AP National News

By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Longtime U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois won’t seek reelection after 15 terms in office. The 75-year-old Chicago Democrat known for anti-violence and racial equity advocacy said in a prepared video announcement obtained Monday by The Associated Press that he’d remain in the public eye through church

By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The director of a South Dakota agency has resigned amid scrutiny over Gov. Kristi Noem’s hands-on role in the agency prior to his arrival and as it was evaluating her daughter’s real estate appraiser license in 2020. Scott Amundson took over as head of the

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii (AP) — The body of a 75-year-old man has been found in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park after he apparently fell from a closed area late Sunday night on Hawaii’s Big Island. The National Park Service says family members reported the Hilo man missing from in the park early Monday. Rangers

By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Former New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof has told Oregon’s top election official that his having voted in New York state in 2020 doesn’t disqualify him from being a candidate for governor in Oregon. According to Oregon law, a candidate must have been a resident of

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A powerful state lawmaker in California has resigned from the Legislature. Lorena Gonzalez will become the next leader of the California Labor Federation. It’s the nation’s largest federation of labor unions, representing about 2.1 million workers. Gonzalez announced Monday she will resign on Wednesday. The San

By MANUEL RUEDA and ASTRID SUAREZ Associated Press BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian officials say at least 23 people were killed in Colombia this weekend and 20 had to flee their homes as fighting between rebel groups intensified in the eastern state of Arauca. The killings mark a setback for Colombia’s government, which was able

By DAVID BILLER Associated Press Cruise ship activity has been temporarily suspended along Brazil’s shores until Jan. 21 due to the spread of the coronavirus’ omicron variant, according to a statement the federal government published Monday.  The decision came after a recommendation from the nation’s health regulator, which said in a separate statement Monday night

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Elizabeth Holmes has been convicted of duping investors into believing her startup Theranos had developed a revolutionary medical device that could detect a multitude of diseases and conditions from a few drops of blood. The case exposed Silicon Valley’s culture of hubris and hype.

By ROB GILLIES Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — All schools in Canada’s most populous province will be shut down and move to online learning because of a record number of coronavirus infections fueled by the ultra-contagious omicron variant. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced indoor dining and gyms will close.  Ontario is seeing record new

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Conservative firebrand state Sen. Amanda Chase says she is ending her bid for Congress, citing the impact of redistricting on Virginia’s legislative maps. Chase had announced in November that she was joining the crowded race for the 7th Congressional District currently represented by Democrat Abigail Spanberger. On Monday, she wrote in

COLORADO CITY, Texas (AP) — A West Texas grand jury has indicted a man in the death of his ex-girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter reported missing more than a decade ago. The Mitchell County grand jury indicted 36-year-old Shawn Casey Adkins of Big Spring, Texas, on a murder count Thursday in the death of Hailey Dunn. The

JERUSALEM (AP) — The military says two Israeli pilots were killed when a navy helicopter crashed off Israel’s Mediterranean coast late Monday near the northern city of Haifa. The helicopter was conducting a training flight when it crashed. A third crew member, an aerial observer, was moderately injured and evacuated to hospital. the military said

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The jury weighing fraud charges against former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes confirmed Monday that it is deadlocked on three of the 11 felony counts against her, signaling the end may be near for a legal drama that’s captivated Silicon Valley. Those charge her with

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Officials say a Florida city’s incoming mayor will take office in a virtual inauguration ceremony after testing positive for COVID-19. Ken Welch was scheduled to be sworn in Thursday on the steps of City Hall as St. Petersburg’s first Black mayor, but that ceremony has been canceled to follow quarantine

KANKAKEE, Ill. (AP) — A prosecutor says he’ll ask the Justice Department to review the case of two people charged in the shootings of two police officers at a northern Illinois hotel with the intention of pursuing federal death penalty charges. Illinois is not a death penalty state, but Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The jury weighing fraud charges against former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes said Monday it is deadlocked on three of the 11 felony counts against her, signaling the end may be near for a legal drama that’s captivated Silicon Valley. Those charge her with duping

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has ordered charges dropped against two Bureau of Prisons guards who admitted falsifying records after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide in jail. Prosecutors had said the guards shopped online and slept, and failed to make required rounds every 30 minutes. The guards had agreed to deferred

By FRED GOODALL AP Sports Writer TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are moving on from Antonio Brown, whose NFL career is on hold again after yet another messy departure. Coach Bruce Arians said Monday he has no regrets about giving the often-troubled receiver an opportunity to play with Tom Brady and revive

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a South Florida man tried to obtain more than $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds by filing false loan applications. Court records show that 27-year-old Valesky Barosy made his first appearance last week in Fort Lauderdale federal court. He faces multiple charges and up to 132 years

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Scientists say a meteor that caused an earthshaking boom across suburban Pittsburgh on New Year’s Day exploded in the atmosphere with an energy blast equivalent to an estimated 30 tons of TNT. NASA’s Meteor Watch social media site said late Sunday that a “reasonable assumption” of the speed of the meteor at