AP National News

Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Army awarded a $435 million contract on Friday to build a TNT production plant in western Kentucky that will become the first domestic source for the explosive material in decades, officials said. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a key player in securing the funding, said the new

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency in 23 counties swamped by flooding rainstorms. Kemp’s order Friday covers a wide section of southern Georgia that was inundated Wednesday and Thursday by heavy rains. The National Weather Service says more than 12 inches of rainfall caused flooding in Valdosta

Associated Press INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A woman and a child are dead after an officer fired a weapon while responding to a domestic disturbance at an apartment in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri. “Heartbreaking” is how Police Chief Adam Dustman described it at a news conference. He says the woman was armed

Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Board of Corrections has approved an 815-acre site where it plans to build a new prison, despite objections from some residents. The board on Friday voted to accept the land the state had purchased for nearly $3 million to build a planned 3,000-inmate prison. Gov. Sarah

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Several federal and state agencies are investigating how racist mass texts were sent to Black people across the country in the wake of the presidential election this week. The text messages invoking slavery were sent to Black men, women and children, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other law enforcement

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Hunger experts are warning that there’s “a strong likelihood” famine is imminent in parts of northern Gaza where Israeli forces are conducting a major offensive. An alert issued Friday by the four experts called the humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip “extremely grave and rapidly deteriorating” and worst in

Associated Press EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz has vowed make Minnesota a safe haven for the values that drove the Democratic presidential ticket he helped lead. Walz also promised to work harder to understand the concerns of President-elect Donald Trump’s voters. Walz addressed a crowd of supporters Friday inside a Minnesota high school

Associated Press LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Hundreds of Bolivian devotees have arrived at the municipal cemetery of La Paz carrying human skulls adorned with flowers for the Ñatitas festival. It is a custom rooted in the Andean region, but not recognized by the Catholic church. According to Bolivian belief, devotees ask Ñatitas for health,

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people is a top focus for Canada s the country plans to deal with a possible influx north. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau re-established a special Cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations this week to address his administration’s concerns

Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — A jury has awarded more than $12 million to a woman who lost her job at a Michigan insurance company after declining to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Much of the award is for punitive damages against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Lisa Domski worked at Blue Cross for more

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. government has extended avocado import permissions to Guatemala, but don’t expect that to result in cheaper guacamole anytime soon. For nearly 30 years, Mexico has been practically the only source of imported avocados — along with small amounts from South America — because of concerns that plant diseases and

Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Senate discriminated against a Black attorney by paying her about half of what her white colleagues were paid for doing the same job, the U.S. Justice Department says in a lawsuit it filed Friday. “Discriminatory employment practices, like paying a Black employee less than their white colleagues

Associated Presss WASHINGTON (AP) — A good-governance group is warning of severe consequences if President-elect Donald Trump continues to steer clear of formal transition planning with the Biden administration — inaction that it says is already limiting the federal government’s ability to provide security clearances and briefings to the incoming administration. Without it, says Max

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian police said that unidentified gunmen in a black car killed at least one person and wounded another three Friday afternoon at Sao Paulo’s international airport in Guarulhos. Police said the fatal victim is Antônio Vinícius Lopes Gritzbach, who had previously received death threats from the First Command of the Capital,