Penn State frat pledge death charges rest in hands of judge

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) " A judge is to decide whether to keep alive charges against Penn State fraternity members linked to the death of a pledge whose agonizing night after a fall down stairs was captured by security cameras in February.District Justice Allen Sinclair must decide Friday whether prosecutors have put on enough evidence to send the charges against the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and 16 former members to county court for trial.His decision follows a hard-fought, [...]

The Latest: US orders Russia to close SF consulate

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the U.S. decision to close Russia's San Francisco consulate and scale back its diplomatic presence in two other locations (all times local):9:55 p.m.The United States has ordered Russia to shutter its San Francisco consulate and close offices in Washington and New York, intensifying tensions between the former Cold War foes. Washington gave Moscow 48 hours to comply.The Trump administration describes its action as retaliation for the [...]

US commander: IS leader al-Baghdadi probably still alive

WASHINGTON (AP) " Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appears to be still alive, a top U.S. military commander said Thursday, contradicting Russia's claims that it probably killed the top counterterror target months ago."Do I believe he's alive? Yes," said Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who commands the coalition forces fighting IS in Iraq and Syria, referring to al-Baghdadi.At first, Townsend said his belief stemmed from a lack of evidence he had seen " "rumor or [...]

White House preparing $5.9B request for Harvey recovery aid

WASHINGTON (AP) " The White House has prepared a request to Congress for an initial $5.9 billion package in Harvey recovery aid, a first down payment to make sure recovery efforts over the next few weeks are adequately funded.The Trump proposal, which is being finalized pending White House consultations with key Republicans, promises to represent just a fraction of an eventual Harvey recovery package that could rival the $100-billion-plus in taxpayer-financed help for victims of [...]

Co-founder of political party that launched Sanders dies

DUMMERSTON, Vt. (AP) " Peter Diamondstone, a political activist who helped found the Vermont political party that first launched Bernie Sanders for office in the 1970s, has died at age 82.Diamondstone, a perennial political candidate and the co-founder in 1970 of the anti-war Liberty Union Party, defined as a nonviolent socialist party, died Wednesday, his daughter said."Peter's life of service in the struggle to protect human rights and our nation's Constitution began at an [...]

The Latest: Trump to propose initial $5.9B in Harvey aid

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the Trump administration's response to Harvey (all times local):7:20 p.m.A senior administration official says President Donald Trump has prepared a request to Congress for an initial $5.9 billion package in Harvey recovery aid.The official says the White House proposal, which is not final, would make sure there's plenty of money available for immediate recovery efforts over the next several weeks. The White House is shopping the measure [...]

Chemicals burning at Texas plant are unstable if not cooled

WASHINGTON (AP) " The chemicals that exploded at a Texas plant are so unstable hat they must be kept cool or they can ignite a runaway scenario.Experts say that's what happened when the Arkema Inc. chemical plant lost power after Harvey engulfed the area in floods. Arkema executive Richard Rennard said the fire was caused by the chemicals degrading because of the lack of refrigeration.The chemicals that caught fire at the plant outside Houston were organic peroxides, a family [...]

All aboard! Little Los Angeles railroad chugging again

LOS ANGELES (AP) " Angels Flight, the beloved little railroad that's almost as much a symbol of Los Angeles as the Hollywood sign, began pulling people toward the heavens and back down again Thursday after four years of idleness triggered by a 2013 derailment.Mayor Eric Garcetti and other supporters and admirers of the funky little funicular turned out on a blazingly hot downtown morning to see the train's two wooden antique cars, Olivet and Sinai, officially return to service. [...]

EPA delayed chemical safety rule after industry complaints

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration delayed an Obama-era rule that would have tightened safety requirements for companies that store large quantities of dangerous chemicals such as the chemical plant near Houston that exploded early Thursday.The Environmental Protection Agency rule would have required chemical plants, including the now-destroyed Arkema Inc., plant outside Houston, to make public the types and quantities of chemicals stored on site. The rule was developed after [...]

Judge to rule whether Penn State frat death case can proceed

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) " Members of a now-shuttered Pennsylvania State University fraternity will learn on Friday whether a district judge believes there is enough evidence to send charges related to the death of a pledge to county court for trial.District Judge Allen Sinclair said after the seventh day of a preliminary hearing ended Thursday that he would render his decision Friday at 11 a.m. The ruling could result in dismissal of some or all of the hundreds of charges filed against [...]

The Latest: Pence urges Congress to act quickly on Harvey

ROCKPORT, Texas (AP) " The Latest on Vice President Mike Pence's trip to Texas to survey damage from Harvey (all times local):5:20 p.m.Vice President Mike Pence says the Trump administration expects Congress to "move quickly" to send federal cash to people and businesses in Hurricane Harvey's disaster zone.Pence also says more than 300,000 people have registered for disaster aid.He spoke in Corpus Christi, Texas, after Harvey dumped record-breaking rain and caused [...]

Lawsuit over Trump's 1st attempt to ban travel is settled

NEW YORK (AP) " Foreigners who were barred from entering the U.S. during President Donald Trump's first attempt to ban travel from seven Muslim-majority nations will get government help reapplying for visas under a lawsuit settlement reached Thursday.Civil rights lawyers and the Trump administration announced the deal in during a conference call in federal court in Brooklyn, one scene of the legal battle over the treatment of hundreds of travelers who were detained at U.S. airports [...]

Escalating tit for tat, US orders Russian consulate closed

WASHINGTON (AP) " Escalating a diplomatic tit-for-tat, the United States abruptly ordered Russia on Thursday to shutter its San Francisco consulate and close offices in Washington and New York, intensifying tensions between the former Cold War foes. Washington gave Moscow 48 hours to comply.The Trump administration described its action as retaliation for the Kremlin's "unwarranted and detrimental" demand earlier this month that the U.S. cut its diplomatic staff in Russia. But Moscow [...]

Governors urge keeping US health law's individual mandate

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) " A bipartisan governor duo is urging Congress to retain the federal health care law's unpopular individual mandate while seeking to stabilize individual insurance markets as lawmakers work on a long-term replacement.The recommendation is part of a compromise plan that's designed to be palatable to both parties. It was endorsed by six other governors.Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, shared their plan in a [...]

Trump administration cuts funding for health care sign-ups

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration is announcing sharp cuts in programs promoting health care enrollment under the Affordable Care Act for next year.In a call with reporters, Health and Human Services officials say advertising will be cut to $10 million for the 2018 open enrollment season. That's down from $100 million for the 2017 sign-up season.Funding for consumer helpers called "navigators" will also be cut, from $62.5 million for 2017, to about $36 million for next [...]

The Latest: Pence vows to be with Harvey victims 'every day'

ROCKPORT, Texas (AP) " The Latest on Vice President Mike Pence's trip to Texas to survey damage from Harvey (all times local):3:30 p.m.Vice President Mike Pence says the White House will support Harvey victims, pledging to "be with you every day until Texas rebuilds stronger and better than before."Pence is visiting a distribution center in Victoria, Texas, where relief organizations are providing supplies. The power is out in the city, but water is running.Among [...]

White House: Trump will donate $1 million to Harvey relief

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is pledging $1 million in personal money to Harvey storm relief efforts.White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made the announcement at a briefing Thursday. She said Trump is calling on reporters to help decide which specific organization he should give to.But Trump could also take a cue from his own re-election campaign. Earlier this week, his 2020 political committee blasted out emails and texts to more than 10 million [...]

LA's popular Angels Flight reaching for the heavens again

LOS ANGELES (AP) " Angels Flight, the beloved little railroad that's almost as much a symbol of Los Angeles as the Hollywood Sign, began pulling people toward the heavens and back down again Thursday after four years of idleness triggered by a 2013 derailment.Mayor Eric Garcetti and other supporters and admirers of the funky little funicular turned out on a blazingly hot downtown morning to see the train's two wooden antique cars, Olivet and Sinai, officially return to service. [...]

Professors get $300,000 grant for digital fake-news detector

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) " Two Penn State professors have received $300,000 from the National Science Foundation to develop technology that will enable digital devices to weed out fake news.The university says information sciences and technology professor Dongwon Lee and communications professor S. Shyam Sundar are working on the project.Lee says fake news "has been around for decades" but has been "exacerbated" on the internet and social media platforms.The professors [...]

Police ID suspect in fatal shooting of California deputy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " Authorities on Thursday identified the suspect who shot and killed a sheriff's deputy and wounded two other officers in a Sacramento hotel shootout as a man from the San Francisco Bay Area and said he was hospitalized in critical condition.The suspect, Thomas Daniel Littlecloud, 32, was suffering from life threatening injuries but has not been booked with any charges, said Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Tony Turnbull.Littlecloud fatally shot Deputy [...]

AP Explains: Harvey shines light on flood insurance program

WASHINGTON (AP) " The massive flooding Harvey has caused in Texas and Louisiana comes as Congress weighs renewing a federal flood insurance program that continually pays out more than it takes in through premiums, potentially leaving taxpayers on the hook for $24.6 billion and counting.The National Flood Insurance Program expires Sept. 30. Congress is likely to reauthorize the program before then because failure to do so would disrupt coastal real estate markets. If the program [...]

The Latest: Russian lawmaker says US is ramping up tensions

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the U.S. decision to close Russia's San Francisco consulate and scale back its diplomatic presence in two other locations (all times local):2:15 p.m.A member of Russia's parliament is accusing the U.S. of a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions.Leonid Slutsky is head of the Russian Duma's foreign affairs committee. Slutsky is criticizing the U.S. decision to close the Russian consulate in San Francisco and scale back consular operations [...]

Energy chief taps emergency oil reserve in wake of Harvey

WASHINGTON (AP) " Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Thursday he is releasing 500,000 barrels of crude oil from an emergency stockpile in a bid to prevent gasoline prices from spiking in the wake of disruptions caused by Harvey.Perry said he's authorized immediate shipments of crude to the Phillips 66 refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The oil will be replenished under an exchange arrangement similar to a loan.The Energy Department will review other requests for oil from the [...]

Ex-DeVry dean to probe for-profit colleges; critics pounce

WASHINGTON (AP) " Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has hired a former official at an embattled for-profit university to head the agency's unit investigating fraud at for-profit colleges.Julian Schmoke Jr. is a former associate dean at DeVry University. The decision to hire him has prompted criticism from Democrats who say he can't be trusted as an objective investigator, given his industry ties.Chris Murphy " a Democratic senator from Connecticut " tweets: "This is a joke, right? [...]

The Latest: Pence says nation inspired by Texas' resilience

ROCKPORT, Texas (AP) " The Latest on Vice President Mike Pence's trip to Texas to survey damage from Harvey (all times local):12:30 p.m.Vice President Mike Pence says the nation has been inspired by the resilience of Texans dealing with the storm damage from Harvey.Pence is joining with state and local officials and community members in Rockport, Texas, which was severely damaged by the storm. The vice president spoke outside First Baptist Church, where a side of the [...]

