Order to drop New York Mayor Adams’ case roils Justice Department as high-ranking officials resignVideo
NEW YORK — Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, and five high-ranking Justice Department officials resigned Thursday after she refused an order to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams — a stunning escalation in a dayslong standoff over the Trump administration prioritizing political aims over criminal...
Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily allow funds for foreign aid to flow again
WASHINGTON — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift a three-week funding freeze that has shut down U.S. aid and development programs worldwide. Judge Amir Ali issued the order Thursday in U.S. district court in Washington in a lawsuit brought by two health organizations that receive...
Linda McMahon says Trump’s plan to close Education Department would need Congress’ approval
WASHINGTON — Linda McMahon, the former CEO of a professional wrestling and entertainment juggernaut and Donald Trump’s pick as Education secretary, told senators Thursday that the president’s plan to dismantle the Education Department would need congressional approval. “We’d like to do this right,” she said. “We’d like to make sure...
Russian crypto expert Alexander Vinnik returns to Moscow in Russia-U.S. prisoner swap, reports say
MOSCOW — Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cryptocurrency expert who faced Bitcoin fraud charges in the United States, returned to Russia on Thursday after being freed in a swap that saw Moscow release American Marc Fogel, Russian news agencies reported. Alexander Vinnik arrived in Moscow on a flight from Turkey, where...
Child welfare agencies are buckling under staffing shortages as Pa. debates using opioid money to help
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania counties are tapping into opioid settlement money to support child welfare programs as they face staff shortages, increased risks for children, and other challenges. Most of these initiatives have received approval from a powerful state oversight board — including efforts to train staff, support parents in treatment,...
Bird flu cases on the rise in Pa. as the state expands testing, containment efforts
BELLEFONTE — Pennsylvania has given $13.5 million to hundreds of farmers over the past three years to help them pay for bird flu testing, recover lost revenue, and implement biosecurity measures. These are the tentpoles of the state’s special grant program helping farmers respond to the aggressive virus, which is...
Hamas says it will free 3 more hostages as planned, paving the way to resolve ceasefire dispute
CAIRO — Hamas said Thursday it would release three more Israeli hostages as planned, paving the way toward resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The militant group had threatened to delay the next release of captives, accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to...
Elon Musk’s son X causes stir in Oval Office with Trump
After Elon Musk’s 4-year-old son — X Æ A-Xii, known as X — made an appearance in the Oval Office Tuesday with his dad and President Donald Trump, videos of the child’s antics have gone viral online. X stole the show from Trump and Musk’s first public comments in front...
Shapiro sues over Trump administration spending freezes on grants and loans
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Thursday sued agencies under President Donald Trump, saying they are illegally and unconstitutionally withholding billions in federal aid from the state that had already been approved by Congress. Shapiro, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit despite the fact that federal courts have repeatedly rejected...
A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it’s all captured on cameraVideo
PUNTA ARENAS, Chile — A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker off Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed. The incident, caught on camera, quickly went viral as one of the most remarkable footage in Chile in recent years. Last Saturday, Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his father, Dell, in...
Brooke Rollins confirmed as Trump’s agriculture secretary as tariff fights loom
WASHINGTON — Conservative lawyer Brooke Rollins was confirmed Thursday as secretary of agriculture. Rollins, who served as chief for domestic policy during President Donald Trump’s first administration, was confirmed overwhelmingly by the Senate in a 72-28 vote. Rollins will now lead a department tasked with overseeing nearly all aspects of...
Vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sworn in as Trump’s health chief after close Senate vote
WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in Thursday as President Donald Trump’s health secretary after a close Senate vote, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country....
Gas explosion at Taiwan food court kills 4 and injures 26
TAIPEI, Taiwan — A gas explosion at a department store in Taiwan on Thursday killed four people and injured 26, fire authorities said. The blast occurred at the food court on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store in Taichung city, the Taichung Fire Bureau said. The...
Breakfast is booming at U.S. restaurants. Is it also contributing to high egg prices?
It’s a chicken-and-egg problem: Restaurants are struggling with record-high U.S. egg prices, but their omelets, scrambles and huevos rancheros may be part of the problem. Breakfast is booming at U.S. eateries. First Watch, a restaurant chain that serves breakfast, brunch and lunch, nearly quadrupled its locations over the past decade...
Archaeologists unearth the remains of a Roman basilica on the site of a new London skyscraper
LONDON — Work to give 21st-century London yet another skyscraper has uncovered traces — in fact chunks — of the city’s origins almost 2,000 years ago. Archaeologists exploring the site of a planned 32-story office tower announced Thursday that they have unearthed the remains of a Roman basilica that once...
The number of Americans seeking jobless benefits falls as employers continue to hold on to workers
U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell last week as employers continue to retain workers despite resurgent inflation and elevated interest rates. The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell by 7,000 to 213,000 for the week ending Feb. 8, the Labor Department said Thursday. Analysts projected that 215,000 new...
Elon Musk calls for the U.S. to ‘delete entire agencies’ from the federal government
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Elon Musk called on Thursday for the United States to “delete entire agencies” from the federal government as part of his push under President Donald Trump to radically cut spending and restructure its priorities. Musk offered a wide-ranging survey via a videocall to the World...
Modi is meeting with Trump in a visit meant to boost the U.S.-India relationship and avoid tariffs
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is meeting Thursday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has heaped praise on him and is hoping to avoid tariffs that the new administration has slapped on other countries in its opening weeks. Modi is a nationalist and has talked up his warm relationship...
Florida man to be executed for 1997 double murder witnessed by toddler
STARKE, Fla. — A Florida man convicted of murdering a husband and wife during a fishing trip at a remote farm while the couple’s toddler looked on is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Thursday evening in the state’s first execution this year. The execution of 64-year-old James Dennis Ford...
At least 28 are hurt as a driver plows into a demonstration in Germany
BERLIN — A driver drove a car into a union demonstration in central Munich on Thursday, injuring at least 28 people including children, authorities said. Authorities said it was believed to be an attack. The suspect, an Afghan asylum-seeker, was arrested. The incident follows a series of attacks involving immigrants...
Gunmen open fire and kill 2 children in Puerto Rico, 4 wounded
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Two children were killed and four people were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a home in northeastern Puerto Rico, police said on Thursday. The shooting, which shocked the U.S. territory, occurred late Wednesday in the town of Río Grande, according to authorities. An 8-year-old...
Trump signs a plan for reciprocal tariffs on U.S. trading partners, ushering in economic uncertainty
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday rolled out his plan to increase U.S. tariffs to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports, possibly triggering a broader economic confrontation with allies and rivals alike as he hopes to eliminate any trade imbalances. “I’ve decided for purposes of...
California’s burn scars brace for flooding as freezing rain and snow head for Oregon
Rain has begun falling in California where an atmospheric river is expected to bring heavy downpours, winds and flooding Thursday to areas ravaged by wildfires. Ahead of the storm’s arrival, officials distributed sandbags, prepositioned rescue swimmers and told residents to have their go-bags ready. Meanwhile, Portland coated its streets with...
ACLU sues for access to migrants flown to Guantanamo this month
WASHINGTON — Civil rights attorneys sued the Trump administration on Wednesday to gain access to detained migrants who they say have been flown to Guantanamo Bay and held there without being able to consult lawyers or speak to relatives. The federal lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., and backed by the...
Pa. Turnpike officials warn about new smishing scam involving ‘unpaid tolls’
If you received a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls, The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission wants you to know that it’s probably a scam. Officials are warning customers to be vigilant, as scammers are pretending to be toll agencies and are sending texts demanding money immediately, the Pennsylvania Turnpike...
