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EPA bans asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after a partial ban was enacted
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products. The final rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a…
Sculpture park aims to look honestly at slavery, honoring those who endured it
The history of slavery in America is the focus of a new sculpture park in Montgomery, Alabama. The Freedom Monument Sculpture Park honors the millions of people who endured slavery's brutality. The park opening March 27 is the third site…
Crafts retailer Joann files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as consumers cut back on pandemic-era hobbies
Fabric and crafts retailer Joann has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as consumers continue to cut back on discretionary spending and pandemic-era hobbies. The Hudson, Ohio-based company said that it expected to emerge from…
New study finds no brain injuries among ‘Havana syndrome’ patients
An array of advanced tests found no brain injuries or degeneration among U.S. diplomats who suffer mysterious health problems once dubbed “Havana syndrome.” That's according to a nearly five-year study by the National Institutes of Health…
Supreme Court rejects appeal by former New Mexico county commissioner banned for Jan. 6 insurrection
The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a former New Mexico county commissioner banished from public office for participating in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. The court’s order Monday means Republican former Otero County commissioner…
Workers at Tennessee Volkswagen factory ask for vote on representation by United Auto Workers union
Volkswagen’s factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is likely to be the first test of the United Auto Workers’ effort to organize nonunion automobile plants across the nation. The union said workers at the factory filed paperwork Monday with…
In images: New England’s ‘Town Meeting’ tradition gives people a direct role in local democracy
WHAT: Town Meeting is a New England tradition that dates back more than 250 years. It offers people a chance to get directly involved in local democracy. One day each year, townsfolk gather to hash out local issues, such as whether to buy a…
United Airlines CEO tries to reassure customers that the airline is safe despite recent incidents
The CEO of United Airlines is trying to reassure travelers that the airline is safe despite a series of recent incidents ranging from a panel falling off a plane to an engine fire. CEO Scott Kirby said Monday that United will review safety…
Kate Ashford: Selling your home could boost your nest egg — but is it worth it?
A 2023 report from investment firm Vanguard estimates that about a quarter of Americans age 60 and over could move to a cheaper housing market and use the equity in their homes to upsize their retirement savings — making retirement more…
Insider Q&A: CEO of fast-growing First Watch keeps the focus on breakfast
A U.S. restaurant chain that only serves breakfast, brunch and lunch is keeping its original recipe for success as it evolves in response to changing work patterns. Florida-based First Watch is one of the fastest-growing chains in its…
Want to feel special? Stores and restaurants with paid memberships are betting on it
Paid loyalty programs are all the rage in the restaurant and retail worlds. Looking for reliable sales in an unpredictable spending environment, more companies have extended their points-based loyalty tiers to making their most dependable…
India’s multi-phase election will stretch over 44 days. Here’s why it takes so long
From April 19 to June 1, nearly 970 million Indians are eligible to vote in general elections. The mammoth exercise is the biggest anywhere in the world and will take 44 days before results are announced on June 4. Prime Minister Narendra…
Federal Reserve is likely to preach patience as consumers and markets look ahead to rate cuts
Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s first cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective home buyers hope for lower mortgage rates. Wall Street traders envision higher stock…
Biden to sign executive order aimed at advancing study of women’s health
President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order aimed at advancing the study of women’s health in part by working to strengthen data collection and provide easier and better funding opportunities for biomedical research. Women…
Blinken tells democracy summit that technology must sustain democratic values
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has underscored the need to ensure that technologies sustain democratic values. He said at the third Summit for Democracy in South Korea on Monday that authoritarian regimes deploy technologies to…
Stock market today: Wall Street rises toward records ahead of a big week for central banks
Stocks are rising ahead of a busy week for central banks around the world that could dictate where interest rates go next. The S&P 500 was up 0.9% Monday, coming off its first back-to-back weekly losses since October. It’s pulling close…
Stock market today: Asian stocks gain ahead of US and Japan rate decisions
Asian stocks are higher ahead of policy decisions this week by Japan's central bank and the Federal Reserve. Chinese data released Monday were mixed, with property investment falling while other indicators showed improvement. Japan's…
China’s economy shows signs of improvement, but its property sector is still in the doldrums
China has reported its manufacturing and investment improved in the first two months of the year, while weakness in the property sector weighed on the economy. The National Bureau of Statistics said industrial output rose 7% from a year…
In Vermont, ‘Town Meeting’ is democracy embodied. What can the rest of the country learn from it?
Democracy takes many forms, and some are more direct than others. In Vermont, the tradition of Town Meeting is very direct. Consider Elmore, where on a recent day the business of running a town and participating in its administration was…
Who is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and why is he running for president?