Mnuchin won't say if he wants Tubman on $20 bill

WASHINGTON (AP) " Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is raising speculation that Harriet Tubman's future on the $20 bill could be in jeopardy.Mnuchin is avoiding a direct answer when asked whether he supports the decision made by the Obama administration to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill with Harriet Tubman, the 19th century African-American abolitionist famous for the Underground Railroad.He says in an interview on CNBC on Thursday, "People have been on the bills for a [...]

Man convicted of using false name at jail to avoid prison

ZANESVILLE, Ohio (AP) " Authorities say Robert Mason was a trusted and model prisoner the six times he was booked into Ohio's Zanesville City Jail starting in 2014.But it wasn't Robert Mason who served those 150-plus days for various misdemeanors. It was Troy Mason, a homeless man who used his brother's name to avoid returning to prison for a parole violation on a felony burglary conviction.A Muskingum County jury on Wednesday found the 50-year-old Mason guilty of forgery and [...]

US shutters Russia's San Francisco consulate in retaliation

WASHINGTON (AP) " The United States is retaliating against Russia by forcing closure of its consulate in San Francisco and scaling back its diplomatic presence in Washington and New York.The State Department says move is in response to the Kremlin forcing a cut in U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow. Spokesman Heather Nauert says the move brings the U.S. and Russia into "parity," with each having three consulates in the other country.Moscow forced the cut in American diplomatic [...]

Medicaid fueling opioid epidemic? New theory is challenged

WASHINGTON (AP) " An intriguing new theory is gaining traction among conservative foes of the Obama-era health law: Its Medicaid expansion to low-income adults may be fueling the opioid epidemic.If true, that would represent a shocking outcome for the Affordable Care Act. But there's no evidence to suggest that's happening, say university researchers who study the drug problem and are puzzled by such claims. Some even say Medicaid may be helping mitigate the consequences of the [...]

Explosions rock flood-crippled chemical plant near Houston

CROSBY, Texas (AP) " Explosions and fires rocked a flood-crippled chemical plant near Houston early Thursday, sending up a plume of acrid, eye-irritating smoke and adding a new hazard to Hurricane Harvey's aftermath.The plant's owners warned more explosions could follow because a lack of refrigeration was causing chemicals stored there to degrade and burn.The top federal emergency official in Washington warned that the plume of smoke was "incredibly dangerous." But local [...]

Justice Dept implores FCC to combat prison cellphone problem

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) " The U.S. Department of Justice is pressing federal regulators to come up with a way of keeping inmates from using cellphones in the nation's prisons.In a letter obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, Assistant Attorney General Beth Williams told the Federal Communications Commission that addressing the security threat posed by contraband cellphones "should be a chief priority" of both the FCC and Justice, which oversees the federal Bureau of Prisons. [...]

Seeking help with Afghanistan, US holds up $255M to Pakistan

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration is holding up $255 million in military assistance for Pakistan until it cracks down on extremist groups that destabilize Afghanistan.It's the first major sign of how President Donald Trump will execute his plan to persuade Pakistan to stop harboring insurgents. Trump announced the Pakistan emphasis last week when he unveiled his Afghanistan strategy.The administration faced a Sept. 30 deadline to say it plans to spend the money, or [...]

Apple expected to unveil next iPhones at Sept. 12 showcase

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " Apple's faithful fans and investors won't have to wait much longer to see what the iPhone maker has in store next.The company sent out invitations Thursday to set Sept. 12 as the date for an annual post-Labor Day showcase.As usual, the famously secretive Apple didn't say what's on tap, but this is typically when Apple unveils new iPhones.Much of the anticipation is swirling around whether Apple will show off a dramatically different type of iPhone [...]

Woman posts picture of premature baby born in amniotic sac

PITTSBURGH (AP) " A Pittsburgh woman gave birth to her premature son in a vehicle on the way to the hospital " with the baby still in its amniotic sac.Raelin Scurry posted an Instagram photo of the newborn taken on the way to Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC on Aug. 5. She woke her fiance to drive her there after what she thought were false labor pains turned into the real thing."I was just thinking we need to get to the hospital right now," the fiance and the baby's father, Ean [...]

US Navy leader considers unmanned vehicles to increase power

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) " President Donald Trump and Navy leaders say the nation needs about 350 ships, roughly 75 more ships than the fleet has today.But there isn't money in the defense budget to buy a lot of new ships at once, and they take years to build.Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, says they could get closer to the target faster by counting unmanned vessels with capabilities similar to a manned ship" a new twist on the definition of a ship. [...]

Lyft extends service throughout 32 states

DETROIT (AP) " Lyft is driving into the countryside in an effort to raise ridership and steal market share from rival Uber.The much smaller Lyft announced Thursday that it is offering service to passengers in every corner of 32 U.S. states, including hard-to-reach rural areas. The move boosts the number of states with full coverage to 40.Uber, which controls about 70 percent of the U.S. ride-hailing market, says it has near-statewide coverage in 13 states. A spokeswoman was [...]

Source: Grand jury hears from lobbyist in Trump Tower chat

A grand jury used by Special Counsel Robert Mueller has heard secret testimony from a Russian-American lobbyist who attended a June 2016 meeting with President Donald Trump's eldest son, The Associated Press has learned.

APNewsBreak: Governors' health care plan retains mandate

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) " A bipartisan governor duo is urging Congress to retain the federal health care law's unpopular individual mandate while legislators continue work on a long-term replacement law.The recommendation is part of a compromise plan for stabilizing individual insurance markets that's designed to be palatable to both parties.Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, shared their plan in a letter to congressional leaders [...]

Easy collar: Men accused of robbing bar during police party

BALTIMORE (AP) " The police response time was quicker than ever.Two men were arrested after police say they robbed a bar outside Baltimore while off-duty officers were there for a police retirement party.The Baltimore Sun reports the men allegedly demanded cash from the register at a Woodlawn bar Tuesday evening while a group of officers gathered for a longtime sergeant's retirement. The officers chased and arrested them.Baltimore County police spokesman Cpl. Shawn [...]

Residents find alligator in backyard pool

LITHIA, Fla. (AP) " Some Florida residents woke up to an uninvited, scaly guest in their backyard swimming pool: a 7- to 8-foot-long (2-meter-long) alligator.The Tampa Bay Times reports that Hillsborough County deputies responded to the Lithia home Wednesday morning. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office posted a picture of the submerged alligator on Twitter, adding that the "apprehension of this trespassing suspect should be interesting."Florida Fish and Wildlife [...]

Pence will travel to Texas to survey Harvey's wreckage

Vice President Mike Pence is getting a chance to survey Harvey's wreckage.

'Suspect apprehended!' Police nab 6-foot Miami Beach python

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) " A 6-foot (2-meter) Burmese python slithered near a popular Miami Beach pedestrian mall, scaring the crowd outside a convenience store.Customers leaving Exprezo noticed the snake beneath a royal palm tree on Wednesday. Someone called Miami Beach police and the python was captured.Police Chief Daniel J. Oates tweeted "suspect apprehended!" along with photos of the capture.Store owner Indika Wanigarathne tells the Miami Herald she was thinking, "How [...]

The Latest: Interior drops probe into secretary, senators

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump and Congress (all times local):4:25 p.m.The Interior Department inspector general's office has dropped an investigation into whether the Trump administration pressured Alaska GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan over their health care votes.A pair of House Democrats had sought the investigation over phone calls Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke (ZIN'-kee) made to the senators. Zinke reportedly suggested Alaska could [...]

Tillerson praises Mexico's generosity in offering Harvey aid

WASHINGTON (AP) " Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praised Mexico's generosity in offering help as the U.S. responds to Harvey, aiming Wednesday to defuse a potential sore point between two neighbors already sharply at odds over NAFTA and President Donald Trump's proposed border wall.Since the former hurricane struck the U.S., America's southern neighbor has offered a "wide range" of help through both the Texas state government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Tillerson [...]

Pentagon: US troop total in Afghanistan larger than reported

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Pentagon is poised to have roughly 15,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan in the coming months, as defense officials on Wednesday finally acknowledged the actual number of American forces in the country after long camouflaging the total in misleading accounting measures and red tape.Senior Defense officials for the first time said there are about 11,000 U.S. forces currently deployed to Afghanistan " thousands more than the 8,400 that were allowed under the previous [...]

Wayward alligator found in motel pool was part of rap video

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) " Authorities have solved the mystery of how an alligator ended up in a swimming pool at a motel on the New Jersey shore.They say the 3-foot-long (0.91-meter-long) alligator found Aug. 15 at the Bayview Inn & Suites in Atlantic City was part of a rap video filmed there by two men. The alligator was found when police conducted a raid at the site.Items found during the raid led to the arrest Tuesday of the two men on armed robbery charges. Authorities say [...]

Dream Chaser spacecraft in captive-carry test over desert

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) " A test version of a spacecraft resembling a mini space shuttle was carried aloft over the Mojave Desert by a helicopter Wednesday in a precursor to a free flight in which it will be released to autonomously land on a runway as it would in a return from orbit.Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser craft was lifted off the ground at 7:21 a.m., at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, California, and was carried to the same [...]

Tiger the tabby is one of Sing Sing prison's last felines

OSSINING, N.Y. (AP) " An orange tabby named Tiger is enjoying his role as one of the last cats living at New York's Sing Sing Correctional Facility.The prison north of New York City once had hundreds of resident felines freely roaming its buildings and grounds. Today, fewer than a dozen remain.Sing Sing is where Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed in 1953 after their espionage convictions. Tiger broke into the maximum-security facility about a decade ago.The Wall [...]

Disaster relief tops crowded congressional agenda

WASHINGTON (AP) " Disaster relief after Harvey-caused epic flooding in Texas tops an already crowded agenda when President Donald Trump meets next week with House and Senate leaders at the White House.Lawmakers return from the August break facing multiple legislative deadlines and a need to replenish dwindling disaster aid coffers. One of the first items in the House is a massive spending bill that would slash almost $1 billion from disaster accounts to help finance Trump's U.S.- [...]

Pot shop clashes with tourism stores in eclectic Alaska town

TALKEETNA, Alaska (AP) " The presence of a marijuana retail store has caused a deep divide in this quirky tourist town, where hundreds of visitors roam the streets daily browsing in art galleries and souvenir shops housed in historic cabins.Most of Talkeetna's stores line the two long blocks that make up its Main Street, where tourists - many who arrive in Alaska on cruise ships and are bused about two hours north from Anchorage - wander into storefronts like Nagley's General Store [...]

Postal workers charged with taking bribes to deliver drugs

ATLANTA (AP) " Sixteen postal workers in Atlanta and the surrounding area accepted bribes to deliver packages of cocaine, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.In exchange for bribery payments, the postal workers provided special addresses where the drugs could be shipped and then intercepted the packages and delivered them to a person they believed was a drug trafficker using the postal system to ship multiple kilograms of cocaine at a time into the area, the U.S. attorney's office in [...]

