINGDON, Va. (AP) — Two inmates who fled a southwest Virginia jail are being held without bond after authorities said they were captured in northeast Tennessee. The sheriff’s office in Washington County, Virginia, said that officers located Johnny Shane Brown and Albert Lee Ricketson in a barn on Friday in Rogersville, Tennessee, and arrested them

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Officials say a Hawaii firefighter was critically injured Friday when he was swept into a storm drain and carried the length of eight football fields until being dumped on the shoreline. The Maui News reports the accident occurred as nearly 13 inches of rain fell on parts of Maui, and weather

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer If Vegas oddsmakers are correct — and there’s a reason those casinos are huge and luxurious — then football fans are in for a treat this weekend. The NFL’s conference championship weekend is here: The Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC title while the

By RIAZAT BUTT Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban are doubling down on their ban on women’s education, reinforcing in a message to private universities that Afghan women are barred from taking university entry exams. The note comes despite weeks of condemnation and lobbying by the international community for a reversal on measures restricting

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. population center is on track this decade to take a southern swerve for the first time in history. Last year, the South outgrew other U.S. regions by well over 1 million people. If the trend continues through this decade, by 2030 the mean center

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Authorities in Western Australia are searching for a tiny but potentially deadly radioactive capsule that got lost while being transported on a truck from a mine to a depot in the city of Perth. Emergency services say they’re hampered by a lack of equipment and have called on the Commonwealth and

By SUSIE BLANN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A top aide to Ukraine’s president says Kyiv and its Western allies are engaged in “fast-track” talks on the possibility of equipping the invaded country with long-range missiles and military aircraft. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Ukraine’s supporters in the West

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three people were killed and four others wounded in a shooting at a short-term rental home in an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood early Saturday morning, police said. The shooting occurred about 2:30 a.m. in the Beverly Crest neighborhood. This is at least the sixth mass shooting in California this month. Sgt.

PRAGUE (AP) — Retired army General Petr Pavel has defeated populist billionaire Andrej Babis in a runoff vote to become the new Czech president. The 61-year-old will succeed controversy-courting Milos Zeman in the largely ceremonial but prestigious post. With the ballots from 97% of almost 15,000 polling stations counted by the Czech Statistics Office, Pavel

By MARC LEVY and JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican lawmakers who have spread election conspiracy theories and falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential outcome was rigged are overseeing legislative committees charged with setting election policy in two major political battleground states. Divided government in Pennsylvania and Arizona means that any