News - Friday, August 2, 2024

After three decades of the internet being an integral part of everyday life, the realities of the digital divide still affect many Tennesseans.

Getting connected is easy, if you reside in a metro area. If you’re living in a smaller, rural community, not so much. A lack of easily accessible internet in the state’s less populated areas has long hampered everything from economic development to education.

Fiber-optic broadband is cable, but it’s not cable TV. Or maybe it is? How the internet is provided can be as confusing as the rabbit holes found on the internet itself, so here’s a basic primer of the technology, and some of the funding mechanisms being used across Tennessee to speed its deployment.

As Nashville learned in a lawsuit it lost, utility pole owners are touchy about lending out that real estate – especially to competitors.

There are many reasons providers want to take to the air. It’s cheaper, faster and requires much less permitting, says Ethan Elyasian, vice president of operations – LDA Fiber, a part of LDA Engineering.

Imagine that when you were in high school you had the chance to attend a two-week summer camp focused on an important and historic United States Supreme Court case that originated in your hometown.

Imagine that someone from the Supreme Court Historical Society traveled from Washington to conduct the camp.

Sam Elliott, a member of Gearhiser Peters Elliott & Cannon, recently has been confirmed as chair-elect of the Tennessee Bar Foundation’s board of trustees at the Foundation’s annual meeting in Memphis in June.

He will serve a one-year term, and succeed to the chairmanship in June 2025.

Ryan King, who has worked in real estate for more than 22 years, emphasizes the importance of experience. Through challenging transitions, King says his ability to keep up with change has propelled him as a broker.

King leads his team – The Ryan King Team – through Keller Williams Realty in Chattanooga. His team consists of himself, a showing specialist based in Chattanooga and three – “and a half,” he says – admins in the Philippines. King explains that the typical team model has a buyer’s agent instead of a showing specialist.

When embarking on the journey to purchase a home, having a knowledgeable and dedicated professional by your side can make all the difference.

This week, I am focusing on the buyer’s side of negotiating offers in a real estate transaction. Realtors play a pivotal role in ensuring buyers navigate the complexities of the real estate market smoothly and successfully.

The movement of the financial markets can seem mysterious, and yet, if we look back over long periods, we can see definite patterns that consistently repeat themselves. As an investor, how should you respond to these market cycles?

To begin with, it’s useful to know something about the nature of a market cycle and its connection to the business or economic cycle, which describes the fluctuations of the economy between periods of growth and contraction. Issues such as employment, consumer spending, interest rates and inflation can determine the stage of the business cycle.

A recent Deloitte report predicts 78% of retail investors will use generative AI applications as an investment advice source by 2027.

Don’t be surprised if conversations with your financial advisor soon feel relatively automated – you might be chatting with a bot.

A recent survey by the Bipartisan Policy Center found more than half of Americans lack confidence in their ability to retire when they want to and sustain a comfortable life. More concerning, those aged 45-54 feel the least prepared to retire.

Although three-quarters (76%) of Americans believe that saving for retirement is important, just 39% of respondents have a plan that will allow them to retire at their desired age.

The International Bluegrass Music Association will bring its multiday World of Bluegrass event to Chattanooga for three years starting in 2025.

The first five-day Chattanooga-based WOB event, scheduled for Sept. 16-20, 2025, will feature a convention, trade show, awards show, artist showcases across downtown and a two-day live music festival with top bluegrass artists worldwide.

I come to you today in defense of childless cat ladies across this (still) great land, a group that includes my wife. And of childless cat gentlemen, if that’s the word, a group that includes me.

All have been insulted by J.D. Vance, the one-time Trump critic (“my god what an idiot,” “unfit for our nation’s highest office”) turned ring-kisser (“an incredible fighter for hard-working Americans”). His political allegiances are clearly mutable.

Some say you march to a different drummer. You follow the music you hear in your soul, blazing your own path while the rest of the world can watch. You’re the best companion you know for yourself. You know who you are, and that’s all that matters.

Much of the focus on the Tennessee Titans overhaul this season has been about the changes Brian Callahan has been making to open up the offense.

But across the line of scrimmage, the defense also is getting quite the makeover.

Sure, the Titans will still line up in their 3-4 set in base defense, but it’s not necessarily where they line up that has changed so much as why they line up.

