News - Friday, July 18, 2025

In 2012, Brian and Jamey Elrod were sitting in a Chattanooga restaurant, waiting – and waiting – for their server, but no one was checking on their table. Frustrated, they joked, “Too bad we can’t just text the restaurant.”

Tiffany Grandstaff still remembers the moment it all clicked.

“I saw the video of the turtle with the straw stuck in its nose, and I thought, ‘That could have been my straw,’” Grandstaff says. “That was the moment I realized we needed to take how we’re treating the planet more seriously.”

On a hot July afternoon in Harrison, the sharp scent of smoke drifted down Harvest Run Drive as fire tore through part of a home. The homeowner was away, but a dog was trapped inside.

For the firefighters of the Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department, who cover 112 square miles of Hamilton County stretching from Harrison to Birchwood and beyond, every second mattered. They knew they’d be fighting more than fire – they’d be racing smoke, heat and time to save a life.

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center has launched its 2025 Summer Campaign, “Laying the Groundwork for the Future,” with a goal of raising $100,000 by Aug. 31. A group of supporters has pledged to match every dollar, unlocking a total of $200,000 for critical infrastructure improvements.

On July 1, attorney Sam Elliott of Gearhiser, Peters, Elliott & Cannon assumed the role of chairman of the Tennessee Bar Foundation board of trustees. Elliott, who’s served on the board since 2019, will hold the chairman position for a one-year term.

The Chattanooga Market will shine a spotlight on local artists and makers 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the First Horizon Pavilion. Vendors are encouraged to demonstrate their craft, from throwing clay and painting to weaving yarn. The event offers visitors a chance to watch the creative process at work.

Ruby Falls has broken ground on a 14,500-square-foot corporate headquarters atop Lookout Mountain. Designed by HK Architects, the project brings sustainable design to the landmark attraction, known for its 96-year legacy of connecting visitors to nature.

Related to last week’s risk-reduction tips for cybercrimes and wire fraud, this week, we explore deed fraud, including the impersonation of a property owner to sell or take possession of a property via fraudulent deeds. The National Association of Realtors provides the following overview of how dead fraud can occur and best practices to protect yourself – whether you’re an agent or a consumer looking to buy or sell.

There’s a quote about the importance of setting goals that says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will take you there.” 

You probably have dreams about retirement, vacations, hobbies and more. But if you don’t have a strategy with financial goals in place, you may not make the choices that can best set you on the path to achieve those dreams. 

And just like that, you saw the solution. You fixed an issue at work and solved the day. Yay you! You deserve every pat on the back, every hurrah, all the accolades you get. Everyone says you’re brilliant, and you’re starting to think, yeah, they’re kinda right. 

Have you been on LinkedIn lately? If so, you’ve probably seen posts from frustrated job seekers. They are mad. They are demoralized. Some are giving up. Looking for a job is hard, even under the best circumstances. 

The majority of workers have never looked for a new job from scratch. In most cases, the job seeker receives a call from a friend, a colleague or a recruiter. They ask the job seeker to apply for a job. The job seeker interviews for the role and might then be selected. The entire process is relatively quick and painless. 

Jamyan Theodore has fully embraced being considered an in-state recruit even though he was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. He arrived in Chattanooga last year to begin playing football for The Baylor School. In that short time span, Theodore fell in love with the idea of becoming a Vol.

Summer days beckon, and with them the prospect of campfires, fishing holes and scenic hikes. When it’s time to commune with nature, you need a car that can get you there and offer convenience and utility once you’ve arrived.

Whether you’re looking to get far off the beaten path or simply enjoy the outdoors with some comforts of home, we’ve rounded up five of the best vehicles for the occasion.

ATLANTA (AP) — Sam Pittman says a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that went into effect this month levels the college football playing field in a good way for his Arkansas team.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A settlement was announced Thursday in court in a class action investors' lawsuit against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and current and former company leaders over claims stemming from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm.

