U.S./World category, Page 158
Private lunar lander Blue Ghost aces moon touchdown with a special delivery for NASAVideo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A private lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum and other experiments for NASA touched down on the moon Sunday, the latest in a string of companies looking to kickstart business on Earth’s celestial neighbor ahead of astronaut missions. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar...
Crews battle wildfires in North and South Carolina amid dry conditions, gusty windVideo
Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina on Sunday amid dry conditions and gusty wind and evacuations were ordered in some areas. The National Weather Service warned of increased fire danger in the region due to a combination of critically dry fuels and very low relative humidity. In South...
Anti-DOGE protests at Tesla stores target Elon Musk’s bottom lineVideo
BOSTON — Demonstrators gathered outside Tesla stores across the U.S. Saturday to protest the automaker’s billionaire CEO, Elon Musk, and his push to slash government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump. The demonstrations are part of a growing backlash in North America and Europe to Musk’s disruptive role in...
From Alaska to Maine, communities that border Canada worry U.S. tariffs come at a personal cost
DETROIT — At the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, a quote from former President Ronald Reagan is engraved on one wall. “Let the 5,000-mile border between Canada and the United States stand as a symbol for the future,” Reagan said upon signing a 1988 free trade pact with America’s northern neighbor....
Francis didn’t need mechanical ventilation on Sunday after respiratory crisis Friday, Vatican says
ROME — Pope Francis remained in stable condition and didn’t need any mechanical ventilation on Sunday, the Vatican said. It was a sign that his respiratory function was improving as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia and a respiratory crisis. The 88-year-old pope did continue to receive high flow...
Starmer says Europe faces a ‘once in a generation moment’ as leaders discuss ending war in UkraineVideo
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer rallied his European counterparts Sunday to shore up their borders and throw their full weight behind Ukraine as he announced outlines of a plan to end Russia’s war. “Every nation must contribute to that in the best way that it can, bringing different...
The Pentagon is sending about 3,000 more active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is sending about 3,000 more active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as President Donald Trump seeks to clamp down on illegal immigration and fulfill a central promise of his campaign, U.S. officials said Saturday. His defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has ordered elements of a Stryker brigade...
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo launches political comeback with a run for New York City mayor
NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that he is running for mayor of New York City, relaunching his political career following a yearslong exile over a barrage of sexual harassment accusations. In a 17-minute video announcing his campaign, Cuomo pitched himself as an accomplished moderate...
From Cabinet secretary to doomsday president: What being a designated survivor is like
WASHINGTON — They start the day often as low-profile Cabinet secretaries. They end it that way, too, God willing. But, when the rest of the government is gathered together for a big event, like President Donald Trump ‘s joint congressional address Tuesday night, a designated survivor is kept away to...
Trump cutoff of humanitarian parole for immigrants from Ukraine, 6 other countries challenged
MIAMI — A group of American citizens and immigrants is suing the Trump administration for ending a long-standing legal tool presidents have used to allow people from countries where there’s war or political instability to enter and temporarily live in the U.S. The lawsuit filed late Friday night seeks to...
Texas GOP leaders defend appointee after tense exchange over diversity hiring
AUSTIN, Texas — An appointee of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wiped away tears and gave an emotional defense of her credentials after a tense exchange over diversity hiring policies, which was later followed by the state’s top Republicans rushing to support her publicly. Texas Water Board Development Chair L’Oreal Stepney,...
New stove that plugs into a normal wall outlet could be major gain for health and the climate
NEW YORK — For years, Ed Yaker, treasurer of a New York City co-op with nearly 1,500 units, and fellow board members have dealt with gas leaks. It can mean the gas at an entire building is shut off, leaving residents unable to use a stove for months until expensive...
Pope had a bronchial spasm and his prognosis remains guarded, Vatican says
ROME — Pope Francis suffered a bronchial spasm on Friday that resulted in him breathing in vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying a setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia. The 88-year-old pope responded well, with a good level of gas exchange, and remained...
Zelenskyy leaves White House without signing minerals deal after Oval Office blowup
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being “disrespectful” Friday in an extraordinary Oval Office meeting, then abruptly called off the signing of a minerals deal with the U.S. that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia. The astonishing turn...
Family of U.S. marine veteran killed in Ukraine tells funeral in Kyiv he died fighting for freedom
KYIV, Ukraine — A funeral service was held in Kyiv on Friday for a U.S. Marine Corps veteran killed while serving alongside Ukrainian forces. Family and friends said 21-year-old Ethan Hertweck had given his life fighting for freedom. Hertweck, from California, traveled to Ukraine soon after Russia launched its full-scale...
Mourners bury 1 of the last hostages released from Gaza as talks start for ceasefire future
JERUSALEM — Mourners in Israel on Friday were burying the remains of one of the last hostages released in the first phase of the ceasefire between Hamas militants and Israel, as negotiators discussed a second phase of the deal that could end the war in Gaza and see the remaining...
Are egg producers inflating prices during the bird flu outbreak to boost profits?
OMAHA, Neb. — Egg producers blame the bird flu outbreak for driving prices to record highs, but critics believe giant companies are taking advantage of their market dominance to profit handsomely at the expense of budget-conscious egg buyers. Advocacy groups, Democratic lawmakers and a Federal Trade Commission member are calling...
Menendez family criticizes L.A. district attorney for opposing brothers’ new trial
LOS ANGELES — Cousins of Erik and Lyle Menendez spoke out Thursday criticizing the Los Angeles district attorney’s recent decision to oppose a new trial for the brothers, who have spent nearly 30 years in prison for the 1989 killing of their parents. The Menendez cousins applauded California Gov. Gavin...
UN talks end in Rome with nations backing $200 billion a year plan to protect nature
BOGOTA, Colombia — Global negotiators concluded an extended session of the United Nations biodiversity conference, COP16, with key commitments on funds needed and the institutions through which the funds will be channeled to protect the world’s biodiversity. The countries agreed on how they would contribute $200 billion a year by...
Harsh flu season has health officials worried about brain complications in children
WASHINGTON — This year’s harsh flu season — the most intense in 15 years — has federal health officials trying to understand if it sparked an increase in a rare but life-threatening brain complication in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 19,000 people have died from the...
Suicide bomb at a seminary in Pakistan kills top cleric, 5 others ahead of Ramadan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber blew himself up after walking into a mosque within a pro-Taliban seminary in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing a top cleric and five other worshippers and wounding dozens of others ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, according to local police. The blast occurred...
Violent protests erupt in Athens on rail crash anniversary as frustration over system failures boils over
ATHENS, Greece — Protesters hurling Molotov cocktails and smashing paving stones clashed with riot police firing volleys of tear gas and stun grenades in central Athens Friday, as tens of thousands of people took to the streets of cities across Greece to mark the second anniversary of a devastating train...
Russia offers to restore direct air links with the U.S., during Istanbul talks
MOSCOW — Russia has offered the United States to restore direct air links between the two countries during the latest round of consultations with Washington, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday. Russian and U.S. diplomats met in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss normalizing the operation of their respective embassies that...
Former defense chiefs call for congressional hearings on Trump’s firing of senior military leaders
WASHINGTON — Five former secretaries of defense are calling on Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trump’s recent firings of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other senior military leaders, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. The five men — who...
Cardinal McElroy calls for compassion in immigration policy as he prepares to lead in Washington
Cardinal Robert McElroy, who is getting ready to take over as archbishop of Washington, D.C. in March, called for compassion and dignity for migrants Thursday. Speaking at a news conference at the Diocese of San Diego, where he has served as bishop for over a decade, McElroy acknowledged that he...