UFO enthusiasts heading to Wyoming for upcoming rendezvous

DEVILS TOWER, Wyo. (AP) " Just like in the science-fiction movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," UFO enthusiasts are being drawn to a strange geological formation in Wyoming.Devils Tower played a key role in the well-known UFO film that came out 40 years ago this year. The first Devils Tower UFO Rendezvous will be held at the site from Sept. 14-16.The formation is actually the solidified core of an ancient volcano.Experts on UFOs will speak at the convention. [...]

Groups sue to protect Yellowstone bears as hunts anticipated

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) " Wildlife advocates and a Montana Indian tribe have asked a U.S. court to restore protections for grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park so that trophy hunting of the fearsome animals would not be allowed.The Northern Cheyenne Tribe, the Humane Society and several conservation groups filed three lawsuits Tuesday and Wednesday in federal court in Montana, challenging the government's recent move to lift protections.Idaho, Montana and Wyoming [...]

The Latest: GOP eyeing $1B disaster funds cut to help wall

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump and Congress (all times local):12:05 p.m.President Donald Trump is promising billions to help Texas rebuild from Hurricane Harvey, but his Republican allies in the House are looking at cutting almost $1 billion from disaster accounts to help finance the president's border wall.The pending reduction to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief account is part of a spending bill that the House is [...]

Trump says 'talking is not the answer' with North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump said Wednesday that "talking is not the answer" when it comes to North Korea, after it upped the stakes in its standoff with Washington by calling for more weapons launches in the Pacific.Trump's morning tweet followed a highly provocative North Korean missile test Tuesday that flew over Japan, a close American ally.But his comment contradicted statements from his Cabinet officials and was likely to deepen confusion over his [...]

Alexa, Cortana talk to each other in Amazon-Microsoft deal

BOSTON (AP) " Alexa, meet Cortana.Microsoft and Amazon are pairing their voice assistants together in a collaboration announced Wednesday.Both companies say that later this fall, users will be able to access Alexa using Cortana on Windows 10 computers and on Android and Apple devices. They'll also be able to access Cortana on Alexa-enabled devices such as the Amazon Echo.Microsoft says the tie-up will allow Alexa customers to get access to Cortana features such as [...]

Maine woman, 2 goats unhurt after crash on interstate

GUILFORD, Vt. (AP) " Vermont State Police say a Maine woman and two goats that were riding in her car were unhurt when she crashed after falling asleep while traveling on an interstate in Guilford.Rescue crews were called to the one-vehicle crash at about 6 a.m. Wednesday.Police say the northbound car driven by 70-year-old Anne Mayer, of Raymond, Maine, drifted into the median and hit the beginning of a guardrail. The car got stuck on the guardrail, and neither Mayer nor her [...]

Sources say Trump, Hill leaders to meet next Wednesday

President Donald Trump will meet next week with House and Senate leaders at the White House, congressional aides said Wednesday, as lawmakers return from August break to face a pile of legislative bills they must tackle and pursue a goal that Trump and Republicans covet: Tax cuts.

Sources say Trump, Hill leaders to meet next Wednesday

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump will meet next week with House and Senate leaders at the White House, congressional aides said Wednesday, as lawmakers return from August break to face a pile of legislative bills they must tackle and pursue a goal that Trump and Republicans covet: Tax cuts.The meeting follows a recess that has seen Trump lambast several top Republicans, especially Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., after the collapse of the GOP health care bill in [...]

Triceratops skull, skeleton dug up in Colorado

THORNTON, Colo. (AP) " A dinosaur fossil has been discovered in Colorado by construction workers.The bones and skull of a triceratops were found last Friday in Thornton at the construction site of a new public safety building.Denver Museum of Nature and Science curator of dinosaurs Joe Sertich says the find is one of three triceratops skulls found along the Colorado Front Range and has likely been laying there for at least 66 million years.A horn and shoulder blade has [...]

Trump says 'talking is not the answer' regarding North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump says that "Talking is not the answer" when it comes to North Korea. And he's claiming the U.S. has been paying North Koreans what he calls "extortion money" for decades."The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years," Trump tweeted Wednesday morning, adding: "Talking is not the answer!"The tweet comes on the heels of the North's recent missile test over Japan, a close American ally.Trump's [...]

Deputies: Man uses AK-47 to shoot tires in horse dispute

PAJARITO MESA, N.M. (AP) " A New Mexico man is facing aggravated assault charges after authorities say he used an AK-47 to shoot out the tires of a man he accused of stealing his horses.Court records show that David Derringer was arrested Saturday shortly following a bizarre chain of events involving free-ranging horses in a rural area near Albuquerque.According to a criminal complaint, Derringer spotted two horses he claimed to have owned on the property of Isidro Ruiz. [...]

Former Expedia CEO takes helm of Uber on Wednesday

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " New Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (Cause-row-SHA-hee) will begin work with an employee meeting Wednesday morning at the company's San Francisco headquarters.The ride-hailing company confirmed late Tuesday in a note to employees that the former Expedia CEO had accepted the top job. The note says Uber's eight-member board voted unanimously to offer him the job on Sunday.Khosrowshahi has led Expedia since 2005 and helped to build it into one of the largest travel [...]

Kremlin confirms Trump's lawyer reached out about deal

The Kremlin on Wednesday confirmed that President Donald Trump's personal lawyer reached out to them during the 2016 presidential campaign, seeking help for a business project in Russia.

Kremlin confirms Trump's lawyer reached out about deal

MOSCOW (AP) " The Kremlin on Wednesday confirmed that President Donald Trump's personal lawyer reached out to them during the 2016 presidential campaign, seeking help for a business project in Russia.In a statement to the House Intelligence Committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen said Monday the president's company pursued a project in Moscow [...]

Some recall Sandy struggle as Congress ponders Harvey relief

NEW YORK (AP) " Republicans from New York and New Jersey are pledging unconditional support for those devastated by Hurricane Harvey. But their resentment lingers.But as historic floods wreaked havoc across the Gulf Coast, Northeastern Republicans recalled with painful detail the days after Superstorm Sandy ravaged their region in 2012. At the time, Texas' Republican lawmakers, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, overwhelmingly opposed a disaster relief package they argued was packed with wasteful [...]

Louisiana residents hope sandbags will keep Harvey water out

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) " A weakened Tropical Storm Harvey made landfall in southwest Louisiana, leaving residents bracing Wednesday for more wind, rain and possible tornadoes and hoping water would stay out of their sandbagged homes.The storm came ashore before dawn just west of Cameron, Louisiana, bringing maximum sustained winds near 45 mph (72 kph), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Harvey had lingered over Texas for days before meandering back into the Gulf of Mexico. [...]

Bicyclist follows app into Lincoln Tunnel, issued summons

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (AP) " Port Authority officials say a bicyclist delivering food who ended up riding through the Lincoln Tunnel was following directions from a phone app.NJ.com reports (http://bit.ly/2x4lmEA ) the 26-year-old Jersey City man was intercepted by Port Authority police on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to Port Authority spokesman Joseph Pentangelo, the man was taking a suggested [...]

Authorities searching for heavily tattooed escaped inmate

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) " Authorities in New Hampshire are seeking the public's help in finding an escaped inmate with tattoos covering his shaved head, face, neck, chest, arm and hands.The U.S. Marshals' New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force says 42-year-old Eric Judkins was an inmate at a halfway house in Manchester. He failed to return to the facility on Monday night.Judkins was serving part of a 27-month sentence for assault on a fellow inmate in federal prison. [...]

Trump to promote 'vision' for job creation via tax overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump will kick off his lobbying effort for a tax overhaul at an event with a Midwestern manufacturing backdrop and some economic tough talk.The one thing missing? A detailed proposal.Instead, in Springfield, Missouri, Wednesday, Trump will give remarks that the White House said will focus on his "vision" for spurring job creation and economic growth by cutting rates and revising the tax code. Details will come later, officials said, when [...]

Forecast brings hope as new shelters open, death toll rises

HOUSTON (AP) " The latest weather forecast delivered hope to Houston after five days of torrential rain submerged the nation's fourth-largest city: Less than an inch of rain and perhaps even sunshine.But the dangers remain far from over Wednesday. With at least 18 dead and 13,000 people rescued in the Houston area and surrounding cities and counties in Southeast Texas, others were still trying to escape from their inundated homes. Weakened levees were in danger of failing and a less- [...]

Marijuana store creates chasm in Alaska tourist town

TALKEETNA, Alaska (AP) " The presence of a marijuana retail store has caused a deep divide in this quirky tourist town, where hundreds of visitors roam the streets daily browsing in art galleries and souvenir shops housed in historic cabins.Most of Talkeetna's stores line the two long blocks that make up its Main Street, where tourists ? many who arrive in Alaska on cruise ships and are bused about two hours north from Anchorage ? wander into storefronts like Nagley's General Store [...]

Posts, tweets spread widely as the Harvey missing are sought

Photos with pleas for help in finding the missing from Tropical Storm Harvey are being posted, cut-and-pasted and retweeted by thousands of people as desperate family members seek loved ones who they fear might be dead, but may only have a dead phone.No official number of the unaccounted-for had been released Tuesday night amid the vast uncertainty of the storm's fourth day, with authorities saying the 18 deaths confirmed so far could surge in the days to come.Pictures and [...]

Private companies drive 'new space race' at NASA center

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) " For the first time since the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011, NASA says it may soon have the capability to send astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil.Critical milestones are on the horizon for Boeing and SpaceX, the space agency's commercial crew partners: Flight tests of their spacecraft, including crewed missions, are planned for 2018.That's launched something of a "new space race" at the Kennedy Space Center, [...]

Feinstein: Pardon of Arizona sheriff "a stupid thing to do"

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is criticizing President Donald Trump's decision to pardon a controversial Arizona sheriff, calling it "a stupid thing to do."The San Francisco Democrat was asked about the pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio at a lecture in San Francisco.Feinstein said Trump's pardon sent a message to police departments around the United States "that racial profiling is OK."On the topic of a border wall with Mexico, [...]

Trump offers flag-waving optimism in visit to Harvey's path

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) " With flag-waving optimism, President Donald Trump answered Harvey's wrath Tuesday by offering in-person assurances to those in the storm zone that his administration will work tirelessly to help the region recover from the massive flooding and storm-inflicted destruction."We are going to get you back and operating immediately," Trump told an impromptu crowd that gathered outside a Corpus Christi fire station about 30 miles from where the storm made [...]

Crew to attempt removal of mysterious object from beach

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) " Workers will try to remove a mysterious circular object with steel legs that has puzzle onlookers since it was found lodged underwater off a Rhode Island beach.WJAR-TV reports the head of the East Beach Association says a crew will begin excavating the metal object from the ocean floor in Westerly on Thursday with the hope of removing it intact.The object was located about 10 feet (3 meters) offshore at low tide. It has puzzled beachgoers since it was [...]

Save the date: Next Philly Naked Bike Ride just days away

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " The wheels are in motion for Philadelphia's next gathering of naked bicyclists.Organizers of the Philly Naked Bike Ride said Tuesday the ninth annual event will take place throughout the city's streets Sept. 9.Around 3,000 riders are expected to pass by sites including Independence Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps while training as Rocky.Ride organizers say participants can go as bare as they dare. [...]

