October 20, 2025 5:00 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are growing increasingly concerned about their ability to find a good job under President Donald Trump, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds, in what is a potential warning sign for Republicans as a promised economic boom has given way to hiring freezes and elevated inflation. High prices for groceries, housing and health care persist as a fear for many households, while rising electricity bills and the cost of gas at the pump are also sources of anxiety, according to the survey. Some 47% of U.S. adults are “not very” or “not at all confident” they could find a good job if they wanted to, an increase from 37% when the question was last asked in October 2023. Electricity bills are a “major” source of stress for 36% of U.S. adults at a time when the expected build-out of data centers for artificial intelligence could further tax the power grid. Just more than one-half said the cost of groceries are a “major” source of financial stress, about 4 in 10 said the cost of housing and health care were a serious strain and about one-third said they were feeling high stress about gasoline prices.
October 20, 2025 1:04 am
(AP) – State emergency management officials say they’re facing funding challenges from the federal government that threaten the country’s ability to respond to crises. The Trump administration has cut state grants and tied funding to immigration enforcement. And the government shutdown adds to the problem. Last week, a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop linking grants to immigration enforcement. Some states have seen drastic cuts to homeland security grants, leading to a freeze on the entire $1 billion program. Emergency management agencies are delaying hiring and equipment purchases. Experts warn these disruptions could jeopardize preparedness and response to disasters.
October 19, 2025 7:00 am
Residents of Washington County took their opportunity to participate in the nationwide series of “No Kings” rallies. Critics of President Donald Trump, his policies and his administration lined both sides of South Main Street in front of the Washington County Courthouse to express their concerns. Reasons for participation by supporters varied, from protesting Trump as a hateful person, to trying to stop what they feel is a dictatorship under construction. Donna Patrina, President of the Washington Greene County Central Labor Council was there to support workers and veterans. Theodore Tolliver is the President of the Washington and Jefferson College Democrats. He said he was there to defend the Constitution and to help drive young people to get involved in politics early and stay involved throughout their lives. It was an enthusiastic crowd. Car horns blared, crowd chants often drowned out speaker comments. Detractors of the rally were not obvious, but several motorists were noticed offering unfriendly gestures to the crowd.
October 19, 2025 7:08 am
(AP) A plan to fire live artillery shells over a major Southern California highway as part of a military showcase attended by Vice President JD Vance has drawn strong objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The Democrat says the exercise is potentially dangerous and has forced him to close a 17-mile portion of the interstate for safety reasons. Vance and U.S. Marine officials at Camp Pendleton have said there is nothing unsafe about the artillery exercise and no need to disrupt traffic on Interstate 5, which is the main highway along the Pacific coast between San Diego and Los Angeles. Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are visiting Camp Pendleton o celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary. (Photo: AP)
October 19, 2025 7:06 am
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan and Pakistan say they will respect a ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Turkey. The truce comes into effect immediately and is intended to pause hostilities. The Taliban government’s chief spokesman and Pakistan’s defense minister confirmed the truce on Sunday. Violence has escalated between the neighbors since earlier this month, with each country saying they were responding to aggression from the other. Afghanistan denies harboring militants who carry out attacks in border areas. Pakistan is grappling with militancy that has surged since 2021, when the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan and returned to power.
October 19, 2025 12:06 pm
LONDON (AP) — London police are investigating whether Prince Andrew asked a police officer to find damaging information on Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault. Reports suggest Andrew sought to smear Giuffre in 2011 by trying to check her criminal record. This comes after Buckingham Palace announced Andrew would give up his Duke of York title following more revelations of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre’s family wants King Charles III to strip Andrew of his prince title. The duke’s demise began in 2019 following a disastrous interview in which Andrew sought to counter media reports about his friendship with Epstein and denied allegations he had sex with a 17-year-old Giuffre.
October 19, 2025 12:07 pm
PARIS (AP) — Thieves have pulled off a daring heist at the Louvre, stealing priceless Napoleonic jewels. On Sunday, they used a basket lift to access the museum, smashed display cases, and fled with the treasures. The theft happened in the Galerie d’Apollon, where the French Crown Jewels are displayed. Officials say the operation took only four minutes and was carried out by professionals. The Louvre has faced criticism for under-staffing and security issues. The museum closed for the rest of Sunday as investigators began their search for clues. The heist has sparked political debate in France.
October 18, 2025 12:30 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government shutdown is approaching the second longest on record and there’s no end in sight. Some lawmakers predict it could surpass the 35-day shutdown from President Donald Trump’s first term. The nation’s 1.3 million active-duty service members have gotten a temporary reprieve. But hundreds of thousands of federal civilian employees are being furloughed and facing financial stress. The travel economy is taking a big hit with tourist sites such as Smithsonian museums in the nation’s capital closed. There have been air controller shortages in some cities and flight delays. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more it could be a drag on the economy.
October 18, 2025 12:28 pm
Prince Andrew has been banished from the royal whirl after emails emerged this week showing that he had remained in contact with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein longer than he previously admitted. The House of Windsor has finally moved to insulate the monarchy from years of tawdry headlines about Andrew’s dodgy friends and suspicious business deals. Buckingham Palace on Friday released a statement from Andrew saying that he had agreed to give up use of his last remaining royal titles so that continued allegations about him “don’t distract from the work of His Majesty.”
October 18, 2025 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is calling on Kyiv and Moscow to “stop where they are” and end their brutal war. Trump made the statement in a social media post following a lengthy White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Trump’s frustration with the conflict has surfaced repeatedly in the nine months since he returned to office, but with his latest comments he edged back in the direction of pressing Ukraine to give up on retaking land it has lost to Russia. In his post, Trump said: “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!”