NEW YORK (AP) — In a matter of months, it has become a regular sight around the country — immigration enforcement agents detaining people and taking them into custody, often as public anger and outcry unfold around them. But in the process, something has disappeared: the agents' faces, covered by caps, sunglasses, pulled-up neck gaiters or balaclavas, effectively rendering them unidentifiable.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana is officially halting a $3 billion coastal restoration funded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement money, state and federal agencies confirmed Thursday.

The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project had been intended to rebuild upward of 20 square miles (32 kilometers) of land in southeast Louisiana to combat sea level rise and erosion on the Gulf Coast.

WASHINGTON (AP) — All solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum under a new order that authorizes him to conduct "elevated review" of activities ranging from leases to rights-of-way, construction and operational plans, grants and biological opinions.

The debate over whether Coca-Cola should use high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar in its signature soda obscures an important fact: Consumers are increasingly looking for Coke with no sugar at all.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which was introduced in 2017, uses both the artificial sweetener aspartame and the natural sweetener stevia in its recipe. It's one of Coke's fastest-growing products, with global case volumes up 14% in the first quarter of the year. By comparison, the company's total case volumes were up 2%.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration left many local officials in the dark about the immigration detention center that rose from an isolated airstrip in the Everglades, emails obtained by The Associated Press show, while relying on an executive order to seize the land, hire contractors and bypass laws and regulations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will not recommend a special counsel in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, a White House spokeswoman said Thursday, turning aside calls for further action in an inquiry that has roiled the Justice Department and angered supporters who had been expecting a treasure trove of documents from the case.

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday read a doctor's letter about President Donald Trump that she said was intended to dispel health concerns about the swelling in his ankles and a makeup-covered hand.

Leavitt said Trump noticed "mild swelling" in his lower legs and was evaluated by the White House medical unit.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed three bills intended to boost the legitimacy of the cryptocurrency industry with new regulations as President Donald Trump has pushed to make the U.S. the " crypto capital of the world."

One of the bills, which would regulate a type of cryptocurrency called stablecoins, had already passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support and will now head to Trump's desk. The other two bills — broader legislation to create a new market structure for cryptocurrency and a bill to prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency — will go to the Senate.

ATLANTA (AP) — There was not a Big Ten player, coach or fan in sight this week as the College Football Hall of Fame hosted SEC Media Days. Still, the SEC's No. 1 rival found its way into conversations all week long.

It's no secret the rivalry has intensified in recent years. Over the last decade, the SEC has won six of the 10 national championships. Two were won by Clemson in that stretch but the last two were won by Big Ten rivals, Michigan last year and Ohio State in January.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix on Thursday announced another quarter of steady growth as the video streaming service's more than 300 million subscribers have become increasingly attractive to advertisers.

It's a familiar script that Netflix has followed for the past three years to widen its lead in video streaming while delivering financial results that have usually easily exceeded the analyst projections that steer investors.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Lauren Adams, general manager for KUCB public radio in Unalaska, Alaska, didn't have much time to reflect on Congress, 4,000 miles away, stripping federal funding for public media this week. She's been too busy working.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union and Britain on Friday ramped up pressure on Russia over its war on Ukraine, targeting Moscow's energy sector, shadow fleet of aging oil tankers and military intelligence service with new sanctions.

"The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after the bloc agreed its new measures, including a new oil price cap.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Asian countries are offering to buy more U.S. liquefied natural gas in negotiations with the Trump administration as a way to alleviate tensions over U.S. trade deficits and forestall higher tariffs. Analysts warn that strategy could undermine those countries' long-term climate ambitions and energy security.

OpenAI should continue to be controlled by a nonprofit because the artificial intelligence technology it is developing is "too consequential" to be governed by a corporation alone.

That is the message from an advisory board convened by OpenAI to give it recommendations about its nonprofit structure — delivered in a report released Thursday, along with a sweeping vision for democratizing AI and reforming philanthropy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Federal Reserve official said late Thursday that the central bank should cut its key interest rate later this month, carving out a different view than that of Chair Jerome Powell, who has been harshly criticized by the White House for delaying rate cuts.