The latest signal of the style of aggressive approach the Titans are after came two weeks before camp when the team took a one-year gamble on two-time former All-Pro safety Jamal Adams.

The move reunites Adams and Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Williams, who was Adams’ position coach with the New York Jets when the former first-round pick first rose to stardom.

The Tennessee Titans’ emphasis of being more aggressive on defense began with the acquisitions of L’Jarius Sneed in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs and the signing of Chidobe Awuzie away from the Cincinnati Bengals.

Both are press man-to-man cornerbacks who like to be aggressive during the five-yard contact period with receivers.

Whether you’re a busy professional seeking comfortable transportation, a parent seeking reliability and low cost in a family vehicle or an outdoor enthusiast needing off-road capability, the used SUV market offers a spectrum of options for less than $35,000. The hard part is figuring out which SUV will be best for you.

CHICAGO (AP) — Donald Trump falsely suggested Kamala Harris had misled voters about her race as the former president appeared before the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago Wednesday in an interview that quickly turned hostile.

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers on Wednesday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, giving her union firepower for the likely contest this November against Republican Donald Trump.

UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement that the union's "job" in this year's election was to defeat Trump. The union has more than a million active and retired members with a strong base in what the Democrats call the "blue wall" states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. auto safety regulators say they stand by a conclusion that more than 50 million air bag inflators are dangerous and should not be in use, taking another step toward a massive recall.

The decision Wednesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration involves inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc. in Tennessee and another parts manufacturer. It comes despite opposition from automakers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday set the stage for the central bank's first rate cut in four years, citing greater progress toward lower inflation as well as a cooler job market that no longer threatens to overheat the economy.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms Inc. reported stronger-than-expected results for the second quarter on Wednesday, sending shares sharply higher in after-hours trading.

NEW YORK (AP) — Big technology stocks bounced back Wednesday and drove a rally for U.S. indexes, as Wall Street grew even more convinced long-sought cuts to interest rates will be arriving soon.

The S&P 500 jumped 1.6% for its best day since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 99 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite soared 2.6%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is prodding Congress to help him do more to combat the scourge of fentanyl before he leaves office.

The Democratic administration is making the new policy push as Republican former President Donald Trump steps up attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris, painting her as Biden's feckless lieutenant in the battle to slow the illegal drugs and immigrants without authorization coming into the United States from Mexico.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell this week to its lowest level since early February, easing borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers facing record-high home prices.

The rate fell to 6.73% from 6.78% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.9%.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons apologized Wednesday for yelling at a local radio talk show host after the Tennessee Titans wrapped up practice.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's primary election Thursday will decide whether state Rep. Gloria Johnson, who shot to national fame after surviving a Republican-led expulsion effort for her participation in a gun control protest, will become the Democratic nominee in a fall matchup for the seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who must first clear her own primary contest.

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court on Thursday denied Donald Trump's bid to end a gag order in his hush money criminal case, rejecting the Republican former president's argument that his May conviction "constitutes a change in circumstances" that warrants lifting the restrictions.

DALLAS (AP) — Lawyers for relatives of some of the people killed in Boeing Max jetliner crashes asked a federal judge on Wednesday to reject a plea agreement the aircraft maker struck with U.S. prosecutors, saying it is too lenient and lets Boeing avoid accountability for causing 346 deaths.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused as the mastermind of al-Qaida's Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, has agreed to plead guilty, the Defense Department said Wednesday. The development points to a long-delayed resolution in an attack that killed thousands and altered the course of the United States and much of the Middle East.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesday that former President Donald Trump's false assertions about her race were the "same old show" as she emphasized the need for Black women to organize for his defeat this November.

Addressing the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. — one of "Divine Nine" historically Black fraternities and sororities — in Houston, Harris told the crowd, "When I look out at everyone here, I see family."

WASHINGTON (AP) — Don't expect a balloon drop, at least not yet.

Delegates to the Democratic National Convention began officially selecting their nominee for president in a process that kicked off Thursday. But unlike in past years, they are not doing so in the raucous party atmosphere of the convention floor or even during the convention itself. Instead, they are filling out electronic ballots at their homes, offices or vacation spots more than two weeks before the first delegate steps foot inside Chicago's United Center.

As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to announce her running mate, a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that several of the top contenders for the role are largely unknown to Americans. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly stands out as one with more name recognition and higher favorability, particularly among Democrats.

