Officials battling two large wildfires in southern Georgia say firefighters are bracing for a long battle even after weekend rains boosted their containment efforts. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp toured the fire areas Tuesday and told reporters that “we're going to be in this for a while.” That's after rain Sunday gave crews an opening to improve containment of a fire in rural Brantley County from 6% to 32%. Officials said that fire has destroyed more than 80 homes. Georgia Forestry Commission director Johnny Sabo said crews have held the second fire in Clinch and Echols counties to roughly the same footprint for days. That fire has burned across more than 50 square miles.
Prosecutors have revealed that a suspect in the deaths of two University of South Florida students asked ChatGPT about body disposal. This raises questions about tech companies' roles in preventing misuse of chatbots. The suspect, Hisham Abugharbieh, allegedly asked the AI about guns and body disposal before the students went missing on April 16. Law enforcement found Zamil Limon's body on Friday, and a second body, found in a waterway near Limon’s body, has not been identified. Abugharbieh faces two counts of premeditated murder. The case highlights how AI data can aid investigations and underscores concerns about tech companies' responsibilities in preventing criminal misuse.
The California city of Oakland has driven homicides to historic lows by offering services including life coaches to people most likely to get pulled into gang-related shootings. Oakland Ceasefire-Lifeline uses relentless, tailored outreach to connect with people at highest risk of being a victim or shooter in an act of retaliation. They are offered social services and a life coach to help them turn around their lives. Fifty-seven people were murdered in Oakland last year, a record not seen since 1967. It is part of a national trend.
King Charles III has marked the 250th anniversary of American independence from Britain with gratitude that the two countries united to build “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.” Still, he is urging “that we ignore the clarion calls to become ever more inward-looking.” Charles' speech to Congress on Tuesday came amid tensions between President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. Trump met with Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House earlier in the day and hosted them for a state dinner Tuesday night. The royal couple will continue their U.S. tour with stops in New York City and Virginia.
Federal agents have served search warrants in Minnesota in an ongoing fraud investigation of publicly funded social programs for children. No details about possible crimes were disclosed, though armed agents were seen at childcare centers in the Minneapolis area on Tuesday. Gov. Tim Walz welcomed the action. Minnesota was the site of an immigration crackdown that led to the deaths of two people this year. Before that crackdown, the government brought charges against dozens of people, many of them Somali Americans, who were charged with fleecing a federal program that was meant to provide food to kids.
A Mexican man in the United States has pleaded guilty to impersonating a Border Patrol agent and following federal immigration officers to divert them while they were out on immigration enforcement missions in Southern California. Jamie Ernesto Alvarez-Gonzalez admitted Tuesday to following a Border Patrol agent on Jan. 8 while he was driving in a neighborhood in San Diego, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. He drove a black Ford F-150 truck, a model also used by undercover federal officers. The agent aborted his mission when he saw Alvarez-Gonzalez following him, falsely believing other agents were responding.
A U.S. special forces soldier has pleaded not guilty in federal court in New York to charges that he used classified information about the mission to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to win more than $400,000. Gannon Ken Van Dyke is accused of using the information on the prediction market Polymarket. He entered the plea on Tuesday after he was charged with the unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. The case comes during heavy scrutiny on prediction markets, which allow people to trade or wager on almost anything.
The spacecraft that flew four astronauts around the moon is back where its record-breaking journey began. NASA's Artemis II capsule returned to Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday afternoon, almost a month after blasting off on humanity's first lunar trip in more than a half-century. Following its splashdown in the Pacific on April 10, the capsule was trucked from San Diego to Cape Canaveral, Florida. Engineers will examine the capsule, including its heat shield in more detail. The capsule dubbed Integrity by its U.S.-Canadian crew carried astronauts deeper into space than humans have ever gone before.
San Francisco has settled a legal dispute with Oakland over the naming of its neighbor's airport. The agreement allows Oakland to call its airport “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport” but prohibits highlighting “San Francisco” in any way. The settlement announced Tuesday also requires the word “bay” to follow “San Francisco” in every instance and bans the use of “International.” The legal battle began in 2024 when Oakland changed its airport’s name, prompting San Francisco to sue over trademark concerns.
The woman at the center of Harvey Weinstein’s repeatedly retried rape case has told jurors for the third time that the former Hollywood honcho trapped her in a New York hotel room and assaulted her in 2013. Jessica Mann testified through sobs Tuesday that she repeatedly said no, and she tried to leave the room, but in her words, “he just treated me like he owned me.” Weinstein looked on steadily in court as she spoke. He denies the allegation. His lawyers haven’t yet had their chance to question Mann at this retrial but have argued that everything that happened between the two was consensual.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Ron DeSantis was once the future of the Republican Party, a battle-tested conservative twice elected as governor of Florida. Then Donald Trump steamrolled him on his way back to the White House.
