AP National News

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military pilots and aircrew who made the final flights out of Afghanistan say the sky was lit up with fireworks and sporadic gunfire and the airfield littered with battered shells of airplanes and destroyed equipment. In interviews with The Associated Press, one American said

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection has requested that telecommunications and social media companies preserve the personal communications of hundreds of people who may have somehow been connected to the attack. It’s a sweeping public demand from Congress that is rare in its breadth

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated Press Texas has become the latest state where Republicans have rolled back access to voting methods that soared in popularity during last year’s pandemic presidential election. It’s part of a wider GOP effort to tighten voting rules, fueled in part by former President Donald Trump’s falsehoods about

By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer More companies are requiring COVID-19 vaccines and taking actions to motivate employees into getting their shots. Some may fire workers who don’t comply or charge them more for their health insurance. Employers also might limit business travel or perks like access to the company gym only to the vaccinated.

By FELICIA FONSECA Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — After two bone-dry years that sank the U.S. Southwest deeper into drought, this summer’s rainy season has unleashed with fury. Monsoon storms have brought spectacular lightning shows, bounties of wildflowers and widespread rainfall. But destruction also came as streets and homes flooded, leading to some swift

By ALEXANDRA OLSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The construction industry is fighting to recruit more women into a sector that faces chronic labor shortages. Women make up only 4% of skilled construction laborers in the U.S. and often face discrimination on jobs sites. The latest initiative to change that culture is Lean

By AMY FORLITI Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Attorneys for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death asked a judge Thursday to bar their upcoming trial from being livestreamed, saying some witnesses won’t testify if proceedings are broadcast. The request from attorneys for Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao is opposed

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan has received its first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after a prolonged purchasing process that gave rise to a political blame game with China. Taiwan had been unable to buy the vaccine itself directly from BioNTech, the German company that had partnered with U.S.-based Pfizer to develop the

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles couple who were convicted of helping steal $18 million in COVID-19 relief funds are on the lam after cutting off their ankle monitors. The FBI announced Tuesday that Richard Ayvazyan and Marietta Terabelian are considered fugitives. They were convicted of fraud and conspiracy in June and were potentially

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Britney Spears will face no charges after an allegation from her housekeeper that Spears slapped a phone out of her hand. Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said Wednesday that a possible misdemeanor battery charge was declined based on insufficient evidence a crime had occurred and lack of injury to

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Federal officials closed a portion of trails at a national forest in Northern California where a family and their dog mysteriously died last month, citing pending toxicology reports on nearby water and plants. There was no clear cause of death, prompting authorities to treat the area as a hazmat scene. The

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A California woman who allegedly punched a flight attendant in the face and grabbed her hair has been charged with assault in federal court. Vyvianna M. Quinonez was also charged Wednesday with interfering with a flight crew. She is scheduled to appear in court in San Diego on Sept. 17. Prosecutors

By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Testimony has concluded in the Robert Durst murder case after the New York real estate heir defended himself for weeks on the witness stand. The Los Angeles judge in the case began instructing jurors Wednesday in advance of closing arguments next week. Durst testified he did

By BOB CHRISTIE Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — A slew of communications between Arizona GOP lawmakers and their representatives overseeing a review of the 2020 election and party activists has been released under a court order obtained by a watchdog group that is fighting for transparency in the Senate’s recount of 2020 election results. Lawyers

LAS VEGAS (AP) — An arrest report says a 44-year-old Michigan man accused of creating a bomb hoax at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas told investigators he wanted to send a message that former Republican President Donald Trump had messed up his life. Dandre Lundy remained jailed Wednesday following his arrest Tuesday at

By FRANK BAJAK AP Technology Writer BOSTON (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission has for the first time banned a company making so-called stalkerware from continuing in the surveillance app business. Such software is used to surreptitiously track a cellphone user’s activities and location. Its use by violent domestic abusers has been well documented. Wednesday’s

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California could soon force large department stores to display some child products in gender-neutral terms. The California Senate on Monday passed a bill that would require stores with at least 500 employees to maintain gender-neutral sections in their stores. The bill would not ban traditional boys

TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Another group of some 200 migrants has started walking north from the southern Mexico city of Tapachula despite a heavy presence of National Guard troops and immigration agents. The Mexican forces have been dispersing similar groups in recent days, including several hours before the latest band started out Wednesday. Authorities lately

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A former section chief at the FBI’s Quantico laboratory is facing federal charges, accused of claiming nearly 900 hours of work he didn’t do over four years. John Behun worked for the FBI for more than 28 years until his termination in February 2019. According to charging documents, Behun served as