CHICAGO (AP) — Donald Trump falsely suggested Kamala Harris had misled voters about her race as the former president appeared Wednesday before the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago in an interview that quickly turned hostile.

The Republican former president wrongly claimed that Harris, the first Black woman and Asian American to serve as vice president, had in the past only promoted her Indian heritage.

Primarily due to sharp questioning by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, former President Donald Trump's appearance before a gathering of Black journalists turned remarkably contentious on Wednesday.

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda say they plan to share components for electric vehicles like batteries and jointly research software for autonomous driving.

A third Japanese manufacturer, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., has joined the Nissan-Honda partnership, sharing the view that speed and size are crucial in responding to dramatic changes in the auto industry centered around electrification.

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota reported Thursday that its April-June profit rose 1.7%, boosted by a favorable exchange rate, as vehicle sales grew around the world despite a certification scandal that halted production in Japan for several months.

Fiscal first quarter profit at Japan's top automaker rose to 1.33 trillion yen ($8.9 billion), a record profit for that period, from 1.31 trillion yen the same period a year ago.

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. road safety investigators say they will look into an April crash near Seattle after authorities determined that a Tesla was operating on the company's "Full Self-Driving" system when it hit and killed a motorcyclist.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday that it is gathering information on the crash from law enforcement officers and Tesla.

NEW YORK (AP) — MrBeast, YouTube's biggest star and a philanthropic force with nearly unrivaled influence among young audiences, acknowledged Wednesday that he used "inappropriate language" in his early online days, as numerous controversies bubbled up around him and a former collaborator.

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England has cut interest rates for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 as inflationary pressures in the economy have eased.

In a statement Thursday, the bank said that by a 5-4 margin, its policymaking panel backed a quarter-point reduction in its main interest rate to 5%, from the 16-year high of 5.25%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday set the stage for the central bank's first rate cut in four years, citing greater progress toward lower inflation as well as a cooler job market that no longer threatens to overheat the economy.

NEW YORK (AP) — For more than a year, the U.S. stock market went in mostly one direction, up, and in mostly one manner, quietly. A bonanza around artificial-intelligence technology helped drive Big Tech stocks higher, while other areas of the market held up amid rising hopes for coming cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood's video game performers are heading to the Warner Bros. Studios lot Thursday to picket against what they call an unwillingness from top gaming companies to protect voice actors and motion capture workers equally against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free, the White House said.

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — One spent over 5½ years behind bars in Russia while other, higher-profile detainees were released ahead of him. Another was jailed for only a few months. They include journalists, veteran political activists and those simply opposed to the war in Ukraine. The youngest is 19, the oldest 71.

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — After years of isolation behind the bars and high walls of U.S. penitentiaries and Russian penal colonies, the prisoners will find themselves suddenly free, an emotional moment culminating from long, back-channel negotiations between Washington and Moscow.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will introduce legislation Thursday reaffirming that presidents do not have immunity for criminal actions, an attempt to reverse the Supreme Court's landmark decision last month.

Schumer's No Kings Act would attempt to invalidate the decision by declaring that presidents are not immune from criminal law and clarifying that Congress, not the Supreme Court, determines to whom federal criminal law is applied.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer is daring Republicans to vote against a bipartisan tax cut package aimed at expanding the child tax credit for millions of families and restoring some business tax breaks.

And Republicans appear prepared to do just that on Thursday, with many arguing they will have more leverage to enact the tax changes they want if their party wins control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in November's election. Large parts of the tax cut package passed under Republican control in 2017 are set to expire after 2025, pushing tax issues to the forefront.

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was President Joe Biden's first public appearance since he dropped out of the race, and the applause for him from the crowded auditorium in Austin, Texas, just kept going. He put his hand on his heart in thanks, looked down and, for the briefest of moments, took it all in.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump is used to defending himself. But this week, the Republican presidential nominee has been put in the rare position of having to defend someone else — his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

When Vance was first introduced at the Republican National Convention last month, many GOP officials said they didn't know much about him. Since then, the void has been filled with multiple reports of controversial statements — especially Vance's previous suggestion that Vice President Kamala Harris and other so-called "childless cat ladies" want to make the country miserable — that have made his rollout among the most turbulent in recent history.

