Outgoing President Joe Biden issues a final set of pardons to protect against potential retribution from incoming President Donald Trump. The Chinese president's envoy meets with Vance and Musk on the eve of Trump's inauguration. Chicago prepares for deportation arrests targeting hundreds next week after Trump takes office. TikTok says it's in the …

In this episode of The Story Behind the AP Story, hear from AP Washington radio correspondent, Sagar Meghani and White House correspondent Darlene Superville. They'll help us peel back the curtain and share what we can expect during a presidential inauguration. And in other inauguration news: Trump swearing-in will move inside Capitol Rotunda becau…

Biden sets record by commuting sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted on nonviolent drug charges. Biden won't enforce TikTok ban, official says, leaving fate of app to Trump. Former Vice President Pence calls on Trump to renew US support for Taiwan. Many Americans doubt Trump will be able to lower prices in his first year, an AP-NORC poll shows…

Biden warns of dangers of 'oligarchy' of ultra-rich, 'tech-industrial complex' running country. Trump adviser says president-elect is exploring options to 'preserve' TikTok. Trump and Biden both claim credit for Gaza ceasefire deal. Trump's outsider Cabinet picks are rapidly gaining support for confirmation. Transportation secretary pick vows to bu…

In today's edition, we look at the Los Angeles-area wildfires, the latest on President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks, public confidence in the Department of Justice, the situation in South Korea, an SEC lawsuiet brought against Elon Musk over Twitter and obesity guidelines. In other news: Top DC prosecutor Trump pardons couldn't erase impact o…

CAIRO (AP) — Officials say Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages. Mediator Qatar said the negotiations were at the “closest point” yet to sealing a deal. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, and an Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed its a…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters are preparing for a return of dangerous winds that could again stoke the wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area. Crews made some progress battling the flames this weekend. The relative calm Sunday allowed some people to return to previously evacuated are…

Jimmy Carter lauded for his humility and service in Washington before his return to Georgia. Supreme Court rejects Trump’s bid to delay sentencing in his New York hush money case. Judge scraps Biden's Title IX rules, reversing expansion of protections for LGBTQ+ students. The Biden administration succeeds in temporarily blocking a plea deal for acc…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters are battling to control major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and caused thousands of people to frantically flee their homes. Ferocious winds that drove the flames and prompted chaotic evacuations have calmed somewhat and are not expec…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A wildfire whipped up by extreme winds is sweeping through a Los Angeles hillside dotted with celebrity residences. Homes have burned and tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders, some of whom abandoned cars and fled on foot due to clogged roads. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says many structures have already been d…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jimmy Carter's state funeral moves to Washington after observances in his native Georgia. The 39th president's remains will leave the Carter Presidential Center on Tuesday morning and fly to Washington aboard Special Air Mission 39. The Carter family and former president will arrive at Joint Base Andrews, with a motorcade followin…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel are filing a federal lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s decision to block a proposed nearly $15 billion deal for Nippon to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. The suit, filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, alleges that it was a political decision and viola…

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Small businesses brace themselves for potentially disruptive TikTok ban. A data company has figured out which airlines fly on time most often. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll sho…

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A mix of law enforcement, street performers and football fans is filling New Orleans’ blocks as the city inches back to normalcy. A deadly New Year’s truck attack along Bourbon Street killed 14 people, along with the driver. Shamsud-Din Jabbar was fatally shot in a firefight with police after steering his speeding truck around a …

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Joe Biden says the U.S. Army veteran who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans had posted videos to social media hours before the carnage saying he was inspired by the Islamic State group and expressing a desire to kill. The driver killed 15 people as he steered around a police blockade…

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: How to avoid financial stress during the holiday season. 2024 was big for bitcoin. States could see a crypto policy blitz in 2025 in spite of the risks. Americans end 2024 with grim economic outlook, but Republicans are opt…

Workers at Starbucks stores plan to go on a five-day strike starting Friday to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company. The strikes are scheduled to start in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle and could spread to hundreds of stores across the country by Christmas Eve. A debate over the debt ceiling is at the center of a dis…

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — The suspect charged with shooting to death a health insurance company chief executive on a Manhattan street is being taken to hearings on related Pennsylvania criminal charges and efforts to extradite him to New York. Luigi Mangione faces a preliminary hearing on forgery and firearms charges and consideration of a fugitive…

Two people were killed and others were injured Monday in a shooting at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin. Police said a student who opened fire, identified as a 15-year-old girl, was also dead. The girl also wounded six others in the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, including two students who were in critical condition. Po…

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Police say a 15-year-old student opened fire inside a study hall at a small Christian school in Wisconsin, killing a teacher and a teenager. Monday's shooting prompted a swarm of police officers to descend on the school in response to a second grader’s 911 call. Police say the girl also wounded six others in the shooting at Abu…

BOSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging the federal government to deploy advanced drone-tracking technology following weeks of reported drone sightings in parts of New York and New Jersey that have stirred fear and bewilderment. The New York Democrat is calling on the Department of Homeland Security to use the technology to track drones bac…

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Working Well When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace. Small businesses plan events, start marketing earlier to deal with shorter holiday shopping season. Turning dusty attic trea…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payo…

