Category Archives: World/National

US unemployment ticked down, hovering at historically low levels

US unemployment ticked down, hovering at historically low levels

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dipped to 245,000 last week amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s trade policies. U.S. jobless claims ticked down from 250,000 the week before. Economists had forecast 250,000. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose to 245,500, the highest since August 2023. The number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits the week of June 7 slid to 1.95 million.… Continue Reading

Supreme Court OKs Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for kids, a setback for transgender rights

Supreme Court OKs Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for kids, a setback for transgender rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer says the Supreme Court decision upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors is “a devastating loss for transgender people” and “everyone who cares about the Constitution.” The justices’ 6-3 decision Wednesday effectively protects from legal challenges many efforts by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration and state governments to roll back protections for transgender people. Another 26 states have laws similar to Tennessee’s. Chief Justice John Roberts writes for a conservative majority the law does not violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause. Justice Sonia Sotomayor writes in a dissent the majority “abandons transgender children” to political whims.… Continue Reading

At least 51 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid trucks in Gaza, health officials say

At least 51 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid trucks in Gaza, health officials say

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — At least 51 Palestinians were killed and over 200 wounded in the Gaza Strip while waiting for U.N. and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and a local hospital. Palestinian witnesses told The Associated Press that Israeli forces had fired on the crowds. The military said it was looking into reports that its forces had fired toward the crowd, causing several casualties. It did not appear to be related to a new Israeli- and U.S.-supported aid delivery network that rolled out last month and has been marred by controversy and violence.… Continue Reading

A judge could advance Purdue Pharma’s $7B opioid settlement after all 50 states back it

A judge could advance Purdue Pharma’s $7B opioid settlement after all 50 states back it

A judge is being asked to clear the way for local governments and individual victims to vote on OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids. The deal would be among the largest in a wave of opioid settlements. It calls for members of the Sackler family who own the company to give up ownership and to contribute up to $7 billion over time. Of that, about $890 million could go to people who were victims of the drug epidemic, or their survivors. Most of the rest is to be used by state and local governments to fight the crisis.… Continue Reading

Stocks slump and oil prices jump as Trump urges Iran’s unconditional surrender

Stocks slump and oil prices jump as Trump urges Iran’s unconditional surrender

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks slumped under the weight of a jump for the price of oil. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% Tuesday following signals that Israel’s conflict with Iran may be worsening and that one of the U.S. economy’s main engines is weakening. That nearly erased the S&P 500’s gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.9%. Treasury yields also fell following a weaker-than-expected report on sales at U.S. retailers. Crude oil prices rose more than 4% on worries about potential damage to the flow of oil because of fighting between Israel and Iran.… Continue Reading

Israel says it killed a top Iranian general as Trump warns people to flee Iran’s capital

Israel says it killed a top Iranian general as Trump warns people to flee Iran’s capital

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel claims to have killed a top Iranian general as it trades more strikes with its longtime foe. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned residents of Tehran to evacuate while suggesting that the United States could give up on negotiations. Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran. He told reporters he was looking at something “better than a ceasefire.” He said the U.S. wanted to see “a real end” to the conflict that could involve Iran “giving up entirely.” Uncertainty roiled the region on the fifth day of Israel’s air campaign.… Continue Reading

NYC mayoral candidate is arrested at immigration court after linking arms with man being detained

NYC mayoral candidate is arrested at immigration court after linking arms with man being detained

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander has been arrested by federal agents at an immigration court after he linked arms with a person that authorities were attempting to detain. A reporter with The Associated Press witnessed Lander’s arrest on Tuesday. The person Lander was walking out of the courtroom with was also arrested. Lander had spent the morning observing immigration court hearings and told an AP reporter that he was there to “accompany” some immigrants out of the building. The episode occurred as federal immigration officials are conducting large-scale arrests outside immigration courtrooms across the country.… Continue Reading

Wall Street recovers from Friday’s shock as US stocks rise and oil prices ease

Wall Street recovers from Friday’s shock as US stocks rise and oil prices ease

NEW YORK (AP) — Calm returned to Wall Street, and U.S. stocks rallied, while oil prices gave back some of their initial spurts following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets at the end of last week. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% Monday to recover most of its drop from Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1.5%. They joined a worldwide rise for stock prices. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. oil fell by 1.7%, while the price of gold eased. Treasury yields rose ahead of a meeting by the Federal Reserve this week.… Continue Reading

The Trump family’s next venture, a mobile phone company

The Trump family’s next venture, a mobile phone company

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump family company says it’s launching a mobile phone company, the latest in a string of ventures that have been announced while Donald Trump is in the White House. Eric Trump, one of President Trump’s sons, said Monday that the new company would build its own phones and maintain a call center in the U.S. The new business follows several real estate deals for towers and resorts in the Middle East, including a golf development in Qatar announced in April, and a $1.5 billion partnership to build golf courses, hotels and real estate projects in Vietnam.… Continue Reading

The Latest: Trump attends G7 summit amid his trade war with US allies

The Latest: Trump attends G7 summit amid his trade war with US allies

President Donald Trump has arrived for the G7, or Group of Seven, summit in Canada, a country he’s suggested should be annexed, as he wages a trade war with America’s longstanding allies. If there’s a shared mission at this year’s G7 summit, which begins Monday in the Rocky Mountains, it’s a desire to minimize any fireworks at a moment of combustible tensions.… Continue Reading

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