Donald Trump defies judge, gives courtroom speech on tense final day of New York civil fraud trial
NEW YORK — Barred from giving a formal closing argument, Donald Trump wrested an opportunity to speak in court at the conclusion of his New York civil fraud trial Thursday, unleashing a barrage of attacks in a six-minute diatribe before being cut off by the judge.
Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal tax charges after an earlier deal imploded
LOS ANGELES — President Joe Biden’s son pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal tax charges filed after the collapse of a plea deal that could have spared him the spectacle of a criminal trial during the 2024 campaign.
Ohio woman who miscarried at home won’t be charged with corpse abuse, grand jury decides
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio woman facing a criminal charge for her handling of a home miscarriage will not be charged, a grand jury decided Thursday.
Former first lady Melania Trump’s mother, Amalija Knavs, has died
WASHINGTON — Amalija Knavs, the mother of former first lady Melania Trump, has died.
Editorial: Politicians are are using AI to mislead voters. Florida has a chance to act
The political ad aired in Iowa ahead of the country’s first Republican primary. It had audio of Donald Trump attacking the state’s popular Republican governor. To the unsuspecting viewer, the audio may sound like Trump’s voice, but it was a fabrication by a pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC using artificial intelligence.
More delays for NASA’s astronaut moonshots, with crew landing off until 2026
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronauts will have to wait until next year before flying to the moon and at least two years before landing on it, under the latest round of delays announced by NASA on Tuesday.
Ray Epps, a target of Jan. 6 conspiracy theories, gets a year of probation for his Capitol riot role
WASHINGTON (AP) — A man targeted by right-wing conspiracy theories about the U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced on Tuesday to a year of probation for joining the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by a mob of fellow Donald Trump supporters.
Editorial: As Americans struggle, record raises for federal workers
Bidenomics has made life miserable for many American families struggling with higher prices for food and other staples. But while private-sector stiffs face challenges navigating the wreckage of the president’s policies, federal government employees will have it a bit easier in 2024.
NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out.
Senior Biden leaders, Pentagon officials unaware for days that defense secretary was hospitalized
WASHINGTON — Senior Biden administration leaders, top Pentagon officials and members of Congress were unaware for days that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized since Monday, U.S. officials said Saturday, as questions swirled about his condition and the secrecy surrounding it.
Editorial: ‘No one is safe if they had any hand in’ Oct. 7
For eight years, the U.S. State Department has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information on the whereabouts of Saleh Arouri, a Hamas terrorist whose hands were dripping red.
Commentary: Resolutions aren’t the key to a happier new year. Here’s where to start
We tend to look to the new year as a new beginning, as an opportunity for a fresh start. Aspiring for something different, something better, we devise resolutions in hopes of making ourselves healthier, more productive, more successful … but really, the end goal is to be happier: to feel satisfied rather than wanting at this same time next year.
House Republicans ready contempt of Congress charges against Hunter Biden for defying a subpoena
WASHINGTON — House Republicans plan to move forward next week with holding Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after the president’s son defied a congressional subpoena to appear for a private deposition last month.
New gun law has blocked over 500 firearms from being bought by young people, attorney general says
WASHINGTON — More than 500 gun purchases have been blocked since a new gun law requiring stricter background checks for young people went into effect in 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday, the day after a school shooting in Iowa left a sixth-grader dead.
NRA chief, one of the most powerful figures in US gun policy, says he’s resigning days before trial
NEW YORK — The longtime head of the National Rifle Association said Friday he is resigning, just days before the start of a civil trial over allegations he treated himself to millions of dollars in private jet flights, yacht trips, African safaris and other extravagant perks at the powerful gun rights organization’s expense.
Flu and COVID infections got worse over the holidays, with more misery expected, CDC says
NEW YORK — The flu season in the U.S. is getting worse but it’s too soon to tell how much holiday gatherings contributed to a likely spike in illnesses.
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake shakes a wide area of Southern California. No injuries are reported
LOS ANGELES — A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was felt widely across the nation’s second largest city Friday and shook things off shelves near the epicenter in a small mountain community east of Los Angeles, but there were no reports of major damage or injuries.
Police say 17-year-old killed a sixth grader and wounded five in Iowa school shooting
PERRY, Iowa — A 17-year-old opened fire at a small-town Iowa high school before classes resumed on the first day after the winter break, killing a sixth-grader and wounding five others Thursday as students barricaded in offices, ducked into classrooms and fled in panic.
Bomb threats prompt evacuations of government buildings in several states, but no explosives found
JACKSON, Miss — Government buildings in several states were evacuated Thursday following bomb threats, causing brief disruptions for the second day in a row in some places.
13-year-old gamer becomes the first to beat the ‘unbeatable’ Tetris — by breaking it
SAN FRANCISCO — The falling-block video game Tetris has met its match in 13-year-old Willis Gibson, who has become the first player to officially “beat” the original Nintendo version of the game — by breaking it.
