Venue gets mixed reviews as National Spelling Bee returns to DC ahead of White House UFC event
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Scripps National Spelling Bee has moved from suburban Maryland to downtown Washington, and not all spellers and their families appreciate the change. The Bee is being held at Constitution Hall, a nearly century-old concert venue just blocks from the White House and the Washington Monument. Spellers are dealing with logistical hurdles including crowded hallways, limited dining options and shuttle bus rides. The quickest route between the venue and the hotel where spellers are staying would be to walk across the Ellipse south of the White House. But that's been fenced off for a UFC event on President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
US and Iranian negotiators reach tentative deal to extend ceasefire and start new nuclear talks
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program. That's according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who spoke Thursday to The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday evening confirmed there was a tentative agreement, but it was unclear if President Donald Trump would approve it. Iran did not immediately confirm any deal with the United States. The tentative agreement comes at a moment when the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to be wavering.
Top federal prosecutor in Chicago denies investigation into E. Jean Carroll, disputing media reports
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top federal prosecutor in Chicago denies that his office has opened an investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the longtime advice columnist who said Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in a New York department store 30 years ago. The Associated Press and other news organizations, citing anonymous sources, reported that the federal prosecutors’ office in Chicago has opened an investigation into Carroll examining possible perjury allegations. But Andrew Boutros, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, denied that. A person familiar with the matter, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, later clarified that the actual focus was on a nonprofit that had helped fund Carroll's case.
Crews recover the remains of 6 of the 9 workers missing after Washington chemical tank rupture
LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — Crews have recovered the remains of six of nine workers who were missing after a chemical tank ruptured at at paper mill in Washington state, officials said Thursday. In all, 11 people were killed in the disaster, including the three yet to be recovered. It’s one of the deadliest U.S. workplace accidents in recent decades. A tank containing more than 500,000 gallons of a highly destructive chemical mixture used in paper manufacturing collapsed Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, a city along the Columbia River. The six workers who were recovered had been in an area where they would congregate in the morning as they awaited their assignments for the day.
Crews in Dallas search for missing after massive apartment fire kills at least 3
DALLAS (AP) — A fire official says a huge fire has destroyed a two-story apartment building in Dallas and killed at least three people. Authorities would not immediately say Thursday how many missing people they were looking for hours after dozens of firefighters had brought the flames under control. Officials said the fire erupted after someone called 911 to report a gas leak. It was unclear how many residents lived in the two-story building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Some residents’ friends and relatives worried as they tried unsuccessfully to reach each loved ones.
Judge refuses to block Trump order to limit mail voting. There's no immediate effect on the midterms
A federal judge is declining to halt President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to create a national list of eligible voters and limit mail voting. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington late Wednesday rejected arguments by Democrats and civil rights groups that the provision exceeds the Republican president's powers. The Constitution gives the power to set election rules to the states and Congress, not the president. No matter how rapidly Trump's administration acts, no voting changes are expected during primary elections, which continue into next month. Attention now shifts to Boston, where another challenge to the executive order is in federal court.
Supreme Court rules for Black death row inmate from Mississippi over racial bias in makeup of jury
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled for a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims there was racial bias in the makeup of the jury that convicted him. By a 5-4 vote Thursday, the justices sided with Terry Pitchford, who was sentenced to death for his role in the killing of a grocery store owner in northern Mississippi. There were 11 white jurors and one Black juror in a trial with similarities to that of another Black man on Mississippi’s death row, whose conviction the high court overturned seven years ago. If Pitchford's conviction is overturned, the state could seek to retry him. Pitchford's lawyer says he's “entitled to a fair trial.”
Suspect in Taylor Swift Vienna concert attack plot convicted and sentenced to 15 years
WIENER NEUSTADT, Austria (AP) — An Austrian court has convicted a man of planning to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna nearly two years ago. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The state court in Wiener Neustadt found the 21-year-old defendant, an Austrian citizen, guilty on charges including those related to the concert. His defense attorney said he admitted to the charges related to the concert plot during the opening day of the trial last month. The concert plot was thwarted, but Austrian authorities still canceled Swift’s three performances in August 2024. The defendant apologized in his final words to the court ahead of the verdict.
Conditions of 4 climbers who fell on Mount McKinley unknown as rescuers try to reach them
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Rescuers are trying to reach four climbers who fell on Alaska’s Mount McKinley, North America’s tallest peak, the National Park Service said Thursday. The climbers’ conditions weren’t immediately known following the fall, which was reported to Denali National Park and Preserve rangers overnight, and rangers were seeking a weather window to allow them to reach the area by helicopter, a statement from the agency said. The four climbers were part of a seven-person team.
Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Scripps National Spelling Bee will crown a champion in Thursday night's finals. The bee began in 1925, with this year marking its 98th edition. After a long run at a convention center in suburban Maryland, the bee returned to the nation's capital this year at Constitution Hall near the White House. Mina Kimes of ESPN has joined the broadcast as its host. The bee airs on ION and other channels owned by the Cincinnati-based media company Scripps. The champion of the bee receives more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Thirty of the past 36 champions have come from families of Indian heritage.
