Panasonic to pay $280M to settle federal corruption probe

LAKE FOREST, Calif. (AP) " Panasonic Corp. will pay about $280 million to resolve federal charges that executives at its in-flight entertainment unit improperly hid payments to consultants overseas in violation of anti-corruption rules, officials announced Monday.The Japanese electronics giant's parent company will pay $143 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission, while its Southern California subsidiary, Panasonic Avionics, will pay $137 million in penalties to the U.S. [...]

Like a showman, Trump suggests DMZ for 'big event' with Kim

WASHINGTON (AP) " Like a consummate showman, President Donald Trump began rolling the drum Monday for his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, suggesting the "big event" take place in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Koreas. That's where Kim just met his South Korean counterpart.But Trump said that the Southeast Asian city state of Singapore was also in the running to host what few would have predicted when nuclear tensions were soaring last year " the first face-to- [...]

WhatsApp founder Jan Koum to leave Facebook

NEW YORK (AP) " Jan Koum, the CEO of WhatsApp, is leaving the company and Facebook.Koum confirmed on his Facebook page on Monday that he's leaving, saying it is time for him to "move on." His messaging app is known for protecting the privacy of its users using strong encryption.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented that he will "miss working closely" with Koum. Facebook is reckoning with the worst privacy crisis in its history, not to mention questions over how it handles user [...]

Scientists hope bug experiment fattens Colorado River fish

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) " Any great fishing hole depends on the health and well-being of its bugs.In a key stretch of the Colorado River below a dam on the Arizona-Utah border, anglers have been pulling out long, skinny trout that don't give up much of a fight with a hook in their mouths.Turns out, they don't have enough to eat, scientists say.Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey are hoping a monthslong experiment to release low, steady flows of water from Glen [...]

Report: Woman says Greitens 'coaxed' her as 'wounded animal'

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) " A woman with whom Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens acknowledged having a consensual affair told prosecutors that Greitens coaxed her into unwanted sexual activity as she was crying "like a wounded little animal on the ground," according to a legislative report released Monday that accuses the governor of mischaracterizing the woman's testimony.The brief, graphic report from a special House investigatory committee is intended as a rebuttal to Greitens, who had [...]

Trump: Some African nations are 'very tough places to live'

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump on Monday did not deny having used a vulgar term to describe countries in Africa earlier this year. He also did not apologize for the comment as he stood in the Rose Garden alongside Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the first African leader to visit him at the White House.In fact, Trump seemed to double down on his view that some countries in Africa are "very tough places to live in.""We didn't discuss it," Trump said at a joint news [...]

A bridge too low: Tall trucks threaten historic Georgia link

SMYRNA, Ga. (AP) " A historic covered bridge near Atlanta that was rebuilt after being burned down during the Civil War now faces a different foe: GPS systems.WABE-FM reports that five vehicles since December have rammed into the top of the 7-foot-high (2.1-meter) warning beam erected just before the entrance to the Concord Covered Bridge.Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt says officials attribute a spike in accidents to navigation apps that lead oversized vehicles to the bridge. [...]

Crews use noisemakers to try to rouse bear in tree near home

PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) " Animal control workers are using noisemakers to try to wake a sleeping black bear and chase it out of a tree near a New Jersey home.Animal control officer Carol Tyler tells NorthJersey.com the young bear likely was attracted by the smell of food in Paramus on Monday.Tyler says the bear could be shot with a tranquilizer dart if it moves lower down and be caught with a net to break its fall. She says the 200-pound (90-kilogram) bear likely will be taken to a [...]

McCarthy, Schumer offer different visions at global summit

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) " Top Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate offered starkly different assessments Monday of the nation's political and economic outlook at a global conference ahead of the midterm election.House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., highlighted economic growth, the new tax law and President Donald Trump's upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as reasons for optimism, as Republicans fight to retain control of the House [...]

Sen. Rubio: Corporations aren't investing tax cuts in jobs

WASHINGTON (AP) " Sen. Marco Rubio says big businesses aren't investing much of their windfall from President Donald Trump's tax cuts into their workers despite GOP promises during last year's debate."There is still a lot of thinking on the right that if big corporations are happy, they're going to take the money they're saving and reinvest it in American workers," Rubio, R-Fla., told The Economist in a story release Monday. "In fact they bought back shares, a few gave out bonuses; [...]

Low, steady flows from Arizona dam could benefit bugs

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) " Any great fishing hole depends on the health and well-being of its bugs.In a stretch of the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam, anglers have been pulling out long, skinny trout that don't give up much of a fight with a hook in their mouths.Turns out, they don't have enough to eat, scientists say.Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey are hoping a months-long experiment to release low, steady flows of water from the dam on the Arizona-Utah [...]

Central American asylum seekers denied US entry for 2nd day

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) " About 200 people in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers waited on the Mexican border with San Diego for a second straight day on Monday to turn themselves in to U.S. border inspectors, who said the nation's busiest crossing facility did not have enough space to accommodate them.After a monthlong journey across Mexico under the Trump administration's watchful eye, the asylum seekers faced an unexpected twist Sunday when U.S. Customs and Border Protection [...]

Archaeologists find ancient mass child sacrifice in Peru

LIMA, Peru (AP) " Archaeologists in northern Peru say they have found evidence of what could be the world's largest single case of child sacrifice.The pre-Columbian burial site, known as Las Llamas, contains the skeletons of 140 children who were between the ages of five and 14 when they were ritually sacrificed during a ceremony about 550 years ago, experts who led the excavation told The Associated Press on Friday.The site, located near the modern day city of Trujillo, also [...]

America's air isn't getting cleaner as fast as it used to

DENVER (AP) " For decades America's air was getting cleaner as levels of a key smog ingredient steadily dropped. That changed about seven years ago when pollution reductions leveled off, a new study found.This means when tighter federal air quality standards go into effect later this year, many more cities may find themselves on the dirty air list.There are several reasons for the flattening of nitrogen oxide levels including hard-to-reduce industrial and truck pollution, said [...]

The Latest: Trump says he favors border for NKorea meeting

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on (all times local):2:30 p.m.President Donald Trump says he may favor the heavily fortified border between North and South Korea for his proposed summit with the North's dictator Kim Jong Un.Trump said Monday that "there's something that I like" about meeting at the border known as the Demilitarized Zone "because you're there."The president also said that if the talks were successful, the "celebration" at the border would be memorable. [...]

Porn star Stormy Daniels sues President Trump for defamation

WASHINGTON (AP) " The porn actress alleging an affair with President Donald Trump is escalating her legal fight, suing the president for defamation.Stormy Daniels filed the complaint in federal court in New York on Monday. At issue is a tweet Trump made in which he dismissed a composite sketch that Daniels says depicted a man who threatened her in 2011 to stay quiet about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump.In the tweet earlier in April, Trump said: "A sketch years later [...]

CDC chief asks for, and gets, cut to his record $375K pay

NEW YORK (AP) " Government officials say the new head of the top U.S. public health agency has asked for " and will receive " a cut to his record-setting pay.Officials are not yet saying what Dr. Robert Redfield Jr.'s new salary is.The 66-year-old HIV researcher was picked in March to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.His annual compensation was set at $375,000. That sum was at least $150,000 more than any previous CDC director had received. It also was [...]

The Latest: Trump offers no apology for immigration remarks

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the visit of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to Washington (all times local):2:06 p.m.President Donald Trump is refusing to apologize for his inflammatory rhetoric on immigration even if it impacts the legal fortune of his travel ban.The president said Monday, while at a White House news conference alongside President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, that he had nothing for which to apologize.He also said he did not believe it would [...]

Govt argues that AT&T-Time Warner deal would hurt consumers

WASHINGTON (AP) " The U.S. government pleaded its case Monday for blocking AT&T from absorbing Time Warner, saying it would hurt consumers as a big antitrust trial crept toward its end and a decision by a federal judge.The $85 billion proposed merger is a "big deal," Craig Conrath, the lead Justice Department attorney, said on the last day of the trial. "It would have a massive effect on the structure of the pay TV industry."Conrath said that by hurting competition, the deal [...]

Man accused of killing sheriff's deputy appears in court

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) " A man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Maine has been ordered held without bail.John Williams stared ahead and quietly answered a judge's questions during his initial court appearance on a murder charge Monday in Augusta, Maine.Williams is charged with killing 61-year-old Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole on April 25 on a darkened road in Norridgewock. Officials say the 29-year-old Williams also stole Cole's cruiser and robbed a convenience store. [...]

Colorado congressman who missed ballot asks to get back on

DENVER (AP) " A federal judge is hearing arguments in a last-ditch lawsuit by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn to get his name on the Colorado GOP primary ballot.U.S. District Judge Philip Brimmer began proceedings Monday morning in Denver.The six-term congressman from Colorado Springs has requested an injunction putting his name on the June primary ballots after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled last week he had not gathered enough valid voter signatures.The state court threw out [...]

Trump welcomes first African president to the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump has welcomed the first African leader to visit the White House during his presidency, Nigeria's Muhammadu Buhari (moo-HAH'-mah-doo boo-HAH'-ree).Security and economic issues top the agenda for the one-on-one meeting and working lunch Monday. They also plan a joint news conference.The Nigerian president's visit follows an uncomfortable start to the Trump administration's approach to the world's second most populous continent.Trump [...]

Mumia Abu-Jamal's appeals hearing continued until August

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " Former death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal asked a judge Monday to vacate his previous failed appeals attempts so he can again appeal his case.A judge continued the hearing until Aug. 30 after a document Abu-Jamal's defense said they need to prove their petition was not found. The judge also approved a deposition of the employee who wrote the document to see if she can remember the contents.Abu-Jamal's lawyers are petitioning under the Post-Conviction Relief [...]

Houston police: Boy, 10, dies after hiding in tumble dryer

HOUSTON (AP) " Police say a 10-year-old Houston boy died after he climbed into a tumble dryer during a game of hide-and-seek.Investigators are trying to determine if the boy suffocated when he climbed into the machine in the laundry room of an apartment complex Friday.Christina Rodriguez identified the child to KTRK-TV as her son, third-grader Fernando Hernandez Jr.The Harris County medical examiner's office hasn't responded to a message Monday inquiring about the cause [...]

Taxpayer legal tab in Bridgegate scandal exceeds $15M

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) " The cost to New Jersey taxpayers of former Republican Gov. Chris Christie's legal response to the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal in 2013 has climbed to over $15 million, and the tab is expected to increase as appeals play out.The new total reflects additional billing by data forensics firm Stroz Friedberg. Records reviewed by The Associated Press show its charges have topped $4 million, including $700,000 last year and $60,000 this year.Two [...]

