News - Friday, March 28, 2025

Melissa Loyd was 21 years old when a real estate agent encouraged her to buy a home. Loyd was touring an open house, and the woman said she could facilitate the purchase – both sides of it.

This was 1996, when buying a house was a breeze, so no one blinked at Loyd becoming a first-time homebuyer at her age. However, Loyd has since become a Realtor herself, and whenever she thinks back on the sale, she feels as though the agent took advantage of her, she says.

Zachary Atchley had no intention of ever becoming a lawyer.

Never mind that his father, Fielding Atchley, Jr., is a third-generation Chattanooga attorney with a celebrated 50-year practice. Never mind that his oldest of two brothers, Trevor Atchley, was practicing law with their father. And never mind that he’d inherited his father’s easygoing smile and charm, both of which have set clients at ease for decades.

Throughout our history, the federal courts have strived to help make this country, composed of several sovereign states and disparate people, one nation. In doing so, they have sought to carry out the goal stated in our nation’s first motto: “E Pluribus Unum” (“Out of Many, One”).

Getting to know the leaders of Greater Chattanooga Realtors offers valuable insights into the dedication and experience that drives our association forward. This week, we’re spotlighting Steven LaMar, a Realtor who’s embraced leadership roles to better serve our industry and community. From early experiences in real estate to advocating for collaboration among members, their journey is a testament to the impact of service and engagement.

I grew up on the prairie – a section of northeastern Colorado considered one of the most arid places on earth. It’s no exaggeration to say I didn’t see a body of water until I was an adolescent. Where I’m from, water was something you dug out of a well, held onto, used sparingly and often prepared to go without.

In your zeal to share a new culinary experience with someone, have you ever said something like, “You have to try the sliders at Attack of the Tatsu. They’re the best?” Or has someone ever asked you something like, “Have you had the margherita pizza at Honey Seed? It’s the best.”

Collegedale Airport will screen “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” starting at 6:30 p.m. Activities will include yard games and a display of aircraft beginning at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Food trucks will be on hand selling local fare. The organizers recommend bringing a chair or blanket. Information: 423 236-5008 or @CollegedaleAirport on Facebook.

Spring is here, which means it’s once again time to wash the windows, organize your cabinets and steam your carpets. This year, in addition to tidying up around your house, why not also consider some financial spring cleaning?

Here are some suggestions to consider:

Among the many biblical teachings intended to guide us toward more virtuous lives is that we should feed the hungry. That certainly sounds reasonable. But feed them what?

I know what just popped into your mind. Hold that thought.

At the federal government level, the initiative to address this humanitarian endeavor was once known as food stamps and is now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

The feeling around the University of Tennessee is doubly as sweet this week, with both the men’s and women’s basketball programs advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The Vols advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season, a first for the program. The Lady Vols advanced for the 37th time in the 43 years of the tournament, the first under first-year head coach Kim Caldwell.

It can be a smart, money-saving move to buy a used vehicle instead of a new one. The average price gap between new and used vehicles is more than $20,000, recent Edmunds’ sales data finds.

But many used-vehicle shoppers make costly mistakes that can be avoided with a little research and preparation. Here are five common mistakes identified by Edmunds’ experts and what you can do to avoid them.

You could really sink your teeth into a new sale today. It would taste good, too. You just need to hunt down the right potential client, give your pitch and scratch out the deal.

Just like that, if you could, though times are tough and clients are skittish. No worries, you got this. Read “Eat What You Kill,” a new book by Sam Taggart, and get ready to pounce.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee requested an investigation Thursday into how Trump national security officials used the Signal app to discuss military strikes, ensuring at least some bipartisan scrutiny on an episode President Donald Trump has dismissed as frivolous.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel was not part of a Signal chat in which other Trump administration national security officials discussed detailed attack plans, but that didn't spare him from being questioned by lawmakers this week about whether the nation's premier law enforcement agency would investigate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he was placing 25% tariffs on auto imports, a move 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) — Shares of major automakers slumped following President Donald Trump's announcement that he will place 25% tariffs on auto imports.

Automakers have spread out their supply chains and production facilities throughout North America. Parts and production steps often cross one or more borders during the process. That means it will cost the major automakers more money to build their cars and trucks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major overhaul, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will lay off 10,000 workers and shut down entire agencies, including ones that oversee billions of dollars in funds for addiction services and community health centers across the country.

NEW YORK (AP) — Ella Langley leads the nominees for the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards with eight nominations.

The first-time nominee's nods include female artist of the year and female new artist.

ATLANTA (AP) — The second part of Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's top priority to limit lawsuits and large verdicts won approval Thursday from the House. The full package, also called tort reform, is set to hit his desk in the coming weeks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lawyer for The Associated Press asked a federal judge Thursday to reinstate the agency's access to the White House press pool and other official events, saying the Trump administration's ban is a fundamental attack on freedom of speech and should be overturned. The government insisted there was no evidence that AP had been harmed irreparably.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As part of a push to roll back dozens of environmental regulations, the Trump administration is offering coal-fired power plants and other industrial polluters a chance for exemptions from requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and benzene.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel was not part of a Signal chat in which other Trump administration national security officials discussed detailed attack plans, but that didn't spare him from being questioned by lawmakers this week about whether the nation's premier law enforcement agency would investigate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee requested an investigation Thursday into how Trump national security officials used the Signal app to discuss military strikes, ensuring at least some bipartisan scrutiny on an episode President Donald Trump has dismissed as frivolous.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has once again scrambled the politics of organized labor and the working class with his planned tariffs on auto imports.

