AP-Newswatch

A freed Israeli hostage relives horrors of captivity and fears for her husband, still held in Gaza

KIBBUTZ NIR OZ, Israel (AP) — It’s been weeks since Sharon Alony Cunio and her twin 3-year-old girls were released from Gaza, where they were taken hostage from the Nir Oz farming village. Her husband, David, remains in captivity as Israel advances with its military offensive in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas cross-border attack. In an interview with The Associated Press, Sharon says it’s agonizing that her husband is kilometers away but out of reach. Days spin by, punctuated by reports that other hostages have died in captivity. Sharon and other freed hostages have increasingly spoken out about the conditions they endured. They hope to pressure the government into reaching another deal to free more hostages. David Cunio is among scores believed to be alive in Gaza.

Why ‘viability’ is dividing the abortion rights movement

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A divide between abortion-rights activists over whether to include restrictions regarding the viability of the fetus on planned state ballot measures is roiling the movement. Advocates say the fight has resurfaced long-brewing ruptures among reproductive rights advocates, especially in Republican-leaning or closely divided states where some worry that failing to include such limits will sink their chances of passing abortion protections. The conflict has been especially divisive in Missouri, where conflicting strategies are complicating efforts to push ahead with a ballot measure in a state with one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans.

Nikki Haley says she won’t debate Ron DeSantis in New Hampshire unless Donald Trump participates

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Nikki Haley says she won’t participate in the next Republican presidential debate unless former President Donald Trump takes part in it, leaving Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the only candidate committed to Thursday’s event. Her comment on Tuesday came a day after the all-important Iowa caucuses, in which Trump marked a wide margin of victory over both Haley and DeSantis. Haley tried to make her electoral argument more about Trump than DeSantis. She repeatedly echoed her refrain that her candidacy marks a turnabout from the “chaos” that follows the GOP front-runner. The move could also be a result of the last debate which featured only Haley and DeSantis. Haley didn’t perform as well as expected and DeSantis ultimately ended up beating her for second place in Iowa.

Donald Trump scowls as jury is picked to decide how much he owes for denying sex assault

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of nine people has been selected in New York in former President Donald Trump’s defamation trial. It’s the monetary penalty phase of a civil trial stemming from columnist E. Jean Carroll’s claim that he sexually abused her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. Trump, sitting at the defense table, shook his head in disgust Tuesday as the judge told prospective jurors that another jury had already decided the former president was guilty of the abuse. This defamation trial is only to set a penalty, if any, for comments Trump made about Carroll while he was president.

New York City, Philadelphia finally get notable snow while other parts of the US get a deep shiver

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Major cities on the U.S. East Coast have broken a snow drought of sorts. Meanwhile, other parts of the country were struggling Tuesday with perilously low temperatures that closed schools, cut power and likely contributed to cold exposure deaths. New York City’s Central Park has recorded more than an inch of snow in a single day for the first time since 2022. The National Weather Service says Philadelphia’s 715-day streak without a similar amount has ended, too. More than 100,000 U.S. homes and businesses are without power, most of them in Oregon, Texas and Louisiana, after widespread outages that started over the weekend.

Lawmakers announce bipartisan effort to enhance child tax credit, revive tax breaks for businesses

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairmen of the top tax policy committees in Congress have announced a bipartisan agreement to enhance the child tax credit and revive a variety of tax breaks for businesses. The combination is designed to attract support from lawmakers of both political parties. Announced on Tuesday, supporters are hoping to pass the measure in time for the current tax filing season attached to other must-pass bills, but leadership in both chambers would have to go along. The roughly $78 billion package would be paid for by more quickly ending a tax break Congress approved during the COVID-19 pandemic that encouraged businesses to keep employees on their payroll.

The US strikes the Yemen-based Houthis again, hitting anti-ship missiles, US officials say

JERUSALEM (AP) — The U.S. military says it has launched another strike against Yemen-based Houthis, hitting four anti-ship missiles in the third recent assault on the Iranian-backed group. Tuesday’s strike came as the Iranian-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile attack that hit the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Zografia in the Red Sea. No one was injured. The Greek Shipping and Island Policy Ministry says the vessel had been heading north to the Suez Canal when it was attacked. This latest exchange suggests there’s been no let-up in Houthi attacks on shipping in the region, despite the massive U.S. and British assault on the group last week. The Houthis say they fired after the ship’s crew refused to answer warning calls.

Suspect in Long Island’s Gilgo Beach serial killings is charged with the death of a fourth woman

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A New York architect charged in a string of slayings known as the Gilgo Beach killings has been accused in the death of a fourth woman. Authorities announced Tuesday that Rex Heuermann was charged in the killing of 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes, of Norwich, Connecticut. Brainard-Barnes was a mother of two who vanished in 2007 and her remains were found more than three years later along a coastal highway in New York. Heuermann already faces charges in the deaths of three other women. A total of 11 victims were found buried on Jones Beach Island in 2010 and 2011, but investigators say it’s unlikely one person killed all of them.

JetBlue’s $3.8 billion buyout of Spirit Airlines is blocked by judge citing threat to competition

DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge is siding with the Biden administration and blocking JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit Airlines, saying the $3.8 billion deal would reduce competition. The Justice Department sued to block the merger, saying it would drive up fares by eliminating Spirit, the nation’s biggest low-cost airline. JetBlue argued that the deal would help consumers by making JetBlue a stronger competitor against bigger rivals that dominate the U.S. air-travel market. U.S. District Judge William Young, who presided over a non-jury trial last year, said in the ruling Tuesday that the government had proven “that the merger would substantially lessen competition in a relevant market.”

Emmy Moments: ‘Succession’ succeeds, ‘The Bear’ eats it up, and a show wraps on time, thanks to Mom

The 75th Emmy Awards piled honors on three main shows Monday, while delivering a nostalgia-filled night with popular presenters and cast reunions. And somewhat surprisingly, the show ended on time — thanks to host Anthony Anderson and his secret weapon. Anderson’s mother Doris was a prominent fixture of the night, pressed into action when winners went on too long. The night featured several historic wins, including acting trophies for Steven Yuen and Ali Wong of “Beef,” and “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Brunson becoming the first Black woman since 1981 to collect the top comedy actress trophy. Overall, “Beef,” “Succession” and “The Bear” dominated the Emmys stage.