Pelicans crash California graduation, 1 lands on red carpet

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) " A pair of pelicans crashed a graduation ceremony at Pepperdine University in the California beachfront community of Malibu over the weekend.The long-beaked birds flew in Saturday as the class of 2018 was receiving diplomas outdoors on a lawn overlooking the Pacific Ocean.Video broadcast by KABC-TV shows one of the big birds landed among seated observers who managed to toss it back into the air, only to have it land on a red carpet at the center of the [...]

Iran orders internet providers to block Telegram

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) " Iranian authorities have ordered internet service providers to block access to Telegram, a popular messaging app used by an estimated 40 million Iranians.State TV reported Monday that the Tehran prosecutor has ordered that the app be blocked in a way that would not allow users to bypass the restrictions using a virtual private network (VPN).Iran said last month it would block Telegram, which bills itself as an encrypted message service, for national security [...]

Man accused of posting Prince George info denies terrorism

LONDON (AP) " An alleged supporter of the Islamic State group charged with sharing information about Prince George on social media has denied committing terrorism offenses.Prosecutors say a post by 32-year-old Husnain Rashid on the encrypted messaging app Telegram contained a photo of the 4-year-old prince, the address of his school, a silhouette of a jihadi fighter and the message "even the royal family will not be left alone."Rashid also is accused of several other posts [...]

Supreme Court to hear Google class action settlement case

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Supreme Court has agreed to review the settlement of a class action lawsuit involving Google, where the settlement agreement largely directed money to organizations rather than search engine users.The court agreed Monday to take the case. The lawsuit involves Google users who sued saying Google violated privacy rights by disclosing to websites the search terms users entered to get there.Google agreed to an $8.5 million settlement. Attorneys were awarded [...]

Supreme Court to hear appeal of Missouri death row inmate

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Supreme Court agreed Monday to review the case of a Missouri death row inmate who says his rare medical condition could cause him to choke on his own blood during an execution.The justices said they would hear the appeal of inmate Russell Bucklew. The court blocked Bucklew's execution in March after he argued that a tumor in his throat is likely to rupture and bleed during the administration of the drugs that would be used to kill him.Bucklew argues that [...]

Mumia Abu-Jamal in court seeking path to again appeal case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " Former death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal is in court asking a judge to vacate his previous failed appeals attempts, so he can again appeal his case.The former Black Panther spent 29 years on death row following his conviction in the 1981 murder of white Philadelphia police Officer Daniel Faulkner. Abu-Jamal's sentence was reduced to life without parole in 2011.His lawyers are petitioning under the Post-Conviction Relief Act. They'll argue Monday his rights [...]

Alaska's SeaLife Center gets 3rd baby octopus raising chance

KENAI, Alaska (AP) " Alaska's SeaLife Center is getting its third shot at raising thousands of octopus hatchlings, hoping at least one of the translucent mollusks will grow into its 50-pound (23-kilogram), color-changing form.Such a task has been completed just once before " by the Seattle Aquarium in the 1980s, the Peninsula Clarion reported . The aquarium won an award in 1982 for successfully raising the giant pacific octopus.The SeaLife Center had hatchlings twice before, in [...]

White House not addressing reports on Jackson's future

WASHINGTON (AP) " The White House says Dr. Ronny Jackson remains assigned to the White House " but it's not addressing reports the Navy rear admiral won't be returning to the job of President Donald Trump's personal physician.Jackson abandoned his nomination to be secretary of Veterans Affairs last week.White House spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement that Jackson is still assigned to the White House, adding that there were "no personnel announcements at this time. [...]

Trump tweets that journalism dinner is dead, total disaster

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is again railing against the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner amid criticism of the comedian who roasted his spokeswoman.Trump says on Twitter Monday: "The White House Correspondents' Dinner is DEAD as we know it. This was a total disaster and an embarrassment to our great Country and all that it stands for. FAKE NEWS is alive and well and beautifully represented on Saturday night!"For the second year in a row, Trump [...]

Emergency center plan being reviewed after minivan death

CINCINNATI (AP) " Cincinnati officials expect to review a plan for improving the city's emergency center while police finish an internal investigation into the death of a teen who twice called 911 to report he was trapped in a minivan.The city's acting manager says he'll present City Council members Monday with planned emergency center changes after the failed response to 16-year-old Kyle Plush's calls for help on April 10.Cincinnati police say Chief Eliot Isaac will release [...]

Prominent Trump critic Painter enters Minnesota Senate race

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) " A former Republican White House lawyer and prominent critic of President Donald Trump is running for former Sen. Al Franken's seat. And he's running as a Democrat.Richard Painter filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission late last week to run for the seat after exploring a bid for more than a month. He is expected to formally announce his campaign Monday morning.Painter served as chief White House ethics lawyer to President George W. Bush. He's [...]

Trump floats DMZ as location for North Korea meeting

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is questioning whether a potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could be held in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the Koreas.Trump says on Twitter Monday: "Numerous countries are being considered for the MEETING, but would Peace House/Freedom House, on the Border of North & South Korea, be a more Representative, Important and Lasting site than a third party country? Just asking!"Trump said over the weekend that the [...]

Trump to attend the NRA convention in Dallas

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump will be at the National Rifle Association convention in Dallas on Friday.A White House official said Monday that Trump will attend the group's annual meeting. Trump has been a strong supporter of the NRA and enjoyed their backing in his 2016 campaign.After a deadly school shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, Trump suggested he was open to new gun control measures. He held a meeting with senators, declaring that he would stand [...]

Man accused of killing sheriff's deputy to appear in court

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) " A man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Maine is scheduled to make his first court appearance.John Williams is expected in court in Augusta at 1:30 p.m. Monday. He's accused of killing 61-year-old Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole on April 25 after the two had an encounter on a darkened road in Norridgewock.Officials say the 29-year-old Williams also stole Cole's cruiser and robbed a convenience store.It wasn't immediately known if he had a [...]

Police: Bystander dies after St. Louis rooftop bar shooting

ST. LOUIS (AP) " Authorities say one person is dead and another has been hospitalized after gunfire erupted during an argument at an entertainment district across from the stadium where the St. Louis Cardinals play.The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that both victims were taken to a hospital after the shooting Sunday night at Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis. Police said Monday that one bystander who was shot in the head has died. The other victim was struck in the thigh. [...]

WW II veteran to graduate 68 years after leaving college

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) " Like so many American soldiers returning home from World War II, Bob Barger started working a new job and going to college. Once he settled into his career and raising a family, finishing school was no longer a priority.Now, 68 years since he last sat in a classroom, Barger is set to graduate from the University of Toledo this week after a review of his transcripts from the late 1940s showed he completed enough courses to quality for an associate's degree " a two- [...]

Mystery solved: Why Trump-Macron friendship tree vanished

PARIS (AP) " The French president's office says there's nothing mysterious about the disappearance of an oak tree he planted on the White House lawn.It was put in quarantine, like other plants or animals brought into U.S. territory.The sapling was a gift from French President Emmanuel Macron for his state visit to U.S. President Donald Trump last week.An official in Macron's office said Monday that Trump insisted on holding a symbolic planting ceremony alongside Macron [...]

Climate experts in Bonn seek to make Paris climate deal work

BERLIN (AP) " Diplomats and environmentalists are gathering in Bonn, Germany, to keep working on the rules governing the Paris climate accord.The talks starting Monday are part of preparations for December's global climate summit in Katowice, Poland, when the so-called Paris rulebook must be formally approved.Among the unresolved issues are how to ensure transparent monitoring of what countries do to cut global emissions and the methods used take stock of what countries have [...]

Pompeo says Israel, Palestinian peace still a US priority

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) " U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a priority for the Trump administration even if it doesn't agree it's the main cause of Mideast instability.Pompeo spoke in the Jordanian capital of Amman on Monday, urging the Palestinians to return to peace talks with Israel, saying the U.S. is open to a two-state solution, which he termed a "likely outcome."He declined to criticize Israel for its actions in [...]

US says border crossing didn't have room for asylum seekers

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) " After traveling through Mexico with great fanfare for a month under the Trump administration's watchful eye, nearly 200 Central American migrants attempting to seek asylum in the United States were stopped in their tracks when border inspectors said that a crossing facility didn't have enough space to accommodate them.Trump vowed last week to "stop" the caravan while Cabinet members said they would deliver a swift response. The asylum seekers held firm, setting [...]

Sprint, T-Mobile have to sell $26.5B deal to antitrust cops

NEW YORK (AP) " To gain approval for their $26.5 billion merger agreement, T-Mobile and Sprint aim to convince antitrust regulators that there is plenty of competition for wireless service beyond Verizon and AT&T.The deal announced Sunday would combine the nation's third- and fourth-largest wireless companies and bulk them up to a similar size to Verizon and AT&T, the industry giants.But the companies argued that the combination would allow them to better compete not only with [...]

In Trump era, the death of the White House press conference

WASHINGTON (AP) " The presidential news conference, a time-honored tradition going back generations, appears to be no longer.More than a year has passed since President Donald Trump held the only solo news conference of his administration " a rollicking, hastily arranged, 77-minute free-for-all during which he railed against the media, defended his fired national security adviser and insisted nobody who advised his campaign had had contacts with Russia.But there are no signs [...]

Struggle for transgender rights shifts to health care

WASHINGTON (AP) " Military service. Bathroom use. Job bias. And now, health care.The Trump administration is coming under fire for rewriting a federal rule that bars discrimination in health care based on "gender identity." Critics say it's another attempt to undercut acceptance for transgender people.The Health and Human Services Department rule dates to the Obama administration, a time when LGBT people gained political and social recognition. But a federal judge in Texas said [...]

Menendez seems in good shape to win a third term

WASHINGTON (AP) " New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez seems in good shape to win a third term despite a harsh rebuke from fellow senators who say he violated chamber rules and federal law, according to political analysts and party colleagues.The Senate ethics committee found that Menendez repeatedly accepted gifts of significant value, failed to report them and advanced the personal and business interests of the donor who provided the gifts.The allegations were hardly new to most [...]

Report: Jackson not returning as Trump's personal physician

WASHINGTON (AP) " Dr. Ronny Jackson, a Navy rear admiral who abandoned his nomination to be secretary of Veterans Affairs amid numerous allegations, will not return to the job of President Donald Trump's personal physician but will remain on the White House medical staff, Politico reported Sunday.The newspaper reported that administration officials said Jackson has returned to a job with the White House medical unit. Dr. Sean Conley, a Navy veteran, who has taken the role of Trump's [...]

Convicting America's Dad: Inside the Bill Cosby prosecution

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) " In the tense moments before a jury convicted Bill Cosby of sexual assault, the prosecutor who had branded him a "con man" and called him out for laughing during closing arguments started to worry about the global implications if the #MeToo era's first big trial went the other way.Accuser Andrea Constand's allegations that Cosby had drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004, revived out of nearly a decade of dormancy by another [...]

