AP National News

AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — “Musical” has been a dirty word in marketing some recent song-and-dance studio films, but there’s no avoiding it in bringing “Wicked” to the big screen. “Wicked” is one of the fall’s biggest gambles not just because it’s been split in two, but because it’s going all-out for a

CHEROKEE, N.C. (AP) — The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians began selling marijuana and cannabis products to any adult 21 or over starting Saturday at its tribe-owned dispensary in North Carolina. A post on the Facebook page of Great Smoky Cannabis Co. called the day “history in the making.” It’s located on the Eastern Band

Associated Press DUBLIN (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with his Irish counterpart, Saturday in what was billed as an attempt to reset relations between the two countries after years of tensions following the U.K.’s departure from the European Union. Starmer’s visit to meet Irish premier Simon Harris is the first by a

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany’s national rail company is reporting “massive” disruptions” in parts of the country on Saturday, blaming a “technical disturbance.” An announcement on the rail operator Deutsche Bahn’s website said that “we are working on a fix at high speed.” Long-distance and local trains were completely halted in the area around Frankfurt

Associated Press Higher education advocates in Latino communities say they are optimistic about a new federal effort to support hundreds of local colleges and universities. Hispanic-serving institutions, or HSIs, which are not-for-profit schools with a full-time equivalent undergraduate student enrollment that is at least a quarter Hispanic, are vital to the goals of equality in

AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — The race for control of Congress is as close as ever, with barely two dozen House seats and a handful in the Senate likely to determine the majority this November and whether a single party sweeps to power with the White House. Lawmakers are returning to Washington for a

BOSTON (AP) — The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to an estimated $800 million with a cash option of $401.8 million. The jackpot for next Tuesday’s drawing grew after no one matched all of the winning numbers for Friday night’s drawing. The jackpot was last won in Illinois on June 4 with a ticket valued

Associated Press Mining raw materials, like nickel, for batteries harms the environment, and new mines are very difficult to get approved, so the search is on to recycle metals that have already come out of the earth. On Monday, metals recycler Nth Cycle will open a new plant in Fairfield, Ohio, that recycles nickel and

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have denounced the conservative Project 2025 blueprint in hundreds of ads and billboards, printed it in oversized book form as a convention prop and mentioned it frequently. On Saturday, they took their campaign against the blueprint from allies of Donald Trump to the sky above college football stadiums in

Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be the Democratic vice presidential candidate has revived the debate over how he handled the biggest crisis of his political career. Minneapolis and St. Paul erupted after a white Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd. The Black man’s murder in 2020

Associated Press Murder charges filed against the father of a 14-year-old boy accused of a Georgia school shooting follow the successful prosecution of two parents in Michigan who were held responsible for a similar tragedy at a school north of Detroit. Is it a sign of a crackdown on parents accused of gross negligence when

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across France, responding to a call from a far-left party leader who criticized as a power grab the president’s appointment of a new prime minister, Michel Barnier. The protests are a direct challenge to President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to bypass a prime

Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz faced the biggest crisis of his political career when Minnesota’s two largest cities erupted in protests and riots after a white Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd. The Black man’s murder in 2020 sparked a nationwide reckoning over racial discrimination and police misconduct. His death, and its

Associated Press Wisconsin health officials initiated a recall of eggs following an outbreak of salmonella infections among 65 people in nine states that originated on a Wisconsin farm. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said in a statement Friday that among those infected by salmonella are 42 people in Wisconsin, where the eggs are believed

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria’s president seeks a second term in the gas-rich North African country’s election this weekend. But prospective voters say they are more concerned about inflation’s effects on the spiking prices of school supplies, potatoes and coffee. The malaise is a far cry from the hopes of 2019, when pro-democracy activists called

AP Education Writer Preschool options are growing with the expansion of early learning programs, giving families in some parts of the U.S. a dizzying array of choices. Some states, like Colorado and New Mexico, are funneling state money into existing private preschools or child care centers. Others, like California, are expanding preschool through the public

Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium is known as the Mother Church of Country Music. And, indeed, it began as a church, built by a riverboat captain who was converted to religion by an evangelist. More than 130 years after it was built as the nondenominational Union Gospel Tabernacle, Music City’s most

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is recalling nearly 1.5 million Ram pickup trucks worldwide to fix a software problem that can disable the electronic stability control system. The recall covers certain trucks from the 2019 and 2021 through 2024 model years, mostly in North America. Stellantis said in a statement Saturday that the trucks may have

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — A Florida Panhandle high school football player has died after collapsing during a game. Port St. Joe High School wide receiver Chance Gainer collapsed during Friday night’s game at Liberty County High School. Gulf County School Superintendent Jim Norton said the 18-year-old senior was rushed to the hospital. Norton said

Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Huge numbers of Israelis again poured into the streets to protest the government’s failure to secure the return of remaining hostages in Gaza, while hospital and local authorities said Israeli air raids in the territory killed more than a dozen people overnight into Saturday. The new protest