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News - Friday, January 23, 2026

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Demystifying money
Money Mavens helps women take control of their finances

Joanna Nash remembers a time when the simplest way for her to be heard in a financial meeting was to put on a pair of heels – not for fashion or confidence but leverage.

Early in her career, Nash learned eye level mattered. In rooms dominated by men, she made sure she could look decision-makers directly in the eye. It was a small, calculated adjustment, but it reflected a larger reality: women were present in financial conversations without being centered in them.


Money Mavens travel different paths to success

Cathie Keegan did not walk into Joanna Nash’s office looking for a job. She arrived as a client navigating family responsibility, financial planning and the question of what comes next.

For nearly a decade, Keegan had stepped away from the professional world to care for her mother. Now her mother was living in assisted care, and Keegan felt ready to return to work. She mentioned this almost in passing.


Home Builders honoree reflects, looks forward

When the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga named Nerren Pratt its 2025 Developer of the Year, the recognition reflected more than a single project or milestone. It honored a development philosophy rooted in long-term thinking, careful stewardship of land and a commitment to building neighborhoods that endure.


Judicial restraint: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should

One of the ways in which the courts reinforce public confidence in the judiciary and the rule of law is judicial restraint. Judicial restraint calls for modesty in judges’ rulings, language, temperament and official behavior. It requires the exercise of great discipline on the part of the judge.


iSustain endows work of UT graduate student

iSustain is investing in the next generation of sustainability leaders. For 2025, that investment is centered on Jesse Roman, a dual-degree MBA and chemical engineering student whose work bridges business strategy and materials science.

Based in Chattanooga, iSustain annually supports graduate business students at the University of Tennessee who plan to apply their education to real-world challenges in manufacturing, materials and supply chains. Roman has been named the latest recipient of the iSustain Sustainability Endowment, a program designed to strengthen the workforce pipeline.


Newsmakers: Baker Donelson adds Grayson as associate

Baker Donelson has added Katie Philyaw Grayson as an associate in its Chattanooga office, expanding the firm’s Advocacy Department.

Grayson focuses her practice on a variety of litigation matters, assisting clients throughout all stages of the litigation process. Before joining the firm, she served as a law clerk for Judge Curtis L. Collier of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and previously worked as a judicial intern for Judge R. David Proctor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.


News briefs: Hamilton County’s 2025 property sales top $4B

Hamilton County recorded more than $4.18 billion in property sales during 2025, along with more than $5.09 billion in mortgage loan value, according to the annual Sales & Mortgages Report from the Hamilton County Register of Deeds.

Total conveyance value generated $15.4 million in conveyance tax collected for the state on recorded property sales. Mortgage activity also remained strong, with recorded loan values totaling $5 billion and producing $5.7 million in mortgage tax revenue.


Calendar: Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration

The Jewish Cultural Center will host an author event featuring Bea Lurie, co-author of “Life Must Go On,” a book that chronicles the life of her father, a child survivor of the Holocaust, beginning Jan 27 at 5:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road, and will include a dessert reception. There is no cost to attend, though registration is requested at jewishchattanooga.org. Books will be available for purchase. During the program, Lurie will share the story of her father as portrayed in the book, which recounts his survival of six concentration camps during the Holocaust.


New tax laws for 2026 that you should know

In addition to resolutions and fresh starts, the new year ushers in several tax changes that could affect your wallet. Whether you’re saving for retirement, funding your child’s education or supporting your favorite charity, here are a few things you need to know about the tax landscape in 2026.


Women’s hoop stars open 4-week showcase

The strongest collection of talent in Athletes Unlimited Basketball history will be on display this season in Nashville as the women’s professional league kicks off its fifth championship season.

The 40-player roster features a mix of veterans and rising pros, with 20 returning players and 20 newcomers gracing the court at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. 


Could Vrabel have had the same success with Titans?

As the Tennessee Titans move into a new era with Robert Saleh as head coach, let’s pause for a moment to ponder what might have been.

Is there an alternate reality football universe in which Amy Adams Strunk doesn’t fire Mike Vrabel two years ago, and it is the Titans who are in the AFC Championship Game just one step away from the Super Bowl with only Jarrett Stidham standing in the way?


