US & World News

Republicans Reject Rep. Jim Jordan For House Speaker On The First Ballot, But More Voting Likely

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans rejected Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker on a first ballot Tuesday, as an unexpectedly numerous 20 holdouts denied the hard-charging ally of Donald Trump the GOP majority needed to seize the gavel. More voting is expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy for the job. The House went into recess as the…

6-Year-Old Boy Is Buried And Mother Treated After Attack That Police Call An Anti-Muslim Hate Crime

CHICAGO (AP) — A 71-year-old Illinois landlord upset over the Israel-Hamas war attacked a Palestinian American woman with a knife when she proposed they “pray for peace” and killed her 6-year-old son, authorities said Monday. The details emerged as Joseph Czuba appeared in court on murder, attempted murder and hate crime charges while the boy’s Muslim family prepared to bury him in the…

Trump Has Narrow Gag Order Imposed On Him By Federal Judge Overseeing 2020 Election Subversion Case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge overseeing the 2020 election subversion case against Donald Trump in Washington imposed a narrow gag order on him on Monday, barring the Republican former president from making statements targeting prosecutors, possible witnesses and the judge’s staff. The order from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is a milestone moment in the federal case that accuses Trump of illegally conspiring…

EU Leaders Will Meet To Deal With The Fallout In Europe From The Israel-Hamas War

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Tuesday as concern mounts that the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas could fuel inter-communal tensions in Europe and bring more refugees in search of sanctuary. The leaders will also attempt to restore some order after a series of social media messages, statements and visits by EU…

Israel Orders Unprecedented Evacuation Of 1 Million In Gaza As Possible Ground Offensive Looms

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of an expected ground invasion against the ruling Hamas militant group. The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse — with just a 24-hour…

The US Is Moving Quickly To Boost Israel’s Military. A Look At What Assistance It’s Providing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Within hours of the horrific attack by Hamas, the U.S. began moving warships and aircraft to the region to be ready to provide Israel with whatever it needs to respond. A second U.S. carrier strike group departs from Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday. Scores of aircraft are heading to U.S. military bases around the Middle East. And special operations…

$1.765 Billion Powerball Jackpot Goes To Lucky Lottery Player In California

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A player in California won a $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot Wednesday night, ending a long stretch without a winner of the top prize. The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, according to the California Lottery. Phone calls Wednesday…

As Strikes Devastate Gaza, Israel Forms Unity Government To Oversee War Sparked By Hamas Attack

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a leading opposition figure on Wednesday created a war-time Cabinet overseeing the fight to avenge a stunning weekend attack by Hamas militants. In the sealed-off Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas, Palestinian suffering mounted as Israeli bombardment demolished neighborhoods and the territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel. The new war-time Cabinet establishes…

Powerball Jackpot Grows To $1.55 Billion For Monday; Cash Option Worth $679.8 Million

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.55 billion for Monday night’s drawing after no one matched the game’s six numbers for the giant prize Saturday. The $1.55 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, with annual checks over 30 years. Most jackpot winners opt for cash, which…

What Is Indigenous Peoples Day? A Day Of Celebration, Protest And Reclaiming History

(AP) — From Alcatraz Island to a park in New York City, Native American people will celebrate their centuries-long history of resilience on Monday with ceremonies, dances and speeches. The events across the U.S. come two years after President Joe Biden officially commemorated Indigenous Peoples Day. An increasing number of states and cities have also recognized it — pivoting from a…

What To Know As Israel Declares War, Bombards Gaza Strip After Unprecedented Hamas Attack

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli government promised Monday to hunt down Hamas fighters and to punish the Gaza Strip following a surprise weekend attack killed more than 700 people in Israel, including at least 260 at a crowded music festival that became the scene of one of the country’s worst civilian massacres. A day after formally declaring war, Israel’s military worked to…

Auto Workers Stop Expanding Strikes Against Detroit Three After GM Makes Battery Plant Concession

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union said Friday it will not expand its strikes against Detroit’s three automakers after General Motors made a breakthrough concession on unionizing electric vehicle battery plants. Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a video appearance that additional plants could be added to the strikes later. The announcement of the pause in expanding the strikes…

What To Know About The Emergency Alert Test Hitting Your Cellphones And TVs

WASHINGTON (AP) — “THIS IS A TEST”: If you have a cellphone or are watching television Wednesday, that message will flash across your screen as the federal government tests its emergency alert system used to tell people about emergencies. The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System sends out messages via the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. The Emergency Alert System is a national…

