CNN By Dakin Andone, Ed Lavandera and Ashley Killough, CNN Huntsville, Texas (CNN) — The state of Texas on Wednesday executed death row inmate Ivan Cantu, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2000 murders of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancée – though he insisted until his death that he was innocent. Cantu,
Continue ReadingBy Clare Foran, Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett, CNN Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will step down as GOP leader in November, the Kentucky Republican announced on the Senate floor Wednesday, marking the end of an era on Capitol Hill and setting up a high-stakes race for his successor. He will continue to serve in
Continue ReadingBy JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Supporters who want to make South Carolina the next-to-last U.S. state to pass a hate crimes law increasing penalties for some crimes fueled by race, gender or sexual orientation are running out of time. The hate crimes bill has sat undebated on the state Senate calendar
Continue ReadingBy STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are drifting Wednesday and edging a bit lower from their all-time highs. The S&P 500 was down 0.3% in afternoon trading, continuing a quiet and listless run since it set a record last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 109 points,
Continue ReadingBy MICHAEL TACKETT Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Party for almost two decades, will step down from that position in November. McConnell, who turned 82 last week, announced his decision Wednesday in the well
Continue ReadingBy Jennifer Hansler, CNN (CNN) — The United States, Mexico and Guatemala on Wednesday pledged to deepen their cooperation to address illegal migration after a round of ministerial level talks in Washington, DC, as migration and border issues continue to loom large over US domestic politics. In a joint statement following the talks, the three
Continue ReadingBy MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press A nuclear weapons facility was forced to evacuate most of its staff due to threats from a fast-moving wildfire blazing across the Texas Panhandle. The Pantex plant, northeast of Amarillo, removed nonessential staff Tuesday night as the fire grew into the second-largest in state history. Pantex is one of six
Continue ReadingPRAGUE (AP) — The lower house of Parliament in the Czech Republic has rejected same-sex marriage while affirming existing unions called partnerships for gay couples. The new legislation also doesn’t allow same-sex couples to adopt children aside from those of their partner. The legislation still needs approval from the Senate and President Petr Pavel, who
Continue ReadingBy Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — Astronomers have discovered three previously unknown moons around Uranus and Neptune, the most distant planets in our solar system. The find includes one moon spotted orbiting Uranus — the first discovery of its kind in more than 20 years — and two detected in Neptune’s orbit. “The three newly
Continue ReadingBy Celina Tebor, CNN (CNN) — Indiana’s ban on transition care for minors can take effect, an appeals court ruled Tuesday, issuing a stay on the district court’s ruling that blocked parts of the law last summer. The ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago ordered the preliminary injunction from the
Continue ReadingBy CHRISTINA LARSON AP Science Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Our very ancient animal ancestors had tails. Why don’t we? Somewhere around 20 million or 25 million years ago, when apes diverged from monkeys, our branch of the tree of life shed its tail. From Darwin’s time, scientists have wondered why — and how — this
Continue ReadingSPARTANSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Investigators says they have no suspects in the killing of a pregnant 23-year-old Amish woman inside her home in rural northwestern Pennsylvania. A state police spokeswoman said Wednesday that Rebekah A. Byler had been killed inside her home near Spartansburg. They say a relative and a family friend discovered her body
Continue ReadingBy LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air ForcDays before a possible partial government shutdown, negotiators in Congress were working furiously Wednesday to finish up a federal spending plan as Washington joined Ukraine and other American allies around the world in watching and waiting for House Speaker Mike Johnson’s next
Continue ReadingBy THALIA BEATY Associated Press Francine Spang-Willis wishes the landscape of the Crazy Mountains near Livingston, Montana, could speak for itself. But absent that, the oral historian will launch a new project talking to people with a connection to the land. Spang-Willis is one of a dozen new fellows announced Wednesday by the Emerson Collective,
Continue ReadingBy MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers told a New York appellate court Wednesday that he’s prepared to post a $100 million bond to halt collection of his staggering civil fraud penalty, arguing that provisions of the verdict make it impossible for the former president to secure a bond
Continue ReadingBy ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Associated Press OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — On a recent evening outside Washington, the president of Argentina had the eyes and ears of a conservative crowd that had gathered to listen to Donald Trump. In a raspy voice, Javier Milei called out, “Hola a todos,” or “Hello, everyone,” before introducing himself
Continue ReadingBy VINCENT THIAN and JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press LANGKAWI, Malaysia (AP) — King Harald V of Norway remains hospitalized in Malaysia in the country’s northern resort island of Langkawi after falling ill while on vacation. Malaysian national news agency Bernama said on Wednesday that the 87-year-old monarch was undergoing treatment at the Sultanah Maliha
Continue ReadingBy JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Pilots lined up on a runway in Dubai on Wednesday and fired up their seven jet engines with an ear-splitting roar. But they weren’t preparing to fly an airplane — they were the aircraft. This city-state in the United Arab Emirates, known for being
Continue ReadingDENVER (AP) — The oldest son of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert has been arrested in connection with a recent string of vehicle break-ins and property thefts. Police in Rifle, Colorado, say 18-year-old Tyler Jay Boebert was arrested Tuesday afternoon and is facing possible felony charges, Those charges include criminal possession of identification documents involving multiple
Continue ReadingBy EDOUARD TAKADJI Associated Press N’DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Officials in Chad say several people were killed in an attack on the national security agency in the capital. Government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah said Wednesday the agency, known as ANSE, was attacked in D’jamena by the opposition group The Socialist Party Without Borders. The group is
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