Let’s hope Saleh learned from Jets flop

If you had told Tennessee Titans fans back in October that former Jets head coach/current 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh would be hired to coach the team in 2026, the reaction probably would have been mostly positive.

Now that the process has played out with Saleh being hired late Monday night by the Titans, is that same optimism still in place?


Super duo: Patriots, Seahawks

The NFL heads to the conference championship round this weekend with two intriguing matchups, including one for the third time in the NFC where the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks settle things once and for all, at least for this season. Over in the AFC, the Denver Broncos’ hopes were dealt a severe blow with news that QB Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury in their overtime win against Buffalo.


Biggest car-shopping trends, tips for 2026

A shortage of vehicles, rising prices and high borrowing costs have made it challenging in recent years for some people to purchase a new or used vehicle. Thankfully, the automotive market is shifting in ways that could be beneficial if you’re planning to buy a vehicle in the next few months.


What to know about Greenland's role in nuclear defense and Trump's 'Golden Dome'

PARIS (AP) — In a hypothetical nuclear war involving Russia, China and the United States, the island of Greenland would be in the middle of Armageddon.

The strategic importance of the Arctic territory — under the flight paths that nuclear-armed missiles from China and Russia could take on their way to incinerating targets in the United States, and vice versa — is one of the reasons U.S. President Donald Trump has cited in his disruptive campaign to wrest control of Greenland from Denmark, alarming Greenlanders and longtime allies in Europe alike.


Former DEA agent sentenced to 5 years in prison for using badge to protect drug trafficking friends

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — In two decades of kicking in doors for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Joseph Bongiovanni often took on the risks of being the "lead breacher," meaning he was the first person into the room.

On Wednesday, he felt a familiar uncertainty awaiting sentencing for using his DEA badge to protect childhood friends who became prolific drug traffickers in Buffalo, New York.


Immigration officials allow suspect in $100M jewelry heist to self deport, avoiding trial

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal immigration authorities allowed a suspect in a $100 million jewelry heist believed to be the largest in U.S. history to deport himself to South America in December, a move that stunned and upset prosecutors who were planning to try the case and send him to prison.


Crews spread salt on roads and people stock up on batteries as a winter storm threatens the US

ATLANTA (AP) — Bags of ice-thwarting salt aren't usually a hot item at Bates Ace Hardware in Atlanta, but store manager Lewis Pane sold all 275 he had in stock in one morning as residents braced for a major storm to deliver heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain on a broad section of the U.S. in coming days.


What to know about FDA's review of new Zyn advertising proposal

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans who smoke may soon be hearing a lot more about Zyn, the flavored nicotine pouches that have generated billions in sales while going viral on social media.

The Food and Drug Administration is holding a public meeting Thursday to consider whether Philip Morris International can advertise its pouches as a less-harmful alternative for adults who currently smoke cigarettes.


Paramount extends its deadline for its Warner Bros. Discovery tender offer, again

NEW YORK (AP) — Skydance-owned Paramount is again extending the tender offer window in its $77.9 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, while doubling down on a coming proxy fight.

Warner stockholders now have until Feb. 20 to sell their shares to Paramount for $30 apiece in cash — a price that remains unchanged, giving the offer a total enterprise value of over $108 billion including debt. It marks the second extension the company has made since challenging Warner's merger agreement with Netflix last month.


As Trump talks tariffs, his Argentine ally welcomes a first shipload of Chinese EVs

ZÁRATE, Argentina (AP) — The vast field of over 5,800 electric and hybrid vehicles gleamed on the cargo deck of the BYD Changzhou, an Chinese container vessel unloading Wednesday at a river port in eastern Argentina.

In other places, such a scene would not be noteworthy. Chinese automaker BYD has sped up its exports and undercut rivals the world over, alarming Washington, upsetting Western and Japanese auto giants and unnerving local industries across Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.


Autopsy finds Cuban immigrant in ICE custody died of homicide due to asphyxia

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide.


Army orders military police to get ready for a possible Minneapolis deployment, AP source says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Army has ordered several dozen additional active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minneapolis if needed, a defense official said Wednesday, amid protests over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement crackdown.


Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge's warrant, memo says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people's homes without a judge's warrant, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press, marking a sharp reversal of longstanding guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches.


