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Democratic leaders, desperate to compete in red states where their party brand is toxic, are embracing something new this midterm season: Not backing Democrats. In states like Nebraska, Idaho and Alaska, Democratic officials are, in some cases, looking past their own party’s candidates while subtly encouraging — or even openly promoting — independent candidates they hope can outperform the Democratic label. The Democratic National Committee and some of its allies in Washington are quietly supporting the new strategy. Meanwhile, some of the independent candida

Democrats test a new red state strategy: Back independents over their own nominees

Cuban dancer finds meaning and work in the streets as the island's art scene fades

A Texas town may offer a preview of a Trump plan to force noncitizens from public housing

Election|Finance|Political|Stock Markets|US

Florida court to consider whether new US House map violates state ban on partisan gerrymandering

New U.S. House districts that could help Republicans win several additional seats in Florida are set to face their first test in court Friday against assertions that they violate a state constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering. Lawsuits filed on behalf of voters ask a state judge to block the districts from being used in the midterm elections. The move would create a significant wrinkle in President Donald Trump's attempt to hold on to a narrow House majority by redrawing voting districts to the GOP's advantage. Republicans already hold 20 of

Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion and say today's catastrophe is worse

India raises fuel prices as global energy crisis adds pressure on economy

World shares are lower after South Korea's Kospi hits records, as Trump wraps up Beijing trip

World shares retreated Friday and South Korea’s Kospi index gave up gains after reaching an all-time high, as investors watch for developments from the Iran war and as U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up his summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. U.S. futures were down after Wall Street reached fresh records. In early European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 traded 1.2% lower at 24,092.41. France's CAC 40 also fell 1.2% to 7,987.27, while Germany's DAX dropped 1.5% to 24,092.41. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 2% to 61,409.29 after rising briefl

Author Ann Patchett urges a 'breath' for books as PEN gala raises $2M amid ban surge

The Latest: US-China summit ends with Xi and Trump claiming progress but differences remain

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Health|Political|US

Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion pill, while lawsuit plays out

The Supreme Court on Thursday preserved women’s access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion, rejecting lower-court restrictions while a lawsuit continues. The court’s order allows women seeking abortions to continue obtaining the drug, mifepristone, at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Access is likely to remain uninterrupted at least until into next year as the case plays out, including a potential appeal to the high court. The justices granted emergency requests from makers of mifepristone, who are appeali

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US Border Patrol chief Michael Banks is resigning, in latest DHS leadership change

The head of U.S. Border Patrol, the agency tasked with securing the nation's frontiers and increasingly tapped by the Trump administration for immigration operations in American cities, announced his resignation Thursday. Michael Banks' decision, announced in a Fox News interview and later confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security, is the latest leadership shake-up of officials implementing President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and comes as the Republican administration appears to be recalibrating its approach to its centerpiece policy of mass depor

Neo-Nazi leader gets 15 years for recruiting violent attacks, including a Santa poison plot

Supreme Court allows telehealth and mail access to mifepristone for now

Health|Science|Technology|US|World

US Supreme Court lets abortion pill mail delivery continue

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ensured that the abortion pill can continue to be prescribed through telemedicine and dispensed by mail, as the justices restored for now a 2023 federal rule challenged by Republican-governed Louisiana that had made access to the medication easier.The justices granted requests by two manufacturers of the abortion pill, called mifepristone, to lift a lower court's block on the rule that was issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration, while Louisiana's legal challenge plays out.The brief order

Business|Political|US|World

Border Patrol chief Michael Banks resigns his position

US Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks told CNN Thursday he was stepping down from his post, effective immediately, marking the latest senior immigration official to leave the Department of Homeland Security since Secretary Markwayne Mullin stepped into the top job.In a statement, Banks said he was “proud” of his time at Border Patrol and was leaving the job now with “the most secure border” in the nation’s history.“After almost 37 years of public service now is my time to enjoy family and life,” he said.Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, whose agency includes

Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions are gone. Here’s what that means for a retrial

Senators approve withholding their own pay during government shutdowns

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Crime|MidEast|Political|World

