national - Page 18 of 27 - The Rapid City Post

Stephen King to narrate ‘Hansel and Gretel’ audiobook with Maurice Sendak’s illustrations

July 10, 2025

Stephen King narrates a new audiobook version of “Hansel and Gretel,” blending his storytelling with Maurice Sendak’s illustrations. The Maurice Sendak Foundation announced Thursday that King’s reading adds captivating depth to the classic fairy tale. The audiobook releases on Sept. 2, alongside the new picture book. This reimagining is based on Sendak’s sketches for a 1997 opera about two children lost in a forest. Sendak, who died in 2012, was known for such classic books as “Where the Wild Things Are.” King’s many novels include “Carrie” and “The Stand.”

FILE - George Harrison performs at a concert in London on April 6, 1992. (AP Photo/Max Nash, File)

George Harrison’s Beatles-era photos to be released in new book

July 10, 2025

A new book of Beatles-era photographs by George Harrison will be released in Fall 2026. Random House announced Thursday that “The Third Eye” features over 250 images, many unpublished, taken between 1963 and 1969. The book was compiled by Harrison’s widow, Olivia Harrison. It captures moments from Liverpool to India and Shea Stadium. Olivia says the photos reflect George’s unique perspective during the Beatles’ early years. The book includes essays by Olivia, Irish novelist Colm Tóibín, and American author George Saunders, along with George’s own words. Fellow Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have also published photo books.

Jennifer Hudson performs at the pre-Grammy gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 4, 2023, left, and Whitney Houston performs at the pre-Grammy gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 13, 2011. (AP Photo)

Jennifer Hudson will headline the Whitney Houston estate’s fourth annual Legacy of Love Gala

July 10, 2025

No one could replace the inimitable talent that was Whitney Houston. But EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson can master her hits. Hudson will headline the fourth annual Whitney Houston Legacy of Love on Aug. 9, presented by The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation and Primary Wave Music. The event, held at the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta on what would have been Houston’s 62nd birthday, doubles as a celebration of 40 years since the launch of her career. Houston’s self-titled debut album was released in 1985.The Whitney Houston Legacy of Love on Aug. 9, which will benefit the late singer’s foundation aimed at helping young people.

The The Rhea County courthouse where the Scopes Monkey Trial occured in 1925 is seen, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Dayton, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

A century after a man was convicted of teaching evolution, the debate on religion in schools rages

July 10, 2025

The 1925 Scopes “Monkey Trial” in Tennessee, where a teacher was prosecuted for teaching evolution, continues to influence debates on religion in public schools. The trial highlighted tensions between science and religion, sparking a broader cultural conflict. Today, similar debates persist as conservative efforts push for more religious presence in schools, such as displaying the Ten Commandments. Legal challenges are ongoing, with advocates for church-state separation opposing these measures. Experts see parallels between the Scopes trial and current disputes, emphasizing the enduring struggle over balancing religious freedom and secular governance in education.

31 workers have been safely removed after part of an industrial tunnel in LA collapsed

July 9, 2025

Thirty-one workers have been safely removed from an industrial tunnel in Los Angeles after part of it collapsed Wednesday. That’s according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The workers were up to 6 miles from the tunnel’s only entrance. Some workers on the other side of the collapsed portion scrambled over a tall mound of loose soil to reach coworkers on the other side. They were shuttled to the entrance and hoisted out. Paramedics were evaluating 27 of the workers removed from the tunnel.

FILE - Rick Springfield performs at Live Aid, a famine relief concert at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia Pa., Jon uly 13, 1985. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

Judas Priest, Rick Springfield, John Oates and Bob Geldof reflect on 40 years of Live Aid

July 9, 2025

Forty years ago, the legendary Live Aid concerts simulcast from Philadelphia and London aimed to do a lot of good. They helped to raise over $100 million for famine relief in Ethiopia and inspired worldwide awareness for a cause it might otherwise have ignored. A lot has changed in the years since. Performers Rick Springfield, Hall and Oates’ John Oates, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and organizer Bob Geldof tell The Associated Press they don’t think Live Aid could happen again in 2025. But the event serves as a reminder that music can create change and bolster a sense of camaraderie.

FILE - President Donald Trump signs an executive order on birthright citizenship in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

New Hampshire judge to hear arguments on class action against Trump’s birthright citizenship order

July 9, 2025

A federal judge in New Hampshire will hear arguments Thursday on a class-action lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship restrictions. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of several parents and infants, seeks to block Trump’s January order denying citizenship to babies born to undocumented or temporary residents. Plaintiffs argue the order violates the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to those born in the U.S. and subject to its jurisdiction. Several federal judges have issued injunctions against the order, but the U.S. Supreme Court recently limited those rulings. Legal battles continue across multiple states.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disembarks upon his arrival at Subang Air Base, outside of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, July 10, 2025. Rubio arrived in Malaysia to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. (Mandel Ngan/Pool Photo via AP)

Trump’s tariffs may overshadow Rubio’s first official trip to Asia

July 9, 2025

Sweeping tariffs set to be imposed by President Donald Trump next month may overshadow his top diplomat’s first official trip to Asia. The Trump administration is seeking to boost relations with Indo-Pacific nations to counter China’s growing influence in the region. Trump on Monday sent notice to several countries about higher tariffs if they don’t make trade deals with the U.S. That came a day before Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for a regional security conference in Malaysia. Top diplomats and senior officials from at least eight countries the Republican president has targeted for tariffs will be represented at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Malaysia.

Burna Boy poses for a portrait on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Gary Gerard Hamilton)

Burna Boy’s ‘No Sign of Weakness’ fulfills his rock star dreams

July 9, 2025

Afrobeats megastar Burna Boy is releasing his new album, “No Sign of Weakness,” on Friday. The Grammy-winning artist is bringing his own rock star dreams to life with features from Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, country hitmaker Shaboozey and hip-hop heavyweight Travis Scott on the 16-track album. Fresh off becoming the first African artist to sell out Paris’ iconic Stade de France in April and recognized as one of the standard-bearers of the genre, the “Last Last” artist launched his world tour this week with North American dates beginning in November. It will feature a unique circular stage, providing a chance for fans to equally enjoy the musical experience.

FILE - Students cross the campus of Dartmouth College, March 5, 2024, in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Republicans urge US universities to cut ties with China-backed scholarship program

July 9, 2025

Dartmouth College and the University of Notre Dame say they’re ending their participation in a Chinese scholarship program. House Republicans have called the program a “nefarious mechanism” to steal technology for the Chinese government. Leaders of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party said Wednesday they had sent letters to Dartmouth, Notre Dame, Temple, the University of Tennessee and three University of California campuses. The lawmakers raised concerns about the schools’ partnerships with the China Scholarship Council. The study-abroad program is funded by China and sponsors hundreds of Chinese graduate students at U.S. universities annually. China’s U.S. Embassy hasn’t commented.

FILE - Water overflows from the Canyon Lake spillway near New Braunfels, Texas, Friday, July 5, 2002, adding to the flood waters along the Guadalupe River. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

What flood insurance does and does not cover

July 9, 2025

Though natural disasters cycle across seasons and regions in the U.S., it’s often a shocking discovery for property owners how expansive and expensive flood and water damage can be when a major storm devastates their homes, businesses and communities. That’s because oftentimes insurance doesn’t cover what the policy holder thinks it does — or thinks it should. The disappointing surprise is that while the standard home insurance policy does cover fire and wind damage, even good property insurance typically doesn’t cover things like flooding and earthquakes, which usually require a special and separate policy for each. Here are the things to know about flood insurance.

FILE - Jasmine North, federal public defender mitigation investigator, speaks with Ralph Leroy Menzies during his competency hearing in Third District Court in West Jordan, Utah, Nov. 18, 2024. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

Utah judge schedules execution by firing squad for a man with dementia

July 9, 2025

A Utah judge has set an execution date for a man with dementia who has been on death row for 37 years. Sixty-seven-year-old Ralph Leroy Menzies is set to be executed Sept. 5 for abducting and killing Utah mother of three Maurine Hunsaker in 1986. When given a choice decades ago, Menzies selected a firing squad as his method of execution. He would be only the sixth U.S. prisoner executed by firing squad since 1977. Menzies’ lawyers have petitioned the court to reconsider his competency for execution. Judge Matthew Bates signed the death warrant Wednesday but agreed to review the new competency petition.

‘Superman’ brings a message of hope to a cynical world

July 9, 2025

Superman might do more than just save Metropolis. Filmmaker James Gunn hopes the beloved superhero will bring hope to a cynical world. “Superman,” which flies into theaters nationwide Thursday, is a bit of a change in tone for the writer and director who brought a mischievous playfulness and snark to the chaotic worlds of “Suicide Squad” and the “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The film is threaded with optimism and what it means to be inherently good as audiences watch the metahuman save the day. Gunn doesn’t just focus on Superman’s humanity but highlights the importance of truth and the power of journalism to fight against injustice.

FILE - Senior Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress addresses attendees at First Baptist Church Dallas during a Celebrate Freedom Rally in Dallas, June 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

A surprise IRS move on political endorsements leaves faith leaders and legal experts divided

July 9, 2025

A surprise move by the IRS that would allow pastors to back political candidates from the pulpit without losing their organization’s tax-exempt status is drawing praise from conservatives and even some progressive religious groups but concern from other leaders of faith, along with tax and legal experts. A 1954 provision prohibits nonprofits from engaging in political campaigns, but the IRS rarely enforces the rule. Supporters see this as a win for religious freedom, while critics warn it could lead to financial abuse and politicization of churches.

President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump promises West African leaders a pivot to trade as the region reels from sweeping aid cuts

July 9, 2025

President Donald Trump has promised West African leaders a shift from aid to trade during a White House meeting. On Wednesday. Leaders from Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau praised Trump while highlighting their nations’ untapped natural resources. This comes as the U.S. ends its charity-based foreign aid model, dissolving USAID earlier this month. Trump emphasized trade as a diplomatic tool, linking it to peace efforts, including a recent U.S.-facilitated deal in Congo. Critics warn the aid cuts could have devastating effects, especially in nations like Liberia, which heavily relied on U.S. support. The meeting reflects a transactional shift in U.S.-Africa relations.

A U.S. Supreme Court police officer stands watch as anti-abortion protesters rally outside of the Supreme Court, Thursday, June 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Supreme Court keeps hold on Florida immigration law aimed at people in the US illegally

July 9, 2025

The Supreme Court has refused to allow Florida to enforce an immigration law making it a crime for people who are living in the U.S. illegally to enter the state. The high court’s action Wednesday will keep the law on hold while a legal challenge continues. The court did not explain its decision and no justice noted a dissent. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation into law in February in support of President Donald Trump’s push to crack down on illegal immigration. Immigrants rights groups sued, arguing that immigration is a federal issue beyond the power of the states. The law is similar to a Texas law that also has been blocked by a federal appeals court.

FILE - In this image released by the Martin County, Fla., Sheriff's Office, law enforcement officers arrest Ryan Wesley Routh, a man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump, Sept. 15, 2024. (Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

Man accused of Trump assassination attempt in Florida seeks to remove defense attorneys from case

July 9, 2025

A man awaiting trial on federal charges of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last year at his Florida golf course is seeking to get rid of his court-appointed federal public defenders. Court records show that a hearing for Ryan Routh’s motion regarding the proposed termination of his appointed counsel is scheduled for Thursday in Fort Pierce. The motion didn’t say why Routh no longer wished to be represented by the two attorneys. They didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Prosecutors have said Routh plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as Trump played golf in September 2024 at his West Palm Beach country club.

FILE - Absentee ballots during a count at the Wisconsin Center, Nov. 8, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

Former Wisconsin clerk who failed to count ballots broke laws, the state’s elections commission says

July 9, 2025

An investigation by Wisconsin’s elections commission has concluded that unlawful actions by Madison’s former city clerk led to nearly 200 absentee ballots going uncounted in the 2024 presidential election. The report released Wednesday accuses Maribeth Witzel-Behl of violating five election laws, including mishandling absentee ballots. Whether she is actually charged with any crimes would be up to the Dane County district attorney. Two bags of uncounted ballots were discovered weeks after the election, but the clerk’s office delayed notifying officials. Witzel-Behl resigned in April. The commission will vote on the report’s findings and recommendations on July 17.

FILE - Amazon employees load packages on carts before being put on to trucks for distribution for Amazon's annual Prime Day event at an Amazon's DAX7 delivery station, July 16, 2024, in South Gate, Calif. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

Customers seeking deals gave Amazon’s Prime Day and competing sales a solid start

July 9, 2025

Retail analysts say the first day of Amazon’s Prime Day event and competing sales drove solid online spending. Adobe Digital Insights reports that U.S. consumers spent $7.9 billion at e-commerce sites on Tuesday. That was 9.9% more than on the comparable day last year. Analysts are evaluating sales by Amazon, Walmart, Target and other U.S. retailers for clues on whether President Donald Trump’s trade policy and unpredictable tariffs affect prices and consumer behavior. According to consumer data company Numerator, the average Prime Day order on Tuesday cost $58.37. However, the company says 42% of participating households placed more than two orders.

The new Galaxy Z Flip 7 is displayed during a Samsung preview event in New York, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Samsung unveils its new line of foldable devices at Unpacked

July 9, 2025

Samsung introduced several updates to its foldable devices lineup on Wednesday, with the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and the new Z Flip 7 FE taking stage at the latest Unpacked event. The Korean electronics company unveiled the upgrades — including a new version of their watch — in New York but also announced an expanded partnership with Google to inject more artificial intelligence into its foldable lineup.

FILE - This photo from Tuesday May 3, 2011, shows the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse where the Second Circuit Court of Appeals is located in New York's lower Manhattan. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

Appeals court overturns right-wing influencer’s conviction for spreading 2016 election falsehoods

July 9, 2025

A federal appeals court has overturned a self-styled right-wing propagandist’s conviction for spreading falsehoods on social media in an effort to suppress Democratic turnout in the 2016 presidential election. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ordered a lower court to enter a judgment of acquittal for Douglass Mackey, finding that trial evidence failed to prove the government’s claim that the 36-year-old Florida man conspired with others to influence the election. Mackey was convicted in March 2023 in federal court in Brooklyn on a charge of conspiracy against rights after posting false memes that said supporters of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton could vote for her by text message or social media post.

Exterior view of the Allegany County Circuit Court building in Cumberland, Maryland on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, where three members of a violent cultlike group known as Zizians appeared Tuesday for a motions hearing after they were arrested in February on trespassing and gun possession charges. (AP Photo/Lea Skene)

Three Zizians face trial together in Maryland amid sprawling federal investigation

July 9, 2025

Three members of a violent cultlike group will be tried together on charges of trespassing and illegal gun and drug possession in rural western Maryland. The group known as Zizians has been linked to six killings spanning three states in recent years. The Maryland cases were originally scheduled for separate trials, but the defendants requested a joint proceeding and a judge agreed. The co-defendants are Jack “Ziz” LaSota and her associates Michelle Zajko and Daniel Blank. Authorities say they were arrested in February after a man told police “suspicious” people had parked two box trucks on his property.

Officials ride a boat as they arrive to assist with a recovery effort at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River, Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas, after a flash flood swept through the area. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

How Americans think the government should respond to natural disasters, according to recent polls

July 9, 2025

Most U.S. adults who’ve experienced major flooding in the past five years think climate change was at least a partial cause. That’s according to polling conducted before the deadly Texas floods. But while Americans largely believe the federal government should play a major role in preparing for and responding to natural disasters, an analysis of Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling shows there’s less consensus about whether the government should be involved in combating climate change to try to keep extreme weather from worsening. February and June polls found Americans generally have high confidence in the National Weather Service and their local weather report. That trust could now be undermined.

Tourists take a selfie at the Temple of Heaven as they take a half-day tour offering by a travel agency Trip.com Group, in Beijing on June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China extends visa-free entry to more than 70 countries to draw tourists

July 9, 2025

China now allows citizens from 74 countries to enter visa-free for up to 30 days. This policy aims to boost tourism, the economy, and China’s global influence. The government has expanded the program significantly in recent months, adding many European, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries. In 2024, over 20 million foreign visitors entered without visas, more than double the previous year. However, major African nations remain excluded. A separate transit policy permits travelers from 10 other countries, including the U.S. and U.K., to stay for 10 days under specific conditions. Tourism companies report significant growth due to these relaxed entry rules.

FILE - A person looks at their phone at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Job scams are on the rise and more people are falling for them. Protect yourself with these tips

July 9, 2025

As job-seekers look for work in an challenging environment, an increasing number are falling victim to scams that promise good pay for completing easy online tasks. The Federal Trade Commission says the scams start innocuously, often with a tailor-made text or WhatsApp message. The tasks seem legitimate, but victims are then told they need to pay money to access their earnings. To avoid falling victim to these scams, ignore unexpected messages, never pay to access your pay, and avoid accepting positions where you rate, like, or leave phony reviews for products or services.

3 missing, house swept away as flash flooding hits mountain village in New Mexico

July 9, 2025

At least three people are missing in a mountain village that is a popular summer retreat in southern New Mexico after monsoon rains triggered flash flooding so intense an entire house was swept downstream. The flash flooding struck the Ruidoso area on Tuesday afternoon. Officials urged residents to seek higher ground and waters of the Rio Ruidoso rose nearly 19 feet in a matter of minutes. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings as summer monsoon storms emerged in areas stripped of vegetation by wildfires last year. No deaths were immediately reported. The mayor said Tuesday evening that some people were taken to the hospital, although the exact number was not immediately clear.

FILE - President Donald Trump colors during a visit with a group of children at the Nationwide Children's Hospital, Aug. 24, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

What Trump’s big tax law could mean for the youngest Americans

July 8, 2025

The impact of the massive spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on Independence Day is expected to filter down to infants and toddlers — a segment of the population that is particularly vulnerable to cuts to the federal social safety net. Many middle-class and wealthy families will see benefits from the new legislation, but programs that help low-income families keep babies healthy have been cut back. While state money funds public schools and preschool in some cases, programs supporting the youngest children are largely backed by the federal government.

This handout photo shows, Derrick D. Groves, one of the inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail. (Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office via AP)

Convicted murderer Derrick Groves eludes law enforcement as last New Orleans jail escapee on the run

July 8, 2025

Ten inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail almost two months ago, and authorities have captured all but the man with the most violent rap sheet. Derrick Groves crawled through a hole behind a toilet along with nine other inmates in May. Once captured, Groves faces life in prison following convictions last year for second-degree murder. Experts say more than 90% of escapees are recaptured within a year. However, law enforcement believes family or friends have likely helped Groves in a city that has a history of widespread distrust of law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

FILE - SAG-AFTRA signage is seen on the side of the headquarters in Los Angeles on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel,File)

Video game performers vote on contract that could end nearly three-year-long battle over AI

July 8, 2025

Union members have until July 9 at 5 p.m. Pacific to vote on a tentative contract between video game performers and their employers. If the agreement is ratified, it would formally end a nearly three-year-long effort between the union and major video companies to settle on artificial intelligence protections. A spokesperson for the video game producers involved in the deal said the new contract secured “industry-leading” AI protections. Union leaders say the 11-month strike was a “grueling and excruciating” process, but necessary to ensure safe working conditions for the nearly 3,000 union members covered under the contract.

President Donald Trump, center, speaking during a cabinet meeting with from l-r., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of Housing, Eric Scott Turner, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright at the White House, Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump comes to Bondi’s defense amid uproar from his base over Jeffrey Epstein files flop

July 8, 2025

President Donald Trump is defending Attorney General Pam Bondi as she faces mounting criticism from far-right influencers and conservative internet personalities over the Justice Department’s abrupt refusal to release additional documents from the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation. When a reporter attempted to ask Bondi about Epstein at a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump headed off the questions and scolded the journalist: “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy’s been talked about for years.” The comments appeared to signal continued job security for Bondi and amounted to a striking rebuke of members of Trump’s base.

FILE - A sign covers the broken back window of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo., Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Funeral home owner accused of stashing decaying bodies expected to plead guilty in federal court

July 8, 2025

A Colorado funeral home owner accused of storing nearly 190 decomposing bodies and defrauding the government is expected to plead guilty. Carie Hallford ran Return to Nature Funeral Home and authorities say her guilty pleas are expected in August. Federal prosecutors accused her of misusing $900,000 in pandemic aid and cheating families by not performing promised cremations. They said she and husband Jon Hallford spent the money instead on luxury items including cars and cryptocurrency. Last year, Jon Hallford pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Both face state charges for corpse abuse after the bodies were found decaying in 2023.

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Blue Room of the White House, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump’s previous tariff push terrified the world economy. He’s betting this time is different

July 8, 2025

The last time President Donald Trump rolled out tariffs this high, financial markets quaked, consumer confidence crashed and his popularity plunged. Only three months later, he’s betting this time is different. In his new round of tariffs being announced this week, Trump is essentially tethering the entire world economy to his instinctual belief that import taxes will deliver factory jobs and stronger growth in the U.S., rather than the inflation and slowdown predicted by many economists. There are three possible outcomes. Trump could prove most economic experts wrong and the tariffs could deliver growth as promised. Or he could retreat again on tariffs before their Aug. 1 start. Or he could damage the economy.

FILE - From left, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, look at portraits of former presidents as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Trump on past presidents: Ike was ‘underrated,’ FDR ‘amazing,’ Polk ‘sort of a real-estate guy’

July 8, 2025

President Donald Trump has shared his unique takes on past presidents and their portraits while discussing his White House redecorating efforts. Speaking during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Trump explained how he personally selected portraits to redecorate the White House’s Cabinet Room, and admitted to sometimes liking the frames as much as the portraits they surrounded. He noted that James K. Polk was “sort of a real estate guy,” and called Dwight Eisenhower underrated. He referred to the “Great Andrew Jackson” and said that Franklin D. Roosevelt was “amazing.” As he has in the past, Trump also heaped praise on William McKinley and his love of tariffs.

Bhagavan “Doc” Antle from the Netflix Tiger King documentary, center, reaches out to a supporter after he was sentenced to a year and a day in prison on federal animal trafficking and money laundering charges on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Latest ‘Tiger King’ twist finds ‘Doc’ Antle sentenced to 1 year in prison for animal trafficking

July 8, 2025

“Tiger King” star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison for illegally buying endangered animals. Prosecutors say Antle bought animals like chimpanzees and tigers on the black market, fueling illegal poaching. The 65-year-old Antle used the animals for his Myrtle Beach Safari, which charged $200 for a five-minute photo session with a chimpanzee. Federal guidelines and prosecutors asked for around a two-year sentence, but the judge says he was swayed by Antle’s love for animals. Antle’s friends and family say he is generous and caring and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poaching and preserve wild habitats for tigers, lions and chimpanzees.

Family of Alabama teen shot by police seeks access to video of shooting

July 8, 2025

Lawyers representing the family of a Black teenager killed by police in an Alabama suburb said the state’s refusal to release body-camera video during an investigation is fueling mistrust. Family members of Jabari Peoples and lawyers representing the family held a press conference Tuesday as they continue to seek access to the body-camera footage of the fatal shooting. Ben Crump, a lawyer representing the family, said the family is seeking transparency and accountability. Peoples, 18, was shot June 23 by a police officer in the parking lot of a soccer field in Homewood, an affluent suburb near the central city of Birmingham.

FILE - A U.S. Army Caisson team carries the casket of Army Capt. Stephanie Rader, during a full military honors conducted by the Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment through Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., June 1, 2016. (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File)

Army will end most of its ceremonial horse programs and adopt out the animals

July 8, 2025

The U.S. Army’s history is closely tied to its mounted cavalry, those soldiers who rode into battle on horseback. But the service announced Tuesday that it’s moving toward a future without horses and put most of them up for adoption. A total of 141 horses will be affected, including those from Fort Cavazos in Texas that were showcased during the military parade in Washington last month. The Army, however, will keep operating the Old Guard ceremonial caisson units at Joint Base San Antonio and Arlington National Cemetery for burial honors.

Thune Comments on Horrific Flooding in Texas

July 8, 2025

Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate

Trash and tension mount in Philadelphia on Day 8 of workers strike, while some seek pop-up haulers

July 8, 2025

Philadelphia faces mounting trash and tension as a strike by many of the city’s blue-collar workers enters its eighth day. Some residents and small businesses are hiring pop-up haulers to clear their blocks of trash, while mostly supporting the union’s push for higher pay. Mayor Cherelle Parker has offered a 3% annual raise over three years, following a 5% increase last year. The strike involves nearly 10,000 workers, but courts are ordering some critical employees back to work. Former sanitation worker Terrill Haigler, now a private hauler, says he stands behind the workers but wants to help struggling residents.

FILE - Jose Ibarra appears at his trial at the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, on Nov. 19, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

Judge orders mental evaluation for Venezuelan man convicted of killing Laken Riley

July 8, 2025

A judge has ordered a mental evaluation for Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan man convicted of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. Ibarra was found guilty in November and sentenced to life without parole for the February 2024 killing. His lawyers claim Ibarra has a mental deficiency that affected his ability to stand trial or assist in his defense. The judge’s order asks for an evaluation to determine Ibarra’s competency during trial and post-conviction proceedings. Prosecutors say there were no prior concerns about his mental state but do not oppose the evaluation. Ibarra is seeking a new trial.

FILE - The Supreme Court is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Supreme Court clears the way for Trump’s plans to downsize the federal workforce

July 8, 2025

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s plans to downsize the federal workforce. The order comes despite warnings that critical government services will be lost and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be out of their jobs. The justices on Tuesday overrode lower court orders that temporarily froze the cuts. The court said in an unsigned order that no specific cuts were in front of the justices, only an executive order issued by Trump and an administration directive for agencies to undertake job reductions. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only dissenting vote, accusing her colleagues of a “demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture.”

Trump avoids talk of scrapping FEMA after more than 100 killed in Texas flash flood

July 8, 2025

President Donald Trump has avoided talk of scrapping the federal disaster response agency after the catastrophic flash flood in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including children at an all-girls camp. He was asked shortly after the disaster if he still intended to phase out FEMA but said it wasn’t the right time to talk about it. He also didn’t mention his plans during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. Instead, the Republican president opened the meeting by having Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem talk about her visit leading the federal response. Noem grew emotional as she described watching parents pull their children’s belongings from the mud.

‘Hostage,’ Eli Sharabi’s memoir about life in Hamas captivity, is coming to the US

July 8, 2025

An Israeli man’s memoir about being held captive by Hamas is set for U.S. release. Eli Sharabi’s *Hostage,” originally written in Hebrew, has already become a bestseller in Israel. Harper Influence announced Tuesday that the English edition will be published on Oct. 7, marking the two-year anniversary of the 2023 attack. Sharabi, released in February, shares his harrowing experience of abduction and captivity in Gaza. The memoir details his bond with fellow hostages and how his faith helped him endure. Sharabi hopes his story sheds light on life in captivity and inspires humanity.

Video game actors are voting on a new contract. Here’s what it means for AI in gaming

July 8, 2025

A tentative agreement passed by the union board in June could put video game performers back in action after a nearly year-long strike. Union leaders say the new contract secured necessary artificial intelligence protections that had previously left large game companies at a standstill during negotiation efforts. Members had raised concerns that unregulated use of AI could displace them. The agreement centers on consent, compensation and transparency, which union leaders say are key elements needed for the industry to keep moving forward. About 3,000 striking union members now have until Wednesday evening to vote on the contract’s ratification.

FILE - French bulldogs compete in breed group judging during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, May 13, 2024, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

PETA sues American Kennel Club over standards for French bulldogs, other breeds

July 8, 2025

The animal rights group PETA is suing to try to force the American Kennel Club to abandon the standards it backs for French bulldogs and some other breeds. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York, PETA contends that the influential club is promoting unhealthy physical features in Frenchies, bulldogs, dachshunds, pugs and Chinese shar-peis. The AKC says it categorically rejects PETA’s assertion that the standards create unhealthy dogs. The club also raps what it calls PETA’s “mischaracterizations” of the standards in question. The lawsuit turns up the heat around a debate over attributes that have been honed to define some breeds, including French bulldogs. The AKC ranks Frenchies as the United States’ most popular breed.

FILE - Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., introduces Dr. Jay Bhattacharya during his confirmation hearing at Capitol Hill in Washington, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Independent Dan Osborn launches new US Senate bid to challenge Nebraska Republican Pete Ricketts

July 8, 2025

Former labor union leader and independent candidate Dan Osborn has announced his bid for a Nebraska U.S. Senate seat, challenging Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts. Osborn accused Ricketts of “buying his Senate seat” in his Tuesday announcement. Ricketts’ campaign responded by labeling Osborn as “bought and paid for” by liberal donors. Osborn gained national attention in his race last year against Nebraska’s other U.S. senator, Republican Deb Fischer, by rejecting both major political parties. He plans to do so again in this election, saying he wants to represent working people. Despite Ricketts’ significant campaign funds, Osborn says he’ll expects to win with a grassroots approach focusing on town halls.

Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be made permanent

July 8, 2025

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has cleared the way for the state to permanently enact a ban on conversion therapy. The court ruled Tuesday that a Republican-controlled legislative committee’s rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The 4-3 ruling from the liberal-controlled court comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. The court’s ruling has a broad impact far beyond the conversion therapy issue. It takes power away from the Legislature to block the enactment of rules that carry the force of law by the governor’s office.

Bullet holes mark the front door of the house of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife who were shot earlier in the day, Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Champlin, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, shot 9 times by a man posing as an officer, leaves the hospital

July 8, 2025

A Minnesota state senator who was shot nine times during an attack in June has been moved to a rehabilitation facility. John Hoffman’s family issued a statement Monday night that saying he was out of the hospital but has a long road to recovery. Hoffman and his wife were attacked in their home by a man posing as a police officer. Authorities allege the gunman was Vance Boelter. They say he also killed former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband. Prosecutors have called it an assassination. Boelter is charged with murder and attempted murder. Federal authorities may pursue the death penalty.

Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo speaks outside Manhattan federal court after Sean "Diddy" Combs was denied bail after being convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sentencing set for Oct. 3 after split verdict in federal sex crimes case

July 8, 2025

Sean “Diddy” Combs will be sentenced in his federal criminal case on Oct. 3. A judge confirmed the schedule on Tuesday after probation officials rejected the defense and prosecution’s plan to move the date up by about two weeks. Combs remains jailed after a split verdict last week. The hip-hop mogul’s lawyers had been urging Judge Arun Subramanian to sentence him as soon as possible. Combs’ lawyers want less than the 21 to 27 months in prison that they believe the sentencing guidelines recommend. Prosecutors contend that because of Combs’ violent history, the guidelines call for at least four to five years in prison.

Trump administration pulls back on plans to rewrite Biden-era asbestos ban

July 8, 2025

The Trump administration is dropping plans to allow continued use of the last type of asbestos legally allowed in U.S. manufacturing after an outcry from asbestos opponents. The Environmental Protection Agency said in a court filing Monday that it will now defend the Biden administration’s ban of chrysotile asbestos, which is used in products like brake blocks and sheet gaskets. The carcinogenic chemical has been mostly phased out in the U.S., but last year, the agency under former President Joe Biden sought to finish the decades-long fight with a comprehensive ban. Asbestos causes mesothelioma as well as other cancers and kills roughly 40,000 people in the U.S. each year.

Camp Mystic stands next a creek that feeds into the Guadalupe River, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Hunt, Texas, after flash flooding swept through the area. (AP Photo/Eli Hartman)

Photos of Camp Mystic for girls after the deadly flash floods in Texas

July 8, 2025

HUNT, Texas By JULIO CORTEZ and ELI HARTMANAssociated Press HUNT, Texas (AP) — Camp Mystic was overrun by flash flooding

FILE - A home for sale in Sudbury, Mass., is shown on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

Investors snap up growing share of US homes as traditional buyers struggle to afford one

July 8, 2025

Real estate investors are buying a larger share of U.S. homes as high prices and borrowing costs deter traditional buyers. A report by BatchData shows investors purchased nearly 27% of homes sold in the first quarter of the year, the highest in five years. This marks a rise from the 18.5% average share between 2020 and 2023. The housing market has slowed since early 2022 due to rising mortgage rates, leaving more inventory for cash-ready investors. While most investor-owned homes belong to small-scale owners, large institutional investors are scaling back purchases, with many selling more homes than they buy.

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to stop DOJ grant cancellations

July 8, 2025

A federal judge ruled Monday dismissed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for rescinding nearly $800 million dollars in grants for programs supporting violence reduction and crime victims. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied a preliminary injunction sought by five organizations on behalf of all recipients of the more than 360 grant awards, and granted a motion by the federal government to dismiss the case. Mehta called the Department of Justice’s actions “shameful,” but said the court lacked jurisdiction and the organizations had failed to state a constitutional violation or protection.

FILE - Civil rights leader Bayard Rustin is seen on Dec. 14, 1970, in New York. (AP Photo/File)

A Bayard Rustin archive aims to preserve his legacy as a queer Civil Rights activist

July 8, 2025

Social justice advocates are creating a queer history archive that celebrates Bayard Rustin, a major organizer in the Civil Rights Movement and key architect of the March on Washington. The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice says the archive will be available online in the fall. The collection of rare TV footage, documents, and firsthand accounts will illustrate Rustin’s life and influence. He was a mentor to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a leading organizer of the March on Washington. The Associated Press recently discovered and digitized video showing Rustin addressing rallies in New York.

FILE - Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom presents his revised 2025-2026 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

Gavin Newsom swings through South Carolina, where Democrats will play pivotal 2028 nominating role

July 7, 2025

California Gov. Gavin Newsom begins a two-day tour of South Carolina, meeting voters in rural and Republican-leaning areas. The trip over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday includes eight stops at coffee shops, small businesses, and churches. Newsom’s visit to this early-voting state signals potential interest in a 2028 presidential run. On Wednesday, he plans to visit Seneca, a conservative town in a county where Donald Trump won over 75% of votes in 2024. South Carolina holds significant influence in Democratic primaries due to its diverse electorate. Newsom’s efforts reflect a strategy to broaden his appeal beyond his liberal California image.

FILE - An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop at a high-rise apartment building, Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Amazon extends Prime Day discounts to 4 days as retailers weigh tariff-related price increases

July 7, 2025

Amazon’s annual Prime Day sales are here again. The e-commerce giant is making the now-misnamed Prime Day a four-day event for the first time. Its promised blitz of summer deals for Prime members starts at 3:01 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday and runs until early Friday. The company launched the event in 2015 and expanded it to two days in 2019. Amazon executives declined to comment on the potential impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Prime Day deals. Some retail analysts expect U.S. consumers to make purchases this week out of fear that high taxes on foreign imports will make items they want more expensive later.

Volunteers search for missing people along the banks of the Guadalupe River after recent flooding on Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez)

Volunteers flock to help search efforts after Texas floods even as officials warn them away

July 7, 2025

Flash flooding in Texas Hill Country has triggered one of the largest rescue operations in the state’s history. The Guadalupe River surged dramatically on Friday, destroying buildings, uprooting trees, and devastating a century-old summer camp. At least 100 people have died, and many remain missing. Despite officials urging civilians to stay away, volunteers have joined the search for missing people. Authorities, however, warn that uncoordinated efforts could hinder rescue operations. The search spans over 60 miles and involves drones, dogs, boats, and helicopters. Officials emphasize patience as they methodically comb through the massive area.

FILE - A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building is photographed May 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Pastors who endorse political candidates shouldn’t lose tax-exempt status, IRS says in filing

July 7, 2025

The IRS says pastors endorsing political candidates during services should not risk losing their tax-exempt status. This challenges the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 rule barring tax-exempt groups, including churches, from political endorsements. On Monday, the IRS and a Christian media group asked a Texas court to stop enforcing the rule against religious organizations. The group argues the amendment violates their First Amendment rights. The IRS has rarely enforced the rule against churches. In 2017, President Donald Trump signed an order to limit its enforcement, and Republican lawmakers have since pushed to repeal it.

FILE - Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, listens during a press conference in Paris, May 7, 2025. (Stephanie Lecocq/Pool via AP, File)

Trump administration revokes terrorism designation of new Syrian leader’s group

July 7, 2025

The Trump administration is revoking the terrorism designation of a group led by Syria’s new president. It’s part of a broader U.S. engagement with the transitional government since the ouster of former leader Bashar Assad late last year. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the move “recognizes the positive actions taken by the new Syrian government” under President Ahmad al-Sharaa.” The decision had not been previously announced, although it was made as the Trump administration has been moving to ease or end many U.S. sanctions that had been imposed during Assad’s rule. The revocation of the designation will take effect on Tuesday.

Cierra Ortega exits ‘Love Island USA’ villa following backlash over resurfaced racial slur posts

July 7, 2025

“Love Island USA” says contestant Cierra Ortega has left the show “due to a personal situation” during Sunday’s episode, just a week before the finale will air. Her departure follows weeks of uproar from viewers after old social media posts in which Ortega used a racial slur against Asian people resurfaced. The show, which is on its seventh season, didn’t provide a direct reason for her departure and a spokesperson declined to comment Monday. Ortega’s family posted to her Instagram story Sunday evening following the departure announcement asking the public for compassion, patience and “basic human decency.”

FILE - Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event Nov. 1, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy change

July 7, 2025

Doctors groups and public health organizations are suing the U.S. government over the decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. The plaintiffs include the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association — along with an unnamed pregnant doctor who works in a hospital. The federal lawsuit was filed in Boston. in late May, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced he was removing COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. A number of health experts accused Kennedy of disregarding the scientific review process that has been in place for decades. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon says Kennedy “stands by his CDC reforms.”

Rep. Jamie Comer, R-Ky., looks on during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Biden’s former doctor asks to delay testimony to House panel, citing patient privilege concerns

July 7, 2025

Former President Joe Biden’s physician has requested to delay his testimony to the House oversight committee. An attorney for Dr. Kevin O’Connor argued in a letter that lawmakers must protect physician-patient privilege as part of the process. A spokesperson for the oversight panel said O’Connor could not disregard a congressional subpoena and that the committee would observe the House’s guidance on privileged statements on a case-by-case basis. The back-and-forth on O’Connor’s testimony is part of a broader debate over the scope of House Republicans’ inquiry into Biden’s mental state during his time in office.

FILE - Supporters of temporary protected status immigrants hold signs and cheer at a rally before a conference announcing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to end a program letting immigrants live and work legally in the United States outside of a federal courthouse in San Francisco, March 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Temporary status to be removed from roughly 80,000 Hondurans, Nicaraguans after 25 years in US

July 7, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security says it’s ending Temporary Protected Status for nearly 80,000 Hondurans and Nicaraguans in the U.S. This status, granted after Hurricane Mitch in 1998, allowed them to live and work in the country. Officials now say that conditions in both nations have improved enough for these individuals to return. The protections will end 60 days after the notice officially is published. Critics argue this decision disrupts lives built over decades. TPS does not provide a path to citizenship and must be renewed regularly. Similar terminations have affected other nationalities.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testifies during a House Energy and Commerce Committee, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

RFK Jr. promoted a food company he says will make Americans healthy. Their meals are ultraprocessed

July 7, 2025

Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raved in social media posts on Monday about the $7-a-pop meals that are delivered directly to the homes of Medicaid and Medicare enrollees. He even thanked Mom’s Meals for sending taxpayer-funded meals “without additives” to the homes of sick or elderly Americans. The spreads include chicken bacon ranch pasta for dinner and French toast sticks with fruit or ham patties. But an Associated Press review of Mom’s Meals menu, including the ingredients and nutrition labels, reveals that the company’s foods are the type of heat-and-eat, ultraprocessed food that Kennedy routinely criticizes.

FILE - Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden arrives at the presentation of the Gershwin Prize, to be awarded to Joni Mitchell at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington March 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)

Former Librarian of Congress, fired by Trump, vows to improve public information in new Mellon role

July 7, 2025

Carla Hayden, the former Librarian of Congress fired by President Donald Trump, has joined the the country’s foremost philanthropic supporter of the arts. Announced Monday, she will serve as a senior Andrew W. Mellon Foundation fellow advising on efforts to advance public knowledge. Hayden, the first woman and African American to hold her previous role, was dismissed amid a conservative group’s accusations that she promoted “radical” material as the White House purged perceived opponents of Trump. Mellon says the appointment comes as libraries and other institutions face challenges such as artificial intelligence, funding withdrawals and censorship efforts.

FILE - State Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, speaks with a colleague, Feb. 14, 2023, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine and a GOP lawmaker who ID’d a transgender athlete online agree lawsuit is now moot

July 7, 2025

Attorneys for the state of Maine and a conservative lawmaker who identified a transgender student athlete online are in agreement that the lawmaker’s lawsuit over her loss of voting rights is now moot. Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby identified the athlete in a viral social media post that brought attention to the issue of transgender teens participating in sports. Maine’s Democratic-controlled House of Representatives censured Libby for violating the House code of ethics and blocked her from speaking and voting on the floor. Libby sued, and the Supreme Court ruled in May that the Maine legislature must count her votes. Lawmakers voted in June to halt the restrictions. Libby says Monday she won’t contest the state’s argument the lawsuit is moot.

Jennifer Vasquez Sura, center, the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, joins supporters of Abrego Garcia as they rally outside of the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Md., where a hearing was scheduled to be held on returning him to Maryland, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US will try to deport Abrego Garcia before his trial, Justice Department attorney says

July 7, 2025

A U.S. government attorney says it will initiate deportation proceedings against Kilmar Abrego Garcia if he’s released from jail before trial on human smuggling charges. Justice Department attorney Jonathan Guynn made the disclosure to a federal judge in Maryland on Monday. It contradicts statements by officials from the Justice Department and the White House last month. Those officials said Abrego Garcia would stand trial before any move is made to deport him. Abrego Garcia became a flashpoint over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March.

Man with an assault rifle killed after shooting at a Border Patrol facility in Texas

July 7, 2025

Authorities say a 27-year-old man was killed after opening fire at a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas. McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told reporters Monday that Ryan Louis Mosqueda had an assault rifle and was carrying a utility vest when federal agents returned fire. Rodriguez says police received a call about the shooting just before 6 a.m. and that Mosqueda fired dozens of rounds. The shooting took place at a facility across the street from McAllen International Airport, which was shut down as a precaution. Law enforcement said afterward that they found another rifle, ammunition and backpacks that Mosqueda had brought.

FILE - This photo provided by the Bucks County, Pa., District Attorney's Office shows Justin Mohn, the man accused of beheading his father in their suburban Philadelphia home in January 2024. (Bucks County District Attorney's Office via AP, File)

Woman at son’s Pennsylvania murder trial recounts finding husband’s decapitated corpse

July 7, 2025

Trial is underway in Pennsylvania of a man accused of killing his father and posting a video of his severed head online. Prosecutors say 33-year-old Justin Mohn shot his father, Michael Mohn, at their home in Levittown in January 2024 before decapitating him. Authorities say Justin Mohn posted the 14-minute YouTube video, which included anti-government rants. His mother testified Monday about finding her husband’s body in a first-floor bathroom. Justin Mohn was arrested later the same day after authorities say he climbed a 20-foot fence at the state’s National Guard headquarters. Officials say he had photos of federal buildings and apparent instructions for making explosives on a USB drive.

FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, on April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Deals made by Trump since pausing his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs remain sparse

July 7, 2025

Just over three months ago, President Donald Trump unveiled his most sweeping volley of tariffs yet — holding up large charts from the White House Rose Garden to outline new import taxes that the U.S. would soon slap on goods from nearly every country in the world. But in line with much of Trump’s on-again, off-again trade policy playbook, the bulk of those “Liberation Day” levies were postponed just hours after they took effect — in a 90-day suspension that arrived in an apparent effort to quell global market panic and faciliate country-by-country negotiations. Still, very few trade deals have emerged since. And uncertainty is only edging back up again ahead of Wednesday’s deadline.

FILE - Flags for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the state of North Dakota stand in Memorial Hall of the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D., on Dec. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Jack Dura, File)

Appeals court rules against North Dakota tribes in voting rights case that could go to Supreme Court

July 7, 2025

A federal appeals court has upheld its decision against two Native American tribes challenging North Dakota’s redistricting map. The tribes argued the map diluted their power, violating the federal Voting Rights Act. In May, a three-judge panel ruled that only the U.S. Department of Justice, not private individuals or groups, can sue under the Act. The decision conflicts with decades of rulings in other circuits, creating a legal split that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court. On Thursday, the appeals court denied a rehearing request from the tribes and advocacy groups. The tribes are now exploring further legal options.

Members of Migrant Justice, a community group advocating for migrant farmworkers' rights, hold a rally outside the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier, Vt., on Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanda Swinhart)

A Vermont dairy farm was raided. The mixed messages from Washington since then have increased fears

July 7, 2025

The arrest of eight Vermont dairy farmers in April sent shock waves throughout New England’s agriculture industry, and fears haven’t eased since then. That’s because migrant farm workers are still getting mixed message about such raids. President Donald Trump last month paused arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels. Less than a week later, the assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said worksite enforcement of immigration policies would continue. Such uncertainty is causing problems in big produce-producing states like California. It’s also affecting small states like Vermont. More than half Vermont’s farmland is dedicated to dairy and dairy crops, and the state produces nearly two-thirds of all the milk in New England.

FILE - President Donald Trump, right, speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Musk says he’s forming a new political party after split with Trump over tax cuts law

July 7, 2025

Elon Musk said he’s carrying out his threat to form a new political party after his fissure with President Donald Trump, announcing on social media that he would form the America Party in response to the president’s sweeping tax cuts law. Musk, once a ever-present ally to Trump as he headed up the slashing agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency, broke with the Republican president over his signature legislation, which was signed into law Friday. Trump on Sunday called Musk’s third-party effort “ridiculous.”

3 dead, 10 injured in South Philadelphia shooting and a person is in custody, police say

July 7, 2025

Authorities say three people were killed and 10 others injured in a shooting. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says the three people who died in the shooting early Monday were adults, and two of the wounded are juveniles. The shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m. along a residential street in Grays Ferry, in South Philadelphia. Bethel says numerous rounds were fired. Police say one person with a weapon was taken into custody. The shooting happened after other shootings in the city and elsewhere around the U.S. over the Fourth of July weekend. Those included at least eight people struck by gunfire near a South Philadelphia nightclub.

FILE - A crowd gathers in Foley Square, outside the Manhattan federal court, in support of Mahmoud Khalil, March 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)

Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activists faces federal trial

July 6, 2025

A federal bench trial is set to begin over a lawsuit that challenges Trump administration efforts of arresting and deporting faculty and students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The lawsuit, filed by several university associations against President Donald Trump and members of his administration, would be one of the first to go to trial. Plaintiffs want U.S. District Judge William Young in Massachusetts to rule that the policy violates the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act. Since Trump took office, the U.S. government has used its immigration enforcement powers to crack down on international students and scholars at several American universities.

Deep-blue Arizona congressional district is up for grabs. Who will fill Raúl Grijalva’s shoes?

July 6, 2025

Five Democrats and three Republicans are running in a July 15 primary election in southern Arizona to succeed the late Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva. His daughter Adelita Grijalva is regarded as the frontrunner. The Democratic primary also features former state legislator Daniel Hernandez, who is credited with helping save then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ life when she was shot in 2011 outside a Tucson grocery store. Raúl Grijalva was a champion of environment, Native American and immigrant causes. He died in mid-March at age 77. The district is a Democratic stronghold and stretches across most of the state’s border with Mexico.

Bodies of all 7 missing people found at a California fireworks warehouse that exploded

July 6, 2025

Authorities say they’ve found the bodies of all seven people who had been missing since an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Northern California. The explosion shook the tiny farming community of Esparto last week. The fireworks that exploded Tuesday caused a massive blaze and led to other spot fires in Yolo County, northwest of Sacramento. The blast also collapsed the building. The county said Sunday that all human remains have been recovered, but the identities of the deceased are being withheld pending family notification. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

FILE - A billboard urges drivers to vote on Election Day in Union City, Calif., Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

Trump and GOP target ballots arriving after Election Day that delay counts and feed conspiracy fears

July 6, 2025

President Donald Trump and other Republicans have long criticized states that take weeks to count their ballots after Election Day. This year has seen a flurry of activity to address it. He’s issued an executive order on elections, the Supreme Court is reviewing a case from Illinois and several Republican-controlled states have passed bills about mailed ballots. In Democratic-controlled California, frustration with ballot counts that go on for weeks has prompted legislation to address it and restore public confidence. Trump has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of ballots received after Election Day even though there’s no evidence of widespread fraud.

A Camp Mystic sign is seen near the entrance to the establishment along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area in Hunt, Texas, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Photos of rescue teams searching for missing campers after Texas Hill Country flash flood

July 5, 2025

HUNT, Texas By JULIO CORTEZAssociated Press HUNT, Texas (AP) — A powerful flash flood swept through Texas Hill Country, causing

FILE - Actor and host of the ceremony, Julian McMahon arrives at the 2007 World Music Awards at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007 (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)

Julian McMahon, actor who appeared in ‘Fantastic Four’ films and TV show ‘Charmed,’ has died

July 5, 2025

Julian McMahon, an Australia-born actor who performed in the “Fantastic Four” series of films and appeared in popular TV shows such as “Charmed,” “Nip/Tuck” and “Profiler,” has died. The 56-year-old actor’s wife says in a statement that he died peacefully this week after a battle with cancer. McMahon played Dr. Doom in the films “Fantastic Four” in 2005 and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” which came out two years later. Along with “Charmed,” “Nip/Tuck” and “Profiler,” he also had roles in the TV shows “Home and Away,” “FBI: Most Wanted” and “Another World.”

Two shoppers select items at a grocery store in the "Tehrangeles" neighborhood of Los Angeles Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Iran war tests the harmony of Los Angeles’ huge Iranian community

July 5, 2025

Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. This diverse group includes Muslims, Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians and Bahai who have lived here harmoniously since the 1980s. However, the recent Israel-Iran conflict has tested these long-held bonds. Experts note that in the diaspora, shared cultural and social ties often outweigh religious divides. Iranian Jews, while united with Muslims in opposing Iran’s regime, feel heightened anxiety over security in local houses of worship. Experts say Iranian Muslims, who would otherwise cheer on a regime change, might feel differently about an Israel-led war because of their antipathy toward Zionism.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at the start of a signing ceremony at the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, in Guatemala City, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Pool Photo via AP)

US completes deportation of 8 men to South Sudan after weeks of legal wrangling

July 5, 2025

Eight men deported from the United States in May and held under guard for weeks at an American military base in the African nation of Djibouti while their legal challenge played out in court have now reached the Trump administration’s intended destination, war-torn South Sudan. It’s a country that the State Department advises against travel to due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.” The immigrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam and South Sudan arrived in South Sudan on Friday after a federal judge cleared the way for the Trump administration to relocate them. Their challenge had earlier gone to the Supreme Court, which permitted their removal.

Fireworks light up the sky above the Brooklyn Bridge during the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks show on Friday, July 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Photos of spectacular fireworks light up American skies on the Fourth of July

July 5, 2025

WASHINGTON WASHINGTON (AP) — The Fourth of July is about all things American: parades, cookouts, cold beer and of course,

A man tosses trash at a garbage collection site, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

LL Cool J says he won’t perform at Philadelphia’s July Fourth festival in support of workers strike

July 4, 2025

Rapper LL Cool J says he will not perform at a Fourth of July festival in Philadelphia in support of a strike by nearly 10,000 city workers in Philadelphia. In a video posted on social media Thursday, the rapper and actor said “there’s absolutely no way that I can perform, cross a picket line and pick up money when I know that people are out there fighting for a living wage.” Philadelphia native and R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan also withdrew. The Wawa Welcome America Festival comes as the strike moved into a fourth day Friday. Trash has been piling up in some areas, and more than 30 Medical Examiner’s Office staffers have been ordered back to work because of a growing backlog of bodies in storage.

FILE - EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attends a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

EPA says Trump’s big bill should help in its fight to take back billions in green bank funds

July 4, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency says the sprawling tax and policy bill should give it a victory in its fight to freeze billions in funding for a green bank for climate friendly projects. The bill repeals the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, also known as the “green bank,” created under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Federal officials argue in court that this allows the EPA to freeze funding and cancel contracts with nonprofits previously awarded billions to operate the bank. Climate United Fund, one of the nonprofits, disagrees. It clams most funds were already disbursed and unaffected by the repeal. A federal appeals court is now considering the EPA’s appeal of a ruling that partially unfroze the funds.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, shakes hands with Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., as he celebrates with fellow Republicans after final passage of President Donald Trump's signature bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Photos capture the Republicans push to pass Trump tax cuts as opposition fails

July 4, 2025

WASHINGTON By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE, MARIAM ZUHAIB, ROD LAMKEY and JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSONAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The past week

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Trump says he didn’t know an offensive term he used in a speech is considered antisemitic

July 4, 2025

President Donald Trump says he didn’t know that the term “shylock” is considered antisemitic when he used it in a speech to describe unscrupulous moneylenders. Trump told reporters early Friday after returning from an event in Iowa that he’d “never heard it that way” and “never heard that” the term was considered an offensive stereotype about Jews. Shylock refers to the villainous Jewish moneylender in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” who demands a pound of flesh from a debtor. The Anti-Defamation League says Trump’s use of the term “is very troubling and irresponsible.”

FILE - Portraits of a red-headed Thomas Jefferson, left, and John Dickinson, right, by by Charles Willson Peale are seen at the refurbished Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia on Nov. 26, 2004. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma, File)

A year before declaring independence, colonists offered ‘Olive Branch’ petition to King George III

July 3, 2025

Millions of protesters have denounced President Donald Trump as a would-be autocrat and marched under the banner “No Kings.” But at the same point 250 years ago, in the summer of 1775, the mood was more cautious. Even after the bloodied conflicts of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill, many Americans were not ready to break from King George III and call for independence from Britain. Almost exactly a year to the day before the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress ratified the “Olive Branch Petition,” a plea for peace with “the Mother country”

A sign warns against unauthorized entry into a militarized zone along the southern U.S. border in New Mexico on June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)

US expands militarized zones to 1/3 of southern border, stirring controversy

July 3, 2025

Annexed militarized zones will soon cover nearly one-third of the U.S. border with Mexico, empowering soldiers to arrest people who cross the border illegally. President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the border has allowed the Army to sidestep a law prohibiting the military from civilian law enforcement. It has been criticized by humanitarian groups and gotten a mixed reception from hunters, hikers and others who fear being locked out of public lands across a cherished landscape. U.S. authorities are moving to extend the militarized zones amid court challenges and a sharp drop in illegal crossings.