Prices ticked up in November as Americans keep spending, a key inflation measure shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge ticked up in November in the latest sign that prices remain stubbornly elevated, while consumers spent at a healthy pace.

Consumer prices rose 2.8% in November from a year earlier, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from a 2.7% annual pace in October. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices also increased 2.8% in November from a year ago, slightly higher than October's 2.7%.


Consumer spending pushes US economy up 4.4% in third quarter, fastest in two years

WASHINGTON (AP) — Powered by strong consumer spending, the U.S. economy grew at the fastest pace in two years from July through September, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its first estimate.

America's gross domestic product — the nation's output of goods and services — rose at a 4,4% annual pace in the third quarter, the Commerce Department reported Thursday, up from 3.8% in the April-June quarter and from the 4.3% growth the department initially estimated. The economy hasn't grown faster since third-quarter 2023.


US applications for jobless benefits inch up last week to a still-low 200,000

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits inched up last week but U.S. layoffs remain historically low despite signs of a softening labor market.

U.S. filings for jobless aid for the week ending Jan. 17 rose by 1,000 to 200,000, up from 199,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That's fewer than the 207,000 new applications that analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting.


Inflation fears are high. A new poll shows one group is particularly worried

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anxiety about costs and affordability is particularly high among Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians, even at a moment when economic stress is widespread, according to a new poll.

About half of Asian American and Pacific Islander adults said they wanted the government to prioritize addressing the high cost of living and inflation, according to the survey from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which was conducted in early December. In comparison, a December AP-NORC poll found that about one-third of U.S. adults overall rated inflation and financial worries as the most pressing problems.


Japan records a 5th straight yearly trade deficit

TOKYO (AP) — Japan posted a trade deficit for the fifth straight year in 2025, according to government data released Thursday, as exports were hit by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and a diplomatic rift with neighboring China.

For the full year, Japan logged a 2.65 trillion yen ($17 billion) trade deficit, the Finance Ministry reported in its preliminary data.


Trump's European threats could make it harder for future US leaders to repair ties

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barely a month into his presidency, Joe Biden had a message for Europe.

"America is back," Biden told the Munich Security Conference in 2021. "The transatlantic alliance is back."

It was a promise Biden delivered often as he sought to cast the disruptions of his predecessor, Donald Trump, as an anomaly. But nearly five years later, Biden's assurances have proven short-lived.


House moves to finish government funding as Democrats decry Homeland Security bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will look to pass this year's final tranche of spending bills on Thursday, an effort that is being complicated by Democratic lawmakers' concerns that the measure funding the Department of Homeland Security inadequately addresses President Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts.


Jack Smith testifies at a public hearing about his Trump investigations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican lawmakers are grilling former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith at a congressional hearing that's expected to focus fresh attention on two criminal investigations that shadowed Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign.


Republicans and some Democrats back contempt for the Clintons in House Epstein probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee advanced resolutions Wednesday to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress over the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, opening the prospect of the House using one of its most powerful punishments against a former president for the first time.


Saleh gets a second crack at head coaching, signs five-year contract with Titans

NASHVILLE (AP) — Robert Saleh is getting another shot at turning around a struggling franchise.

The Tennessee Titans are betting it goes better than the first.


Elizabeth Hurley describes 'monstrous' privacy invasion by Daily Mail in British media hacking case

LONDON (AP) — Elizabeth Hurley accused the publisher of the Daily Mail on Thursday of tapping her phones, putting microphones outside her windows and stealing her medical records among "other monstrous, staggering things" during testimony in a celebrity-studded privacy invasion lawsuit.


Trump sues JPMorgan for $5 billion, alleges bank closed his accounts for political reasons

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump sued banking giant JPMorgan Chase and its CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion, accusing JPMorgan of debanking him and his businesses for political reasons after he left office in January 2021.

The lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade County court in Florida, alleges that JPMorgan abruptly closed multiple accounts in February 2021 with just 60 days notice and no explanation. By doing so, Trump claims JPMorgan cut the president and his businesses off from millions of dollars, disrupted their operations and forced Trump and the businesses to urgently open bank accounts elsewhere.


