National News

President Donald Trump speaks during the 158th National Memorial Day Observance coinciding with the...

US military says it carried out ‘self-defense’ strikes in Iran, including on missile launch sites

The U.S. military said Monday that it carried out “self-defense” strikes in southern Iran.
5 months ago
Eugene and Linda Lamie, of Homerville, Ga., sit by the grave of their son U.S. Army Sgt. Gene Lamie...

The origins of Memorial Day and how it has evolved

Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday that is officially about mourning the nation's fallen service members, but it has come to signal the start of summer.
5 months ago
FILE - Sarv Dharavane, 11, of Tucker, Ga., reacts after spelling his word correctly in the finals o...

Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the a more than century-old tradition. The three-day competition begins Tuesday and concludes Thursday night. The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. After a […]
5 months ago

Editorial Roundup: United States

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ___ May 21 The Washington Post says Congress should cut off Trump’s “weaponization” fund The Trump administration’s creation of a $1.776 billion fund of taxpayer money under the president’s control to pay favored individuals outside the judicial process is drawing bipartisan condemnation. “From all outward […]
5 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks at Rockland Community College, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Suffern, N.Y....

Trump says Iran deal should include additional countries joining Abraham Accords

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that any agreement with Iran should include a requirement for several additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to join the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered agreements aimed at normalizing relations with Israel that were forged during Trump’s first term. In a social media post, Trump said negotiations […]
5 months ago
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks during a campaign event in Lubbock, Texas, Tuesday, May 19, 2026....

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Texas US Senate Republican primary runoff

WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters in the Lone Star State will make their second attempt to nominate a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in a primary runoff election on Tuesday, the electoral version of the Texas two-step. Also on the ballot are primary runoffs in more than a dozen congressional districts, plus state contests for lieutenant […]
5 months ago
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, smiles at a campaign...

Texas GOP Senate candidates scarce in public but unavoidable on TV in final day of runoff campaign

PLANO, Texas (AP) — Voters in Texas will see little of the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate on Monday. But that’s only if they stay away from screens. There were no public campaign events scheduled for Sen. John Cornyn nor state Attorney General Ken Paxton on the final day of their more than yearlong quest […]
5 months ago
FILE - A board above the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange displays the closing number f...

Democrats feud over stock trading as they sharpen anti-corruption case against Trump

DALLAS (AP) — After three terms in the U.S. House and two unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate, Colin Allred said he’s heard plenty about voters’ suspicions that politicians are just trying to make a buck in Washington. “’What about the stock trading in Congress? What about people getting rich in Congress?’” Allred said they […]
5 months ago

Southern California officials trying to prevent explosion or leak from damaged chemical tank

A damaged chemical tank in Southern California cracked over the weekend but the interior temperature rose as authorities worked to reduce the risks of a powerful explosion that has led to the evacuation of some 50,000 residents. The tank overheated Thursday and began venting vapors, leaving local and state officials scrambling to evade a worst […]
5 months ago
A member of the Secret Service stops journalists from leaving the White House, Saturday, May 23, 20...

Photos of a shooting near the White House in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nasire Best, 21, fired shots toward a White House security checkpoint Saturday evening and Secret Service officers returned fire, according to the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department. A bystander was struck by gunfire. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
5 months ago
U.S. Secret Service Police officers place crime scene tape after a copper jacket of a bullet was fo...

Bystander in serious condition after fatal shooting near White House checkpoint

A bystander who was struck by gunfire after a man fired on a checkpoint outside the White House and was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service officers remained in serious but stable condition Sunday. The Secret Service said the bystander, who has not been identified, suffered a gunshot wound described as not life-threatening. It was […]
5 months ago
Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, M...

Dangers from damaged California chemical tank persist. Here what to know

Authorities were scrambling to find a safe resolution as a damaged tank at a Southern California aerospace facility containing a hazardous chemical used to make plastic parts prompted an evacuation order affecting thousands of residents. The storage tank at GKN Aerospace with about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons (22,713 to 26,498 liters) of methyl methacrylate overheated […]
5 months ago
FILE - Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a hearing, May ...

Republicans who have drawn a hard line on Iran pan Trump’s emerging proposal to end the war

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s emerging deal to end the Iran war is drawing heavy criticism from some fellow Republicans who favor a harder line against the government in Tehran and fear a lost opportunity to finally rein in a longtime Mideast nemesis. The deal the Republican president had said was “largely negotiated” has […]
5 months ago
Freeman K. Johnson, a 106-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor, listens to a question during an interview...

