WASHINGTON — A former Fox News host who once hurled an ax and struck a band member on set is tapped to lead the Pentagon. A star of MTV's "Real World" may oversee U.S. transportation policy and a TV doctor who hawks miracle cures may oversee the government's biggest health care program.

President-elect Donald Trump bolstered his national ...Read more

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — If all the service workers born in Mexico stayed home from their jobs for just one day in this thriving resort town perched high in California's Sierra Nevada, the humming tourist economy would probably faceplant harder than a first-time skier on an icy expert slope.

Most of the restaurants would have no staff, ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Asked to list off some highlights from his 12 years in the House, Rep. Tony Cárdenas points to one that might not seem like a “big deal.”

“But I think it’s a big deal,” he said of Congress establishing the National Museum of the American Latino. “Not just for me, but for the Latino community. It’s going to educate ...Read more

ATLANTA — Deegant Adhvaryu completed his parents’ applications for Medicaid and food benefits in June. Then the waiting and frustration began.

In July, his parents, Haresh and Nina Adhvaryu, received a letter saying their applications would be delayed, he said. In August, the Adhvaryus started calling a Georgia helpline, he said, but couldn...Read more

DOWNEY, Calif. — A surge of migrants at the border. President Joe Biden's debate performance. High interest rates. Phillip can tick off the reasons he voted for President-elect Donald Trump.

But that doesn't mean the first-generation Mexican American is a full-throated Republican. And he sure doesn't want his neighbors knowing how he voted.

...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- After months of waffling, longtime Democrat Edmund Liu swung to Donald Trump because of the smash-and-grab down the street.

When Liu first moved to the U.S. from China, he was drawn to the Democratic Party because he saw it as immigrant-friendly.

But he began to question his allegiance after more than a decade in Arcadia, an ...Read more

In 2017, the Republicans who controlled Congress tried mightily to slash federal spending on Medicaid, the government-funded health program covering low-income families and individuals.

California, like other states, depends heavily on federal dollars to provide care for its poorest residents. Analyses at the time showed the GOP’s proposals ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- It was technically a successful scientific discovery when analysts at the Hennepin County, Minnesota, forensic science lab recognized there was a contaminant somewhere in its DNA process. That did not lessen the sense of dread.

Allison King, the DNA supervisor and technical leader, summed up the general feeling inside the lab ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- In 2020, the Jewish haven of Pico-Robertson voted for Joe Biden over Donald Trump, taking its place among the large swath of liberal Westside communities.

But in these politically fraught times, a lot can change in four years.

A red tide washed through the neighborhood in recent months, and Trump drew more votes in Pico-...Read more

After spending 15 years in prison, Cedric Warren walked out of the Wyandotte County jail in Kansas on Wednesday a free man and into the arms of his family.

At the state prison in El Dorado, nearly 170 miles away, Dominic Moore, 40, was released to his attorneys and on his way back to Kansas City, Kansas.

Both men saw their convictions in a ...Read more

Eloisa Mendoza has spent 18 years helping people who aren’t fluent in English navigate complex legal documents. She guides them through stressful events and accompanying dense paperwork, such as citizenship applications, divorces and birth certificate translations.

Mendoza works in Elko, Nevada, situated in a remote region in the state’s ...Read more

The federal Food & Drug Administration has approved two new Alzheimer’s medications that can offer people more time to live normally, but accessing them in Florida is complicated.

Hold-ups related to insurance coverage, diagnostic test requirements, eligibility exclusions, and long waits for neurologist appointments can become stumbling ...Read more

For-profit consultants across the country make millions each year by charging military veterans for help in filing their disability claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The practice exists in a legal loophole: It’s illegal under federal law for companies that aren’t accredited by the VA to charge veterans fees for helping ...Read more

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Kari Lake, a former television anchor who ran unsuccessful Senate and gubernatorial races in Arizona, to be the next director of Voice of America.

“She will be appointed by, and work closely with, our next head of the US Agency for Global Media, who I will announce soon,” Trump posted ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Capitol Police have come a long way since Jan. 6, 2021, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said as she chaired her last Senate Rules Committee hearing.

“We know we have challenges, but I do think it’s important to acknowledge the progress,” the Minnesota Democrat said at the oversight hearing Wednesday.

The police department has closed ...Read more

Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former San Francisco first lady-turned fierce Donald Trump loyalist, said Tuesday that she was honored to be the president-elect’s choice to become ambassador to Greece and looked forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.

But it remains to be seen whether Guilfoyle can win this support. She’s got “baggage,...Read more

An analysis of data from hundreds of studies identified 22 viruses capable of persisting in human semen after infection, with nine showing evidence of sexual transmission.

Scientists have for decades understood that chronic infection-causing viruses like HIV and herpes can persist in semen, posing a risk for sexual transmission. More recently, ...Read more

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo joined with 25 other Republican governors Wednesday to pledge their support for President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to “make America safe again by addressing the illegal immigration crisis and deporting illegal immigrants who pose a threat to our communities and national security.”

Lombardo’s committment came ...Read more

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would fight until the last minute to defend himself after accusing the opposition of trying to paralyze his administration. Yoon’s defiant Thursday morning speech came as the chief of his own party called for his impeachment.

Yoon said the purpose of imposing martial law ...Read more

Boise State University closed its Gender Equity and Student Equity centers, the school said in an email to students, ahead of a State Board of Education vote on limiting diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Idaho colleges.

DEI programs, which surged in popularity during 2020’s racial reckonings, have been facing backlash. The State ...Read more