News - Friday, March 21, 2025

Amazing things sometimes happen as a matter of coincidence.

So marveled Realtor Heidi Rau when a bald eagle landed on a nearby tree during a rainstorm and challenged her to a stare-down as she relaxed at Holly Park in Soddy-Daisy after a listing appointment.

Chattanooga, with its rolling mountains, vibrant arts scene and rich Civil War history, might not be the first place one thinks of when considering mid-century modern architecture. This sleek, futuristic and often-minimalist style flourished in the 1940s through the 1960s, leaving an indelible mark on cities like Los Angeles, Palm Springs and Chicago. But Chattanooga? Here, amid the historic homes and industrial-era brick buildings, pockets of mid-century modern design stand like hidden gems, offering a glimpse into a bold architectural past that’s both surprising and exhilarating.

When Arline Mann retired after a long tenure as a lawyer with Goldman Sachs in New York City, she had a list of things she thought she might like to do with her windfall of time. Being a detective was on the list, as were other “nutty things,” she smiles, so she decided to go crazy.

Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel has announced the 2024-25 John C. Stophel Distinguished Students from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Gary W. Rollins College of Business.

This year’s honorees are:

• Taylor Dunagan, accounting and construction management

As we move deeper into 2025, the housing market continues to evolve both nationally and locally. While U.S. pending home sales dipped last month, our Chattanooga region is showing its own trends. With increased inventory and rising median sales prices, it’s clear that buyers and sellers are adjusting to the market conditions.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week celebrated nationally to promote the importance of open government at the federal, state and local levels.

The idea was born more than 20 years ago when Florida newspaper editors started Sunshine Sunday to highlight the need for government transparency. By 2005, it grew to a full week of open government advocacy nationwide.  The annual collaboration now is coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications.

Food Truck Festivals of America will host the Chattanooga Food Truck Festival at Coolidge Park Saturday, noon-6 p.m. The event will feature more than 20 vendors serving gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, homemade funnel cakes, wood-fired pizza, smashburgers, fresh lemonade and more. Regional craft beer and other alcoholic beverages will also be on the menu. Activities will include lawn games, face painting, live music and an artisan market. Tickets

Kaylee Ann Saunders is serving as Cempa Community Care’s new advanced practice provider. In this role, Saunders will deliver a wide range of medical care to Cempa clients, as well as work alongside Cempa medical team leadership to address goals, budget and performance standards.

For years, people save and invest in 401(k) plans, IRAs and other financial accounts. They wouldn’t lose track of this money, would they?

You might be surprised. About one in seven people has unclaimed cash or property, totaling billions of dollars, the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators reports.

Being tournament tested shouldn’t be an issue for the Tennessee men’s basketball team. After going through the gauntlet of the Southeastern Conference this season, the Vols believe they are ready for anything to come in the NCAA Tournament.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from Social Security systems that hold personal data on millions of Americans, calling their work there a "fishing expedition."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in February as easing mortgage rates and more properties on the market encouraged home shoppers.

Existing home sales rose 4.2% last month from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that's been a longtime target of conservatives.

Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

NEW YORK (AP) — Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner abruptly resigned from his top post at the U.S. passenger railroad this week.

Wednesday's announcement signaled that the leadership change came down to Amtrak maintaining support from U.S. President Donald Trump. In a statement, Gardner said he was stepping down "to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration."

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — After the first day of summer workouts for Vanderbilt, Jordyn Oliver had to call her dad and tell him about her new teammate, Mikayla Blakes. There was just something about her that was different.

"She came in Day One, cooking," Oliver says. "She's a hooper, a dawg."

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. each scored 14 points and No. 7 seed UCLA routed 10th-seeded Utah State 72-47 on Thursday night to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons.

Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 reserve center, added 10 points for coach Mick Cronin's Bruins (23-10), who will face second-seeded Tennessee on Saturday in the Midwest Region as they seek their fourth Sweet 16 appearance in the past five editions of March Madness. The Volunteers also cruised to an easy win, 77-62 over Wofford.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist on his 24th birthday, John Gibson made 33 saves and the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Thursday night.

LEBANON (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. John Rose on Thursday announced his candidacy for Tennessee governor in 2026, putting him on a likely collision course with U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who also appears set on running.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday rescinded an executive order targeting a prominent international law firm after it pledged to review its hiring practices and to provide tens of millions of dollars in free legal services to support certain White House initiatives.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — From the grounds of a gas-fired power plant on the eastern shores of Canada, a little-known company is pumping a slurry of minerals into the ocean in the name of stopping climate change.