Huge US winter storm to bring crippling snow, sleet and ice from Texas to Boston

ATLANTA (AP) — Bread was flying off the shelves, salt was being loaded into trucks and utility workers were nervously watching forecasts Thursday as a huge winter storm that could bring catastrophic damage, widespread power outages and bitterly cold weather was barreling toward the eastern two-thirds of the U.S.


Trump administration halts use of human fetal tissue in NIH-funded research

The Trump administration announced Thursday that human fetal tissue derived from abortions can no longer be used in research funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The policy, long urged by anti-abortion groups, expands restrictions issued during President Donald Trump's first term.


Paramount extends its deadline for its Warner Bros. tender offer, again

NEW YORK (AP) — Skydance-owned Paramount is again extending the tender offer window in its $77.9 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, while doubling down on a coming proxy fight.

Warner stockholders now have until Feb. 20 to sell their shares to Paramount for $30 apiece in cash — a price that remains unchanged, giving the offer a total enterprise value of over $108 billion including debt. It marks the second extension the company has made since challenging Warner's merger agreement with Netflix last month.


Google offers users option to plug AI mode into their photos, email for more personalized answers

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is leveraging its artificial intelligence technology to open a new peephole for its dominant search engine to tailor answers that draw upon people's interests, habits, travel itineraries and photo libraries.

The new option rolling out Thursday will give millions of people the option of turning on a recently introduced tool called "Personal Intelligence" within the AI mode that has been available on Google's search engine since last year. The technology will be first offered in the U.S. to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, as well as an option within its experimental Labs division for anyone with a personal Google account.


Federal officers detain a 5-year-old boy who a school official says was used as 'bait'

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A 5-year-old boy arriving home from preschool in Minnesota was taken by federal agents along with his father to a detention facility in Texas, school officials and the family's lawyer said, making him the fourth student from his Minneapolis suburb to be detained by immigration officers in recent weeks.


Workplace rights agency scraps anti-harassment guidance, citing Trump's orders

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal agency in charge of enforcing workplace anti-discrimination laws on Thursday voted to rescind its own guidance on how to guard against harassment at work, marking another major shift in U.S. civil rights enforcement under President Donald Trump's second administration.


Saks' bankruptcy filing creates uncertainty for iconic stores, suppliers, shoppers

NEW YORK (AP) — An appeal for bankruptcy protection filing of the operator of Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus has left the luxury department stores' suppliers with unpaid bills and caused a rift with Amazon, one of Saks Global's minority investors.


Under Armour looking into data breach affecting customers' email addresses

BALTIMORE (AP) — Clothing retailer Under Armour is investigating a recent data breach that purloined customers' email addresses and other personal information, but so far there are no signs the hackers stole any passwords or financial information.


House approves final spending bills as Democrats denounce ICE funding

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed this year's final batch of spending bills on Thursday as lawmakers, still smarting from last fall's record 43-day shutdown, worked to avoid another funding lapse for a broad swath of the federal government.

The four bills total about $1.2 trillion in spending and now move to the Senate, with final passage needed next week before a Jan. 30 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.


House holding war powers vote to direct Trump to remove troops from Venezuela

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House was voting Thursday on a resolution that directs President Donald Trump to remove U.S. military forces from Venezuela as Democrats pressed the Republican-controlled Congress to curb the president's aggression in the Western Hemisphere.


Trump administration to block foreign aid from those promoting abortion, DEI and gender identity

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is expanding its ban on U.S. foreign aid for groups supporting abortion services to include assistance going to international and domestic organizations and agencies that promote gender identity as well as diversity, equity and inclusion programs.


US sanctions Costa Rican drug network, including an aesthetic salon, for trafficking cocaine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. imposed sanctions on five Costa Ricans and five Costa Rican entities for allegedly helping to transport tons of cocaine from Colombia, storing the drugs in Costa Rica, then shipping them to the U.S. and Europe.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control alleges that Costa Rican national Luis Manuel Picado Grijalba, sanctioned Thursday, is the leader of the network and one of the most prolific international drug dealers in the Caribbean, along with his brother Jordie Kevin Picado Grijalba.


