AP

By Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia — The first publicly known cases have emerged of Russian authorities penalizing people under a court ruling that outlawed LGBTQ+ activism as extremism, Russian media and rights groups have reported, with at least three people who displayed rainbow-colored items receiving jail time or fines. The Supreme Court ruling in November

By Associated Press The Justice Department proposed changes Monday to rules governing state-run programs that provide financial assistance to violent crime victims in order to address racial disparities and curb the number of subjective denials of compensation. The proposal from the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime, a major overhaul to how states across

By Associated Press RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Monday at the start of his fifth visit to the Middle East since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, hoping to press ahead with a potential cease-fire deal and postwar planning while tamping down regional

By Associated Press WASHINGTON — Facing a torrent of criticism from conservatives, Senate Republicans on Monday resisted advancing on a bipartisan proposal intended to clamp down on illegal border crossings, signaling a likely defeat in Congress that would leave leaders with no clear path to approve wartime aid for Ukraine. In a dramatic turnaround, Senate

By Associated Press Andy Reid celebrated his 25th season as a head coach with a masterful performance on the sideline and in the locker room. The Kansas City Chiefs are one victory away from becoming the first NFL team in 19 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls. They’re here to face the San Francisco 49ers

By Associated Press The 2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, beating out Texas and California for soccer’s showcase game. FIFA awarded the July 19 championship to the $1.6 billion venue, which opened in 2010, the culminating match of an expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament that will be spread across

By Associated Press NEW YORK — Stocks slipped Monday following the latest signal that the economy remains strong, which could delay the cuts to interest rates that Wall Street wants. The S&P 500 fell 15.80 points, or 0.3%, to 4,942.81 from the all-time high set Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 274.30, or 0.7%,

By Associated Press NEW YORK — An oversight board is criticizing Facebook owner Meta’s policies regarding manipulated media as “incoherent” and insufficient to address the flood of online disinformation that already has begun to target elections across the globe this year. The quasi-independent board on Monday said its review of an altered video of President

By Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals agreed with shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed, two people familiar with the contract told The Associated Press on Monday, locking up one of baseball’s young stars as the club tries to turn around its fortunes

By Associated Press NEW YORK — While the U.S. economy is broadly healthy, pockets of Americans have run through their savings and run up their credit card balances after battling inflation for more than two years. Experts worry that members of these groups — mostly lower- and middle-income Americans, who tend to be renters —

By Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Steve Wilks has had a roller coaster ride in his first season as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. Faced with a tricky task of taking over a successful defense that still had the same position coaches and system of his predecessor DeMeco Ryans, Wilks tried to

By Associated Press LAS VEGAS — A meeting scheduled in the 1980s between the NFL and sportsbook directors sparked hope in Las Vegas that their relationship would soon take a much more positive turn after decades during which the league kept the city at arm’s length. When all it turned out to be was a

By Eleanor Putnam-Farr Jones Rice University The Conversation via AP Colorado banned plastic bags from large retail stores at the beginning of 2024. A new state ordinance also prohibits restaurants and retail food establishments from using Styrofoam takeout containers. In Boulder, food shoppers have been paying 10 cents for every bag they need at checkout

By Associated Press OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Anthony Oropeza still remembers the day Travis Kelce walked into his studio at the InterUrban ArtHouse in suburban Kansas City, where some of his acrylic and mixed media works were hanging from the walls. Kelce was helping to deliver a grant for the community arts hub, and the

By Associated Press MUSKOGEE, Okla. — The hallways of Bacone College are cold and dark. In the main hall, there are no lectures to be heard, only the steady hum of the space heater keeping the administrative offices warm. Students aren’t attending classes here this semester, but work still needs to be done. In the

By Metro Creative People who have cancer often suffer from weakened immune systems, which can make it hard for their bodies to fight off disease. That means it is essential for newly diagnosed cancer patients or those going through treatment to avoid others who are ill, such as those with influenza or even the common

By Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift used her 13th Grammy win on Sunday to announced her new album, “Tortured Poets Department,” will arrive April 19. The news arrived after U2 frontman Bono announced the award for best pop vocal album, which went to Taylor Swift for “Midnights.” “I know that the way that

By Associated Press SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador | Salvadorans packed the capital’s central square Sunday evening to celebrate the expected reelection of Nayib Bukele as president even before any official results were announced. With soaring approval ratings and virtually no competition, Nayib Bukele was almost certainly headed for a second 5-year term as president. After

By Associated Press LAS VEGAS, Nevada | Facing a cash crunch and harsh criticism from a faction of far-right conservatives, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Friday called for the party to unite behind the goal of defeating President Joe Biden. McDaniel spoke at the RNC’s winter meeting in Las Vegas behind closed doors

By Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A patient shot and wounded a security officer Friday morning at a Kansas City hospital after disarming him, authorities say. The patient had just been discharged from University Health Truman Medical Center, Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino said in a news release. While the guard was escorting the patient,

By Associated Press NEW YORK — Victoria Monét walked the Grammys red carpet Sunday in a bronze Versace goddess body-hugger, her adorable 2-year-old and fellow nominee, Hazel, in a matching color as music’s big night unfolded on the wildest and wackiest red carpet of awards season. Dua Lipa went for low-cut silver while Taylor Swift

By Associated Press WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley poked fun at herself over a campaign misstep, but her primary target during a “Saturday Night Live” appearance was Donald Trump, joining in a skit that mocked a stand-in for the former president over his refusal to debate her and questioned his mental fitness. “Had

By Missouri Independent via My Courier-Tribune As climate change and groundwater pumping leave arid western states hurting for water, Missouri lawmakers are considering legislation to keep the state’s water from being shipped outside its borders. “You may hear about states like California and Kansas in the news having water shortages,” said state Sen. Jason Bean,

By Missouri Independent via My Courier-Tribune The Missouri Veterans Commission will likely receive about $19 million from marijuana sales revenue before the current fiscal year is over on July 1, Amy Moore, director of the Division of Cannabis Regulation, told a House committee this week. Next year it will be $22 million, she said, if