Whether it's pollution or a silver bullet that will save the planet may depend on whom you ask.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Friday that Boeing will build the Air Force's future fighter jet, which the Pentagon says will have stealth and penetration capabilities that far exceed those of its current fleet and is essential in a potential conflict with China.

Johnson & Johnson says it will invest more than $55 billion within the United States over the next four years, including four new manufacturing plants.

A number of companies have highlighted investments in the U.S. in recent months, a focus of Trump administration. J&J rival Eli Lilly and Co. announced in late February that it planned to build four new factories in the U.S. Both Lilly and J&J cited tax cut legislation passed in 2017 as factors in their U.S. investments.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top leaders of President Donald Trump's administration are debating whether to invoke a "state secrets privilege" in response to a judge's questions about deportation flights carrying Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, a Justice Department official informed the judge on Friday ahead of a hearing.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A little more than 23 years ago, Republican President George W. Bush sat at a desk at a high school in Hamilton, Ohio, and signed a law that would vastly expand the role of the Education Department and transform American schooling. On Thursday, his Republican successor, President Donald Trump, signed a very different document — this one an executive order designed to dismantle the department.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For weeks, Democratic lawmakers have met with and mimicked figures they believe may offer them a path back to power in Washington: online influencers and content creators.

Hours before President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress this month, Senate Democrats huddled with a dozen online progressive personalities who have millions of followers. House Democrats were introduced, without staff, to 40 content creators who Democratic leaders said could help them grow their audience online.

WASHINGTON (AP) — SpaceX founder and President Donald Trump's chief government efficiency liaison Elon Musk met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday at the Pentagon, saying he was ready to do "anything that could be helpful."

According to a CNN video of the two men exiting their meeting, Musk refused to answer questions as to whether he received a classified briefing on China as part of the visit. Hegseth had said late Thursday that he would be meeting with Musk to discuss "innovation, efficiencies & smarter production."

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, and third-seeded Iowa State routed Lipscomb 82-55 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday.

Curtis Jones had 17 points as Iowa State bounced back nicely after dropping four of seven going into the tourney. Joshua Jefferson finished with 10 points and eight assists.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge examining the Trump administration's use of an 18th-century wartime law to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador vowed Friday to "get to the bottom" of whether the government defied his order to turn the planes around.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday began sketching a roadmap for dismantling the Education Department, with other agencies taking over responsibility for federal student loans and programs serving students with disabilities.

The executive order Trump signed Thursday to do away with the department did not offer a timeline or instructions, but his administration appears poised to carve away all but the department's most vital operations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that war plans should not be shared with his adviser Elon Musk because of his business interests, a rare suggestion that the billionaire entrepreneur's expansive role in the administration will face limits.

Years of bracket chaos have given way to the year of the power conference.

Cinderella is staying home this time.

The Sweet 16, a popular destination for bracket-busting mid-majors, will be made up entirely of teams from power conferences, a first since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Tennessee Lady Vols are headed back to familiar territory in the women's NCAA Tournament.

Talaysia Cooper had 19 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and five assists and Zee Spearman added 17 points and five rebounds as fifth-seeded Tennessee beat fourth-seeded Ohio State 82-67 on Sunday night.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Chaz Lanier made 4 of 5 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, and No. 2 seed Tennessee advanced to a program-record third straight Sweet 16, beating seventh-seeded UCLA 67-58 in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.

The Volunteers (29-7) will play either sixth-seeded Illinois or No. 3 seed Kentucky, who play Sunday in Milwaukee. The Midwest Region semifinals will be Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou scored his 30th goal of the season, and Robert Thomas had three assists to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Sunday night for their sixth straight win.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to halt a ruling ordering the rehiring of thousands of federal workers let go in mass firings aimed at dramatically downsizing the federal government.

The emergency appeal argues that the judge can't force the executive branch to rehire some 16,000 probationary employees. The California-based judge found the firings didn't follow federal law, and he ordered reinstatement offers be sent as a lawsuit plays out.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday questioned the impartiality of the federal judge who blocked his plans to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, levelling his criticism only hours before his administration will ask an appeals court to lift the judge's order.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a Texas death row inmate whose bid for a new trial drew the support of the prosecutor's office that originally put him on death row.