NEW YORK (AP) — Two months after his felony conviction, Donald Trump still isn't allowed to say everything he wants about his historic hush money criminal case. After a New York appeals court upheld his gag order on Thursday, he won't be for a while.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free, the White House said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to expand the child tax credit and restore some tax breaks for businesses failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday as Republicans largely opposed the measure, arguing they would be in position to get a better deal next year.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Titans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins could miss four to six weeks with a knee injury suffered in practice, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Hopkins joined the Titans last season and led the team with 75 receptions for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns.

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Vanderbilt's discus thrower and Olympian Veronica Fraley lamented on social media that she needed help paying the rent.

Hip-hop artist Flavor Flav and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian decided to help.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge overturned a jury's $4.7 billion verdict in the class-action lawsuit filed by "Sunday Ticket" subscribers against the NFL and has granted judgment to the NFL.

U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez ruled Thursday that the testimony of two witnesses for the subscribers had flawed methodologies and should have been excluded.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris ' campaign announced Friday that it raised $310 million last month, an eyepopping sum showing that donors who once seemed spooked about the prospects for November's election with President Joe Biden are now offering mountains of cash to boost his former No. 2.

NASHVILLE (AP) — U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a top Republican ally of former President Donald Trump, will square off this fall in Tennessee against Democratic state Rep. Gloria Johnson, whose progressive profile rose nationally when her GOP colleagues tried to boot her from office over a gun control protest on the chamber floor.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican former President Donald Trump 's campaign and its related affiliates announced Thursday that they had raised $138.7 million last month — less than what his new opponent in November's election, Vice President Kamala Harris, took in during her White House bid's opening week.

PHOENIX (AP) — Mexican farm worker Avelino Vazquez Navarro didn't have air conditioning in the motor home where he died last month in Washington state as temperatures surged into the triple digits.

For the last dozen years, the 61-year-old spent much of the year working near Pasco, Washington, sending money to his wife and daughters in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, Mexico, and traveling back every Christmas.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. hiring decelerated sharply last month in the face of high interest rates as employers added a weak 114,000 jobs.

Friday's Labor Department report showed a drop from the 179,000 jobs created in June. Forecasters had expected to see 175,000 jobs in July. The unemployment rate rose to 4.3%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Russia on Thursday completed their largest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, a deal involving 24 people, many months of negotiations and concessions from other European countries who released Russians in their custody as part of the exchange.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans activated offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere from the physically unable to perform list Friday after he passed his physical.

Petit-Frere started 16 games at right tackle as a rookie after being the 69th pick overall in 2022 out of Ohio State. He played only three games in 2023 after his suspension for gambling was reduced from six to four games, then he dealt with injuries.

Some players like C.J. Stroud and Puka Nacua are able to come into the NFL and become immediate stars as rookies.

But for most, the adjustment to the pros takes more time and a shaky rookie season doesn't necessarily mean a player is destined to be a draft bust.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The criminal case charging former President Donald Trump with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election was returned Friday to the trial judge in Washington after a Supreme Court opinion last month that narrowed the scope of the prosecution.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Elon Musk and Tesla's corporate directors are asking a Delaware judge to vacate her ruling requiring the company to rescind a massive and unprecedented pay package for Musk.

Friday's hearing follows a January ruling in which Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick concluded that Musk engineered the landmark 2018 pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent. The compensation package initially carried a potential maximum value of about $56 billion, a sum that has fluctuated over the years but is now estimated to be worth more than $60 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden is set to be sentenced on felony firearms charges in November under an order signed by a judge on Friday.

The president's son could face up to 25 years in prison at sentencing set for Nov. 13 in Wilmington, Delaware, but as a first-time offender he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough delegates to become the Democratic presidential nominee, according to Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison, but it's not time for the balloon drop just yet.

The Justice Department sued TikTok on Friday, accusing the company of violating children's online privacy law and running afoul of a settlement it had reached with another federal agency.

The complaint, filed together with the Federal Trade Commission in a California federal court, comes as the U.S. and the prominent social media company are embroiled in yet another legal battle that will determine if – or how – TikTok will continue to operate in the country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy suffered an unexpected setback in July as hiring fell sharply and the unemployment rate rose for the fourth straight month with raised interest rates taking a toll on businesses and households.

