Associated Press stories, Page 387
The Federal Reserve expects to cut rates more slowly in 2025, here’s what that could mean for you
NEW YORK — The Federal Reserve’s third interest rate cut of the year will likely have consequences for debt, savings, auto loans, mortgages and other forms of borrowing by consumers and businesses. But with inflation pressures still elevated and with concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s policies could fuel inflation, the...
Stocks fall sharply, Dow tumbles 1,100 points after Fed hints at just 2 rate cuts for 2025
NEW YORK — Stocks tumbled to one of their worst days of the year after the Federal Reserve hinted Wednesday it may deliver fewer shots of adrenaline for the U.S. economy in 2025 than earlier thought. The S&P 500 fell 2.9%, just shy of its biggest loss for the year,...
Government funding plan collapses as Trump makes new demands days before shutdownVideo
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out. Trump’s sudden entrance into the debate and new demands sent Congress spiraling...
New York man finds mastodon jaw while gardening in his backyard
SCOTCHTOWN, N.Y. — Scholars are hailing the discovery of a fossilized mastodon jaw discovered by a man who spotted two giant teeth while gardening at his upstate New York home this year. The mastodon jaw and some other bone fragments were found in late September in a backyard near Scotchtown,...
Florida pursues charge against suspect in Trump assassination attempt for a crash after his arrest
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida authorities announced Wednesday that they’re pursuing a criminal case against a man accused of trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump for a car crash that occurred after law enforcement stopped traffic to catch him. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said she obtained an arrest warrant for...
Senate passes defense bill that will raise troop pay and aims to counter China’s power
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a defense bill Wednesday that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China’s growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion while also stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for children of military members. The annual defense authorization...
Endangered whales found entangled in rope off Massachusetts, and 1 is likely to die
Two endangered whales have been spotted entangled in fishing gear off Massachusetts, and one is likely to die from its injuries, the federal government said. They are North Atlantic right whales, which number less than 400 and face existential threats from entanglement in gear and collisions with ships. An aerial...
House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release Matt Gaetz ethics report, source says
WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee voted in secret to release the long-awaited ethics report into ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz, raising the possibility that the allegations against the Florida Republican who was President-elect Donald Trump’s first choice for attorney general could be made public in the coming days. The decision by...
Supreme Court to hear arguments over law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if it’s not sold
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear arguments next month over the constitutionality of the federal law that could ban TikTok in the United States if its Chinese parent company doesn’t sell it. The justices will hear arguments Jan. 10 about whether the law impermissibly restricts...
‘Bluey’ is bound for the big screen with a feature film coming in 2027
NEW YORK — “Bluey” is heading to the big screen. The Walt Disney Co. and BBC Studios announced Tuesday that a film based on the hit Australian animated series will arrive in theaters in 2027. The movie will be written and directed by series creator Joe Brumm, with a voice...
1 dead, 9 injured in Baltimore County shooting and fiery car crash
TOWSON, Md. — A shooting and related fiery car crash Tuesday night in a suburban area north of Baltimore killed one person and injured nine, police said. Gunshots were reported throughout a neighborhood near where the car ultimately crashed outside a funeral home that appeared to be closed at the...
Federal Reserve cuts key rate by a quarter-point but envisions fewer reductions next yearVideo
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday by a quarter-point — its third cut this year — but also signaled that it expects to reduce rates more slowly next year than it previously envisioned, mostly because of still-elevated inflation. The Fed’s 19 policymakers projected that they...
What Americans think of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his health stances
WASHINGTON — The kids seen by Dolores Mejia around suburban Phoenix have been growing heavier in recent years. Their parents too, she says. Mejia, a 75-year-old retiree, says she’s also had her own weight struggles on the scale. That’s why Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pledge to “Make America Healthy Again”...
How to avoid financial stress during the holiday season
NEW YORK — The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration with family and friends. But they can also bring pressure to spend money on gifts, gatherings and plane tickets home, exacerbated by brand emails, social media influencers and family expectations. With credit card debt rising and prices...
Trump chooses Herschel Walker as U.S. ambassador to Bahamas
WASHINGTON — Herschel Walker, the football legend who unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, has been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to be ambassador to the Bahamas. Trump made the announcement Tuesday in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He described Walker as “a...
AP photographers capture stunning scenes of nature and wildlife in 2024
An insect hovers near flowers decorating the area around the holy remains of the patron saint of the Romanian capital Bucharest. A municipal worker in Montenegro holds owlets rescued from a fallen tree after a powerful storm in Podgorica. A herd of deer cross a road in a bucolic scene...
Shooting in Madison is the latest carnage at a U.S. school or college over the past 25 years
Hundreds of people in the U.S. have died in shootings over the past 25 years in places like offices, stores and theaters, but the carnage perhaps hits hardest when it happens in schools and colleges. In those cases, the victims are children who still have some of their baby teeth,...
Police chief says motive for Wisconsin school shooting was a ‘combination of factors’
MADISON, Wis. — The motive for a shooting that killed a teacher and a student and wounded others at a Wisconsin school appears to be a “combination of factors,” a police chief said Tuesday as he appealed to the public to share what they might know about the 15-year-old girl...
Memphis hangs on to beat West Virginia in wild Frisco Bowl
FRISCO, Texas — Seth Henigan threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns in his final game for No. 25 Memphis, matching the American Athletic Conference career TD passing record with 104, as the Tigers held on to beat West Virginia, 42-37, in the Frisco Bowl on Tuesday night. Memphis (11-2)...
Nissan, Honda confirm talks on closer collaboration but say there’s been no decision on a merger
BANGKOK — Japanese automakers Nissan Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. confirmed Wednesday that they are discussing closer collaboration but denied reports they have decided on a merger. Nissan’s share price soared more than 22% in Tokyo after reports citing unnamed sources said it might merge with Honda to form...
MLB study: Velocity, max efforts likely causing pitching injuries; rule changes should be considered
NEW YORK — A yearlong study by Major League Baseball concluded rising velocities, pitch shaping and emphasis on maximum effort are the likely causes of the vast increase in pitcher injuries and recommended exploring rules changes to address the problem. The 62-page report released Tuesday said the trends extended to...
Kyle Tucker open to long-term deal with Cubs after trade
CHICAGO — Kyle Tucker played his first major-league games at Wrigley Field when the Houston Astros visited the Chicago Cubs in April. It was cold, he said, and a lot of fun. “Those fans love their Cubs,” Tucker said. “That’s kind of how it felt from, you know, the visiting...
Falcons name rookie Michael Penix Jr. starter, bench Kirk Cousins
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons are turning to rookie Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback and benching veteran Kirk Cousins as they fight for their first playoff berth since 2017. Coach Raheem Morris announced the decision in a statement Tuesday night. “After review we have made the decision Michael...
All-Pro safety Budda Baker signs 3-year deal with Cardinals
TEMPE, Ariz. — Two-time All-Pro safety Budda Baker signed a three-year deal on Tuesday to stay with the Arizona Cardinals through the 2027 season. The 28-year-old Baker’s deal is worth $54 million and includes $30 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network and ESPN. Baker has been a mainstay for the...
Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid
WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters. The measure would prevent a...