The justices left in place a Texas appeals court ruling that upheld the murder conviction and death sentence for Areli Escobar, even though Escobar's case is similar to that of an Oklahoma man, Richard Glossip, whose murder conviction the high court recently overturned.

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury in Georgia has ordered Monsanto parent Bayer to pay nearly $2.1 billion in damages to a man who says the company's Roundup weed killer caused his cancer, according to attorneys representing the plaintiff.

The verdict marks the latest in a long-running series of court battles Monsanto has faced over its Roundup herbicide. The agrochemical giant says it will appeal the verdict, reached in a Georgia courtroom late Friday, in efforts to overturn the decision.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is halfway to the next once-a-decade census, but the Supreme Court is still dealing with lawsuits that grew out of the last one.

The justices on Monday are taking up a challenge to Louisiana's congressional map, which was drawn so that, for the first time, two of its six districts have majority Black populations that elected Black Democrats to Congress. Black Louisianans make up about one-third of the state's population.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of a prominent law firm who cut a deal with President Donald Trump last week to avert the consequences of a White House executive order told colleagues in an email Sunday that he did so because the order "could easily have destroyed our firm" and put it out of business.

NEW YORK (AP) — There's a lot of information (and money) on the table during tax season. That also makes it a prime time for scams.

Year-round, fraudsters may use a handful of common tactics to try to steal your identity, money or other sensitive information. As you prepare your annual tax return, due April 15, experts stress it's important to be extra vigilant.

NEW YORK (AP) — During the first Trump administration, the biggest concern for many journalists was labels. Would they, or their news outlet, be called "fake news" or an "enemy of the people" by a president and his supporters?

They now face a more assertive President Donald Trump. In two months, a blitz of action by the nation's new administration — Trump, chapter two — has journalists on their heels.

NEW YORK (AP) — An Orthodox Jewish passenger says a United Airlines pilot forcibly removed him from an airplane bathroom while he was experiencing constipation, exposing his genitalia to other flyers during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As congressional lawmakers scramble to respond to President Donald Trump's slashing of the federal government, one group is already taking a front and center role: military veterans.

From layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs to a Pentagon purge of archives that documented diversity in the military, veterans have been acutely affected by Trump's actions. And with the Republican president determined to continue slashing the federal government, the burden will only grow on veterans, who make up roughly 30% of the federal workforce and often tap government benefits they earned with their military service.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Every day over the past few weeks, the Pentagon has faced questions from angry lawmakers, local leaders and citizens over the removal of military heroes and historic mentions from Defense Department websites and social media pages after it purged online content that promoted women or minorities.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he would be placing a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela as well as imposing new tariffs on the South American country itself.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Venezuela has been "very hostile" to the U.S. and countries purchasing oil from it will be forced to pay the tariff on all their trade to the U.S. starting April 2.

NEW YORK (AP) — StubHub, the events ticketing platform, has filed for an initial public offering of its common stock.

The online marketplace where users can buy and resell tickets to sports, concerts, theater and other live entertainment events said Friday that it had applied to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "STUB."

NEW YORK (AP) — Segway is recalling about 220,000 of its scooters sold across the U.S. due to a fall hazard that has resulted in user injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones.

According to a notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the folding mechanism in Segway's Ninebot Max G30P and Max G30LP KickScooters can fail during use — causing the handlebars or stem of the scooters to fold.

BEIJING (AP) — China's Premier Li Qiang said Sunday that Beijing and Washington should choose dialogue instead of confrontation, as the two countries are locked in rising friction over trade tariffs and efforts to combat illegal fentanyl trade.

Li was speaking during a meeting with U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, who is the first member of Congress to visit Beijing since Trump took office in January. The meeting also involved the leaders of several American businesses, including FedEx Corp. CEO Raj Subramaniam, Boeing Co.'s senior vice president Brendan Nelson, Qualcomm's CEO Cristiano Amon and Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk work to overhaul the federal government, they're forcing out thousands of workers with insider knowledge and connections who now need a job.

For Russia, China and other adversaries, the upheaval in Washington as Musk's Department of Government Efficiency guts government agencies presents an unprecedented opportunity to recruit informants, national security and intelligence experts say.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Second lady Usha Vance plans a trip to Greenland, at a time when President Donald Trump has suggested the United States should take control over the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of American ally Denmark.

Vance will leave on Thursday and return Saturday, according to her office. Vance and one of her three children will be part of a U.S. delegation that will "visit historic sites" and "learn about Greenlandic heritage."

