MARTHA MENDOZA

Associated Press Writer

Mendoza reports on justice, accountability and transparency for The Associated Press. She is a member of AP’s Investigative team.

California residents on edge as high surf and flooding threats persist on Christmas Eve

Persistent high surf and flooding threats along California’s coast have residents on high alert a day after a major storm was blamed for one man’s death and the partial collapse of a pier.

Pier collapse throws 3 into the sea as major storm pounds California’s coast

A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean.

Nuclear bunker sales increase, despite expert warnings they aren’t going to provide protection

Global security leaders are warning nuclear threats are growing as weapons spending surged to $91.4 billion last year.

Elon Musk warns Republicans against standing in Trump’s way — or his

Donald Trump’s second term comes with the specter of the world’s richest man serving as his political enforcer.

Lara Trump stepping down as RNC co-chair and addressing speculation about Florida Senate seat

Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee. One of her potential next steps is replacing Florida Sen.

Police report reveals assault allegations against Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary

A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave.

Trump’s pick to lead Defense Department was accused of sexual assault in 2017

Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host who is Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense, was accused of sexual assault in 2017 after a speaking appearance at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, California.

A courtroom of relief: FBI recovers funds for victims of scammed banker

Cheers and sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas as dozens of people whose life savings had been embezzled by a bank CEO learned federal law enforcement had recovered their money.

Military board substantiates misconduct but declines to fire Marine who adopted Afghan orphan

A U.S. Marine whose adoption of an Afghan war orphan has spurred a yearslong legal battle and raised alarms at the highest levels of government will stay in the Marine Corps.

Appeals court voids Marine’s adoption of Afghan orphan; child’s fate remains in limbo

A Virginia appellate court ruled Tuesday that a U.S. Marine should never have been granted an adoption of an Afghan war orphan and voided the custody order he’s relied on to raise the girl for nearly three years.

Lara Trump is taking the reins and reshaping the RNC in her father-in-law’s image

Lara Trump became co-chair of the Republican National Committee in March, culminating efforts by her father-in-law, former President Donald Trump, and his allies to shake up the party’s governing body.

Trading Trump: Truth Social’s first month of trading has sent investors on a ride

With Donald Trump facing dozens of federal criminal charges and hundreds of millions in legal expenses, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. went public on the Nasdaq exchange March 26.

Highlights from the AP’s reporting on the shrimp industry in India

India is the top supplier of shrimp to the U.S., with Indian shrimp stocked in freezers at most of the nation’s biggest grocery store and restaurant chains.

AP finds grueling conditions in Indian shrimp industry that report calls ‘dangerous and abusive’

India is the top supplier of shrimp to the U.S., with Indian shrimp stocked in freezers at most of the nation’s biggest grocery store and restaurant chains.

U.S.-funded infrastructure in Gaza largely unscathed as death toll soars

The United States has spent more than $7 billion on humanitarian aid and building infrastructure in the Palestinian territories in recent decades, while sending more than $3 billion a year to Israel for its military.

Secret records: Government says Marine’s adoption of Afghan orphan seen as abduction, must be undone

The U.S. government has warned a Virginia judge that an American Marine’s adoption of an Afghan war orphan was flawed and could be seen as international child abduction.

Advocates sue federal government for failing to ban imports of cocoa harvested by children

Child welfare advocates have filed a federal lawsuit asking a judge to force the Biden administration to block imports of cocoa harvested by children in West Africa that ends up in America’s most popular chocolate desserts and candies.

Putin profits off US and European reliance on Russian nuclear fuel

The U.S. and its European allies are importing vast amounts of nuclear compounds and products from Russia, giving Moscow hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue as it wages war on Ukraine.

A baby was found in the rubble of a US raid in Afghanistan. But who exactly was killed and why?

A baby found in the rubble of a U.S. raid in Afghanistan was adopted by a Marine. Once-secret documents and AP reporting in the village reveal details that thrust this raid into an ongoing controversy over who the military killed.

US Marine’s adoption of Afghan war orphan voided

In a highly unusual ruling, a state court judge has voided a U.S. Marine’s adoption of an Afghan war orphan, more than a year after he took the little girl away from the Afghan couple raising her.

Spring brings more wind, rain and snow to soaked California

A strong late-season Pacific storm is bringing wind, rain and snow to saturated California as the first full day of spring shows little change from an extraordinary winter.

Atmospheric river floods California towns, brings rain, snow

More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday after a new atmospheric river brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, swelling rivers and creeks and flooding several major highways.

Storm-weary Californians clean up, brace for another torrent

Storm-ravaged California is scrambling to clean up and repair widespread damage. A new storm gaining strength Wednesday is expected to be limited to the north while the south gets a break.

California gets brief lull after damaging ‘bomb cyclone’

California weather has calmed but the lull is expected to be brief. More Pacific storms are lined up to blast into the state, where successive powerful weather systems have knocked out power to thousands, battered the coastline, flooded streets, toppled trees and caused at least six deaths.

‘Bomb cyclone’ brings damaging winds, drenches California

Damaging winds and heavy rains in California have knocked out power to tens of thousands, caused flash flooding and contributed to the deaths of at least two people.

Afghan war orphan remains with Marine accused of abduction

The Afghan woman ran down the street towards her friend’s apartment as soon as she heard the news: the White House had publicly weighed in on her family’s case.

CDC to conduct health study at polluted former Army base

Federal health officials are conducting a new study to determine whether veterans once stationed at a now-shuttered California military base were exposed to dangerously high levels of cancer-causing toxins.

Afghan couple accuse US Marine of abducting their baby

The young Afghan couple raced to the airport in Kabul, clutching their baby girl close amid the chaotic withdrawal of American troops last year.

Six months into war, Russian goods still flowing to US

BALTIMORE (AP) — On a hot, humid East Coast day this summer, a massive container ship pulled into the Port of Baltimore loaded with sheets of plywood, aluminum rods and radioactive material – all sourced from the fields, forests and factories of Russia.

Mega dance company bred culture of sex, silence, dancers say

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Every year, one of the world’s leading dance competition companies sells the dream of Hollywood fame to hundreds of thousands of ambitious young dancers hoping to launch careers on television, in movies and on stage.

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