The Latest: Lawyer for migrant caravan: US failed to prepare

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) " The Latest on a caravan of Central Americans seeking asylum in the United States (all times local):3:25 p.m.An attorney working for a caravan of Central Americans has expressed disbelief that U.S. authorities say they cannot process more asylum seekers at the San Diego border crossing until its backlog eases.Lawyer Nicole Ramos said at a news conference that U.S. Customs and Border Protection knew the migrants were going to arrive at the U.S.- [...]

Pompeo says US stands with Israelis, Saudis against Iran

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) " U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday ratcheted up the Trump administration's rhetoric against Iran and gave warm boosts of support to Israel and Saudi Arabia in their standoffs with Tehran.Pompeo's comments in Riyadh and then Tel Aviv came as he neared the end of the Middle East leg of his first trip abroad as America's top diplomat. He has called for concerted international action to punish Iran for its missile programs and other actions that he said [...]

Suspect in deputy's killing held in maximum-security prison

NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine (AP) " A man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy was held in the state's maximum-security prison on Sunday pending his initial court appearance.John Williams was transferred to the Maine State Prison in Warren after his arrest on Saturday, the fourth day of a massive manhunt in the central part of the state.Williams, who's expected in court on Monday or Tuesday, is accused of killing Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole, 61, early Wednesday after the two had [...]

Trump gives thumbs-down to comic who roasted his spokeswoman

WASHINGTON (AP) " The reviews are in: President Donald Trump gave a thumbs-down Sunday to the comedian who roasted his chief spokeswoman at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, offending present and past members of his administration, including one who walked out in protest.The organization's leader said she regretted that Michelle Wolf's routine may end up defining an evening that was designed to rally around journalism."Everyone is talking about the fact [...]

The Latest: Trump, others give thumbs-down to dinner's roast

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the controversy over the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner (all times local):4:20 p.m.The reviews are in: President Donald Trump is giving a thumbs-down to the comedian who roasted his chief spokeswoman at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner.Present and past members of his administration say they were offended. The head of the association says she regrets that the routine may end up defining an evening [...]

The Latest: Central American asylum seeker feels confident

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) " The Latest on a caravan of Central Americans seeking asylum in the United States (all times local):11:15 p.m.With people rallying on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to support a caravan of Central American asylum seekers, one of those planning to turn herself in to U.S. authorities says she feels hopeful.Maria de Los Angeles said Sunday that she felt confident after speaking with an attorney that she'd be released while her case winds through [...]

Health care is new front for transgender rights under Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) " Military service. Bathroom use. Job bias. And now, health care.The Trump administration is coming under fire for rewriting a federal rule that bars discrimination in health care based on "gender identity." Critics say it's another attempt to undercut acceptance for transgender people.The Health and Human Services Department rule dates to the Obama administration, a time when LGBT people gained political and social recognition. But a federal judge in Texas said [...]

Democrats strive to tighten their hold in several states

INDEPENDENCE, Ore. (AP) " Unfazed by signs banning soliciting and dogs that barked at her in almost every home she visited, a political newbie knocked on doors, handed out campaign flyers and asked voters to elect her to the Oregon Senate.Deb Patterson, who canvassed in the riverside town of Independence on a recent Saturday, hopes to win the May 15 primary and unseat four-term Republican Sen. Jackie Winters in November. A win could propel Democrats into a "supermajority" in the [...]

Port operator DP World now firmly in hyperloop business

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) " The Dubai-based port operator DP World put its name Sunday on the hyperloop technology it has already spent millions of dollars to develop as work continues to make it operational across the grand plans of its designers.The cargo system being designed alongside possible passenger service by Virgin Hyperloop One will be called the DP World Cargospeed, the port operator's CEO and chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem told journalists and others gathered [...]

Trump's jabs, feints on trade roil ag industry supporters

SHEFFIELD, Mont. (AP) " Montana rancher Fred Wacker had thousands of head of cattle fattening up along the Yellowstone River for export to China when President Donald Trump picked a trade fight with the Asian nation.The dispute threatens a $200 million deal that Wacker helped secure last year to ship Montana beef to China, yet the potential setback to his business plans hasn't diminished his stalwart support for Trump."I'm not going to follow him over the cliff, but I'll take a [...]

'Infinity War' opens with record $250M, passing 'Star Wars'

NEW YORK (AP) " A few dozen superheroes lifted "Avengers: Infinity War" to a record $250 million in ticket sales over the weekend, narrowly surpassing "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" for the highest opening weekend of all-time.According to Disney's estimates Sunday, the Marvel Studios superhero smorgasbord bested the previous record set by "The Force Awakens." Accounting for inflation, the "Star Wars" reboot would still reign with about $260 million in 2018 dollars."Infinity [...]

Pompeo: US stands 'with Israel' in fight against Iran

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) " Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday gave a warm boost of support to Israel in its standoff against Iran, saying "the United States is with Israel in this fight."Pompeo has been using the Middle East leg of his first trip abroad as America's top diplomat to call for concerted international action to punish Iran for its missile programs.The tough line was welcomed in Israel, which considers Iran its greatest threat and has been leading calls for the [...]

Analysts: Menendez still has edge despite ethics censure

WASHINGTON (AP) " New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez seems in good shape to win a third term despite a harsh rebuke from fellow senators who say he violated chamber rules and federal law, according to political analysts and party colleagues.The Senate ethics committee found that Menendez repeatedly accepted gifts of significant value, failed to report them and advanced the personal and business interests of the donor who provided the gifts.The allegations were hardly new to most [...]

Port operator DP World's name now on hyperloop company

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) " The Dubai-based port operator DP World is now firmly in the hyperloop business.DP World's chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem made the announcement Sunday, saying Virgin Hyperloop One would launch a freight service called DP World Cargospeed.A hyperloop is a mode of cargo and people transportation that involves levitating pods powered by electricity and magnetism that hurtle through low-friction pipes at a top speed of 1,220 kph (760 [...]

Suspect in deputy killing held in maximum security prison

NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine (AP) " Officials say the man accused of killing a Maine sheriff's deputy is being held in the state's maximum security prison.The Department of Corrections confirmed that 29-year-old John Williams is detained at the Maine State Prison in Warren. A statement described the move as a routine request by the Somerset County Jail that's undertaken when additional security precautions are needed for an inmate.Williams is accused of killing 62-year-old Somerset [...]

Health care new front for transgender rights under Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) " Military service. Bathroom use. Job bias. And now, health care.The Trump administration is coming under fire for rewriting a federal rule that bars discrimination in health care due to "gender identity." Critics say it's another attempt to undercut acceptance for transgender people.The Health and Human Services Department rule dates to the Obama administration, a time when LGBT people gained political and social recognition. But a federal judge in Texas said [...]

On maiden voyage, Pompeo heads to Israel for talks on Iran

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) " U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is using the Middle East leg of his first trip abroad as America's top diplomat to call for concerted international action to punish Iran for its missile programs.Pompeo arrived Sunday afternoon in Israel, where he was meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a stop in Saudi Arabia. Both countries are fierce rivals of Iran, and have welcomed the Trump administration's hard line toward the Tehran government. [...]

Comedian Wolf draws laughs, gasps at correspondents' dinner

WASHINGTON (AP) " If President Donald Trump isn't comfortable being the target of jokes, comedian Michelle Wolf has given him and others plenty of reasons to squirm."It's 2018 and I'm a woman, so you cannot shut me up, unless you have Michael Cohen wire me $130,000," she cracked at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association on Saturday night.No, Trump's personal attorney wasn't there. And, for the second year, Trump himself skipped the event, preferring to [...]

Trump says he relishes enthusiasm, 'love' at Michigan rally

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) " President Donald Trump took aim at familiar political targets and added a few fresh ones during a campaign-style rally in Michigan, an Upper Midwest state so crucial in sending him to the White House.Trump has been urging voters to support Republicans for Congress as a way of advancing his agenda. In the Saturday night in Washington Township, he repeatedly cited to Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan as one of the Democrats who needed to be voted out. [...]

3 killed, 8 injured in New York City house fire

NEW YORK (AP) " Three people have been killed and eight others injured in a house fire in New York City.The blaze broke out late Saturday night at a two-story home in Queens.An 82-year-old woman, an 87-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman all were killed in the fire. Eight other people were taken to area hospitals. Three, including an 8-year-old girl, are listed in critical condition. The other five are hospitalized in stable condition with injuries that are not believed to be [...]

3 killed, 3 injured in fiery crash in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) " A fiery crash in Los Angeles has left three people dead and three others critically injured.Authorities say two vehicles collided Saturday night in South Los Angeles and burst into flames.Officials say an infant, a child and an adult all were pronounced dead at the scene. Three other people including a child were taken to area hospitals in critical condition.Cellphone videos show bystanders running around the vehicles trying to help the screaming [...]

Trump sharpens aim at Democrats facing election

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) " President Donald Trump took aim at familiar political targets and added a few fresh ones during a campaign-style rally in Michigan, an Upper Midwest state that gave him a surprising victory in the 2016 election.Trump has been urging voters to support Republicans for Congress as a way of advancing his agenda. In his rally in Washington Township Saturday night, he repeatedly pointed to Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan as one of the Democrats who needed [...]

Oregon trucker missing for days emerges from wilderness

LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) " A trucker who was missing for four days in a snow-covered part of Oregon after his GPS mapping device sent him up the wrong road walked 36 miles (58 kilometers) and emerged safely from a remote and rugged region of the state.Jacob Cartwright, 22, showed up Saturday near the town of La Grande, where an intensive search involving aircraft had been taking place since he went missing Tuesday.Cartwright was being evaluated in an emergency room but appeared OK, [...]

Fruit's pungent smell mistaken for gas leak, prompts panic

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) " The pungent smell of the rotten durian fruit at an Australian university library has been mistaken for a gas leak, prompting an evacuation of the building.Specialist crews wearing masks searched the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology university campus library on Saturday, but all they found was rotting durian in a cupboard.About 600 staff and students had cleared the building.A Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said the smell alarmed [...]

Pompeo, in Saudi Arabia, talks tough on Iran, Gulf dispute

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) " U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is using the Middle East leg of his first trip abroad as America's top diplomat to call for concerted international action to punish Iran for its missile programs. He's also urging Saudi Arabia and its neighbors to resolve a long-festering dispute with Qatar that U.S. officials say Iran is exploiting to boost its influence in the region, including in Yemen and Syria.Pompeo was meeting on Sunday with Saudi King Salman, [...]

Michelle Wolf draws laughs, gasps at correspondents' dinner

WASHINGTON (AP) " If President Donald Trump isn't comfortable being the target of jokes, comedian Michelle Wolf gave him and others plenty of reasons to squirm Saturday night."It's 2018 and I'm a woman, so you cannot shut me up," Wolf cracked, "unless you have Michael Cohen wire me $130,000."No, Trump's personal attorney wasn't there. And, for the second year, Trump himself skipped the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association, preferring to criticize [...]