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says he won't resign his post, despite pressure from some in his party after he voted to move forward with a Republican spending bill that avoided a government shutdown.

"Look, I'm not stepping down," Schumer said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday. The New York senator said he knew voting for the bill backed by Republican President Donald Trump would spark "a lot of controversy."

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have signed six-year veteran Joey Slye as their new kicker, choosing not to bring back 40-year-old Nick Folk for a third season.

Chaz Lanier is making the most of his one shot at the NCAA Tournament for both himself and No. 2 seed Tennessee.

The Tennessee native came home last spring as a graduate transfer after four seasons at North Florida hoping to follow the path set by Dalton Knecht, who spent a year with the Volunteers on his way to the NBA.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seemed closely divided Monday over a challenge to Louisiana's congressional map, which has two Black majority districts for the first time.

Several of the court's conservative justices suggested they could vote to throw out the map and make it harder, if not impossible, to bring redistricting lawsuits under the landmark federal Voting Rights Act.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As congressional lawmakers scramble to respond to President Donald Trump's slashing of the federal government, one group is already taking a front and center role: military veterans.

From layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs to a Pentagon purge of archives that documented diversity in the military, veterans have been acutely affected by Trump's actions. And with the Republican president determined to continue slashing the federal government, the burden will only grow on veterans, who make up roughly 30% of the over 2 million civilians who work for the federal government and often tap government benefits they earned with their military service.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he would be placing a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela as well as imposing new tariffs on the South American country itself.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Venezuela has been "very hostile" to the U.S. and countries purchasing oil from it will be forced to pay the tariff on all their trade to the U.S. starting April 2.

NEW YORK (AP) — 23andMe has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and its co-founder and CEO has resigned as the struggling genetic testing company continues its push to cut costs.

San Francisco-based 23andMe announced on Sunday that it will look to sell "substantially all of its assets" through a court-approved reorganization plan.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, texted war plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, the magazine reported in a story posted online Monday. The National Security Council said the text chain "appears to be authentic."

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will nominate Dr. Susan Monarez, the acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to the job, a White House official confirmed Monday.

Trump abruptly withdrew the nomination of his first pick, David Weldon, earlier this month.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward had a message for the Tennessee Titans on Monday.

"I'm solidifying it today," he said.

'It' would be the No. 1 pick in next month's NFL draft. In a month, the now-former Miami Hurricanes quarterback will find out if that is indeed the case.

There is plenty of star power left in women's March Madness with Paige Bueckers, Hannah Hidalgo and Lauren Betts still playing even if JuJu Watkins won't be.

Watkins hurt her right knee in the first quarter of Southern California's win over Mississippi State on Monday night. She was carried off the court and the school announced later that she was out for the rest of the tournament.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court turned back an appeal Monday from casino mogul Steve Wynn, who had challenged a landmark libel ruling as part of a lawsuit against The Associated Press.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — European sales of Tesla electric vehicles tumbled 49% in the first two months of the year compared with a year earlier even as overall sales of EVs grew, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

There have been complaints about an aging lineup of vehicles from Tesla and also a significant backlash against CEO Elon Musk and his affiliation with the Trump administration in the U.S. In Europe, Musk's endorsement of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party in last month's national election drew broad condemnation.

A once-every-four-years report card on the upkeep of America's infrastructure gave it a "C" grade on Tuesday, up slightly from previous reports, largely due to investments made during former President Joe Biden's administration.

The report from the American Society of Civil Engineers, which examined everything from roads and dams to drinking water and railroads, warns that federal funding must be sustained or increased to avoid further deterioration and escalating costs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Governors in several Republican-led states are pressing the Trump administration to cut strings attached to their federal education aid, a goal conservatives have long dreamed of that now appears within reach as President Donald Trump moves to dismantle the Education Department.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, texted plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, the magazine reported in a story posted online Monday. The National Security Council said the text chain "appears to be authentic."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration's top intelligence officials stressed to Congress the threat they said was posed by international criminal gangs, drug cartels and human smuggling, testifying in a hearing Tuesday that unfolded against the backdrop of a security breach involving the mistaken leak of attack plans to a journalist.

LONDON (AP) — A magazine journalist's account of being added to a group chat of U.S. national security officials coordinating plans for airstrikes has raised questions about how highly sensitive information is supposed to be handled.

Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg detailed a discussion that happened over the Signal messaging app hours before strikes on Iran-backed Houthi-rebels in Yemen order by U.S. President Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence fell for the fourth straight month as Americans' anxiety about their financial futures declined to a 12-year low amid rising concern over tariffs and inflation.