Employers added just 114,000 jobs in July — 35% fewer than expected — and unemployment, now at 4.3%, is the highest since October 2021, the Labor Department reported Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A surprising rise in the U.S. unemployment rate last month has rattled financial markets and set off new worries about the threat of a recession — but it could also prove to be a false alarm.

Friday's jobs report, which also showed hiring slowed last month, coincides with other signs the economy is cooling amid high prices and elevated interest rates. A survey of manufacturing firms showed activity weakened noticeably in July. Hurricane Beryl, however, hit Texas during the same week the government compiles its job data and could have held back job gains.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks tumbled Friday on worries the U.S. economy could be cracking under the weight of high interest rates meant to whip inflation.

The S&P 500 sank 1.8% for its first back-to-back losses of at least 1% since April. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 610 points, or 1.5%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 2.4% as a sell-off for stocks whipped all the way around the world back to Wall Street.

NEW YORK (AP) — Antitrust tensions are heating up in the chipmaking industry. Rivals have accused Wall Street darling Nvidia of abusing its market dominance in selling chips that power artificial intelligence — and the U.S. Justice Department is now investigating these complaints, technology news site The Information reported.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Veteran safety Quandre Diggs confirmed reports he has agreed to a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

"Long awaited news," Diggs wrote on social media.

Diggs, 31, is a nine-year NFL veteran with 24 interceptions in a career split between the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks.

NASHVILLE (AP) — JC Latham is being counted upon to be one of the key parts of the Tennessee Titans rebuilt offensive line this upcoming season.

After allowing 64 sacks last season, the Titans drafted Latham No. 7 overall, and he is one of four new starters on the Tennessee line, making the switch from right tackle in college to left tackle in the NFL.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ordinary Americans are "getting whacked" by too many laws and regulations, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch says in a new book that underscores his skepticism of federal agencies and the power they wield.

"Too little law and we're not safe, and our liberties aren't protected," Gorsuch told The Associated Press in an interview in his Supreme Court office. "But too much law and you actually impair those same things."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The dates are set. The venues are chosen. The only thing missing from this week's campaign blitz with Vice President Kamala Harris and her 2024 running mate is the name of the running mate.

After a weekend spent interviewing finalists, Harris must decide on her wingman before the two set off Tuesday on a tour across key battleground states where they will introduce the new Democratic ticket to voters and highlight the stakes of the election.

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House senior adviser Gene Sperling is leaving his administration position to work with Vice President Kamala Harris' election campaign as the Democrats step up efforts to challenge Donald Trump on policy issues in November's election.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The crowds are psyched. The campaign donations are flooding in. Volunteers are showing up at field offices in droves.

After a mostly smooth two-week campaign startup, Vice President Kamala Harris is headed into a crucial week that includes her most critical decision yet — choosing a running mate — while grappling with how to keep that early political momentum alive.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The hospitality workers' union UNITE HERE has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, a rejoinder to Republican Donald Trump's effort to woo restaurant and hotel workers by promising to make their tips tax-free.

Gwen Mills, the union's president, said Trump was merely "making a play" for votes while Harris has credibility from having supported unions. She discussed the move with The Associated Press before the union's announcement of an endorsement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Vought sounds like a general marshaling troops for combat when he talks about taming a "woke and weaponized" federal government.

He recently described political opposition as "enemy fire that's coming over the target," while urging allies to be "fearless at the point of attack" and calling his policy proposals "battle plans."

One Republican strategist who has run campaigns against Donald Trump says he recognizes what the former president is doing against Vice President Kamala Harris, even as Trump swings back and forth between attacking her record and questioning her racial identity.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Facing the need to win battleground Pennsylvania, Vice President Kamala Harris is swearing off any prior assertion that she opposed fracking, but that hasn't stopped Republican Donald Trump from wielding her now-abandoned position to win over voters in a state where the natural gas industry means jobs.

America's drugstores are testing smaller locations and more ways to offer care as price-sensitive shoppers look elsewhere.

Customers may see Walgreens stores that are one-fourth the size of a regular location or CVS drugstores with entire primary clinics stuffed inside. If these experiments succeed, the new stores might improve access to care and create a more lasting connection with customers, analysts say.

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly everything on Wall Street is tumbling Monday as fear about a slowing U.S. economy worsens and sets off another sell-off for financial markets around the world.