Trump takes aim at familiar targets at Michigan rally

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) " President Donald Trump took aim at familiar political targets and added a few fresh ones during a campaign-style rally Saturday night in an Upper Midwest state that gave him a surprising victory in the 2016 election.Trump has been urging voters to support Republicans for Congress as a way of advancing his agenda. In his rally in Washington Township, he repeatedly pointed to Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan as one of the Democrats who needed to be [...]

Wayward cat captured at JFK Airport after a week on the lam

NEW YORK (AP) " A frisky can that got loose at New York's Kennedy Airport has been captured after more than a week on the lam.WABC-TV reports that Pepper the cat was lured out of hiding early Saturday.Pepper bolted from her owner April 20 as they were preparing to board a flight to China.The owner was moving to China for a new job and had to leave without Pepper.Pepper was spotted several times in non-public areas but eluded capture.Then on Saturday, the [...]

The Latest: Trump attacks familiar enemies, adds new targets

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump's Michigan rally Saturday night (all times local):8:10 p.m.President Donald Trump is attacking familiar enemies and adding fresh targets for his scorn during a campaign-style speech in Michigan.Trump criticized Democratic Sen. Jon Tester for announcing allegations of unprofessional conduct by Trump's now-withdrawn nominee to Veterans Affairs, White House doctor Ronny Jackson. The president says he "knows things" [...]

Utah Democrats nominate McAdams for House race against Love

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " Utah Democrats nominated Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams Saturday for what is expected to be the only competitive congressional race in the largely Republican state.McAdams easily won the nomination against four challengers with 72 percent of delegates' votes during the party's convention in downtown Salt Lake City, and will now face off against two-term GOP incumbent Mia Love. He was the heavy favorite heading in and enjoys the support of the national [...]

Missouri court: Woman in Greitens case must turn over phone

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) " A woman who had an extramarital affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens must turn over her cellphone for a forensic investigation following a ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court.The high court's decision follows the woman's request Friday to block an order by a state judge overseeing the case that requires her phone to be examined by a court-appointed expert, the Kansas City Star reported Saturday.The order came in a criminal case in which Greitens [...]

Missing Oregon trucker emerges from wilderness after 4 days

LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) " A trucker who was missing for four days in a snow-covered part of Oregon after his GPS mapping device sent him up the wrong road walked 36 miles (58 kilometers) and emerged safely Saturday from a remote and rugged region of the state.Jacob Cartwright, 22, showed up near the town of La Grande, where an intensive search involving aircraft had been taking place since he went missing Tuesday.Cartwright was being evaluated in an emergency room but appeared OK, [...]

Utah Democrats gather to select congressional nominees

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) " Hundreds of Utah Democrats gathered in downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday to select nominees for the state's congressional races, including a U.S. House contest that is predicted to be the sole competitive race for federal office.Moderate two-term Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams is expected to receive the nomination to face off against GOP Rep. Mia Love in what may be Utah Democrats' best chance to send one of their own to Congress. He goes up against four [...]

Pompeo kicks off Mideast leg of first trip as top US envoy

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) " U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the start of a Middle East visit that officials said he would use to call on European and other nations to impose further sanctions against Iran.Pompeo reached the Saudi capital shortly after Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they had fired eight ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia's southern city of Jizan.The Saudi civil defense directorate said one person had been killed [...]

Speedy Texas deputy avoids hard-charging cow

HOUSTON (AP) " A Texas deputy constable proved he's fleet of foot while facing down an agile cow that had a beef with motorists along a rural road.Harris County deputy Andrew Ries was patrolling an unincorporated area northeast of Houston late Thursday when he stopped to assist motorists involved in an apparent traffic accident.He learned one of the cars had struck a cow. The bovine didn't appear harmed, but it turned on Ries and chased the deputy around his patrol car, at one [...]

The Latest: Tester says he's committed to helping veterans

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on White House doctor Ronny Jackson's withdrawal from consideration to be secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (all times local):1:10 p.m.Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana is responding to President Donald Trump's calls for him to resign by saying he has a duty to make sure veterans in his state get what they've earned.Tester says, "I'll never stop fighting for them."Tester is responding to Trump's statement that Tester [...]

Greece approves 1.2 billion-euro US deal for F-16 fighters

ATHENS, Greece (AP) " A panel of senior Greek government and military officials has approved a 1.2-billion-euro ($1.45 billion) deal to upgrade more than half of the country's American-made F-16 fighter planes.Officials say the deal approved by the Greek cabinet on Saturday will give 85 of Greece's fleet of F-16s capabilities similar to the much more advanced F-35 fighters minus stealth technology.The terms of the agreement call for Greece to pay for the improvements until 2027 [...]

US reaffirms its 'ironclad commitment' to defend South Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis spoke on Saturday with their South Korean counterparts after the historic meeting between leaders of the two Koreas, and Trump said "things are going very well" as he prepares for an expected summit with the North's Kim Jong Un.Mattis and Defense Minister Song Young-moo said they were committed to "a diplomatic resolution that achieves complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization" of the North, [...]

White House corps toasts press freedom; Trump a no-show

WASHINGTON (AP) " White House aides, reporters and other famous-for-Washington types were set to gather without President Donald Trump to toast press freedom.It was to be the second White House Correspondents' Association dinner in a row without the president. Trump posted on Facebook this past week that he would hold a Saturday evening rally in Michigan with his "favorite deplorables" " a term that Democrat Hillary Clinton used in 2016 to describe some of Trump's campaign supporters. [...]

The Latest: Trump calls Asian allies to discuss North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the United States and North Korea (all times local):11:05 a.m.President Donald Trump says he's had "a long and very good talk" with the South Korean president, who's just had a historic meeting with North Korea's leader.With anticipation growing for a possible U.S.-North Korean summit soon, Trump tweets Saturday that "things are going very well, time and location" of meeting with Kim Jong Un are being set.Trump says that besides [...]

Nevada leader to give first Hindu prayer in Oklahoma Senate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) " A spiritual leader from Nevada will deliver the Oklahoma Senate's first Hindu prayer, part of an interfaith movement in a Legislature in the Bible Belt that has faced criticism its lack of religious diversity.Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, will visit Oklahoma on Monday as part of his effort to pray before lawmakers in state Capitols across the country. He is the guest of state Sen. Stephanie Bice, an Oklahoma City Republican who also [...]

Trump says Democrat should quit over VA nomination brouhaha

WASHINGTON (AP) " A furious President Donald Trump on Saturday called for the resignation of the Democratic senator who assembled and released what he called "false" allegations that scuttled the nomination of the White House doctor who'd been in line to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.Trump stepped up his criticism of Montana's Jon Tester, top Democrat on the Senate Veterans' Committee, in two tweets days after asserting that Tester "has to have a big price to pay" [...]

Land deal will preserve site linked to Lost Colony mystery

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) " Efforts to unravel the mysterious fate of North Carolina's fabled Lost Colony could benefit after a preservation group took out its first-ever loan to buy a coastal tract where some colonists may have resettled hundreds of years ago.The 16th century English colonists who vanished after being left in the New World have piqued popular imagination and intrigued historians for centuries. One North Carolina community is even holding a Lost Colony Festival this weekend. [...]

Enjoying leftovers: Sheriffs feed inmates, keep extra cash

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) " In Alabama, the less sheriffs spend on feeding inmates, the more money they get to put in their pockets.For decades, sheriffs have made extra money - sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars - under a Depression-era system by feeding prisoners for only pennies per meal. Critics say the meals can be unhealthy, and a lawsuit against dozens of sheriffs combined with media reports about the practice threaten to end the one-of-a-kind system.Legislators this [...]

The Latest: Trump wants Tester to quit over VA nominee role

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on White House doctor Ronny Jackson's withdrawal from consideration to be secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (all times local):9:05 a.m.How angry is President Donald Trump at the Democratic senator who went public with what Trump says are baseless allegations that derailed his Veterans Affairs nominee?So angry that Trump says Montana's Jon Tester "should resign."The White House says internal records raise doubt about some [...]

Earlier search for California serial killer led to wrong man

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " Investigators hunting for the so-called Golden State Killer turned to searching genetic websites in 2017 but misidentified an Oregon man as a potential suspect. A year later, after using a similar technique, they are confident they've caught the serial rapist and killer who eluded capture for four decades.In March 2017, an Oregon City police officer, working at the request of investigators in California, convinced a judge to order a 73-year-old man in a [...]

Trump says he has responsibility to resolve Korean conflict

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump is claiming credit for a historic inter-Korean summit, but now faces a burden in helping turn the Korean leaders' bold but vague vision for peace into reality after more than six decades of hostility.Trump must contend with two nagging suspicions: first about his own suitability to conduct that kind of war-and-peace negotiation and succeed where his predecessors have failed; secondly, whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un really is willing to [...]

Alaska Airlines plane makes emergency landing in Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP) " An Alaska Airlines plane has made an emergency landing in Hawaii.Hawaii News Now reports the airline says Flight 145 was heading from Seattle to Hawaii Friday night when an oil filter bypass light came on in the cockpit.The airline says the pilots throttled down one engine of the plane and declared an emergency as they approached the islands.The plane with 157 people aboard landed safely in Honolulu.There were no reports of any injuries.

Ex-con candidate compounding GOP woes in West Virginia

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) " Republican Don Blankenship doesn't care if his party and his president don't think he can beat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin this fall.This former coal mining executive, an ex-convict released from prison less than a year ago, is willing to risk his personal fortune and the Republican Party's golden opportunity in West Virginia for the chance to prove them all wrong."I'll get elected on my own merits," Blankenship said this week.There aren't a lot [...]

APNewsBreak: Serial killer search led to wrong man in 2017

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " Investigators hunting down the so-called Golden State Killer used information from genetic websites last year that led to the wrong man, court records obtained Friday by The Associated Press showed.An Oregon police officer working at the request of California investigators persuaded a judge in March 2017 to order a 73-year-old man in a nursing home to provide a DNA sample. It's not clear if officers collected the sample and ran further tests.The Oregon [...]

The Latest: WH says records dispute Jackson allegations

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on Ronny Jackson's withdrawal from consideration for Veterans Affairs Secretary (all times local):6:10 p.m.White House records show embattled former Veterans Affairs nominee Ronny Jackson was in three incidents in government vehicles in the last five years, but none involved the use of alcohol and he was not found at fault.The records also say the White House medical unit Jackson ran successfully passed regular controlled substance audits. [...]

'He's not listening': Teachers and Arizona governor at odds

PHOENIX (AP) " As thousands of teachers and supporters gathered at the Arizona Capitol to protest inadequate public school funding for a second day Friday, Gov. Doug Ducey again skipped the chance to address them.Instead, the Republican governor's public relations machine sent out links to a series of interviews the previous day with TV news reporters where Ducey pushed his plan to boost teacher pay by 20 percent by 2020, talking point by talking point.The scene was far [...]

