By GRAHAM LEE BREWER Associated Press With the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act by the Senate on Wednesday, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is all but assured to become a federally recognized tribal nation. The state-recognized tribe, whose historic and genealogical claims have been a subject of controversy, has been seeking federal
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By SOPHIE BATES Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A 33-year-old antitrust lawyer with ties to major Democratic politicians is challenging U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson to represent Mississippi’s 2nd congressional district. Evan Turnage is the latest in a trend of young Democrats looking to oust the party’s old guard and rebrand the party after the
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By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump is threating to blockade sanctioned oil tankers from Venezuela, a move that could devastate a country already wrangling with years of spiraling crisis. Seasoned by years of political, social and economic challenges, Venezuelans on Wednesday acknowledged that the threat added to
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By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer In a seismic shift for one of television’s marquee events, the Academy Awards will depart ABC and begin streaming on YouTube beginning in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday. ABC will continue to broadcast the annual ceremony through 2028. That year will mark the
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By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate gave final passage on Wednesday to an annual military policy bill that will authorize $901 billion in defense programs while pressuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats in international water near Venezuela. The annual National Defense
Continue ReadingBy DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A Second Amendment clash has erupted between the federal government and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. government sued the U.S. territory, its police department and Police Commissioner Mario Brooks on Tuesday, accusing them of obstructing and systematically denying American citizens the right to
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By JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military on Wednesday said troops fired a mortar shell into a Palestinian residential area in the Gaza Strip, in the latest incident to rock the tenuous ceasefire with Hamas. Health officials said at least 10 people, were wounded, and the army said it was investigating. The
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate gave final passage to an annual military policy bill Wednesday that will authorize $901 billion in defense programs while pressuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats in international water near Venezuela.
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By THALIA BEATY Associated Press The U.S. Treasury asked major philanthropic donors to contribute to new investment accounts for children Wednesday as part of what Secretary Scott Bessent called a “50 State Challenge” to raise funds for the Trump Accounts program. “The president is calling on our nation’s business leaders and philanthropic organizations to help
Continue ReadingWednesday, Dec. 17
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By KIM CHANDLER Associated Press MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Former University of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron announced Wednesday that he is ending his campaign for lieutenant governor of Alabama to pursue a sports-related opportunity. McCarron did not disclose the details of the new position but said “football is calling my name once again.” The announcement
Continue ReadingWASHINGTON (AP) — Senate passes $901 billion defense bill that demands Secretary Hegseth provide video of strikes on alleged drug boats.
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By GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press Nebraska will become the first state to implement new work requirements for some people with Medicaid health insurance under a law President Donald Trump signed last year. Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, announced Wednesday that the requirement would take effect in the state May 1 and could impact about 30,000
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By MAE ANDERSON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Warner Bros. is telling shareholders of the company that it believes a $72 billion buyout offer from Netflix is superior, and to reject a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance. Paramount went hostile with its bid last week, asking shareholders to reject the deal with
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump intends to preview his agenda for next year and beyond in a live speech from the White House on Wednesday night. His remarks are coming at a crucial time as he tries to rebuild his steadily eroding popularity.
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By The Associated Press Gil Gerard, who played television’s hunky sci-fi hero William “Buck” Rogers soon after the Star Wars franchise took hold in the late 1970s, has died. He was 82. Gerard died Tuesday in hospice as a result of a rare, aggressive form of cancer, said his manager, Tina Presley Borek. His wife,
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By MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) — President Donald Trump will undertake one of the most solemn duties facing the commander in chief on Wednesday when he will witness the dignified transfer for two Iowa National Guard members killed in an attack in the Syrian desert. The ritual at
Continue ReadingBy The Associated Press (All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Thursday, Dec. 18 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 5 p.m. ESPNU — Hampton vs. Jackson St., College Park, Ga. 7:30 p.m. ESPNU — Norfolk St. vs. Grambling St., College Park, Ga. COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 7 p.m. ACCN — S. Dakota St. at Duke ESPN2
Continue ReadingAll Times EST EASTERN CONFERENCE W L Pct GB L10 Str Home Away Conf Detroit 21 5 .808 — 7-3 W-4 11-2 9-3 16-5 New York 18 7 .720 2½ 9-1 W-5 13-1 4-6 14-7 Toronto 16 11 .593 5½ 4-6 W-1 8-6 8-5 14-7 Boston 15 11 .577 6 7-3 L-2 8-5 7-6 11-8
Continue ReadingAll Times EST EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct GB L10 Str Home Away Conf New York 18 7 .720 — 9-1 W-5 13-1 4-6 14-7 Toronto 16 11 .593 3 4-6 W-1 8-6 8-5 14-7 Boston 15 11 .577 3½ 7-3 L-2 8-5 7-6 11-8 Philadelphia 14 11 .560 4 5-5 L-1 8-7
Continue ReadingAll Times EST EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct GB New York 18 7 .720 — Toronto 16 11 .593 3 Boston 15 11 .577 3½ Philadelphia 14 11 .560 4 Brooklyn 7 18 .280 11 Southeast Division W L Pct GB Orlando 15 11 .577 — Atlanta 15 12 .556 ½ Miami 14
Continue ReadingAll Times EST EASTERN CONFERENCE GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away Div Carolina 32 21 9 2 44 108 90 11-5-1 10-4-1 8-2-0 Detroit 34 19 12 3 41 107 111 10-6-1 9-6-2 5-3-2 N.Y. Islanders 34 19 12 3 41 102 96 10-6-2 9-6-1 4-4-2 Philadelphia 32 17 9 6 40
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By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer New York (AP) — It jolted the winter, came alive in the spring, dominated the summer and went three-times platinum in the fall. Alex Warren’s bombastic ballad “Ordinary” is, by many measures, a defining song of 2025. It’s also an unusual hit: slower than a traditional song of the
Continue ReadingAll Times EST EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Home Away Div Detroit 34 19 12 3 41 107 111 10-6-1 9-6-2 5-3-2 Boston 34 20 14 0 40 113 106 12-5-0 8-9-0 7-5-0 Tampa Bay 33 18 12 3 39 106 88 8-8-0 10-4-3 4-3-1 Montreal 33 17 12
Continue ReadingBy The Associated Press Adv20-21 (All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Monday, Dec. 22 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 6 p.m. ACCN — American U. at Virginia BTN — Siena at Indiana 7 p.m. SECN — Prairie View A&M at LSU 8 p.m. ACCN — East Carolina at North Carolina BTN — Cent. Michigan
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By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Warner Bros. Discovery is recommending its shareholders reject an unsolicited buyout offer from Paramount Skydance in favor of a rival bid from Netflix it said will better serve their interests and the entertainment company’s audiences. The Warner board said in a letter to shareholders on
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By LEANNE ITALIE and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Welcome to exhausted America 2025: Most adults are more than a little fine with doling out cash as gifts, and many plan to be asleep before midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to a new AP-NORC poll. About 6 in 10 Americans say
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By The Associated Press Four centrist Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday and signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans. House Republican leaders have instead pushed a GOP health care bill
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By The Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday that Moscow will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin’s demands in peace talks. U.S. President Donald Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end nearly four years of fighting following Russia’s full-scale invasion of
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By EMILIO MORENATTI and JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BADALONA, Spain (AP) — Police in northeastern Spain carried out eviction orders Wednesday to clear an abandoned school building where around 400 migrants were living in a squat north of Barcelona. Knowing that the eviction in the middle of winter was coming, most of the occupants had
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