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — An American who turned up in Syria says he was detained after crossing into the country by foot on a Christian pilgrimage seven months ago. Travis Timmerman appears to have been among thousands of people released from the country’s notorious prisons after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing President Bashar…

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — The man charged with murder in the killing of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare has made it clear he isn't going to make things easy for authorities. Luigi Mangione shouted unintelligibly and writhed in the grip of sheriff’s deputies as he was led into court Tuesday. And he objected to being taken to New York to face trial. MALIBU, Ca…

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — Court records show New York prosecutors have charged a man with murder in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO. Luigi Nicholas Mangione is currently being held without bail in Pennsylvania after he was arrested and arraigned on gun, forgery and other charges on Monday. He’s expected to be extradited to New York eventuall…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but that it's “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Mideast. Speaking at the White House on Sunday, Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's back…

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weight. How to sum up 2024 The Oxford University Press word of the year is 'brain rot.' A list of mispronounced words provides a retrospective of 2024, f…

NEW YORK (AP) — As the investigation into a masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers moves into its third day, possible leads have emerged about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition. WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is weighing whether to issue sweeping pardons for …

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk Wednesday became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. PALERMO, Cal…

Cleanup work is still taking place around parts of the Great Lakes region socked by lake-effect snowstorms that dropped several feet of snow over the weekend. Forecasters are warning that another storm system could add a few more inches and maybe even more later this week. Many school districts in western Pennsylvania remained closed Tuesday as the…

Some storm-weary residents of the Great Lakes region have seen continued snowfall and are facing the prospect of even more accumulations this week. Lake-effect snow continues to fall on parts of western New York that were already blanketed with a foot or more over the past four days. Lake-effect snow warnings are in effect through Tuesday night in …

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter. That spares the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reverses the president's past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family. The Democratic president had previously said he would …

TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah appears to be holding as residents in cars heaped with belongings streamed back toward southern Lebanon. Many are ignoring warnings from the Israeli and Lebanese military that they stay away. If it holds, the ceasefire would bring an end to nearly 14 months of…

Travelers are on their way toward Thanksgiving Day destinations, but weather could cause issues in parts of the country. WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Ozempic covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. DAKAR, S…

DALLAS (AP) — The Thanksgiving travel rush is expected to be bigger than ever this year. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million people in the U.S. will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday — most of them by car. Thanksgiving Day falling so late this year has altered traditional travel patterns. At airports, the Transport…

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Airports ready for holiday crowds. Starting a small business is hard. Exiting can be even harder, but planning early is the key. McDonald's to expand US value menu as fast food chains battle for bargain seekers. Has a waltz…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name. Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial. She’s been a vocal critic of the criminal cases agains…

THE HAGUE (AP) — The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over actions taken during their 13-month war in Gaza and the October 2023 attack on Israel respectively. SANTA CRUZ, Cali…

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The U.S. and some other Western embassies in Kyiv are staying closed Wednesday for security reasons, with the American delegation saying it had received a warning of a potentially significant Russian air attack on the Ukrainian capital. The precautionary step came after Russian officials promised a response to President Joe Bid…

The Russian Defense Ministry says that Ukraine fired six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles at Russia’s Bryansk region. The statement on Tuesday came days after President Joe Biden eased restrictions on Ukrainian use of American-made weapons in the war. President Vladimir Putin has signed a revised nuclear doctrine declaring that a conventional attack on Ru…

Spirit Airlines has filed for bankruptcy protection and will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue. Spirit is the biggest U.S. budget airline. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia. Bi…

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Small businesses can capitalize on Small Business Saturday with some planning. Here are new guidelines for preventing stroke, the nation's 4th biggest killer. Trump won more young voters, but many don't agree with him on is…

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump also announced Thursday that he has chosen Doug Collins, a former congressman from Georgia, to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, and said he was nominating N…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have won enough seats to control the U.S. House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold on U.S. government alongside President-elect Donald Trump. A House Republican victory in Arizona, alongside a win in slow-counting California earlier Wednesday, gave the GOP the 218 House victories that make…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has stunned the Pentagon and the broader defense world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary. Trump has picked someone who's largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage to take over the world’s largest and most powerful military. Trump will meet with President Joe …

President-elect Donald Trump is starting to fill key posts in his second administration, putting an emphasis so far on aides and allies who were his strongest backers during the 2024 campaign. Among his picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Elise Stefanik for United Nations ambassador, and Tom Homan and Stephen Miller for a pair of roles that w…

POMPTON LAKES, N.J. (AP) — Fire crews on both coasts of the U.S. are battling wildfires, including one in New York and New Jersey that killed a parks employee. In Southern California, crews northwest of Los Angeles made progress Sunday against a fire that prompted thousands of residents to flee and destroyed more than 130 structures. NEW YORK (AP) …

Each week Hot off the Wire looks at a variety of stories in business, science, health and more. This week's headlines include: Many retailers offer 'returnless refunds.' Just don't expect them to talk much about it. Don't wait for a holiday surge. Now is a good time to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines. The story of how Trump went from diminished …

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff. She would be the first woman to hold the influential role. Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign. AM…