WASHINGTON, D.C.– Republicans reclaimed control of the Senate, picking up seats in West Virginia and Ohio. Top House races are focused in New York and California, where Democrats are trying to claw back some of the 10 or so seats where Republicans have made surprising gains in recent years. With their victories, several candidates are set to be firsts….
SEATTLE (AP) — Authorities were investigating Monday after early morning fires were set in ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and in nearby Vancouver, Washington, where hundreds of ballots were destroyed. The Portland Police Bureau reported that officers and firefighters responded to a fire in one ballot drop box at about 3:30 a.m. and determined an incendiary device had been…
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Desperate residents isolated by washed out roads and the lack of power and cellular service in western North Carolina lined up for fresh water Monday, days after Hurricane Helene ripped through the Southeastern U.S. and killed more than 100 people. Government officials and aid groups were working to bring basic supplies by airlift and truck to the hard-hit tourism…
FILE – Actor Kris Kristofferson walks down the red carpet during the premiere for his new movie “Dreamer,” Oct. 9, 2005, in the Westwood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ric Francis, File)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor, has died….
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump was charged Monday with federal gun crimes, making his first court appearance in the final weeks of a White House race already touched by violence. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a…
POLTAVA, Ukraine (AP) — Two ballistic missiles blasted a military academy and nearby hospital Tuesday in Ukraine, killing more than 50 people and wounding more than 200 others, Ukrainian officials said, in one of the deadliest Russian strikes since the war began. The missiles tore into the heart of the Poltava Military Institute of Communication’s main building, causing several stories to collapse. It didn’t…
(AP) CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of activists are expected to converge on Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, hoping to call attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in Gaza. While Vice President Kamala Harris has energized crowds of supporters as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, progressive activists maintain their mission remains the same….
NEW YORK (AP) — Samsung is recalling more than 1.12 million electric ranges used for stovetops after reports of 250 fires and dozens of injuries. According to a Thursday notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, these slide-in ranges have front-mounted knobs that can be activated by accident if humans or pets unintentionally contact or bump into them. That…
DULUTH, Minn. — The Duluth International Airport posting on their Facebook page Friday that “system outages” are affecting flights there. They let customers know to check the status of their flights before arriving to the airport and to call their airline directly for assistance. FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A global technology outage caused by a faulty software update grounded flights, knocked banks…
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump says Ohio Sen. JD Vance will be his vice presidential pick. He says on his Truth Social Network that, “After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance…
BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump’s campaign said in a statement that the former president was “fine” after a shooting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A local prosecutor says the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead. “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said…
NEW YORK (AP) — Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, federal prosecutor and legal adviser to Donald Trump, was disbarred in the state on Tuesday after a court found he repeatedly made false statements about Trump’s 2020 election loss. A New York appeals court in Manhattan ruled that Giuliani, who had already had his New York law license suspended in 2021…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court extended the delay in the criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he plotted to overturn the 2020 election, reducing the chance that Trump could be tried before the November election. In a historic ruling, the justices said Monday for the first time that former presidents can be shielded from prosecution for at least…
ATLANTA (AP) — The first general election debate of the 2024 election season is here, and it’s a historic moment no matter what happens on stage. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are taking part in Thursday night’s debate in Atlanta. Not only is it the first-ever matchup between a sitting president and a former one, but it’s also the first debate…
OBBÜRGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Nearly 80 countries called Sunday for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia’s two-year war, though some key developing nations at a Swiss conference did not join in. The way forward for diplomacy remains unclear. The joint communique capped a two-day conference marked by the absence of Russia, which was not invited. Many…
NEW YORK (AP) — The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial asked to rehear testimony Wednesday less than four hours after beginning deliberations in the first criminal case against a former American president. The four requests included testimony related to a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower where a tabloid publisher agreed to identify negative stories about Trump so that they could…
(AP) — A series of powerful storms swept over the central and southern U.S. over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, killing at least 21 people and leaving a wide trail of destroyed homes, businesses and power outages. The destructive storms caused deaths in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky and were just north of an oppressive, early season heat wave setting records from…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it is releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from a Northeast reserve established after Superstorm Sandy in a bid to lower prices at the pump this summer. The sale, from storage sites in New Jersey and Maine, will be allocated in increments of 100,000 barrels at a time. The approach will…
(AP) — Target plans to cut prices on thousands of consumer basics this summer, from diapers to milk, as inflation cuts into household budgets and more Americans pay closer attention to their spending. The price cuts, already applied to 1,500 items, will eventually include 5,000 food, drink and essential household goods. Target and other retailers are increasingly catering to customers…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s planned campaign visit to Minnesota on Friday will mark his return to a traditionally Democratic state that he has long argued he could carry. Trump will take a break from his hush money trial in New York to speak at the Minnesota GOP’s annual Lincoln Reagan fundraising dinner. Tickets start at $500, ranging…
NEW YORK (AP) — Police ordered pro-Palestinian protesters to abandon a tent encampment at New York University early Friday, following weeks of demonstrations and police crackdowns at college campuses nationwide that have resulted in more than 2,300 arrests. About a dozen protesters who refused police orders to leave were arrested and about 30 more left voluntarily, according to NYU spokesperson John Beckman….
