Associated Press stories, Page 241
Budget cuts at Trump EPA become flashpoint at a heated hearing — and, Democrats say, may kill people
WASHINGTON — The head of the Environmental Protection Agency clashed with Democratic senators Wednesday, accusing one of being an “aspiring fiction writer” and saying another does not “care about wasting money.” Democrats countered that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s tenure will likely mean more Americans contracting lung cancer and other illnesses....
Get ready for another busy Atlantic hurricane season, but maybe not as crazy as 2024
WASHINGTON — With warmer than normal ocean waters, forecasters are expecting yet another unusually busy hurricane season for the Atlantic. But they don’t think it will be as chaotic as 2024, the third-costliest season on record as it spawned killer storms Beryl, Helene and Milton. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
Chicago Blackhawks hire Jeff Blashill as head coach, hoping for a turnaround
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks hired Jeff Blashill on Thursday, giving him a second chance to prove himself as a head coach in the NHL. Blashill, a 51-year-old Michigan native, coached the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons. He was let go after the team went 32-40-10 during the 2021-22...
Craig Kessler selected next LPGA commissioner and sees explosive potential
The LPGA has selected Craig Kessler as its next commissioner, turning to the PGA of America’s chief operating officer to help the 75-year-old league better capitalize on the growth in women’s sports. Kessler, 39, is the 10th commissioner in LPGA history, replacing Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who stepped away after three-and-a-half...
French Open 2025: The certainty Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek brought to Paris is missing now
PARIS — For quite some time, there’s usually been a sense of certainty at the French Open. That was particularly so on the men’s side, with Rafael Nadal ruling over the red clay of Roland-Garros the way no one has dominated any tournament in tennis history. He would go there,...
Average rate on U.S. 30-year mortgage rises to 6.86%, its highest level since mid-February
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. climbed this week to its highest level since mid-February, a setback for home shoppers that threatens to slow sales further this spring homebuying season. The rate increased to 6.86% from 6.81% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A...
U.S. Mint moves forward with plans to kill the penny
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Mint has made its final order of penny blanks and plans to stop producing the coin when those run out, a Treasury Department official confirmed Thursday. An immediate annual savings of $56 million in reduced material costs is expected by stopping penny production, according to the...
Judge blocks Trump administration’s mass layoffs at Department of Education
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order to shut down the Education Department and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs. U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from carrying out...
No new direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks scheduled, Kremlin says
Russia and Ukraine have scheduled no further direct talks on ending their more than three-year war, a Kremlin spokesman said Thursday, almost a week after the first face-to-face engagement between the countries’ delegations since 2022 and days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced they would start ceasefire negotiations “immediately.” “There...
Why Kamala Harris could run for California governor and bypass another White House bid
LOS ANGELES — Many of Kamala Harris’ supporters and detractors alike think she’d have better odds running for California governor rather than president a third time. There are several reasons for Harris to make a bid to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. She would immediately become the early front-runner instead...
Mothers and their babies face starvation in Gaza, where hospitals are overwhelmed
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Grabbing her daughter’s feeble arm, Asmaa al-Arja pulls a shirt over the 2-year-old’s protruding ribs and swollen belly. The child lies on a hospital bed, heaving, then wails uncontrollably, throwing her arms around her own shoulders as if to console herself. This isn’t the first...
ICE agents wait in hallways of immigration court as Trump seeks to deliver on mass arrest pledge
MIAMI — Juan Serrano, a 28-year-old Colombian migrant with no criminal record, attended a hearing in immigration court in Miami on Wednesday for what he thought would be a quick check-in. The musty, glass-paneled courthouse sees hundreds of such hearings every day. Most last less than five minutes and end...
House Republicans pass Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and program cuts after all-night session
WASHINGTON — House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package, with Speaker Mike Johnson defying the skeptics and unifying his ranks to muscle President Donald Trump’s priority bill to approval Thursday. With last-minute concessions and stark warnings from Trump, the Republican holdouts largely dropped their...
2 staff members of Israeli Embassy killed in shooting near Jewish museum in DC
WASHINGTON — Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, police said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and...
Stars score 3 power-play goals early in 3rd period, take Game 1 from OilersVideo
DALLAS — Miro Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene scored power-play goals in a 5-minute, 26-second span early in the third period, and the Dallas Stars opened their Western Conference final rematch against the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-3 victory Wednesday night. Dallas began the third period with a two-goal...
Canada is talking to the U.S. about joining its ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system, Carney says
TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday his government is talking to the U.S. about joining President Donald Trump’s future Golden Dome missile defense program. The multilayered, $175 billion system would for the first time put U.S. weapons in space. Trump said the previous day he expected the...
New North Korea warship is damaged at its launch ceremony attended by Kim Jong Un
SEOUL, South Korea — A new 5,000-ton destroyer key to North Korea’s naval advancement was damaged during its launching ceremony attended by leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported Thursday. The ship slid off the ramp and became stuck after the flatcar failed to move alongside it, throwing off its...
1 person was rescued and a search is underway for 3 others after a boat sinks north of Seattle
SEATTLE — One person was rescued by a good Samaritan and authorities were looking for three others after a boat took on water and sank in waters north of Seattle, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday. The vessel was a 20-foot (6-meter) long cuddy cabin boat, Coast Guard Petty Officer...
Bengals’ Joe Burrow credits Peyton Manning for his involvement in Netflix’s ‘Quarterback’ seriesVideo
CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow’s desire for privacy might be on the same level as his drive to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. That is why it was a surprise when Netflix announced in late March that the Cincinnati Bengals star was going to be featured on...
NFL taps Josh Allen, Bills for ‘Hard Knocks’ debut during training campVideo
EAGAN, Minn. — The reigning NFL MVP will be a featured attraction this season on the league’s training camp documentary, with the Buffalo Bills making their first appearance on “Hard Knocks.” The New York Giants will get another shot, too, after their uncomfortable debut. The NFL announced Wednesday at the...
Institute of Peace reclaims its headquarters after court win over Musk’s cost-cutting team
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Institute of Peace retook control of its headquarters Wednesday, two days after a federal judge said the firing of its board and employees by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency was illegal. The institute’s acting president, George Moose, entered the organization’s headquarters with private security and...
Kim Kardashian dons a graduation cap and marches closer to becoming a lawyer
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Kim Kardashian is a step closer to following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a lawyer. She has completed a legal apprenticeship and is now eligible to take the California bar exam, her representative confirmed Wednesday. The entrepreneur and reality TV star posted an Instagram Story...
Brock Purdy avoided offseason drama before signing 5-year, $265 million extension with the 49ersVideo
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After watching two drama-filled offseasons of contract negotiations with his San Francisco 49ers teammates, Brock Purdy was intent on doing his best to avoid a repeat in his situation. Purdy and the 49ers managed to do just that when they agreed on a five-year extension worth...
Colts’ music-loving owner Jim Irsay dies at age 65Video
INDIANAPOLIS — Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died Wednesday at age 65. Pete Ward, Irsay’s longtime right-hand man and the team’s chief operating officer, made the announcement in a statement from the team....
Tussle with Brad Marchand, Shayne Gostisbehere stands out ahead of Eastern final’s Game 2
RALEIGH, N.C. — Aaron Ekblad shrugged it off. Paul Maurice called it “somebody else’s problem,” while casually taking a drink from a cup. Roughly 12 hours had passed since Florida’s Brad Marchand and Carolina’s Shayne Gostisbehere locked up in a punch-throwing tussle during the Panthers’ Game 1 win in the...
