Missouri school board that voted to drop anti-racism resolution might consider a revised version

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The president of the Missouri school board that voted to revoke its anti-racism resolution now says the resolution could be kept, but revised. The Francis Howell School Board in 2020 adopted a resolution against racism at the height of the national reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd by a…

Hunter Biden’s plea deal on hold after federal judge raises concerns over the terms of the agreement

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The plea deal in Hunter Biden’s criminal case unraveled during a court hearing Wednesday after a federal judge raised concerns about the terms of the agreement that has infuriated Republicans who believe the president’s son is getting preferential treatment. Hunter Biden was charged last month with two misdemeanor crimes of failure…

North Korea stays silent on its apparent detention of a US soldier who bolted across the border

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is staying silent about the detention of an American soldier who sprinted across the Koreas’ heavily fortified border as members of his tour group looked on in shock. Some observers say heightened tensions between the two countries make it unlikely that he will return any time soon. Pvt.…

Second police officer from suburban department charged in connection with attack

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — A second police officer from a suburban St. Louis department is now facing charges after a man was allegedly driven to a secluded spot and beaten until his jaw broke. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell on Wednesday announced that his office charged Northwoods, Missouri, Police Officer Michael Hill with…

Southwest Airlines adds former Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri to its board of directors

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines is adding a former Republican senator to its board of directors. Southwest said Monday that Roy Blunt, who represented Missouri in the Senate and before that the U.S. House of Representatives, joined the airline’s board on Sunday. That gives Southwest 15 directors. Blunt served in the Senate from 2011 until…

House Republicans push through defense bill limiting abortion access and halting diversity efforts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed a sweeping defense bill that provides a pay raise for service members but strays from traditional military policy with Republicans add-ons blocking abortion coverage, diversity initiatives at the Pentagon and transgender care. Democrats voted against the package, which had sailed out of the House Armed Services Committee on…

3 dead, 14 hurt after Greyhound bus strikes semis in Illinois; NTSB investigating

HIGHLAND, Ill. (AP) — Illinois State Police say a Greyhound passenger bus crashed into three tractor-trailers parked along a highway exit to a rest area in southern Illinois, killing three people and injuring 14 others, some seriously. State police say the bus was traveling westbound along Interstate 70 in Madison County around 1:55 a.m. when…

3 tax prep firms shared ‘extraordinarily sensitive’ data about taxpayers with Meta, lawmakers say

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some congressional Democrats say three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to Facebook parent company Meta over at least two years. Their Wednesday report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the information H&R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer shared with…

Missouri’s Parson signs laws for new moms’ health care, ban on texting while driving

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican Gov. Mike Parson has signed legislation to extend health care for new mothers and prohibit handheld phone use while driving. Parson last week signed almost all of the remaining bills passed by the GOP-led Legislature this year. Bills signed by the governor include expanded Medicaid for lower-income new mothers…