Politics

Shoppers shop at a grocery store in Glenview, Ill., Wednesday, October. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. ...

FACT FOCUS: When it comes to Trump’s economy, these are the numbers that matter before Nov. 3

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is trying to convince voters before the Nov. 3 midterm elections that the U.S. economy is rocketing upward. But voters say inflation remains a challenge because the Iran war has pushed up gasoline prices, grocery bills have remained expensive and high interest rates have made it harder to afford […]
4 days ago
Students pray during a U.S. history class at Covenant Christian Academy in Colleyville, Texas, Wedn...

Takeaways from AP’s report on the taxpayer-funded growth of classical Christian schools

Conservatives are banding together to grow classical Christian schools by leveraging new taxpayer-funded scholarships. These scholarships have rapidly expanded in states around the country. They mean half of school-age children in the U.S. are now eligible to apply for state money to attend private schools. Last year, the Association of Classical Christian Schools, or ACCS, […]
4 days ago
FILE - Stephen Hubbard, a U.S. citizen accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine against Russia...

Russia releases imprisoned American man, US envoy Witkoff says on visit to St. Petersburg

Russia has released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Wednesday at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. The deal comes at a time when President Donald Trump has taken actions meant to benefit Moscow. Stephen […]
4 days ago
FILE - Diana McGuire leads her 4-year-old son Noah by the hand across the playground at St. Mary's ...

It’s not just gas and groceries. Childcare costs weigh on some voters before the midterm elections

Like so many Americans, Jenny Escolastico has watched wearily as the cost of living has risen, straining her household budget. But as a mother of two children under 5, she faces added pressure that could shape how she votes in November: childcare costs. Escolastico’s household outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, is relying solely on her husband’s income. […]
4 days ago
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in Was...

A ‘golden age’ vs. ‘we’re working on it’: Trump and Vance give different pitches on the economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bill Clinton famously said he could feel voters’ pain over the economy. But these days, when it comes to questions about high prices, President Donald Trump insists that the pain is his. “They hit me with affordability, and that’s the first time I ever heard the word used,” he complained in […]
4 days ago

FBI is investigating reports of an ‘incendiary device’ being thrown at an ICE building in Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — The FBI is investigating reports of an “incendiary device” being thrown at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday night. There were no reports of injuries or significant damage, the FBI said in a statement. “FBI personnel and evidence response technicians are on site collecting evidence,” the […]
4 days ago

Kyle Francis Kennedy, the granddaughter of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, dies at 42

BOSTON (AP) — Kyle Francis Kennedy, the granddaughter of assassinated presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and his wife Ethel Kennedy, has died. She was 42. An advocate for education reform and disability rights, Kennedy lived most of her life in Massachusetts. She died on Sept. 21, according to the town clerk in Westwood, Massachusetts, where […]
4 days ago
FILE - Police and other first responders work the scene where officials say dozens of people have b...

Guatemalan man sentenced to 30 years for smuggling tragedy that killed 53 people in Texas

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Guatemalan man extradited to the U.S. over his role in a 2022 human smuggling attempt that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants who had been transported in a sweltering tractor-trailer in Texas. U.S. and Guatemalan prosecutors called Rigoberto Román Miranda-Orozco’s sentencing another step toward justice in one […]
4 days ago
FILE - The flags of Canada and the United States fly in Ottawa, Sept. 12, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Ca...

New Jersey food importer files lawsuit challenging Trump’s 50% tariffs on Canadian goods

WASHINGTON (AP) — A New Jersey food importer filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging President Donald Trump’s power to invoke a Depression-era law to levy a 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. The Gellert Global Group, a third-generation family business that imports Canadian cheese, took its case to the U.S. Court of International […]
4 days ago
FILE - President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to board Air Force One, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, ...

CNN threatens new legal action, saying it’s still being denied access to Air Force One

Already embroiled in a tense legal standoff with the White House, CNN is threatening further action in the courts if its journalists continue to be denied access to Air Force One and the “pool” of journalists who accompany President Donald Trump when he travels. The network has been entangled in legal action with Trump’s administration […]
4 days ago
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton speaks with supporters during a campaign event alo...

Democrat Amy Acton in Ohio pushes back against unattributed ad featuring her estranged mother

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor who has made no secret of a difficult childhood that included homelessness and sexual abuse, pushed back forcefully Tuesday against an unattributed ad circulating online in which her long-estranged mother calls her “a liar” and insinuates she has mental health issues. The […]
4 days ago

FACT FOCUS: Trump and Republicans blame France’s immigrants for riots without evidence

PARIS (AP) — President Donald Trump and leading Republicans are trying to leverage widespread riots in France ahead of midterm congressional elections by making unsubstantiated claims that the social unrest in Europe is caused by Muslim migrants. Peaceful nationwide demonstrations in France over the high cost of living and in support of students’ grievances over […]
4 days ago
FILE - Mississippi Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Scott Colom listens during a maternal health ro...