Smith defends his Trump investigations at a House hearing. 'No one should be above the law,' he says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith defended his investigations of President Donald Trump at a congressional hearing Thursday in which he insisted that he had acted without regard to politics and had no second thoughts about the criminal charges he brought.


Stamkos breaks late tie with 3rd goal of game, Predators rally to beat Senators 5-3

NASHVILLE (AP) — Steven Stamkos broke a tie with 2:13 left with his third goal of the game and the Nashville Predators overcame a three-goal deficit to beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Thursday night.

After Stamkos tied it at 3 with 9:53 left with his second power-play goal of the game, Ryan O'Reilly beat the Senators to the puck behind the goal line and popped it out front to Stamkos, who batted it out of the air past goalie James Reimer.


More than half the US threatened with ice, snow and cold in massive winter storm

DALLAS (AP) — It was too cold for school in Chicago and other Midwestern cities Friday as a huge, dayslong winter storm began to crank up that could bring snow, sleet, ice and bone-chilling temperatures as well as extensive power outages to about half the U.S. population from Texas to New England.


Blakes scores 20, No. 5 Vanderbilt moves to 20-0 in win over Auburn

NASHVILLE (AP) — Mikayla Blakes scored 20 points for her 15th 20-plus point performance of the season as No. 5 Vanderbilt remained undefeated with an 81-53 win over Auburn on Thursday night.

The Commodores (20-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) are one of five NCAA Division I basketball teams still undefeated, alongside the No. 1 UConn women, the No. 1 Arizona men, the No. 7 Nebraska men, and the No. 25 Miami (Ohio) men.


Pauldo's 21 points lead No. 17 Lady Vols over No. 11 Kentucky 60-58

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Mia Pauldo scored 21 points and No. 17 Tennessee beat No. 11 Kentucky 60-58 on Thursday night for its seventh victory in a row.

Pauldo, who hit the 20-point mark for the second time this season, shot 9 of 22 from the field and 2 of 11 from beyond the arc for the Lady Vols (14-3, 6-0 Southeastern Conference).


In the case of the Federal Reserve, Supreme Court appears to carve out a murky exception

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court for the past year has repeatedly allowed President Donald Trump to fire heads of independent agencies, but it appears to be drawing a line with the Federal Reserve.

The court has signaled for months that it sees the Fed in a different light. It has said that the president can fire directors of other agencies for any reason, but can remove Fed governors only "for cause," which is often interpreted to mean neglect of duty or malfeasance.


Pentagon contractor indicted in leak case tied to search of Washington Post reporter's home

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pentagon contractor was indicted Thursday on charges that he illegally removed and shared classified national defense information with a journalist, a case that has drawn national attention after federal agents searched a reporter's home as part of the investigation.


Judge warns Trump administration from changing plaintiffs immigration status in First Amendment case

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the academics, who are party to a lawsuit alleging U.S. policy singles out noncitizens for detention or deportation over their pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses, can seek relief from the court if their immigration status is changed as retribution for taking part in the case.


US completes withdrawal from World Health Organization

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. has finalized its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, one year after President Donald Trump announced America was ending its 78-year-old commitment, federal officials said Thursday.

But it's hardly a clean break.


Immigrants often don't open the door to ICE, but that may no longer stop officers

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Since coming to the United States 30 years ago from Mexico, Fernando Perez said U.S. immigration officers have stopped by his home numerous times, but he has never once answered the door.

"There are rules and I know them," said Perez, speaking in a mix of English and Spanish in a Home Depot parking lot where he has routinely sought work as a day laborer from contractors and people renovating their homes.


Economic leaders at Davos say global growth is resilient despite disruption from Trump

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Leading global economic policymakers at the World Economic Forum in Davos urged countries and businesses to filter out the turmoil from a week of clashes with the Trump administration and focus on boosting growth and fighting inequality in a world where trade will continue to flow and international cooperation is still badly needed.


Trump steals the show in Davos with a mixed bag of rhetoric and results at elite gathering

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump took center stage in his whirlwind visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, overshadowing the yearly gabfest among national leaders, executives and other elites in the Swiss Alpine snows.


EU Commission indicates it's ready to implement Mercosur trade deal despite parliament vote to delay

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Union is willing to implement a sweeping free trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries on a provisional basis, the head of the EU's executive commission said Friday, despite a vote by the EU parliament to delay ratification for legal review.