The S&P 500 was down by 3.1% in morning trading and on track for its worst day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1,092 points, or 2.7%, as of 10:40 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite slid 3.6%.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index plunged more than 12% on Monday as investors worried that the U.S. economy may be in worse shape than had been expected and dumped a wide range of shares.

The Nikkei index fell 4,451.28 points to 31,458.42. It dropped 5.8% on Friday and has now logged its worst two-day decline ever, dropping 18.2% in the last two trading sessions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was billed as the "biggest ever economic development project" in north Michigan when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022 welcomed a Chinese lithium-ion battery company's plan to build a $2.36 billion factory and bring a couple thousand jobs to Big Rapids.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to publicly disclose additional travel on GOP megadonor Harlan Crow's private jet, a top Democratic senator who is backing an election-year push to tighten the high court's ethics rules said Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday shut down a long-shot push from Missouri to remove a gag order in former President Donald Trump's hush-money case and delay his sentencing in New York.

The Missouri attorney general went to the high court with the unusual request to sue New York after the justices granted Trump broad immunity from prosecution in a separate case filed in Washington.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge on Monday ruled that Google's ubiquitous search engine has been illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation in a seismic decision that could shake up the internet and hobble one of the world's best-known companies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, is poised to secure the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Frontier Airlines flight that had been set to go from Houston to the Dallas area last week got canceled not because of weather, but because one of its pilots got arrested.

The pilot, Seymour Walker, was arrested by officers around 4 p.m. Thursday before passengers began to board the plane at Bush Intercontinental Airport, according to Houston police.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The turmoil shaking global financial markets reflects a sudden fear that the Federal Reserve may have held its key interest rate too high for too long, heightening the risk of a U.S. recession.

Economists and Wall Street traders now expect the Fed to cut its benchmark rate, which influences borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, much faster than they thought just a week ago. Chair Jerome Powell has often stressed that the Fed could quickly lower rates if it decides that it's needed to bolster the economy.

NEW YORK (AP) — Markets on Wall Street and around the world are in a mini-panic. Worried about a slowing U.S. economy, investors sent the market in Japan to its worst day in decades and have sliced billions in market value off some of the world's biggest technology companies. They've turned a relatively calm year in markets on its head.

NEW YORK (AP) — A scary Monday that started with a plunge abroad reminiscent of 1987 's crash swept around the world and pummeled Wall Street with more steep losses, as fears worsened about a slowing U.S. economy.

The S&P 500 dropped 3% for its worst day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average reeled by 1,033 points, or 2.6%, while the Nasdaq composite slid 3.4%.

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Bloomberg's organization Bloomberg Philanthropies is announcing a $600 million gift to the endowments of four historically Black medical schools.

Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor and the billionaire founder of Bloomberg LP, will make the announcement Tuesday in New York at the annual convention of the National Medical Association, an organization that advocates for African American physicians.

NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in Donald Trump's hush money trial is pushing back a date for a key ruling on presidential immunity until two days before Trump's scheduled sentencing.

The immunity decision had been due Sept. 6, with the sentencing set for Sept. 18. But then Trump's lawyers asked Judge Juan M. Merchan last week to rule first on their renewed bid to get the judge to step aside from the case.

PHOENIX (AP) — Former President Donald Trump's campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, who worked closely with his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, will cooperate with Arizona prosecutors in exchange for charges being dropped against her in a fake electors case, the state attorney general's office announced Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday, choosing an affable longtime politician who Democrats hope can keep newfound party unity alive in a campaign barreling toward Election Day.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has decided on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in her bid for the White House. The 60-year-old Democrat and military veteran rose to the forefront with a series of plain-spoken television appearances in the days after President Joe Biden decided not to seek a second term. He has made his state a bastion of liberal policy and, this year, one of the few states to protect fans buying tickets online for Taylor Swift concerts and other live events.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate pick, will need to introduce himself to the vast majority of Americans. But his track record in his home state offers clues on what he might bring to the Democratic ticket.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The woman who owns the suburban New York property independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims as a residence said in court Tuesday that he pays $500 a month for a room.

