AP National News

By JAKE BLEIBERG Associated Press DALLAS (AP) — William Alvin Moncrief Jr., a Texas wildcatter who helped build a father-son venture into an oil and gas empire over more than 70 years in the industry, has died. He was 101. A spokeswoman for Moncrief Oil confirmed his death to The Associated Press Wednesday but could

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON The Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating more cruise ships due to new COVID-19 cases aboard. The agency says 88 vessels are now either under investigation or observation, but it does not specify how many cases have been reported. None of the

SEATTLE (AP) — A thaw-out is coming for the frozen Seattle and Portland, Oregon, but not before another round of snow that could compound problems for a region more accustomed to winter rain than arctic blasts. And in Nevada the governor plans to declare a state of emergency due to snow and storm conditions affecting

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Russia and Belarus will hold joint war games early next year. Putin welcomed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s proposal to hold another round of military drills. Putin said they could be held in February or March. He was speaking during Wednesday’s meeting

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press Supporters of Donald Trump are trying to remove some of the guardrails that stopped him from overturning the 2020 presidential election that he lost. Trump is targeting closely contested states where key Republicans refused to go along with his plans to declare that he defeated Democrat Joe Biden in the

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says that a new pipeline to Germany has been fully filled with natural gas. Putin noted that it could help quickly reduce soaring European energy prices. The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline is currently awaiting approval from Germany and the European Union.

By MARGARET STAFFORD Associated Press A federal lawsuit alleges that a Missouri firearms store and gun range refused to let a Muslim woman use a shooting range unless she removed her hijab. A Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization and an Independence law firm filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Frontier Justice in Lee’s Summit,

MILL SHOALS, Ill. (AP) — Authorities in two states are searching for a gunman who killed an eastern Illinois deputy and is suspected in a carjacking in Missouri. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office says Deputy Sean Riley responded to a motorist assist call on Interstate 64 early Wednesday. A second officer who arrived at the

The Associated Press Stocks were losing momentum in Wednesday afternoon, putting the S&P 500 barely below the record high it set on Monday. The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2% and the Nasdaq fell 0. 4%. All three indexes started the day slightly in the green.

By COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Four of the people shot in deadly rampage in Denver were attacked at tattoo shops, raising questions about why they were targeted. Police say 47-year-old Lyndon James McLeod knew most of the people he shot Monday at several locations around the metro area, through either business or

GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press A judge has kept lawsuits against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family who own it on hold until Feb. 1 but ordered the parties to negotiate a new settlement. Connecticut and Washington state argued Wednesday that suits against the Sacklers should be allowed to move ahead immediately.

By The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of flights are being cancelled as the omicron variant creates havoc both for travelers and for airlines who are having to cobble together flight crews as infections rise among pilots and flight attendants. According to data from the flight-tracking website FlightAware, 832 flights were cancelled by

ROME (AP) — An Italian court has ordered the Costa Crociere cruise line to pay 92,700 euros ($105,000) to a passenger who was aboard the Costa Concordia when it crashed and capsized off Tuscany in 2012. The Genoa court recognized that the passenger suffered post-traumatic stress as a result of the disaster, which killed 32

By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin will speak Thursday as the Russian leader has stepped up his demands for security guarantees in Eastern Europe. In announcing the call, the White House National Security Council spokeswoman said the two leaders will discuss “a range of topics,