December 6, 2024 4:20 am
NEW YORK (AP) — New clues are emerging in the hunt for the masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, including possible leads about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition found at the crime scene. Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press Thursday that the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were found emblazoned on the ammunition. Those words echo a phrase used by insurance industry critics. One of the officials said investigators also now believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta.T he officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
December 5, 2024 2:59 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook a large area of Northern California on Thursday, knocking items of grocery store shelves, sending children scrambling under desks and prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the U.S. West Coast. The quake struck at 10:44 a.m. west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County, about 130 miles (209 km) from the Oregon border, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was felt as far south as San Francisco, some 270 miles (435 km) away, where residents felt a rolling motion for several seconds. It was followed by smaller aftershocks. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury. A tsunami warning was issued shortly after the temblor struck and covered nearly 500 miles (805 km) of coastline, from the edge of California’s Monterey Bay north into Oregon. (Photo: AP)
December 5, 2024 4:07 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Investigators are searching for clues that could help them identify the masked gunman who killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies on a Manhattan sidewalk, then disappeared into Central Park. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference. Security cameras recorded the killing and the initial stages of the gunman’s escape on a bicycle. Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intense search, but the killer’s whereabouts remained unknown late into the night. Police had not yet established a motive.
December 5, 2024 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit.” The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department.
December 4, 2024 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The conservative-majority Supreme Court appeared likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors as it heard the most high-profile case of its term on Wednesday. Five of the court’s six conservatives appeared skeptical about the challenge backed by the Biden administration, which urged a narrow ruling. The sixth, Justice Neil Gorsuch, was notably silent during oral arguments. A decision in the case isn’t expected until the spring, but could have wide-ranging effects as pushback to transgender rights escalates.
December 4, 2024 4:18 am
A U.S. Senate subcommittee has held a hearing to question the growing use of airline fees to charge passengers for things like early boarding and better seats. Members of the Senate Permanent on Investigations say airlines have raised billions of dollars by imposing fees that are getting hard to understand and even harder to avoid paying. The senators and the Biden administration call them “junk fees,” and they say the extra charges are making travel less affordable. Some senators expressed frustration during Wednesday’s hearing on Wednesday hearing when airline executives couldn’t explain how they set various fees. Airlines say fees let consumers pay for things they want, like more legroom, and avoid paying for things they don’t want.
December 5, 2024 4:09 am
CAIRO (AP) — Amnesty International accuses Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip during its war with Hamas, saying it has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure and preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid. The human rights group said in a report released Thursday in the Middle East that such actions could not be justified by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, which ignited the war, or the presence of militants in civilian areas. Amnesty called on the United States and other allies of Israel to halt arms shipments, saying they could be complicit in genocide. Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, adamantly rejected the allegations, calling Amnesty a “deplorable and fanatical organization.”
December 5, 2024 12:24 pm
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is coming to an end after the popstar performed more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years. Since launching the tour in 2023, Swift has shattered sales and attendance records. It’s even created such an economic boom that the Federal Reserve took note. But for many who attended the concerts, and the millions more who eagerly watched on their screens, the tour also became a beacon of joy. It’s become a chance not only to appreciate Swift’s expansive music career, but also celebrate the years-long journey fans have taken with her. (Photo: AP)
December 5, 2024 1:11 am
Washington County Commissioners approved the 2025 operating budget unanimously on Wednesday. The approval was not without questions. Commissioner Larry Maggi stated before his vote that he was concerned about current spending and how that spending may affect spending in future budgets. In a statement Maggi pointed to the demolition of the Courthouse Square building and the construction of a new Public Safety building. He still is concerned about the move to Motorola for the county’s emergency response radio system and the recent purchase of several other buildings in the City of Washington. Commissioner Nick Sherman countered the arguments by stating that the projects are currently funded with ARPA funds and the contracts have a not to exceed price number associated with them. He points to creative budgeting such as the public/private arrangement at the Crossroads Building where tenants pay the county rent for space that the county owns. Improvements to the Washington County Airport will allow bigger jets to land and monies spent there will positively affect the county coffers. The budget is a balanced $132.3 million spending plan that does not include a tax raise. The last tax raise for Washington County took effect in 2017.
December 5, 2024 3:59 am
(AP) – Digging crews are resuming work in the effort to locate a woman who authorities fear died after falling into a sinkhole above an abandoned Pennsylvania coal mine. Fewer than a dozen searchers, including state police and excavator operators, returned early Thursday to the spot where 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard is thought to have plummeted through a freshly opened sinkhole. Authorities say they no longer think they’ll find Pollard alive. She was last seen Monday evening, searching for her lost cat, Pepper. Her car was discovered some 10 hours later, not far from her house in the village of Marguerite, with her 5-year-old granddaughter inside, unharmed.