Apple CEO Tim Cook reaps $89.6M windfall from long-term deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " Apple CEO Tim Cook has collected $89.6 million as part of a 10-year deal that he signed as an incentive to keep the iPhone maker at the forefront of the technology industry after he took over the reins in 2011 from company co-founder Steve Jobs.The windfall detailed in a Monday regulatory flowed from 560,000 Apple shares sold during the past week.Cook received half the award because Apple's stock delivered shareholder returns in the top third of the [...]

Whale gets entangled in cruise ship anchor for half a day

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) " A humpback whale became entangled in an anchor line on a small cruise ship in southeast Alaska, getting stuck for roughly 12 hours while federal authorities and the boat's crew worked to free it.Ultimately, the anchor chain wrapped around the whale's lower jaw was cut in hopes it could wriggle loose, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said.The team saw a whale, believed to be the one that had been entangled, swimming away, the agency [...]

Sheriff proposes sending inmates to help with Harvey damage

TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) " A Massachusetts sheriff who proposed sending county jail inmates to help President Donald Trump build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is offering to send inmates to Texas to help clean up damage from Hurricane Harvey.Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson tells WBZ NewsRadio the project would be a cost-effective way to help with disaster relief. He says 10 inmates have expressed interest in the project.He says he hopes federal disaster relief funds can [...]

No fire or fury, but muted Trump response to NKorea missile

WASHINGTON (AP) " So much for North Korea's restraint. So much for President Donald Trump's threats of "fire and fury."After Pyongyang's highly provocative missile test over close American ally Japan, Trump offered a surprisingly subdued response Tuesday, pulling back from his administration's recent suggestions of a dialogue with the communist country but also avoiding a repeat of his bombastic warnings earlier this month of a potential military confrontation.Instead, Trump's [...]

Sean Spicer finally got to meet the pope

WASHINGTON (AP) " Sean Spicer finally got to meet the pope.Vatican spokesman Greg Burke confirms the former White House press secretary attended a meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday.The audience was part of an annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, which gathers lawmakers from across the world.Vatican Radio posted photographs of the event on its Facebook page. One photo shows Spicer in the front row, taking photos of the pope with his phone. [...]

Trump: 'All options are on table' after North Korea launch

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump sought Tuesday to reassert an American military threat against North Korea, saying that "all options are on the table" in response to its launch of a missile over close U.S. ally Japan.In a terse, written statement, Trump said that North Korea's missile launch "signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior.""Threatening and destabilizing [...]

Russian Kalashnikov arms maker presents riot control vehicle

MOSCOW (AP) " Russia's Kalashnikov company, the maker of the prolific assault rifle, has presented a new product: a formidable crowd control vehicle.The Shchit (Shield) anti-riot vehicle is based on a heavy truck with a broad extendable steel shield attached to its front. The machine has ports in the shield for firing projectiles and also carries water cannon.The company has presented the new design at last week's Moscow arms show, saying it has developed it for Russian law [...]

Officers stop deer on California bridge for 'toll evasion'

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) " California highway officers say they stopped a young deer on a California toll bridge "for toll evasion."A photo published Tuesday by the California Highway Patrol shows the doe on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge standing in the middle of an on-ramp with a deer-in-the-headlights look.The officer joked in a Twitter post that the fawn usually pays the toll but "today she was a buck short."CHP Officer Matthew Hamer says two officers were on [...]

Text messages as public records emerges as new Montana issue

HELENA, Mont. (AP) " Montana government leaders plan to create rules for when and how to preserve text messages after a news organization's public-records request exposed the lack of a policy to retain the messages that have become a regular communication method for state business.Gov. Steve Bullock's spokeswoman Ronja Abel said Monday that Lee Newspapers of Montana's request for text messages between state lawmakers and budget director Dan Villa was the first of its kind received by [...]

The Latest: Trump 'cautious' not to disrupt Harvey recovery

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's visit to Texas (all times local):12:25 p.m.A spokeswoman says President Donald Trump wants to be "very cautious" about making sure that his activities in Texas don't disrupt Harvey recovery efforts.White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump's stops Tuesday in Corpus Christi and Austin are intended to highlight coordination at all levels of government and lay the groundwork for what is expected to [...]

Sessions: Drug overdoses 'the top lethal issue' in the US

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) " Attorney General Jeff Sessions is calling the epidemic of drug overdose deaths "the top lethal issue" in the U.S. and urged everyone "create and foster a culture that's hostile to drug use."Sessions delivered the remarks Tuesday to the National Alliance For Drug Endangered Children, which is hosting its annual conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Sessions told conference attendees that preliminary data showing nearly 60,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2016 [...]

Best Buy rolls out consulting service at people's homes

NEW YORK (AP) " Best Buy is rolling out a free service next month where salespeople will sit with customers at their own homes to help make recommendations on TVs, streaming services and more.The service, which was tested in five markets, will be expanded to more cities around the country. Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said Tuesday that the service is a way to unlock "latent" customer demand " the company has found that shoppers spend more at the home than they do at the stores.Best [...]

Police: 2 woman dressed as nuns try to rob Pennsylvania bank

TANNERSVILLE, Pa. (AP) " Police say two women dressed as nuns attempted to rob a bank in Pennsylvania's Poconos.Authorities say the women walked into Citizens Bank near Tannersville on Monday and one brandished a handgun, demanding money from a teller. But they left without taking anything.Each woman was wearing a black nun's habit and veil. One woman also was wearing sunglasses.The FBI is investigating and posted bank surveillance photos on Twitter.

Trump traveling to Texas for briefings on Harvey recovery

WASHINGTON (AP) " Confronting Harvey's fury, President Donald Trump is making an all-out push to show the federal government's responsiveness to the massive storm that has lashed the Texas coast and caused catastrophic flooding.Trump will travel to Texas on Tuesday to observe the federal government's work to help the state recover from Harvey's devastation. The storm, bringing torrents of rain and all but paralyzing Houston, marks the first time Trump has been tested by a major [...]

The Latest: Pence warns Texans that Harvey's still dangerous

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's visit to Texas (all times local):10:30 a.m.Vice President Mike Pence is warning the people of southeast Texas that Harvey is still dangerous and that life-threatening flooding will continue.Pence is urging residents to continue to listen their state and local officials. He commented during interviews Tuesday with radio stations serving Corpus Christi and San Antonio.Houston has been paralyzed by a storm that [...]

Trump: 'All options are on table' after NK missile launch

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "all options are on the table" in terms of a U.S. response to North Korea's launch of a missile over Japan.In a terse, written statement, Trump said that with the missile launch North Korea has "signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior.""Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's [...]

Class ring lost on Cape Cod 47 years ago returned to owner

DENNIS, Mass. (AP) " A college class ring lost in the surf at a Massachusetts beach nearly half a century ago is back on the finger of its owner.The Cape Cod Times (http://bit.ly/2wl24so ) reports that Patrick O'Hagan lost the Class of 1969 Manhattan College ring while on his honeymoon in Dennis in 1970.James Wirth was in ankle-deep water at low tide on a Dennis beach last month scanning with his metal detector when he found [...]

Scientists say warming makes storms, like Harvey, wetter

WASHINGTON (AP) " By the time the rain stops, Harvey will have dumped about 1 million gallons of water for every man, woman and child in southeastern Texas " a soggy, record-breaking glimpse of the wet and wild future global warming could bring, scientists say.While scientists are quick to say climate change didn't cause Harvey and that they haven't determined yet whether the storm was made worse by global warming, they do note that warmer air and water mean wetter and possibly more [...]

Orangutan that loved 'Price is Right' dies at Ohio zoo

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) " An Ohio zoo is mourning the death of a 45-year-old orangutan that enjoyed interacting with children while on public view and watching recordings of football and "The Price Is Right" during private time.The Blade newspaper reports the primate named J.J. died Saturday when the Toledo Zoo put the orangutan under anesthesia to determine whether more could be done to treat the animal's heart disease and declining health.J.J. was the oldest male orangutan in [...]

Israeli ministers criticize court ruling on African migrants

JERUSALEM (AP) " Israeli Cabinet ministers are lashing out at a Supreme Court decision placing limitations on the expulsion of African migrants and the terms of their incarceration for infiltrating into the country.Yariv Levin of the ruling Likud Party called the judges' considerations "post-Zionist" on Tuesday. Other ministers vowed to draft legislation that would bypass the decision.The court ruled migrants could be expelled to third countries if they face danger in their [...]

Iran rejects US demand for inspection of its military sites

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) " Iran has dismissed a top U.S. diplomat's demand for the inspection of Iranian military sites by the U.N. nuclear watchdog, shrugging off comments by America's ambassador to the U.N. as only a "dream."Iran's government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht told reporters that the demand by Ambassador Nikki Haley wasn't worth any attention. Iran will not accept any inspection of its sites and "especially our military sites."He says the sites and all information [...]

Gov't report: 28.1M in US lack health coverage

WASHINGTON (AP) " The government says about 500,000 fewer Americans had no health insurance the first three months of this year, but that slight dip was not statistically significant from the same period in 2016.Progress reducing the number of uninsured appears to have stalled in the last couple of years, and a separate private survey that measured through the first half of 2017 even registered an uptick.Tuesday's report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found [...]

Trump promises federal aid to storm-ravaged Texas

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump has promised federal assistance to storm-ravaged parts of Texas, insisting Congress will act swiftly on a multibillion-dollar Hurricane Harvey recovery package as the government signaled current funds will be exhausted in the next few weeks."I think it'll happen very quickly," Trump said Monday of an aid package that could rival those enacted after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. "It'll go very fast."The president said existing [...]

Trump's turn to face tricky politics of natural disasters

WASHINGTON (AP) " George W. Bush never recovered from his flyover of Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Barack Obama got a bipartisan boost late in his re-election campaign for his handling of Superstorm Sandy.Now, President Donald Trump confronts the political risks and potential gains that come with leading the federal government's response to a deadly and destructive natural disaster. Hurricane Harvey, the massive storm that has dumped torrents of rain across Texas " flooding Houston [...]

Scientists: Climate change could cause storms like Harvey

WASHINGTON (AP) " By the time the rain stops, Harvey will have dumped about 1 million gallons of water for every man, woman and child in southeastern Texas " a soggy, record-breaking glimpse of the wet and wild future global warming could bring, scientists say.While scientists are quick to say climate change didn't cause Harvey and that they haven't determined yet whether the storm was made worse by global warming, they do note that warmer air and water mean wetter and possibly more [...]

Denver passes immigrant protections amid White House threats

DENVER (AP) " Denver's City Council has approved an ordinance aimed at protecting immigrants amid White House threats to revoke federal money from so-called sanctuary cities " but the effort falls short of legal challenges to those threats by Chicago, San Francisco and other cities.Denver's ordinance, which passed Monday on a 10-0 vote, largely sets into law what is current practice. It's designed to reassure the city's immigrants while not formally declaring Colorado's capital a [...]