The White House is eagerly promoting supportive comments from the nation's top auto worker union leader, a previous Trump critic who endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024. At least a few Democrats from auto-producing states have joined their Republican colleagues in applauding the tariffs that Trump casts as a long-term jobs boost for U.S.-based auto production. Other Democrats, meanwhile, have blasted Trump's policy, warning that a trade war will drive up inflation and raise costs for all Americans.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Weak population gains and increased government spending will result in slower overall economic growth over the next 30 years, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Thursday.

The CBO's latest long-term budget and economic outlook report — for a timeframe that spans 2025 to 2055 — projects publicly held debt to reach 156% of gross domestic product, or GDP, in 2055. That's down from the agency's March 2024 long-term budget projection, which said publicly held debt would be equal to a record 166% of American economic activity by 2054.

DETROIT (AP) — President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on autos not made in the U.S. and certain auto parts are sending more tremors through an industry already being pummeled by steel and aluminum import duties and on-again, off-again 25% levies on Canada and Mexico. The new tariffs, announced Wednesday, are likely to jack up new vehicle prices and will also impact the used car market.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy annual 2.4% pace the final three months of 2024, supported by a year-end surge in consumer spending, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its previous estimate of fourth-quarter growth.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he was placing 25% tariffs on auto imports, a move the White House claims would foster domestic manufacturing but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A top European Union official visited a strategic metals site in central Greece on Thursday, after the bloc announced plans to accelerate production of its own critical minerals and reduce dependence on China.

Stéphane Séjourné, an executive vice president at the European Commission, toured an aluminum plant that will soon extract gallium — a silvery, melt-in-your-hand metal used in advanced semiconductors, 5G antennas, solar panels and military radar systems.

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that he would speak with U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days after Trump announced 25% tariffs on auto imports.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was pulling Rep. Elise Stefanik's nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a stunning turnaround for his Cabinet pick after her confirmation had been stalled for months over concerns about Republicans' tight margins in the House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Department leadership is proposing combining the two agencies responsible for enforcing drug and gun laws as part of a dramatic restructuring of the department, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press.

The memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche seeks feedback on a reorganization plan that would combine the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into a single agency "to achieve efficiencies in resources, case deconfliction, and regulatory efforts."

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a major overhaul, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will lay off 10,000 workers and shut down entire agencies, including ones that oversee billions of dollars in funds for addiction services and community health centers across the country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major anti-abortion groups gathered in the nation's capital on Thursday to begin a lobbying effort with Congress and President Donald Trump's administration aimed at eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood, with some calling on Elon Musk to make the organization one of his cost-cutting targets.

Cam Ward believes he solidified his shot to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

The Tennessee Titans have the first crack to make the Heisman Trophy finalist from Miami their franchise quarterback. Or they could choose Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or two-way star Travis Hunter, the Heisman winner.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored two goals to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night for their season-best eighth straight win.

Cam Fowler also scored and Joel Hofer made 16 saves for the Blues. Robert Thomas had two assists.

Jeremy Pruitt is suing the NCAA for $100 million for lost and future wages, accusing the organization of conspiring with the University of Tennessee making him possibly the "last coach in America to be punished for impermissible player benefits."

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's public schools could soon be required to teach that the keys to a successful life include following a proper sequence of events: high school, job or higher education, marriage and then children.

It's a proposal advancing inside the state's Republican-dominant Legislature and similar to others moving in several states this year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court for permission to resume deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law, while a court fight continues.

The emergency appeal to the high court follows a rejection of the Republican administration's plea to the federal appeals court in Washington. By a 2-1 vote, a panel of appellate judges left in place an order temporarily prohibiting deportations of the migrants under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two prominent law firms targeted by the White House sued Friday over virtually identical executive orders, pushing back over edicts meant to punish them over their association with attorneys who have previously investigated President Donald Trump.

CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Labor from implementing parts of President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at curbing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts among federal contractors and grant recipients.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to preserve records of a text message chat in which senior national security officials discussed sensitive details of plans for a U.S. military strike against Yemen's Houthis.

NEW YORK (AP) — If you know or suspect you can't pay the taxes you owe this tax season, you should still file a return with that information or file for an extension. That's the top piece of advice that tax professionals want you to know.

"The IRS wants to work with you," said Tom O'Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals. "But if you're asking the IRS for some help, they have to know something about you. So the first thing is to have that return filed. The number one takeaway is that owing money is not a reason not to file."

SCHOENEICHE, Germany (AP) — The U.S. government is on a global egg hunt, seeking exports from countries in Europe and elsewhere to ease a severe shortage that has caused egg prices at grocery stores to hit record highs.

Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden are among the nations the U.S. Department of Agriculture approached to address the shortage brought on by a bird flu outbreak, according to European industry groups.

SIMBORO, Indonesia (AP) — Tucked between the village and the forest, Haruna and his father-in-law worked diligently through the night distilling dried patchouli plants, stoking the boiler with firewood, drops of fragrant patchouli oil trickling into plastic bottles.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday revealed his intention to force changes at the Smithsonian Institution with an executive order that targets funding for programs that advance "divisive narratives" and "improper ideology," the latest step in a broadside against culture he deems too liberal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the nature of financial crime changes, with technology and AI increasingly used to perpetrate illegal acts, the IRS' crime fighting arm —IRS Criminal Investigation— is announcing a new program intended to improve how it interacts with financial institutions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration's use of a popular messaging app to discuss sensitive military plans — with a journalist on the text chain — is raising questions about security and the importance of safeguarding the nation's secrets.

It's also highlighting the differences between classified and public information, and demonstrating that even encrypted apps like Signal can lead to embarrassing leaks if the humans doing the texting don't follow basic security tips.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation picked up last month and consumers barely raised their spending, signs that the economy was already cooling even before most tariffs were imposed.

Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices increased 2.5% in February from a year earlier, matching January's annual pace. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.8% compared with a year ago, higher than January's figure of 2.7%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Noted economist Arthur Laffer warns in a new analysis that President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on auto imports could add $4,711 to the cost of a vehicle, adding that the proposed taxes could weaken the ability of U.S. automakers to compete with their foreign counterparts.

BEIJING (AP) — In an address to major global business leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged foreign investors to have faith in China's business prospects, the latest move to revive the world's second-largest economy that has been dragged down by a property bust and a loss of momentum.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump moved Thursday to end collective bargaining with federal labor unions in agencies with national security missions across the federal government, citing authority granted him under a 1978 law.

The order, signed without public fanfare and announced late Thursday, appears to touch most of the federal government. Affected agencies include the Departments of State, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Health and Human Services, Treasury, Justice and Commerce and the part of Homeland Security responsible for border security.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are less likely to see Canada and the U.S. as close allies than they were two years ago, the latest indication that President Donald Trump's tariff threats and talk of taking over a neighboring ally are souring a critical economic and military relationship.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump can fire two board members of independent agencies handling labor issues from their respective posts in the federal government.

A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed to lift orders blocking the Trump administration from removing Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris and National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada gaming regulators have issued a $10.5 million fine against the Resorts World casino on the Las Vegas Strip over allegations of illegal gambling, many of which centered on a bookmaker with ties to the interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani.

NEW YORK (AP) — Charlie Javice, the charismatic founder of a startup company that claimed to be revolutionizing the way college students apply for financial aid, was convicted on Friday of defrauding one of the largest U.S. banks, JPMorgan Chase, out of $175 million by exaggerating her customer base by 10 times.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent international law firm reached a deal with President Donald Trump on Friday to provide at least $100 million in free legal services and to review its hiring practices, averting a punishing executive order like the ones directed at nearly a half-dozen other major legal institutions in recent weeks.

NEW YORK (AP) — Even if you're not in the market for a new car, U.S. President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on auto imports could make owning one more expensive.

The new taxes, which are set to begin April 3 and expand in the following weeks, are estimated to raise the average cost of a car imported from another country by thousands of dollars. But repairs for vehicles that currently use foreign-made parts are also expected to get pricier — and, as a result, hike insurance costs farther down the road.

President Donald Trump's administration is terminating grants for two clean energy projects and roughly 300 others funded by the Department of Energy are in jeopardy as the president prioritizes fossil fuels.

The DOE is canceling two awards to a nonprofit climate think tank, RMI in Colorado, according to a document from the agency confirming the cancellations that was reviewed by The Associated Press on Friday. One was for nearly $5.3 million to retrofit low-income multifamily buildings in Massachusetts and California to demonstrate ways to reduce the use of energy and lower planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The other was for $1.5 million to assess business models for electric vehicle carsharing in U.S. cities.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Noted economist Arthur Laffer warns in a new analysis that President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on auto imports could add $4,711 to the cost of a vehicle and says the proposed taxes could weaken the ability of U.S. automakers to compete with their foreign counterparts.

NEW YORK (AP) — Another wipeout walloped Wall Street Friday. Worries are building about a potentially toxic mix of worsening inflation and a U.S. economy slowing because of households afraid to spend due to the global trade war.

The S&P 500 dropped 2% for one of its worst days in the last two years. It thudded to its fifth losing week in the last six after wiping out what had been a big gain to start the week.

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Friday that Denmark has "underinvested" in Greenland's security and demanded that Denmark change its approach as President Donald Trump continues to talk of taking over the Danish territory.

TORONTO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his first call with new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was "extremely productive" and Carney said talks on a new relationship will begin after the Canadian election next month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is pushing the House of Representatives to pass a measure that would prevent immediate financial disaster for the District of Columbia even as he continues to level harsh criticism at the city and its leaders.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are debating whether they want to take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft or trade it for more assets.

