Author: Robert Jones

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said the U.S. military on Monday again targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel, and hinted that the military targeting of cartels could be further expanded.“The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.,” Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the strike. “These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests.”The strike was carried out nearly two weeks after another…

CHICAGO (AP) — Activists in Chicago’s well-connected immigrant rights network say there’s been a noticeable uptick in immigration enforcement agents in recent days, deepening the dread in communities already fearful of the large-scale arrests or aggressive tactics used in other cities targeted by President Donald Trump.Those tactics haven’t been seen yet in or around the nation’s third-largest city. but activists report a spike in arrests in immigrant-heavy city neighborhoods and suburbs of Chicago. Immigration officers are focused on isolated traffic stops and there’s been an increased presence of them at local courthouses.“We definitely feel escalated operations are already here,” said…

FLAT ROCK, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein on Monday requested $13.5 billion more from Congress in recovery aid for Hurricane Helene almost a year after the historic storm, saying additional help is needed from Washington to address record amounts of damage and to get funds to the region quicker. The proposal also asks the federal government to distribute an additional $9.4 billion in federal funds that the state has already requested or is expecting but first needs additional action from U.S. agencies.Stein’s administration says $5.2 billion in federal funds have already been allocated or obligated to western…

A central question to TikTok’s potential shutdown saga has been whether the popular social video platform would keep its algorithm — the secret sauce that powers its addictive video feed — after it’s divested from Chinese parent company ByteDance. Now, it appears that it can. Wang Jingtao, deputy director of China’s Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, told reporters in Madrid Monday there was consensus on authorization of “the use of intellectual property rights such as (TikTok’s) algorithm” — a main sticking point in the deal.The sides also agreed on entrusting a partner with handling U.S. user data and content security, he…

NEW YORK (AP) — Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen stood before Iowa Democrats over the weekend and blasted his party’s leadership as “spineless” for refusing to endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor.“Many Democratic members of the Senate and the House representing New York have stayed on the sidelines,” Van Hollen said. “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of. They need to get behind him and get behind him now.” AP Mobile App CTA Get the AP News App It was another jab in an ongoing rift within the party over Mamdani’s…

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray speaks during a press conference about the charges and next steps in the case of Tyler Robinson, who is suspected of fatally shooting U.S. right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, in Provo, Utah, U.S., Sept. 16, 2025.Jim Urquhart | ReutersUtah prosecutors on Tuesday charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and several other counts in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said he intends to seek the death penalty in the case.”I…

Vice President JD Vance on Monday jumped onto the conservative movement demanding consequences for those who have cheered Charlie Kirk’s killing, calling on the public to turn in anyone who says distasteful things about the assassination of his friend and political ally.“When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out,” Vance urged listeners on the slain activist’s podcast Monday. “And hell, call their employer.” AP Mobile App CTA Get the AP News App Vance’s call also included a vow to target some of the biggest funders of liberal causes as conservatives stepped up their targeting of private individuals for…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday entered the national battle over U.S. House control, urging voters to reject a California ballot proposal to rejigger districts that he said would erode democratic principles and allow politicians to “take the power away from the people.” “It is insane,” the former Republican governor and action-movie star said of Democratic-backed Proposition 50, a November ballot initiative intended to add five Democratic U.S. House seats in California to offset President Donald Trump’s moves in Texas to gain five Republican districts before the 2026 midterm elections.“It doesn’t make any sense to me that because…

A fingerprint on the scope of a rifle found near where President Donald Trump was playing golf last year matches that of a man accused of trying to assassinate Trump that day, an FBI analyst testified Monday in a Florida courtroom. Monday was the third day of testimony in the trial of Ryan Routh, who prosecutors said spent weeks plotting to kill Trump before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate,…

WASHINGTON (AP) — A deadline looming, Congress charged Monday toward a federal government shutdown as Republicans brush back Democratic demands to save health care funding from cutbacks, while Democrats are flexing a newfound willingness to play hardball, even if it means closing offices and services.Republican leaders are ready to call the Democrats’ bluff, possibly as soon as this week, with a test vote before the end-of-the-month deadline to keep government running.GOP leaders said they could tee up a vote on a short-term spending bill that would keep the federal government fully operational when the new budget year begins Oct. 1.…