NEW YORK — Reporters from three news outlets banned from White House by President Donald Trump were back on the grounds Thursday afternoon, hours after a federal judge ordered the administration to reinstate their access. CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists were allowed back in the latest development in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. It comes during a heavy news cycle with Chinese leader Xi Jinping visiting with Trump and world leaders gathered for the United Nations General Assembly. Also Thursday, the news outlets had asked in a court filing for an immediate hearing to address their inability to access the White House grounds earlier in the day. The filing said a Secret Service agent had confiscated the journalists' credentials. Trump first announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news,” and only later arguing that their reporting was a risk to national security. The outlets argued in a joint lawsuit that the ban was a blatant violation of the First Amendment because it singled them out fo

WASHINGTON — U.S. mortgage rates have exceeded 7.0 percent, data showed Thursday, reaching their highest level since Donald Trump returned to the presidency as voters grapple with high costs of living ahead of midterm elections. The popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.03 percent as of Thursday, a stark uptick from 6.30 percent the same period a year ago. This is the highest average level since January 16 last year, just days before Trump returned to the White House, according to data from mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac. Affordability is a major concern for U.S. voters just weeks before key midterm elections in November. War in the Middle East, which unfolded after U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran in late February, has caused fuel prices to surge as Tehran retaliated by blocking a vital waterway for energy transit. The cost of regular gasoline, which U.S. households rely on, and diesel needed by farmers and truckers have both rocketed — putting pressure on consumers and businesses alike. Higher diesel costs in turn threaten to filter through the world's biggest economy more br

U.S. and Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Hormuz and end U.S. blockade, U.S. and Iranian negotiators in New York are exploring a phased path out of war that would involve Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifting its economic blockade of Iran, sources close to the talks said. The strait has become the central bargaining chip in efforts to end the nearly seven-month U.S.-Iran conflict, with Iran seeking relief from the U.S. blockade that is choking its economy and Washington seeking free passage for ships on the global oil supply route now blocked by Tehran. The talks face a big obstacle as neither side wants to be the first to surrender its leverage, according to comments to Reuters by two Iranian sources, two regional officials and two Western diplomatic sources, but behind Iran's stance is a recognition of the economic cost of prolonged confrontation. A senior Iranian official said the most plausible way to end the impasse would be a phased arrangement, with Iran allowing navigation through Hormuz in return for the U.S. lifting its economic blockade and Tehran pot

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused President Donald Trump Thursday of being in thrall to authoritarian leaders — pointing to his red-carpet welcome for China's Xi Jinping. "If you're a foreign authoritarian, Trump won't just invite you to visit America, he'll greet you plane-side," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "That's what Trump did, sort of as a supplicant, for Xi yesterday. That's what Trump did for Putin in Alaska last year. This man has an atavistic attraction to dictators, to bad people."

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for a lavish state summit expected to be heavy on symbolism but light on substance, with both leaders keen to showcase stable ties despite a host of thorny issues such as AI, trade, Taiwan and the war with Iran. The subject of Taiwan, perhaps the most difficult, came up during a bilateral meeting in which Xi urged the U.S. to oppose "Taiwan independence," according to a readout from the official Chinese news agency Xinhua shortly after it concluded. The White House did not immediately provide its own readout of the discussion. Xi had been expected to press Trump this week to halt arms sales to Taiwan. Following his visit to China in May, Trump said he was holding in abeyance an arms package to Taiwan worth some $14 billion and called it a "very good negotiating chip." The move left some U.S. allies in Asia and even some of Trump's fellow Republicans concerned that he may be tempted to soften Washington's support for Taipei in exchange for economic wins with China. China has lo

Computer science student Jack Zemke was getting nowhere despite sending out hundreds of job applications that mostly disappeared into the void — ignored. With his graduation from Tulane University just days away, he was considering moving back in with his parents when he got a break thanks to a group project he had worked on involving an AI-powered search tool. As he touted it at an engineering conference, an employee at a civil engineering firm approached. "We’re not like the most on top of trends, but we know that AI is becoming a big thing," he recalled the man saying. "We need somebody to be essentially an evangelist.” Zemke responded: “I’m your man.” It has been a difficult job market for new graduates, especially in fields like software development where artificial intelligence is shouldering more of the work. While college students majoring in computer science during the recent coding boom were getting job offers without even applying, graduates today in philosophy, art history and ethnic studies majors all have higher employment rates. But as the job market evolves wit

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the “truly great friendship” he has forged with Xi Jinping as the Chinese leader began his highly anticipated state visit. While Trump has many thorny issues to discuss with the president of America’s biggest economic rival, he focused on his long relationship with Xi as the two gathered with aides for opening remarks before formal talks. “From the time of my first election in 2016, President Xi and I have forged a friendship, a truly great friendship, actually, built on mutual respect and the vital interests of our people,” Trump said. Trump and Xi have no shortage of difficult issues to cover when they sit down for the private discussions. Xi speaks of a ‘healthy’ competition and says Chinese pandas are coming to Atlanta China has resisted the Trump administration's urgings — and economic threats — to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the nearly seven-month war. Xi wants to see Trump permanently halt arms sales to Taiwan and loosen export restrictions on cutting-edge advance

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The situation later changed, with CNN and MS NOW reporting that their journalists had been allowed back onto the White House grounds.

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Nick and Vanessa Lachey have put their stunning Tarzana estate back on the market, asking for nearly $8.2 million. This luxurious property, which they repurchased from tennis star Naomi Osaka, features a wealth of fitness-oriented amenities added during Osaka's ownership, including a high-end recovery suite and a custom gym. The real estate exchange highlights the ever-evolving landscape of celebrity properties in Los Angeles.

CNN, Politico and MS NOW were allowed back into the White House after some of their staff were earlier turned away.

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Pope Leo XIV urged a shift on climate change "from emergency response to prevention", saying Thursday global warming was not just an environmental challenge but also one of social justice.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday warned that the Palestinian people were facing “one of the most dangerous phases in their history” in a speech at the United Nations recorded in advance as the Palestinian delegation was denied US visas by Washington. Addressing the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, Abbas accused Israel of waging a “genocidal war” in Gaza and “fragmenting” the occupied West Bank through the expansion of settlements, warning that “settler terrorism” was on the...

The US sanctions aim to stop Iranian airlines from flying worldwide, while Iran warned this could increase tensions in the region.

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The California Supreme Court has ruled that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco must return over 650,000 ballots seized from a November 2025 special election

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Canada’s first F-35 takes flight as Carney government weighs future of jet dealCanada’s first F-35 fighter jet has taken its maiden flight in Texas, marking the debut of the country’s first new fighter aircraft model in 44 years.The CF-35A Lightning II took off Wednesday from...