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted again, this time over a social media photo of seashells arranged on a beach that officials say constituted a threat against President Donald Trump. It’s the second criminal case the Justice Department has brought against the longtime Trump foe. Comey says he assumed the arrangement of shells reading “86 47” was a political message, not a call to violence against Trump, the 47th president. The two-count indictment charges Comey with “knowingly and willfully” making a threat to “take the life of, and to inflict bodily harm upon” Trump and with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO, world’s richest man and OpenAI’s cofounder, took the stand Tuesday in a high-stakes trial revolving around a bitter feud between himself and former friends Sam Altman and Greg Brockman that could reshape the future development of artificial intelligence. The bickering billionaires’ early-morning appearances at the Oakland, California, federal courthouse foreshadow what could be a dramatic start to a legal drama that is expected to be brimming with intrigue and potentially embarrassing details about the two tech moguls. The jury was selected Monday and the trial is scheduled to take three weeks.
A teenager charged with sexually assaulting and killing his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship will go to trial in over a month. A federal judge said this week in an order that Timothy Hudson's trial on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse will start June 1 in Miami. The 16-year-old was initially charged as a juvenile before the case was transferred to adult court. He entered a written plea of not guilty last week. Minors are rarely prosecuted in federal court.
An Associated Press investigation finds that a business known for tough-love boarding schools for rebellious, rich teenagers has set its sights on a different demographic: adopted kids. Experts say adoptees account for an estimated 25-40% of those in residential treatment. What some call the “troubled teen industry,” a sprawling network of loosely regulated, for-profit residential treatment centers and boarding schools advertise to adoptive parents, promising to help adoptees heal, at a cost as high as $20,000 a month. Adoptees told AP they believe were in a shadow orphanage system where children end up institutionalized in oppressive, sometimes abusive facilities.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is pressing for the dismissal of preservationists’ lawsuit over the planned $400 million White House ballroom after the shooting at Saturday’s media gala. But its latest court filing reads more like a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump than…
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A man accused of killing two University of South Florida students from Bangladesh will be kept in jail without bond, a judge ordered Tuesday, just days after a SWAT team descended on his parents’ house to arrest him.
Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones has become the first person to plead guilty in a gambling sweep that led to the arrests of more than 30 people, including reputed mobsters and other basketball figures. During back-to-back hearings in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday, Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was charged in separate cases with profiting from rigged poker games and providing sports bettors with nonpublic information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, according to court filings. The 49-year-old previously pleaded not guilty in both cases. He's due to be sentenced Jan. 6. He and his lawyer declined to comment after the hearings.
General Motors is expecting a $500 million tariff refund after the Supreme Court struck down some of President Donald Trump’s most sweeping levies. That’s boosted the Michigan-based auto maker’s outlook for 2026. On Tuesday, GM said it’s now looking to rake in $13.5 billion to $15.5 billion in earnings before interest and taxes this year — up from previous forecasts of $13 billion to $15 billion. Companies big and small are seeking refunds on tariffs they paid that the Supreme Court ruled illegal in February. And on April 20, the Customs and Border Protection agency launched an online system for claims.
The popularity of the show “Heated Rivalry” that features two gay hockey players put a spotlight on the sport from many who have never seen it. It also raises the question of how an openly gay player in the NHL would be accepted. No active player in the 109-year-old league has come out as gay. Luke Prokop in 2021 became the first player drafted and signed to come out. He, others in the community and stakeholders point out there are challenges but say the NHL is more than ready for such a pioneer.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — President Donald Trump is withdrawing his nomination of a hospitality company executive to lead the National Park Service, the White House announced Monday.
Hollywood's summer movie season is packed with big names and franchises. Universal Pictures is releasing Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey” and Steven Spielberg's “Disclosure Day.” Franchises like “Spider-Man,” “Minions,” “Star Wars,” and “Toy Story” are also set to draw crowds. This year, Disney kicks off the season with “The Devil Wears Prada 2" instead of a Marvel film. The industry is adapting to changes, with streaming and altered viewing habits impacting box office numbers. Despite challenges, directors like James Cameron remain optimistic about the future of theatrical releases. The summer movie season runs from May through August.