2028 Olympics could bring big wins for Los Angeles labor unions

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As Los Angeles ramps up for the 2028 Olympics, local unions are drawing inspiration from the Paris Games when hotel workers went on strike a day before opening ceremonies.

The French workers waved signs at the five-star hotel where members of the International Olympic Committee were staying, threatening "No Olympics!" if their demands were not met. A slew of labor union strikes surrounding those Games netted gains from higher salaries to better retirement benefits.


UK's Starmer urges Trump to apologize for 'insulting and frankly appalling' NATO remark

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to apologize for his false assertion that troops from NATO countries — other than Americans — stayed away from the front line during the war in Afghanistan.

Trump said that he wasn't sure NATO would be there to support the United States if and when requested, provoking outrage and distress among many in the United Kingdom on Friday.


Takeaways from Jack Smith on his case against Trump, 'so many witnesses' and the threats ahead

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former special counsel Jack Smith testified Thursday about his investigation of President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, detailing how the defeated president "sought to prey" on his supporters and "looked for ways to stay in power," culminating in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.


House Republicans barely defeat Venezuela war powers resolution to check Trump's military actions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House rejected a Democratic-backed resolution Thursday that would have prevented President Donald Trump from sending U.S. military forces to Venezuela after a tied vote on the legislation fell just short of the majority needed for passage.


No. 17 Alabama plans to play 7-footer Charles Bediako, who turned pro in 2023, against Tennessee

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Charles Bediako will play against Tennessee on Saturday, Alabama coach Nate Oats said Friday, even while calling the NCAA system that allowed professional players to return to college "broken."

"We are planning to play him," Oats said. "He's eligible to play. We're going to follow the court orders."


NCAA approves uniform patches, opening up revenue possibilities for athletic departments

The NCAA unearthed another revenue stream Friday when Division I leaders approved patches for uniforms in a move that could generate millions to fund athletic departments that are looking for new ways to pay players.

Beginning Aug. 1, Division I teams can place up to two patches of no more than 4 square inches on uniforms for regular-season games. Those are in addition to the logos already allowed for the uniform manufacturers.


What to know about the deal to keep TikTok in US

TikTok has at last finalized a deal to keep the popular video sharing platform operating in the U.S. after years of uncertainty, but questions remain about whether users' experience will change and whether the changes actually address security concerns around the app.


US hits 9 tankers with sanctions over Iranian oil during protest crackdown and internet shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on a fleet of nine ships and their owners accused of transporting hundreds of millions of dollars in forbidden Iranian oil to foreign markets.

The sanctions are being imposed because of Iran's "shutdown of internet access to conceal its abuses" against its citizens during its crackdown on nationwide protests, the U.S. Treasury Department said. They "target a critical component of how Iran generates the funds used to repress its own people," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.


Latson, Johnson lead No. 2 Gamecocks to 103-74 win, ending 'Dores perfect start

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ta'Niya Latson scored 21 points, Tessa Johnson added 20 and No. 2 South Carolina ended No. 5 Vanderbilt's unbeaten start to the season with a 103-74 victory on Sunday.

The Commodores had won a school record 20 straight games to start the season, but had no answer for South Carolina, which has won 19 straight over Vanderbilt.


Giants are hiring Dennard Wilson as defensive coordinator, AP source says

NEW YORK (AP) — In new coach John Harbaugh's first significant addition since taking over, the New York Giants are hiring Dennard Wilson to be their defensive coordinator, according to a person with knowledge of the move.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the hire had not been announced.


Judge set to hear arguments on Minnesota's immigration crackdown after fatal shootings

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge will hear arguments Monday on whether she should at least temporarily halt the immigration crackdown in Minnesota that has led to the fatal shootings of two people by government officers.

The state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul sued the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month, five days after Renee Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs officer. Saturday's shooting by a Border Patrol officer of Alex Pretti has only added urgency to the case.


Toyota recalls 162,000 trucks over faulty screens

NEW YORK (AP) — Toyota announced Friday it would recall about 162,000 pickup trucks in the United States after it was discovered that the vehicles' multimedia displays could compromise driver safety.

