National News

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal Homeland Security officials were conducting a fraud investigation on Monday in Minneapolis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. The action comes after years of investigation that began with the $300 million scheme at the…

By  PHILIP MARCELO NEW YORK (AP) — When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the swipeable plastic card infused much-needed modernity into one of the world’s oldest and largest transit systems. Now, more than three decades later, the gold-hued fare…

By  MICHELLE L. PRICE and WILL WEISSERT PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details. Trump initially…

By  JAMEY KEATEN and MATTHEW LEE GENEVA (AP) — The United States on Monday announced a $2 billion pledge for U.N. humanitarian aid as President Donald Trump’s administration slashes U.S. foreign assistance and warns United Nations agencies to “adapt, shrink or die” in a time of…

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A dozen of the iconic swans that live in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida, have died in recent days of an unknown cause, leading officials to suspect that bird flu is to blame. The deaths…

By  MATTHEW BROWN A Utah judge on Monday ordered the release of transcripts from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings. State District Judge Tony Graf said the transcript must…

By  SALLY HO and CHARLOTTE KRAMON The Trump administration made work requirements for low-income people receiving government assistance a priority in 2025. The departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development have worked to usher in stricter employment conditions to receive…

By  LEAH WILLINGHAM and JEFF MARTIN A potent winter storm threatened blizzard-like conditions, treacherous travel and power outages in parts of the Upper Midwest as other areas of the country braced Monday for plunging temperatures, strong winds and a mix of snow, ice, and rain.…

By  WILL WEISSERT, SAM MEDNICK and SAMY MAGDY PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, as Washington looks to create fresh momentum for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza that could be in danger of stalling…

By  DAVE COLLINS Authorities on Monday identified two pilots who died after their helicopters collided midair in southern New Jersey. Kenneth Kirsch, 65, and Michael Greenberg, 71, were friends who both lived in New Jersey and would often have breakfast together at a…

By  ILLIA NOVIKOV KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment…

By  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are…

By  ANDREW DAMPF Mariah Carey is going to add some American pop-star pedigree to the opening ceremony for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The local organizing committee announced on Monday that the 56-year-old Carey — the “All I Want for Christmas is You” singer — is the…

By  ANNA FURMAN Creepy, zany and demonstrably fake content is often called “slop.” The word’s proliferation online, in part thanks to the widespread availability of generative artificial intelligence, landed it Merriam-Webster’s 2025 word of the year. “It’s such an illustrative word,” said…

By  MICHAEL MELIA It was one of the year’s biggest stories — the selection of the first American pope — and an Associated Press journalist was interviewing the pope’s brother at his home in suburban Chicago. Suddenly, they heard a ringing coming from…

By  JAMIE STENGLE DALLAS (AP) — From the election of Zohran Mamdani to the intrigue surrounding the jewel heist at the Louvre, keeping up with this year’s news also left some Americans struggling with pronunciations. That’s put both the name of New York City’s incoming…

By  MARIA SHERMAN New York (AP) — Much has been made about the global touring economy in the last few years. Take, for example, that tours grossing over a billion dollars is a new phenomenon in the 2020s — a benchmark…

By  LEANNE ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — With Labubus hanging from our bags, Dubai chocolate in our bellies and “6-7” ringing in our ears, it’s almost time to bid farewell to a few things that went hard in 2025. Scat. Don’t follow us into the…

By  HOLLY RAMER Even the most dedicated doomscrollers smile once in a while. Here’s a look back at some of the Associated Press stories that captured attention around the world and provided moments of brightness throughout 2025: Art and intrigue The brazen heist…

By  HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — The year in publishing saw such notable releases as the latest “Hunger Games” novel and the first book in years from Thomas Pynchon. Readers also sought life advice from Mel Robbins, campaign books by former Vice President Kamala…

By  THALIA BEATY NEW YORK (AP) — The author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott revealed $7.1 billion in donations to nonprofits in 2025 Tuesday, marking a significant increase in her annual giving from recent years. Writing in an essay on her website, Scott said, “This dollar…

By  VIRGINIA MAYO ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Getting ready for the holiday season has never been stressful for Christel Dauwe — after all, her holiday period lasts all year long in her Christmas ornament shop in the Belgian city of Antwerp. Her collecting…