McCarthy Ousted As House Speaker In Dramatic Vote As Democrats Join With GOP Critics To Topple Him

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history, The 216-210 vote, forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives, throws the House and its Republican leadership into chaos. McCarthy’s chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, brought forward the “motion to vacate” drawing together more than a…

9-Year-Old Who Vanished From New York State Park Found Safe And Man Linked To Ransom Note Arrested

MOREAU, N.Y. (AP) — A 9-year-old girl who vanished during a family camping trip in upstate New York was “safe and in good health” Monday after a massive two-day search ended with her rescue and the arrest of a person suspected in her abduction, police said. Charlotte Sena disappeared while riding her bike early Saturday evening at Moreau Lake State…

US Expands Probe Into Ford Engine Failures To Include Two Motors And Nearly 709,000 Vehicles

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety investigators have expanded a probe into Ford Motor Co. engine failures to include nearly 709,000 vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also said in documents posted Monday on its website that it upgraded the investigation to an engineering analysis, a step closer to a recall. The investigation now covers Ford’s F-150 pickup truck, as well…

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein Of California, An Advocate For Liberal Priorities, Dies At Age 90

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90. Feinstein died on Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C., her office confirmed on Friday. President Joe…

Judge Rules Donald Trump Defrauded Banks, Insurers While Building Real Estate Empire

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House. Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York’s attorney general, found that the former president and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing…

Lahaina Residents Begin Returning To Sites Of Homes Destroyed By Deadly Wildfire

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Some Lahaina residents returned to their devastated properties Monday for the first time since the Hawaii town was destroyed by wildfire nearly seven weeks ago. The prospect of returning has stirred strong emotions in residents who fled in vehicles or on foot as the wind-whipped flames raced across Lahaina, the historic capital of the former Hawaiian kingdom, and overcame people…

Auto Workers Are Expanding Their Strike To 38 Locations In 20 States, Targeting Stellantis And GM

(AP) — The United Auto Workers union expanded its strike against major carmakers Friday, walking out of 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts-distribution centers in 20 states. Ford was spared additional strikes because the company has met some of the union’s demands during negotiations over the past week, UAW President Shawn Fain said during an online presentation to union members….

Rupert Murdoch, The Creator Of Fox News, Is Stepping Down As Head Of News Corp. And Fox Corp.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old Australian media magnate whose creation of Fox News made him a force in American politics, is stepping down as leader of both Fox’s parent company and his News Corp. media holdings. Fox said Thursday that Murdoch would become chairman emeritus of both companies, effective at board meetings in November. His son, Lachlan, will…

Biden Administration Announces $600M To Produce COVID Tests And Will Reopen Website To Order Them

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household — aiming to prevent possible shortages during a rise in coronavirus cases that has typically come during colder months. The Department of Health and Human Services says…

FDA Says It Needs More Research Before Deciding To Approve Nasal Spray To Treat Dangerous Allergies

(AP) — Federal regulators declined to approve a nasal spray to treat severe allergic reactions late Tuesday, calling for more research on what would have been the first alternative to injections using devices such as an EpiPen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration told ARS Pharmaceuticals Inc., of San Diego, that the company needs to conduct another study on repeat…

United Auto Workers Threaten To Expand Targeted Strike If There Is No Substantive Progress By Friday

(AP) — The United Auto Workers union is stepping up pressure on Detroit’s Big Three by threatening to expand its strike unless it sees major progress in contract negotiations by Friday. In a video statement late Monday, UAW President Shawn Fain said workers at more factories will join those who are now in the fifth day of a strike at…

Hunter Biden Sues The IRS Over Tax Disclosures After Agent Testimony Before Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden sued the Internal Revenue Service on Monday, claiming that two agents publicly alleging tax-probe interference wrongly shared his personal information, a case that comes amid escalating legal and political struggles as the 2024 election looms. The agents “targeted and sought to embarrass Mr. Biden” with the sharing of confidential tax information in press interviews and testimony before Congress, the…

Planned Parenthood Resumes Offering Abortions In Wisconsin After More Than A Year

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Planned Parenthood resumed offering abortion services in Wisconsin on Monday after halting them for more than a year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Providers across the state stopped offering abortions following the June 2022 decision, fearing enforcement of an 1849 state law that appears to ban the procedure but had previously been nullified…