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday rejected calls from student protesters to change his approach to the war in Gaza while insisting that “order must prevail” as college campuses across the country face a wave of violence, outrage and fear. “Dissent is essential for democracy,” Biden said at the White House. “But dissent must never lead to disorder.”…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he was immediately rushing badly needed weaponry to Ukraine as he signed into law a $95 billion war aid measure that also included assistance for Israel, Taiwan and other global hotspots. The announcement marked an end to the long, painful battle with Republicans in Congress over urgently needed assistance for Ukraine, with Biden promising…
(AP) — The Biden administration issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for things like delayed flights and to better disclose fees for baggage or canceling a reservation. The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays. Under current regulations, airlines decide how long a delay…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz named two women to the Minnesota Supreme Court on Monday, which will give the state’s highest court its first female majority in three decades. When they take their seats in the coming months, all seven justices will have been appointed by Democratic governors. Walz elevated Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Theodora Gaïtas to replace…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is marking Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities. He also plans to expand his New Deal-style American Climate Corps green jobs training program. The grants are being awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency, which unveiled the 60 recipients on Monday. The projects are expected…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has approved $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare weekend session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling Russia’s invasion. With an overwhelming vote Saturday, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes, a strong…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and U.K. on Thursday imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran as concern grows that Tehran’s unprecedented attack on Israel could fuel a wider war in the Middle East. The sanctions were meant to hold Iran accountable for its weekend attack and to deter further such activity. But the practical impact is likely to be limited…
NEW YORK (AP) — The historic hush-money trial of Donald Trump got underway Monday as dozens of prospective jurors packed into a courtroom where the former president will answer to charges that he falsified business records in order to stifle stories about his sex life. The first criminal trial of any former U.S. president will unfold as Trump vies to reclaim the White House,…
WASHINGTON (AP) — On this Tax Day, refunds are looking a bit bigger for taxpayers. According to the latest IRS statistics, the average income tax refund so far this season is $3,011, up $123 from last year. Two out of three taxpayers expect to receive a refund. The IRS is promoting the customer service improvements the agency rolled out since…
(AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized strict limits on certain so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water that will require utilities to reduce them to the lowest level they can be reliably measured. Officials say this will reduce exposure for 100 million people and help prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancers. The rule is the first national drinking water…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has greenlighted an emergency $138 million in foreign military sales for Ukraine to provide critical repairs and spare parts for Kyiv’s Hawk missile systems. The U.S. announced the move Tuesday saying that Ukraine has an urgent need for the maintenance support to keep the missile system running. The announcement follows a similar, small-sized round…
MESQUITE, Texas (AP) — Millions of spectators along a narrow corridor stretching from Mexico to the U.S. to Canada eagerly awaited Monday’s celestial sensation — a total eclipse of the sun — even as forecasters called for clouds. The best weather was expected at the tail end of the eclipse in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as New Brunswick and Newfoundland…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce his latest effort to broaden student loan relief next week for new categories of borrowers, according to three people familiar with the plans, nearly a year after the Supreme Court foiled his administration’s first attempt to cancel debt for millions who attended college. Biden will detail the plan Monday in Madison, Wisconsin, where the…
(AP) — North America is on the verge of another masking of the sun. Monday’s total solar eclipse will make landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast and cross into Texas and 14 other U.S. states, before exiting over Canada. It will last almost twice as long, with an even wider audience, than the total solar eclipse that stretched coast-to-coast in the…
(AP) — A poultry facility in Michigan and egg producer in Texas both reported outbreaks of avian flu this week. The latest developments on the virus also include infected dairy cows and the first known instance of a human catching bird flu from a mammal. Although health officials say the risk to the public remains low, there is rising concern, emerging in part from news…
DULUTH, Minn. — Duluth city councilors faced a full house at Monday night’s council meeting, with raw emotions pouring out from elected officials and residents for nearly three hours. At issue, was whether to pass a resolution supporting a quote “permanent ceasefire to prevent loss of human life in the Middle East.” Some councilors felt strongly to pass the resolution,…
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court on Monday agreed to hold off collection of former President Donald Trump’s more than $454 million civil fraud judgment — if he puts up $175 million within 10 days. If he does, it will stop the clock on collection and prevent the state from seizing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s assets while he appeals….
