As millions sweat out the heat wave, blocks of lake ice keep these campers cool
SQUAM LAKE, N.H. (AP) — A heat wave is moving closer to the breaking point from the Midwest to New England, but there’s no immediate relief in sight for much of the rest of the country. The National Weather Service says the heat and humidity could send heat index readings above 100 degrees in many locations, possibly breaking all-time records. At one campground in New Hampshire, guests were keeping cool using blocks of ice harvested months earlier from a frozen lake. They were packed in sawdust until now, a tradition workers have kept for more than a century. The Weather Service predicts another scorching weekend elsewhere, with triple-digit highs in California and Arizona.
New Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display Ten Commandments churns old political conflicts
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A bill signed into law this week makes Louisiana the only state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every classroom in public schools and colleges. It also churns long-running conflicts over the role of religion in government institutions. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional. But the makeup of the Supreme Court has changed over the years. And religious conservatives have gained hope from a 2022 Supreme Court ruling in favor of a high school football coach who knelt and prayed on the field after games.
The Putin-Kim summit produced an unusual — and speedy — flurry of glimpses into North Korea
The imagery from Pyongyang emerged quickly this week and was notable in its variety. It gave glimpses into North Korea in near-real time that showed its leader, Kim Jong Un, grinning and glad-handing with Russian President Vladimir Putin and showing him around the capital of one of the world’s least accessible nations. For those who watch the happenings of the Kim family’s three-generation rule, the coverage of the Kim-Putin meeting this week represented an extraordinary flurry of views into a nation where imagery that feels even remotely off the cuff is rare. The visuals were released only by the respective propaganda arms of each government.
US will redirect air defense inceptor missiles to Ukraine that other allies had on order
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says it will rush delivery of air defense interceptor missiles to Ukraine by redirecting shipments that had been planned for other allied nations. The move comes as Washington scrambles to counter increased Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. National security spokesman John Kirby calls it a “difficult but necessary decision” to reprioritize planned foreign military sales to other countries. He declined to say how many nations would be affected. Kirby told reporters that “right now, we know that Ukraine urgently needs these additional capabilities.”
Biden approves disaster declaration, freeing up resources in battle against deadly New Mexico fires
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a disaster declaration, freeing up more resources as crews battle a pair of fires that have killed at least two people, destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to flee a mountain village in southern New Mexico. The federal aid approved Thursday will help with recovery efforts, including temporary housing and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property. The village of Ruidoso remains evacuated along with surrounding neighborhoods. Firefighters were taking advantaged of cooler temperatures, higher humidity levels and rain to keep the fire from growing on Thursday.
The Supreme Court upholds a tax on foreign income over a challenge backed by business interests
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has upheld a tax on foreign income over a challenge backed by business and anti-regulatory interests. The court on Thursday declined their invitation to weigh in on a broader, never-enacted tax on wealth. The justices left in place a provision of a 2017 tax law expected to generate $340 billion, mainly from foreign subsidiaries of domestic corporations that parked money abroad to shield it from U.S. taxes. The law was passed by a Republican Congress and signed by then-President Donald Trump. The case attracted outsize attention because it might have led to a decision dooming a wealth tax.
Donald Sutherland, the towering actor whose career spanned ‘M.A.S.H.’ to ‘Hunger Games,’ dies at 88
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Sutherland has died at 88. Sutherland’s agents say he died in Miami on Thursday after a long illness. The Canadian actor’s career stretched from “M.A.S.H” to “JFK” to “The Hunger Games.” He was known for offbeat characters and epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. But over the decades, Sutherland shifted into a career as a respected character actor. He said he found more challenge in those roles. He never stopped working, ultimately appearing in nearly 200 films and series. He received an honorary Oscar in 2017.
Border Patrol reports arrests are down 25% since Biden announced new asylum restrictions
WASHINGTON (AP) — Preliminary federal government figures show the number of people arrested by Border Patrol agents fell by 25% since President Joe Biden announced new rules restricting asylum access two weeks ago. The figures released Thursday by Customs and Border Protection are likely welcome news for a White House struggling to show to voters it has control of the southern border. Arrests also fell in May by 9%, making it the third-lowest month of Biden’s presidency. Troy Miller, the acting head of CBP, says the agency’s “enforcement efforts are continuing to reduce southwest border encounters.” The U.S. has also benefitted from aggressive enforcement on the Mexican side of the border.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fails to qualify for CNN’s debate. It’ll be a showdown between Biden and Trump
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has failed to qualify for next week’s debate in Atlanta. Host network CNN said Thursday the independent presidential candidate fell short of benchmarks both for state ballot qualification and polling. The missed markers mean the June 27 showdown will be solely between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Kennedy wanted to stand alongside the leading candidates, to lend legitimacy to his longshot bid and convince potential supporters that he has a shot at winning. Both major-party campaigns fear Kennedy could play spoiler in what’s anticipated to be a close general election. Kennedy has filed an election complaint alleging the debate markers were created to disfavor him.
The Lakers are hiring JJ Redick as their new head coach, an AP source says
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JJ Redick is being hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Lakers hadn’t yet publicly announced the decision to hire the former NBA shooting guard for his first coaching job. The 39-year-old Redick is an extraordinary choice by the Lakers, who hired a 15-year veteran with absolutely no coaching experience to lead a franchise with 17 NBA titles, one of the biggest brand names in world sports — and LeBron James, the top scorer in league history.
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