The testimony comes as Kennedy fights a lawsuit claiming his New York nominating petition listed a residence in New York City's well-to-do northern suburbs while he has actually lived in Los Angeles since 2014. The suit seeks to invalidate his petition, keeping him off New York's ballot in November.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants who rose through the California political and law enforcement ranks to become the first female vice president in U.S. history, formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday — becoming the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris will introduce her new running mate at a rally Tuesday evening in Philadelphia — but with the event mere hours away, her choice remains a mystery.

In recent days, she has zeroed in on a trio of potential finalists: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, but decisions beyond that aren't yet publicly known.

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan showed Tuesday what it called a "cool paint" to keep people inside vehicles cooler, although the coating is six times thicker, making commercialization still a challenge.

The company's announcement Tuesday was timely, coming as Japan was enduring record sweltering temperatures.

WICHITA FALLS, Tex. (AP) — Elon Musk's social media platform X has sued a group of advertisers, alleging that a "massive advertiser boycott" deprived the company of billions of dollars in revenue and violated antitrust laws.

The company formerly known as Twitter filed the lawsuit Tuesday in a federal court in Texas against the World Federation of Advertisers and member companies Unilever, Mars, CVS Health and Orsted.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The actor in the viral music video denouncing the 2024 Olympics looks a lot like French President Emmanuel Macron. The images of rats, trash and the sewage, however, were dreamed up by artificial intelligence.

Portraying Paris as a crime-ridden cesspool, the video mocking the Games spread quickly on social media platforms like YouTube and X, helped on its way by 30,000 social media bots linked to a notorious Russian disinformation group that has set its sights on France before. Within days, the video was available in 13 languages, thanks to quick translation by AI.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — TikTok has agreed to withdraw a rewards feature that raised concerns about its potential to encourage excessive screen time, particularly among children, the European Union's executive commission said Monday.

It was the first resolution of an investigation under the 27-country EU's sweeping Digital Services Act, which went into effect in February and aims to ensure a "safe and accountable online environment" by regulating large digital platforms.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Small Business Administration is looking to attract lenders to finance small businesses' clean energy projects.

The SBA doesn't give out loans itself. Instead, it works with lenders to offer small businesses loans that often carry lower interest rates than traditional loans.

BANGKOK (AP) — The mayhem that swept across world markets this week was partly caused by a market strategy known as the "carry trade."

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 plunged 12.4% on Monday and markets in Europe and North America suffered outsized losses as traders sold stocks to help cover rising risks from investments made using cheaply financed funds borrowed mostly in Japanese yen.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nancy Pelosi thought briefly she might have died on Jan. 6, 2021.

Not quite two years later, the threat of political violence would come for her husband at their home.

"Where's Nancy? Where's Nancy?"

That was the chilling question the intruder posed to Paul Pelosi before bludgeoning the then-82-year-old over the head with a hammer in their San Francisco house. It echoed the menacing jeers of the rioters roaming the halls of the Capitol calling out "Nancy, Nancy" on Jan. 6.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday, turning to an affable longtime politician who Democrats hope can keep newfound party unity alive in a campaign barreling toward Election Day.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The stage is set for an election that was unimaginable mere weeks ago when President Joe Biden was atop the Democratic ticket. Now Vice President Kamala Harrishas tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate to take on Republican Donald Trump and his No. 2, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The actor in the viral music video denouncing the 2024 Olympics looks a lot like French President Emmanuel Macron. The images of rats, trash and the sewage, however, were dreamed up by artificial intelligence.

Portraying Paris as a crime-ridden cesspool, the video mocking the Games spread quickly on social media platforms like YouTube and X, helped on its way by 30,000 social media bots linked to a notorious Russian disinformation group that has set its sights on France before. Within days, the video was available in 13 languages, thanks to quick translation by AI.

NEW YORK (AP) — A rising tide swept stocks higher, and calm returned to Wall Street after Japan's market soared earlier Tuesday to claw back much of the losses from its worst day since 1987.

The S&P 500 climbed 1% to break a brutal three-day losing streak. It had tumbled a bit more than 6% on a raft of concerns, including worries the Federal Reserve had pressed the brakes too hard for too long on the U.S. economy through high interest rates in order to beat inflation.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are bouncing back after the market experienced its worst day in two years on Monday, but the average investor may still be understandably spooked. Over a three day losing streak, the S&P 500 dipped more than 6% before rallying again Tuesday, up 1.6% in midday trading.