Hegseth faces a second day of Democrats grilling him over the Iran war
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to face a second day of grilling from Democrats on Capitol Hill. This time, it will be from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. They will get their first opportunity on Thursday to question the Pentagon chief about his handling of the war in Iran. Hegseth battled with Democrats during a nearly six-hour House Armed Services Committee hearing a day earlier. He faced sharp questioning over the war’s costs in dollars, lives and critical weapons. The hearings are being held on the Trump administration’s 2027 military budget proposal. It would boost defense spending to a historic $1.5 trillion.
Supreme Court weakens the Voting Rights Act and aids GOP efforts to control the House
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has weakened a landmark Civil Rights-era law that has increased minority representation in Congress and elsewhere. In a 6-3 ruling, the court's conservative majority on Wednesday struck down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana. The decision opens the door for more redistricting across the country that could aid Republican efforts to control the House. The effect of the ruling may be felt more strongly in 2028 because most filing deadlines for this year’s congressional races have passed. It's unclear now how much is left of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That law is the main way to challenge racially discriminatory election practices.
Powell plans to remain on Fed board, cites legal actions by Trump administration
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jerome Powell plans to remain on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month “for an undetermined period of time,” saying the “unprecedented” legal attacks by the Trump administration have put the independence of the nation’s central bank at risk. The Fed Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting but signaled it could still cut rates in the coming months, moves that attracted the most dissents since October 1992. The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell's successor as chair, Trump appointee Kevin Warsh, on a party-line vote.
Hegseth faces withering questions about Iran in first congressional appearance since war began
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced withering questioning in his first appearance before Congress since the Trump administration went to war against Iran. Skeptical Democrats on Wednesday grilled Hegseth over a costly conflict being waged without congressional approval. The war has cost $25 billion so far. That's according to Pentagon numbers presented to the House Armed Services Committee during a contentious hearing ostensibly focused on the administration’s 2027 military budget proposal. While Republicans focused on the details of military budgeting and voiced support for the Iran operation, Democrats questioned Hegseth about the ballooning costs of the war and the huge drawdown of critical U.S. munitions.
Man charged with trying to kill Trump took hotel room selfie before rushing gala, investigators say
The man charged with trying to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and kill President Donald Trump took a picture of himself in his hotel room just minutes earlier, outfitted with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster and a sheathed knife. The details are in a new court filing Wednesday. Authorities say Cole Allen, of Torrance, California, was captured Saturday when he tried to race past security barricades, prompting an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service agents. The government says Allen repeatedly made online checks to keep track of the Republican president's status that night and “intended to kill.” Prosecutors want Allen to remain in custody. Allen’s defender says he’s presumed innocent.
Man convicted of aiding IS group, but jury deadlocks on alleged role in deadly Kabul airport bombing
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — An alleged Islamic State group militant from Afghanistan has been convicted of aiding the terror organization that took credit for a deadly suicide bombing at a Kabul airport. But a Virginia jury couldn’t agree Wednesday on whether the man bears some responsibility for that attack during the U.S. military’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Mohammad Sharifullah faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years after his conviction in an international terrorism case President Donald Trump heralded during a speech to Congress. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in the attack at the airport's Abbey Gate entry point. Sharifullah’s defense says prosecutors failed to present evidence tying him to the bombing besides his own words during FBI questioning.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla honor 9/11 victims on visit to New York
NEW YORK (AP) — King Charles III and Queen Camilla have begun their trip to New York City with a visit to the National 9/11 Memorial, honoring victims of the 2001 attacks. Charles and Camilla are on a closely watched diplomatic trip to the U.S. to mark the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence from England. The king laid flowers at the memorial, and the royal couple met with 9/11 first responders and victims’ families. Camilla visited the New York Public Library, where she delivered a Roo doll for the library’s collection of Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animals as the children’s character turns 100.
Oil prices keep spurting higher, but US stocks hold near their records
NEW YORK (AP) — More jumps for oil prices sent tremors through the bond market, along with hints that some Federal Reserve officials don’t want to cut interest rates any time soon. But fat profit reports from big companies helped the U.S. stock market remain resilient Wednesday. The S&P 500 edged down by less than 0.1%, a day after slipping from its latest all-time high. The Dow dropped 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite inched up less than 0.1%. The price for a barrel of Brent crude jumped nearly 6%. Treasury yields climbed as traders erased nearly all their bets for a cut to rates by the Fed this year.
Texas tornado leaves 5 injured, buildings collapsed and homes without roofs
MINERAL WELLS, Texas (AP) — Officials have confirmed a tornado with winds of at least 120 mph tore through a small Texas city where manufacturing buildings got flattened and roofs were torn from homes. Christopher Hester said Wednesday he and his wife sheltered in the hallway of their apartment in Mineral Wells to see the roof lift off and their belongings get swept into the sky. National Weather Service meteorologist Allison Prater said a team is surveying the destruction to determine how powerful Tuesday's twister was. City officials told reporters five people were taken to a hospital with injuries. Mayor Regan Johnson said she is grateful and amazed no one was killed.
10 current and former Mexican officials accused in US indictment of aiding drug trafficking
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government has charged the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state and nine other current and former Mexican officials with drug trafficking and weapons offenses in a federal indictment. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. It alleges the defendants played influential roles in helping the Sinaloa Cartel ship massive quantities of illicit drugs from Mexico into the U.S. Mexico's government said it soon after received extradition requests from the U.S. but did not say how it would respond. Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya called the accusations baseless and a political attack. Some of those indicted were members of the progressive ruling party of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is seeking to offset mounting U.S. pressures.
