AP-Newswatch

Details emerge about suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — Court records show New York prosecutors have charged a man with murder in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO. Luigi Nicholas Mangione is being held without bail Tuesday in Pennsylvania after he was arrested and arraigned on gun, forgery and other charges the day before. He is expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether the 26-year-old Mangione has an attorney who can comment on his behalf. Authorities say he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a McDonald’s customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in security-camera photos that New York police had publicized.

Thousands scour Syria’s most horrific prison but find no sign of their loved ones

SAYDNAYA, Syria (AP) — Tens of thousands came to Saydnaya Prison from all over Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Assad to search for their loved ones. The place so notorious for its horrors was long known as “the slaughterhouse.” But after looking for signs of loved ones who disappeared years or even decades ago into the secretive, sprawling prison just outside Damascus, most were left only with despair. People opened the heavy iron doors lining the hallways on Monday to find cells inside empty. Insurgents freed dozens of people from Saydnaya on Sunday when Damascus fell. But since then, almost no one has been found.

Middle East latest: Israel bombs sites in Syria as Netanyahu testifies in his corruption trial

Israeli warplanes pounded military sites in Syria after Israeli troops seized a border buffer zone following the collapse of President Bashar Assad’s rule. Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus. Israeli troops on Sunday entered the buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war and the military said it would deploy in “several other places necessary” to defend the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile testified in his long-running corruption trial. The testimony is another low point for Israel’s longest-serving leader, who also faces an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Israel’s war in Gaza.

South Korea’s ex-defense minister is formally arrested over brief imposition of martial law

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s previous defense minister has been formally arrested over his alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol and others in imposing martial law last week. Kim Yong Hyun resigned last week and has been detained since Sunday. He is the first person arrested in the case. Prosecutors have up to 20 days to determine whether to indict him. A conviction on the charge of playing a key role in rebellion carries the maximum death sentence. Kim is accused of recommending martial law to Yoon and sending troops to the National Assembly to block lawmakers from voting on it.

US health panel adds self-testing option for cervical cancer screening

A U.S. health panel says women should have the option of taking their own test samples for cervical cancer screening. The draft recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued Tuesday are aimed at getting more people screened for cervical cancer. Women in their 20s should still get a Pap test every three years. But after that — from age 30 to 65 — women can get an HPV test every five years. And those HPV tests can be done using samples collected by the patient herself in a mobile clinic or medical office. Studies show women and doctors collect samples with similar accuracy.

The Onion’s bid for Infowars is still in court as judge reviews auction

The Onion’s bid to buy conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars is back in a Texas courtroom. A bankruptcy judge scrutinizing the bid was expected to hear a second day of testimony Tuesday. It’s not clear how quickly U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston will decide whether to approve the sale. The Onion wants to turn Infowars’ website and social media accounts into parodies. It offered $1.75 million for Infowars’ assets in the auction. Jones did not attend the start of the key hearing and instead continued to broadcast from his studios in Austin.

Israel’s Netanyahu vows to challenge ‘absurd’ corruption charges as he takes the stand in his trial

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to knock down the corruption charges against him as he took the stand in his long-running trial. The testimony Tuesday set off what’s expected to be a weekslong spectacle that will draw unwelcome attention to Netanyahu’s legal woes as he faces an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and the fighting in Gaza continues. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. He is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of cigars and champagne and exchanging favors with wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies wrongdoing, saying the charges are a witch hunt.

Michigan Democrats look toward a future that some hope includes Pete Buttigieg

MONROE, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Democrats are charting their path forward after significant setbacks in the 2024 election. Come January, they will lose control of the state House, and their leading contender to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2026 announced an independent gubernatorial bid last week. Some Democrats in the state are hoping Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will enter the race when his role in the Biden administration ends next month. Buttigieg moved to Michigan in recent years and while he has been taking calls about the potential run, he says he will make no decision until after his role finishes on Jan. 20.

Still rockin’: As a singer turns 80, the Christmas song she sang as a teen is a holiday staple

NEW YORK (AP) — Brenda Lee’s memories of recording “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” are a little hazy now. But that’s to be expected, since she was 13-years-old when it was made in 1958 and this month is celebrating her 80th birthday. The song has lived a remarkable life, and even unseated Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” at the top of the Billboard charts last year. Experts say the way it evokes a simpler time at the “Christmas party hop” is a key to its success. The song achieves the neat trick of sounding retro without being dated.

Chinese gold mining threatens a protected UN heritage site in Congo

OKAPI WILDLIFE RESERVE, Congo (AP) — For eight years a Chinese mining company has been vastly expanding inside an endangered World Heritage Site, accused by locals and conservationists of decimating the environment. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve became a protected site in 1996, due to its unique biodiversity and large number of threatened species. The original boundaries of the reserve were established three decades ago, by Congo’s government and encompassed the area where the Chinese company now mines. But over the years under opaque circumstances, the boundaries shrunk, allowing the company to operate inside the plush forest. Rights groups in Congo are calling on the government to revoke the Chinese permits saying they were illegally awarded by the mining ministry based on inaccurate maps.