AP National News

By ELAINE KURTENBACH Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is visiting Myanmar, seeking to revive a diplomatic initiative to restore peace following a military takeover nearly a year ago. Critics say the visit will just legitimize the army’s seizure of power, which ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Two parents charged with their son in a fatal Michigan school shooting are returning to court to ask for a lower bail to get out of jail. James and Jennifer Crumbley have been locked up since Dec. 4, unable to meet a $500,000 bond. They’re hoping a judge is willing

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man who admitted to burying his wife’s body and misleading authorities for more than a year about her whereabouts is set to be sentenced for killing her. Jurors in November convicted 26-year-old Joseph Elledge of second-degree murder in the killing of 28-year-old Mengqi Ji, whom he met after she

By DAVID EGGERT Associated Press LANSING, Mich. (AP) — State police in northern Michigan are investigating after a woman accused former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield of sexually assaulting her multiple times, beginning when she was 14 or 15 years old. The accuser, now 26, filed a criminal complaint with the Lansing Police Department, which

By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A dramatic surge in coronavirus cases has sidelined about 800 Los Angeles city police and firefighters and led to slightly longer ambulance and fire response times. That’s adding to concerns about shortages of critical staff including health care workers. Mayor Eric Garcetti said Thursday that more

By MARK PRATT Associated Press A U.S. District Court judge has agreed to let federal prosecutors use convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s $1,400 COVID-19 stimulus payment to help pay the millions of dollars he is ordered to pay his victims.  The Wall Street Journal also reported Thursday that prosecutors can also use other money

By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Classes in Chicago were canceled for a third consecutive day amid an ongoing fight with the teachers union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety protocols. Families in the nation’s third-largest district were notified of Friday’s cancellation on Thursday evening, noting that “in-person learning and activities may

By JILL COLVIN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Just a year ago, many Republicans joined Democrats in reacting with horror to the Capitol insurrection. But on the anniversary of the attack, top Republicans were far more muted. Some, like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, acknowledged the terror of the

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington Wizards announcer Glenn Consor has apologized for a reference to Houston player Kevin Porter Jr.’s father during Wednesday night’s television broadcast. After Porter made a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to beat the Wizards Consor said: “You’ve got to give credit. Kevin Porter Jr., like his dad, pulled that trigger right

By DON THOMPSON Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s top law enforcement official says prosecutors should not charge women with murder when a fetus dies, even if their behavior may have contributed to the fetus’ death. Attorney General Rob Bonta acted Thursday after prosecutors in the San Joaquin Valley’s Kings County twice charged women

By HAVEN DALEY Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Colo. (AP) — Colorado authorities say last week’s wildfire caused $513 million in damage and destroyed 1,084 homes and structures. It’s the first estimate of economic damage for the Dec. 30 blaze, the most destructive wildfire in state history. Boulder County released the new totals Thursday after further assessing

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A filing with state officials says the company that runs QVC is shutting down a North Carolina distribution center heavily damaged by a fire, putting nearly 2,000 people out of work. News outlets report that on Dec. 29, Qurate Retail Group filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining and Notification notice with

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Knoxville Fire Department officials say a fire that destroyed a Tennessee Planned Parenthood clinic was intentionally set. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that officials are looking for a suspect and asked the public to provide tips to the fire department. The building erupted in flames last Friday, with fire shooting through

By The Associated Press Airlines are responding to high sickout numbers during the pandemic by trimming their schedules. Alaska Airlines said Thursday that it will cut its schedule by about 10% for the rest of January. The move comes as nationwide flight cancellations top 2,100, the 12th straight day above 1,000. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines says

By JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Houston police and city officials are investigating an hourslong delay by authorities in responding to a shooting early on New Year’s Day in which the 4-year-old grandniece of George Floyd was wounded while she slept in her Houston apartment.  The family of Arianna Delane says the

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A 44-year-old man from China admitted in court that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto while he worked in Missouri. Federal prosecutors say Haitao Xiang, formerly of Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Missouri to conspiracy to commit economic espionage. Federal prosecutors say Xiang transferred a trade

By MATTHEW LEE and ROBERT BURNS Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Top U.S. and Japanese officials are highlighting new defense agreements, including a five-year deal on sharing the cost of the American military presence in Japan. That deal ends a Trump-era row that had been an irritant in relations between Tokyo and Washington. U.S. Secretary

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations is warning that some U.N. agencies and aid groups will be forced to halt operations in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region if humanitarian supplies, fuel and cash are not delivered very soon. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday that no trucks with food

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — An Italian citizen charged with stealing numerous unpublished books has pleaded not guilty and will be released on bail despite prosecutors’ attempts to keep him incarcerated. Filippo Bernardini entered the plea Thursday in Manhattan federal court to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges lodged against

By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Classes in Chicago were canceled for a third consecutive day amid an ongoing fight with the teachers union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety protocols. Families in the nation’s third-largest district were notified of Friday’s cancelation on Thursday evening, noting that “in-person learning and activities may