Oldest Pearl Harbor survivor is keeping memory of the surprise bombing alive at 106

CENTERVILLE, Mass. (AP) — On the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, the country’s oldest living survivor of the Japanese bombing was far below deck helping repair one the boilers of the USS St. Louis. Freeman Johnson, who turned 106 in March, never witnessed the surprise attack. He never heard his shipmates firing antiaircraft guns […]
5 months ago
FILE - A truck passes political signs outside a polling place at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in S...

Democrats vow a redistricting counterpunch but are facing hurdles Republicans don’t

Democrats are poised to finish several seats behind Republicans in 2026 in the nationwide race to redraw maps for the U.S. House. They can catch up in 2028, but only if they overcome a series of redistricting hurdles that the GOP does not face. That’s because Democrats, in many states, can draw partisan political lines […]
5 months ago

Southern California chemical tank at risk of exploding as 40,000 residents are ordered to evacuate

Authorities braced for the possibility that a damaged chemical tank in Southern California could leak or explode as an evacuation order continued into the Memorial Day weekend for 40,000 residents with no timeline on when they can return. No injuries were reported after the pressurized tank overheated Thursday and began venting vapors at a company […]
6 months ago
white house shots fired...
Associated Press

Suspect dead after approaching White House checkpoint with weapon, Secret Service says

Law enforcement authorities are responding to shots that were fired near the White House grounds, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
6 months ago
A member of the Secret Service stops journalist from leaving the White House, Saturday, May 23, 202...

Law enforcement authorities are responding to reports of shots fired near White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — Law enforcement authorities are responding to shots that were fired near the White House grounds, FBI Director Kash Patel said. Journalists working there Saturday reported hearing a series of gunshots and were told to seek shelter inside the press briefing room, where U.S. Secret Service officers prevented them from leaving. There were […]
6 months ago
President Donald Trump, left, and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, right, saluting ...

Travel industry worries after Trump administration reiterates threat to sanctuary city airports

The travel industry is on edge after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reiterated his threat to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called “sanctuary cities” in a move that could jeopardize international flights. The U.S. Travel Association said that Mullin confirmed he is considering withdrawing CPB officers in a meeting where […]
6 months ago

Kyle Busch died after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, his family says

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch died after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications, according to a statement released by his family. Dakota Hunter, vice president of Kyle Busch Companies, said in a news release the family received the medical evaluation on Saturday. Busch, a two-time NASCAR champion, died […]
6 months ago

Evacuation centers fill up in southern California as efforts continue to cool damaged chemical tank

Evacuation centers remained open in Southern California on Saturday as authorities worked to cool an overheated chemical storage tank and keep it from exploding less than a mile from Disneyland’s two theme parks. No injuries were reported after the pressurized tank overheated Thursday and began venting vapors in Garden Grove, according to the Orange County […]
6 months ago
FILE - Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference on the Equality Act at the Capit...

This congressman’s family was swept up in WWII Japanese detention. He sees a repeat in today’s raids

WASHINGTON (AP) — The congressman returned home last Fourth of July to startling stories in Southern California as immigration patrols swept through communities and one constituent told him about starting to carry a passport as proof of the right to be in the country. Rep. Mark Takano, whose American-born parents were both incarcerated as young […]
6 months ago
Cincinnati Children's Hospital facility dog Hadley and hospital staff including registered nurse Ha...

Healing with a wag and a nuzzle, meet the dogs brightening hospital days, in photos

CINCINNATI (AP) — Facility dogs are bringing moments of comfort and joy to children’s hospitals, offering far more than a friendly face. Unlike volunteer therapy dogs, these specially trained, full-time working dogs can enter sensitive areas and support patients throughout their hospital experience. Experts say the use of facility dogs is growing at children’s hospitals […]
6 months ago
Faisal Rashid, left, practices putting on his ihram robe as he speaks with his wife Samiha Matin as...

Fueled by faith, some US Muslims embark on Hajj against a backdrop of regional tensions

Faisal Rashid and his wife jumped out of bed at 3 a.m. in a scramble to secure spots for this year’s Hajj before packages sold out. Adrenaline was running high as he tried to navigate the digital booking platform from their Pasadena, California, home. The moment, back in February, when the couple learned they had […]
6 months ago