"We're open to everything at this point," Titans coach Brian Callahan said Monday at the league's annual meetings. "We've been consistent with that approach since the get-go and that hasn't changed. We're doing our due diligence on all of the options available to us."

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Houston's relentless, harassing defense had Tennessee's shooters dancing around.

Now, the Cougars are two-stepping it back to Texas.

L.J. Cryer finished with 17 points, Emanuel Sharp scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and the nation's stingiest defense delivered a historic NCAA Tournament performance, leading top-seeded Houston past second-seeded Tennessee 69-50 on Sunday for the Midwest Region title and its seventh trip to the Final Four.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jahmai Mashack had a towel over his head and tears in his eyes as he walked through a somber Tennessee locker room minutes after the Volunteers' bid to reach their first Final Four in an NCAA Tournament came to an ugly conclusion.

PARIS (AP) — A French court on Monday barred Marine Le Pen from seeking public office for five years, with immediate effect, for embezzlement -- a hammer blow to the far-right leader's presidential hopes and an earthquake for French politics.

Although Le Pen can appeal the verdict, such a move won't suspend her ineligibility, which could rule her out of the 2027 presidential race.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A government-sponsored junk food ban in schools across Mexico took effect on Saturday, officials said, as the country tries to tackle one of the world's worst obesity and diabetes epidemics.

The health guidelines, first published last fall, take a direct shot at salty and sweet processed products that have become a staple for generations of Mexican schoolchildren, such as sugary fruit drinks, packaged chips, artificial pork rinds and soy-encased, chili-flavored peanuts.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Calls from the U.S. to Roustan Hockey headquarters in Canada in recent weeks have been anything but routine, as bulk orders of name-brand sticks have suddenly become complicated conversations.

"These customers want to know: When their orders ship, will they have to pay an additional 25% tariff? And we respond by saying, 'Well, right now we don't know, so they postpone their order or cancel their order because they want to know before they order what the cost is going to be," said Graeme Roustan, who owns the company that makes and sells more than 100,000 hockey sticks annually to the U.S. market.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Wednesday will be "Liberation Day" — a moment when he plans to roll out a set of tariffs that he promises will free the United States from foreign goods.

The details of Trump's next round of import taxes are still sketchy. Most economic analyses say average U.S. families would have to absorb the cost of his tariffs in the form of higher prices and lower incomes. But an undeterred Trump is inviting CEOs to the White House to say they are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in new projects to avoid the import taxes.

BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese telecoms gear giant Huawei said Monday its net profit fell 28% in 2024 while its revenue surged, as the company invested heavily in advanced technologies.

Huawei Technologies reported 62.6 billion yuan ($8.6 billion) in net profit last year, down from 87 billion yuan the year before. Its revenue jumped 22% to $118.2 billion, with the strongest growth in its consumer goods and automotive-related sales.

PARIS (AP) — A French minister on Sunday accused U.S. diplomats of interfering in the operations of French companies by sending them a letter reportedly telling them that U.S. President Donald Trump's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives could also apply outside of the United States.

PARIS (AP) — France's antitrust watchdog fined Apple 150 million euros ($162 million) on Monday over a privacy feature protecting users from apps snooping on them because its introduction resulted in abuse of competition law.

The French Competition Authority said the aim of Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) requiring iPhone and iPad apps to ask users for permission before tracking them was not in itself open to criticism.

PARIS (AP) — U.S. government efforts to eliminate diversity initiatives are not going down well on the European continent.

Laurent Saint-Martin, France's minister for foreign trade, said the country won't compromise after the U.S. State Department demanded French companies drop diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In neighboring Belgium, where some companies reportedly received similar requests, the government lashed out at perceived U.S. pressure.

LONDON (AP) — The chief executive of Primark, one of Europe's biggest fast fashion retailers, has resigned after an investigation into his behavior toward a woman in a social environment.

Paul Marchant, Primark's CEO since 2009, has apologized to the individual involved and resigned with immediate effect, the company said Monday. Shares in Primark's parent, Associated British Foods, fell 4.9% in early trading, compared with a 0.8% drop in Britain's benchmark stock index.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An official allied with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been put in charge of the U.S. Institute of Peace, a congressionally created and funded think tank targeted by President Donald Trump for closure, according to a federal court filing Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump lashed out at both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, expressing frustration with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders as he struggles to forge a truce to end the war.

Although Trump insisted to reporters that "we're making a lot of progress," he acknowledged that "there's tremendous hatred" between the two men, a fresh indication that negotiations may not produce the swift conclusion that he promised during the campaign.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Immigration remains a strength for President Donald Trump, but his handling of tariffs is getting more negative feedback, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

About half of U.S. adults approve of Trump's approach to immigration, the survey shows, but only about 4 in 10 have a positive view of the way he's handling the economy and trade negotiations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A tree that's nearly two centuries old will be removed from the White House grounds because it's deteriorating, President Donald Trump said Sunday.

The southern magnolia stands near the curved portico on the south side of the building. It's where foreign leaders are often welcomed for ceremonial visits, and where the president departs to board the Marine One helicopter.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The executive order directed at one of the country's most prestigious law firms followed a well-worn playbook as President Donald Trump roared down the road to retribution.

