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Trump floats pulling Blanche’s nomination for attorney general to avoid conceding to GOP demands
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump says he may withdraw and delay Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general until Republican senators who are seeking concessions from the top prosecutor leave office. Trump doubled down Thursday on choosing his former personal lawyer as the nation’s top lawman, calling him “a STAR” and saying he will keep him in the role as acting attorney general until Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina leave office. Cornyn and Tillis both leave office next year. Cornyn and Tillis have sought additional assurances in writing spelling a final end to an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” created to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
Microsoft leads a rally on Wall Street, while worries about inflation remain in the bond market
NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks are rebounding after Microsoft leaped on hopes that its big spending on AI is yielding profits, while computer-chip companies clawed back some of their sharp recent losses. The S&P 500 rallied 1.5% Thursday and recovered two-thirds of its drop from the prior day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 555 points, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 2.6%. Microsoft delivered a bigger profit for the spring than analysts expected, which helped offset Meta Platforms’s drop after it raised its forecast for AI investments. Longer-term Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market a day after soaring on worries about inflation. Oil prices eased.
Father who gave gun to Apalachee High School shooter sentenced to serve 15 years in prison
A man who gave his son the gun he used in a deadly high school shooting in Georgia has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Colin Gray was convicted of charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after his then 14-year-old son, Colt Gray, used the weapon to kill two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in September 2024. Colt Gray was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors say Colin Gray gave his son the rifle as a Christmas gift. The elder Gray is among a handful of American parents who have been charged after their children were accused in shootings.
As France tames wildfire and lets 84,000 evacuees go home, blazes flare across Europe
LEGE-CAP FERRET, France (AP) -- France has allowed 84,000 evacuees to return home after a massive wildfire, signaling progress in battling the flames. The fire has burned an area four times the size of Paris. However, wildfires continue to flare across Europe, fueled by an exceptionally hot and dry summer. Firefighters are tackling blazes in the U.K., Spain, Germany, Greece, and Turkey. Hollywood star George Clooney evacuated his French home due to a nearby fire. In France, authorities are using water cannons and international aid to control the situation. Cooler weather and rain are helping efforts, but conditions remain challenging.
AP Exclusive: Child soldiers recount horrors of Sudan’s war and presence of Colombian mercenaries
KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) -- Teenagers conscripted by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces to battle the army in the country’s war say they were trained by Colombian mercenaries. That’s according to rare, firsthand accounts given to The Associated Press. One child described being strapped to an anti-aircraft gun during air raids. Another said he was forced to fire artillery and beaten for disobedience. Tens of thousands of children are believed to have been forced into Sudan’s war, with many still on the front lines. The accounts point to a wider deployment of Colombian mercenaries in the ongoing conflict. Rights groups have accused the United Arab Emirates of arming the Rapid Support Forces, allegations denied by the Gulf federation that includes Dubai.
European nations vow to boycott World Cup, other FIFA tournaments over Infantino private equity plan
GENEVA (AP) -- UEFA member federations will boycott all FIFA competitions in protest of Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. The European soccer body says it’s a unanimous decision after an urgent online meeting of the 55 members. The strategy meeting was called to counter FIFA president Infantino’s offer of $20 million to each of its 211 global members that has to be accepted by mid-September. Infantino’s secret proposal was revealed Tuesday to spin off its commercial operations in a $20 billion operation 20% owned by private investors.