Category Archives: World/National

EPA froze ‘green bank’ funds worth billions, climate group suit says

EPA froze ‘green bank’ funds worth billions, climate group suit says

WASHINGTON (AP) — A nonprofit that was awarded nearly $7 billion by the Biden administration to finance clean energy and climate-friendly projects has sued the Environmental Protection Agency, accusing it of improperly freezing its account. Climate United Fund, a coalition of three nonprofit groups, demanded access to a Citibank account it received through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a program created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and more commonly known as the green bank. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has accused the Biden administration and fund recipients of misconduct and waste. Climate United said those allegations have no merit. Without access to their account, Climate United said it’s hard to issue loans or even pay staff.… Continue Reading

Elon Musk claims X being targeted in ‘massive cyberattack’ as service goes down

Elon Musk claims X being targeted in ‘massive cyberattack’ as service goes down

Hours after a series of outages that left X unavailable to thousands of users, Elon Musk is claiming that the social media platform is being targeted in a “massive cyberattack.” Musk said on a post Monday that the attacker is either a large, coordinated group or a country. Complaints about outages spiked Monday at 6 a.m. Eastern and again at 10 a.m, with more than 40,000 users reporting no access to the platform, according to the tracking website Downdetector.com. A sustained outage appeared to begin just after noon Eastern.… Continue Reading

Judge orders Trump administration to pay nearly $2 billion in USAID and State Dept. debts

Judge orders Trump administration to pay nearly $2 billion in USAID and State Dept. debts

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has given the Trump administration until Monday to pay nearly $2 billion owed to partners of the U.S. Agency for International Development and State Department. Thursday’s decision thaws the administration’s six-week funding freeze on all foreign assistance. U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled in favor of nonprofit groups and businesses that sued over the funding freeze, which has forced organizations around the world to slash services and lay off thousands of workers. Ali issued his order a day after a divided Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s bid to freeze funding that flowed through USAID.… Continue Reading

Trump reaches 36.6 million television viewers for first address to Congress in second term

Trump reaches 36.6 million television viewers for first address to Congress in second term

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump reached an estimated 36.6 million television viewers for his address to Congress, the Nielsen company said. That’s up from former President Joe Biden’s 32.2 million in 2024, and the most since Biden reached 38.2 million in 2022. It was a smaller audience than Trump reached for his annual address in any of the four years of his first term, Nielsen said. Fox News Channel, the most popular network for Trump fans, dominated viewing, reaching 10.7 million people. Nielsen said 71% of Trump’s television viewers were 55 and older.… Continue Reading

Trump takes credit for ‘swift and unrelenting’ action in speech to Congress

Trump takes credit for ‘swift and unrelenting’ action in speech to Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is taking credit for “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy as he updates Congress and the American people on his turbulent first few weeks in office. Democratic legislators have immediately registered their dissent with stone faces, placards calling out ’lies,” and one legislator’s ejection. The Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake America’s place in the world. Trump says he is working to “reclaim democracy from this unaccountable bureaucracy” and has threatened federal workers anew with firings if they resist his agenda.… Continue Reading

James Harrison, Australian blood donor whose ‘golden arm’ helped save 2.4 million babies, dies at 88

James Harrison, Australian blood donor whose ‘golden arm’ helped save 2.4 million babies, dies at 88

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — James Harrison, who was credited with saving 2.4 million babies through blood plasma donations over six decades, has died at 88. Harrison’s plasma contained an antibody that helped protect fetuses and newborns from a rare disease. Harrison made 1,173 donations from age 18 until he was forced to retire at age 81. His record was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2005 and stood until 2022. His grandson said Harrison died in a nursing home in Australia’s New South Wales state on Feb. 17. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service said Harrison was known as the “Man with the Golden Arm.”… Continue Reading

Zelenskyy calls Oval Office spat with Trump ‘regrettable,’ says he’s ready to work for Ukraine peace

Zelenskyy calls Oval Office spat with Trump ‘regrettable,’ says he’s ready to work for Ukraine peace

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says last week’s Oval Office blowup with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump was “regrettable,” and he adds: “It is time to make things right.” His remarks came hours after the White House announced a pause on military aid to Ukraine. In a social media post on X, Zelenskyy said Friday’s White House meeting “did not go the way it was supposed to be.” He added that ”it is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.” He said Ukraine is ready to sign a deal on its rare-earth minerals and security with Washington.… Continue Reading

Senate confirms McMahon to lead Education Department as Trump pushes to shut it down

Senate confirms McMahon to lead Education Department as Trump pushes to shut it down

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is voting on whether to confirm former wrestling executive Linda McMahon as the nation’s education chief, a role that would place her atop a department President Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle. McMahon would face the competing tasks of winding down the Education Department while escalating efforts to achieve the Republican president’s agenda. Trump has signed sweeping orders to rid America’s schools of diversity programs and accommodations for transgender students while calling for expanded school choice programs. Trump also has promised to shut down the Education Department and said he wants McMahon “to put herself out of a job.” McMahon spent a year on Connecticut’s state board of education.… Continue Reading

Trump hits ‘pause’ on US aid to Ukraine after Oval dustup, pressuring Zelenskyy on Russia talks

Trump hits ‘pause’ on US aid to Ukraine after Oval dustup, pressuring Zelenskyy on Russia talks

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to U.S. assistance to Ukraine after a disastrous Oval Office meeting as Trump seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in peace talks with Russia.A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelenskyy “committed” to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was “pausing and reviewing” its aid to “ensure that it is contributing to a solution.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance.… Continue Reading

Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports will start Tuesday, with ‘no room’ for delay

Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports will start Tuesday, with ‘no room’ for delay

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will start Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a North American trade war. He announced the coming tariffs at the White House on Monday. He says the tariffs are to force the two U.S. neighbors to step up their fight against fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. Trump provided a one-month delay in February as both countries promised concessions. But Trump said Monday that there was “no room left for Mexico or for Canada” to avoid the steep new tariffs. U.S. stock markets moved sharply lower after Trump’s comments. Trump said he would also add on another 10% tariff on goods from China, on top of the initial 10% he put in place last month.… Continue Reading

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