Reaching beyond government, Trump has set out to impose his will across a broad swath of American life, from individuals who have drawn his ire to institutions known for their own flexes of power and intimidation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has pardoned a Virginia man whose sentence already was commuted for his convictions stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Thomas Caldwell, a retired Navy intelligence officer, was tried alongside Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes but acquitted of seditious conspiracy — the most serious charge brought in the Jan. 6 attack.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appeared Monday to be leaning toward a Catholic charitable organization pushing back against the state of Wisconsin in the latest religious rights case to come before the court.

In a case that could have wide-ranging effects, the justices suggested the Catholic Charities Bureau should not have to pay unemployment taxes because the work of the social services agency is motivated by religious beliefs, and the state exempts religious groups from the tax.

MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge in Florida has blocked the imports of a high-priced fish from protected waters near Antarctica, siding with U.S. regulators who argued they were required to block imports amid a diplomatic feud triggered by Russia's obstruction of longstanding conservation efforts at the bottom of the world.

Dow, a major producer of chemicals and plastics, wants to use next-generation nuclear reactors for clean power and steam at a Texas manufacturing complex instead of natural gas.

Dow's subsidiary, Long Mott Energy, applied Monday to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction permit. It said the project with X-energy, an advanced nuclear reactor and fuel company, would nearly eliminate the emissions associated with power and steam generation at its plant in Seadrift, Texas, avoiding roughly 500,000 metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions annually.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Protesters against billionaire Elon Musk's purge of the U.S. government under President Donald Trump demonstrated outside Tesla dealerships throughout the U.S. and in some cities in Europe on Saturday in the latest attempt to dent the fortune of the world's richest man.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is taking a blowtorch to the rules that have governed world trade for decades. The "reciprocal'' tariffs that he is expected to announce Wednesday are likely to create chaos for global businesses and conflict with America's allies and adversaries alike.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump's fast-approaching "Liberation Day" sent stock markets swinging sharply worldwide on Monday.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% in another roller-coaster day, after being down as much as 1.7% during the morning. The reversal helped the index shave its loss for the first three months of the year to 4.6%, making it the worst quarter in two-and-a-half years.

PHOENIX (AP) — The Democratic base is angry.

Not just at President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the "Make America Great Again" movement. Rank-and-file Democrats are mad at their own leaders and increasingly agitating to replace them.

Democrats in Arizona and Georgia pushed out their party chairs. And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York postponed a book tour in the face of protests amid calls from progressives that he face a primary challenge.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — While the future of the "tush push" still hasn't been decided, NFL owners approved expanding replay assist and revising overtime rules, a person with knowledge of the voting told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the league meetings were ongoing.

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee has rewarded coach Kim Caldwell with a one-year extension through the end of the 2029-30 season that includes a pay raise after she took the Lady Vols to the Sweet 16 in her first year.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jamie Drysdale scored the tiebreaking goal, Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots, and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Monday night for their third straight win under interim coach Brad Shaw.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven years ago, when a joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico was awarded the 2026 World Cup, rifts created by tariffs — yes, back then, too! — and a proposed border wall were glossed over because of the neighbors' longstanding political and economic alliances.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven years ago, when a joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico was awarded the 2026 World Cup, rifts created by tariffs — yes, back then, too! — and a proposed border wall were glossed over because of the neighbors' longstanding political and economic alliances.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The nation's largest public utility on Monday promoted one of its top executives to CEO, putting Don Moul in charge of the Tennessee Valley Authority as President Donald Trump has cast renewed attention on the federal entity.

The utility announced that its board picked Moul as president and chief executive to replace Jeff Lyash, who said in January that he would retire no later than September. The move comes less than a week after Trump removed one of the utility's board members without indicating why. With the firing of Michelle Moore, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, the board currently has five members and four vacancies.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Nine Tennessee death row inmates are suing the state over its push for a new round of lethal injections after an execution was abruptly called off in 2022 and a follow-up investigation found scores of missteps in several executions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump invited Kid Rock into the Oval Office on Monday and signed an executive order that he says will help curb ticket scalping and bring "commonsense" changes to the way live events are priced.

"Anyone who's bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years — no matter what your politics are — knows that it's a conundrum," said Kid Rock, who wore a red bedazzled suit featuring an American flag motif and a straw fedora.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday she has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4.

WASHINGTON (AP) — There are just two Planned Parenthood clinics in South Carolina, but every year they take hundreds of low-income patients who need things like contraception, cancer screenings and pregnancy testing.

The organization has long been at the center of the debate over abortion, but its clinics across the U.S. also provide a range of other services. In South Carolina, Medicaid patients often seek out Planned Parenthood because they often have difficulty finding a doctor who accepts the publicly funded insurance.

Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in an overhaul ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices come just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration's chief tobacco regulator has been removed from his post as part of sweeping cuts to the federal health workforce on Tuesday, the latest in a series of actions that have cleared out many of the nation's top experts overseeing food, drugs, vaccines and tobacco products.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app's China-based parent company.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Harvard University has become the latest target in the Trump administration's approach to fight campus antisemitism, with the announcement of a new "comprehensive review" that could jeopardize billions of dollars for the Ivy League college.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's nominee to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine, told senators Tuesday that he understands he is an unknown and unconventional nominee — but that the U.S. is facing unconventional and unprecedented threats and he is ready to serve in its defense.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department is going to offer a new round of voluntary resignations and retirements to the civilian workforce, but details are slim.

In a brief memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon would "immediately" offer voluntary early retirements and begin another deferred resignation plan. He warned that "exemptions should be rare," but provided no specifics on what the offers will look like or say whether they would go out to the entire civilian workforce of more than 900,000.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the military to make fitness standards for all combat jobs gender neutral, formalizing a process that largely exists for many of those jobs already.

In a new memo, Hegseth told leaders of the military services to distinguish which jobs are considered combat arms — such as special operations or infantry, and require "heightened entry level and sustained physical fitness" — and which are not.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers posted 7.6 million job openings in February, a sign that that the job market is slowing but remains healthy. Layoffs of federal workers hit the highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the economy in 2020, as Elon Musk's job cuts start to show up in national jobs data.

BRUSSELS (AP) — A top European Union official warned the U.S. on Tuesday that the world's biggest trade bloc "holds a lot of cards" when it comes to dealing with the Trump administration's new tariffs and has a good plan to retaliate if forced to.

TOKYO (AP) — TG Natural Resources, owned by Tokyo Gas Co. and Castleton Commodities International, is acquiring a 70% stake in the East Texas gas assets of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., for $525 million.

NEW YORK (AP) — Gadgets sold without batteries. Toys sold in slimmed-down boxes or no packaging at all. More household goods that shoppers need to assemble themselves.

These are some of the ways consumer product companies are retooling their wares to reduce costs and avoid raising prices as President Donald Trump levies new import taxes on key trading partners as well as some materials used by American manufacturers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With President Donald Trump's so-called "Liberation Day" of tariff implementation fast approaching, Senate Democrats are putting Republican support for some of those plans to the test by forcing a vote to nullify the emergency declaration that underpins the tariffs on Canada.

WASHINGTON (AP) — New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and through Tuesday morning in a feat of endurance to show Democrats' objections to President Donald Trump's sweeping actions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — While most Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the conflict is not weighing as heavily on his public perception as it did on President Joe Biden, a new poll shows.

That's because of Trump's solid support from his base on this issue. The survey of U.S. adults from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that about 8 in 10 Republicans approve of Trump's handling of the conflict. Only about 4 in 10 Democrats approved of Biden's handling of the conflict last June, shortly before Biden dropped out of the presidential race.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego announced Tuesday he will block the confirmation of top leaders at the Veterans Affairs Department, raising the stakes in Democrats' bid to get the Trump administration to back off plans to cut jobs from the sprawling agency that serves millions of military veterans.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The future of the tush push has been pushed until next month.

NFL team owners had been set to vote Tuesday on Green Bay's proposal to ban the play that's helped the Philadelphia Eagles win one Super Bowl and reach another, but the proposal was tabled until May.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's nominee to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine, told senators Tuesday that he understands he is an unknown and unconventional nominee — but that the U.S. is facing unconventional and unprecedented threats and he is ready to serve in its defense.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says his tariff announcements slated for Wednesday will amount to a "Liberation Day" for the United States. But American businesses and financial markets are unlikely to be freed from the uncertainty generated by his often stop-and-go trade policy.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks swerved through another shaky day of trading Tuesday, with uncertainty still high about just what President Donald Trump will announce about tariffs on his "Liberation Day" coming Wednesday.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after roaring back from an early drop of 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 11 points, or less than 0.1%, after pinging between a loss of 480 points and a gain of nearly 140, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.9%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson exercised his power of the gavel Tuesday in an unusually aggressive effort to squash a proposal for new parents in Congress to able to vote by proxy, rather than in person, as they care for newborns.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With President Donald Trump's so-called "Liberation Day" of tariff implementation fast approaching, Senate Democrats are putting Republican support for some of those plans to the test by forcing a vote to nullify the emergency declaration that underpins the tariffs on Canada.

WASHINGTON (AP) — New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday afternoon in a feat of endurance to show Democrats' objections to President Donald Trump's sweeping actions.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Johni Broome of Auburn is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as the outstanding men's college basketball player.

The other finalists are Walter Clayton Jr. of Florida, Duke's Cooper Flagg, Mark Sears of Alabama and Braden Smith of Purdue.

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge dismissed New York City Mayor Eric Adams' corruption case on Wednesday, acquiescing to the Justice Department's extraordinary request to set aside criminal charges so the Democrat could help with President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled for the Food and Drug Administration in its crackdown on sweet-flavored vaping products following a surge in teen electronic cigarette use.

