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Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS

The House is revamping its dining options. Will workers keep their jobs?

Current News / News & Features /

As new food vendors prepare to set up shop at the Capitol complex this summer, current workers say many in their ranks have not received offers to keep their jobs.

The House chief administrative officer in May announced that a slate of eateries will take over starting this August, including a Starbucks replacing the existing Dunkin’, a QDOBA,...Read more

Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Las Vegas police dept. sued for release of immigration enforcement records at county jail

Current News / News & Features /

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has been sued in an effort to compel release of public records related to expanded federal immigration enforcement at the county jail.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada filed the complaint Wednesday in Clark County District Court.

“The Nevada Public Records Act exists to ensure that ...Read more

Chris Torres/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS

Abbott sets special session agenda. Here's what Texas legislators will discuss

Current News / News & Features /

Gov. Greg Abbott has added several Hill Country flooding items to the special session agenda, which begins at noon on July 21.

Before the July Fourth tragedy, lawmakers were set to discuss the regulation of THC products, protections for human trafficking victims and water project incentives among other things.

Now the agenda has 18 items, ...Read more

AFP/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/TNS

Houthi attacks in Red Sea sink 2 cargo ships, leave 3 people dead

Current News / News & Features /

Houthi attacks in the Red Sea left three crew members dead and sank two cargo vessels in a fresh wave of assaults by the Tehran-backed group along the crucial maritime trade route.

Liberian-flagged MV Eternity C sank on Wednesday after sustaining “significant damage” and had lost all propulsion, the UK Maritime Trade Operations, a liaison ...Read more

Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald/TNS

Feds move to seize $13K restitution payment from disgraced ex-Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson

Current News / News & Features /

Federal prosecutors filed an order petitioning the court to compel disgraced ex-Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson to pay $13,000 as a penalty for the City Hall kickback scheme she was convicted for this past May.

U.S. Attorney Leah Foley filed a motion for order of forfeiture (money judgment) in federal court Wednesday that states ...Read more

JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Trump praises leader of English-speaking African nation for his 'good English'

Current News / News & Features /

President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for speaking English articulately, seemingly unaware of the fact that English is Liberia’s national language.

“Such good English, that’s beautiful,” Trump said during a Wednesday meeting at the White House with five African leaders. “Where did you learn to speak so ...Read more

CRAIG KOHLRUSS/The Fresno Bee/TNS

Justice Department sues California over transgender student athletes

Current News / News & Features /

The Justice Department sued California on Wednesday over the state’s policy allowing transgender student athletes to compete on girls sports teams, contending it violates federal anti-discrimination laws.

The lawsuit intensifies an ongoing battle between California and President Donald Trump over the participation of transgender athletes in ...Read more

News briefs

Current News / News & Features /

Hegseth didn’t tell Trump about Ukraine arms pause, report says

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly didn’t tell President Donald Trump or seek his permission before ordering a pause in shipments of arms to embattled Ukraine last week.

Trump was unhappy and frustrated to find out about the Pentagon chief’s controversial decision, ...Read more

Alejandro A Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Philly's city worker strike ends after Mayor Cherelle Parker, union leader agree on contract

Current News / News & Features /

PHILADELPHIA — Sorry, rats. The "Parker piles" of trash found around the city are about to disappear.

Philadelphia’s first major city worker strike since 1986 lasted eight days and four hours before Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Greg Boulware, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, ...Read more

Jerry Cleveland/The Denver Post/TNS

70 million-year-old dinosaur fossil discovered under Denver Museum of Nature and Science

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A new dinosaur fossil at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science was found buried hundreds of feet under the facility’s parking lot in January, making the herbivorous animal’s remains the oldest and deepest dinosaur fossil ever discovered in the city.

Museum crews came across the partial-bone fossil while conducting a geothermal drilling test...Read more

Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post/TNS

Trump budget cuts threaten accuracy of hurricane forecasts, scientists warn

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The Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts to weather programs could damage the accuracy of hurricane forecasts, slowing or even reversing progress made in delivering storm warnings needed to keep Floridians safe, a group of retired scientists said Wednesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s budget request calls ...Read more

CRAIG KOHLRUSS/The Fresno Bee/TNS

Trump sues California over decade-old sports law that lets trans athletes compete

Current News / News & Features /

The Trump administration made good on its threat of legal action earlier this week and is suing California for allowing transgender athletes to compete in K-12 sports.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit Wednesday, two days after the California Department of Education said it would not strip trans athletes of their medals or repeal a 2013...Read more

Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel/TNS

YNW Melly murder retrial to start Sept. 10, ready or not

Current News / News & Features /

The retrial of Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons will get underway with jury selection on Sept. 10 as scheduled, a Broward judge ruled Wednesday, dismissing the objections of prosecutors who say they are still waiting for an appeals court to rule on a slew of important issues.

Broward Circuit Judge Martin Fein showed little patience for the state�...Read more

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images North America/TNS

Senate confirms Bedford to head FAA

Current News / News & Features /

The Senate confirmed airline executive Bryan Bedford to lead the Federal Aviation Administration in a 53-43 vote Wednesday.

One of Bedford’s first tasks at the FAA will be to carry out major air traffic control system overhauls promised by President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and in part funded by the reconciliation ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Senate confirms Griffith as Energy undersecretary

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The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Preston Wells Griffith III to serve as undersecretary of the Energy Department.

The 54-43 vote included Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, joining Republicans in support.

Griffith said at an April hearing that his role would be to use the department’s resources to ensure that “America remains at the top of the ...Read more

Carlos Gonzalez/Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS

Minnesota on the hook for $430K legal bill after GOP congressional hearing where Walz testified

Current News / News & Features /

Minnesota taxpayers are on the hook for $430,000 in legal costs to outside lawyers who helped Gov. Tim Walz prepare for a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing where he sparred with Republicans over immigration.

The state tapped the global law firm K&L Gates to prepare Walz for the June 12 congressional hearing, where he was questioned about ...Read more

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/TNS

South Carolina sees first measles case of 2025, officials say

Current News / News & Features /

An Upstate South Carolina resident has the measles, the South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday. It is the first case of the disease in the state since September 2024, the agency said.

The affected resident is not vaccinated and caught the virus during an international trip, according to a press release. They are ...Read more

Saul Loeb/AFP/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/TNS

Biden doctor pleads the 5th on GOP House panel questions about fitness

Current News / News & Features /

Former President Joe Biden’s personal physician Wednesday refused to answer a Republican congressional committee’s questions about his health and fitness to serve, citing doctor-patient confidentiality.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor also invoked his rights under the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions during a House Oversight Committee ...Read more

Pedro Portal/Miami Herald/TNS

Florida lawmakers, members of Congress invited to visit Alligator Alcatraz

Current News / News & Features /

The DeSantis administration is inviting Florida’s state legislators and members of Congress to attend a scheduled, 90-minute tour of Alligator Alcatraz on Saturday afternoon, according to an email shared with the Herald/Times.

The invitation, sent Wednesday, is the first extended to elected leaders since the facility began taking in immigrant...Read more

Coast Guard spots flare in dark and rescues 5 clinging to capsized boat in Texas

Current News / News & Features /

A boat capsized at night off the Texas coast, sending five people into the water — but then rescue found them the next morning, according to officials.

No distress signal was sent from the sinking vessel, but at 9:30 p.m. July 8, Coast Guard watchstanders received a report that the 22-foot pleasure craft was overdue near Freeport, according ...Read more