The recall affects the company's model year 2024-2025 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid line of trucks. Affected customers are currently being notified, according to a statement from Toyota.


European Union opens investigation into Musk's AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes

LONDON (AP) — The European Union opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X on Monday after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok started spewing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform.

European regulators also widened a separate, ongoing investigation into X's recommendation systems after the platform said it would switch to Grok's AI system to choose which posts users see.


Trump says US used secret weapon to disable Venezuelan equipment in Maduro raid

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said the U.S. used a secret weapon he called "The Discombobulator" to disable Venezuelan equipment when the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro. Trump also renewed his threat to conduct military strikes on land against drug cartels, including in Mexico.


Minnesota CEOs issue joint letter urging de-escalation in Minnesota after shooting

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies including Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth signed an open letter posted on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website on Sunday calling for state, local and federal officials to work together, as businesses grapple with how to address tensions in the state and across the country following two fatal shootings by federal agents amid a massive immigration enforcement operation that has spurred protests.


Republican calls are growing for a deeper investigation into the fatal Minneapolis shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — A growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics in Minnesota after a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, a sign that the Trump administration's accounting of events may face bipartisan scrutiny.


Democrats vow to oppose homeland security funds after Minnesota shooting as shutdown risk grows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic senators are vowing to oppose a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security following the shooting death of a 37-year-old Minnesota man, a stand that increases the prospect of a partial government shutdown by the end of the week.


Moderate Sen. Jacky Rosen urges Noem's impeachment as Dem fury grows over Minneapolis shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen is calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying that she believes Noem is attempting to "mislead the American public" about the fatal shooting of a 37 year-old protester in Minneapolis.


Trump threatens Canada with a 100% tariff over its China trade deal and escalates feud with Carney

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if America's northern neighbor went ahead with its China trade deal, intensifying a feud with Prime Minister Mark Carney, a rising voice in the West's pushback to Trump's new world order.


Trump, unbowed by backlash to Minneapolis shooting, blames Democrats for 'chaos'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester by a federal immigration officer touched off a fierce national debate and prompted some fellow Republicans to question President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration crackdown, but the president on Sunday night continued to blame Democratic officials.


Longtime DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is ending her reelection campaign for Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eleanor Holmes Norton, the 18-term delegate for the District of Columbia in Congress and a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, has filed paperwork to end her campaign for reelection, likely closing out a decades-long career in public service.


At least 25 deaths reported from colossal winter storm

More snow piled up across the U.S. Northeast on Monday under the tail end of a colossal winter storm that brought lingering misery to parts of the South, where freezing rain left hundreds of thousands shivering without electricity. At least 25 deaths were reported amid the severe weather.


A Minnesota nurse is the 6th person to die during the US immigration crackdown

At least six people have died during the Trump administration's intense immigration enforcement campaign in the U.S., the latest being a 37-year-old man who was shot by a Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis.

Federal authorities immediately described Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, as an armed agitator who was a threat to immigration officers. But videos showed Pretti's hands were only holding a phone when a masked Border Patrol officer opened fire on Jan. 24.


Paralyzing winter storms put a big chill on US economy, but how much?

HOUSTON (AP) — The deadly and widespread winter storm paralyzing much of the American East with ice, snow and cold is also taking a multi-billion dollar bite out of the U.S. economy, experts figure.

But how much? Economists and meteorologists are trying to get a handle on the disruption costs of winter weather disasters, which aren't as easy to calculate as buildings destroyed by hurricanes, floods and fires.


US Treasury Department ends contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton after Trump tax leak

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department has cut its contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, after a former contractor who worked for the firm was charged and subsequently imprisoned for leaking tax information to news outlets about thousands of the country's wealthiest people, including President Donald Trump.


Half a million Americans are without power after a deadly winter storm. Here are the numbers

KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) — As a deadly storm that brought crippling ice to the South and deep snow to the Northeast finally swirled out to sea, it represented a light at the end of the tunnel for some.

However, roughly half a million Americans were still without power or heat, and temperatures were forecast to fall well below freezing Tuesday evening in areas where the massive ice storm did its worst damage.


