Associated Press stories, Page 335
Doug Collins confirmed as veterans affairs secretary as Trump Cabinet takes shape
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Doug Collins as secretary of veterans affairs, putting the former congressman and Iraq War veteran at the helm of a department that provides crucial care to America’s veterans. Collins, a former Air Force chaplain, was confirmed on a 77-23 vote, becoming the...
Remains of all 67 victims from deadly plane and chopper collision near Washington have been recovered
ARLINGTON, Va. — The remains of all 67 victims of last week’s midair collision of an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., have been recovered, authorities said Tuesday. The chief medical examiner is still trying to positively identify one set of remains, officials said in a...
Tiger Woods says his mother has died. He called Kultida Woods a ‘force of nature’
Kultida Woods, the Thai-born mother of Tiger Woods, died Tuesday morning, a week after being seen attending his indoor TMRW Golf League in Florida. Woods did not reveal how his 78-year-old mother died in his social media post announcing her death. He described her as a “force of nature” who...
Waffle House passing along the sky high cost of eggs to diners with a 50 cent surcharge
NEW YORK — The Waffle House restaurant chain is putting a 50 cent per egg surcharge in place due to the biggest bird flu outbreak in a decade. The 24-7 restaurant said that the resulting egg shortage has led to a dramatic increase in its costs. Bird flu is forcing...
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin mimics the moon’s gravity for NASA experiments during spaceflight
Jeff Bezos’ rocket company gave NASA a brief taste of the moon’s gravity Tuesday, without straying too far from home. Blue Origin launched the 29 lunar technology experiments to the edge of space from West Texas. Plans called for creating a few minutes of artificial lunar gravity by repeatedly spinning...
Estee Lauder to cut up to 7,000 jobs as sales slide
NEW YORK — Estee Lauder may trim as many as 7,000 jobs by fiscal 2026, more than 11% of its workforce, after the global beauty cosmetics maker lost money in its most recent quarter as reported a 6% sales slump. The New York company behind such brands as MAC, La...
Role players often have major impacts on Super Bowl winners
NEW ORLEANS — The Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs isn’t lacking for star power. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are among the most recognized players in the NFL thanks to their stellar play, numerous commercials and Kelce’s pop star girlfriend, and the Chiefs have...
Travis Kelce is in no hurry to retire even if the Chiefs win another Super Bowl
NEW ORLEANS — Travis Kelce has no plans to retire anytime soon even if the Kansas City Chiefs win a third straight Super Bowl on Sunday. The future plans for the 35-year-old Kelce have been a lingering question as his fame has risen off the field thanks to his relationship...
Senate committee advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nomination to be health secretary
WASHINGTON — A Senate panel divided starkly along partisan lines voted on Tuesday to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the controversial environmental lawyer turned public health critic, sending his bid to oversee the $1.7 trillion U.S. Health and Human Services agency to the Senate floor. Fourteen Republicans...
U.S. job openings fall to 7.6 million in December, suggesting a slowing but still healthy job market
U.S. job openings fell in December, a sign that the labor market is cooling but still healthy. Openings fell to 7.6 million, from 8.2 million in November, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. They were down from 8.9 million a year earlier and a peak of 12.2 million in March 2022...
Trump won’t rule out deploying troops to support rebuilding Gaza, sees ‘long-term’ U.S. ownership
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory and proposed the U.S. take “ownership” in redeveloping the area. Trump’s audacious proposal appears certain to roil the next stage of talks meant to extend the tenuous ceasefire between Israel...
Greenland lawmakers consider a ban on foreign donations to parties in face of Trump’s ambitions
NUUK, Greenland — Greenland’s legislature debated Tuesday whether to prohibit political parties from receiving contributions “from foreign or anonymous contributors” after President Donald Trump laid out ambitions for the United States to take over the vast island that belongs to Denmark. Inatsisartut, Greenland’s parliament, discussed the proposal that would also...
