FRESNO, Calif. — Despite losing billions to President Donald Trump’s administration last year, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is seeking new federal money to help pay for construction in the Central Valley.

The rail authority on Tuesday confirmed it has applied for “approximately” $500 million from the Federal Railroad ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lawmakers, district attorneys and community members celebrated the signing of Assembly Bill 46 in a Tuesday press conference.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 46 into law on June 29. The newly signed law, authored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove, expands courts’ ability to deny mental health diversion to ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Somali and Muslim communities in Minnesota are once again condemning a social media post by President Donald Trump, alleging it communicates “anti-Muslim bigotry” toward children.

On Monday, Trump posted a 14-second video clip showing children singing in graduation outfits, with girls also wearing hijabs. The children had ...Read more

Caribbean leaders agreed Tuesday to ask the Caribbean Court of Justice to weigh in on the disputed reappointment of the secretary-general of their 15-member regional grouping in an effort to defuse a controversy that has been dominating their annual summit.

The decision follows closed-door discussions on Monday after Trinidad and Tobago Prime ...Read more

DENVER — Victor Marx has held a narrow, roughly 2,000-vote lead over state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer for several days, but the race is still too close to call as the window for voters to fix deficient ballots remains open.

Marx, a religious nonprofit leader, has led Kirkmeyer for nearly a week after overtaking the veteran lawmaker the day after ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps is facing “significant” challenges keeping some of its most important weapons in working order, because Marines too often must rely on contractors for equipment upkeep, the service’s second-ranking general recently wrote to a Senate panel.

Gen. Bradford Gering, the Marine Corps assistant commandant, ...Read more

NORFOLK,Va. — Could marijuana distribution in Virginia already be legal?

According to the top prosecutor in Williamsburg and James City County, marijuana distribution in Virginia might be legal — a year earlier than expected — based on what he says is an apparent mistake in the recently passed state budget.

But the Virginia Division of ...Read more

Some Illinois residents might find themselves running to the bathroom more often than usual this summer, amid higher numbers of cases of cyclosporiasis — an intestinal illness that can cause explosive diarrhea.

Illinois has had 141 reported cases so far this year of cyclosporiasis, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. It’...Read more

The Navy crew member who was lost in the Arabian Sea on July 1 has been identified.

Cmdr. Gabe Edwards was the commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5. He assumed command of HSC-5 — the “Nightdippers” — in July 2025.

The Oregon native and Norfolk State University graduate is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and two ...Read more

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill climbed onto an emergency water vehicle in Camden on Tuesday with Camden Fire Chief Jesse Flax. That same vehicle, called the High Water One, was used by local emergency responders to rescue 14 people from the flooded streets of Camden on Monday, Flax said.

The vehicle had just arrived in the city one week earlier...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s new paid-leave program surprised naysayers by coming in $70 million under budget as of the sixth-month point, even with soaring demand.

About 124,000 Minnesotans have applied for paid leave during the first six months of this year. The state has approved 75,000 of those applications so far. But state officials ...Read more

CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson took an early jab at budget opponents Tuesday, revealing a set of revenues backed by what he dubbed the “corporate caucus” in this year’s budget have so far come up $130 million short.

The mayor’s midyear budget report showed the city was about 1.5% — or $32 million — under budget on revenues ...Read more

NEW YORK — Developers of the Midtown Manhattan building evacuated Tuesday after steel support beams began to buckle and bend, leading to fears of a collapse, have been the target of multiple complaints and lawsuits — and have been hit with more than $30,000 in workplace safety violations in the past year, city records show.

Construction ...Read more

LANSING, Mich. — A 74-year-old New York resident who was in danger of being deported based on a 50-year-old second-degree murder conviction was among six individuals who were granted clemency by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer just before the Fourth of July holiday.

Deda Malota Margilaj, an Albanian refugee who arrived in the U.S. alone in 1970, shot ...Read more

As crews continue to battle the Claremont fire, officials are getting closer to finding the cause behind the wildfire.

Chad Cline, fire information officer with the Bureau of Land Management, told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday that while what specifically led to the fire remains under investigation, he is confident it was “human-caused.”

...Read more

Cuba succeeded Tuesday in a push to debate U.S. sanctions at the United Nations at a time of unprecedented pressure from the Trump administration on the communist regime in Havana.

But the high-stakes maneuver also revealed how the Trump administration has succeeded in eroding the diplomatic support Cuba once had on this issue from its ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The United States launched fresh airstrikes on Iran and revoked a waiver that allowed it to sell oil globally, further imperiling a peace agreement after a spate of attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The “powerful strikes” were meant to “impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by ...Read more

The American search-and-rescue teams that were deployed to Venezuela following the back-to-back earthquakes less than two weeks ago have “completed their mission” and have returned home, joining other rescue groups that also announced their departures this week.

“We are deeply grateful for their service. These highly skilled men and women...Read more