Judge orders ICE chief to appear in court to explain why detainees have been denied due process

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — The chief federal judge in Minnesota says the Trump administration has failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants and ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldn't be held in contempt.


EU steps in to make sure Google gives rivals access to AI services and data

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union said Tuesday it's stepping in to make sure Google gives rival AI companies and search engines access to Gemini AI services and data as required by the bloc's flagship digital rulebook.

The executive arm of the 27-nation bloc said it was opening up so-called " specification proceedings " to ensure that Google complies with the sweeping Digital Markets Act, which requires Big Tech companies to give smaller players equal access to hardware and software features.


USA Today Co., owner of the Detroit Free Press, says it will purchase The Detroit News

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — USA Today Co., which owns the Detroit Free Press, said Monday that it plans to acquire The Detroit News and bring both major metropolitan newspapers under its banner.


Trump's about-face in Minnesota after Pretti's death is latest in pattern of sudden shifts

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump shifted toward a more conciliatory approach with Democratic leaders in Minnesota on Monday, a sudden change in tack following an outcry over the second fatal shooting by federal agents in the state this month during the administration's nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants.


Trump administration's trust and credibility tested in wake of Pretti's death in Minneapolis

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Bill Cassidy didn't simply criticize the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Following the killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol officer, the Louisiana Republican warned of broader implications for the federal government.


The shootings in Minneapolis are upending the politics of immigration in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — The shooting deaths of two American citizens during the Trump administration's deportation operations in Minneapolis have upended the politics of immigration in Congress, plunging the country toward another government shutdown.

Democrats have awakened to what they see as a moral moment for the country, refusing funds for the Department of Homeland Security's military-style immigration enforcement operations unless there are new restraints. Two former presidents, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, have broken from retirement to speak out.


What we know about the investigations into the Minneapolis shooting death of Alex Pretti

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fatal shooting over the weekend of a Minneapolis man has prompted calls for a thorough independent investigation into the second death at the hands of federal immigration officers since the Trump administration began its large-scale operation in the city late last year.


Americans' confidence in the U.S. economy falls sharply in January to lowest level since 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence declined sharply in January, hitting the lowest level since 2014 as Americans grow increasingly concerned about their financial prospects.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index cratered 9.7 points to 84.5 in January, falling below even the lowest readings during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Trump's immigration crackdown led to drop in US growth rate last year as population hit 342 million

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration contributed to a year-to-year drop in the nation's growth rate as the U.S. population reached nealry 342 million people in 2025, according to population estimates released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.


India and EU clinch the 'mother of all deals' in a historic free trade agreement

NEW DELHI (AP) — India and the European Union reached a free trade agreement to deepen economic and strategic ties, officials said Tuesday, after nearly two decades of negotiations.

The accord, which the head of the EU's executive branch described as the "mother of all deals," could affect as many as 2 billion people. It will likely take several months before the agreement takes effect.


Carney calls Trump's tariff threats bluster ahead of US-Canada free trade talks

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday some of U.S. President Donald Trump's threats should be viewed as prepositioning ahead of negotiations to renew the free trade pact between the two large trading partners.


Top US trading partners pledged to invest $5 trillion in America. These researchers have doubts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has strong-armed many of America's biggest trading partners into pledging trillions of dollars of investment in the United States. But a study out Tuesday raises doubts about whether the money will actually materialize and questions how it would be spent if it did.


Amazon to close Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh to concentrate on Whole Foods and grocery delivery

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon said it's closing all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations, as the online behemoth focuses on its grocery delivery, Whole Foods Market and a new "supersized" store concept.

The Seattle-based online retailer said Tuesday in a blog post that it plans to convert some of those soon-to-be shuttered locations into Whole Foods Market stores. The company operates 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go stores.


Carney rolls his eyes at US Treasury secretary, telling Trump he meant what he said at Davos

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday he told U.S. President Donald Trump that he meant what he said in his speech at Davos, and told him Canada plans to diversify away from the United States with a dozen new trade deals.


Trump visits Iowa trying to focus on affordability during fallout over nurse's Minneapolis shooting

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump is headed to Iowa on Tuesday as part of the White House's midterm year pivot toward affordability, even as his administration remains mired in the fallout in Minneapolis over a second fatal shooting by federal immigration officers this month.