Shapiro seeks more money for schools and transit, but relies heavily on surplus cash
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is seeking more money for underfunded public schools and public transit in his budget proposal unveiled Tuesday, while he hopes to win support for legalizing marijuana and introducing taxes on skill games viewed as competitors to casinos and lottery contests. The Democrat — a...
About 10 killed at adult education center in what officials say is Sweden’s worst mass shooting
About 10 people, including the gunman, were killed on Tuesday at an adult education center in what Sweden’s prime minister called the country’s worst mass shooting. But a final death toll, a conclusive number of wounded and a motive hadn’t yet been determined. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson gave a news...
Dramatic drop in monarch butterfly count nears record 30-year low
MADISON, Wis. — The number of monarch butterflies spending the winter in the western United States has dropped to its second-lowest mark in nearly three decades as pesticides, diminishing habitat and climate change take their toll on the beloved pollinator. Here’s what to know: The survey began in 1997 Monarch...
Soaring egg prices are piquing interest in backyard chickens
NEW YORK — Thinking about backyard chickens as egg prices soar? Think hard, especially in light of the bird flu outbreak. Keeping home chickens as a pastime has continued to grow since the pandemic. But if eggs are the goal, remember that it takes planning and investment to raise the...
Woman’s lawsuits say sci-fi author Neil Gaiman repeatedly sexually assaulted her
MADISON, Wis. — A woman from New Zealand has filed three civil lawsuits against best-selling British author Neil Gaiman and his wife, accusing Gaiman of repeatedly sexually assaulting her while she was working as the couple’s babysitter and nanny. Scarlett Pavlovich filed the lawsuits in federal court in Wisconsin, Massachusetts...
U.S. aid freeze puts at risk Ukraine’s wartime help for frontline evacuees
PAVLOHRAD, Ukraine — In what used to be the concert hall in this town in eastern Ukraine, cots are arranged on stage. Instead of music, the room is filled with the muffled sobs of local people driven from their homes by fighting in the country’s almost three-year war with Russia....
China hits back with tariffs on U.S. products; launches investigation into Google
BEIJING — China announced retaliatory tariffs on select American imports and an antitrust investigation into Google on Tuesday, just minutes after a sweeping levy on Chinese products imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect. American tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico were also set to go into effect...
Trump orders creation of sovereign wealth fund, says it could own part of TikTok
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the U.S. to take steps to start developing a government-owned investment fund that he said could be used to profit off of TikTok if he’s successful at finding it an American buyer. Trump signed an order on his...
A 1714 Stradivarius violin up for auction could become most expensive music instrument ever sold
NEW YORK — A violin made by the famed Antonio Stradivari in 1714 has the potential to become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold when it goes up for auction on Friday at Sotheby’s in New York. The auction house is estimating the value of the “Joachim-Ma Stradivarius” at...
How Trump’s pledge to punish South Africa reflects Elon Musk’s criticism of his homeland
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — U.S. President Donald Trump said he will cut all funding to South Africa over what he called a human rights violation, a move that reflects Elon Musk’s repeated and false claims over the years that authorities in his country of birth are anti-white and even...
New York shields abortion pill prescribers after doctor was indicted in Louisiana
ALBANY — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a bill to shield the identities of doctors who prescribe abortion medications, days after a physician in the state was charged with prescribing abortion pills to a pregnant minor in Louisiana. The new law, which took effect immediately, allows doctors...
Longtime Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton to step down at end of seasonVideo
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Longtime Florida State basketball coach Leonard Hamilton is stepping down at the end of the season. Hamilton, who is being sued by six former players over allegations he failed to deliver on name, image and likeness promises, announced his decision Monday following a team meeting. “I’m very...
Cooper Kupp says the Rams intend to trade him. He’s disappointed to end his 8 years with the team
LOS ANGELES — Receiver Cooper Kupp says the Los Angeles Rams are attempting to trade him after eight seasons with the club, and he doesn’t like the move. The Super Bowl 56 MVP made the announcement on social media Tuesday, saying the Rams told him they “will be seeking a...