Senate Democrats launch first ad in Mississippi as their midterm optimism spreads to the South

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats’ top campaign spending group is wading into Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race for the first time this year, an aggressive move in a deep-red state that signals a party on the offensive as Republicans look to protect a slim majority. The Senate Majority PAC will spend $1.2 million on a new […]
5 days ago
President Donald Trump dances at a campaign rally at Heartland Credit Union Arena, Monday, Oct. 19,...

Trump and Vance to announce a $25M whistleblower program to encourage public to report alleged fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are set Tuesday to announce a $25 million program to encourage the public to blow the whistle on suspected fraud in the federal government as they ramp up an existing effort to end the abuse of federal programs and dollars. Under the Fraud Whistleblower […]
5 days ago
President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he walks on the South Lawn upon his arrival to the Whi...

The Latest: US ties with Ukraine hit a new low as Trump slights Zelenskyy and eases up on Russia

The U.S.-Ukraine alliance is careening toward a possible breaking point, with Moscow strengthened by President Donald Trump’s recent rejection of new Russia sanctions and Kyiv undermined by disruptions in satellite support for its drones during the war. Trump is meanwhile hoping $5,000 checks can boost Republican turnout in November’s midterm elections — but even some […]
5 days ago
Supporters wait for results at the pro-Canada watch party in Edmonton, Alberta Monday, Oct. 19, 202...

Canada awaits Alberta referendum results after Carney urges voters to reject separation

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Canada awaited results Tuesday from a referendum that could put oil-rich Alberta on a path toward independence, testing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push for unity amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats. Results were delayed after late openings forced more than 100 polling stations to extend voting hours […]
5 days ago
President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally at Heartland Credit Union Arena, Monday, Oct. 19...

Gimmick or giveback? Even some Trump supporters don’t expect to get $5,000 checks after midterms

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is hoping that $5,000 checks can juice Republican turnout in November’s midterm elections — but even some of his devoted fans are doubting that government payouts would arrive. “I mean, I guess it’s good for some people. I really don’t care,” said Jamie Alvarez, who attended Trump’s recent Alaska […]
5 days ago

Correction: Vance-Netanyahu story

In a story published Oct. 19, 2026, about Vice President JD Vance declining to endorse Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection, The Associated Press erroneously reported Netanyahu’s title. Netanyahu is Israel’s prime minister, not its president.
5 days ago
FILE - President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the United ...

US ties with Ukraine hit new low as Trump slights Zelenskyy and eases up on Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S.-Ukraine alliance is careening toward a possible breaking point, with Moscow strengthened by President Donald Trump’s recent rejection of new Russia sanctions and Kyiv undermined by disruptions in satellite support for its drones during the war. Trump’s relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has always been a moving target, while the […]
5 days ago
World Food Programme Executive Director Carl Skau, center, visits a camp for displaced Palestinians...

Short of funds, UN food agency cuts aid to 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza and 200,000 in the West Bank

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has cut food assistance to 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza and 200,000 in the West Bank due to a serious funding shortage, the head of the U.N. food agency said Monday. Carl Skau, acting head of the World Food Program, urged the international community to provide $450 million so […]
5 days ago
Photos of former Presidents Raúl Castro, right, and his late brother Fidel Castro cover a front do...

US and Cuba clash at UN as Washington seeks to sway annual vote on economic embargo

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and Cuba clashed Monday at the United Nations as the Trump administration sought once again to build opposition for an upcoming annual vote condemning Washington’s decades-long economic embargo against Havana. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz hosted a “Cuba Libre” panel with dissidents and former prisoners in […]
5 days ago

Editorial Roundup: United States

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ___ Oct. 15 The Wall Street Journal says investors in AI will demand a return sooner or later It’s too soon to call what happened this week to artificial intelligence stocks a correction. Call it instead a reminder: Hype about new technologies is an inevitable […]
5 days ago
The trunks of large trees are wrapped in caution tape at the East Potomac Golf Links, Monday, Oct. ...

Judge hears testimony in legal fight over Trump’s golf course renovation plans at East Potomac Park

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge hearing testimony Monday on President Donald Trump’s plans to redevelop a Washington golf course expressed deep skepticism over the government’s contention that the recent mass cutting of trees at East Potomac Park and the plans for a new golf course were not connected. “There is no universe in which […]
5 days ago
FILE - A mockup of President Donald Trump's proposed triumphal arch stands at the Great American St...

New plans for Trump’s arch don’t mention the ‘military complex’ he said it would host

New Interior Department documents on President Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch don’t mention the “military complex” he has said it would host, but the agency said Monday the plan could accommodate such a feature. The latest batch of lasting mark on Washington. The documents include site maps and renderings of the arch. One response to […]
5 days ago