Ice storms and blizzards pummel the central U.S. a day after Christmas
MINNEAPOLIS — From an ice storm in North Dakota that sealed windows shut to blizzard conditions in Colorado causing hundreds of airport delays and cancellations, a winter storm pummeled much of the central United States on Tuesday, the day after Christmas.
Trump banned from Colorado ballot
DENVER — A divided Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, setting up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to decide whether the front-runner for the GOP nomination can remain in the race.
Trump defends comments about immigrants
WATERLOO, Iowa — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his comments about migrants crossing the southern border “poisoning the blood” of America, and he reinforced the message while denying any similarities to fascist writings others had noted.
Senate swiftly confirms top military brass
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate unanimously confirmed 11 top-ranking military officers late Tuesday, ending a months-long blockade staged by a single Republican, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.
Immigration fuels uptick in U.S. population growth
ORLANDO, Fla. — The number of immigrants to the U.S. jumped to the highest level in two decades this year, driving the nation’s overall population growth, according to estimates released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Judge orders release of people in Epstein documents
NEW YORK — A federal judge has ordered the public disclosure of the identities of more than 150 people mentioned in a mountain of court documents related to the late-financier Jeffrey Epstein, saying that most of the names were already public and that many had not objected to the release.
Israeli airstrikes kill dozens across the Gaza Strip
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli army has raided and detained staff at two of the last functioning hospitals in Gaza’s north, where the defense minister said Tuesday that troops were working to completely clear out Hamas militants.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine will get more U.S. support
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday he’s certain the United States will make good on its promise to provide billions of dollars in further aid for Kyiv to continue its fight against Russia, and he bluntly replied “No,” to a question about whether his country might lose the war.
North Korea clash with U.S., allies over missile launch
UNITED NATIONS — North Korea and Russia clashed with the United States, South Korea and their allies at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday on Pyongyang’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, which it called “a warning counter-measure” to threats from the U.S. and other hostile forces.
An earthquake in China kills at least 131
BEIJING — A strong overnight earthquake rattled a mountainous region of northwestern China, authorities said Tuesday, reducing homes to rubble, leaving residents outside in a below-freezing winter night and killing 131 people in the nation’s deadliest quake in nine years.
Icelandic volcano erupts, spews magma
GRINDAVIK, Iceland — A volcano has erupted in southwestern Iceland, sending a flash of light into the evening sky and spewing semi-molten rock into the air in a spectacular show of the Earth’s power in the land known for fire and ice.
Biden’s push for Ukraine aid stalls in Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden’s push to have Congress replenish wartime aid for Ukraine as part of a deal on border and immigration policy changes will almost certainly drag into next year.
Some fake electors have roles in how 2024 race is run
VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. — Nearly two years after he signed documents attempting to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in Nevada, Jim Hindle thanked everyone gathered in a historic Nevada boomtown’s commission chambers and asked them to bear with him while he learned how to oversee elections in rural Storey County.
Judge criticizes Trump’s witness in fraud lawsuit
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump has lost his latest bid to end the business fraud lawsuit he faces in New York as he campaigns to reclaim the White House.
Victims ask for court order barring Giuliani from repeating lies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against Rudy Giuliani asked Monday for a court order barring him from continuing to repeat the lies he spread about them following the 2020 election.
Deadly storm batters Northeastern U.S.
PORTLAND, Maine — A storm barreled into the Northeastern U.S. on Monday, flooding roads and downing trees, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, forcing flight cancellations and school closures, and killing at least four people.
U.S. envoys work for new hostage release deal
TEL AVIV, Israel — The head of the CIA jetted to Europe for talks with Israeli and Qatari officials Monday, sounding out the potential for a deal on a new cease-fire and the release of hostages in Gaza, as the U.S. defense secretary spoke to Israeli military leaders about scaling back major combat operations against Hamas.
North Korea’s Kim threatens ‘more offensive actions’
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened “more offensive actions” to repel what he called increasing U.S.-led military threats after he supervised the third test of his country’s most advanced missile designed to strike the mainland U.S., state media reported Tuesday.
Earthquake in China kills at least 111 people
BEIJING — At least 111 people were killed in a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in a cold and mountainous region in northwestern China, the country’s state media reported on Tuesday.
Pope approves blessings for same-sex couples
ROME — Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced Monday, a radical shift in policy that aimed at making the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage.