Trump ramps up retribution campaign with push for Pam Bondi to pursue cases against his foes
Eight months into his second term, President Donald Trump’s long-standing pledge to take on those he perceives as his political enemies has prompted debates over free speech, media censorship and political prosecutions. From late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension to Pentagon restrictions on reporters and an apparent public appeal to Attorney...
‘Condemn political violence, no matter where it is,’ says Gov. Shapiro on ‘Meet the Press’
In an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday, Gov. Josh Shapiro called on the nation “to universally condemn political violence, no matter where it is, whether it’s against Charlie Kirk or someone else. ” NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Shapiro to speak on the arson attempt at the Pennsylvania...
Trump officials praise Charlie Kirk’s faith and his mark on the conservative movement
GLENDALE, Ariz. — President Donald Trump praised Charlie Kirk as a “great American hero” and “martyr” for freedom as he and other prominent conservatives gathered Sunday evening to honor the slain conservative political activist whose work they say they must now advance. The memorial service for Kirk, whom Trump credits...
New Hampshire police: Multiple gunshot victims at country club
NASHUA, N.H. — A shooting at a country club left multiple gunshot victims, police in New Hampshire said Saturday night. Nashua police said video surveillance confirmed there was one shooter, and they are the person being detained by police. They said the scene is still an active investigation, but there...
Pentagon says journalists need approval before reporting even unclassified info
The Pentagon says it will require credentialed journalists at the military headquarters to sign a pledge to refrain from reporting information that has not been authorized for release — including unclassified information. Journalists who don’t abide by the policy risk losing credentials that provide access to the Pentagon, under a...
Conservative lawyer is new top federal prosecutor for office probing Letitia James after resignation
WASHINGTON — A conservative lawyer who has said she was falsely accused of being at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has been tapped to serve as the top federal prosecutor for the Virginia office that was thrown into turmoil when its U.S. attorney was pushed out on Friday....
Emerging TikTok deal with China ensures U.S. control of board and crucial algorithm, White House says
WASHINGTON — An emerging TikTok deal with China will ensure that U.S. companies control the algorithm that powers the app’s video feed and Americans will hold a majority of seats on a board overseeing U.S. operations, the White House said Saturday. A central question to the tug of war between...
Pennsylvania detectives killed in an ambush are remembered for saving lives and helping others
HARRISBURG — The three detectives killed this week in one of Pennsylvania’s deadliest days for police this century are men who will be missed for their humility, hard work and willingness to help others, say those who knew them. The detectives — Mark Baker, Cody Becker and Isaiah Emenheiser —...
How to get a covid-19 shot and ensure it’s covered by your insurance
Drugstores are ready to deliver updated covid-19 vaccines this fall and insurers plan to pay for them, even though the shots no longer come recommended by an important government committee. On Friday, vaccine advisers picked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declined to specifically recommend the shots but said...
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers want death penalty off the table in UnitedHealthcare CEO murder case
NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione’s lawyers urged a judge on Saturday to bar federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arguing that authorities prejudiced his case by turning his arrest into a “Marvel movie” spectacle and by publicly declaring their desire to...
Members of Congress take steps to tighten their own security after Kirk’s killing
WASHINGTON — As House Speaker Mike Johnson gathered lawmakers this week to mourn Charlie Kirk, he summed up the grief felt by many on Capitol Hill — and the pervasive fear. “For so many of us, it has felt as if the ground was shaken,” said Johnson, R-La. The killing...
Trump’s peace efforts falter as conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza escalate
WASHINGTON — A month after an Alaskan summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump still seems surprised that his gambit did not pay off with peace in Ukraine. “He’s let me down,” Trump said this week. “He really let me down.” There has been no more progress in...
Trump’s economic promises to Black voters fall short after a modest shift in support for him in 2024
WASHINGTON — At one of his final rallies before the 2024 election, then-candidate Donald Trump warned that Black Americans were losing their jobs in droves and that things would get even worse if he did not return to the White House. “You should demand that they give you the numbers...
Trump says U.S. has carried out another fatal strike targeting alleged drug-smuggling boat
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. military has carried out its third fatal strike against an alleged drug smuggling vessel this month. Trump in a social media posting said the strike killed three and was carried out against a vessel “affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization conducting...
Trump says he and Xi will meet in South Korea in coming weeks and he’ll later go to China
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said he would meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a regional summit taking place at the end of October in South Korea and will visit China in the “early part of next year,” following a lengthy phone call between the two on Friday. In...
House approves resolution honoring Charlie Kirk with dozens of Democrats opposed
WASHINGTON — The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Friday, but a significant number of Democrats voted against it, highlighting the deepening political divide in the wake of his assassination. The resolution, which praised “the life and legacy” of Kirk, passed the Republican-controlled House with...
Trump administration threatens further sanctions in escalating fight with Harvard
The Trump administration escalated its fight with Harvard University on Friday, placing the Ivy League school under extra financial oversight and threatening sanctions if it does not provide additional data on its admissions practices. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the department was placing Harvard under “heightened cash monitoring,” forcing the...
Kennedy’s vaccine advisers change covid shot guidance, calling them an individual choice
ATLANTA — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisers added confusion Friday to this fall’s covid-19 vaccinations — declining to recommend them for anyone and leaving the choice up to those who want a shot. Until now, the vaccinations had been recommended as a routine step in the...
Trump signs proclamation imposing $100K annual fee for H-1B visa applications
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation that will require a new annual $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications, among other changes to the program for highly skilled foreign workers that has come under scrutiny by the administration. H-1B visas are meant to bring the best and...
More than 400 arrests made in Chicago area operation so far, top immigration official says
PARK RIDGE, Ill. — Immigration enforcement officials have arrested more than 400 people as part of an operation in the Chicago area that launched a little less than two weeks ago, a top Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said Friday. Marcos Charles, the acting head of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal...
Judge blocks USDA from collecting data about SNAP applicants in 21 states
A judge has temporarily barred the federal government from collecting personal information about residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in 21 states and Washington, D.C. U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney in California issued the temporary restraining order against the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday, and said a...
U.S. attorney whose office is investigating Letitia James is told he’s being removed, AP source says
WASHINGTON — The U.S. attorney whose office has been investigating mortgage fraud allegations against New York Attorney General Letitia James has been told to resign or be fired, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Friday, amid a push by Trump administration officials to bring criminal...
Federal judge tosses Trump’s $15B defamation lawsuit against New York Times
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida federal judge on Friday tossed out a $15 billion defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against The New York Times. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday ruled that Trump’s 85-page lawsuit was overly long and full of “tedious and burdensome” language that had no...
Kamala Harris had ‘nagging concern’ about Josh Shapiro as possible VP, memoir details
Excerpts from Kamala Harris’ book “107 Days” have gotten pushback from other prominent Democrats, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was once in consideration to be her running mate during her presidential campaign. In the memoir, Harris inferred Shapiro seemed overly confident. She portrayed Shapiro as too eager for the...
Pa. joins northeast state health coalition as CDC shakeups concern experts
Pennsylvania has joined a coalition of northeastern states in an effort to develop public health and immunization guidelines amid concerns about the direction of federal health agencies. The group will meet regularly to coordinate on public health efforts such as emergency preparedness and the creation of immunization guidelines. “Pennsylvania is...