Renault-Nissan, China's Dongfeng announce e-car venture

BEIJING (AP) " Automakers Renault and Nissan say they will develop electric cars with a Chinese state-owned partner, adding to a series of tie-ups between global auto brands and local partners in the biggest electric vehicle market.The venture Dongfeng Motor Corp. aims to develop a vehicle based on an SUV platform shared by Renault and Nissan, the companies announced Tuesday. Production is due to begin in 2019.Global automakers are investing heavily to develop electric vehicles [...]

Trump defends decision to pardon Arizona's Arpaio

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, calling the former Arizona sheriff a "patriot" who loves his country.Asked about his controversial pardon during a joint press conference with the president of Finland on Monday, Trump insisted that "a lot of people" believe he made the right call. He said Arpaio had done a "great job for the people of Arizona" and argued that he'd been treated "unbelievable unfairly" by the Obama [...]

Gov't report: 28.1M in US lack health coverage

WASHINGTON (AP) " The government says about 500,000 fewer Americans had no health insurance the first three months of this year, but that slight dip was not statistically significant from the same period in 2016.Progress reducing the number of uninsured appears to have stalled in the last couple of years, and a separate private survey that measured through the first half of 2017 even registered an uptick.Tuesday's report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found [...]

The Latest: Trumps to visit Corpus Christi, Austin

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's response to Hurricane Harvey (all times EDT):11 p.m.President Donald Trump is heading to two Texas cities for updates on the devastating flooding that has paralyzed the southeastern part of the state in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.The White House announced late Monday that the president and first lady Melania Trump will depart early Tuesday morning for Corpus Christi, where they'll receive a briefing on [...]

Activists blame Mexican government for near-loss of porpoise

MEXICO CITY (AP) " Conservation groups said Monday that the Mexican government's lack of action is to blame for the near-extinction of the critically endangered vaquita marina porpoise.The groups said the National Fisheries Commission didn't supervise fishing season rules and improperly increased catch quotas in the upper Gulf of California. They said the commission also failed to provide fishermen with better nets to avoid trapping vaquitas.The head of the fisheries body [...]

California congressman lauds Trump with profane comment

MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) " A Southern California congressman has some rough language to describe President Donald Trump " but in a flattering way.Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter used a profane seven-letter term for part of the human anatomy to describe the president in remarks to a group of party members last week.But Hunter went on to say Trump is one of their own.The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday (http://bit. [...]

Already-pardoned Arpaio asks judge to undo conviction

PHOENIX (AP) " Fresh off his presidential pardon, an emboldened Joe Arpaio on Monday lashed out at his critics and the judge who found him guilty of a crime as his attorneys went to court to throw the court decision that was the basis for his conviction.The former Arizona sheriff struck a defiant tone in insisting he "didn't do anything wrong" and questioning whether his judge was fair. His comments came as President Donald Trump took a similar posture in defending his Friday pardon [...]

Tillerson to abolish most special envoys, including climate

WASHINGTON (AP) " Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to eliminate more than half the U.S. special envoys including the climate change envoy as part of his State Department overhaul.Tillerson notified Congress in his a letter on Monday. His letter says 30 of the current 66 envoys or "special representatives" will stay. The rest of the envoys, their staffs and budgets will be absorbed into other offices or combined with other positions.There will no longer be envoys for the [...]

The Latest: Rick Perry skips trip abroad amid Harvey crisis

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's response to Hurricane Harvey (all times EDT):7:05 p.m.Energy Secretary Rick Perry has canceled a planned visit to Kazakhstan and Ukraine because of Hurricane Harvey.Perry was due to meet Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev on Monday and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday. U.S. companies are major investors in oil-rich Kazazhstan, and Perry recently celebrated a Pennsylvania-based company's deal to [...]

Trump declines to say Russia is a security threat

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump declined Monday to tag Russia as a security threat, saying he would put "many countries" in that category instead."I consider many countries as a security threat, unfortunately, when you look at what's going on in the world today," Trump said after a Finnish broadcaster asked specifically about Russia and whether the president would consider it a threat to security.Trump's response was in keeping with a general reluctance to take a tough [...]

Uber's pick for new CEO brings skills, experience

DETROIT (AP) " For a surprise choice, Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi appears to check the boxes needed to tackle the massive job of leading Uber from a rapidly growing but dysfunctional money-loser to a company that can turn a consistent profit.Like Uber, Expedia is a global juggernaut that uses an internet platform to process millions of transactions every year. Expedia went through a big growth phase just like Uber, and has mastered making money on travel booking transactions, [...]

'Need help': Harvey victims use social media when 911 fails

Desperate for help and unsure whether traditional rescue efforts will come through, Harvey victims are using social media to share maps of their location and photos of themselves trapped on rooftops and inside buildings."Need help in NE Houston! Baby here and sick elderly!" one user posted on Twitter along with her address late Sunday.Another woman, Alondra Molina, posted Monday on Facebook that her sister was desperate for a rescue for herself and her four children, including [...]

Trump eagerly confronts tricky politics of natural disasters

WASHINGTON (AP) " George W. Bush never recovered from his flyover of Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Barack Obama got a bipartisan boost late in his re-election campaign for his handling of Superstorm Sandy.Now, President Donald Trump confronts the political risks and potential gains that come with leading the federal government's response to a deadly and destructive natural disaster. Hurricane Harvey, the massive storm that has dumped torrents of rain across Texas " flooding Houston [...]

House Ethics panel investigating New York GOP congressman

WASHINGTON (AP) " The House Ethics Committee on Monday confirmed an investigation of Republican Rep. Chris Collins of New York after an advocacy group complained of possible insider trading.In January, the advocacy group Public Citizen filed a request for an investigation of possible insider trading and ethics violations with the Office of Congressional Ethics, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission.The House panel said it needs more time to review the report [...]

Lawyer says Trump Tower in Russia considered during campaign

WASHINGTON (AP) " Donald Trump's personal lawyer confirmed Monday that the president's company pursued a project in Moscow during the Republican primary, but said that the plan was abandoned "for a variety of business reasons." The attorney, Michael Cohen, also said he sent an email to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the potential deal.The confirmation that the Trump Organization was actively considering doing business in Russia during the presidential [...]

Adviser to EPA chief cited for federal banking violations

WASHINGTON (AP) " A high-ranking political appointee at the Environmental Protection Agency has been cited by federal financial regulators for unspecified violations while serving as the top executive at a community bank in Oklahoma.Albert "Kell" Kelly was hired earlier this year as a senior adviser to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. Kelly was previously the chairman of Tulsa-based SpiritBank, where he worked as an executive for 34 years.An order disclosed Friday by the Federal [...]

Scientists say Harvey may be the soggy sign of future storms

WASHINGTON (AP) " By the time the rain stops, Harvey will have dumped about 1 million gallons of water for every man, woman and child in southeastern Texas " a soggy, record-breaking glimpse of the wet and wild future that global warming could bring, scientists say.While scientists are quick to say that climate change didn't cause Harvey and that they haven't determined yet whether the storm was made worse by global warming, they do note that warmer air and water mean wetter and [...]

The Latest: Trump says US is '100 percent' with Texas, La.

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's response to Hurricane Harvey (all times EDT):4:35 p.m.President Donald Trump is sending a message of support to people of Texas and Louisiana suffering from historic rain and flooding from Hurricane Harvey.He says in an East Room press conference Monday that "We are 100 percent with you."Trump adds: "We will get through this. We will come out stronger and believe me we will be bigger, better, stronger than [...]

California seeks to boost electric-car rebate program

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " California would spend up to $3 billion under a bill to widely expand its fledgling consumer rebate program for zero-emission vehicles.The state has already spent nearly $450 million in subsidies, but the Los Angeles Times reported (http://lat.ms/2xC52Ij ) that so far, the rebates haven't boosted sales much. In 2016, of the just over 2 million cars sold in the state, only 75,000 were pure-electric and plug- [...]

Expedia confirms CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's job offer from Uber

DETROIT (AP) " Expedia is confirming that CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (Cause-Row-SHA-hee) has been offered the top job at ride-hailing company Uber.Barry Diller, board chairman of the travel booking site, said in a note to employees Monday that he believes Khosrowshahi intends to take the new post, but Diller says nothing has been finalized.The employee note was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It was the first official confirmation that Khosrowshahi has been [...]

Trump rolls back limits on military gear for police

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump has signed an executive order reviving a program that provided local police departments with surplus military equipment such as high-caliber weapons and grenade launchers, despite past concerns that armored vehicles and other gear were inflaming confrontations with protesters.The directive Trump signed Monday repeals Obama-era limitations on police agencies' access to camouflage uniforms, bullet-proof vests, riot shields, firearms, ammunition [...]

$3B disaster balance enough for immediate Harvey response

WASHINGTON (AP) " The federal government has " for now " enough disaster aid money to deal with the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, but the ongoing storm appears sure to require a multibillion-dollar recovery package as did Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy.The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster fund currently contains about $3 billion, and top congressional aides said Monday that they have assurances from the Trump administration that it will be sufficient [...]

Now at Whole Foods: Cheaper milk, 'farm fresh' Amazon Echo

NEW YORK (AP) " A half-gallon of milk was 50 cents cheaper at a Whole Foods in New York. Ground beef was down by $2 a pound. And an organic avocado cost a buck less.Amazon kicked off its first day as the owner of Whole Foods by slashing prices, adding its logo on signs and setting up a stand of "farm fresh" Amazon Echo voice-assistant devices by store entrances. It's just the first taste of the moves the e-commerce giant will make at the organic grocer after it completed the $13.7 [...]

Lawyer says proposal for Trump Tower in Russia was abandoned

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's personal lawyer is acknowledging that the president's company considered building a Trump Tower in Moscow during the Republican primary, but the plan was abandoned "for a variety of business reasons."The attorney, Michael Cohen, disclosed the details Monday to the House intelligence committee. The committee is looking into potential Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The statement was subsequently obtained by the AP. [...]

Oldest white supremacist site shut down after complaint

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) " The founder of the internet's oldest white supremacist site said he was trying to get back online Monday after a company revoked its domain name following complaints that it promotes hatred and is linked to dozens of murders.Don Black, a former Ku Klux Klan leader who has operated stormfront.org since 1995, said he didn't receive any warning before Network Solutions blocked the use of the stormfront.org name on Friday.Stormfront.org had more than 300,000 [...]

The Latest: AG: Giving police more gear will boost safety

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the Trump administration's plan to lift restrictions on surplus military gear to police departments (all times local):11:15 a.m.Attorney General Jeff Sessions says a new executive order restoring the flow of surplus military gear to local police departments will boost public safety.Sessions says President Donald Trump is ending restrictions on a program that provides cast-off equipment such as firearms and helicopters to local and state [...]

Trump rolling back limits on military gear for police

President Donald Trump will revive a program that provides local police departments with surplus military equipment such as high-caliber weapons and grenade launchers, despite past concerns that armored vehicles and other gear were inflaming confrontations with protesters.

