U.S. to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months, fulfilling Trump’s threat
WASHINGTON — The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump’s threat as he clashes with the German leader over the U.S. war with Iran. Trump had threatened to withdraw some troops from the...
Court restricts abortion access across the U.S. by blocking the mailing of mifepristone
A federal appeals court has restricted access to one of the most common means of abortion in the U.S. by blocking the mailing of mifepristone prescriptions. Friday’s unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is requiring that the abortion pill be...
Air Force says former Qatari 747 will be ready to fly Trump as Air Force One this summer
The U.S. Air Force has finished modifying and testing a Boeing 747 jet donated by Qatar for temporary use as Air Force One and expects to have it ready for President Donald Trump to use this summer, the service announced late Friday. The jet is currently being painted red, white...
Judge protects Yemeni refugees, slams Trump administration’s push to end special status
NEW YORK — A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from forcing about 3,000 Yemeni refugees to leave the U.S., ruling that Temporary Protected Status repeatedly granted to them and due to expire Monday should be extended again. Judge Dale E. Ho in Manhattan extended the status temporarily...
Trump says he’ll place 25% tariff on autos from EU, accusing bloc of not complying with trade deal
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that he will increase the tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union next week to 25%, a move that could jolt the world economy at a fragile moment. Trump said in the post that the EU “is not complying with...
What to know about May Day demonstrations as workers face rising energy costs due to Iran war
PARIS — Activists worldwide held May Day rallies and street protests Friday, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. May 1 is a public holiday in many countries to mark International...
Trump says a ‘final proposal’ to rescue Spirit Airlines is under consideration
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration was still weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines, with talks ongoing and no final decision yet on whether to move forward with a potential bailout for a carrier mired in bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in less than...
Ukraine says a strike hit Tuapse oil terminal, the 4th attack on the region in 2 weeks
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces struck an oil terminal in the Russian Black Sea city of Tuapse, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Friday, marking the fourth attack targeting the region’s oil infrastructure in just over two weeks. Explosions and a fire were recorded on the premises of local oil infrastructure,...
A person of interest is in custody after 2 U.S. Bank employees were killed in a Kentucky robbery
BEREA, Ky. — A person of interest has been taken into custody in connection with the fatal shootings of two bank employees during a robbery, a Kentucky state trooper said Friday. The person is “believed to be involved” in the bank robbery in Berea on Thursday, Trooper Justin Kearney posted...
Israeli authorities taking 2 activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla to Israel for questioning
BARCELONA, Spain — Israeli authorities said they were taking two activists who led an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, and who were captured by Israel in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea, to Israel for questioning. The activists, Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila,...
Amtrak may make it easier to bring guns on its trains despite the alleged attempt on Trump’s life
Amtrak is considering allowing people to store guns in lockboxes on most of its trains, which critics say would weaken security measures that instead should be strengthened in light of the shooting at last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. The company has been considering the policy change since at...
After major enforcement operations, the Trump administration recalibrates its immigration crackdown
WASHINGTON — When Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin was questioned by senators during his confirmation hearing about his vision for implementing President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, he said his goal was to keep his department off the front pages of the news. To some degree, he has. Gone are...
Israeli police arrest a man suspected of attacking a nun near Jerusalem’s Old City
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli police said Friday that they arrested a 36-year-old caught on video attacking a nun in the latest incident targeting Christians near Jerusalem’s Old City. Police said the unnamed man was arrested after the attack Wednesday near David’s Tomb — a holy site outside Zion’s Gate...
Congress approves short-term extension of divisive surveillance program hours before expiration
WASHINGTON — Congress has approved a short-term extension of a critical surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies, staving off a Friday expiration as disputes over a longer reauthorization remain unresolved. The House sent the extension to President Donald Trump’s desk Thursday after the Senate cleared it earlier in the...
Man jailed after being charged with attempted murder in stabbings of Jewish men in London
LONDON — A 45-year-old man was charged Friday with attempted murder in the stabbings of two Jewish men in London, the latest in a string of attacks that have sparked fear and anger in Britain’s Jewish community. Essa Suleiman was remanded into custody after appearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court to...
Trump administration says its war in Iran has been ‘terminated’ before 60-day deadline
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval. The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defense Secretary...
Trump says he’s lifting certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after royal visit
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday he is removing certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after this week’s White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom. “The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly...
U.S. seeks to deploy hypersonic missile for the 1st time against Iran
U.S. Central Command has asked to send the Army’s long-delayed Dark Eagle hypersonic missile to the Middle East for possible use against Iran, seeking a longer-range system to hit ballistic-missile launchers deep inside the country. If approved, it would mark the first time the United States will have deployed its...
What is Section 2, the provision of the Voting Rights Act at the heart of Louisiana redistricting case?
It remains to be seen how the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a congressional redistricting case in Louisiana will impact the political landscape. Critics say the court’s ruling Wednesday that the creation of a Black-majority congressional district in Louisiana represented “unconstitutional racial gerrymander” could open the door for more challenges...
Trump order aims to help more people get retirement savings plans in time for new federal match
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday calling for a new government website where people in the United States can find and compare private-sector retirement savings accounts, aiming to help millions of workers whose employers do not offer such plans. The order is intended to help...
Iran’s supreme leader vows to protect nuclear and missile capabilities
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s supreme leader defiantly vowed Thursday to protect the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and missile capabilities, which U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to curtail through airstrikes and as part of a wider deal to cement the war’s shaky ceasefire. In a statement read by a...
Trump signs bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, ending record shutdown
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump swiftly signed bipartisan legislation Thursday funding much of the Department of Homeland Security, but not its immigration enforcement operations, after it won final approval in the House, ending the longest agency shutdown in history. The White House had warned that temporary funding Trump had tapped...
Trump pulls Casey Means’ stalled surgeon general nomination and says he’ll put forth Nicole Saphier
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday he’s nominating former Fox News Channel contributor and radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier for surgeon general after Dr. Casey Means’ path forward stalled in the Senate over questions about her experience and her stance on vaccines. In a social media post, Trump said he...
Hegseth clashes for a 2nd day with Democrats in Congress over the Iran war
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clashed with Democratic lawmakers in Congress for a second day Thursday, rejecting senators’ accusations that the Iran war was launched without evidence of an imminent threat and waged with no coherent strategy. The three-hour hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee mostly traced the...
Prosecutors release video of armed man storming correspondents’ dinner
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors released a video Thursday showing the moment authorities say an armed man tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and attempt to kill President Donald Trump. Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for Washington, posted the video on social media. She said it shows...