LONDON (AP) — Kate, the Princess of Wales, said Friday she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. Her condition was disclosed in a video message recorded on Wednesday and broadcast Friday, coming after weeks of speculation on social media about her whereabouts and health since she was hospitalized in January for unspecified abdominal surgery. Kate asked for “time, space and privacy” while…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday announced a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones that boxes out competitors, stifles innovation and keeps prices artificially high. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, alleges that Apple has monopoly power in the smartphone market and leverages control over the iPhone to…
(AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot has reached $977 million for Friday night’s drawing after no tickets matched all six numbers drawn on Tuesday night. The winning numbers drawn on Tuesday were 24, 46, 49, 62, 66 and the gold Mega Ball was 7. The estimated jackpot was $893 million with a cash prize of $421.4 million. The cash prize…
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a busy term that could set standards for free speech in the digital age, the Supreme Court on Monday is taking up a dispute between Republican-led states and the Biden administration over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security. The justices are hearing arguments in a lawsuit filed by…
(AP) — Dollar Tree swung to a surprise fourth-quarter loss and will close nearly 1,000 stores after the discount retailer slashed the value of a rival chain it acquired almost a decade ago. Dollar Tree plans to close about 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of this year and 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores over…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn’t sell, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company’s current ownership structure is a national security threat. The bill, passed by a vote of 352-65, now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are unclear….
NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Biden and Donald Trump hope to clinch their parties’ presidential nominations with dominant victories in a slate of state primaries on Tuesday as the 2024 fight for the White House moves into a new phase. Neither Biden, a Democrat, nor Trump, a Republican, faces significant opposition in primary contests across Georgia, Washington state, Mississippi and Hawaii. The only question…
Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden turned his State of the Union speech Thursday night into an animated argument for a second term as he laced into GOP front-runner Donald Trump for espousing “resentment, revenge and retribution” and jeopardizing freedom at home and abroad. Over and over, Biden delivered broadsides at “my predecessor” without mentioning Trump by name,…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sweden on Thursday formally joined NATO as the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance, ending decades of post-World War II neutrality and centuries of broader non-alignment with major powers as security concerns in Europe have spiked following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden congratulated Sweden on its admission and said it was a sign that Russian President Vladimir…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will announce a plan in his State of the Union address Thursday for the U.S. military to help establish a temporary port on the Gaza coast, increasing the flow of humanitarian aid for the beleaguered territory during the Israel-Hamas war, according to administration officials. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview…
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are poised to move much closer to winning their parties’ nominations Tuesday during the biggest day of the primary campaign, setting up a historic rematch that many voters would rather not endure. Super Tuesday elections are being held in 16 states and one territory — from Alaska and California to Vermont and Virginia. Hundreds…
(AP) — Users of Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Messenger platforms are experiencing login issues in what appears to be a widespread outage. Internet traffic observer Down Detector is reporting vast outages on several Meta platforms Tuesday. The problems are being reported across the world, suggesting that the outage could be global. London-based internet monitoring firm Netblocks said on X that…
