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Voter outreach led to big drop in rejected mail ballots

A surge of absentee ballots during last year's election led to concerns that a larger percentage of mailed ballots could be rejected for arriving past the deadline, not having a voter's signature or some other reason. An analysis by The Associated Press shows that didn't happen. AP found the rate of ballot rejections was actually lower in November than during last year’s primaries in several politically pivotal states despite an increase in the total number of mailed ballots cast. Voting rights groups attribute the success to widespread efforts to educate voters and following up on those that got rejected.

Iran starts trial of new homegrown vaccine as campaign lags

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's campaign to inoculate its population against the coronavirus and promote itself as an emerging vaccine manufacturer inched on as health authorities announced Tuesday that the country's third homegrown vaccine has reached the phase of clinical…

Encrypted messaging app Signal blocked in China

HONG KONG (AP) — Encrypted messaging app Signal appears to have been blocked in mainland China, the latest foreign social media service to cease working in a country where the government tightly controls the flow of information. As of Tuesday,…

Michelle Obama aims to give a million meals in new campaign

A campaign tied to the Tuesday debut of Michelle Obama’s children’s food show is aiming to provide more than one million meals to food insecure communities. The nonprofit Partnership for a Healthier America is launching the “Pass the Love w/ Waffles + Mochi” initiative. It's being done in collaboration with Obama, and the production company owned by the former first lady and former President Barack Obama. The campaign was inspired by Michelle Obama's Netflix series “Waffles + Mochi." Walmart and Blue Apron have jumped in to support the initiative. An official says the two companies will contribute funds to the campaign, and raise money for it among their customers. 

Homeland Security chief defends US handling of border surge

The Biden administration's head of Homeland Security is defending a policy of allowing unaccompanied children crossing the southwest border to remain in the U.S. while quickly expelling most single adults and families. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a lengthy statement Tuesday on the response to the rising number of migrants apprehended along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration is continuing a Trump policy of quickly expelling single adults and families under a public health order due to the coronavirus pandemic. But it's holding minors in temporary shelters until they can be placed with relatives or sponsors in the U.S. Mayorkas says the situation at the border is “difficult."

Tiger Woods returns to video games, this time with 2K series

Tiger Woods has signed a long-term partnership with the company behind the “PGA Tour 2K” video game series, returning the 15-time major champion to an industry he once dominated with EA Sports. The deal was announced Tuesday, nearly a month after Woods suffered career-threatening leg injuries when he crashed an SUV on a steep road in the Los Angeles suburbs. It's possible Woods may never return to the PGA Tour, where his 82 victories are tied with Sam Snead for most all-time. But his name and likeness will be used exclusively in the “PGA Tour 2K” franchise. Woods will be an executive director and consultant.

Family of boy killed at Disney World urges organ donation

The parents of a 2-year-old Nebraska boy who was killed by an alligator at Walt Disney World nearly five years ago want more families to consider donating their children’s organs. Matt and Melissa Graves created the Lane Thomas Foundation after their son’s death in 2016. The Omaha couple has said they decided to focus on pediatric organ donation because they wanted to help other families fighting for their children’s lives. The Graves’ foundation is trying to move beyond the small-scale donations it has been making so far to individual families with children undergoing transplants to raise awareness nationally about the need for pediatric organ donation.

Look out, Labs: French bulldogs now 2nd most popular US dog

Could the French bulldog become America’s favorite purebred pooch? Frenchies came in second only to longtime leaders Labrador retrievers in the American Kennel Club’s latest rankings. They’re set to be released Wednesday. The rest of the top 10 includes German shepherds; golden retrievers; bulldogs; poodles; beagles; Rottweilers; German shorthaired pointers; and dachshunds. They reflect the relative numbers of purebreds, mainly puppies, that were added last year to the oldest U.S. dog registry. French bulldogs ranked a distant 82nd three decades ago but began gaining popularity in the late 1990s.

Foxconn mulls making electric vehicles at Wisconsin plant

Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, is looking at making electric vehicles in its highly anticipated Wisconsin plant that has been scaled back since its announcement in 2017. Foxconn Chairman Young Liu said at a news conference in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, that the decision will be between whether to go to Mexico or the U.S. for manufacturing electric vehicles. He said the decision, which will be finalized before July 1, will hinge on business, not politics.

China state TV raps Kohler, BMW for using facial recognition

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state TV has criticized bathroom fixtures brand Kohler and automaker BMW for the use of facial recognition technology on visitors to their outlets in possible violation of privacy rules that took effect this year. The accusation…

Officer says he arrested reporter after pepper spray blasts

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A police officer testified Monday that he arrested a journalist at an unruly Black Lives Matter protest last year in Iowa after she did not leave when he repeatedly shot clouds of pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

Deep freeze just latest disaster to befall Houston's needy

HOUSTON (AP) — Ernest and Hester Collins already faced their share of hardships before last month's deadly winter storm plunged much of Texas into a deep freeze and knocked out power to millions of homes, including their modest rental in one of Houston's historically Black neighborhoods, Fifth Ward.

Lawyer: Dallas officer innocent of capital murder charges

DALLAS (AP) — A lawyer for the Dallas police officer arrested in an alleged murder-for-hire scheme said his client is innocent of the 2017 killings, does not know one of the victims and that the other victim lived with the officer's father.