By ANDREW DeMILLO and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — As U.S. regulators weigh giving the final stamp of approval for certain COVID-19 vaccines, governors in states hard hit b…
FirstEnergy to pay $230M in agreement in Ohio bribery case
By MARK GILLISPIE, JULIE CARR SMYTH and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press CINCINNATI (AP) — The energy giant at the center of a $60 million bribery scheme in Ohio admitted Thursday to using dark money g…
What is a COVID-19 vaccine ‘breakthrough’ case?
By CANDICE CHOI Associated Press What is a COVID-19 vaccine “breakthrough” case? It’s when a fully vaccinated person gets infected with the coronavirus. A small number of such cases are expected and h…
EXPLAINER: What’s the history of the Olympics protest rule?
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer TOKYO (AP) — The simple act of taking a knee felt like something more monumental when it happened on Olympic soccer pitches in Japan on the opening night of action. P…
Vaccinations rise in some states with soaring infections
By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and RICHARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press Vaccinations are beginning to rise in some states where COVID-19 cases are soaring, White House officials said Thursday in a sign…
US churches reckon with traumatic legacy of Native schools
By PETER SMITH Associated Press The discoveries of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential schools for Indigenous children in Canada have prompted renewed calls for a reckoning over the trau…
GOP’s vaccine push comes with strong words, few actions
By JILL COLVIN and BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican politicians are under increasing pressure to speak out to persuade COVID-19 vaccine skeptics to roll up their sleeves an…
Pelosi says ‘deadly serious’ Jan. 6 probe to go without GOP
By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Unfazed by Republican threats of a boycott, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared Thursday that a congressional committee investigating the Jan.…
AP-NORC poll: Parties split on some infrastructure proposals
By JOSH BOAK and HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The overwhelming majority of Americans — about 8 in 10 — favor plans to increase funding for roads, bridges and ports a…
TAKEAWAYS: Ex-utility regulator had outsized role in scheme
By MARK GILLISPIE Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — A statement of facts included with FirstEnergy’s deferred prosecution agreement announced Thursday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cinc…