Author: Associated Press

Pug who went viral on TikTok for ‘no bones day’ dies

“This is Noodle. He has been a constant source of joy for millions, by sharing his prediction for the day in the form of “bones, or no bones?” Yesterday, Noodle passed away peacefully at the age of 14.” Source: Twitter/@dog_ratesNoodle, a senior pug who went viral on TikTok for deciding whether it would be a bones day or a no…

National 988 mental health hotline back up after outage

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States’ 988 call service for helping anyone experiencing a mental health emergency is back up and running after a daylong outage. The hotline was out of service Thursday but was restored shortly before midnight and was running Friday. People experiencing a mental health crisis were still able to reach a mental health counselor by texting…

Rail strike averted: Biden signs bill enforcing agreement

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed a bill to avert a freight rail strike that he said could have plunged the U.S. into recession. Biden signed the measure Friday after it was approved Thursday by the Senate and Wednesday by the House. It binds rail companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached between the rail…

High court to rule on Biden student loan cancellation plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says the Biden administration program to cancel student loans will remain blocked for now, but the justices have agreed to take up the case in late winter. The court’s decision to hear arguments relatively quickly means it is likely to determine whether the widespread loan cancellations are legal by late June. That’s about two…

Qatar says worker deaths for World Cup ‘between 400 and 500’

Source: CNN via CNN NewsourceDOHA, Qatar (AP) — A top Qatari official involved in preparing his country’s hosting of the World Cup has put the number of worker deaths for the tournament “between 400 and 500” for the first time. That’s drastically higher than any other number previously offered by Doha. The comment by Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general of Qatar’s…

Tornadoes wrecking homes around South fueled by record highs

ideo of weather damage in Lowndes County, Mississippi. Source: CNN via CNN NewsourceWETUMPKA, Ala. (AP) — The National Weather Service says record high temperatures in Texas and Louisiana fired up the storm front that spawned tornadoes across the Deep South. The severe weather wrecked numerous homes, destroyed a fire station, ripped the roof off an apartment complex and killed two…

Kentucky AG avoids talk of more exceptions to abortion ban

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron is standing firm in his support for the state’s near-total abortion ban. The Republican on Monday refrained from commenting on whether he’d support adding exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Cameron is among the Republicans running for governor next year. He says he supports the Republican-led legislature in passing…

Europe scrambles to help Ukraine keep the heat and lights on

Fire and rescue workers attend a building hit by a missile in central Kyiv, Ukraine. Source: Emergency Service of Ukraine via CNN NewsourceKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — European countries are scrambling to help Ukraine stay warm and keep functioning through the bitter winter months. The countries pledged Friday to send more support that will mitigate the Russian military’s efforts to turn…

Colorado gay club shooting suspect held without bail

Source: Colorado Springs PD via CNN NewsourceCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The alleged shooter facing possible hate crime charges in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub has been ordered held without bail in an initial court appearance. Twenty-two-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich appeared by video from jail Wednesday and could be seen slumped over in…

Georgia high court reinstates ban on abortions after 6 weeks

(Credit: Pixabay)ATLANTA (AP) — The Georgia Supreme Court has reinstated the state’s ban on abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The high court on Wednesday put a lower court ruling overturning the ban on hold while it considers an appeal. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled on November 15 that the state’s abortion ban was invalid because…