A prolonged and unusual March heat wave is gripping cities across the West

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – San Franciscans bared an unusual amount of skin for this time of year Tuesday, as a city better known for its chilly summers, drizzle and fog experienced its hottest March in at least two decades, part of a rare winter heat wave baking the U.S. West.

Judge strikes down law mandating schools display Ten Commandments

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – An Arkansas law requiring that the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in public school classrooms was struck down by a federal judge Monday.

Trump's tariffs hurting American manufacturers instead of helping them

WASHINGTON (AP) – Jay Allen is a fan of President Donald Trump, and voted for him on the belief that the Republican would cut taxes and trim regulations, helping his manufacturing business in northeast Arkansas. But the tariffs at the core of Trump’s economic agenda have wreaked havoc on his company, Allen Engineering Corp.

From unfilled gas tanks to fewer frills, retailers see US consumers rethink their spending

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. consumers haven’t stopped spending money since the Iran war drove up fuel prices, but many shoppers are reassessing what they buy and where, according to company executives and retail analysts.

Pope meets with 6 clergy abuse survivors in Spain

MADRID (AP) – Pope Leo XIV met Monday with six survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Madrid and vowed to consider their suggestions for how the Catholic Church can improve its response to the crisis, the Vatican said. The meeting, which followed in the tradition of popes meeting with abuse survivors during their foreign trips, lasted about an hour.

Antitrust trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster continues

NEW YORK (AP) – The antitrust trial of Live Nation and Ticketmaster resumed Monday in a New York federal court with three dozen states remaining in the case a week after the Justice Department settled its claims and withdrew.

Live Nation, Ticketmaster trial to resume after 7 states join settlement

NEW YORK (AP) – More than 30 states will resume their antitrust trial against Live Nation and Ticketmaster on Monday after negotiations this week failed to result in many states joining a tentative settlement reached by the Justice Department.

Arkansas man accused of killing daughter's abuser wins GOP sheriff's nomination

An Arkansas man accused of killing his teenage daughter’s alleged abuser won the Republican nomination for local sheriff while waiting to stand trial for murder in his rural county, where he ran on a message of seeing the failures of law enforcement.

'Scary Movie' tops box office, slaying 'Masters of the Universe'

NEW YORK (AP) – The summer box office is booming – but not because of the usual suspects. After three weeks of indie horror dominance at the box office, the slasher spoof “Scary Movie” topped ticket sales with $55 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, easily besting the far-from-mighty “Masters of the Universe.”