Officials Say 5 Prisoners Sought By The US In A Swap With Iran Have Flown Out Of Tehran

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Five prisoners sought by the U.S. in a swap with Iran flew out of Tehran on Monday, officials said, part of a deal that saw nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets unfrozen. Despite the deal, tensions are almost certain to remain high between the U.S. and Iran, which are locked in various disputes, including over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran says…

Biden Sending Aides To Detroit To Address Autoworkers Strike, Says ‘Record Profits’ Should Be Shared

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday dispatched two of his top aides to Detroit to help resolve the strike by unionized autoworkers, expressing sympathy for the union by suggesting that the Big 3 automakers should share their “record profits.” “No one wants to strike,” Biden said in brief remarks at the White House. “But I respect workers’ right to…

Hunter Biden Indicted On Federal Firearms Charges In Long-Running Probe Weeks After Plea Deal Failed

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on federal firearms charges, the latest and weightiest step yet in a long-running investigation into the president’s son. Biden is accused of lying about his drug use when he bought a firearm in October 2018, a period when he has acknowledged struggling with addiction to crack cocaine, according to the indictment filed in federal…

Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, Former Presidential Candidate And Governor, Won’t Seek Reelection In 2024

(AP) — Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he will not run for reelection in 2024, creating a wide-open contest in a state that heavily favors Republicans and is expected to attract a crowded field. Romney, a former presidential candidate and governor of Massachusetts, made the announcement in a video statement. The 76-year-old said the country is ready for…

US Moves To Advance Prisoner Swap Deal With Iran And Release $6 Billion In Frozen Iranian Funds

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has cleared the way for the release of five American citizens detained in Iran by issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar without fear of U.S. sanctions. In addition, as part of the deal, the administration has agreed to release five Iranian citizens…

Bells Toll As The US Marks 22 Years Since 9/11, From Ground Zero To Alaska

NEW YORK (AP) — With tolling bells, personal tributes and tears, Americans looked back Monday on 9/11 at anniversary observances that stretched from ground zero to small towns. People gathered at memorials, firehouses, city halls, campuses and elsewhere to observe the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil. “For those of us who lost people on that…

Monday Marks 22 Years Since 9/11 Attacks On America

On Monday, the United States and countries abroad will remember the tragic events of September 11th that killed almost 3,000 Americans 22 years ago. Gov. Tim Walz has ordered Flags at half-staff Monday in honor of September 11th. The order is in accordance with a proclamation issued by President Biden that all United States flags be flown at half-staff at…

University of North Carolina Graduate Student Charged With Murder In Killing Of His Faculty Advisor

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Authorities charged a University of North Carolina graduate student Tuesday with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his faculty advisor, in an attack that caused a campus lockdown while police searched for the gunman. Tailei Qi, 34, was due in court later Tuesday for an initial hearing in the Monday killing of Zijie Yan inside of…

Trump Trial Set For March 4, 2024, In Federal Case Charging Him With Plotting To Overturn Election

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge on Monday set a March 4, 2024, trial date for Donald Trump in the federal case in Washington charging the former president with trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election, rejecting a defense request to push back the case by years. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rebuffed claims by Trump’s attorneys that an April 2026 trial date…

Trump Surrenders At Atlanta Jail On Election Charges, Then Quickly Released

ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Donald Trump surrendered Thursday on charges that he illegally schemed to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, a brisk 20-minute booking that yielded a historic first: a mug shot of a U.S. ex-president. He was released on $200,000 bond and headed back to the airport for his return flight home to New Jersey, flashing a…

Giuliani Turns Himself In On Georgia 2020 Election Charges After Bond Is Set At $150,000

ATLANTA (AP) — Rudy Giuliani surrendered to authorities in Georgia on Wednesday on charges alleging he acted as former President Donald Trump’s chief co-conspirator in a plot to subvert the 2020 election. The former New York City mayor, celebrated as “America’s mayor” for his leadership after 9/11, is charged with Trump and 17 other people under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and…

Officials Say A Jet Crash In Russia Kills 10, Wagner Chief Prigozhin Was On Passenger List

MOSCOW (AP) — A private jet crashed in Russia on Wednesday, killing all 10 people aboard, emergency officials said. Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list, but it wasn’t immediately clear if he was on board. Prigozhin’s fate has been the subject of intense speculation ever since he mounted a short-lived mutiny against Russia’s military leadership in late…

