Stories by Associated Press
Bird Flu Drives Free-Range Hens Indoors to Protect Poultry
| Associated Press
Bird flu cases have been identified in commercial chicken and turkey farms or in backyard flocks in 29 states, according to the USDA. Spread of the disease is largely blamed on the droppings of infected migrating wild birds.
Elon Musk Buys Twitter for $44 Billion, Will Privatize Company
| Associated Press
The outspoken Tesla CEO, who is also the world’s wealthiest person, has said he wanted to own and privatize Twitter because he thinks it’s not living up to its potential as a platform for free speech.
Judge Finds Donald Trump in Contempt in New York Legal Fight
| Associated Press
A New York judge found former President Donald Trump in contempt of court and set in motion $10,000 daily fines Monday for failing to adequately respond to a subpoena issued by the state’s attorney general as part of a civil investigation into his business dealings.
COVID Shots Still Work But Researchers Hunt New Improvements
| Associated Press
COVID-19 vaccinations are at a critical juncture as companies test whether new approaches like combination shots or nasal drops can keep up with a mutating coronavirus — even though it’s not clear if changes are needed.
France’s Emmanuel Macron Reelected but Far-Right Rival Raises Game
| Associated Press
A second five-year term for the centrist Macron spares France and its allies the seismic upheaval of a wartime shift of power to Macron’s populist challenger Marine Le Pen, who quickly acknowledged her defeat Sunday night but still appeared on course for a best-ever showing for her fiercely nationalist far-right policies.
‘Golden Girls’ Shows Little Age at Inaugural Fan Convention
| Associated Press
Golden-Con: Thank You For Being a Fan, which lasts through Sunday, is giving those who adored the NBC sitcom a chance to come together. More than 2,000 attendees are expected to converge.
EXPLAINER: Can Climate Change Be Solved by Pricing Carbon?
| Associated Press
Pennsylvania on Saturday becomes the first major fossil fuel-producing state in the U.S. to adopt a carbon pricing policy to address climate change. It joins 11 states where coal, oil and natural gas power plants must buy credits for every ton of carbon dioxide they emit.
Till Relatives Seek Accuser’s Prosecution in 1955 Kidnapping
| Associated Press
They want authorities to launch a kidnapping prosecution against the woman who set off the lynching by accusing the Black Chicago teen of improper advances in 1955.
Biden Announces Heavy Artillery, Other Weapons for Ukraine
| Associated Press
The new package includes $800 million in military aid for much-needed heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It builds on roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance that Biden previously approved.
This Earth Day, Biden Faces ‘Headwinds’ on Climate Agenda
| Associated Press
Joe Biden’s most sweeping proposals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions remain stalled on Capitol Hill despite renewed warnings from scientists that the world is hurtling toward a dangerous future marked by extreme heat, drought and weather.
Fewest Americans Collecting Jobless Aid Since 1970
| Associated Press
Jobless claims fell by 2,000 to 184,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average of claims, which levels out week-to-week volatility, rose by 4,500 to 177,250.
Rates for Measles, Other Vaccinations Dip for Kindergartners
| Associated Press
Rates were close to 94% for measles, whooping cough and chickenpox vaccinations for the 2020-21 school year. That was down 1% from a year earlier and means 35,000 U.S. children entered kindergarten without evidence that they were vaccinated for extremely contagious diseases, the CDC said in a report.
Court Halts South Carolina Plan for Firing Squad Execution
| Associated Press
Attorneys for the 57-year-old inmate had sought a stay, citing pending litigation in another court challenging the constitutionality of South Carolina’s execution methods, which also include the electric chair.
Biden Launches $6B Effort to Save Distressed Nuclear Plants
| Associated Press
A certification and bidding process opened Tuesday for a civil nuclear credit program that is intended to bail out financially distressed owners or operators of nuclear power reactors, the U.S. Department of Energy told The Associated Press exclusively, shortly before the official announcement.
Biden Finalizes Rule Restoring Broad Environmental Review of Big Infrastructure Projects
| Associated Press
A rule finalized Tuesday will restore key provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, a bedrock environmental law designed to ensure community safeguards during environmental reviews for a wide range of federal projects and decisions, the White House said.
Chicago Doctor Suggests New Names for Low-Grade Prostate Cancer
| Associated Press
Cancer cells develop in nearly all prostates as men age, and most prostate cancers are harmless. About 34,000 Americans die from prostate cancer annually, but treating the disease can lead to sexual dysfunction and incontinence.
Florida Judge Voids US Mask Mandate for Planes, Other Travel
| Associated Press
A federal judge in Florida struck down the national mask mandate covering airlines and other public transportation Monday, and the Biden administration said the rule would not be enforced while federal agencies decide how to respond to the judge’s order.
Zelenskyy: Russian Offensive in Eastern Ukraine Has Begun
| Associated Press
Russia bombarded the western city of Lviv and numerous other targets across Ukraine on Monday in what appeared to be an intensified bid to grind down the country’s defenses while building up its own forces for a major ground offensive in the east.
Alex Jones’ Infowars Files for Bankruptcy Protection Amid Sandy Hook Defamation Lawsuits
| Associated Press
The bankruptcy filing Sunday in Texas puts civil litigation on hold while the business reorganizes its finances. The filing came a week before a jury in Texas was set to begin considering how much money Jones, who has already lost the defamation lawsuits, should pay the families of Sandy Hook victims.
Rain Dampens the 1st White House Easter Egg Roll Since 2019
| Associated Press
Undaunted by soggy skies, President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, kicked off the first White House Easter Egg Roll since before the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, welcoming some 30,000 kids and adults for the all-day event.
Clashes Erupt Again Near Flashpoint Jerusalem Holy Site
| Associated Press
Israeli police on Sunday entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City to secure the way for Jewish visitors to the flashpoint holy site, fueling clashes that left 17 Palestinians wounded, according to Palestinian medical workers.
FDA Authorizes 1st Breath Test for COVID-19 Infection
| Associated Press
The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage, the FDA said, and can be used in doctor’s offices, hospitals and mobile testing sites.
Elon Musk Wants to Buy Twitter, Make it ‘Maximally Trusted’
| Associated Press
Twitter Inc. said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that Elon Musk, currently the company’s biggest individual shareholder, has proposed buying the remaining shares of Twitter that he doesn’t already own at $54.20 per share, an offer worth more than $43 billion.
Ohio Man Blaming Trump’s ‘Orders’ for Riot Actions Found Guilty
| Associated Press
Taking less then three hours, a federal jury also found Dustin Byron Thompson, 38, guilty of five other offenses including stealing a coat rack from an office inside the Capitol during the riot on Jan. 6 of last year. The maximum sentence for the obstruction count, the lone felony, is 20 years imprisonment.
Thinking Small: Biden Scrounges for Ways to Break Through
| Associated Press
Six months out from the midterm elections, President Joe Biden’s team is betting that smaller, discrete announcements can break through to voters better than talk of transformational plans that are so far only aspirational.
Biden Waiving Ethanol Rule in Bid to Lower Gasoline Prices
| Associated Press
Most gasoline sold in the U.S. is blended with 10% ethanol. The Environmental Protection Agency will issue an emergency waiver to allow widespread sale of 15% ethanol blend that is usually prohibited between June 1 and Sept. 15 because of concerns that it adds to smog in high temperatures.
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