Newswatch

Trump taps national security adviser Waltz for UN envoy in major national security team switch-up

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he’s nominating his national security adviser Mike Waltz to serve as United Nations ambassador in a major shake up of his national security team. The president said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve simultaneously as acting national security adviser while maintaining his role at the State Department. 

Judge bars deportations of Venezuelans from South Texas under the Alien Enemies Act

A federal judge has barred the Trump administration from deporting any Venezuelans from South Texas under an 18th-century wartime law and says President Donald Trump’s invocation of that law was “unlawful.” U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. is the first judge to rule that the Alien Enemies Act cannot be used against people whom the Republican administration claims are gang members invading the United States. In March, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation claiming that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was invading the U.S. 

Trump threatens sanctions against buyers of Iranian oil after US-Iran nuclear talks are postponed

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump is threatening sanctions on anyone who buys Iranian oil. That warning comes after planned talks between the U.S. and Iran over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program were postponed. Trump wrote on social media Thursday that “All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!” He said any country or person who buys those products from Iran will not be able to do business with the U.S. The threat came after Oman announced that planned nuclear negotiations for this coming weekend had been put off.

Trump’s health agency urges therapy for transgender youth, not broader gender-affirming health care

The Trump administration is calling for more reliance on psychotherapy for transgender youth instead of broader gender-affirming medical care. A report from the Department of Health and Human Services questions the current practices and medical groups that endorse them. The administration’s position released Thursday sprang from Trump’s executive order calling for the federal government not to support gender transition for people under age 19.

Sex assault reports in the US military fell last year, fueled by a big drop in the Army

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new Pentagon report says that the number of sexual assaults reported across the military fell by nearly 4% last year and there was a significant drop in the Army. It’s the second year in a row with a decrease. That reverses a troubling trend that’s plagued the Defense Department for more than a decade. There were 8,195 reported sexual assaults in 2024 involving members of the military, compared with 8,515 in 2023. Defense officials say that while the decline is a good sign, the numbers of reported assaults are still too high and the military needs to do more to get victims to report the often undisclosed crime.

Driver who killed 4 by smashing through an Illinois after-school camp may have had health emergency

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Police say the driver of a car that barreled through a building used for a popular after-school camp in central Illinois, killing three children and a teenager, may have had a medical emergency. Tests show she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said at a Thursday news conference that no decision has been made on whether to file charges against the 44-year-old driver. The car went off the road, crossed a field and smashed into the side of the building in Chatham used by Youth Needing Other Things Outdoors. Six other children were hospitalized. One was critical.

Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers get their turn to question accuser Miriam Haley at #MeToo retrial

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers are getting their turn to question a woman who alleges the one-time Hollywood heavyweight held her down on a bed and forced oral sex on her nearly two decades ago. Miriam Haley, testifying Thursday for a third day at Weinstein’s retrial, was grilled about her decision to hire a lawyer and go public with her allegations as the #MeToo movement exploded in October 2017. Defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean sparred with Haley over the details of her early statements, getting her to admit that back then, she didn’t give interviewers a full picture of their relationship. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone.

‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ ‘Death Becomes Her’ and ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ lead Tony Award nominations

NEW YORK (AP) — Three Broadway shows — “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Death Becomes Her” and “Maybe Happy Ending” — each earned a leading 10 Tony Award nominations Thursday. Nominators spread out the joy and gave nods to George Clooney, Sarah Snook and Bob Odenkirk in their debuts. Audra McDonald, as expected, heard her name called for her turn as Rose in a hailed revival of “Gypsy.” A revival of David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” earned Odenkirk a nod, but not for his co-stars Kieran Culkin or comedian Bill Burr. And, in a shock, an edgy “Othello” with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal that costs north of $900 for orchestra seat tickets, got not a single nomination.

Scientists once thought only humans could bob to music. Ronan the sea lion helped prove them wrong

Researchers say Ronan the sea lion can still keep a beat after all these years. Ronan burst to fame about a decade ago after scientists reported her musical skills. At age 15, she’s still got it. And researchers say she was better than people at keeping rhythm. Findings were published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. Ronan joins a select group of animal movers and shakers — which also includes Snowball the famed dancing cockatoo — that together upended the long-held idea that the ability to respond to music and recognize a beat was distinctly human.