Woman charged in a border patrol officer’s death has been ordered held without bail

(AP) — A Washington state woman has been ordered held without bail in connection with the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont. A 21-year-old woman faces federal firearms charges in the Jan. 20 death of Agent David Maland. She’s accused of opening fire on agents during a traffic stop in northern Vermont. Pennsylvania state police say the gun used in the Vermont shooting was purchased by a person of interest in the deaths of a couple there. Vermont prosecutors say both the suspect and the buyer are linked to someone who is of interest in another killing in California. A judge said Thursday that Youngblut will be held without bail until a hearing Feb. 7.

US economy grows solid 2.3% in Oct.-Dec. on eve of Trump return to White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — A humming American economy ended 2024 on a solid note with consumer spending continuing to drive growth, and ahead of what could be a significant change in direction under a Trump administration. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product — the economy’s output of goods and services — expanded at a 2.3% annual rate from October through December. For the full year, the economy grew a healthy 2.8%, compared with 2.9% in 2023. The fourth-quarter growth was a tick below the 2.4% economists had expected, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

DOJ sues to block $14 billion Juniper buyout by Hewlett Packard Enterprise

(AP) — U.S. government regulators sued to block Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s $14 billion acquisition of rival Juniper Networks on Thursday, saying the combination would eliminate competition, raise prices and reduce innovation. The Justice Department’s complaint alleges that Hewlett Packer Enterprise, under increased competitive pressure from the fast-rising Juniper, was forced to discount products and services and invest more in its own innovation, eventually leading the company to simply buy its rival. The Justice Department’s intervention comes as somewhat of a surprise. Most experts predicted a second Trump administration to ease up on antitrust enforcement and be more receptive to mergers than the previous administration.

NASA’s 2 stuck astronauts take their first spacewalk together

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two stuck astronauts are taking their first spacewalk together, exiting the International Space Station almost eight months after moving in. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore floated out Thursday to perform maintenance work. The pair expected to stay just a week when they arrived at the space station last June. But their brand new ride, Boeing’s Starliner capsule, encountered so much trouble that NASA decided to return it empty. That left the two test pilots in orbit until SpaceX can bring them home. That won’t happen until late March or early April.