National News - The Morning Sun

Workers steady the 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree as a crane lifts the donated tree into place Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Holiday arrival: Rockefeller tree ushers in Christmas season

An iconic sign of the holidays has arrived in New York City on Saturday as a crane hoisted an 82-foot Norway spruce into place at Rockefeller Plaza. The 14-ton tree will be festooned with thousands … more

Associated Press | 11/12/22

Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth addresses the delegates, guests and his new episcopal colleagues, shortly after his election on Nov. 4, 2022, at Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City. At left is his husband, Christopher Hucks-Ortiz. Bridgeforth is the first openly gay African-American man to be elected bishop. The vote comes six years after the Western Jurisdiction elected the denomination's first openly lesbian bishop, Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Episcopal Area. (Patrick Scriven/United Methodist News via AP)

LGBTQ-friendly votes signal progressive shift for Methodists

The United Methodist Church moved toward becoming more progressive and LGBTQ-affirming during U.S. regional meetings this month. The meetings included the election of the church's second openly gay … more

By PETER SMITH | 11/12/22

The Full Moon rises behind the Acropolis hill and the ancient Parthenon Temple, in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

AP Week in Pictures: Global / Nov. 5-11, 2022

Nov. 5-11, 2022 From the beauty of a full moon rising behind Acropolis hill and the ancient Partheon Temple, in Athens, Greece, to the grief of Palestinian Ali Ayaseh as he takes the last look at … more

11/11/22

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, Republican candidate for governor of Nevada, speaks to supporters during an election night campaign event Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Trump-endorsed Sheriff Joe Lombardo defeats Nevada governor

A career police officer and sheriff in Las Vegas who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump has been elected governor in Nevada. Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo's narrow victory over … more

By KEN RITTER | 11/11/22

Cars drive by the Emerald Motel in North Seattle on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Prosecutors say a 20-year-old woman made a harrowing escape from her vicious pimp outside the motel on the night of Saturday, Nov. 5, before being rescued by a ride-share driver who engaged in a gunfight with the man. (AP Photo/Gene Johnson)

Seattle cops: Woman makes harrowing escape from vicious pimp

Prosecutors in Seattle say a young woman made two harrowing attempts to escape her vicious pimp that ended with her rescue by a ride-share driver who engaged in a gunfight with the man. Authorities … more

By GENE JOHNSON | 11/11/22

FILE - Secretary General of the Organization of American States, OAS, Luis Almagro addresses the OAS during the opening of the 52nd General Assembly of the OAS in Lima, Peru, Oct. 5, 2022. According to an administrative ruling on Oct. 24, 2022 by the OAS' top review panel, Almagro unfairly maligned the reputation of Brazilian lawyer Paulo Abrao who he abruptly fired as the region’s top human rights watchdog. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo, File)

OAS launches external ethics probe into chief over romance

The Organization of American States has launched an external probe into allegations that Secretary General Luis Almagro may have violated the organization’s code of ethics while carrying on an … more

By JOSHUA GOODMAN | 11/11/22

NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

NASA: Moon rocket endured hurricane, set for 1st test flight

NASA says its moon rocket needs only minor repairs after enduring a hurricane and is on track for liftoff next week. A top official said Friday that the wind never exceeded the rocket's design limits … more

By MARCIA DUNN | 11/11/22

FILE - Comedian Gallagher smashes strawberry syrup and flour at the end of his performance at the Five Flags Theater in Dubuque, Iowa on In this Nov. 18, 2006. Gallagher, the smash-’em-up comedian who left a trail of laughter, anger and shattered watermelons over a decadeslong career, died Friday at his home in Palm Springs, Calif., after a brief illness. He was 76. (Jeremy Portje/Telegraph Herald via AP, File)

Gallagher, watermelon smashing comedian, dies at 76

Gallagher, the long-haired, smash-’em-up comedian who left a trail of laughter, anger and shattered watermelons over a decadeslong career, has died at age 76. Craig Marquardo, in a statement … more

11/11/22

This image released by Paramount Network shows Kevin Costner in a scene from "Yellowstone." (Paramount Network via AP)

Kevin Costner: Returning 'Yellowstone' is a hit on own terms

The Paramount+ hit series “Yellowstone” is back for its fifth season, with politics on the Dutton family dinner table. Kevin Costner stars as the family patriarch, owner of a vast Montana ranch. … more

By LYNN ELBER | 11/11/22

This combination of photos show, from left, Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon, co-authors of the novel "Whiteout." (Tiffany D. Jackson via AP)

6 popular Black authors co-write teen romance 'Whiteout'

Sometimes, one author isn't enough to write a novel. You might need two, four or even six. Dhonielle Clayton is a bestselling young adult author who brought in five of her well-known friends, … more