Hundreds pay respects for woman slain in Waffle House attack

GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP) " Hundreds of people thronged a Tennessee church on Friday, some hugging and crying, as they paid their respects for a college student killed in the weekend shooting rampage at a Waffle House.The line of mourners waiting to give their condolences to the family of DeEbony Groves, 21, was so long that it snaked outside the First Baptist Church in Gallatin. Her parents and other stood in the front of the church beside her open casket. People cried, hugged and told [...]

The Latest: Trump: Kim meeting 'should be quite something'

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump and the meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea (all times local):2:30 p.m.President Donald Trump says he is looking forward to a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying it "should be quite something."Trump spoke at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Friday. He congratulated the leaders of North and South Korea after a historic summit and said his meeting [...]

Judge agrees to delay Stormy Daniels' lawsuit against Trump

LOS ANGELES (AP) " A judge on Friday delayed a lawsuit by porn actress Stormy Daniels against President Donald Trump and his personal attorney.Trump's attorney, Michael Cohen, asked for the delay after FBI agents raided his home and office earlier this month. The FBI was seeking records about a nondisclosure agreement Daniels signed days before the 2016 presidential election.U.S. District Judge S. James Otero agreed to pause the case for three months and set a hearing for July [...]

Trump says he has a responsibility to end Korean conflict

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump claimed credit Friday for a historic inter-Korean summit, but now faces a burden in helping turn the Korean leaders' bold but vague vision for peace into reality after more than six decades of hostility.Trump must contend with two nagging suspicions: first about his own suitability to conduct that kind of war-and-peace negotiation and succeed where his predecessors have failed; secondly, whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un really is willing [...]

Trump, Merkel cordial, but no apparent movement on Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) " Facing imminent deadlines, President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel largely papered over their differences on trade and the Iran nuclear accord on Friday, stressing instead ties between the longtime allies and their shared goal of a nuclear-free North Korea.Still, Merkel's brief visit, coupled with French President Emmanuel Macron's more lavish stopover earlier in the week, made clear that the U.S. president's divisions with European allies remain [...]

GOP-led House panel clears Trump campaign in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Republican-led House intelligence committee on Friday released a lengthy report concluding it found no evidence that Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign, drawing praise from the president and rebuttals from Democrats.The report caps an investigation that began with the promise of bipartisanship but quickly transformed into an acrimonious battle between Democrats and Republicans over Russia's meddling in the 2016 election [...]

PA congressman who settled sexual harassment charge resigns

WASHINGTON (AP) " A Pennsylvania congressman who used taxpayer money to settle a former aide's sexual harassment charges abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday.Four-term Republican Rep. Patrick Meehan had already decided to not seek re-election this fall. In a resignation letter submitted Friday, he said that within 30 days, he will repay the government $39,000 he used from his House office account as a severance payment to help settle the woman's allegations against him."I [...]

Theater subscription service MoviePass tightens plans

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " MoviePass, a startup that lets customers watch a movie a day at theaters for just $10 a month, is limiting new customers to just four movies a month.The move comes as the sustainability of MoviePass' business model comes into question. Because MoviePass is paying most theaters the full price of the ticket, the service loses money with just one or two movies in a month.MoviePass regularly changes its promotions and rates, and it's not clear whether the one- [...]

House chaplain's firing sparks uproar among Democrats

WASHINGTON (AP) " House Speaker Paul Ryan has told fellow Republicans that he fired the House chaplain after complaints from members that he wasn't doing a very good job " not because of pressure over the Rev. Patrick Conroy's political leanings.Lawmakers exiting a GOP meeting Friday said Ryan told them that Conroy was forced after lawmakers complained that had not been adequately tending to the pastoral needs of lawmakers."He had a number of complaints that the chaplain was [...]

Pennsylvania lawmaker resigns after sexual harassment charge

WASHINGTON (AP) " A Pennsylvania Republican who used taxpayer money to settle a former aide's sexual harassment charges has abruptly resigned from Congress.Congressman Patrick Meehan had already decided not to seek re-election. Meehan resigned Friday, saying he'll repay the government $39,000 he used to help settle the allegation against him.Meehan says in a resignation letter that his decision is in the best interest of constituents and will avoid the "rigors" and expense of [...]

Genealogy site didn't know it was used to seek serial killer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " A genealogy website that investigators used to find the former police officer they believe was one of California's most terrifying serial killers had no idea its services were being used to pursue a suspect who eluded law enforcement for four decades.Florida-based GEDmatch said it was never approached by authorities or anyone else about the case. The free genealogy website, which pools DNA profiles that people upload and share publicly, says that it has [...]

The Latest: Pelosi calls chaplain's firing abrupt, unjust

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on the ouster of the House chaplain, the Rev. Patrick Conroy (all times local):2:05 p.m.The top House Democrat says the ouster of the House chaplain by the speaker was abrupt and unjust.Nancy Pelosi tweets that "Father Pat Conroy's service for the last seven years has been a blessing of grace & dignity to the House."The California Democrat says his ouster "is hard to understand & impossible to support."Speaker Paul Ryan Ryan [...]

The Latest: Pompeo says North Korea serious on nuclear deal

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump and the meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea (all times local):2 p.m.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is "serious" about denuclearization.But Pompeo cautions that "promises have been made" and then broken in the past.He spoke Friday at NATO headquarters in Brussels on his first overseas trip as America's top diplomat. Pompeo won [...]

Report: Russian lawyer at Trump Tower worked with government

MOSCOW (AP) " An organization established by an exiled Russian tycoon says it has obtained emails showing collaboration between Russian government officials and the lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. in 2016 and has denied having connections to the Kremlin.The emails the Dossier organization said it was sent suggest Natalia Veselnitskaya worked closely with a top official in Russia's prosecutor-general's Office to fend off a U.S. fraud case against one of her clients. [...]

Trump takes credit for Koreas' summit, declares 'war to end'

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump claimed credit Friday for the historic meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea and declared that peace on the divided peninsula could be achieved and its people could live in harmony.Trump spoke hours after Kim Jong Un became the first North Korean leader to visit south of the demarcation line between the two Koreas, meeting with President Moon Jae-in. They pledged in a joint statement to seek a formal end to the Korean War [...]

Kucinich to return $20K to pro-Syrian government group

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) " Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich is returning a $20,000 speaking fee he received last year from a group sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar Assad.The Democratic candidate for Ohio governor announced his decision in a letter sent Thursday to The Plain Dealer.Kucinich had come under mounting political pressure after news reports revealed that the Association for Investment in Popular Action Committees was the parent organization to the pro-Assad Syrian [...]

Judge tosses Manafort civil suit challenging special counsel

WASHINGTON (AP) " A federal judge in Washington has thrown out a civil lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman that sought to challenge the authority of the special counsel in the Russia investigation.The decision was a blow to Paul Manafort's defense against special counsel Robert Mueller. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued the ruling.Manafort's attorneys had initially asked Jackson to throw out all charges against Manafort, arguing that [...]

Distracted by technology? Microsoft tries to help

Technology companies whose devices and constantly scrolling online services have driven us to distraction are beginning to acknowledge that their products can be a waste of time. Some of them now say they're trying to help.Microsoft is rolling out a free update to its Windows 10 computer operating system Monday with new features to keep people in a distraction-free zone.The "Focus Assist" feature enables workers to temporarily switch off email and social media notifications [...]

Ex-radical who killed 2 NYC officers set to be paroled

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) " A former radical who killed two New York City police officers nearly a half century ago was scheduled to be released on parole Friday after efforts to keep him in prison failed.State prison officials said they're abiding by an appellate judge's decision Wednesday that denied a police union's request for a temporary restraining order to keep Herman Bell behind bars.Bell, 70, is scheduled for release Friday. Officials with the Department of Corrections and [...]

Sleep mode? Tech giants' kids' 'fixes' amount to baby steps

NEW YORK (AP) " Facebook is adding a "sleep" mode to its Messenger Kids service to let parents limit when their kids can use it.It's the latest concession that tech companies are making as critics question whether they should be targeting kids at all. Among their chief concerns: The effects on kids are not yet known, and companies might not have children's best interests at heart when tech for kids is such a lucrative market.Rather than kill the services completely, as some [...]

The Latest: Trump says US won't 'be played' in NKorea talks

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on President Donald Trump and the meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea (all times local):12:11 p.m.President Donald Trump says the U.S. is "not going to be played" when it comes to peace talks with North Korea.Trump sat alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House Friday and said that talks on the divided Korean peninsula have "never gone this far."Trump spoke hours after Kim Jong Un became the [...]

The Latest: Trump welcomes Merkel to White House

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on Trump's meeting with Germany's Angela Merkel (all times local):12:05 p.m.President Donald Trump is saying the United States is "not going to be played" when it comes to peace talks with North Korea.Trump sat alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on Friday and said that talks on the divided Korean peninsula have "never gone this far."Trump spoke hours after Kim Jong Un became the first North Korean leader to [...]

Crash of medical helicopter in Wisconsin kills 3

HAZELHURST, Wis. (AP) " A medical helicopter crashed in a heavily wooded area in northern Wisconsin, killing all three people on board, authorities said Friday.Search and rescue crews located the Ascension Health Spirit helicopter early Friday, according to Oneida County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Dan Hess. The wreckage was found near Hazelhurst, a small town about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Green Bay.The three people killed were all flight crew members, Oneida County [...]

Police: Connecticut man was trying to sell viper, cobras

MERIDEN, Conn. (AP) " Connecticut police have charged a man they say was trying to sell venomous snakes.State environmental police on Thursday charged 21-year-old Cameron DeFrances with multiple counts of illegal possession of wild animals and reckless endangerment after finding seven live snakes in his Meriden home. A viper, several cobras and two dead snakes were discovered.State officials got a search warrant after getting a tip from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that [...]

It's Trump vs. Tester in Big Sky Country

WASHINGTON (AP) " With a flat-top haircut, three missing fingers and an impressive girth, Sen. Jon Tester has somehow kept a low profile in Congress. That's until he caught the attention of Americans " and President Donald Trump " by airing startling allegations that toppled Veterans Affairs nominee Ronny Jackson.It's not necessarily the kind of high-stakes debut political strategists would dream up for Tester, a plain-spoken Montana Democrat running for re-election in a Trump-won [...]

It's Trump vs. Tester in Big Sky Country

WASHINGTON (AP) " With a flat-top haircut, three missing fingers and an impressive girth, Sen. Jon Tester has somehow kept a low profile in Congress. That's until he caught the attention of Americans " and President Donald Trump " by airing startling allegations that toppled Veterans Affairs nominee Ronny Jackson.It's not necessarily the kind of high-stakes debut political strategists would dream up for Tester, a plain-spoken Montana Democrat running for re-election in a Trump-won [...]