BANGKOK (AP) — China's state security agency says it is cracking down on alleged smuggling of rare earths minerals that it says threaten national security, just weeks after Beijing and Washington agreed to make it easier for American firms to obtain from China those materials, which are critical for manufacturing and computer chip production.

HOUSTON (AP) — Chevron has scored a critical ruling in Paris that has given it the go-ahead for a $53 billion acquisition of Hess and access to one of the biggest oil finds of the decade.

Chevron said Friday that it completed its acquisition of Hess shortly after the ruling from the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris. Exxon had challenged Chevron's bid for Hess, one of three companies with access to the massive Stabroek Block oil field off the coast of Guyana.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is granting two years of regulatory relief to coal-fired power plants, chemical manufacturers and other polluting industries as he seeks to reverse Biden-era regulations he considers overly burdensome.

Trump issued a series of proclamations late Thursday exempting a range of industries that he calls vital to national security.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are in merger talks to create the largest railroad in North America that would connect the East and West Coasts.

The merger discussions began during the first quarter of this year, according to a person familiar with the talks who isn't authorized to discuss them publicly. It would combine the largest and smallest of the country's six major freight railroads.

WASHINGTON (AP) — If one theme has emerged in President Donald Trump's second term, it's this: He's leveraged the power of his office for personal gain unlike anyone before in history.

From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an upcoming line of cellphones, Trump family businesses have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars since his election, an unprecedented flood of often shadowy money from billionaires, foreign governments and cryptocurrency tycoons with interests before the federal government.

WASHINGTON (AP) — From crypto coins to bibles, overseas development deals to an upcoming line of cellphones, President Donald Trump's family businesses have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars since his election.

That flood of money — from billionaires, foreign governments and cryptocurrency tycoons, often with interests before the federal government — has permitted the president to leverage the power of his office for personal gain unlike any of his predecessors.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican elected officials are promoting their recently passed tax and spending bill as a win for working Americans, but a new survey shows that Americans broadly see it as a win for the wealthy.

About two-thirds of U.S. adults expect the new tax law will help the rich, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Most — about 6 in 10 — think it will do more to hurt than help low-income people. About half say it will do more harm than good for middle-class people and people like them.

WASHINGTON (AP) —

Former Missouri congressman Billy Long will be ceremonially sworn in as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service on Friday, taking over a beleaguered agency that he once sought to abolish and that has since been beset with steep staffing cuts and leadership turnover.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans were grasping late Thursday to formulate a response to the Trump administration's handling of records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case, ultimately putting forward a resolution that carries no legal weight but nodded to the growing demand for greater transparency.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The controversy over President Donald Trump 's handling of records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation entered a new dimension Thursday as his administration struggles to make good on its promises to release details on the sex trafficking case involving a one-time friend of the now-president.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans were grasping late Thursday to formulate a response to the Trump administration's handling of records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case, ultimately putting forward a resolution that carries no legal weight but nodded to the growing demand for greater transparency.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House gave final approval to President Donald Trump's request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid early Friday as Republicans intensified their efforts to target institutions and programs they view as bloated or out of step with their agenda.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led Congress has passed President Donald Trump's request to claw back about $9 billion in public broadcasting and foreign aid spending.

Trump's Republican administration is employing a rarely used tool that allows the president to transmit a request to cancel previously approved funding authority. Democrats tried to kill the measure but needed more Republicans uncomfortable with the president's effort to join them.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration insists it hasn't wavered in its duty to protect the civil rights of America's children even as it dismantles the Education Department. Yet its own data shows the agency has resolved far fewer civil rights cases than in past years despite families filing more complaints.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is pulling back from commenting on or criticizing elections overseas unless there is a clear and compelling U.S. foreign policy interest in doing so.

In new guidance issued Thursday to all U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, the department said that those outposts should refrain from issuing statements that invoke any particular ideology and that what they may say must be in line with President Donald Trump's stated position that the U.S. will respect the sovereignty of all foreign nations.

BOSTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship for the children of people who are in the U.S. illegally will remain blocked as an order from one judge went into effect Friday and another seemed inclined to follow suit.

