AP National News

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been detained by police in Bratislava for organizing an anti-government rally that was banned amid the current lockdown. Fico’s leftist Smer-Social Democracy party and police confirmed the detention that took place before the planned demonstration in the Slovak capital Thursday evening. Police say they

By BEN FOX Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has withdrawn from settlement negotiations to end lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who were forcibly separated under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance border policy. Justice Department officials have informed lawyers for the plaintiffs that the government would not offer a global settlement

By The Associated Press This year was always expected to be busy on the Mexican border. President Joe Biden, who took office in January, promised to be a more welcoming president than his predecessor, President Donald Trump. That was enough to encourage migrants to try to come to the United States. But arrivals exceeded expectations:

MILAN (AP) — U.S. Navy officials say a support site in Naples, Italy, was locked down for nearly two hours Thursday after reports of gunfire on the premises. Navy Europe and Africa regional spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Comer said the U.S. Naples Support Activity site was put on lockdown around 6:25 p.m. (1725GMT) due to

By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Legislature has dedicated $25 million to combatting the proliferation of illegal marijuana farms in Oregon. They made the move after hearing testimony this week about the harm these sites are inflicting on the community. The farms have been accused of stealing water during a

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah State University police chief has resigned after a recording the institution called reprehensible came to light showing telling football players that some religious women may claim sex was not consensual because they regret it. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Chief Earl Morris stepped down Thursday, after the

By The Associated Press Olivia Rodrigo, Kanye West, Tyler, the Creator and Billie Eilish are among some of the well-known acts who released albums in 2021, and who have one of the year’s top albums, as determined by a group of entertainment journalists at The Associated Press. But this year’s best albums roster also includes

By KEVIN McGILL Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A suspect has been identified and charged in the 2016 shooting death of a St. Louis man visiting New Orleans to plan his wedding. New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams announced the arrest Thursday of 44-year-old Ernest Weatherspoon in the death of Thomas Rolfes. The 25-year-old

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel says that Palestinian militants opened fire near a Jewish settlement in the northern West Bank, killing at least one Israeli. Defense Minister Benny Gantz expressed his condolences over the killing on Thursday night and said Israeli security forces “will get their hands on the terrorists.” The Israeli military says it is

By PATRICIA LUNA and JOSHUA GOODMAN Associated Press SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Most eligible Chilean voters stayed home for the first round of presidential voting. But the lead of right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast galvanized many to action ahead of the runoff a leftist rival — especially women who see him as a threat. They

MILAN (AP) — US Naval officials say a support site in Naples, Italy, has been put on lockdown after reports of gunfire on the premises. Base spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Comer said Thursday that the Naples support site was put on lockdown around 6:25 p.m. (1725GMT) after “reports of audible gunfire.” The reports were still

By The Associated Press Look at the guns drawn, just inches away from the face peeking through the shattered window in the House chamber. Then: Cut to the outside, with men scaling the west wall of the Capitol and people with Trump flags and Trump hats pushing against police in riot gear at a barrier.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel says that Palestinian militants opened fire near a Jewish settlement in the northern West Bank, killing at least one Israeli. Defense Minister Benny Gantz expressed his condolences over the killing on Thursday night and said Israeli security forces “will get their hands on the terrorists.” The Israeli military says it is

By ANDREW MELDRUM Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Amid fast-rising numbers of new COVID-19 infections, South African officials are urging people to get vaccinated before traveling for the holidays and attending festive gatherings. South Africa’s daily new confirmed cases climbed to more than 26,900 on Wednesday and 24,700 on Thursday, the highest yet in the

By KEN MILLER Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Attorneys for the former Oklahoma zookeeper known as “Tiger King” Joe Exotic say he is delaying cancer treatment until after his resentencing on convictions for a murder-for-hire plot and violating federal wildlife laws. Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, said last month he has

By The Associated Press Chronicling COVID for a second straight year, and this year’s vaccine saga, AP photographers found new ways of telling the story. They found striking images — like Amit Sharma’s image of a man running through funeral pyres of COVID-19 victims at a crematorium in India, as if fleeing death itself. Natacha

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MIKE STOBBE Associated Press A government advisory panel is reviewing new safety data about rare but potentially life-threatening blood clots linked to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The government has counted more of the unusual clots since a temporary pause in J&J vaccinations last spring, including nine confirmed deaths. Of

By MARGERY A. BECK and MARGARET STAFFORD Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say at least five people died when a powerful storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest, spawning hurricane-force winds and likely tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. Officials say a 65-year-old man was killed Wednesday night when a 40-foot

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed a bill raising the nation’s borrowing limit by $2.5 trillion, avoiding a potentially catastrophic default and resolving the turbulent issue until after the 2022 midterm elections. The House voted early Wednesday to raise the debt limit, amid urgent warnings from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen that further delay

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinian Health Ministry says it has identified its first three cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the occupied West Bank. The ministry says the cases were detected in three Palestinians who had recently returned from abroad. It added that medical teams are tracking down and testing