FILE - A car enters the drive at Day Kimball Hospital, July 18, 2022 in Putnam, Conn. (AP Photo/Susan Haigh, File)

Rural hospitals brace for financial hits or even closure under Republicans’ $1 trillion Medicaid cut

July 3, 2025

States and rural health advocacy groups are sounding the alarm that Congress’ slashing of Medicaid will devastate already financially fragile rural hospitals. One analysis estimates more than 300 hospitals could be at risk of closing under the Republican measure to slash about $1 trillion in Medicaid funding over ten years. Rural hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid reimbursements and are already financially strained. While the measure includes $50 billion to help make up the loss to rural hospitals, advocates worry it won’t offset the funding shortfall. No state stands to lose more than Kentucky. One report estimates the state would lose a whopping $12.3 billion over 10 years.

Democrats see Trump’s big bill as key to their comeback. It may not be so easy

July 3, 2025

President Donald Trump says his bill is big and beautiful. But Democratic leaders see the package as the key to their party’s resurgence. Democratic officials are finalizing plans for dozens of rallies, voter registration drives, attack ads, bus tours and even a multiday vigil. They intend to highlight the most controversial elements of Trump’s bill — especially deep cuts that will leave nearly 12 million more low-income Americans without health coverage and millions without food assistance. Democrats vow that the Republican bill will be the defining issue of every major election between now and next fall’s midterms. But it’s not certain that the issue will be the political winner Democrats hope.

FILE - Five-time reigning champion Joey Chestnut competes in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating World Championship, July 4, 2012, at Coney Island, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut hopes for a comeback victory in annual Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest

July 3, 2025

Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest is back, and famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut is hoping for a comeback 17th win. The annual event is being held Friday in front of the original Nathan’s Famous’ restaurant at New York’s Coney Island. Chestnut is a 41-year-old competitive eater from Westfield, Indiana. He skipped last year’s event due to a contract dispute involving a deal he had struck with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods. He’s the favored winner in the men’s competition while 39-year-old defending champ Miki Sudo of Tampa, Florida, is the favorite in the women’s division. She’s seeking her 11th title.

FILE - People at an election night watch party react after an abortion rights amendment to the Missouri constitution passed, Nov. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Missouri judge again blocks many of the state’s anti-abortion laws

July 3, 2025

A Missouri judge has blocked many of the state’s anti-abortion laws. The order Thursday by Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang reimposes a preliminary injunction against the abortion restrictions. It comes a little over a month after the state Supreme Court had lifted a prior injunction and ordered the judge to reconsider the case. Missouri’s abortion laws have been seesawing back and forth. Voters last fall approved a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights. That overturned a state ban on most abortions enacted after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to abortion in 2022.

New Jersey skydiving company says pilot tried emergency landing but plane went off runway into woods

July 3, 2025

A New Jersey skydiving company says its pilot encountered mechanical issues that prompted an emergency landing at a small New Jersey airport but couldn’t get the plane stopped at the end of the runway. Skydive Cross Keys said Thursday that the plane was at about 3,000 feet when the problem arose. Fifteen people were aboard the plane. As of Thursday afternoon, three remain in critical condition at a New Jersey hospital and five others are listed as serious. Authorities say the Cessna 208B reported engine trouble after takeoff from Cross Keys Airport on Wednesday evening.

University of California reiterates ban on student government boycotts of Israel

July 3, 2025

The president of the University of California has reiterated that student governments are prohibited from financial boycotts of companies associated with any particular country, including Israel. The letter sent by President Michael Drake to chancellors comes as the Trump administration continues its probe of alleged antisemitism on college campuses. Drake said that country-based financial boycotts violate policies requiring the use of sound business practices. The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemns the ban. College campuses have been the site of pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the war in Gaza broke out in 2023.

This undated photo from the Alabama Department of Corrections shows Geoffrey West. (Alabama Department of Corrections via AP)

Alabama sets nitrogen execution for man convicted of killing store clerk during 1997 robbery

July 3, 2025

Alabama has scheduled a September execution with nitrogen gas for a man convicted of killing a gas station attendant during a 1997 robbery. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey set a Sept. 25 execution date for Geoffrey Todd West. West was convicted of killing Margaret Parrish Berry in Etowah County. Berry was shot once in the back of the head. A jury convicted West of capital murder and voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence. Alabama last year became the first state to carry out an execution with nitrogen gas.

FILE - Fireworks burst above the National Mall and, from left, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol building, during Independence Day celebrations in Washington on July 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

How people are celebrating, protesting and traveling for July Fourth

July 3, 2025

People are approaching this Independence Day with mixed feelings. Polls show declining national pride, especially among Democrats, during the Trump era. In southern California, some July Fourth celebrations have been canceled due to immigration raids and safety concerns. Protests against Trump’s policies are planned across the country. Meanwhile, fireworks retailers face challenges from tariffs on Chinese imports, though many are holding off price increases this year. Holiday travel is breaking records, and AAA reports over 72 million Americans expected to hit the road or fly.

In this image taken from video, Amanda Hinton speaks about work requirements for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during an interview, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the Samaritan Center food pantry in Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)

Medicaid, food aid recipients worry about safety net cuts in bill sent to Trump

July 3, 2025

The nation’s social safety net would face massive changes under a bill headed to President Donald Trump’s desk. There would be a work requirement for many people to get or keep Medicaid health insurance, and a similar requirement for older adults to receive food assistance. Paperwork requirements would also increase. Planned Parenthood could no longer get federal funding for its non-abortion health services. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that by 2034, the bill would result in nearly 12 million more uninsured people in the U.S. Supporters say the measures will save taxpayers money, enhance personal responsibility and block fraud.

This diagram provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)

New interstellar comet will keep a safe distance from Earth, NASA says

July 3, 2025

NASA has discovered an interstellar comet that’s wandered into our backyard. The space agency spotted the object with the Atlas telescope in Chile earlier this week, and has confirmed it was a comet from another star system. It’s only the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system. This newest visitor is 416 million miles from the sun, out near Jupiter. The quick-moving comet will make its closest approach to the sun in late October, venturing no closer than Mars and posing no threat to Earth. Astronomers around the world are monitoring the comet to determine its size and shape.

FILE - The Supreme Court is seen on Capitol Hill, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Supreme Court rejects Montana’s bid to revive parental consent law for minors’ abortions

July 3, 2025

The Supreme Court won’t hear a case involving a push to revive a law that minors must have their parents’ permission for an abortion in Montana. The justices on Thursday declined hear an appeal from the state seeking to overturn a ruling from the Montana Supreme Court. The parental consent law was passed in 2013 but was blocked in court and never took effect before the state’s highest court struck it down last year. State leaders say parents have a fundamental right to guide their children’s medical decisions. Planned Parenthood says the state court’s decision balanced parental and minor rights in a state that has protected the right to abortion.

FILE - North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein delivers the State of the State address at the Legislative Building, March 12, 2025, in Raleigh N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)

North Carolina governor vetoes anti-DEI and transgender rights bills, calling them ‘mean-spirited’

July 3, 2025

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed three anti-DEI bills and another targeting transgender rights. Stein criticized on Thursday the Republican-led legislature for prioritizing what he called “mean-spirited” bills that it sent to his desk. The anti-DEI bills would cut or eliminate diversity programs in government and education. The transgender-related bill includes restrictions on state-funded gender-affirming care for prisoners and other provisions. Republicans argue these laws promote fairness and parental rights. The legislature may attempt to override the vetoes later this month. Stein has vetoed 11 bills since January, all within the past two weeks.

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