Stories by Associated Press

Florida to Eliminate All Childhood Vaccine Mandates in the State, Officials Say

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as an “immoral” intrusion on people’s rights bordering on “slavery.”

Trump Assures Polish Leader of a Continued Robust US Military Presence in the Country

President Donald Trump affirmed that the United States will keep a robust military presence in Poland as he had a warm meeting Wednesday with Karol Nawrocki, the new president of the American ally in Europe.

The Defunded Corporation for Public Broadcasting Will Receive One of TV’s Biggest Prizes

The organization, which has helped pay for PBS, NPR, 1,500 local radio and TV stations as well as programs like “Sesame Street” and “Finding Your Roots,” will be awarded the Television Academy’s Governors Award.

Kraft Heinz Undoes Blockbuster Merger After a Decade of Changing Tastes

Chicago-Based Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after a merger of the brands created one of the biggest food manufacturers on the planet.

Donald Trump’s Use of the National Guard During Los Angeles Immigration Protests is Illegal, Federal Judge Says

The order comes after California sued, saying the troops sent to Los Angeles over the summer were violating a law that prohibits military enforcement of domestic laws.

Chicago is in the Trump Administration’s Sights for Its Next Immigration Crackdown

The operation in the country’s third-largest city is expected to last about 30 days and could start as early as Sept. 5, a Department of Homeland Security official told The Associated Press on Friday.

Donald Trump Suggests More US Cities Need National Guard. Crime Stats Tell a Different Story

President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, New York, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, to fight what he says is runaway crime. Yet data shows most violent crime in those places and around the country has declined in recent years.

Chicago Native Taylor Townsend Gets Into a Tense Back-and-Forth With Opponent After US Open Match

Townsend, an American who is ranked No. 1 in doubles, said Ostapenko, a Latvian, who won the 2017 French Open, told her she has “no class” and “no education.”

National Guard Not Needed in Chicago, Pritzker Says During Tour of City to Counter Trump’s Crime Claims

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is doubling down on his message to President Donald Trump that the nation’s third-largest city doesn’t need or want military intervention to fight crime.

Shooting at Minneapolis Catholic School Kills 2 Children, Injures 17 People

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the shooter — armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol — approached the side of the church and shot through the windows toward the children sitting in the pews during Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School.

FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Shots but Limits Access for Some Kids and Adults

The new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are approved for all seniors. But the Food and Drug Administration narrowed their use for younger adults and children to those with at least one high-risk health condition, such as asthma or obesity.

Study Says AI Chatbots Need to Fix Suicide Response, as Family Sues Over ChatGPT Role in Boy’s Death

A study of how three popular AI chatbots respond to queries about suicide found they generally avoid answering questions that pose the highest risk to the user, such as for specific how-to guidance. But they are inconsistent in their replies to less extreme prompts that could still harm people.

Donald Trump’s Unprecedented Attempt to Fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook Will Likely Lead to a Major Legal Battle

Legal experts say the Republican president’s claim that he can fire Lisa Cook, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, is on shaky ground. But it’s an unprecedented move that hasn’t played out in the courts before, and the Supreme Court this year has been much more willing to let the president remove agency officials than in the past.

License Plate Camera Company Operating in Illinois Halts Cooperation With Federal Agencies Amid Concerns

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias raised concerns and announced Monday that an audit found Customs and Border Protection had accessed Illinois data, although he didn’t say that the agency was seeking immigration-related information. A 2023 law the Democrat pushed bars sharing license plate data with police investigating out-of-state abortions or undocumented immigrants.

Some FEMA Staff Call out Trump Cuts in Public Letter Warning of Hurricane Katrina-Like Catastrophe

The statement in it is noteworthy not only for its content but for its overall existence; a fierce approach toward critics by the Trump administration has caused many in the federal government to hesitate before locking heads with the White House.

Some National Guard Units in Washington Are Now Carrying Firearms as Trump Threatens Deployment in Chicago

A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.

Green Spaces Are Key to Combating Record Heat in Marginalized Communities

Extreme heat isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s the top cause of weather-related fatalities nationwide.

A Look Inside the Facility Where ICE is Training Recruits to Take on Trump’s Deportation Goals

With lots of money approved by Congress this summer starting to flow into ICE, the agency is in midst of a huge hiring effort as it aims to get thousands of new deportation officers into the field in the coming months.

Supreme Court Lets Trump Administration Cut $783M of Research Funding in Anti-DEI Push

The high court majority lifted a judge’s order blocking $783 million worth of cuts made by the National Institutes of Health to align with Republican President Donald Trump’s priorities.

Passengers Sue United and Delta for Selling ‘Window’ Seats Next to Blank Walls

The lawsuits allege that United and Delta long have been aware of consumer complaints posted on social media about the windowless seats yet continued charging extra for window seats without windows.

Trump Administration Reviewing All 55M People With US Visas for Potential Deportable Violations

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has thus far focused on deporting migrants illegally in the United States as well as holders of student and visitor exchange visas.

US Pediatricians’ New COVID-19 Shot Recommendations Differ From CDC Advice

The group’s new COVID-19 recommendations come amid a tumultuous year for public health, as vaccine skeptics have come into power in the Trump administration and government guidance has become increasingly confusing.

A Texas Democrat Spent the Night in Legislature Protesting Police Shadowing in Redistricting Battle

The Republican-controlled Texas House scheduled a vote for Wednesday on the new maps while California Democrats are retaliating by advancing their own new U.S. House boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

FDA’s New Expert Panels Are Rife With Financial Conflicts and Fringe Views

Former agency officials worry the meetings are skirting federal rules on conflicts of interests and transparency, while promoting fringe viewpoints that align with those of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Black Mayors of Cities Trump Decries as ‘Lawless’ Tout Significant Declines in Violent Crimes

Members of the African American Mayors Association are determined to stop President Donald Trump from burying accomplishments that they already felt were overlooked. And they’re using the administration’s unprecedented takeover in the nation’s capital as an opportunity to disprove his narrative.

Texas Democrats Return to Capitol for Republicans’ US House Map Overhaul as California Democrats Counter

Texas Democrats said Monday that they were ending a two-week walkout that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts as part of a national partisan brawl over President Donald Trump’s desire to reshape U.S. House maps to his advantage.
 

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