AP National News

By DANIEL KOZIN Associated Press KHABAROVSK, Russia (AP) — In the city of Khabarovsk in Russia’s Far East. a few demonstrators gather nightly in a chronic reminder of mass protests last year demanding the release of the region’s former governor, Sergei Furgal. He was arrested on charges of being involved in murders of businessmen over

By HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Recent satellite images show North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main nuclear complex. Experts say it’s a sign North Korea is intent on producing more material to make bombs. Highly enriched uranium is one of the key ingredients for nuclear weapons.

By SCOTT SONNER Associated Press RENO, Nev. (AP) — Aluminum wraps designed to protect homes from flames are getting attention as wildfires burn in California. During a fire near Lake Tahoe, some wrapped houses survived while nearby homes were destroyed. The material resembles tin foil from the kitchen drawer but is modeled after the tent-like

By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Robert Durst’s long, bizarre and deadly run from the law ended when a Los Angeles County jury convicted him of murdering his best friend more than 20 years ago. The New York real estate heir was convicted after prosecutors tied the killing of Susan Berman in

By ROBERT BURNS AP National Security Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has retreated from its defense of a drone strike that killed multiple civilians in Afghanistan last month. It announced Friday that a review revealed that only civilians were killed in the attack, not an Islamic State extremist as first believed. Marine Gen. Frank

By ALAN FRAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Democrats face a daunting assignment. They’re trying to complete a $3.5 trillion, 10-year bill strengthening social and environment programs and raising taxes on the rich. That means they need to rewrite tax, health and environment policy. They might have to reduce the cost dramatically to satisfy

THREE RIVERS, Calif. (AP) — Two lightning-sparked wildfires in California merged and made a run to the edge of a grove of ancient sequoias, driving away firefighters as they try to protect the world’s largest tree. Officials said a shift in the weather led to explosive growth on the fires in the Sequoia National Park

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Police in Florida searched a vast wildlife reserve near the Gulf Coast for 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend, Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito. Dozens of North Port police officers, FBI agents and members of other law enforcement agencies on Saturday

By JONATHAN LEMIRE and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — In one stunning afternoon, President Joe Biden was dealt a series of setbacks. The challenges are examples of the the difficulty he’s faced trying to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Afghanistan and the need to be a more reliable partner to shaken

By COLLEEN LONG, MICHAEL BALSAMO, NATHAN ELLGREN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — With Washington still on edge after the Jan. 6 insurrection, law enforcement bore down in large numbers on the Capitol over concerns that a rally in support of the jailed rioters would turn violent. It didn’t. The crowd Saturday

Associated Press NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) — Police in Florida said they are working with the FBI to find 23-year-old Brian Laundrie, whose girlfriend disappeared during a cross-country trek in a converted van. North Port Police tweeted Friday evening that authorities spoke with his family at their request, but not with Brian Laundrie. The family

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — A small earthquake has shaken the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, but there aren’t any immediate reports of major damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-4.3 quake struck shortly before 8 p.m. Friday and was centered near Carson, southeast of downtown LA. Some people reported feeling a jolt

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council has held emergency consultations on Somalia’s worsening political crisis, which could threaten long-delayed national elections and  further destabilize the east Africa region Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward, who called for Friday’s closed briefing by U.N. special envoy James Swan, expressed serious

By ROD McGUIRK and ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press PARIS (AP) — France’s foreign minister has denounced what he called the “duplicity, disdain and lies” surrounding the sudden rupture of France’s lucrative contract to make submarines for Australia in favor of a U.S. deal. He also declared that a crisis is at hand among the Western

By GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press A judge formally approved a plan Friday to turn OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma into a new company no longer owned by members of the Sackler family and with its profits going to fight the opioid epidemic. A U.S. bankruptcy court judge signed the plan Friday, more than two weeks after

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Federal officials say they will investigate a fiery Tesla crash that left two people dead in South Florida. The National Transportation Safety Board says three investigators are traveling next week to Coral Gables, where a Tesla Model 3 left the roadway and collided with a tree Monday. The NTSB investigation

MEXICO CITY (AP) — About 500 Haitians headed toward the U.S. border have been ordered off buses by Mexican immigration authorities. Some of the Haitians in the state of Tamaulipas tried to continue the journey on foot. The buses were stopped near the town of San Fernando, about 120 miles (200 kilometers) south of the

By JULIE WATSON Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — A 22-year-old former nursing student pleaded guilty to the murder of one person and the attempted murders of 53 others in connection with a deadly shooting at a Southern California synagogue, effectively ending the possibility of facing the death penalty. John T. Earnest entered a similar

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD and KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Republicans didn’t draw the huge turnout they needed in this week’s recall election to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans in the nation’s most populated state. Preliminary vote tallies suggest overall turnout was around 55%, about average for

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A set of empty chairs and desks at the U.N. headquarters is symbolizing the coronavirus pandemic’s toll on education. The U.N. children’s arm, called UNICEF, unveiled the installation Friday, ahead of the General Assembly meeting of world leaders next week. The installation includes a blackboard-like display that will count up the