The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9. Analysts were expecting a decline to a reading of 94.5, according to a survey by FactSet.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Frank Bisignano, a self-professed "DOGE person," faces questions about whether the Trump administration plans to privatize Social Security as he appears before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday for his hearing to serve as commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Monday invoked a "state secrets privilege" and refused to give a federal judge any additional information about the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law — a case that has become a flashpoint amid escalating tension with the federal courts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Huckabee, President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel, attempted to distance himself Tuesday from his past controversial statements about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people, pledging on Capitol Hill to "carry out the president's priorities, not mine."

NASHVILLE (AP) — Music City Baseball is teaming with a property company in hopes of buying land that could one day serve as the home of a Major League Baseball team.

The deal between Music City Baseball and Lincoln Property Company announced Tuesday is designed to secure land for a mixed-use development that could include an MLB-ready stadium.

NASHVILLE (AP) — June Carter, Kenny Chesney and Tony Brown have been invited to join the Country Music Hall of Fame.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Angry over the crush of court rulings against the Trump administration, Republicans in Congress are trying to slap back at the federal judiciary with proposals to limit the reach of its rulings, cut funding and even impeach judges, tightening the GOP's grip on government.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration can stop approving new refugees for entry into the U.S. but has to allow in people who were conditionally accepted before the president suspended the nation's refugee admissions system, an appeals court ruled Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency illegally canceled grants worth more than $1.5 billion focused on improving the environment in minority communities hit hard by pollution, Senate Democrats say.

Hundreds of grants were awarded by former President Joe Biden's administration under a 2022 law that directed the EPA to spend $3 billion on grants to help low-income and minority communities improve their air, water and protect against climate change. Those environmental justice efforts were a major priority under Biden.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Governors in several Republican-led states are pressing the Trump administration to cut strings attached to their federal education money, a goal conservatives have long dreamed of that now appears within reach as President Donald Trump moves to dismantle the Education Department.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday downplayed the texting of sensitive plans for a military strike against Yemen's Houthis this month to a group chat that included a journalist, saying it was "the only glitch in two months" of his administration as Democratic lawmakers heaped criticism on the administration for handling highly sensitive information carelessly.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence continued its sharp 2025 decline as Americans' views about their financial futures slumped to a 12-year low, driven by rising anxiety over tariffs and inflation.

The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9, the fourth straight monthly decline and its lowest reading since January of 2021. The reading was short of analysts expectations for a reading of 94.5, according to a survey by FactSet.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has nominated a Republican attorney who was once accused of mishandling taxpayer funds and has a history of launching investigations against abortion clinics to lead the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General.

Lamont Butler doesn't want to settle for just one shining moment on a Final Four stage.

The guy who made the buzzer beater to send San Diego State to the 2023 NCAA Tournament championship game is confident he can get back there as a fifth-year senior with Kentucky.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Luke Evangelista scored twice, Juuse Saros stopped 34 shots in his 200th career win, and the Nashville Predators beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Michael Bunting also scored for the Predators, who won for just the second time in seven games.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called ghost guns, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements to buy them in kits online.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday in a major legal fight over the $8 billion a year the federal government spends to subsidize phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas, in a new test of federal regulatory power.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women flying those attacks against Yemen's Houthis this month on behalf of the United States were airborne.

ATSUGI, Japan (AP) — The chief-executive-to-be at money-losing Japanese automaker Nissan is determined to speed up decision-making to come up with models that say Nissan — and really sell.

Ivan Espinosa, 46, chief planning officer and a Mexican with two decades of experience at Nissan Motor Corp., told reporters in embargoed comments for Wednesday that the company's corporate culture is "lacking empathy" and has to change.

DENVER (AP) — As Americans struggle under backbreaking rental prices, builders are turning to innovative ways to churn out more housing, from 3D printing to assembling homes in an indoor factory to using hemp — yes, the marijuana cousin — to make building blocks for walls.

NEW YORK (AP) — The deadline to file your taxes is less than a month away, and if you're doing them for the first time, you might be feeling added pressure.

"It's an incredibly daunting and stressful experience for many of them," said Miklos Ringbauer, a certified public accountant based California.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Installation of renewable energy worldwide hit a record high last year, with 92.5% of all new electricity brought online coming from the sun, wind or other clean sources, an international agency reports.

