Most U.S. adults are opposed to proposals that would cut into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and a majority support raising taxes on the nation’s highest earners to keep Medicare running as is. The new findings, revealed in a March poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research,...
In Gory Ritual, Filipinos Nailed to Crosses on Good Friday
Eight Filipinos were nailed to crosses to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a gory Good Friday tradition that draws thousands of devotees and tourists to the Philippines despite being rejected by the Catholic church. The real-life crucifixions in the farming village of San Pedro Cutud in Pampanga province north of...
China Sanctions Reagan Library After McCarthy Visit With Taiwan Leader There
China retaliated for the United States House speaker's meeting with the Taiwanese president by announcing sanctions Friday against the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and other organizations, adding to strains over the self-ruled island democracy Beijing claims as part of its territory. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy held talks Wednesday with President Tsai...
Man Shoots Hostages, Killing 1, at California Park After Wounding Officer
A man fleeing police in Northern California took two hostages at a public park, killing one of them before surrendering, after earlier wounding a California Highway Patrol officer, authorities said. It happened Thursday in Roseville, northeast of Sacramento, in the early afternoon as families played at nearby baseball fields and...
2 Killed in West Bank After Israel Strikes Lebanon, Gaza
Israel unleashed rare airstrikes on Lebanon and continued bombarding the Gaza Strip on Friday, an escalation that sparked fears of a broader conflict following days of violence over Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site. Later Friday, there were signs that both sides were trying to keep the hostilities in check. Fighting...
Tennessee’s House Expels 2 of 3 Democrats Over Guns Protest
In an extraordinary act of political retaliation, Tennessee Republicans on Thursday expelled two Democratic lawmakers from the state Legislature for their role in a protest calling for more gun control in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville. A third Democrat was narrowly spared by a one-vote margin....
Biden Review of Chaotic Afghan Withdrawal Blames Trump
A U.S. review led by the National Security Council of the chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan largely lays the blame on former President Donald Trump, saying President Joe Biden was “severely constrained" by the decisions of his predecessor. The White House on Thursday publicly released a 12-page...
Saudi, Iran Restore Ties, Say They Seek Mideast Stability
Long-time Mideast rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia took another significant step toward reconciliation Thursday, formally restoring diplomatic ties after a seven-year rift, affirming the need for regional stability and agreeing to pursue economic cooperation. The agreement was reached in Beijing during a meeting between the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers,...
On DeSantis Turf, Newsom Decries Conservative Education Push
Appearing Wednesday on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' turf, Gov. Gavin Newsom decried what he called a backward-looking conservative attempt to reshape education in the U.S. — most notably at progressive institutions like New College of Florida. Newsom, a Democrat, met with more than a dozen students and faculty at a...
$1M Settlement in Suit Accusing California Police Officer of Rape
The Southern California city of Brawley will pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit by a woman who accused a police officer of rape after he arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence, her attorneys said Wednesday. The civil lawsuit filed in 2021 alleged former Brawley police Officer...