Two highly endangered Florida panthers were found dead from vehicle strikes only two days apart, closing out a particularly deadly year for the species.

The first panther, a 2½-year-old male, was found dead Dec. 21 in rural Highlands County, according to the Panther Pulse database maintained by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Firefighters were battling a fire Thursday morning at a four-story building in downtown L.A., according to authorities.

Crews were placing ground ladders to fire escapes in order to help evacuate occupants from the building, according to a Los Angeles Fire Department news release.

The fire has been categorized as a major ...Read more

Colorado’s employment counts have become so unreliable the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in an unprecedented move, has stopped issuing reports based on them.

“BLS has observed data quality problems because of ongoing issues with the modernization of Colorado’s unemployment insurance system. As a result, BLS is temporarily suspending ...Read more

Two Maryland politicians are being considered to become the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, vying to lead a political party that is rebuilding after November losses in the White House and both chambers of Congress.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and nonprofit executive-turned Senate hopeful Robert Houton are on the ...Read more

Israel struck multiple targets in Yemen it said were controlled by Houthis, the last of the Iran-backed groups still fully engaged in the regional war that began 14 months ago.

Targets hit Thursday included military infrastructure at the Sanaa International Airport and in the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations, according to the Israel ...Read more

Rep. Patrick McHenry sat in the House Financial Services Committee office on Dec. 19, looking fairly relaxed, despite the chaos erupting around him in every other corridor of the Capitol.

He had already been asked to move out of his office in the Rayburn building to make room for the next member of Congress who would occupy it.

Cardboard boxes...Read more

DETROIT — Three leaders of a local gang chapter that's part of a larger underworld network, who held the ranks of "Chief," "Universal Elite" and "Chief Enforcer," were sentenced to 60 and 70 years in federal prison this week following their convictions for racketeering and their involvement in "a vast criminal enterprise" that included a ...Read more

A brand of natural cat food sold in California is being pulled from store shelves after reports that a cat in Oregon who ate the pet food contracted bird flu and died.

Oregon-based Northwest Naturals of Portland is recalling a batch of its Northwest Naturals brand two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for ...Read more

As Mark McAfee — the maverick leader of California’s largest raw milk dairy — works on getting his Fresno County dairy out of bird flu quarantine, his name has surfaced as a possible advisor for the Food and Drug Administration on shaping raw milk policy in the United States.

The founder of Raw Farm credits a celebrity customer, Robert F....Read more

An accused porch pirate arrested on Christmas Eve has drawn comparisons to a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback, Massachusetts authorities say.

Dubbed by community members as the “Tom Brady of stealing packages,” according to the Boston Herald and Mass Live, the 34-year-old woman was captured Dec. 24 thanks to an officer with a “sharp eye,�...Read more

A billion dollars could be the perfect way to ring in the New Year.

No one scored big on Christmas Eve when the last Mega Millions drawing pushed the jackpot closer to 10 figures, so now it has ballooned to at least $1.15 billion, the fifth-largest prize in the game's history.

The next drawing is Friday and if one lucky person wins, they would...Read more

Israel struck multiple targets in Yemen it said were controlled by Houthis, the last of the Iran-backed groups still fully engaged in the regional war that began 14 months ago.

Targets hit Thursday included military infrastructure at the Sanaa International Airport and in the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations, according to the Israel ...Read more

For the last decade, California’s offshore seafloors have been missing a massive, colorful predator that keeps kelp-munching sea urchins in check.

The sunflower sea star is a big starfish — more than 3 feet across — that roams the ocean floor in orange, yellow and purple. These invertebrates can grow as many as 24 arms, and they’re ...Read more

Israel struck multiple targets in Yemen it said were controlled by Houthis, the last of the Iran-backed groups still fully engaged in the regional war that began 14 months ago.

Targets hit Thursday included military infrastructure at the Sanaa International Airport and in the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations, according to the Israel ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — A wanted sex offender is back into custody in Las Vegas after being on the run in Mexico for more than a decade, authorities announced.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Robert Sturgiss was arrested in Rosarito, Mexico, on Dec.13 by Mexican Immigration Officials.

Authorities said Sturgiss was convicted of sexual assault on ...Read more