GOP-led House panel officially clears Trump in Russia probe

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Republican-led House intelligence committee on Friday officially declared the end of its Russia probe, saying in its final report that it found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign.The report's conclusion is fiercely opposed by committee Democrats, who say the committee did not interview enough witnesses or gather enough evidence to support its finding.The investigation began with bipartisan promise but [...]

Pompeo dives into NATO diplomacy as allies confront Russia

BRUSSELS (AP) " Less than 24 hours after assuming his post, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plunged Friday into NATO diplomacy as the allies sought to toughen their response to Russian interference on its periphery and elsewhere.On his first overseas trip as America's top diplomat, Pompeo hit the ground running with a series of meetings at NATO headquarters in Brussels aimed at underscoring the alliance's relevance in a crisis-filled global environment that includes persistent or [...]

Trump declares in tweet: 'KOREAN WAR TO END'

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump tweeted "KOREAN WAR TO END" Friday after a historic meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea.Trump responded to the meeting of North Korea's Kim Jong Un with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in South Korea. They pledged in a joint statement to rid their peninsula of nuclear weapons " but didn't identify any specific new measures to achieve that.Trump is expected to meet with Kim in late May or June.He tweeted: [...]

EU moves to full ban on pesticides that harm bees

BRUSSELS (AP) " The European Union made a key breakthrough on Friday to completely ban pesticides that harm bees and their crop pollination.The 28 member states got a large majority, representing some three-quarters of its population, backing the ban on the three prevalent neonicotinoid pesticides which will take effect at the end of the year. The decision builds on a limited ban which has been in effect since 2013.Antonia Staats of the Avaaz campaign group called it a "beacon [...]

Britain's new prince is named Louis Arthur Charles

 LONDON  — The new prince has a name — in fact three.The infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles, Kensington Palace announced Friday.The palace said the baby's full title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.William and Kate's third child was born Monday, a brother to 4-year-old Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who is almost 3.Louis — pronounced LOO-ee — is [...]

Migrant 'caravan' gathers on US-Mexico border

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) " About 170 migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum-seekers have arrived in Tijuana, joining about nearly 200 others on their final stop before entering the United States.Three tourist buses were guarded by a Mexican police escort on a curvy, mountainous road from the Mexican border city of Mexicali.Lawyers planned free workshops on the U.S. immigration system on Friday and Saturday in Tijuana. Many planned to seek asylum starting Sunday at San [...]

A look at DNA testing that ID'd a suspected serial killer

Joseph James DeAngelo, who authorities suspect is the so-called Golden State Killer responsible for at least a dozen murders and 50 rapes in the 1970s and 80s, was arrested more than three decades after the last killing with the help of information from an online genealogical site. Investigators haven't disclosed many key elements about how and why they took this very unusual step to find a suspect.Here's a look at the case and some of the questions surrounding it:HOW DID [...]

More than money: School vouchers also irk Arizona teachers

PHOENIX (AP) " Arizona leaders dealing with an unprecedented teacher strike are paying the political price for long-festering resentment among many public school teachers who say they are fed up with lagging salaries and what they see as an equally dangerous attack on their profession: school vouchers.Arizona is the U.S. leader in the movement to expand voucher programs, which give families state money to send their children to private schools. Lawmakers also have heaped tax breaks [...]

Pompeo dives in at NATO on 1st trip as top US diplomat

BRUSSELS (AP) " Newly minted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is hitting the ground running at NATO on his first trip abroad as America's top diplomat.Just hours after being sworn in, Pompeo flew to Brussels where the alliance's foreign ministers are meeting Friday to prepare a leaders' summit in July.A senior U.S. official says Pompeo's aim is to ensure that NATO maintains a unified position of "no business as usual" with Russia and to prod members to meet their commitments [...]

Arizona, Colorado teachers rally, schools close for 2nd day

PHOENIX (AP) " Arizona and Colorado teachers plan to don red shirts and descend upon their respective Capitols for a second day in a growing educator uprising.Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isn't guaranteed and the efforts don't go far enough. The walkouts are the latest in demonstrations that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky.On the first day of [...]

Use of DNA in serial killer probe sparks privacy concerns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " Investigators who used a genealogical website to find the ex-policeman they believe is a shadowy serial killer and rapist who terrified California decades ago call the technique ground-breaking.But others say it raises troubling legal and privacy concerns for the millions of people who submit their DNA to such sites to discover their heritage.There aren't strong privacy laws to keep police from trolling ancestry site databases, said Steve Mercer, the [...]

Trump says no plans to get involved in Russia probe, for now

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump says he "won't be involved" in the special counsel investigation into Russia election meddling, but adds he may change his mind.Trump said Thursday on "Fox & Friends" that special counsel Robert Mueller's probe "is a disgrace." Trump criticized federal agents for exercising search warrants on his lawyer Michael Cohen and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.Trump says: "I have decided that I won't be involved. I may change my mind at [...]

Seeing red: Teacher walkouts shut Arizona, Colorado schools

PHOENIX (AP) " Teachers in Arizona and Colorado turned their state Capitols into a sea of red Thursday as they kicked off widespread walkouts that shut down public schools in a bid for better pay and education funding, building on educator revolt that emerged elsewhere in the U.S. but whose political prospects were not clear.Tens of thousands of teachers wearing red shirts and holding "Money for Schools" signs launched the first-ever statewide strike by marching 2 miles in 90-degree [...]

Speaker Ryan forces out House chaplain

WASHINGTON (AP) " House Speaker Paul Ryan has forced out the House chaplain, Reverend Patrick Conroy.Conroy had served as the chamber's chaplain since 2011 but offered his resignation last week at Ryan's urging.Conroy's resignation letter said he was offering to step down at Ryan's request, calling his seven years of House service "one of the great privileges of my life."Ryan spokeswoman Ashlee Strong would not reveal the speaker's reasons for forcing Conroy out. A top [...]

FBI says it warned White House about Rob Porter in March '17

WASHINGTON (AP) " The FBI first flagged "derogatory information" about Rob Porter, one of President Donald Trump's closest aides, to the White House counsel's office in March 2017, according to a new timeline provided by the FBI to Congress and publicly released Thursday.The timeline raises new questions about the White House's handling of spousal abuse allegations against Porter, the former staff secretary. The administration has offered several contradictory accounts of who knew [...]

Temple University reconsidering Bill Cosby's honorary degree

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " Bill Cosby long served as a leading public face and a key fundraiser for Philadelphia's Temple University, but his alma mater said Thursday it will reconsider an honorary degree awarded to the comedian more than two decades ago, after he was convicted of drugging and molesting a university employee in 2004.A spokesman for Temple University in Philadelphia said the verdict "provides additional facts for the university to consider" with respect to the honorary degree. [...]

Trump boasted he'd open all JFK files, but now says he can't

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump boasted last fall that he would open all remaining John F. Kennedy assassination records. So far, Trump hasn't made good on the "great transparency" he promised then.Trump announced on Thursday that the public must wait another three years or more before seeing material that must remain classified for national security reasons " more than five decades after Kennedy was killed Nov. 23, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.The National Archives released [...]

Senate panel admonishes Menendez

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Senate Ethics Committee admonished Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey on Thursday for repeatedly accepting gifts of significant value, failing to report them and for advancing the personal and business interests of a donor.The panel began its review in late 2012 and renewed it after the senator's federal bribery trial ended last fall with the jury hopelessly deadlocked on all charges. Prosecutors elected not to retry the case, lifting a legal cloud as [...]

Husband-wife duo on Trump legal team seen as skilled lawyers

WASHINGTON (AP) " When the FBI raided a client of Martin and Jane Raskin's law firm, the attorneys fended off the search warrant with an emergency motion that argued the records were protected by attorney-client privilege. A protective order was issued, the documents were placed in a locked room and a special master was appointed.That experience is newly relevant now that the Florida attorneys have joined Donald Trump's legal team during a critical phase of special counsel Robert [...]

Amazon raising price of annual Prime membership to $119

NEW YORK (AP) " Amazon is raising the price of its annual Prime membership fee by 20 percent starting next month.The company said Thursday that Prime members in the U.S. will now pay $119 a year, up from $99, starting May 11 for new members. The new price will apply to renewals of existing members starting on June 16.The last time it raised the annual fee was in four years ago. Earlier this year, it increased the monthly rate to $12.99 a month from $10.99.The online [...]

Microsoft Windows adapts as its business importance declines

For Microsoft, Windows is no longer a core business so much as a complement to the company's other offerings.The company still makes money from Windows, the computer operating system that helped catapult the Microsoft brand to success more than three decades ago. But Windows' share of the business has shrunk.The company on Thursday reported third-quarter revenue of $26.8 billion, an increase of 16 percent over the previous year. By contrast, Windows licensing revenue grew by [...]

Amazon's quarterly profit more than doubles; shares soar

NEW YORK (AP) " Amazon's first-quarter profit more than doubled from a year ago, blowing past Wall Street expectations. The online retailer's shares soared 6 percent in after-hours trading.The company earned $1.63 billion, or $3.27 per share, in the three months ending March 31 " almost triple the $1.24 per share analysts expected, according to FactSet. It's the second time Amazon's quarterly profit has topped $1 billion. In the previous quarter, which included the busy holiday [...]

Police corral coyote for 2nd time this week in Philly

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " A coyote taking a daylight stroll through Philadelphia was trapped under a large metal trash bin near a school Thursday and it was later euthanized.The coyote was spotted along the city's downtown waterfront before police and animal control officers cornered and trapped it about 3 miles away in south Philadelphia.Thursday's encounter marked the second time in a week that Philadelphia police have dealt with a coyote. On Monday, one was captured and released [...]

Man charged in Oklahoma killings says he'll talk to families

VINITA, Okla. (AP) " A man charged in the 1999 deaths of an Oklahoma couple, their 16-year-old daughter and her friend says he's willing to speak with the families of the victims.Ronnie Dean Busick was extradited from Kansas to the Craig County jail in Vinita on Wednesday evening. As he arrived, he said he didn't know where the missing teens were but that he'd "talk to the families."The 66-year-old was charged Monday with four counts of first-degree murder in the killings of [...]

Poland criticizes US claim that Polish law glorifies Nazism

WARSAW, Poland (AP) " Polish officials on Thursday criticized the claim of a U.S. congressman that a new Polish law glorifies Nazi collaborators and denies the Holocaust.The charge was made by Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, one of two congressmen leading a bipartisan effort urging the U.S. State Department to pressure Poland and Ukraine to combat state-sponsored anti-Semitism."Our government should be concerned with the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and Poland. [...]