But the justices' unanimous decision throwing out a federal appeals court ruling is not the final word in the case, and the FDA could change its approach now that President Donald Trump has promised to "save" vaping.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with a truck driver who wants to sue for triple damages over a CBD hemp product he says was falsely advertised as being free from marijuana's active ingredient and resulted in him getting fired.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Another major international law firm has reached a deal with President Donald Trump to dedicate at least $100 million in free legal services to causes such as supporting veterans and combating antisemitism, the White House announced Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A vaccine to fight dementia? It turns out there may already be one – shots that prevent painful shingles also appear to protect aging brains.

A new study found shingles vaccination cut older adults' risk of developing dementia over the next seven years by 20%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The problems for Head Start began days after President Donald Trump took office.

Trump's administration announced it would freeze federal grants — the primary funding for the early education program that serves more than half a million low-income children. Then came glitches with the funding website that forced nearly two dozen Head Start centers to close temporarily.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla sales fell 13% in the first three months of the year, another sign that Elon Musk's once high-flying electric car company is struggling to attract buyers.

The double-digit drop is likely due to a combination of factors, including its aging lineup, competition from rivals and a backlash from Musk's embrace of right wing politics. It also is a warning that the company's first-quarter earnings report later this month could disappoint investors.

NEW YORK (AP) — The major car companies say sales rose sharply in March, with most reporting double-digit gains. For some companies, the strong performance last month helped make up for a sluggish start to the year.

Automakers sold nearly 1.6 million vehicles in the U.S. in March, up 13.6%. That brought total sales for the first quarter to more than 3.9 million vehicles, Motorintelligence.com said Tuesday. Almost all automakers saw a surge in sales of electric vehicles.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After TikTok was banned in the United States earlier this year, President Donald Trump gave the platform a reprieve, barreling past a law that was passed in Congress and upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court that said the ban was necessary for national security.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Donald Trump will hold a Wednesday meeting with aides about possible investors who could buy a stake in TikTok, a deal that could potentially stop the social media site from being banned in the United States.

The details of the meeting were confirmed by a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Naval Academy has removed nearly 400 books from its library after being told by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office to review and get rid of ones that promote diversity, equity and inclusion, U.S officials said Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of White House hype and public anxiety, President Donald Trump is set on Wednesday to announce a barrage of self-described reciprocal tariffs on friend and foe alike.

The new tariffs, coming on what Trump has called "Liberation Day," are a bid to boost U.S. manufacturing and punish other countries for what he says are years of unfair trade practices. But by most economists' assessments, the move threatens to plunge the economy into a downturn and upend decades-old alliances.

BANGKOK (AP) — The trade war that U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated in his second term is a challenge for all Asian economies, large and small, in an era when the most populous region of the world is expected to drive global economic growth.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A high-stakes contest to decide who gets to build a casino in New York City could potentially result in a $115 million jackpot for President Donald Trump.

The Republican stands to win big if state officials award one of three available gaming licenses to Bally's Corp., which wants to open a casino at a city-owned golf course that used to be run by Trump's company.

MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — The head of Meta's artificial intelligence research division said she plans to step down, vacating a high-profile position at a time of intense competition in the development of AI technology.

Joelle Pineau, Meta's vice president for AI research, said Tuesday she is leaving at the end of May after eight years with the company.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans are facing pressure Wednesday from President Donald Trump to oppose a Democratic resolution that would nullify the presidential emergency on fentanyl he is using to implement tariffs on Canada.

Just hours before Trump was set to announce his plan for "reciprocal tariffs" on China, Mexico and Canada — his so-called "Liberation Day" — the Senate was expected to vote on a resolution that offers Republicans an off-ramp to the import taxes on Canada. It is a significant test for Republican loyalty to Trump's vision of remaking the U.S. economy by clamping down on free trade. Many economists are warning that the plan could force an economic contraction, and GOP senators are already watching with unease.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio travels this week to a gathering of top diplomats from NATO countries and is sure to find allies that are alarmed, angered and confused by the Trump administration's desire to reestablish ties with Russia and its escalating rhetorical attacks on longtime transatlantic partners.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican senators are meeting Wednesday morning with President Donald Trump at the White House as they push ahead on his big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts while delaying some of the most difficult decisions, including the costs and how to pay for the multitrillion-dollar package.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Cory Booker ended his record-setting speech the same way he began it, more than 25 hours earlier: by invoking the words of his mentor, the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Matt Whitaker late Tuesday as President Donald Trump's U.S. ambassador to NATO, a crucial emissary to the Western alliance at a time of growing concern about the American commitment abroad.

Whitaker, who had served in Trump's first administration at the Justice Department, brings a law enforcement background rather than deep foreign policy or national security ties. He was confirmed by the Senate on a vote of 52-45.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The shooter behind the 2023 Nashville elementary school attack that killed six people, including three children, had been obsessively planning it for years while hiding mental health issues from family and doctors, a police report released Wednesday reveals.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday over whether states should be able cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, a case that comes amid a wider push from abortion opponents to defund the nation's leading abortion provider.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. offered no new details Wednesday about his massive restructuring of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the day after thousands of layoffs ricocheted through its agencies, hollowing out entire offices around the country in some cases.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla sales fell 13% in the first three months of the year, another sign that Elon Musk's once high-flying electric car company is struggling to attract buyers.

