National News

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Melania Trump is spearheading a new initiative aimed at improving career and education opportunities for children raised in foster care. Her husband, President Donald Trump, signed an executive order Thursday that creates a “Fostering the Future” program that…

By  DEEPTI HAJELA NEW YORK (AP) — The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over — on paper, at least. But the American public isn’t done with it yet: Getting everything back up and running doesn’t happen all at once. The disruption…

By  ALLEN G. BREED and ERIK VERDUZCO CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The latest city bracing for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is Charlotte, North Carolina, which could see an influx of federal agents as early as this weekend, a county sheriff said Thursday. Mecklenburg County…

By  ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL R. BLOOD LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday sued to block new congressional district boundaries approved by California voters last week, joining a court battle that could help determine which party wins control of the U.S.…

By  GEOFF MULVIHILL and DAVID A. LIEB With the longest U.S. government shutdown over, state officials said Thursday that they are working quickly to get full SNAP food benefits to millions of people, though it still could take up to a week for some…

By  BRIAN MELLEY LONDON (AP) — As the man formerly known as Prince Andrew was drawn into the news surrounding sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, he sought to distance himself from the scandal. “I can’t take any more of this,” a sender identified in…

ASSOCIATED PRESS-Medicare telehealth waivers that allow millions of older adults to get virtual health care without leaving home were restored through Jan. 30 in the government funding bill, after lapsing during the 43-day shutdown. Patients and caregivers reacted with relief…

By  JESSE BEDAYN and SAFIYAH RIDDLE A House committee released thousands of documents related to Jefferey Epstein on Wednesday, many of them emails the convicted sex offender sent to his rich or influential friends, or to reporters, over many years. Democrats on the House Oversight…

By  STAN CHOE NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted around their records in a mixed day of trading Wednesday. The S&P 500 added 0.1% and neared its all-time high set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 327 points,…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge on Wednesday denied a request by the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena for a temporary restraining order in their bid to keep UCLA football games at the Rose Bowl. Los…

By  SOPHIA TAREEN CHICAGO (AP) — Hundreds of people who have been arrested and detained in the Chicago area during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown could soon be released on bond while they await immigration hearings, a federal judge signaled Wednesday. During a…

By  BRUCE SCHREINER and DYLAN LOVAN LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A grandfather and his young granddaughter. An electrician with two young children. A woman standing in line at a scrap metal business. They were among the 14 people who died in the fiery crash of…

By  CHRISTOPHER RUGABER WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Federal Reserve officials expressed opposition Wednesday to another interest rate cut at the central bank’s next meeting in December, further muddying the outlook for the Fed’s next steps. The remarks by Susan Collins, president of the…

By  TRÂN NGUYỄN and JAIMIE DING SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Dana Williamson, a former top aide to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, has been indicted on federal charges alleging her involvement in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Health Secretary Xavier…

By  WILL WEISSERT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says his $300 million White House ballroom will be paid for “100% by me and some friends of mine.” The White House released a list of 37 donors, including crypto billionaires, charitable organizations, sports…

By  JOEY CAPPELLETTI, MATT BROWN and MEG KINNARD WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Adelita Grijalva was sworn in as the newest member of Congress on Wednesday, more than seven weeks after she won a special election in Arizona to fill the House seat last held by her late…

By  MARYCLAIRE DALE PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The U.S. Mint on Wednesday ended production of the penny, a change made to save money and in recognition of the growing irrelevance of the 1-cent coin. The last pennies were struck at the mint in…

By  MARCIA DUNN CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Intense solar storms responsible for breathtaking auroras across the U.S. delayed the launch of Blue Origin’s big new rocket Wednesday. Already grounded by poor weather, the New Glenn rocket was poised to blast off Wednesday afternoon with…

NEW YORK (AP) — John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg is running for the U.S. House next year, announcing Tuesday that he’s seeking a key New York seat set to be vacated by longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler. “This district should…

By  ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN NEW YORK (AP) — Solar storms brought colorful auroras to unexpected places on Tuesday night, and there could be more to come. Space weather forecasters confirmed that storms reached severe levels, triggering vibrant northern lights in Europe including Hungary and the United…

By  KEVIN FREKING, JOEY CAPPELLETTI and MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers will make a long-awaited return to the nation’s capital on Wednesday after nearly eight weeks away to potentially put an end to the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. The House is…