U.S. District Judge Joseph LaPlante in New Hampshire had paused his own decision to allow for the Trump administration to appeal, but with no appeal filed in the last week his order went into effect.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man pleaded guilty Friday in a federal case that accused him of stockpiling the largest number of finished explosives in FBI history and of using then-President Joe Biden's photo for target practice.

Brad Spafford pleaded guilty in federal court in Norfolk to possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle and possession of an unregistered destructive device, according to court documents. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for December.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department will release some previously withheld grant money for after-school programs, days after 10 Republican senators sent a letter imploring the Office of Management and Budget to allow the funds to be sent to states.

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — When U.S. President Donald Trump met five African leaders in Washington in July, his lack of familiarity with the continent was on display. He praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai's English — Liberia's official language — and gestured at another leader to wrap up remarks. But the bigger takeaway was Trump's pledge to transform U.S.-Africa relations: a shift from aid to trade, even as the region reels from steep tariffs and sweeping aid cuts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under intense pressure from President Donald Trump's own supporters, his administration now says it will push a court to unseal secret documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's case in an effort to put to rest for good a political crisis largely of its own making.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday will sign into law a new set of regulations for a type of cryptocurrency that are seen as a way to legitimize the burgeoning industry.

The GENIUS Act sets initial guardrails and consumer protections for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that is tied to a stable asset like the U.S. dollar to reduce price volatility. It passed both the House and Senate with wide bipartisan margins.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has looked to the marble finishes and hefty price tag of the Federal Reserve headquarters to claim grounds to fire Chair Jerome Powell, with whom he has tussled for years over interest rates. But the extensive use of marble in the building is, at least in part, the result of policies backed by Trump himself.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee quarterback Will Levis will have season-ending shoulder surgery, keeping him from competing for playing time in his third season with the Titans.

The Titans announced Monday that Levis made his decision after consulting with doctors and his representatives. The Titans report Tuesday for training camp.

Ole Miss freshman football player Corey Adams was killed in a shooting in Tennessee, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday.

Law enforcement officials found Adams with a gunshot wound inside a vehicle at an intersection in Cordova on the outskirts of Memphis late Saturday, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University will appear in federal court Monday to make the case that the Trump administration illegally cut $2.6 billion from the storied college — a pivotal moment in its battle against the federal government.

If U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs decides in the university's favor, the ruling would reverse a series of funding freezes that later became outright cuts as the Trump administration escalated its fight with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. Such a ruling, if it stands, would revive Harvard's sprawling scientific and medical research operation and hundreds of projects that lost federal money.

NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft has issued an emergency fix to close off a vulnerability in Microsoft's widely-used SharePoint software that hackers have exploited to carry out widespread attacks on businesses and at least some U.S. government agencies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — NFLPA chief strategy officer JC Tretter is resigning from his position, three days after Lloyd Howell stepped down as executive director of the players' union.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 5.2 million aboveground swimming pools sold across the U.S. and Canada over the last two decades are being recalled after nine drowning deaths were reported.

The recall covers a range of Bestway, Intex Recreation and Polygroup pools that were sold by major retailers as far back as 2002. According to Monday notices published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, these pools have compression straps running along the outside of the product — which "may create a foothold" for small children and allow them to access the water unattended.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Monday named a longtime pharmaceutical executive to run the agency's drug program, the latest in a string of leadership changes at the agency.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced that Dr. George Tidmarsh, a cancer and pediatric specialist, will direct the agency's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, which regulates the safety and effectiveness of all U.S. drugs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are encountering early headaches in Senate races viewed as pivotal to maintaining the party's majority in next year's midterm elections, with recruitment failures, open primaries, infighting and a president who has been sitting on the sidelines.

WASHINGTON (AP) — "Mr. President, this is the gavel used to enact the 'big, beautiful bill,'" House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a White House signing ceremony on the Fourth of July.

ATLANTA (AP) — It's been six months since Joe Biden left the Oval Office. Republicans, including President Donald Trump, can't stop talking about him.

