National News

FILE - Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin listens as President Donald Trump s...

EPA seeks more public comments as it struggles to devise water rule that limits scope on wetlands

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking additional public comments as it tries to redefine the scope of the nation’s bedrock clean water law to significantly limit the wetlands it covers. The request, announced Friday, comes nearly a year after the agency proposed a rule defining “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, […]
2 months ago
David Mueller stands in his Kernza field Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at his farm in Halstead, Kan. (AP ...

Farmers turn to perennial grains as one solution to extreme weather

BELOIT, Kan. (AP) — Bryce Black kneels in a wheat field battered by intense drought. He holds two strands, remarking on how small the seed head is compared with what’s normal. After a late October rain last year, the fourth-generation farmer was optimistic about his 1,800 acres (728 hectares) of winter wheat. But a dry […]
2 months ago
Lindsay Clancy and attorney Kevin Reddington watch as Judge William Sullivan tells the jury to keep...

The Latest: Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial deliberations apparently stuck 11-1

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A deadlocked jury returns Friday for the seventh day of deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy trial, a day after the jury’s foreperson told the judge a single juror won’t follow the court’s instructions about reasonable doubt. The extraordinary disclosure made Thursday in the form of a note delivered to the judge […]
2 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks and announces action to help farmers and ranchers with meat processin...

The Latest: US tightens economic squeeze on Iran after a week of renewed strikes

The U.S. Treasury announced Friday it has imposed sanctions on the Turkish bank Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi, as part of the Trump administration’s latest effort to sever “critical financial lifelines” for the Iranian government. Having launched “Operation Economic Outcast” just last week to try to isolate Iran from its remaining global trade partners, […]
2 months ago
The Sunshine Residential Homes headquarters in Glendale, Ariz., on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Pho...

Arizona group home provider at center of pay-to-play scandal escapes penalties for boy’s death

PHOENIX (AP) — The staff caring for Jakob Blodgett said he already had been sneaking candy and refused to take his insulin. An employee at the Arizona group home where the 9-year-old boy was being cared for texted a supervisor about the boy’s elevated blood-glucose reading. The response? Give him water. After two missed doses […]
2 months ago
Ken Kesey's psychedelic bus "Furthur" is displayed at the Forever Grateful exhibit presented by the...

Psychedelic ‘Furthur’ bus rolls back into San Francisco for new Grateful Dead exhibit

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ken Kesey’s school bus — once painted in bright, swirly colors and driven across the country on a psychedelic journey — is back in San Francisco after 60 years as the centerpiece of a new exhibition celebrating the legacy of the Grateful Dead, a band that rose from the city’s famed […]
2 months ago
FILE - A nozzle pumps diesel into the fuel tank of bus in Orange, Calif., Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (...

US diesel prices hit a record high of $5.85 on average as the Iran war disrupts the flow of fuel

CHICAGO (AP) — Diesel hit a new record price in the U.S. on Friday, soaring to an average of $5.85 a gallon for the first time ever as the 6-month-long war with Iran continues to disrupt the world’s flow of fuel. Because diesel is used for many freight and delivery networks, higher diesel prices mean […]
2 months ago
FILE - President Donald Trump greets Jordan's King Abdullah II at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11...

Iranian strikes on Jordan test the bonds between the US and one of its staunchest Mideast allies

Jordan, a staunch U.S. ally that hosts American forces in the Mideast, has paid a price for its relationship with Washington, which has made the kingdom’s military bases a target of repeat Iranian strikes. Hundreds of drone and missile attacks have added to other strains on Jordan that include a slumping economy and volatility in […]
2 months ago

A single juror may prevent a verdict in the Lindsay Clancy trial as deliberations resume

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A deadlocked jury returns Friday for the seventh day of deliberations in the Lindsay Clancy trial, a day after the jury’s foreperson told the judge a single juror won’t follow the court’s instructions about reasonable doubt. The extraordinary disclosure made Thursday in the form of a note delivered to the judge […]
2 months ago
FILE - A Flock Safety license plate reader is seen along a public road, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in...

Flock surveillance cameras become midterm campaign target as voters balk at tech companies’ power

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Wisconsin’s candidates for governor want to limit them, while Pennsylvania’s say they support a ban. A Michigan congressional candidate called them “un-American.” A Florida Senate candidate is selling merch opposing them. Across the country and up and down ballots, candidates from both parties are increasingly on the attack over Flock cameras, […]
2 months ago
Wake County Board of Elections employees prepare absentee ballots to be mailed on Thursday, Sept. 3...

Midterm mail ballots start to go to voters as litigation over Trump’s order creates uncertainty

Statewide mail voting for this year’s midterm elections kicks off Friday amid a churning legal battle over President Donald Trump’s attempts to limit the practice and mounting concern over Postal Service changes that some state officials blame for a rise in rejected ballots. The developments have created a sense of uncertainty about a popular voting […]
2 months ago
FILE - Gloria Steinem of the National Organization for Women attends an Equal Rights Amendment rall...