Unionized UPS Workers Approve Contract Leaders Agreed To In Late July

(AP) — The union representing 340,000 UPS workers said Tuesday that its members voted to approve the tentative contract agreement reached last month, putting a final seal on contentious labor negotiations that threatened to disrupt package deliveries for millions of businesses and households nationwide. The Teamsters said in a statement that 86% of the votes casts were in favor of ratifying…

State Department Renews Ban On Use Of US Passports For Travel To North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is extending for another year a ban on the use of U.S. passports for travel to North Korea, the State Department said Tuesday. The ban was imposed in 2017 and has been renewed every year since. The latest extension comes as tensions with North Korea are rising over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs…

FDA Approves RSV Vaccine For Moms-To-Be To Guard Their Newborns

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Monday approved the first RSV vaccine for pregnant women so their babies will be born with protection against the scary respiratory infection. RSV is notorious for filling hospitals with wheezing babies every fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration cleared Pfizer’s maternal vaccination to guard against a severe case of RSV when babies are…

Trump Says He Will Surrender Thursday On Georgia Charges Tied To Efforts To Overturn 2020 Election

(AP) — Former President Donald Trump says he will surrender to authorities in Georgia on Thursday to face charges in the case accusing him of illegally scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss. “Can you believe it? I’ll be going to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday to be ARRESTED,” Trump wrote on his social media network Monday night, hours after court papers said his…

Trump Says He Will Skip GOP Presidential Primary Debates

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that he will be skipping Wednesday’s first Republican presidential primary debate — and others as well. “The public knows who I am & what a successful Presidency I had,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “I WILL THEREFORE NOT BE DOING THE DEBATES!” His spokesman did not immediately clarify whether he…

Tropical Storm Hilary Carries Deluge To California After Making Landfall Along Mexico’s Baja Coast

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Deadly floodwaters inundated streets across Mexico’s arid Baja California on Sunday as Tropical Storm Hilary moved ashore carrying torrential rain into Southern California, and concerns mounted that flash floods could damage places as far north as Idaho that rarely get such heavy rain. Forecasters said Hilary was the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84…

US, Japan And South Korea Agree To Expand Security And Economic Ties At Historic Camp David Summit

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) — President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea agreed Friday to expand security and economic ties at a historic summit at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David. Their meeting and agreement come at a time that the three countries are on an increasingly tense ledge in their relations with China and…

Over 1.5 Million Dehumidifiers Are Under Recall After Fire Reports. Here’s What You Need To Know

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 1.5 million dehumidifiers are under recall following reports of nearly two dozen fires, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recall impacts 42 models of dehumidifiers sold under five brand names: Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze. These products, all manufactured by the Zhuhai, China-based Gree Electric Appliances, were sold from January…

Some Abortion Drug Restrictions Are Upheld By An Appeals Court In A Case Bound For The Supreme Court

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New restrictions on access to a drug used in the most common form of abortion would be imposed under a federal appeals court ruling issued Wednesday, but the Supreme Court will have the final say. The ruling by three judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans overturned part of a lower court ruling…

Hawaii’s Governor Warns That Scores More People Could Be Found Dead Following Wildfires On Maui

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii’s governor warned that scores more people could be found dead following ferocious wildfires on Maui, as search and rescue crews scoured neighborhoods street by street and prepared to comb through buildings charred by flames that galloped a mile a minute. The blazes, which consumed most of the historic town of Lahaina, are already the deadliest in…

At Least 36 Killed On Maui As Fires Burn Through Hawaii And Thousands Race To Escape

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Wildfires fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane killed 36 people and destroyed hundreds of homes and other buildings on the Hawaiian island of Maui, in the deadliest blaze in the U.S. in years. Rescuers searched Thursday through the leveled, ashen homes and businesses of Lahaina, which dates to the 1700s, is the biggest…

$1.58 Billion Mega Millions Ticket Sold In Florida

LOS ANGELES (KTTV) – We apparently may have found the Mega Million lottery jackpot winner. According to the Mega Millions website someone from Florida purchased a ticket with all six matching numbers – good for the top prize of up to $1.58 billion. The top prize bumped up to nearly $1.6 billion after no one got the six matching numbers for last week’s drawing….