Takeaways from an Associated Press investigation that finds a business known for tough-love boarding schools for rebellious, rich teenagers has set its sights on a different demographic: adopted kids. Experts say adoptees account for an estimated 25-40% of those in residential treatment. What some call the “troubled teen industry,” a sprawling network of loosely regulated, for-profit residential treatment centers and boarding schools advertise to adoptive parents, promising to help adoptees heal, at a cost as high as $20,000 a month. Adoptees told AP they believe they were in a shadow orphanage system where children end up institutionalized in oppressive, sometimes abusive facilities.
King Charles III will embrace some of Washington’s most formal ceremonial trappings as he tries to emphasize a bond between the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment. The visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.-UK relations. U.S. President Donald Trump’s up-and-down relationship with Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a sour turn in recent months as the president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. The king, accompanied by Queen Camilla, will meet with Trump at the White House before addressing Congress this afternoon. It's the body’s first address from a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II’s in 1991.
Fast food chains, thirsty for new ways to grow, are amping up their beverage offerings. McDonald’s said Tuesday it will launch six handcrafted beverages in U.S. restaurants on May 6. It’s joining other chains, like KFC, Wendy’s and Taco Bell, that have elevated their drinks in order to lure customers away from rivals like Starbucks and Dutch Bros. McDonald’s will offer three refreshers and three crafted sodas. It's also adding a beverage specialist role in restaurants to focus on drinks. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski has said the beverage space is growing faster than casual dining and has higher profit margins.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Southern Poverty Law Center told a federal court on Tuesday that law enforcement agencies have long known that the nonprofit paid informants to report on the movements of hate groups, rejecting assertions by the Trump administration that the nonprofit steered money to t…
Nathan Chasing Horse has been sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault. A judge gave the “Dances With Wolves” actor his sentence Monday in Las Vegas. He was found guilty in January of 13 charges in a yearslong sexual abuse case. Prosecutors say Chasing Horse used his reputation as a Lakota medicine man to prey on Indigenous women and girls. He was acquitted on some charges. He denied all of the allegations. Chasing Horse, wearing his navy blue Clark County Detention Center uniform, stared straight ahead as victims read statements about the suffering he caused.
Fast-moving storms have pummeled parts of the Midwest with hail, strong wind and heavy rain. Official say the storms flooded streets, stranded commuters and downed trees, including one in western Michigan that landed on a man and killed him. More storms are forecast through Monday night. The National Weather Service forecasts show more than 56 million people in the Midwest and parts of the South are at risk of severe storms. In Kansas City, Missouri, the local fire department responded to 11 water rescues Monday morning following heavy rain.
Technology tycoons Elon Musk and Sam Altman are poised to face off in a high-stakes trial revolving around the alleged betrayal, deceit and unbridled ambition that blurred the bickering billionaires' once-shared vision for the development of artificial intelligence. The trial, which began Monday with jury selection, centers on the 2015 birth of ChatGPT maker OpenAI as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion. The civil lawsuit accuses Altman, OpenAI's CEO, of double-crossing Musk by straying from the company's founding mission to be an altruistic steward of the technology.
With OpenAI's chief executive Sam Altman in attendance, jury selection began for a trial in Oakland where Elon Musk, one of the original co-founders of the leading artificial intelligence firm, is seeking $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, one of its largest investors, accord…
Virginia's Supreme Court is considering whether a voter-approved redistricting amendment complied with the state's constitutional requirements. A Republican challenge to the map contends that the Democratic-led General Assembly violated procedural requirements by placing the constitutional amendment before voters to authorize mid-decade redistricting. On Monday, arguments before the court focused on whether the legislature's initial vote happened before last fall's election, since early voting was already underway. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last week’s statewide vote meaningless. Democrats hope to win as many as four additional U.S. House seats under the new Virginia map.
The man who authorities say tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives has been charged with the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump. Saturday's chaotic encounter resulted in shots being fired, Trump being rushed off the stage and guests ducking underneath their tables. Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, was taken into custody after the shooting. Allen was charged Monday in federal court in Washington and did not enter a plea. A lawyer with the federal defender’s office who is representing Allen notes he has no criminal record and is presumed innocent. Authorities say an officer wearing a bullet-resistant vest was shot in the vest but is expected to recover.
