AP National News

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is asking the Supreme Court to block the Texas law banning most abortions, while the fight over the measure’s constitutionality plays out in the courts. The administration has also taken the unusual step of telling the justices they could grant the Texas law full

By ROBERT BURNS, ERIC TUCKER and EILEEN PUTMAN Associated Press WASHIINGTON (AP) — Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications. In an announcement on social media Monday, the family said Powell had been fully vaccinated. He had also been treated over the past few years for multiple

By JESSICA GRESKO and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will allow a Guantanamo Bay detainee to provide information to Polish officials about his torture in CIA custody following the 9/11 attacks. The decision from the Biden administration was included in a letter government lawyers filed Friday with the

The Walt Disney Co. is pushing back the release dates of many of its upcoming titles, including the untitled Indiana Jones movie and the Black Panther sequel “Wakanda Forever.” The company says Monday that the fifth Indiana Jones will be delayed almost a year and open in theaters in June 2023. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press Some college towns plan to challenge the results of the 2020 census. They claim they were shortchanged because the pandemic forced students to leave campuses. They also complain that the undercount could cost them federal money and prestige. The affected communities include Bloomington, Indiana; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and State College, Pennsylvania.

By ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington’s regional Metro system abruptly pulled more than half its fleet of trains from service early Monday morning over a lingering problem with the wheels and axles that caused a dramatic derailing last week. The ruling promises to complicate daily travel and commutes for thousands of riders

By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A Democrat who’s currently the longest-serving congressman from North Carolina says he won’t seek reelection. Rep. David Price announced on Monday that his 17th term will be his last. The 81-year-old Price has represented the 4th District seat in the Raleigh-Durham area for all but

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago’s police chief has put into writing a threat that officers could be fired if they don’t comply with the city’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, adding that those who choose to retire rather than adhere to the policy might be putting their retirement benefits at risk. The Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago Police

By MATT OTT and MARCY GORDON AP Business Writers WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. House lawmakers held out the threat of seeking a criminal investigation of Amazon, saying they’re giving the tech giant a “final chance” to correct previous testimony by executives on its competition practices. The action, coming in a letter to Amazon President and

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — FIFA and Qatari organizers of next year’s World Cup have teamed up with the World Health Organization to use soccer’s marquee event for promoting public health. The partnership follows years of scrutiny on Qatar and criticism of conditions for migrant workers. The World Cup was moved

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer Gonzaga is the preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. The Bulldogs held the No. 1 ranking all last season and reached the national championship game. They earned 55 of 63 first-place votes. UCLA is No. 2 and received the other eight first-place

By KAREL JANICEK Associated Press PRAGUE (AP) — A Czech official says health problems are preventing Czech President Milos Zeman from carrying out his duties. The speaker of the Czech Senate said Monday that a letter he received from Prague’s military hospital where Zeman is being treated says the 77-year-old president is unable to work

By AMY FORLITI Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Derek Chauvin has hired an attorney to represent him as he appeals his murder conviction in the death of George Floyd. Attorney William Mohrman filed a document with the court on Friday saying he would represent Chauvin on his appeal. This comes after the Minnesota Supreme Court

By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Stocks wobbled in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday as the market’s momentum slows following its best week since July. Technology stocks and companies that rely on direct consumer spending rose broadly, but those gains were tempered by losses in health care and other companies. The S&P 500

NEW YORK (AP) — “Soul Train” and New York City’s Apollo Theater are icons of Black culture, and this year they’ll be joining up. BET announced that the annual “Soul Train Awards,” which honors the best in soul, hip-hop and R&B music, will be taped at the Apollo for the first time and premiere. The

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas is poised to become the latest and most populous state to tighten restrictions on transgender athletes in public high school sports. State lawmakers on Sunday approved a measure that requires athletes to play on teams that align with the gender listed on their original birth certificate instead of their current

The Ford Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States, announced Monday that it will divest millions from fossil fuels, following similar investment decisions made by other sizable foundations in recent years. Ford Foundation President Darren Walker said in a statement 0.3% of the foundation’s endowment was directly invested in fossil fuels.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s populist prime minister has blamed a rise in COVID-19 infections on protests in early October that erupted in clashes between police and thousands of opponents of vaccines and coronavirus restrictions. Prime Minister Janez Jansa on Monday was responding in parliament to opposition criticism over the use of force by police

By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer COVID-19 booster shots are an extra dose of the original vaccine, and some experts wonder why they weren’t updated to better match the delta variant. With the extra-contagious delta now the dominant version of the virus, experts say future mutants likely will be its descendants. Vaccine makers didn’t ask

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country star Luke Bryan is stepping into a new role as host of the CMA Awards this year. The “American Idol” judge will host the annual country music awards show in November from Nashville, Tennessee. He said being the host comes with an “overwhelming” amount of pressure, but it was a