Nearly 64% of the new renewable electricity capacity in 2024 was in China, according to Wednesday's report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Overall, the world added 585 billion watts of new renewable electrical energy, a 15.1% jump from 2023, with 46% of the world's electricity coming from solar, wind and other green non-nuclear energy sources.

LONDON (AP) — The British economy will only grow by 1% this year, half the rate previously anticipated, Treasury chief Rachel Reeves conceded Wednesday in a statement to lawmakers about the state of the public finances that also saw her flesh out plans to boost defense spending.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — GameStop's seesawing stock price surged 7% late Tuesday after the video game retailer disclosed plans to invest some of its cash in cryptocurrency.

Without providing any details, GameStop said its board of directors had approved a revision in its investment policy to enable the Grapevine, Texas, company to convert some of its U.S. dollars into Bitcoin, which has become a hot commodity since last November's election of President Donald Trump. His election led to the departure of regulators who had cracked down on alleged fraud in the cryptocurrency market. As of early February, GameStop held nearly $4.8 billion in cash.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is on track to hit its statutory debt ceiling — the so-called X-date when the country runs short of money to pay its bills— as early as August without a deal between lawmakers and the White House, according to a Congressional Budget Office report Wednesday.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.

BANGKOK (AP) — China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The attempts by President Donald Trump and top leaders of his administration to downplay a security breach that revealed military strike plans in a Signal group chat including a journalist stand in stark contrast to their reaction to Hillary Clinton's use of a home server as secretary of state.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Weaning Caribbean countries from their dependence on Venezuelan oil and combating illegal immigration will top Secretary of State Marco Rubio's tour of three Caribbean nations this week, a visit that comes as the Trump administration increasingly focuses its attention on the Western Hemisphere.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday will visit the high-security El Salvador prison where Venezuelans who the Trump administration alleges are members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang have been held since their removal from the U.S.

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war is hurting Americans, noting that American consumer confidence is at a multi-year low.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk and political groups he backs are pouring millions of dollars into the race for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court as the electric vehicle company sues to overturn a state law that prevents it from opening dealerships — a case that eventually could make its way to the high court.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York utility provider Con Edison has agreed to pay $750,000 and implement a host of anti-harassment reforms to settle a lawsuit claiming it routinely ignored discrimination complaints brought by female field workers.

The settlement, announced Tuesday, comes after a multiyear investigation by the New York Attorney Letitia James found a "broad culture of harassment and discrimination, particularly directed toward women employees in the traditionally male-dominated field workforce."

NEW YORK (AP) — A Florida woman deployed a "brazen fraud" to sell her student aid startup to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for $175 million after dramatically exaggerating its customer base, a prosecutor told jurors Wednesday in a criminal trial's closing argument.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training.

A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked the cuts, finding they were already affecting training programs aimed at addressing a nationwide teacher shortage. An appeals court turned away a plea from the administration to allow them to resume.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Biden administration regulation on the nearly impossible-to-trace weapons called ghost guns, clearing the way for continued serial numbers, background checks and age verification requirements for buying the kits online.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to preserve the $8 billion a year the government spends to subsidize phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas.

The justices heard nearly three hours of arguments in a new test of federal regulatory power, reviewing an appellate ruling that struck down as unconstitutional the Universal Service Fund, the tax that has been added to phone bills for nearly 30 years.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Wednesday it was a "mistake" for national security officials to discuss sensitive military plans on a group text chain that also included a journalist — a leak that has roiled President Donald Trump's national security leadership.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday will announce tariffs on auto imports, a move that the White House claims would foster domestic manufacturing but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains.

NEW YORK (AP) — Copper prices have hit record highs as an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and its key trading partners threatens to squeeze supplies of the vital metal.

Buyers in the U.S. have been stocking up on copper ahead of potential tariffs. Future prices for the base metal hit $5.21 per pound on Tuesday. Prices are up about 30% so far this year, following modest gains over the last several years.

Dollar Tree's decade-long effort to fold the Family Dollar chain into its business is ending after agreeing to sell the bargain store chain to a pair of private equity firms for $1 billion.

Dollar Tree Inc. bought Family Dollar with its over 7,000 stores ten years ago for more than $8 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is invoking a powerful tool in seeking to cut off a judge's inquiry into whether it defied his order to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants who were being deported from the United States.

The Justice Department said in court papers Monday that it was invoking the "state secrets privilege" in refusing to provide details demanded by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg about flights that carried the migrants to El Salvador earlier this month.