Spring break 2025 is set to be the most expensive on record, with trip budgets up an average of 26%, according to Yahoo Finance. The beach still tops the list for most spring breakers, but sky-high prices push smart travelers to skip the sand and choose lesser-known destinations that won't...
Then and Now: How Republican Senators Have Shifted Tone on Russia and Ukraine
WASHINGTON — Republican members of Congress have been some of the strongest critics of Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, keeping in line with their party's traditional hawkish views about the United States' role in upholding freedom and democracy around the globe. For years, that also translated into strong support...
Pope Francis in Critical Condition After Long Respiratory Crisis
ROME — Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican said. The 88-year-old pope, who remains conscious, received "high flows" of oxygen to help him breathe. He also received blood transfusions...
Musk Gives All Federal Workers 48 Hours to Explain What They Did Last Week
NEW YORK — Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have little more than 48 hours to explain what they accomplished over the last week as part of billionaire Elon Musk's crusade to slash what he describes as "waste everywhere" in the federal government. Musk, who serves as President Donald Trump's...
Fresno State Suspends 2 Players, Removes Another Amid Gambling Investigation
FRESNO — Fresno State suspended two of its top men's basketball scorers and removed a third player from the team in the midst of a gambling investigation, according to a report. ESPN.com reported Saturday that Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins were "being withheld from team competition as it reviews an...
Israel Delays Release of Palestinian Prisoners, Citing ‘Degrading’ Hostage Handovers
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel says the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners is delayed "until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed, and without the degrading ceremonies" at handovers of Israeli captives in Gaza. The statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office came early Sunday as vehicles apparently...
Officer Killed After Gunman Took Hostages at Pennsylvania Hospital
YORK, Pa. — A man armed with a pistol and carrying zip ties entered a Pennsylvania hospital's intensive care unit on Saturday and took staff members hostage before he was killed by police in a shootout that also left an officer dead, authorities said. Three staffers at UPMC Memorial Hospital,...
Kash Patel Plans to Move Up to 1,500 Workers Out of Washington
WASHINGTON — New FBI Director Kash Patel has told senior officials that he plans to relocate up to 1,000 employees from Washington to field offices around the country and move an additional 500 to a large bureau facility in Huntsville, Alabama, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions....
Fired Employees Fear Beloved Yosemite National Park Will Lose Its Luster
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — Yosemite National Park employees who recently were fired by the Trump administration worry cuts will affect the experience of visitors and the welfare of wildlife that thrive in the popular vacation destination located in California's Sierra Nevada. Yosemite is home to giant sequoia trees and a...
US and Ukraine Nearing Rare Earths Deal That Would Tighten Relationship
WASHINGTON — The White House and Ukraine have made significant progress toward reaching an agreement that would provide the U.S. with access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals and tighten the long-term relationship between Kyiv and Washington, according to a person familiar with the matter. The progress in talks comes after...