The House has launched investigations asserting that Biden's closest advisers covered up a physical and mental decline during the 82-year-old Democrat's presidency. The Senate has started a series of hearings focused on his mental fitness. And Trump's White House has opened its own investigation into the Biden administration's use of the presidential autopen, which Trump has called "one of the biggest scandals in the history of our country."

BEIRUT (AP) — A U.S. envoy doubled down on Washington's support for the new government in Syria, saying Monday there is "no Plan B" to working with the current authorities to unite the country still reeling from a nearly 14-year civil war and now wracked by a new outbreak of sectarian violence.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moving at the "speed of Trump" is one of the White House's favorite phrases, meant to convey the administration's attempts to bring big changes to government at breakneck speed. But when it comes to presidential travel, Donald Trump's pace in the opening months of his second term is comparable to Joe Biden's.

CLEVELAND (AP) — President Donald Trump is threatening to hold up a new stadium deal for Washington's NFL team if it does not restore its old name of the Redskins, which was considered offensive to Native Americans.

Trump also said Sunday that he wants Cleveland's baseball team to revert to its former name, the Indians, saying there was a "big clamoring for this" as well.

BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University appeared in federal court Monday in a pivotal case in its battle with the Trump administration, as the storied institution argued the government illegally cut $2.6 billion in federal funding.

President Donald Trump's administration has battered the nation's oldest and wealthiest university with sanctions for months as it presses a series of demands on the Ivy League school, which it decries as a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of 21 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Trump administration's restrictions on social services for immigrants in the country illegally, including the federal preschool program Head Start, health clinics and adult education.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Anyone firing up the grill this summer already knows hamburger patties and steaks are expensive, but the latest numbers show prices have climbed to record highs.

And experts say consumers shouldn't expect much relief soon either.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Weeknd and Shakira — two of the world's biggest touring artists — will headline this fall's Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park, supporting campaigns to improve energy access across Africa and defend the Amazon against deforestation.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan was among those questioned under oath this month after release of a new documentary about the sexual abuse of Ohio State University athletes decades ago by a team doctor, according to a court filing.

MEMPHIS (AP) — A Tennessee judge on Tuesday set a February trial date for a man who faces the death penalty if convicted on charges of killing three people and wounding three others in a daylong series of shootings in Memphis that was livestreamed on social media.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Justice wants to interview Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of helping the financier sexually abuse underage girls and is now serving a lengthy prison sentence, a senior official said Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shares of drugmaker Sarepta Therapeutics continued to sink Tuesday after the company said it would comply with a Food and Drug Administration request to pause shipments of its gene therapy following several patient deaths.

The decision, announced late Monday, comes just days after the company rebuffed FDA regulators in an extremely unusual decision that alarmed investors and analysts.

Dawn Price signs rent checks worth about $160,000 every month for 79 people that her nonprofit helps house in Laguna Beach, California.

Usually, she logs into an online portal to withdraw enough from an account funded by a grant from the federal housing agency. But in February, she couldn't. Access had been temporarily cut off for many housing organizations as part of the Trump administration's cuts and funding freezes.

TUNBRIDGE, Vt. (AP) — An electrical engineer by trade, Patrick Schlott has spent countless hours tinkering with new and old technology. But it wasn't until he found himself living in rural Vermont that he realized his penchant for repairing old pay phones could provide a public service.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Air India said Tuesday that it had completed precautionary inspections on the locking mechanism of fuel control switches for select Boeing aircrafts, with "no issues" found.

The announcement came days after a preliminary investigation into last month's Air India plane crash stated that the switches shifted and flipped within seconds, starving both engines of fuel.

ROME (AP) — Italy's highest court has ruled that a lawsuit brought by climate activists against Italian energy company ENI and its government shareholders can go ahead, in what Greenpeace said on Tuesday was a victory for efforts to pursue climate justice in Italy.

Stephen Colbert returned for his first full program after last week's announcement that CBS was canceling his "Late Show" with some supportive late-night guests, a joke about cancel culture and an extremely pointed remark directed at President Donald Trump.