Gloria Steinem lived to see a powerful backlash against her vision of feminism

It was the fight for abortion rights that launched Gloria Steinem into feminism. The idea that women couldn’t reach equality without the ability to decide whether or when to have children was central to the feminist movement of the late 1960s, which Steinem came to embody until her death at age 92 on Wednesday. The […]
2 months ago

Pennsylvania teen and his mother are charged in the stabbing death of the son’s girlfriend

Authorities released police bodycam footage Thursday showing the discovery of a Pennsylvania college student’s body that led to the arrest of her boyfriend, who said in court documents that a “demon” told him to stab her. The boyfriend’s mother, meanwhile, is accused of helping him cover up the crime, according to state police. Royce Moser, […]
2 months ago
Vice President JD Vance speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White H...

Vance says Iran fight isn’t a ‘war’ as Trump tries to navigate unpopular conflict as election nears

Washington (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday rejected the use of the word “war” to describe the U.S. fighting with Iran as he steered clear of predicting that the six-month-old conflict would be over by November’s midterm elections, in which Republicans are trying to hang on to their narrow majorities in Congress.. “I […]
2 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House during a meeting with travel ex...

Trump names Adam Telle as acting Army secretary following the departure of Dan Driscoll

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday named Adam Telle as the acting Army secretary following the departure of Dan Driscoll amid widespread reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Telle is currently the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works. “He is a Great Patriot, who is respected by all,” Trump […]
2 months ago

Maryland’s top court allows Democratic-backed congressional redistricting measure on November ballot

Maryland voters will get to decide in November on a congressional redistricting amendment being pushed by Democrats as part of nationwide battle for control of the U.S. House in future elections. The Maryland Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the proposed constitutional amendment must be placed on the November ballot, reversing two lower court rulings that […]
2 months ago
FILE - Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre C...

Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers want to put off accuser’s recantation hearing in a bid for a new trial

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Lawyers for former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky asked Thursday to cancel a court date for a hearing over a claim that an accuser wants to recant allegations that Sandusky sexually abused him years ago. The hearing was scheduled for Sept. 8 in the latest bid by Sandusky’s […]
2 months ago
FILE - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) trainees practice shooting handguns at the indoor ...

ICE whistleblower warned of ‘unprecedented lowering of standards’ during hiring spree

A supervisor overseeing background checks warned last year that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was hiring many new officers who had not undergone basic vetting, violating federal rules and putting the agency at risk of misconduct, a newly released whistleblower complaint shows. The official was a unit chief in ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility, where background […]
2 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to present the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to ...

White House website debuts 5 low-res arcade video games that promote Trump’s agenda

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House website on Thursday unveiled Arcade, a collection of five low-resolution video games that promote different aspects of President Donald Trump’s agenda. “Build the Wall” is a “Tetris” knockoff that transforms the classic game into an effort to “Protect the border from the coming horde.” In “Rio Run,” which resembles […]
2 months ago
In this photo taken with a smartphone, people opposing a congressional redistricting plan rally out...

Missouri court blocks Trump-backed US House map and orders it to be put to a vote

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court has unanimously blocked new congressional districts backed by President Donald Trump from being used in the November election and ordered a statewide vote on whether to uphold or reject the new map. The decision Thursday marks a rare setback for Republicans in a national redistricting battle. […]
2 months ago
A Tesla Cybercab is displayed in downtown Austin, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Ga...

Musk launches steering-wheel-free taxi service in bet riders lose ‘no control’ fears and hop inside

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk sent dozens of self-driving Cybercabs without steering wheels or brake pedals onto the streets of Austin, Texas, on Thursday, betting that Americans will overcome their fears of rides with “no control” and hop inside. The rollout of the gold-colored Teslas, which give passengers no way to take control in […]
2 months ago
FILE - This collection of file photos showing various bobblehead figures on different dates and loc...

Nod if you’ve heard this: Bobblehead dolls are an American favorite

NEW YORK (AP) — It’s all in the name. Bobble. Head. It’s what the tiny collectible figurines with the spring-laden oversize heads are known for: Give them a tap and watch their tops go, gyrating up and down or side to side. And any head can bobble – entertainers, athletes, politicians, animals, fictional characters, even […]
2 months ago
FILE - Former Justice Department attorneys Liz Oyer participates in a hearing on the Justice Depart...

Justice Department pardon lawyer who says she was fired in dispute over Mel Gibson’s gun rights sues

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Justice Department pardon attorney who says she was fired after she refused to recommend the restoration of actor Mel Gibson’s gun rights sued Thursday over her termination, calling it illegal punishment for her unwillingness to grant a “political favor” to a friend of President Donald Trump. Liz Oyer’s March 2025 […]
2 months ago

Former Columbus officer pleads guilty to reckless homicide in Black man’s 2022 death

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former police officer in Ohio who fatally shot a Black man lying in bed pleaded guilty Wednesday to reckless homicide, the lesser of two charges he faced after the shooting four years ago. Ricky Anderson entered what is called an Alford plea, conceding there was enough evidence to support a […]
2 months ago