AP National News

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The president of the European Parliament has launched an urgent procedure to waive the immunity of two lawmakers following a request from Belgian judicial authorities investigating a major corruption scandal rocking EU politics. The European Parliament said Monday that President Roberta Metsola asked all services and committees

NEW YORK (AP) — A possible strike by thousands of New York City nurses loomed Monday even as nurses at one hospital reached a tentative agreement hours before their contract was set to expire. The pact affecting 4,000 nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital awaits ratification. Contract talks between nurses and seven other hospitals will resume this

By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — When lawyers argue before the Supreme Court, a small white light goes on to tell them when their time is almost expired and then a red light signals when they should stop. But arguments this term are extending well beyond the red light’s cue. Arguments that usually

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Flood warnings and watches were in effect Monday in parts of Northern California in the aftermath of a powerful “atmospheric river” storm that drenched the state over New Year’s weekend. A new weather system was predicted by afternoon or evening, but the National Weather Service said the rain would be modest

By FELIPE DANA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian forces fired rockets at a facility in the eastern Donetsk region where Russian soldiers were stationed, killing 63 of them, Russia’s defense ministry said Monday, in one of the deadliest attacks on the Kremlin’s forces since the war began more than 10 months ago. Ukrainian

By GIADA ZAMPANO and FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI ‘s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday as tens of thousands queued to pay tribute to the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring a decade

By JIM SALTER Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Unless Missouri Gov. Mike Parson grants clemency, Amber McLaughlin, 49, will become the first openly transgender woman executed in the U.S. She is scheduled to die by injection Tuesday for killing a former girlfriend in 2003. McLaughlin’s attorney, Larry Komp, said there are no court appeals

By FELIPE DANA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s defense ministry says 63 of its soldiers have been killed by a Ukrainian strike on a facility in the eastern Donetsk region where military personnel was stationed. Ukrainian forces fired six rockets from a HIMARS launch system and two of them were shot down, a

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — Mourners began paying their respects to Pelé in a solemn procession past his coffin at the Vila Belmiro Stadium in his hometown of Santos on Monday. The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 82. Pelé’s coffin was placed on

By JOHN SEEWER Associated Press TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur is set to become the longest-serving woman in congressional history when the U.S. House convenes Tuesday. Kaptur told The Associated Press in an interview that she sometimes feels like an outsider because most leaders in Congress now come from the coasts and

By FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will convene Tuesday to elect a speaker for the new Congress. The majority of the Republican conference plans to nominate Kevin McCarthy as the party takes over control of the chamber. Many are skeptical, though, that McCarthy will reach a majority to become speaker on

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African officials say the death toll from an explosion of a tanker truck on Christmas Eve near eastern Johannesburg has risen to 34, including 10 health workers at a nearby hospital. Emergency services officials said the truck was carrying gas when it got stuck under a low-lying bridge in the town

A suspected gas explosion a few hours into the new year demolished two Philadelphia row homes and sent several people to the hospital. Fire department officials said the blast occurred shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday in the Port Richmond neighborhood of northeast Philadelphia. Two buildings were reduced to rubble while others had windows blown out,

By SELLO MOTSETA Associated Press GABORONE, Botswana (AP) — An arrest warrant has been issued in Botswana for former President Ian Khama on a charge of illegal possession of firearms. Khama, currently residing in neighboring South Africa, denies the charge. The former president was formally charged in April last year but has not yet appeared

By GIADA ZAMPANO and FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI ‘s body, his head resting on a pair of crimson pillows, lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday as thousands of people filed by to pay tribute to the pontiff who shocked the world by retiring a

RENO, Nevada (AP) — “The Avengers” star Jeremy Renner was seriously injured while plowing snow in Reno, Nevada, and is in critical condition. Authorities and the actor’s representative haven’t said how the accident occurred, but the Washoe County (Nevada) Sheriff’s Office said late Sunday that Renner had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SANTOS, Brazil (AP) — Fans lined up early Monday outside the Vila Belmiro Stadium ahead of Pelé’s funeral in his hometown of Santos. The Brazilian soccer great died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 82. Pelé scored scored some of the best goals of his career at

By JOHN SEEWER Associated Press TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — When the new Congress convenes on Tuesday, Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur will become the longest-serving woman in its history. Yet after 40 years, she sometimes feels like an outsider. Not because she’s a woman or now in the minority party in the House. It’s that

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Two children have been killed and five other civilians wounded in a blast in a village in Indian-controlled Kashmir a day after assailants sprayed bullets toward homes, killing at least four. Police say the blast on Monday occurred near one of the houses targeted overnight in Dhangri village in southern Rajouri

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