The double-digit drop is likely due to a combination of factors, including its aging lineup, competition from rivals and a backlash from Musk's embrace of right wing politics. It also is a warning that the company's first-quarter earnings report later this month could disappoint investors.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amazon has put in a bid to purchase TikTok, a Trump administration official said Wednesday, in an eleventh-hour pitch as a U.S. ban on the platform is set to go into effect Saturday.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Amazon offer was made in a letter to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says executive orders targeting law firms are being issued in the name of national security, with the White House asserting that the firms don't deserve access to sensitive U.S. government information.

But the firms fear the orders are being written so broadly as to potentially weaken national security by calling into question the status of security clearances of lawyers who, in addition to their legal practice, serve as military reservists and require their clearances to report to duty.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of White House hype and public anxiety, President Donald Trump is set on Wednesday to announce a barrage of what he calls reciprocal tariffs on friend and foe alike.

The new tariffs, coming on what Trump has named "Liberation Day," are a bid to boost U.S. manufacturing and punish other countries for what he says are years of unfair trade practices. But by most economists' assessments, the move threatens to plunge the economy into a downturn and upend decades-old alliances.

WASHINGTON (AP) — DOGE's days appear to be numbered.

Elon Musk recently suggested that he will be done with his work in the near future. President Donald Trump told reporters this week that "at some point, he's going to be going back" to running his companies. As far as the Department of Government Efficiency, Trump said "it will end."

NASHVILLE (AP) — A new report released Wednesday shines more light on the person who killed three 9-year-olds and three adults at a private Nashville Christian elementary school in 2023.

According to the nearly 50-page report, Audrey Hale's initial fascination with mass shootings and school shooters ballooned into planning his own type of attack. For nearly five years, Hale scoped and researched locations where he could unleash terror, and he stocked up on firearms.

LONDON (AP) — In Abbey Road 's Studio One even a lick of paint could ruin everything.

Famous for hosting Adele, Harry Styles and U2, it's where the scores of "Star Wars," "Harry Potter" and "Wicked" were recorded, as well as the soundtracks of blockbuster games like "Call of Duty," "Halo" and "Final Fantasy." It's also where Ryan Gosling delivered his memorable "I'm Just Ken" for "Barbie."

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department quietly decided in the final weeks of the Biden administration not to prosecute Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, effectively ending the corruption investigation that cast a long shadow over the political career of a close ally of President Donald Trump, The Associated Press has learned.

WASHINGTON (AP) — There is so much history between the walls of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, which has hosted funerals for Rosa Parks and Frederick Douglass and opened its pews to American presidents and civil rights icons.

Off the coast of Nigeria, one of the world's largest oil production ships, called the Bonga, was taking oil from a field on the ocean floor and transferring it to a tanker ship. Such transfers are routine in the offshore oil industry, but something went wrong on the Bonga, owned by energy giant Shell.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican lawmakers and the Democratic governor worked together in 2021 to enact a rare energy law in the South that sought to sharply reduce power plant emissions by 2030 and ultimately reach carbon neutrality.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced far-reaching new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners — a 34% tax on imports from China and 20% on the European Union, among others — that threaten to dismantle much of the architecture of the global economy and trigger broader trade wars.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Sweeping new tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump provoked dismay, threats of countermeasures and urgent calls for talks to find ways to rescind the stiff new import taxes imposed on goods from countries around the globe.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of anticipation and speculation, President Donald Trump followed through on his tariff threats by declaring on Wednesday a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States.

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets around the world are reeling Thursday following President Donald Trump's latest and most severe set of tariffs, and the U.S. stock market is taking the worst of it so far.

The S&P 500 was down 4.3% in morning trading, more than other major stock markets, and it's on track for its worst day since COVID shattered the global economy five years ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1,538 points, or 3.6%, as of 10:55 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 5.6% lower.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has moved to fire several senior White House National Security Council officials soon after he was urged by far-right activist Laura Loomer to purge staffers she deemed insufficiently committed to his Make America Great Again agenda, several people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's dramatic changes to the federal government haven't emerged as an obvious political winner or loser, according to a new poll that indicates some Americans may be giving him the benefit of the doubt for now on his Department of Government Efficiency.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has banned American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens, The Associated Press has learned.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An obscure but consequential bookkeeping matter has become the latest flashpoint in Congress as Republicans labor to enact President Donald Trump's sprawling tax cut agenda.

Senate Republicans are looking to change how extending many of Trump's 2017 tax cuts would be scored when it comes to future federal deficits. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that extending the cuts would increase deficits by nearly $4 trillion over the coming decade.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night that would thwart President Donald Trump's ability to impose tariffs on Canada, delivering a rare rebuke to the president just hours after he unveiled sweeping plans to clamp down on international trade.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration's acting commissioner is facing calls to resign after he issued an order — which was quickly rescinded — that would have required Maine parents to register their newborns for Social Security numbers at a federal office rather than the hospital.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican senators unveiled a budget proposal Wednesday that's central to President Donald Trump's domestic agenda of tax breaks, spending cuts and border security, but they're delaying some of the most difficult decisions, including how to pay for the multitrillion-dollar package.