The Latest: Pompeo 'humbled' to serve as secretary of state

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):3 p.m.Mike Pompeo says he's "humbled by the responsibility" of serving as secretary of state as he departs on his first trip as America's top diplomat.Pompeo was sworn in Thursday shortly after being confirmed by the Senate. He immediately headed to Andrews Air Force Base to fly to Brussels.State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert relayed the [...]

Parents sue North Korea over death of detainee Otto Warmbier

WASHINGTON (AP) " The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier (WARM'-beer) have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against North Korea, saying its government tortured and killed their son.Fred and Cindy Warmbier filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.The lawsuit seeks compensation for the death of Otto Warmbier, who was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison. [...]

At hearings, EPA chief seeks to divert blame for ethics woes

WASHINGTON (AP) " Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, yet another Trump administration official with his job on the line over ethical concerns, took heat from lawmakers Thursday over his profligate spending and lobbyist ties and tried to divert responsibility to underlings.The EPA administrator said "twisted" allegations against him were meant to undermine the administration's anti-regulatory agenda, and he denied knowing details of some of the extraordinary spending [...]

Amazon profit more than doubles; shares soar

NEW YORK (AP) " Amazon's first-quarter profit more than doubled from a year ago, blowing past Wall Street expectations.The online retailer's stock, which closed at $1,517.96 on Thursday, soared 6 percent in after-hours trading.The Seattle-based company reported net income of $1.63 billion, or $3.27 per share, in the three months ending March 31. Its earnings per share were almost triple the $1.24 per share analysts expected, according to FactSet.Amazon.com Inc. said [...]

The Latest: Mike Pompeo is sworn in as secretary of state

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination to serve as secretary of state (all times local):2:15 p.m.Mike Pompeo has been sworn is as secretary of state.Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito swore Pompeo in Thursday afternoon at the Supreme Court.From there, Pompeo was expected to rush to Andrews Air Force Base, where an aircraft was waiting to whisk him to Europe for his first trip as secretary. Pompeo is expected to travel to Brussels [...]

The Latest: Arizona teachers marching in historic strike

PHOENIX (AP) " The Latest on teacher protests in Arizona and Colorado (all times local):11 a.m.Thousands of Arizona teachers and their supporters are marching toward the state Capitol to demand more education funding in a historic statewide strike that's shut down schools.Crowds in red shirts filled the streets from the starting point at downtown Phoenix's baseball park Thursday and broke into chants of "Red for Ed" as they marched en masse.Meanwhile, the transit [...]

After tax cuts many saw as a failure, Kansas may cut again

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) " Kansas has some financial breathing room less than a year after legislators reversed past income tax cuts to deal with persistent budget woes that followed what many voters saw as a failed fiscal experiment. Now some Republicans want to go back to slashing taxes.The state Senate's GOP leaders are pushing the idea. Their chances of success are good enough that critics are questioning whether lessons from the state's recent fiscal miseries sunk in after former [...]

'Busy' Trump admits he didn't get wife much for her birthday

WASHINGTON (AP) " Are flowers and a card enough?On Melania Trump's 48th birthday, President Donald Trump worried Thursday that his gift might not be sufficient.Trump got an interview with "Fox and Friends" going by giving a shout-out to the first lady: "So, happy birthday to Melania," he said.Asked what he had gotten his wife, Trump said: "I better not get into that because I may get in trouble. Maybe I didn't get her so much."Justifying that, he added, "You know, [...]

Senate committee OKs bill to safeguard special counsel

WASHINGTON (AP) " Bipartisan legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller now lies in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance it.McConnell, R-Ky., has said the bill is unnecessary and he won't let it reach the Senate floor. But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee added to the pressure on McConnell by voting for the measure and saying McConnell should change his mind."While my [...]

Former U2 stage to be centerpiece of Utah aquarium expansion

SALT LAKE CITY — It toured the world for two years with rock behemoths U2, towering above the band through 30 countries and before a combined audience of 7.2 million people.But soon, the dome-shaped metal stage structure known as "the Claw," which stands as tall as Niagara Falls, will have a new home outside a Utah aquarium, where the sounds of blaring guitars and drums will be replaced by screeches and giggles from children eager to see sharks and stingrays.Instead of [...]

US to end special protections for 9,000 Nepalese immigrants

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration has decided to end special protections for an estimated 9,000 Nepalese immigrants in the United States.Immigrants will have until June 24, 2019, to leave or find another way to stay in the country to allow for an orderly transition.They were granted special protections under President Barack Obama after an earthquake in Nepal in April 2015 killed more than 8,000 people. The Obama administration extended the protections for 18 months in [...]

Mike Pompeo narrowly confirmed to be secretary of state

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Senate narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state on Thursday, clearing the path for him to take over as the top U.S. diplomat just as President Donald Trump faces high-risk moments on Iran and North Korea.Pompeo, the outgoing CIA director, secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no " one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee for the job since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes [...]

0.5K charity road race in Texas starts and ends with a beer

BOERNE, Texas (AP) " So many people have registered for a very short road race near San Antonio that no other "underachievers" are allowed to enroll.The first Boerne (BER'-nee) 0.5K is scheduled for May 5 in the city of the same name.Organizers say their city permit won't allow more than 100 "fellow underachievers" on the 546-yard (499-meter) course.Race entry costs $25. The event is raising funds for Blessings in a Backpack, which provides foods at the weekend for [...]

Greek space agency chief resigns citing lack of transparency

ATHENS, Greece (AP) " Greece's left-led government has come under opposition criticism after the head of the country's newly-formed space agency resigned, citing a lack of transparency and political interference in his work.Respected physicist Stamatios Krimigis, who has worked on key NASA and European Space Agency projects, stepped down just a month after being appointed to lead the agency.The conservative main opposition party, New Democracy, urged the government Thursday to [...]

'Oh! Susanna' songwriter's statue removed amid criticism

PITTSBURGH (AP) " A 118-year-old statue of the "Oh! Susanna" songwriter was removed from a Pittsburgh park Thursday after criticism that the work is demeaning because it includes a slave sitting at his feet, plucking a banjo.In October, the Pittsburgh Art Commission voted to take the Stephen Foster sculpture out of Schenley Plaza and find it a new home. For now, it will remain in a storage lot, out of the public view.On Thursday, workers used straps and construction equipment [...]

US lifts sanctions placed on Colombian soccer team in 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Trump administration lifted Thursday U.S. sanctions that had been placed on a popular Colombian soccer team for alleged ties to a drug cartel.Under the Obama administration in 2015, the Treasury Department placed Envigado soccer club and owner Juan Pablo Upequi on its foreign narcotics kingpins list. The U.S. accused Upequi of using the club to launder money for the violent cocaine-trafficking group La Oficina de Envigado.The United States said the soccer [...]

Mattis says Iran nuclear deal includes 'robust' verification

WASHINGTON (AP) " Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday emphasized the value of certain aspects of the Iran nuclear agreement, even as President Donald Trump considers pulling out of the 2015 deal, which he has attacked repeatedly and this week called "insane."Without explicitly giving his opinion about whether the United States should stick with the agreement, Mattis said that after reading the full text of the deal three times, he was struck by provisions that allow for [...]

Gun control may keep stock-car-racing governor off track

BARRE, Vt. (AP) " Vermont's stock-car-racing governor is questioning whether to race this season at a local speedway where many spectators are hunters after an outcry over gun restriction legislation he signed.A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Phil Scott says the governor is checking with the owners of Thunder Road and other drivers to see if they have any concerns about whether the animosity about his signing of the legislation might affect the atmosphere at the speedway.A [...]

Senate panel advances bill protecting special counsel

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job, putting the matter in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has said he won't let the bill reach Senate floor.Republicans have split amid President Donald Trump's repeatedly criticism of Mueller's Russia investigation. The vote was 14-7 with four Republicans in favor. The move is largely symbolic, given McConnell's opposition, but it reveals the complexity [...]

European Space Agency releases 1st image from Mars orbiter

BERLIN (AP) " The European Space Agency has released the first image taken by its Trace Gas Orbiter showing the ice-covered edge of a vast Martian crater.Scientists combined three pictures of the Korolev Crater taken from an altitude of 400 kilometers (249 miles) on April 15.Lead researcher Nicolas Thomas said Thursday the colors in the resulting image were also adjusted to best resemble those visible to the human eye.The camera used is one of four instruments on board [...]

HUD Secretary proposes raising rent for low-income Americans receiving federal housing subsidies

  WASHINGTON - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson proposed far-reaching changes to federal housing subsidies Wednesday, tripling rent for the poorest households and making it easier for housing authorities to impose work requirements. Carson's proposals, and other initiatives aimed at low-income Americans receiving federal assistance, amount to a comprehensive effort by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to restrict [...]

Trump says Cohen represented him in "Stormy Daniels deal"

WASHINGTON (AP) " President Donald Trump said Thursday that his personal attorney Michael Cohen represented him "with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal," after previously denying any knowledge of a payment Cohen made to the porn actress alleging an affair with Trump.Trump spoke by phone Thursday to "Fox & Friends." He told reporters weeks ago that he had no knowledge of a $130,000 payment Cohen made to Daniels before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual [...]

Lawyer: Trump ready for role in raids' evidence review

NEW YORK (AP) " Lawyers for President Donald Trump will be back in court Thursday as part of his attempt to limit investigators' access to records the FBI seized from his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.A judge in New York scheduled a noon conference to discuss electronic files and communications seized from Cohen's home and office April 9 as part of an investigation of his personal business dealings.U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood is overseeing a process for determining which of [...]

50 Shades of Neustadt? Germans' bondage prompts false alarm

BERLIN (AP) " German police say they rushed to an apartment in the southwestern town of Neustadt after receiving a call about suspected domestic abuse " only to barge in on a voluntary class on Japanese bondage.Neustadt police said Thursday a concerned neighbor called to report that two men were abusing a half-naked woman in a nearby apartment. When police arrived they instead found the tenant, a teacher of Japanese Shibari, instructing a couple in the basics of erotic bondage. [...]

Cops corral coyote after 2-hour pursuit in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) " Philadelphia police have captured a coyote after a two-hour chase.The coyote was first spotted early Thursday in the city near Penn's Landing, along the Delaware River. Police and animal control officers eventually cornered and trapped it about 3 miles away in South Philadelphia, under a large metal trash bin near a city school.Officials will check on the animal's well-being. It eventually will be moved to a more suitable environment.No injuries have [...]

Facing Congress, EPA chief doesn't appear ready to apologize

WASHINGTON (AP) " Even with Republican lawmakers' patience running short, President Donald Trump's environmental chief appears to be in no mood to apologize as he faces Congress for the first time since a deluge of ethics allegations has consumed his tenure.Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt will make no reference to ethics issues or complaints about lavish spending on travel and security that have dogged him in recent months, according to an opening statement for an [...]

