AP National News

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press The U.S. Census Bureau is putting on hold plans to apply by 2025 a controversial method for protecting the privacy of participants in its most comprehensive survey of Americans after facing pushback from prominent researchers and demographers. The statistical agency said Wednesday in a blog post that the science doesn’t

By TERRY TANG and KARENA PHAN The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — When it hit theaters in 1991, Walt Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” captured audiences, critics and, later, a best picture Oscar nomination — a first for any animated movie. A TV special celebrating the 30th anniversary of that nomination hopes to bring

By KANTELE FRANKO Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An appeals court panel’s decision that revived unsettled federal lawsuits against Ohio State University over decades-old sexual abuse by a team doctor won’t be reconsidered by the full court. A judge had dismissed most of the unsettled cases, saying it’s clear the late Richard Strauss abused

By RAMI MUSA BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Libya’s chief prosecutor says that he is opening an investigation into the extradition of a Libyan national accused of making the bomb that downed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. U.S. authorities announced they had arrested former intelligence officer Abu Agila Mohammad Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli commander has expressed support for forces that shot and killed a teenage Palestinian girl in the occupied West Bank earlier this week. A preliminary investigation by the Israeli military concluded that Jana Zakarna was hit unintentionally by Israeli fire during a military operation in the West Bank town of Jenin.

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON and CURT ANDERSON Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida House has passed sweeping legislation that would overhaul the state’s property insurance system, which has struggled due to insolvencies, high costs and major storms. The Republican proposal previously approved by the Senate Tuesday comes during the GOP-led Legislature’s second special session

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco police officer has testified that he witnessed a man attack the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer inside the couple’s home. The suspect, David DePape, allegedly broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home on Oct.

By AAMER MADHANI and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is making his case to African leaders gathered in Washington that the United States can be a critical catalyst to their growing continent in the years ahead. But his push comes as the United States has fallen well behind China in

By MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — The Boston City Council has voted to form a new commission to study how it can provide reparations for and other forms of atonement to Black Bostonians for the city’s role in slavery and its legacy of inequality. The unanimous vote Wednesday means Boston now joins a

By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s new government declared a national emergency Wednesday amid violent protests over the ouster of President Pedro Castillo, suspending the rights of “personal security and freedom” across the Andean nation for 30 days. Acts of vandalism, violence and highway blockades as thousands of Peruvians are

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has banned the popular social media app TikTok from devices owned by the state government’s executive branch, joining several other Republican governors who have done so citing the platform’s Chinese ownership and growing national security worries. Burgum announced the executive order late Tuesday. In addition to

By KATHLEEN FOODY Associated Press Michigan’s civil rights watchdog is filing two charges of discrimination against the Grand Rapids Police Department, further heightening scrutiny of the department following an officer’s killing of a Black motorist in April. The charges announced Wednesday came in response to complaints filed with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. The

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press British banking giant HSBC announced Wednesday it will no longer finance new oil and gas fields as part of its updated climate strategy. But the bank added it would still give finance to current projects “in line with current demand.” It would also continue to provide finance and advisory services

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Economic and Social Council has voted to immediately oust Iran from the U.N.’s premiere global body fighting for gender equality. The U.S.-sponsored resolution cites Iran’s systematic violation of the rights of women and girls. It was sparked by Iran’s ongoing crackdown on peaceful

BERLIN (AP) — A group of nine rich industrialized nations has approved a deal to provide Vietnam with $15.5 billion to help the Southeast Asian nation cut its greenhouse gas emissions by shifting away from coal to renewable energy. The Group of Seven major economies, along with Norway and Denmark, said Wednesday that the aim

NEW YORK (AP) — World Cup quarterfinal audiences in the United States ranged from 13.5 million to 7.4 million. Defending champion France’s 2-1 win over England on Saturday, which started at 2 p.m. EST, was seen by 13.5 million, including 8.3 million on Fox, 3.1 million on Spanish-language Telemundo, 560,000 on Fox digital platforms and

By MEHMET GUZEL and SUZAN FRASER Associated Press ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court has sentenced the mayor of Istanbul to two years and seven months in prison on charges of insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council. The court convicted Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Wednesday and also imposed a political ban that could lead

By BEN FINLEY Associated Press NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Attorney General has lambasted a state commission that is investigating a 2019 mass shooting in Virginia Beach. In a letter dated Wednesday, Jason Miyares cited the panel’s “overall dysfunction” and the resignation of nearly half its members. Miyares wrote that “diligent” commission members have met

By ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Iman Vellani has had a superlative year, cementing herself as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel.” She’s also completed filming alongside Brie Larson of the upcoming film “The Marvels,” which will keep her Muslim-American superhero character at the forefront of Marvel’s

By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer A new Netflix docuseries about professional tennis called “Break Point” is scheduled to debut on Jan. 13. That is three days before the start of the 2023 Grand Slam season at the Australian Open. Netflix revealed the title and launch date on Wednesday. It also released a 30-second teaser