The Latest: AG: Trump ends limits on military gear for cops

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the Trump administration's plan to lift restrictions on surplus military gear to police departments (all times local):10 a.m.Attorney General Jeff Sessions is announcing a plan to lift restrictions on surplus military equipment that can be passed on to police.It's a step that civil liberties groups fear will lead to more violent confrontations among police and protesters. But the Trump administration believes the program that supplies [...]

Trump praises spirit of Texans as they cope with Harvey

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump has been showcasing the federal government's response to Harvey on Twitter and praising the spirit of Texans as they cope with the storm.Trump plans to visit the state on Tuesday.In a series of tweets Sunday Trump said his administration was handling its responsibilities well and, in a tangential aside, hawked a book on race and crime in America written by a supporter."Wow - Now experts are calling #Harvey a once in 500 year flood! [...]

Trump says Canada, Mexico being "very difficult" on NAFTA

President Donald Trump is accusing Canada and Mexico of being "very difficult" at the negotiating table over the North American Free Trade Agreement, and threatening anew to terminate the deal.

Trump meets and tweets as Texas gov praises Harvey response

President Donald Trump sought to showcase the federal government's response to Hurricane Harvey in a tweetstorm of his own Sunday, marveling over its size like a TV host and announcing a visit to Texas with the natural disaster only just beginning to take its catastrophic toll.

Tillerson says Trump 'speaks for himself' on racial violence

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson indicated Sunday that President Donald Trump's values should be considered separate from America's values when it comes to race, appearing to repudiate the president's response to violence at a white supremacist march in Virginia.

With Trump pardon, Arpaio again wiggles out of legal trouble

In his 24 years as metro Phoenix's sheriff, Joe Arpaio survived scandals and dodged investigations that would easily have sunk the careers of many politicians.

German nationalist leader: Trump should tweet less

A leader of the nationalist Alternative for Germany says Donald Trump should devote more energy to governing and less to tweeting, but insists the U.S. president's unpopularity in Germany is not harming her party's standing ahead of next month's elections.

Trump expected to decide soon on fate of young immigrants

After months of delays, President Donald Trump is expected to decide soon on the fate of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children as he faces a looming court deadline and is digging in on appeals to his base.

Trump set to roll back limits on military gear for police

President Donald Trump is preparing to lift restrictions on surplus military equipment that can be passed on to local law enforcement agencies in spite of past concerns that armored vehicles and other gear were escalating confrontations with protesters.

Missing macaw found 3 days after taking off from Ohio zoo

POWELL, Ohio (AP) " A central Ohio zoo says a macaw that flew away from an open-air exhibit area was safely recaptured after people spotted the bright yellow and blue bird near a golf club a few miles away.Milo the macaw typically flies between handlers at the Columbus Zoo but took off on a gust of wind on Thursday.The zoo asked people in the area to call if they spotted the 8-year-old bird, and they did. The zoo says it got multiple calls from the same area in Powell on Sunday, [...]

Trump expected to decide soon on fate of young immigrants

WASHINGTON (AP) " After months of delays, President Donald Trump is expected to decide soon on the fate of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children as he faces a looming court deadline and is digging in on appeals to his base.Advocates on both sides of the issue are bracing for the possibility that Trump will halt the issuance of new work permits under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, a move that would effectively phase out [...]

Trump set to roll back limits on military gear for police

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is preparing to lift restrictions on surplus military equipment that can be passed on to local law enforcement agencies in spite of past concerns that armored vehicles and other gear were escalating confrontations with protesters.Documents obtained by The Associated Press indicate Trump was preparing to sign an executive order undoing an Obama administration directive that restricted police agencies' access to grenade launchers, bullet-proof [...]

Black-clad anarchists swarm anti-hate rally in California

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) " An anti-hate rally was disrupted when scores of anarchists wearing black clothing and masks stormed the demonstration in Berkeley and attacked several supporters of President Donald Trump. But police were able to head off any wider violence.Thousands gathered Sunday in response to a planned anti-Marxism protest that was canceled amid concerns demonstrators might be attacked. The counter-demonstration was largely peaceful for several hours until the antifa, or [...]

APNewsBreak: Abuse in nursing homes unreported despite law

WASHINGTON (AP) " More than 1 in 4 cases of possible sexual and physical abuse against nursing home patients apparently went unreported to police, says a government audit that faults Medicare for failing to enforce a federal law requiring immediate notification.The Health and Human Services inspector general's office was issuing an "early alert" Monday on its findings from a large sampling of cases in 33 states. Investigators say Medicare needs to take corrective action right away. [...]

Sale of Interior secretary's motor home raises $25K question

HELENA, Mont. (AP) " U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's dormant congressional campaign committee recently sold a 2004 motor home at a steep discount to an old friend in the Montana Legislature.But a seemingly ordinary transaction between friends, when seen through the optics of stringent campaign finance laws, can raise a bevy of questions - especially when those friends are politically high-powered and well-connected.After learning about the transaction, campaign finance [...]

Trump prepares to lift limits on military gear for police

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration is preparing to restore the flow of surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies under a program that had been sharply curtailed amid an outcry over police use of armored vehicles and other war-fighting gear to confront protesters.Documents obtained by The Associated Press indicate President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order undoing an Obama administration directive that restricted police agencies' access to the [...]

Trump expected to decide soon on fate of young immigrants

WASHINGTON (AP) " After months of delays, President Donald Trump is expected to decide soon on the fate of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children as he faces a looming court deadline and is digging in on appeals to his base.Advocates on both sides of the issue are bracing for the possibility that Trump will halt the issuance of new work permits under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, a move that would effectively phase out [...]

Trump says Canada, Mexico being "very difficult" on NAFTA

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is accusing Canada and Mexico of being "very difficult" at the negotiating table over the North American Free Trade Agreement, and threatening anew to terminate the deal.Trump tweeted on Sunday morning that NAFTA is the "worst trade deal ever made."Trump said at a rally last week in Phoenix that he would "end up probably terminating" NAFTA "at some point."The U.S., Mexico and Canada began formal negotiations earlier this month to [...]

Trump meets and tweets as Texas gov praises Harvey response

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump sought to showcase the federal government's response to Hurricane Harvey in a tweetstorm of his own Sunday, marveling over its size like a TV host and announcing a visit to Texas with the natural disaster only just beginning to take its catastrophic toll.In a series of tweets, Trump said his administration was handling its responsibilities well and, in a tangential aside, hawked a book on race and crime in America written by a supporter. [...]

Texas gov praises Harvey response; Trump meets and tweets

WASHINGTON (AP) " Texas Gov. Greg Abbott loaded heavy praise Sunday on President Donald Trump and the federal government for its response to Hurricane Harvey, describing an "A-plus" effort with the storm only just beginning to take its catastrophic toll.Trump agreed his administration was handling its responsibilities well, approving of the effort in a series of weekend tweets that showcased his personal involvement. He marveled over the size of the storm like a TV host and, in a [...]

Wayward bull corralled on interstate highway in New Jersey

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) " State police have helped capture a wayward bull that was found walking along a major interstate highway in New Jersey.The young black bull was spotted around 8:15 a.m. Sunday on Interstate 195, near an exit in the Trenton suburb of Hamilton Township.Troopers helped slow down traffic. State police said on Facebook that "cowboys with lassos" helped corral the bull and eventually got it into a trailer. No one was injured and the animal was returned [...]

With Trump pardon, Arpaio again wiggles out of legal trouble

PHOENIX (AP) " In his 24 years as metro Phoenix's sheriff, Joe Arpaio survived scandals and dodged investigations that would easily have sunk the careers of many politicians.He locked up journalists and made criminal cases against political adversaries who tangled with him, investigated judges and misspent $100 million in jail funds. He let investigations into child rape cases languish because officers were pulled away, in part, to help in Arpaio's immigrant efforts.Arpaio was [...]

Tillerson says Trump 'speaks for himself' on racial violence

WASHINGTON (AP) " Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is suggesting that President Donald Trump's values should be considered separate from America's values when it comes to race.Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Tillerson was asked to comment on Trump's seesawing response to violence at a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, this month and the criticism that he had morally equated neo-Nazis with the individuals protesting against them.Tillerson replied that "we [...]

Birthplace of free speech movement braces for possible fight

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The California city that birthed the American free speech movement is preparing for potential clashes even though the person behind a right-wing rally scheduled for Sunday has pleaded with supporters to stay away, saying that she fears violence.The "No to Marxism in America" rally in downtown Berkeley comes a day after a controversial freedom rally planned by a right-wing group fizzled amid throngs of counter-protesters in San Francisco. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee [...]

Trump keeps tabs on Harvey and its aftermath from Camp David

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump monitored Hurricane Harvey from the seclusion of his official mountaintop retreat on Saturday, sending a flurry of tweets before and after the powerful storm made landfall in Texas in an effort to reassure the public that he was fully in control of managing the first natural disaster since he took office."Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David. We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together!, [...]

A look at the president's pardon power and how it works

President Donald Trump has exercised his pardon power for the first time, using it to pardon former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. A look at the president's unique power:WHERE DOES THE PRESIDENT'S PARDON POWER COME FROM?Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution says: "The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." The president's power can only be used to pardon someone for a [...]

Ashes of Marine dog buried at Michigan War Dog Memorial

LYON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) " The ashes of a cancer-stricken service dog who served three tours in Afghanistan with the U.S. Marines have reached their final resting place.The Detroit News and MLive.com report a couple hundred people gathered Saturday for the burial of Cena at the Michigan War Dog Memorial in Oakland County's Lyon Township. The 10-year-old black lab was interred with other military service dogs.State Sen. Mike Kowall says Cena "has done a fabulous job" and now [...]

Critics: Trump pardon his latest affront against judiciary

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's pardon of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio shows a lack of regard for an independent judiciary, say critics who note Trump's past criticism of federal judges, including the chief justice of the United States. Supporters counter that the veteran law enforcement officer deserved America's gratitude, "not the injustice of a political witch hunt.""I am pleased to inform you that I have just granted a full Pardon to 85 year old American patriot [...]

Police: Psychic scammed elderly man to remove 'evil spirits'

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) " New Jersey authorities say a psychic and her son cheated an elderly man out of more than $147,000 for treatment they said would rid him of evil spirits.Galloway police say Sally "Kim" Wando and her son, Frank Marco, face theft and conspiracy charges. Authorities say the pair told police the money was for a car from Marco's auto dealership, not for psychic treatment.Police found that claim unsubstantiated.The victim, who is not named, told [...]

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON (AP) " Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:ABC's "This Week" " To be announced.___NBC's "Meet the Press" "Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator William "Brock" Long; Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio.___CBS' "Face the Nation" " Tom Bossert, White House homeland security adviser; Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Tom Donilon, former national security adviser; retired Adm. James Winnefeld.___CNN's [...]

San Francisco fences park ahead of planned right-wing event

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " City officials took steps Saturday to prevent violence ahead of an expected news conference by a right-wing group at a San Francisco park.But hours before the event was set to occur, the organizer said it would be moved indoors.Joey Gibson of the group Patriot Prayer did not provide a location or further details. He also said in a Facebook post that he would pop up at random sites throughout the city to speak with residents.It marked the latest pivot [...]