President Donald Trump on Monday followed up his lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over last week's Jeffrey Epstein story by banishing one of the newspaper's reporters from Air Force One for an upcoming Scotland trip.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's tax and spending law will add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits through 2034, the Congressional Budget Office reported Monday, a slight increase in the projection that takes into account the final tweaks that Republicans made before getting the legislation over the finish line.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to rewrite or repeal more than 60 "obsolete" workplace regulations, ranging from minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities to standards governing exposure to harmful substances.

MEMPHIS (AP) — Federal records related to the investigation into the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. have been released, following the disclosure in March of tens of thousands of documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was "caught off guard" by the recent Israeli strikes in Syria and on a Catholic church in Gaza, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday.

Her comments were a rare suggestion of daylight between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who have often been aligned on politics and foreign policy, particularly with the recent attacks on Iran's nuclear program.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to host Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday at the White House, as the two countries are seeking closer security and economic ties in the face of shifting geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Alina Habba, who served as President Donald Trump's defense lawyer and a White House counselor and became one of the most high-profile U.S. attorneys, saw her 120-day interim term as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor end Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — There are thousands of illegal marijuana farms around the country.

But when the federal government decided to stage one of its largest raids since President Donald Trump took office in January, it picked the biggest legal grower in California.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times since 2018, said this week that he intends to take the newspaper public in the coming year.

During an interview on Monday's "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Soon-Shiong said the move would allow the Times "to be democratized and allow the public to have ownership of this paper."

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump rehashed longstanding grievances over the Russia investigation that shadowed much of his first term, lashing out Tuesday following a new report from his intelligence director aimed at casting doubt on long-established findings about Moscow's interference in the 2016 election.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is rebuffing pressure to act on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, instead sending members home early for a month-long break from Washington after the week's legislative agenda was upended by Republican members who are clamoring for a vote.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he reached a trade agreement with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following a meeting at the White House that will see the U.S. slightly drop its tariff rate for the Philippines without paying import taxes for what it sells there.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans aren't putting a measuring stick on what counts as success for 2025.

Chad Brinker, the Titans' president of football operations, said Tuesday he just wants to see improvement after going 3-14 in 2024 and drafting at No. 1 overall in April.

WASHINGTON (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned the financial industry of a "significant impending fraud crisis" because of the ability of artificial intelligence tools to impersonate a person's voice to bypass security checks and move money.

Altman spoke at a Federal Reserve conference Tuesday in Washington.

History, it has been said, is written by the winners. President Donald Trump is working that lever of power — again.

This time, he's insisting that Washington's NFL team change its name from the Commanders back to the Redskins, a name that was considered offensive to Native Americans. Predictably, to Trump's stated delight, an internet uproar ensued.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Big Ten commissioner doubled down on the league's preference for multiple automatic qualifiers in the next version of the College Football Playoff on Tuesday, increasing the likelihood of a showdown with the Southeastern Conference when the format for 2026 is decided.

The U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday denied an appeal by The Associated Press for a hearing on its efforts to restore full access to cover presidential events, not ending its case but allowing the White House to continue its control over access to President Donald Trump.

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee judge ruled on Tuesday that the state can deactivate a death-row inmate's implanted heart-regulating device at a hospital on the morning of his execution, rather than bringing a doctor or technician into the execution chamber.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate narrowly voted on Tuesday to begin considering the nomination of former Trump lawyer Emil Bove for a lifetime appointment as a federal appeals court judge, with at least one Republican opposed and Democrats vowing to try to slow his confirmation.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slid in June to the slowest pace since last September as mortgage rates remained elevated and national median sales prices hit unprecedented levels.

Existing home sales fell 2.7% last month from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.93 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is developing new safeguards for the organ transplant system after a government investigation found a Kentucky group continued preparations for organ donation by some patients who showed signs of life, officials told Congress Tuesday.

Ken Beckley never went to Harvard, but he has been wearing a crimson Harvard cap in a show of solidarity. As he sees it, the Trump administration's attacks on the school echo a case of government overreach at his own alma mater, Indiana University.

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University announced disciplinary action Tuesday against students who participated in a pro-Palestinian demonstration inside the Ivy League school's main library before final exams in May and an encampment during alumni weekend last year.

