Author: rpnadmin

NEW ORLEANS — A tropical depression drifting erratically in the northern Gulf of Mexico is expected to strengthen later Monday with rain that could trigger flooding and winds capable of downing trees and power lines in several states this week. The depression was centered about 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida, with sustained winds of 35 mph. It was poised to gradually strengthen and reach tropical storm status later in the day, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The Miami-based center said the system was roughly moving toward the northwest near 3 mph and is expected to move near…

NEW YORK — A federal judge on Monday ordered Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their $81 billion merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court. Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last week- alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers across the U.S. The states’ top prosecutors called on Warner and Paramount to not close the transaction until after a court had…

The average U.S. price of gas rose above $4 per gallon on Monday as fighting in the oil-rich Middle East flares up. The threshold is symbolic but could add political pressure on President Trump ahead of November’s midterms. Gas prices were around $3 per gallon at the start of the war with Iran and spiked to around $4.50 in May, according to the AAA motor club. Prices eased substantially after Mr. Trump and Iran’s top negotiators reached a first-stage deal to stop fighting and negotiate over Tehran’s nuclear program. But that deal fell apart over the last two weeks. U.S.…

NEW YORK — U.S. gas prices jumped to an average of $4 a gallon again Monday as the U.S. and Iran launched more attacks. According to motor club federation AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now back to $4. The average price a year ago was $3.14 a gallon. The price is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over $4 a gallon for a while now, while others pay less. Prices vary between states due to factors ranging from nearby supply to differing tax rates. People around the world…

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Smoke from Canadian wildfires that engulfed the Northeast in haze is expected to mostly clear from the New Jersey area just in time for the World Cup final on Sunday thanks to thunderstorms passing through, meteorologists said. Still, warnings of unhealthy air remained in effect Saturday across a wide swath of the United States, and President Donald Trump continued to lay blame on Canada for the smoke crossing the border. Trump, who planned to attend the cup final, threatened to impose tariffs in response, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford criticized that as unacceptable and shortsighted. At…

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, whose social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities, were arrested Saturday in Miami as British authorities sought their extradition on rape and sex trafficking charges. The brothers were taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service on a sealed warrant, agency spokesperson Brady McCarron told The Associated Press, placing the United States at the center of an international legal saga that has stretched from Romania to Britain. Britain is seeking their extradition on rape and trafficking charges British prosecutors announced Saturday that…

MILWAUKEE — The eerie glow of an orange sun through thick wildfire smoke might be unnerving, but the biggest risk from the haze is something much harder to see. Tiny particles in the air can cause a range of short-term and chronic health issues, experts say. Wildfire smoke can settle over cities for days – like the recent blanket over parts of the U.S. from burning fires in Canada, which has created hazardous air for millions of people across multiple states. Health officials advise people to stay indoors – and to take steps to keep the air in your home…

Boston police said Saturday they found a body inside a home owned by Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s husband. Authorities said they arrived at the residence in Mattapan around 1:50 p.m. Saturday after they were called to “investigate a person.” Police didn’t share any information about the victim or the cause of death. The homicide unit is leading the investigation. City records show the house is owned by Ms. Pressley’s husband, Conan Harris. The couple does not live at the home, which is a rental property they purchased in 2021. The house has been on the market for the past month, and…

A Provo fire captain, his wife and their three sons were found dead over the weekend near Sunglow Campground in southern Utah.The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office said that it believed the deaths of the family, who likely arrived in the area at the end of last week to hike and canyoneer, were related to flooding caused by heavy rain.The sheriff’s office declined to provide the names of those who died. The Provo Fire and Rescue Department posted a message on social media over the weekend, though, noting the deaths of Captain Spencer Long and his family. A spa co-founded by…

MIAMI — A famous Cuban dissident artist and musician, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, arrived in Miami on Saturday after being released from a five-year prison sentence on the condition that he leave his country. Alcántara, 38, was greeted at the airport by a crowd that was cheering, singing and holding their phones high in the air to get a photo of him. They draped him in a Cuban flag, printed with the words “Patria y Vida” – “Homeland and Life” – the title of a song he shared a Grammy for that became an anthem for Cuba’s political opposition against…