Few bidders in online sale of South African rhino horn

JOHANNESBURG (AP) " A rhino breeder in South Africa who held what he called the world's first legal online auction of rhino horns says there were fewer bidders and sales than expected.However, a law firm representing breeder John Hume said Saturday that the two-day auction sets the stage for future sales. It says "very few" bidders signed up because they had fewer than two days to register after a court ordered the South African government to grant a selling permit to Hume.Hume [...]

Trump's first pardon spares political ally Arpaio

PHOENIX (AP) " President Donald Trump spared former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio the prospect of serving jail time in granting the first pardon of his turbulent tenure, wiping away the lawman's recent federal conviction stemming from his immigration patrols that focused on Latinos.The White House said 85-year-old Arpaio was a "worthy candidate" for the pardon, citing his "life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration." Trump granted the pardon [...]

Canceled rally does little to stem San Francisco fears

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The late cancellation of two weekend political rallies in the San Francisco Bay Area has done little to stem fears that unrest and violence are brewing in the city.On Saturday, a right-wing group known as Patriot Prayer has a news conference planned for a San Francisco park.The event is a late substitute for a "freedom rally" near the Golden Gate Bridge that was supposed to happen at about the same time, but was scrapped by organizers who cited threats from [...]

Trump's first pardon spares political ally Arpaio

PHOENIX (AP) " President Donald Trump spared former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio the prospect of serving jail time in granting the first pardon of his turbulent tenure, wiping away the lawman's recent federal conviction stemming from his immigration patrols that focused on Latinos.The White House said 85-year-old Arpaio was a "worthy candidate" for the pardon, citing his "life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration." Trump granted the pardon [...]

Trump adviser says he nearly quit over president's remarks

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's top economic adviser sharply denounced the president's response to the racial violence in Charlottesville, saying in an interview that he felt "compelled" to speak out. Gary Cohn, who is Jewish, was so upset by Trump's comments that he wrote a letter of resignation but never submitted it."Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK," Cohn told The Financial Times in an [...]

Trump's low approval ratings set an unwanted record

WASHINGTON (AP) " Donald Trump started as the most unpopular new president in the history of modern polling. After seven months, things have only gotten worse.Plunging into undesirably uncharted territory, Trump is setting records with his dismally low approval ratings, including the lowest mark ever for a president in his first year. In fact, with four months left in the year, Trump has already spent more time under 40 percent than any other first-year president.At 34 percent, [...]

Fate of transgender already in military unclear under order

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump on Friday directed the Pentagon to extend indefinitely a ban on transgender individuals joining the military, but he appeared to leave open the possibility of allowing some already in uniform to remain.Trump gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis authority to decide the matter of openly transgender individuals already serving, and he said that until the Pentagon chief makes that decision, "no action may be taken against" them.The Obama [...]

National security aide Sebastian Gorka leaves White House

WASHINGTON (AP) " Another aide to President Donald Trump has left the White House.National security aide Sebastian Gorka says he has resigned. For its part, the White House says Gorka didn't resign but no longer works there.An ally of former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, Gorka took a hard-line view on immigration and terrorism that led to discord inside and outside the White House.Gorka was a former editor for the conservative Breitbart News website. He joined the [...]

Trump pardons ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio over federal conviction

PHOENIX (AP) " President Donald Trump spared former Sheriff Joe Arpaio a possible jail sentence on Friday by pardoning the recent federal conviction stemming from his immigration patrols, reversing what critics saw as a long-awaited comeuppance for a lawman who escaped accountability for headline-grabbing tactics during his tenure as metropolitan Phoenix's top law enforcer.The White House said the 85-year-old ex-sheriff was a "worthy candidate" for a presidential pardon. It was [...]

The Latest: Trump tweets about pardon of ex-sheriff Arpaio

PHOENIX (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump pardoning former Phoenix metro sheriff Joe Arpaio (all times local):7:20 p.m.President Donald Trump has tweeted about his pardon of the former sheriff of the Phoenix metro area, who was convicted of a misdemeanor contempt-of-court charge for defying a judge's orders that he stop conducting immigration patrols.Ex-sheriff Joe Arapio was facing the prospect of jail time at his sentencing in October.Trump tweeted [...]

The Latest: SF mayor doesn't trust group canceling rally

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The Latest on conservative free speech rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley (all times local):6:30 p.m.San Francisco's mayor says he doesn't trust a right-wing group that says it's canceling a rally in the city on Saturday.Mayor Ed Lee said Friday night that despite organizers saying it's called off, they have not cancelled the event in writing so the city is proceeding as though it's still happening.Lee says, "We don't trust this group. I [...]

Trump pardons ex-sheriff convicted of defying judge's order

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned former sheriff Joe Arpaio, the retired Arizona lawman who was convicted for intentionally disobeying a judge's order in an immigration case.The White House said the 85-year-old ex-sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County was a "worthy candidate" for a presidential pardon.The action came several days after Trump, at a rally in downtown Phoenix, strongly hinted that he intended to issue a pardon."So was Sheriff Joe [...]

The Latest: Second right-wing rally canceled in California

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The Latest on conservative free speech rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley (all times local):5 p.m.A second right-wing rally planned for the weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area has been canceled.Organizer Andrea Cummings released a statement Friday afternoon urging people not to come to her "No to Marxism in America" rally in Berkeley on Sunday. She said she is concerned for the safety of the people who might come to the event.The [...]

Trump tells Mattis to indefinitely ban transgender recruits

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump on Friday directed the Pentagon to declare an indefinite ban on transgender individuals joining the military, but he appeared to leave open the possibility of allowing some already in uniform to remain in the military.The Obama administration in June 2016 had changed longstanding policy, declaring that troops could serve openly as transgender individuals. And it set a July 2017 deadline for determining whether transgender people could be [...]

Trump setting records for low presidential approval

WASHINGTON (AP) " Donald Trump started as the most unpopular new president in the history of modern polling. After seven months, things have only gotten worse.Plunging into undesirably uncharted territory, Trump is setting records with his dismally low approval ratings, including the lowest mark ever for a president in his first year. In fact, with four months left in the year, Trump has already spent more time under 40 percent than any other first-year president.At 34 percent, [...]

Naked man on nature trail says he's sunbathing; gets summons

WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) " A naked man who startled a mother and her children on a nature trail in Maine has been issued a summons by police.Officers say 67-year-old Ricky Thompson told them he was sunbathing when the family spotted him in Waterville on Thursday.The woman described to police a "naked elderly man" with a walker. So police went to the scene assuming there was a medical issue.Deputy Chief Bill Bonney tells the Morning Sentinel that Thompson was still naked [...]

Upset with Trump's response, economic aide mulled quitting

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump's top economic adviser sharply denounced the president's response to the racial violence in Charlottesville, saying in an interview that he felt "compelled" to speak out. Gary Cohn, who is Jewish, was so upset by Trump's comments that he wrote a letter of resignation but never submitted it."Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK," Cohn told The Financial Times in an [...]

Harvey's disaster mix: Warm water, huge rains, slow speed

WASHINGTON (AP) " Hurricane Harvey is shaping up as just about a worst-case scenario storm with possible flooding from two different directions.Harvey intensified rapidly because it's been meandering over deep warm water and has calm air at 40,000 feet (12,192 meters) high. It's moving slowly and will be stuck over the Texas coast through the middle of next week, which means rainfall measured in feet, not inches.Put them all together and you've got a potential disaster that [...]

The Latest: Judge orders jailing of speaker on eve of rally

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The Latest on conservative free speech rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley (all times local):2:20 p.m.A judge in California ordered the jailing of a conservative organizer who was scheduled to speak Saturday at a rally in San Francisco.An Alameda County judge on Friday set bail for 41-year-old Kyle Chapman at $135,000.Chapman was also told to stay 300 yards away from Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park in Berkeley on Sunday, when a "No [...]

Cheerleading coach in Denver video fired from another school

DENVER (AP) " A coach shown pushing cheerleaders down into splits on video in Denver was fired from another Colorado high school last year because of concerns about his techniques.Ozell Williams is one of five school workers who have been placed on leave after the videos from East High School were made public and police opened a child abuse investigation.Williams, the founder of a Denver-area tumbling school, worked as a contract employee with cheerleaders at Boulder High [...]

Pentagon expects to soon ban recruiting transgender people

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Pentagon expects to renew a ban on transgender individuals joining the military and to consider circumstances in which some currently serving transgender troops could remain in uniform, officials said Friday.The new approach would be based on formal guidance the Pentagon is expecting to receive soon from the White House.The guidance, as described by an official familiar with its contents but not authorized to discuss them publicly, appears to be less rigid [...]

Trump setting new records for low presidential approval

WASHINGTON (AP) " Donald Trump came into office as the most unpopular new president in the history of modern polling. Things have not improved.After seven months, Trump's dismal approval ratings keep setting undesirable records. He's already passed the mark for the lowest approval rating for a first-year president. And Trump's current approval rating of 34 percent is worse than Barack Obama's ever was.Trump's early unpopularity defies some longstanding U.S. patterns. Dives in [...]

The Latest: $500K bond stays for sect leaders in abuse case

GRANTS, N.M. (AP) " The Latest on a New Mexico military-style Christian sect facing child abuse charges (all times local):1:45 p.m.A judge has refused to lower bond on two leaders of a New Mexico paramilitary religious sect who are both facing child sexual abuse charges.Cibola County Magistrate Judge Larry Diaz said Friday he still felt that co-leader Deborah Green and high ranking leader Peter Green of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training were flight risks and [...]

The Latest: County attorney won't release Gianforte mug shot

HELENA, Mont. (AP) " The Latest on the booking of U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte (all times local):1:45 p.m.A Montana county attorney says he won't release a mug shot of Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte that was taken Friday when he was booked and fingerprinted after pleading guilty to assaulting a reporter in May.County Attorney Marty Lambert said he asked the state attorney general for an opinion on whether mug shots should be considered confidential criminal justice [...]

The Latest: Hundreds dance against hate in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The Latest on conservative free speech rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley (all times local):12:40 p.m.About 200 people are dancing to "Oh, Happy Day" at a demonstration against hate organized by San Francisco city officials ahead of politically conservative rallies set for this weekend.Some people in the crowd outside City Hall on Friday held red, white and blue signs that read "Unite Against Hate."Concerned about possible violence, city [...]

US, Canada to investigate deaths of endangered whales

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) " Marine authorities in the U.S. and Canada said Friday they will marshal resources to try to find out what's behind a string of deaths of endangered North Atlantic right whales.The animals are among the rarest marine mammals in the world, with only about 500 still living. The countries will collaborate on a report that could help craft future regulations that protect the vulnerable whales, representatives said.Representatives of the National Oceanic and [...]

