AP

By Associated Press ST. LOUIS — A judge declined Thursday to vacate the conviction and death sentence of Marcellus Williams, a Missouri man scheduled for execution later this month in the stabbing death of a woman in 1998, despite questions about DNA evidence on the knife used in the attack. St. Louis County Circuit Judge

By Associated Press LOS ANGELES — As wildfires raging in the mountains cast an orange glow behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline, Southern California residents were jolted awake Thursday by another reminder of Mother Nature’s might. It was an all-too-familiar feeling for locals when a 4.7 magnitude earthquake rattled the Los Angeles area, unleashing boulders

By Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine — Russia has launched a counteroffensive in its Kursk region to dislodge Ukraine’s forces who stormed across the border five weeks ago and put Russian territory under foreign occupation for the first time since World War II, Ukraine’s president said Thursday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that Moscow’s forces had recaptured

By Associated Press WASHINGTON — Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday he will not allow the Justice Department “to be used as a political weapon,” as he denounced “conspiracy theories and “dangerous falsehoods” targeting federal law enforcement. Speaking to U.S. attorneys gathered in Washington and other Justice Department members, Garland forcefully defended the department’s integrity

By Associated Press Donald Trump on Thursday ruled out another presidential debate against Kamala Harris as her campaign announced a massive fundraising haul in the hours after the two candidates met on stage. Trump, the Republican nominee, posted on Truth Social that “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” following Tuesday’s debate against Harris and his

By Associated Press WARSAW — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland on Thursday after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia. Blinken traveled to Warsaw after spending a day in Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during

By Associated Press MORGAN CITY, La. — Francine weakened Thursday after striking Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of utility customers, sent storm surge rushing into coastal communities and raised flooding fears in New Orleans and beyond. As the system moved inland, crews began clearing roads and

By Associated Press WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making a beeline for swing states that they hope to flip in their favor this year, both of them trying to expand their narrow paths to victory in a closely fought presidential campaign. Harris has her sights set on North

By Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs are accustomed to playing each other late in the season, when the stakes are at their highest — like an AFC championship, for instance, and along with it a spot in the Super Bowl. The rivals have met five times since

By Associated Press COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz does not have fond memories of the last time his team faced Boston College. It was three years ago, and the second-year Tigers coach was not exactly thrilled by the idea of playing in the Northeast, where Missouri has little recruiting base or fan support.

By Associated Press CAPE TOWN, South Africa | When it comes to the niche business of moving elephants, Dr. Amir Khalil and his team might be the best. The Egyptian veterinarian’s résumé includes possibly the most famous elephant relocation on the planet. In 2020, Khalil’s team saved Kaavan, an Asian elephant, from years of loneliness

By Metro Creative Seafood can be a healthy addition to anyone’s diet, and there are plenty of ways to cook fish. Seafood is often made even more delicious with the right accoutrements such as a tasty dipping sauce. Tartar sauce long has been the peanut butter to seafood’s jelly. Seafood and tartar sauce is a

By Associated Press NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a game-ending infield single with one out in the 11th inning and the New York Yankees outlasted the Kansas City Royals for a 4-3 victory Wednesday night. Juan Soto launched a go-ahead homer in the sixth for the Yankees, who increased their AL East lead

By Associated Press MEXICO CITY | Mexico’s Senate voted early Wednesday to overhaul the country’s judiciary, clearing the biggest hurdle for a controversial constitutional revision that will make all judges stand for election, a change that critics fear will politicize the judicial branch and threaten Mexico’s democracy. The approval came in two votes after hundreds

By Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea | North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Thursday, South Korea’s military said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to put his nuclear force fully ready for battle with its rivals. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the missiles

By Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine — The United States and Britain pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine on Wednesday during a visit to Kyiv by their top diplomats as Ukrainian officials renewed their pleas to use Western-provided missiles against targets deeper inside Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced more than

By Associated Press WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. — Three major wildfires in Southern California’s mountains east of Los Angeles torched dozens of homes and forced thousands of people to flee their towns, officials said Wednesday. At least a dozen people, mainly firefighters, were treated for injuries that were mostly heat-related, authorities said. One person from Orange County

By Associated Press WASHINGTON — Donald Trump emerged Wednesday from a rocky debate against Kamala Harris looking to regain his footing with 55 days until Election Day, the first ballots already going out in Alabama and other states on the cusp of early voting. Not even three months ago, Trump stepped off the debate stage