Associated Press stories, Page 210
Student loans have been confusing lately. Here’s a guide to know where you stand
NEW YORK — Between collections resuming, courts blocking student loan programs and layoffs at the Education Department, borrowers might be confused about the status of their student loans. Recently, the Education Department announced it would start involuntary collections on defaulted loans, meaning the roughly 5.3 million borrowers who are in...
Russia and Ukraine hold their first direct peace talks in 3 years amid low expectations
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years Friday, gathering in Istanbul for Turkish-brokered negotiations, but officials and observers expected them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than three-year war. A Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov sat...
Trump’s ‘beautiful’ bill spans 1,116 pages. Here’s what’s inside it
WASHINGTON — House Republicans are advancing President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks, spending cuts and beefed-up border security as Speaker Mike Johnson attempts to pass the package over unified Democratic opposition by Memorial Day. House committees have labored on the legislation, which runs a whopping 1,116 pages and...
Biden audio release pressures Democrats who would rather talk about Trump
PHOENIX — Joe Biden’s time in public office is now behind him, but his age and mental acuity have become a litmus test for the next leaders in his party. Audio was published Friday from portions of interviews Biden gave to federal prosecutors in 2023, the latest in a stream...
Conservatives block Trump’s big tax breaks bill in a stunning setback
WASHINGTON — In a massive setback, House Republicans failed Friday to push their big package of tax breaks and spending cuts through the Budget Committee, as a handful of conservatives joined all Democrats in a stunning vote against it. The hard-right lawmakers are insisting on steeper spending cuts to Medicaid...
After Putin is a no-show at talks in Turkey, Trump says he’ll meet the Russian leader soon
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump said Friday he’s moving to set up direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as he can, after Putin opted to skip peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey. “I think it’s time for us to just do...
Pope Leo XIV affirms family is based on union between a man and a woman, unborn has inherent dignity
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV affirmed Friday that the family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” and that the unborn and elderly enjoy dignity as God’s creatures, articulating clear Catholic teaching on marriage and abortion at the start of his pontificate. Leo, the...
Here’s a story about the history of the Like button that you might like
SAN FRANCISCO — The internet wouldn’t be the same without the Like button, the thumbs-up icon that Facebook and other online services turned into digital catnip. Like it or not, the button has served as a creative catalyst, a dopamine delivery system and an emotional battering ram. It also became...
Israeli strikes kill at least 82 people in Gaza as Trump wraps up his Middle East visit
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — At least 82 people were killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza on Friday, as U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his regional trip. Strikes overnight and into Friday hit across Gaza, including the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and the city of Khan Younis. At least...
Andre Svechnikov breaks late tie as Hurricanes oust Capitals to reach Eastern Conference finalVideo
WASHINGTON — Surviving the initial push of an opponent facing elimination, the Carolina Hurricanes scored first thanks to Jordan Staal. Riding the waves of the pressure the Washington Capitals put on them, they scored late to close out the series. Andre Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal with 1 minute, 59...
Criminal investigation opened in rape and sexual assault allegations against Smokey Robinson
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday that it has opened a criminal investigation into rape and sexual assault allegations against Motown music luminary Smokey Robinson. The department said in a statement that its Special Victims Bureau is “actively investigating criminal allegations” against Robinson. Last week,...
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka says officials fingerprinting him 2nd time tried to ‘humiliate’ him
NEWARK, N.J. — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said federal prosecutors tried to “humiliate and degrade” him by making him give his fingerprints and take a mug shot for a second time Thursday after a court appearance on a trespassing charge stemming from his arrest at an immigration detention center he...
Trump administration officials say Secret Service is investigating James Comey’s ’86 47′ social media post
WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that federal law enforcement is investigating a social media post made by former FBI Director James Comey that she and other Republicans suggest is a call for violence against President Donald Trump. In an Instagram post, Comey wrote “cool shell formation...
Prosecutors: Mexican influencer fatally shot during TikTok livestream appeared to be killed by hit man
MEXICO CITY — The social media influencer who was shot dead during a live stream on TikTok in the Mexican state of Jalisco appeared to be murdered by a hit man and expressed fear before being killed, prosecutors said on Thursday. The grisly murder of 23-year-old Valeria Márquez on Tuesday...
Caleb Williams, his dad looked for ways to avoid him getting drafted by Bears, according to book
Caleb Williams wanted nothing to do with the Chicago Bears as last year’s NFL draft approached, and the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and his father looked into how they could have a hand in which team selected him, according to a book to be published in September. In “American Kings:...
PGA has strong field and big surprise: Jhonattan Vegas leads at 64 as stars fail to shineVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The strongest field of the majors gave way to a few surprises Thursday in the PGA Championship, starting with Jhonattan Vegas charging into the lead with a 7-under-par 64 and the top 10 players in the world nowhere to be found among the top 10 at Quail...
Jordan Spieth’s chance at the career Grand Slam likely ends early with opening-round 76 at the PGAVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jordan Spieth came to Quail Hollow hoping to follow in Rory McIlroy’s footsteps and complete the career Grand Slam. After Thursday’s opening round of the PGA Championship, he probably would be happy just to make the cut. The 31-year-old Spieth struggled in every facet of the game...
WNBA set to tip off season with host of teams looking to challenge for titleVideo
There are no shortages of challengers to the reigning WNBA champion New York Liberty or star power across the league. A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are some of the veterans who will share the spotlight with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers as the league, in its...
Denver air traffic controllers scrambled to use backup communications during outage
Air traffic controllers in Denver lost communications with planes for 90 seconds earlier this week and had to scramble to use backup frequencies in the latest Federal Aviation Administration equipment failure. The outage at a control center that directs planes flying at high altitude between airports all over the country...
Hospital tells family brain-dead Georgia woman must carry fetus to birth because of abortion banVideo
ATLANTA — A pregnant woman in Georgia was declared brain-dead after a medical emergency and doctors have kept her on life support for three months so far to allow enough time for the baby to be born and comply with Georgia’s strict anti-abortion law, family members say. She could be...
Another Kentucky Derby winner not in the Preakness reignites debate about Triple Crown changesVideo
BALTIMORE — Sovereignty is not running out of that starting gate in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby. Yet he is still the talk of Pimlico Race Course this week. That is because owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to skip the Preakness and...
Defense and goaltending unlikely reasons why Oilers have moved on to Western Conference finalVideo
LAS VEGAS — The Edmonton Oilers have been the team that didn’t seem bothered by giving up four goals because they were more than capable of scoring at least five. And, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl anchoring the team, Edmonton can still win shootouts. But winning a Stanley Cup...
Mud balls! Schauffele and Scheffler have rounds muddied by double bogeys at PGA ChampionshipVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The PGA Championship put the top three players in the world together for the first time in three years Thursday, and the conversation turned to mud. Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele had clumps of mud on their golf balls from the middle of the 16th fairway —...
Alex Smalley goes from alternate to contending in a span of 20 hours at PGA ChampionshipVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Alex Smalley was on the putting green at Quail Hollow, going through his drills and looking like any of the other 156 players at the PGA Championship. But he wasn’t. On the eve of the major, Smalley wasn’t sure he would have a tee time. And then,...
Retail sales slow in April after a spending splurge as Americans sought to front-run tariffs
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumers spent slightly more at retail stores last month after ramping up their shopping in March to get ahead of tariffs. Sales at retail stores and restaurants rose just 0.1% in April from March, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That is much lower than the previous month’s...