Cecil Andrus, logger who rose to Idaho governor, dies at 85

BOISE, Idaho (AP) " Cecil D. Andrus managed huge swaths of public land as a cabinet member in President Jimmy Carter's administration and was the longest-serving governor in Idaho history, but the former lumberjack was known as an approachable everyman who listed his number in the local phone directory.The 85-year-old Andrus died late Thursday, the Andrus Center for Public Policy said. His daughter, Tracy Andrus, said he died of complications from lung cancer.Andrus resigned [...]

The Latest: $20K bond remains for member of religious sect

GRANTS, N.M. (AP) " The Latest on a New Mexico military-style Christian sect facing child abuse charges (all times local):11:50 a.m.A judge has refused to lower bond for a member of a New Mexico paramilitary religious sect who faces child abuse charges.Cibola County Magistrate Judge Larry Diaz said Friday that recent events surrounding the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps were getting "serious" and he couldn't lower bond for Stacey Miller.Miller [...]

RNC votes to condemn white supremacists over groans of some

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) " The Republican National Committee walked the tightrope Friday in carefully but resolutely denouncing white supremacist groups without criticizing President Donald Trump, who waffled in his own statements in the wake of the deadly clash in Virginia this month.Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, the RNC approved a raft of resolutions, including one asserting "Nazis, the KKK, white supremacists and others are repulsive, evil and have no fruitful place in the United [...]

Cincinnati Zoo's baby hippo to star in Facebook video series

CINCINNATI (AP) " The Cincinnati Zoo says its popular baby hippo will star in an internet video series called "The Fiona Show" starting next week.The zoo says the first video will be available on the show's Facebook page on Tuesday. It's not clear how many videos are planned or how regularly they will be produced.Fiona has already garnered millions of views on the zoo's Facebook page since her premature birth in January.Since then, her face has appeared on ice cream and [...]

Witness: Charleston gunman declared 'There's a new boss'

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) " First he noticed waitresses and kitchen staff leaving hurriedly through the front door. Then a man dressed like a restaurant employee, in an apron and backward ball cap, strolled into the dining room and made an announcement."He said, 'There's a new boss in town,'" recalled Peter Siegert IV, whose family from Galesville, Maryland, was about to dig into their fried chicken lunch Thursday at Virginia's in downtown Charleston. "I don't think anybody realized he [...]

Economic adviser knocks Trump's response to Charlottesville

WASHINGTON (AP) " A top economic adviser to President Donald Trump said he's come under "enormous pressure" both to quit and to remain at the White House following the administration's widely criticized response to violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said in an interview with the Financial Times: "As a Jewish American, I will not allow neo-Nazis ranting 'Jews will not replace us' to cause this Jew to leave his job. [...]

The Latest: Dog walkers to welcome conservatives with poop

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " The Latest on conservative free speech rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley, California (all times local):9:30 a.m.Dog walkers are planning to protest a politically conservative free-speech rally by leaving pup poop at San Francisco's Crissy Field.A Facebook page encourages protesters to let their dogs loose Friday and Saturday morning at the park near the Golden Gate Bridge and not pick up after them.The page assures dog owners that they can [...]

Trump administration opposes Chicago request for injunction

CHICAGO (AP) " The Department of Justice has objected to Chicago's request for a preliminary injunction barring the Trump administration from withholding public safety grants from so-called sanctuary cities that don't comply with U.S. immigration laws.The Justice Department submitted a filing late Thursday in Chicago federal court in which it argues that the federal government has a legitimate interest in pressuring cities to follow immigration laws. It says that compliance, among [...]

Man biking on highway during morning rush taken into custody

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " A man riding his bike in the middle of a Philadelphia interstate during morning rush hour traffic " causing delays as drivers tried to avoid hitting him " has been taken into custody.WPVI-TV reports (http://6abc.cm/2xySgKB ) the ordeal happened Friday around 8:30 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-76, also called the Schuylkill (SKOO'-kul) Expressway.A reporter with the TV station was on her way to work and [...]

GOP discord might not bode well for raising debt ceiling

Fanning the flames of GOP discord, President Donald Trump is accusing Republican congressional leaders of botching efforts to avoid an unprecedented default on the national debt. "Could have been so easy-now a mess!" Trump tweeted.

Investigators sharpen focus on deaths of endangered whales

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) " Federal officials plan to provide more details on their investigation into the recent deaths of endangered North Atlantic right whales.The whales are among the rarest marine mammals in the world. Only about 500 right whales exist.At least 13 right whales were found dead this year off New England and Canada. Authorities and conservationists say some of the whales died due to ship strikes or fishing gear entanglement.The National Oceanic and [...]

Justices to settle dispute over prisoners' legal bills

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Supreme Court has agreed to resolve a dispute among lower courts over how much prisoners must pay their lawyers when they win civil rights lawsuits against their jailers.The justices on Friday said they would review a ruling by the federal appeals court in Chicago that required a prisoner to pay his lawyers a quarter of the $308,000 judgment he won after being beaten by corrections officers at an Illinois prison. Other appeals courts have held that prisoners must [...]

Trump adviser: White House 'must do better' to condemn hate

WASHINGTON (AP) " A top adviser to President Donald Trump says he's under "enormous pressure" both to quit and remain in the White House and says the administration "must do better" in condemning hate groups after the violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.White House economic adviser Gary Cohn tells the Financial Times: "As a Jewish American, I will not allow neo-Nazis ranting 'Jews will not replace us' to cause this Jew to leave his job."Cohn says [...]

Police: Mom fires gun found at mall to see if it was real

ATLANTA (AP) " Police say a boy found a gun in a dressing room at an Atlanta mall and it fired when the mother pulled the trigger to see if it was real.News outlets report the mother and son were inside a dressing room at the Adidas store in Lenox Square on Wednesday when the 10-year-old boy found what he thought was a toy gun under a bench. Atlanta police spokeswoman Stephanie Brown says the mother took the gun from the boy and pulled the trigger "to see if it was real." A single [...]

Trump says John Kelly doing 'fantastic job'

President Donald Trump says his new White House chief of staff John Kelly "is doing a fantastic job."

Q&A: Samsung chief is jailed. Here's what you need to know.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) " Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of South Korea's most successful business group, was sentenced Friday to five years prison for offering bribes and other crimes.Lee, 49, was groomed to lead the conglomerate that was founded by his grandfather and became such a dominating force in South Korea that it's mockingly called "Republic of Samsung" by the public.He took a higher profile role at the world's largest maker of smartphones, television [...]

Britain to test part-driverless platoons of trucks

LONDON (AP) " Britain is set to conduct road trials of self-driving trucks, involving a "platoon" of vehicles controlled by a driver in the front.The Department for Transport said Friday that up to three trucks will travel in convoy, connected by Wi-Fi and with braking and acceleration controlled by the lead vehicle.Officials say the formation saves fuel and reduces carbon emissions, because the lead truck pushes air out of the way, making the others more efficient. [...]

Indian IT company Infosys co-founder Nilekani rejoins as CEO

NEW DELHI (AP) " The India-based outsourcing and information technology giant Infosys has appointed Nandan Nilekani, one of company's co-founders, as its non-executive chairman.Nilekani's return to the company follows the resignation last week of the company's CEO Vishal Sikka following differences with some founders.Nilekani told investors Friday that he would focus on bringing stability and ensuring there are no discordant voices at the country's second-largest IT firm. He [...]

Florida uses new drug to execute man convicted of 2 murders

STARKE, Fla. (AP) " Florida has put a man to death with an anesthetic never used before in a U.S. lethal injection, carrying out its first execution in more than 18 months on an inmate convicted of two racially motivated murders.Authorities said 53-year-old Mark Asay, the first white man executed in Florida for the killing of a black man, was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. Thursday at the state prison in Starke. Asay received a three-drug injection that began with an anesthetic called [...]

Egypt: Trump calls el-Sissi to stress ties despite aid cut

CAIRO (AP) " The Egyptian president's office says President Donald Trump called President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to stress the "strength of the friendship" between the two allies.The presidency said after the phone call late on Thursday that the American president promised to continue to "develop" the two countries' relationship in order to "overcome any obstacles."Washington did not immediately confirm the phone call. It followed the Trump administration's decision this week to [...]

California death penalty fight shifts to execution method

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " Supporters of capital punishment in California claimed victory after the state Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved measure to speed up death sentences, but they still have to clear a major obstacle before executions can resume: Getting approval for a new lethal injection method.The next step in that fight is expected on Friday, when state corrections officials say they will seek regulatory approval for a revised drug protocol to execute inmates.The new [...]

Ex-Interior Secretary who helped conserve Alaska land dies

BOISE, Idaho (AP) " Former Interior Secretary Cecil V. Andrus, who engineered the conservation of millions of acres of Alaska land during the Carter administration, has died. He was 85. Andrus died late Wednesday of complications from lung cancer, daughter Tracy Andrus said.A onetime lumberjack, Andrus resigned midway through his second term as Idaho governor in 1977 to become President Jimmy Carter's secretary of the Interior Department and served until Carter's term ended in 1981. [...]

GOP discord might not bode well for raising debt ceiling

WASHINGTON (AP) " Fanning the flames of GOP discord, President Donald Trump is accusing Republican congressional leaders botching efforts to avoid an unprecedented default on the national debt. "Could have been so easy-now a mess!" Trump tweeted.The president's sharp words underscored the perilous state of play as Congress heads into the fall without a clear plan to take care of its most important piece of business: If it does not increase the nation's $19.9 trillion borrowing limit, [...]

Changes coming to US protected lands, but details unknown

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " Tribes, ranchers and conservationists know that none of the national monuments ordered reviewed by President Donald Trump will be eliminated, but the changes in store for the sprawling land and sea areas remain a mystery after the administration kept a list of recommendations under wraps.That left people on all sides of the contentious debate clinging to only shreds of information and anxiously waiting for more details.Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told [...]

Trump attacks Republican leaders over debt ceiling 'mess'

WASHINGTON (AP) " Fanning the flames of GOP discord, President Donald Trump accused Republican congressional leaders Thursday of botching efforts to avoid an unprecedented default on the national debt. "Could have been so easy-now a mess!" Trump tweeted.The president's sharp words underscored the perilous state of play as Congress heads into the fall without a clear plan to take care of its most important piece of business: If it does not increase the nation's $19.9 trillion borrowing [...]

Jeff Flake wants details of Trump's call for border wall

PHOENIX (AP) " Sen. Jeff Flake said Thursday he won't be able to say whether he'd vote to fund President Donald Trump's wall along the US-Mexico border until he knows whether the president wants to build a single brick-and-mortar structure or instead erect a combination of fencing and other barriers.The president threatened earlier this week at a rally in Phoenix to shut down the federal government unless the gridlocked Congress agrees to build a border wall. Flake questioned the [...]

Court orders web host to provide records on anti-Trump site

WASHINGTON (AP) " A court ruled Thursday that an internet hosting company must turn over records for a website that the government alleges was used to plan violent protests on the day of President Donald Trump's inauguration.Defense lawyers warned that the ruling by the District of Columbia Superior Court could have a chilling effect on electronic political activism and freedom of expression.Judge Robert Morin ordered DreamHost to provide the Justice Department with records for [...]