FBI offers $200,000 for information on former Air Force intelligence specialist charged with spying for Iran

The FBI is offering $200,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of a former Air Force intelligence specialist who was charged in 2019 with spying for Iran.In an announcement Thursday, the FBI said it is still trying to locate Monica Witt, who it believes defected to Iran in 2013. The agency said it believes she “likely continues to support (Iran’s) nefarious activities.”“The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts,” Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the F

Business|Economy|Political|Travel|World

Trump leaves Beijing with few wins, many warm words for Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump departed China on Friday touting business deals that gave markets little to cheer, while Beijing warned Washington about mishandling Taiwan and said its war with Iran should never have started.Trump's visit to America's main strategic and economic rival, the first by a U.S. president since his last trip in 2017, had aimed for tangible results to beef up his dented approval ratings ahead of crucial midterm elections.The summit was filled with pageantry, from grand receptions with goose-stepping soldiers to lavish banquets and private tours of a secret garden, while

Justice Department accuses Yale medical school of illegally using race in admissions

CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Raul Castro's grandson in Havana, US and Cuban officials say

Rory McIlroy has a bad finish for a rough start at the PGA Championship

The blister on Rory McIlroy's right pinky toe was the least of his worries Thursday in the PGA Championship. And it certainly didn't cause him as much pain as staring a scorecard that featured five bogeys over his last six holes. He struggled mightily off the tee, a recipe for trouble at Aronimink. He was tentative over his putts, with three misses from the 7-foot range that could have made him feel a lot better. The result was a 4-over 74 that left McIlroy chasing the wrong kind of history as the Masters champion goes for the second leg of the calendar Grand Slam.

Business|Environment|Political|World

Iran allowing transit of Chinese vessels in Strait of Hormuz, Fars news reports

Iran has begun allowing some Chinese vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz following an understanding over Iranian management protocols for the waterway, the semi-official Fars news agency said on Thursday, citing an informed source.The Fars report came as U.S. President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to China, agreed with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the Strait of Hormuz must be open for the free flow of energy.The source told Fars news the move followed requests by China’s foreign minister and ambassador to Iran, with Tehran agreeing to facilitate the passage of a n

What proteins in prehistoric teeth reveal about Stone Age sex between early human species

US appeals court questions Trump's push to punish major law firms

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Newsom outlines his final budget proposal with no deficit, new major spending

Arts|Business|Economy|Entertainment|Lifestyle

OnlyFans is the star of TV’s hottest shows thanks to a messy economy

Crime|Economy|Health|Political

Fighting fraud is a top Trump administration priority. Here’s what you should know

Asia|Business|Economy|Environment|Technology

China's view on Elon Musk? Visionary, occasional villain

Asia|Business|Economy|Environment|World

China renews, then halts licenses for hundreds of US beef exporters amid Trump-Xi summit

Chinese customs appeared to have halted export clearances for hundreds of U.S. beef plants on Thursday, hours after Reuters

Economy|Environment|World

Cuba’s energy crisis to worsen as donated Russian oil runs out, minister warns

Oil ends flat as tanker crossings through Strait of Hormuz temper supply fears

Arts|Entertainment|Health|Political

As Trump fuels Vance vs. Rubio speculation, his vice president makes anti-fraud push

Crime|Political

GOP Rep. Mike Lawler blasts ‘disgusting’ antisemitic and homophobic comments from Sen. Rand Paul’s son

Crime|Economy|US|World

Taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements involving lawmakers exceeded $550,000, newly released documents show

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From LA to Scottsdale: The Founder Behind AdDynamix Is Building the Bridge Between AI and Business Tools

An LA digital advertising veteran of 28 years has moved to Scottsdale and is building what he calls the missing piece between business software and the AI assistants people now use every day. SCOTTSDALE, AZ. When Benoit Pecqueur talks about his latest company, he sounds less like a founder pitching a product and more like an operator who got tired of watching the same problem repeat itself. “Most small business owners are watching the AI revolution from the sidelines,” he says. “Not because they don’t want it. Because their tools don’t talk to ChatGPT or Claude. Their accountant still pulls