Republicans in Congress have launched new efforts to approve and pay for President Donald Trump’s proposed ballroom at the White House. They argue it would help avert security breaches like the shooting at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. A bill introduced by Republican senators would authorize $400 million for construction and security infrastructure underneath. Trump has said that private money would pay for the ballroom. Graham said at a news conference that it is necessary to allow the president to hold events safely and avoid much less secure venues like the Washington Hilton, where Saturday’s event was held.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have made it to the White House on his first visit to the United States since he became king in 2022. The British royal couple arrived in Washington on Monday afternoon on a four-day state visit aimed at celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted the couple over tea in the Green Room. The royals also took in a new beehive made like a mini White House that Melania Trump had installed last week. Charles and Camilla are supporters of beekeeping.
California continues to fight the Trump administration after it defied state officials to restart oil drilling off the Santa Barbara coast in the name of national security. State officials call it trespassing and are asking a federal judge Monday to order a Texas firm to stop using a pipeline that runs through state park land. The pipeline system had been idle since one of its pipelines ruptured in 2015 and caused one of California’s worst oil spills before the Trump administration last month invoked emergency powers and directed Sable Offshore Corp. to restart the operation. It is the latest salvo in an escalating legal battle that is testing how far states have the right to challenge Washington’s wishes. Sable says it has the proper permits.
A woman who accused Harvey Weinstein of raping her in 2013 is testifying for the third time against the former movie magnate. Jessica Mann took the witness stand Monday at Weinstein's latest retrial. It's happening after his initial, 2020 conviction was overturned, and then a jury failed to decide the rape charge during a retrial last year. Weinstein denies the allegation and has said he never assaulted anyone. The woman has said she's “ready, willing and able” to testify as many times as it takes.
A Wyoming judge has blocked a new state law that bans abortions beyond the earliest stages of pregnancy while a lawsuit challenging the provision moves ahead.
Federal prosecutors say a small-town Wisconsin police chief tried to help California gun dealers import illegal armor-piercing rounds from Europe. According to court documents, brothers Jacob and Darin Dowd ran a gun dealership in Vacaville, California. Prosecutors say that around June 2021, they wanted to import about 490,000 armor-piercing rounds from a European arms exporter. The U.S. generally bans imports of such ammunition unless police departments order it. Prosecutors say the brothers convinced James Bushey, then chief of police in the Wisconsin town of Linn, to fake a purchase order for the ammunition in exchange for money for new squad cars. Both Dowd brothers have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy. Bushey hasn't been charged.
A Cape Cod seafood company has donated a rare two-colored lobster to a science center, sparing the critter from the kettle because of its remarkable coloration. The lobster is the typical brown color on one side and bright orange on the other. The two-toned pattern goes all the way from its head to its tail. Representatives for Wellfleet Shellfish Company in Eastham, Massachusetts, said Monday they have been fielding inquiries about the crustacean for days. The company gifted the lobster to Woods Hole Science Aquarium in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Conspiracy theories flooded the internet minutes after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner attended by President Donald Trump. The events Saturday played out in front of some of the nation’s most powerful reporters and editors, who snapped into action in real time to provide detailed accounts from the scene. What resulted was a steady stream of facts from myriad reputable media outlets. Despite this, unfounded conspiracy theories from both the left and the right proliferated, chief among them that the shooting was staged. Some spread in spite of the facts while others used real information to create false narratives.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal racketeering convictions Monday of imprisoned former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and ex-lobbyist Matt Borges in the state's long-running $60 million bribery scheme
Microsoft said Monday it will no longer pay a share of its revenue to ChatGPT maker OpenAI, the latest move to untether a close partnership that helped unleash an artificial intelligence boom. OpenAI relied exclusively on Microsoft’s huge investments in cloud computing services to build the technology that helped make ChatGPT a household name. Microsoft, in turn, relied on OpenAI’s technology to build its own AI assistant Copilot. But the partnership has evolved as San Francisco-based OpenAI, founded as a nonprofit, has shifted to a capitalistic enterprise on a path toward an initial public offering on Wall Street and has balanced its reliance on Microsoft with other cloud partners like Amazon, Google and Oracle.
The Supreme Court seems inclined to rule that police could use geofence warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users to find people near crime scenes. The justices heard nearly two hours of arguments Monday in an appeal from Okello Chatrie, who pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia. Chatrie eluded the police until they turned to the geofence warrant, a powerful technological tool that erected a virtual fence and allowed them to locate cellphones that were near the bank around the time it was robbed. The case is the latest that explores how the Fourth Amendment, ratified in 1791, applies in the digital age.
It was just an ordinary day last December for Mark Toothaker. He worked at Spendthrift Farm, went to the gym and settled in at home in Lexington, Kentucky, to watch the New York Giants play the New England Patriots on “Monday Night Football.”
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