No question is too small when Kayla Chege, a high school student in Kansas, is using artificial intelligence.

The 15-year-old asks ChatGPT for guidance on back-to-school shopping, makeup colors, low-calorie choices at Smoothie King, plus ideas for her Sweet 16 and her younger sister's birthday party.

NEW YORK (AP) — Amid a federal overhaul of student loan plans, many borrowers have been left wondering what it means for their hopes of loan forgiveness. In particular, those who are enrolled in a repayment plan known as income-based repayment, or IBR, have wondered if forgiveness will still be available to them.

NEW YORK (AP) — As the stock market pushes into record territory and some companies trade at lofty levels, investors are once again looking for bargains among some of Wall Street's beaten down companies.

The latest so-called meme stocks include doughnut maker Krispy Kreme, camera maker GoPro and plant-based meat maker Beyond Meat. Each company is surging Wednesday, even though overall they have been mostly struggling to notch profits.

LONDON (AP) — Britain's antitrust watchdog has proposed labeling Google's and Apple's mobile ecosystems with "strategic market status," which would mandate changes at the Big Tech companies to improve competition.

The Competition and Markets Authority's announcement Wednesday follows separate investigations it opened at the start of the year into Google's Android and Apple's iOS, using newly acquired digital market regulations designed to protect consumers and businesses from unfair practices by Big Tech companies.

BANGKOK (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump has announced trade deals with Japan and a handful of other Asian countries that will relieve some pressure on companies and consumers from sharply higher tariffs on their exports to the United States.

A deal with China is under negotiation, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying an Aug. 12 deadline might be postponed again to allow more time for talks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced a trade framework with Japan on Tuesday, placing a 15% tax on goods imported from that nation.

"This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it," Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the United States "will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan."

A small but fast-growing group of people in the United States have soured somewhat on President Donald Trump this year, as they worry about high costs and fear new tariff policies will further raise their personal expenses, a new poll finds.

The percentage of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders with an unfavorable opinion of Trump rose to 71% in July, from 60% in December, according to a national survey by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans will give rookie quarterback Cam Ward most of the work running the first-team offense in training camp, even as they hold off announcing the No. 1 overall draft pick as their starter.

That gives Ward and the Titans more time to speed up his development. This comes after coach Brian Callahan worked to make this a competition during the offseason and a move made easier by Will Levis choosing season-ending shoulder surgery.

NEW YORK (AP) — The fallout from Elon Musk's plunge into politics a year ago is still hammering his Tesla business as both sales and profits dropped sharply again in the latest quarter.

The car company that has faced boycotts for months said Wednesday that revenue dropped 12% and profits slumped 16% in the three months through June as buyers continued to stay away.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. automakers are concerned about President Donald Trump's agreement to tariff Japanese vehicles at 15%, saying they will face steeper import taxes on steel, aluminum and parts than their competitors.

"We need to review all the details of the agreement, but this is a deal that will charge lower tariffs on Japanese autos with no U.S. content," said Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents the Big 3 American automakers, General Motors, Ford and Jeep-maker Stellantis.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slid in June to the slowest pace since last September as mortgage rates remained elevated and the national median sales price rose to an all-time high of $435,300.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slid in June to the slowest pace since last September as mortgage rates remained elevated and national median sales prices hit unprecedented levels.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Trump administration on Wednesday canceled a $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee for a new high-voltage transmission line for delivering solar and wind-generated electricity from the Midwest to the eastern U.S.

The U.S. Department of Energy declared that it is "not critical for the federal government to have a role" in the first phase of Chicago-based Invenergy's planned Grain Belt Express. The department also questioned whether the $11 billion project could meet the financial conditions required for a loan guarantee.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats launched a bid Wednesday to subpoena President Donald Trump's Justice Department for files in the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, goading GOP lawmakers to defy Trump and Republican leadership to support the action.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A top Iranian official warned Wednesday that European threats to reimpose sanctions could lead Iran to withdraw from an international pact that limits the spread of nuclear weapons, one of the last remaining safeguards against the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.