BY HILLEL ITALIE | 11/11/22

FILE - The burned hull of the dive boat Conception is brought to the surface by a salvage team off Santa Cruz Island, Calif., Sept. 12, 2019. The dive boat captain pleaded not guilty Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in federal court for a second time to manslaughter in the fiery deaths of 34 people trapped below deck on his burning vessel three years ago off the Southern California coast. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via AP, File)

Captain of burning dive boat pleads not guilty in 34 deaths

The captain of a dive boat that burned and sank off California three years ago with 34 people trapped below deck has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. Captain Jerry Boylan was arraigned Thursday in … more

By STEFANIE DAZIO and EUGENE GARCIA | 11/11/22

FILE - The Twitter splash page is seen on a digital device, Monday, April 25, 2022, in San Diego. Twitter is once again adding gray “official” labels to some prominent accounts, Thursday, Nov. 10. The company, in its second chaotic week after billionaire Elon Musk took over, had rolled out the labels earlier this week, only to kill them a few hours later. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Twitter Blue signups unavailable after raft of fake accounts

Twitter’s relaunched premium service — which grants blue-check “verification” labels to anyone willing to pay $8 a month — is unavailable after the social media platform was flooded by a … more

By BARBARA ORTUTAY | 11/11/22

FILE - An advertisement for Bitcoin cryptocurrency is displayed on a street in Hong Kong, on Feb. 17, 2022. Bitcoin slumped to a two-year low, Wednesday, Nov. 9, and other digital assets sold off following the sudden collapse of crypto exchange FTX Trading, which has been forced to sell itself to larger rival Binance. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

Embattled crypto exchange FTX files for bankruptcy

Embattled cryptocurrency exchange FTX, short billions of dollars, is seeking bankruptcy protection following its collapse this week. FTX Trading said its CEO and founder Sam Bankman-Fried has … more

By MATT OTT | 11/11/22

Smoke rises from the Butachimie plant in Chalempe, eastern France, Tuesday, Nov.8, 2022. Just back from the U.N. climate summit in Egypt, French President Emmanuel Macron is to meet Tuesday with the heads of the country's most climate-damaging industries to pressure them to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, amid growing competition from the U.S. and China. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

AP Week in Pictures: Europe and Africa

NOV. 4-10, 2022 The environment and climate change were in the spotlight this week, from a U.N. summit in Egypt and French President Macron urging France’s industries to reduce greenhouse … more

By The Associated Press | 11/11/22

Voters line up to cast their ballots in the midterm election at the Aspray Boat House in Warwick, R.I., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

AP Week in Pictures: North America

NOVEMBER 4 - 10, 2022 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images from North America made or published by The Associated Press in the past week. The selection was curated … more

11/11/22

Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wipes tears as he speaks about his government's proposals for the poor during a meeting with lawmakers and community leaders at his transitional government headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. Da Silva will be sworn-in on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean

Nov. 3 – Nov. 10, 2022 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was curated by … more

11/11/22

Dive boat captain pleads not guilty in fiery deaths of 34

A dive boat captain has pleaded not guilty in federal court to manslaughter in the fiery deaths of 34 people trapped below deck on his burning vessel three years ago off the Southern California … more

By STEFANIE DAZIO | 11/10/22

Jeff Greisch is covered in snow as he clears the sidewalk with a snow blower in front of the Bismarck Downtown Artist Co-op entrance in Bismarck, N.D., on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. The first winter storm of the season to blast off from the Rockies is unloading its energy primarily in North Dakota. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP)

1st winter storm of season rolling through Montana, Dakotas

The first winter storm of the season to blast off from the Rockies is unloading its energy primarily in North Dakota, where it could dump up to 18 inches of snow and kick up winds as high as 50 mph. … more

By DAVE KOLPACK | 11/10/22

FILE - Protesters call for police accountability in the death of 8-year-old Fanta Bility, who was shot outside a football game, at the Delaware County Courthouse in Media, Pa., on Jan. 13, 2022. Three former police officers, who had been charged in the killing of the 8-year-old girl after they opened fire in the direction of a crowd leaving a high school football game in a suburban Philadelphia town, pleaded guilty Thursday, Nov. 10, to 10 counts each of reckless endangerment. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

3 ex-officers plead to lesser charges in girl's shooting

Three former police officers who were charged in the killing of an 8-year-old girl when they opened fire toward a crowd leaving a Philadelphia-area high school football game pleaded guilty Thursday … more

By CLAUDIA LAUER | 11/10/22

Screenwriter and film director Paul Haggis arrives at court for a sexual assault civil lawsuit, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Jury: Filmmaker Paul Haggis liable for $7.5M in rape suit

A jury has ordered Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis to pay at least $7.5 million to a woman who accused him of rape. The verdict in the civil case came Thursday in one of several … more

11/10/22