April 30, 2025 5:20 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ confidence in the economy slumped for the fifth straight month to the lowest level since the onset of COIVD-19 as worries about the impact of tariffs take a heavy toll on consumer expectations for future growth. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 7.9 points in April to 86, its lowest reading since May 2020. The figures reflect a rapidly souring mood among consumers, most of whom expect prices to rise because of the widespread tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
April 30, 2025 5:22 am
WARREN, Mich. (AP) — President Donald Trump has celebrated the 100th day of his second term — yet spent much of his rally marking it in campaign mode, fixated on past grudges and grievances. He repeatedly mocked his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, at Tuesday’s rally — attacking Biden’s mental acuity and even how he appears in a bathing suit. He again uttered the lie that he won the 2020 presidential election. And he attacked polling and news coverage not favorable to him. And the rally just outside Detroit, which marked Trump’s largest political event since returning to the White House, glossed over two forces that had rocked the state: his steep trade tariffs and combative attitude toward Canada.
April 30, 2025 5:24 am
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities. The FBI took Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan into custody on Friday morning at the county courthouse. She faces federal charges of concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest and obstructing or impeding a proceeding. The state Supreme Court issued a two-page order Tuesday noting that Dugan faces two federal charges and saying it is in the public interest to temporarily relieve her of her duties. Her attorney had no immediate comment. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to chill the nation’s judiciary.
April 29, 2025 5:11 am
Kraft Heinz lowered its full-year sales and earnings guidance Tuesday, citing weaker customer spending in the U.S. and the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It’s the latest big food company to issue disappointing results. Last week, PepsiCo lowered its full-year earnings forecast, also citing tariffs. Kraft Heinz acknowledged that it’s in a tough spot. It needs to keep prices low to prevent consumers from migrating to cheaper store brands of products like ketchup. But tariffs will add to its expenses. The company said it’s looking for alternative suppliers and may reformulate some products to try to mitigate tariff costs.
April 29, 2025 4:55 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – A Pittsburgh funeral home owner is charged with deceiving more than 6,500 pet owners who paid for burial services, but instead received ashes from other animals, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office announced Monday. Patrick Vereb, 70, owner of Vereb Funeral Home and Eternity Pet Memorial, is charged with improper disposal of thousands of dogs and cats for which owners paid for cremations, burials, returns of ashes, and other services between 2021 and 2024. Following an extensive investigation, the Attorney General’s Office identified more than 6,500 victims from Allegheny, Armstrong, Washington and Westmoreland counties. The AG’s Office said nearly a dozen veterinary practices and businesses worked with their office to confirm Vereb collected at least $657,517 in fees from pet owners who were promised a private cremation for their pet, but did not receive the actual ashes of their pet. According to agents with the state Attorney General’s office, Vereb told pet owners he would cremate their pets, but would actually dump their bodies in a landfill. Then, he allegedly gave the family’s ashes from other animals that he had “on hand” at the funeral home. Vereb is charged with theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and deceptive business practices. Vereb surrendered Monday afternoon and was arraigned on the charges. He was released on his own recognizance. The AG’s office launched a website for victims to provide their contact information, share victim impact statements and receive updates on the criminal case. It can also help concerned citizens to determine if they are also victims in this case.
April 29, 2025 2:53 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Trump administration says the University of Pennsylvania illegally denied women equal opportunities by letting a transgender swimmer compete on the school’s women’s team and into team facilities. The administration’s statement Monday doesn’t name Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer who last competed for the Ivy League school in 2022. But the investigation opened in February by the U.S. Education Department focused on Thomas, who became a leading symbol of transgender athletes and a prominent political target. The department wants Penn to strip Thomas of any awards and apologize to female swimmers. Penn had no immediate comment, but has said that it always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies. (Photo: AP)
April 29, 2025 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow enforcement of a ban on transgender people in the military, while legal challenges proceed. The high court filing Thursday follows a brief order from a federal appeals court that kept in place a court order blocking the policy nationwide. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service, after the Republican president signed an executive order claiming the sexual identity of transgender service members is harmful to military readiness. A federal judge in Tacoma, Washington, ruled for several transgender military members who challenged the ban, saying their firing would cause lasting damage to their careers and reputations.
April 29, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is opening a weeklong celebration of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. Officials kicked off the promotional campaign Monday with a focus on his immigration crackdown. Tom Homan, Trump’s top border adviser, said “we’re going to keep doing it, full speed ahead.” Trump is holding a rally in Michigan on Tuesday and delivering a commencement address at the University of Alabama on Thursday. Although immigration remains the Republican president’s strongest issue in public opinion surveys, he’s faced declining support overall. Polling from AP-NORC shows there are concerns that he’s focused on the wrong issues.
April 29, 2025 5:02 am
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won Canada’s federal election, capping a stunning turnaround in fortunes fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to Canada’s economy and sovereignty. The Liberals are projected to win more of Parliament’s 343 seats than the Conservatives in Monday’s contest. It isn’t clear yet if they will win an outright majority, at least 172, or will need to rely on one or more smaller parties to pass legislation. Trump’s threats of tariffs and suggestions that Canada should become the 51st state upended the race, as polls showed Pierre Poilievre and his Conservative Party with comfortable leads only months ago.
April 29, 2025 5:05 am
MADRID (AP) — Power had almost fully returned to Spain early Tuesday morning as many questions remained about what caused one of Europe’s most severe blackouts across Spain and Portugal. By 7:00a.m., Spanish electricity operator Red Eléctrica said that more than 99% of energy demand had been restored. Power had returned to several regions across Spain and Portugal as the nations reeled from the still-unexplained widespread blackout that had turned airports and train stations into campgrounds for stranded travelers. Monday night, many city residents, including in Spain’s capital of Madrid, went to sleep in total darkness.
