DoorDash sees record orders and users, but losses grow
DoorDash said Thursday that it saw a record number of orders and active users in the fourth quarter as it expanded overseas and gained market share at home. The San Francisco-based delivery company said its monthly active users grew 28% to a record 34 million during the October-December period. DashPass...
USDA tells Senate panel it’s struggling to feed needy families
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Department of Agriculture official testified Thursday that some of the agency’s food programs are being overburdened in the push to feed needy families. The acknowledgment came Thursday morning as Republicans on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee repeatedly hammered the USDA over a dramatic rise...
Amid U.S. TikTok bans, a few balk at writing its name in law
TOPEKA, Kan. — Banning TikTok from government devices enjoys bipartsan support across the U.S., but a few Democratic legislators in Kansas object to expanding one imposed by their party’s governor because they don’t want a state law to target a company by name. The Republican-controlled Kansas House voted 109-12 on...
Justice Department taking over Texas attorney general corruption probe
DALLAS — Justice Department officials in Washington have taken over the corruption investigation into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, removing the case from the hands of the federal prosecutors in Texas who’d long been leading the probe. The move was disclosed in a statement by state prosecutors handling their own...
IUP, state system roiled by former student’s racist social media post
The chairwoman of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education on Thursday condemned a racist social media post made earlier this month by a former Indiana University of Pennsylvania student. The student posted the racist message in response to a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before a men’s basketball...
Crews responding to freight train derailment near DetroitVideo
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Emergency crews were on the scene of a freight train derailment Thursday near Detroit that sent several train cars off the tracks, officials said. Video from the scene of the derailment in Van Buren Township showed that numerous train cars from the Norfolk Southern train...
Vermont further extends warning after 3 ice fishermen deaths
MONTPELIER, Vt. — As the warmer weather continues, Vermont authorities on Thursday extended their warning for people to stay off the ice on Lake Champlain and to be cautious on other lakes following the recent deaths of three ice fishermen who fell through the Lake Champlain ice in two separate...
YouTube CEO steps down, severing longtime ties to Google
Susan Wojcicki, a longtime Google executive who played a key role in the company’s creation, is stepped down as YouTube’s CEO after spending the past nine years running the video site that has reshaped entertainment, culture and politics. In an email to YouTube employees that was shared publicly Thursday, the...
Biden wants ‘sharper rules’ on unknown aerial objects
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects, following three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country. The president has directed national...
West Virginia drinking water still clear of derailment toxin
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia officials have reiterated that the state’s drinking water remains safe following an Ohio train derailment that led to a toxic plume of chemicals being released. Chemicals that leaked from the derailment are being monitored as they move down the Ohio River, but they are not...
Tesla recalls ‘Full Self-Driving’ to fix flaws in behavior
DETROIT — Tesla is recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its “Full Self-Driving” system to fix problems with the way it behaves around intersections and following posted speed limits. The recall, part of a larger investigation by U.S. safety regulators into Tesla’s automated driving systems, came after regulators expressed concerns about...
Father of July 4 parade shooting suspect pleads not guilty
CHICAGO — The father of a man charged with fatally shooting seven people at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago entered a not guilty plea on Thursday to charges that he helped his son obtain a gun license three years before the attack. Robert Crimo Jr.’s not guilty...
Shapiro calls for ban of death penalty in Pennsylvania
Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Thursday he will continue Pennsylvania’s moratorium on the death penalty and will not issue any execution warrants during his term, and he is calling for the Legislature to pass a bill banning the practice altogether. Pennsylvania has not seen an execution since 1999, and only three...
Germany: Afghan brothers jailed for life for killing sister
BERLIN — A court in Germany convicted two Afghan men Thursday of killing their 34-year-old elder sister because they didn’t agree with her lifestyle. The Berlin regional court found the men, aged 28 and 24, guilty of murder for killing the mother of two in July 2021. Her body was...
Haley’s candidacy shows balancing act for women in politics
In announcing her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination this week, Nikki Haley made a subtle reference to the historic nature of her candidacy. “I don’t put up with bullies,” Haley said in a video that launched her bid to become the first female president of the U.S. “And when...
Trump election probe grand jury believes some witnesses lied
ATLANTA — A special grand jury investigating efforts by then-President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia says it believes “one or more witnesses” committed perjury and urged local prosecutors to bring charges. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should “seek appropriate indictments for...
Biden gets routine medical exam as he prepares for 2024 run
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was undergoing a routine medical checkup Thursday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, an event that is being keenly watched as the oldest president in history makes plans for an expected reelection campaign. The president arrived at Walter Reed by helicopter and entered the...
U.S. launches artificial intelligence military use initiative
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The United States launched an initiative Thursday promoting international cooperation on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons by militaries, seeking to impose order on an emerging technology that has the potential to change the way war is waged. “As a rapidly changing technology,...
Michigan State University shooter had note with possible motive
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The man who shot eight students at Michigan State University, killing three, was found with two handguns and a note containing a possible motive for the attack, police said Thursday. The 9 mm guns, dozens of rounds of ammunition and the two-page note were found with...
Russia fires another missile barrage at Ukraine, kills 1
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia again pummeled Ukraine with a barrage of cruise and other missiles on Thursday, hitting targets from east to west as the war ‘s one-year anniversary nears. One of the strikes killed a 79-year-old woman and injured at least seven other people, Ukrainian authorities said. Russian forces...
UN official warns of rising earthquake death toll in Syria
AMMAN — The United Nations regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syrian crisis said Thursday that the country’s death toll from last week’s deadly earthquake is likely to rise further as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. In an interview with The Associated Press, Muhannad Hadi defended the U.N.’s...
Group: Tesla workers fired after launching union efforts
Several employees at a Tesla gigafactory in Buffalo, N.Y., have been fired after launching union organizing efforts two days ago, according to Tesla Workers United. The group said in a statement on Thursday that workers received an email around 7 p.m. Wednesday updating them on a new policy that prohibits...
AP source: FBI searched U. of Delaware in Biden docs probe
WASHINGTON — The FBI searched the University of Delaware in recent weeks for classified documents as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of sensitive government records by President Joe Biden. The search, first reported by CNN, was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the...
Biden’s empathy shapes policy, but some voters don’t feel it
WASHINGTON — Sitting aboard Air Force One last year, President Joe Biden was scanning the newspaper and spotted a ghostly photo of a child’s swing set engulfed in raw sewage. He didn’t just sigh or shake his head. Upon landing back in Washington, he ordered longtime aide Steve Ricchetti to...
Lonely tunes: Humpback whales wail less as population grows
WASHINGTON — Those melancholy tunes sung by humpback whales may really be a sign of loneliness. Scientists who tracked humpback whales in Australia noticed that fewer whales wailed to find mates as their population grew. “Humpback whale song is loud and travels far in the ocean,” said marine biologist Rebecca...