Ronny Jackson withdraws from consideration for VA chief

WASHINGTON (AP) " White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdrew from consideration as Veterans Affairs secretary on Thursday, saying "false allegations" against him have become a distraction.In a statement the White House issued from Jackson, he said he "did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity."Shortly after Jackson dropped out, President Donald Trump called into the Fox & Friends morning show to praise Jackson as an [...]

The Latest: Trump praises embattled VA nominee

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Latest on Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Veterans Affairs secretary (all times local):8:20 a.m.President Donald Trump is praising Ronny Jackson, who has just announced he will withdraw from consideration as Veterans Affairs secretary. Trump says there will be consequences for the Democratic senator who led the charge against Jackson.In a phone interview with "Fox & Friends" Thursday, Trump says Jackson "would have done a [...]

Nintendo taps new president; profit improves on Switch sales

TOKYO (AP) " Nintendo Co. reported solid sales and profit for the fiscal fourth quarter, powered by brisk demand for its Switch machines. The company also announced Thursday that it will be getting a new president.Shuntaro Furukawa, director at The Pokemon Company, will replace Tatsumi Kimishima subject to approval at a general shareholders meeting in June.The move is an attempt to hand over the leadership to a younger generation, said spokesman Kenichiro Matsuura. [...]

MGM sets August opening date for Massachusetts casino

BOSTON (AP) " The fate of Wynn's glitzy Boston-area casino may still be up in the air, but rival MGM says it is on track to open Massachusetts' first Las Vegas-style casino resort sooner than expected.MGM Resorts International President Bill Hornbuckle said in Wednesday interview with The Associated Press that the company is now targeting Aug. 24 as the new opening date for the $960 million hotel and casino complex it has been building in downtown Springfield.The company [...]

Geologists say N. Korea's nuclear test site likely collapsed

BEIJING (AP) " Research by Chinese geologists suggests that the mountain above North Korea's main nuclear test site has likely collapsed, rendering it unsafe for further testing and requiring that it be monitored for any leaking radiation.The findings by the scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China may shed new light on North Korean President Kim Jong Un's announcement that his country was ceasing its testing program ahead of planned summit meetings with South [...]

EPA chief faces Capitol Hill grilling over ethical missteps

WASHINGTON (AP) " Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt faces potentially make-or-break hearings Thursday on Capitol Hill, where he is expected to be peppered with questions about spending and ethics scandals that have triggered bipartisan calls for his ouster.Pruitt was scheduled to testify about his agency's budget in back-to-back hearings before two House subcommittees.The public grilling comes amid notable erosion in support for Pruitt among fellow Republicans [...]

VA nominee accused of drunken behavior, reckless prescribing

WASHINGTON (AP) " White House doctor Ronny Jackson exhibited a pattern of recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior, including crashing a government vehicle while intoxicated and doling out such a large supply of a prescription opioid that staffers panicked because they thought the drugs were missing, according to accusations compiled by Democratic staff on the committee considering his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary.The summary was based on conversations with 23 of [...]

Senate committee poised for vote on bill to protect Mueller

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job " legislation that has split Republicans as President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Mueller's Russia investigation.Two Republicans and two Democrats introduced the bill earlier this month as Trump publicly criticized the special counsel. Mueller is investigating potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign as well as possible obstruction of [...]

Thousands of teachers in Arizona, Colorado to protest

PHOENIX (AP) " A wave of red-clad teachers will crash upon the Arizona state Capitol on Thursday for an unprecedented job action that will close schools for a majority of the state's public school students, part of an educator uprising that's also bubbled up in Colorado.Around 30,000 to 50,000 teachers and their supporters are expected to march through Phoenix to rally at the Arizona state Capitol to demand a 20 percent raise for teachers, about $1 billion to return school funding to [...]

Geologists say North Korea's nuclear test site has collapsed

BEIJING (AP) " Research by Chinese geologists shows the mountain above North Korea's main nuclear test site has collapsed, rendering it unsafe for further testing and requiring that it be monitored for any leaking radiation.The findings by the scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China may shed new light on North Korean President Kim Jong Un's announcement that his country was ceasing its testing program ahead of planned summit meetings with South Korean President [...]

Nation's nastiest GOP primary playing out in Pence's Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) " For a glimpse of red-state politics in the era of Donald Trump, look no further than Vice President Mike Pence's home state of Indiana, where a grueling Republican Senate race has been dubbed the nation's nastiest primary.Two sitting congressmen " Todd Rokita and Luke Messer " and former state lawmaker Mike Braun face off May 8 for a chance to unseat Democrat Joe Donnelly.They've tried to appeal to Trump voters, adopting the president's harsh immigration [...]

Macron resists Trump's 'America first' in speech to Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) " French President Emmanuel Macron drew sharp contrasts with President Donald Trump's worldview Wednesday, laying out a firm vision of global leadership that rejects "the illusion of nationalism" in a candid counterweight to Trump's appeals to put "America first."In the spotlight of a speech to the U.S. Congress, Macron was courteous but firm, deferential but resolute as he traced the lines of profound division between himself and Trump on key world issues: climate [...]

Dozens of schools keep ties to coach accused of sexual abuse

CHICAGO (AP) " Several dozen colleges have kept ties to an influential volleyball coach long after he was publicly accused of sexually abusing and raping underage girls who trained with him in the 1980s.The coach's accusers, who have been pressing Michigan State University for months to sever all ties with Rick Butler, say all schools have a moral obligation to end their relationships with him.The campaign against Butler comes as Michigan State deals with questions about [...]

Sessions defends Trump pardons of Joe Arpaio, Scooter Libby

WASHINGTON (AP) " Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday defended President Donald Trump's right to pardon former Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former Bush administration official I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.Both of those pardons were issued by Trump and bypassed the involvement of the Justice Department and its pardon attorney, which historically reviews petitions for clemency and makes recommendations.Sessions made the comments at a Senate subcommittee hearing where Sen. Chris Van [...]

Arizona's only black legislators chastised after race talk

PHOENIX (AP) " The only two black members of the Arizona Legislature were formally chastised for speaking out against a Republican lawmaker's published column, which included a racial slur and they say derided black activists while attempting to discredit leaders of a teacher group protesting for better pay.Rep. Maria Syms wrote in a column published in the Arizona Republic that the two best-known leaders of the #RedforEd movement are "political operatives" who are radicalizing [...]

Victims voice relief after arrest in serial killing case

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) " Jane Carson-Sandler's morning in 1976 turned from innocence to terror when a masked man broke into her home and entered the bedroom where she lay snuggled with her 3-year-old son.He confronted them with a butcher knife and shone a flashlight in her eyes before tying them up.She said she was paralyzed by fear, afraid the man would kill them. When he untied her ankles, she knew he would rape her.Before assaulting her, he moved her son from her [...]

Trump lawyer says he'll plead the Fifth in porn actress case

LOS ANGELES (AP) " President Donald Trump's personal attorney said Wednesday he will assert his constitutional right against self-incrimination in a civil case brought by a porn actress who said she had an affair with Trump.Michael Cohen has been asking a federal judge in Los Angeles to delay Stormy Daniels' case after FBI agents raided his home and office earlier this month, seeking records about a nondisclosure agreement Daniels signed days before the 2016 presidential election. [...]

US House moves to reverse order to aid salmon

WASHINGTON (AP) " The U.S. House approved a bill Wednesday that would reverse a federal judge's order to spill more water from four Pacific Northwest dams to help migrating salmon reach the Pacific Ocean.The bill, approved 225-189, would prevent any changes in dam operations until 2022. It was sponsored by Republican Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse, both of Washington state.They say the four Snake River dams provide hydropower, flood control and other benefits [...]

Memo: VA pick Jackson said to have crashed car while drunk

WASHINGTON (AP) " Dr. Ronny Jackson had a pattern of recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior, including crashing a government vehicle while intoxicated and doling out a large supply of a prescription opioid to a White House military staff member, according to a summary of accusations compiled by Democratic staff on the committee considering his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary.The summary was based on conversations with 23 of Jackson's current at former colleagues at [...]

Trump's travel ban likely to be upheld, justices indicate

WASHINGTON (AP) " The Supreme Court seemed poised Wednesday to uphold President Donald Trump's ban on travel to the U.S. by visitors from several Muslim-majority countries, a move that would hand the president a major victory on a controversial signature policy.In the court's first full-blown consideration of a Trump order, the conservative justices who make up the court's majority seemed unwilling to hem in a president who has invoked national security to justify restrictions on who [...]

Bill Cosby's lawyers get slammed by advocates for women

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) " The sexual assault case against Bill Cosby went to the jury Wednesday as his lawyers came under heavy criticism for what some called a blatant attempt to "victim-shame" the parade of women who have leveled accusations against the 80-year-old comedian.In the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era, the panel of seven men and five women began weighing charges that Cosby drugged and molested a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home 14 years ago. He says his [...]

Democrats demand more details on CIA nominee's covert work

WASHINGTON (AP) " Three Democratic senators on Wednesday stepped up their demands for more information about the former undercover spy President Donald Trump has picked to lead the CIA, and said the public has a right to know about her role in the harsh interrogation of suspected terrorists after 9/11 as well as other "disturbing facts about her record."The CIA has told the lawmakers it was considering releasing further details about Gina Haspel, the current deputy CIA director. But [...]

GOP senators float idea of resolution backing Mueller's role

WASHINGTON (AP) " Republican senators are floating an alternative to bipartisan legislation that would protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job " a nonbinding resolution endorsing him.The Senate Judiciary Committee was expected to vote Thursday on the bill, which would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of a firing. Two Republicans and two Democrats introduced it earlier this month as President Donald Trump publicly criticized Mueller, who [...]

House already threatened, could GOP also lose Senate grip?

Republicans have known for months that their House majority is in genuine peril. But after another bruising showing in a special election, some in the party are reconsidering the once inconceivable notion of losing the Senate.It's a sobering possibility, particularly given Republican' confidence not long ago that they probably would increase their Senate edge after the November vote. Far more Democratic senators are facing re-election in states favorable to Republicans than the other [...]

US House moves to block spill of dam water to aid salmon

WASHINGTON (AP) " The U.S. House approved a bill Wednesday that would effectively stop the spilling of water from four Pacific Northwest dams to help migrating salmon reach the Pacific Ocean.The bill, approved 225-189, would prevent any changes in dam operations until 2022. It was sponsored by Republican Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse, both of Washington state.They say the four Snake River dams provide hydropower, flood control and other benefits while already [...]

Facebook advertisers shrug off its privacy scandal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) " Facebook's troubles with Russian election meddlers , "fake news " and misused data have dominated headlines globally.But they don't seem to be affecting Facebook's bottom line, so far, as advertisers continue to flock to the service in droves.Facebook's revenue, which largely derives from ads, soared 49 percent to $12 billion in the first three months of the year, the company announced on Wednesday. Profit jumped 63 percent to $5 billion.And despite [...]