The lack of excitement many Americans feel about a presidential rematch has heightened interest in alternatives to the major-party candidates — none more so than Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose famous name has helped him build buzz for his…
A Supreme Court ruling in a social media case could set standards for free speech in the digital age
The Supreme Court is taking up a dispute between Republican-led states and the Biden administration over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security.…
Idaho considers a ban on using public funds or facilities for gender-affirming care
Idaho lawmakers are expected to vote on a bill that would ban the use of any public funds for gender-affirming care, including for state employees using work health insurance and for adults covered by Medicaid. The legislation already has…
First charter flight with US citizens fleeing Haiti lands in Miami
A charter flight carrying dozens of U.S. citizens fleeing spiraling gang violence in Haiti has landed in Miami. U.S. State Department officials said more than 30 U.S. citizens were on the government chartered flight Sunday. It arrived at…
A second man is charged in connection with 2005 theft of ruby slippers worn in ‘The Wizard of Oz’
A second man has been charged in connection with the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz,” according to an indictment made public Sunday. Seventy-six-year-old Jerry Hal Saliterman was charged…
Uber pays $178 million to end legal fight with Australian taxi drivers
Global rideshare giant Uber will pay $178 million to settle a long-running dispute with Australian taxi and hire car drivers who lost out when the company entered the Australian market. A class action suit against Uber had been expected to…
Oregon county plants trees to honor victims of killer 2021 heat wave
Family members of people killed by record-breaking heat in the Portland area three years ago gathered over the weekend to plant trees across Multnomah County in honor of its 72 victims. Three consecutive days of extraordinary temperatures…
Undeterred: Kansas City crowds go to St. Patrick’s Day parade, month after violence at Chiefs’ rally
The memory of the deadly shooting at the last month's Super Bowl rally in Kansas City, Missouri, was still on the minds of many at the St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday. But this time a big mass gathering went off without any significant…
AP PHOTOS: Boston celebrates St. Patrick’s Day; Biden holds White House brunch with Irish leader
While some American cities celebrated St. Patrick’s Day a day early, others, including Boston, one of the most Irish cities in the country, kicked off parades and festivities on Sunday. The South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade usually…
Ohio governor declares emergency after severe storms that killed 3
Ohio’s governor has declared a state of emergency in 11 counties across a swath of central Ohio struck by severe weather last week. Gov. Mike DeWine also activated the Ohio National Guard to help officials in Logan County, where three…
New Mexico authorities detain man in fatal shooting of state police officer
New Mexico authorities say a suspect in the shooting death of a state police officer has been captured in the Albuquerque area by sheriff's deputies. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office located 33-year-old Jaremy Smith of Marion, South…
Man accused of killing family members in Pennsylvania facing charges in 2 states
Authorities say a man faces murder charges in Pennsylvania and carjacking and weapons charges in New Jersey after allegedly killing three family members and evading law enforcement for hours as police mobilized in two states. Court…
US military operations across the Sahel are at risk after Niger ends cooperation
The U.S. is scrambling to assess the future of its counterterrorism operations in the Sahel region of Africa after the ruling junta in Niger announced it was ending military cooperation with Washington. The U.S. military has hundreds of…
From Frenchies to rescue cats, New York’s trauma center for animals takes the most complex cases
The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York City is one of a handful of veterinary hospitals across the country that is equipped to handle the most complicated cases. One recent patient, Harrison, a French bulldog is a familiar sight…
Ohio primary will set up a fall election that could flip partisan control of the state supreme court
Ohio is expected to star in this year's big races for state supreme court seats. During Tuesday's primary, Democrats will be choosing a candidate to compete for an open seat on a court that will be at the center of fights over…
Biden campaign has amassed $155M in cash on hand for 2024 campaign and raised $53M last month
President Joe Biden’s campaign has amassed $155 million in cash on hand for the 2024 election, far exceeding the in-hand total for his Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Trump’s February figures have not been released, but by the end of…
‘There’s no agenda here’: A look at the judge who is overseeing Trump’s hush money trial
Judge Juan Merchan could become the first judge ever to oversee a former U.S. president’s criminal trial. He is presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money case in New York. If Trump goes on trial, the judge also will be in a hot seat. Merchan…
Wisconsin voters to decide on banning private money to help fund elections
Wisconsin voters are set to decide whether to make it unconstitutional to accept private grant money to help administer state elections, one of two Republican-backed ballot measures that Democrats say are meant to make it harder to conduct…
Illinois primary features competitive congressional races in the Chicago area
Voters are set to cast their ballots to decide competitive U.S. House races during the Illinois primary. Democratic incumbents in at least two Chicago-area races are locked in energetic challenges in the strongly Democratic territory. U.S.…
Biden says at DC dinner that of 2 presidential candidates, 1 was mentally unfit. ‘The other’s me’
President Joe Biden attended the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner this weekend, the first time during his presidency. It came as the 2024 election looms, and the night was jam-packed with politicians and other leaders. In one of…
Niger’s junta says US military presence is no longer justified
Niger’s junta says the U.S. military presence in the country is no longer justified after holding high-level talks with U.S. diplomatic and military officials this week, Niger plays a central role in the U.S. military’s operations in the…
A local Arizona elections chief who quit in a ballot-counting dispute just got a top state job
The former elections director for a rural Arizona county who resigned last year because a flap over the hand-counting of ballots has been elevated to a top electoral post for the state. Lisa Marra left her job in southeastern Arizona’s…
Venezuela ruling party officially makes Maduro its candidate in the July presidential election
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has become his party’s official nominee for July’s highly anticipated presidential election, which will allow him to stroll into a third consecutive term with no real competition on the horizon. That is…
Trump ramps up dark rhetoric in Ohio stump speech for Senate candidate Bernie Moreno
Former President Donald Trump claimed that he — not President Joe Biden — will protect Social Security and warned of a “bloodbath” if he loses in November as he campaigned for Senate candidate Bernie Moreno in Ohio. Trump, speaking on a…