Tax cuts collide with inflation as voters weigh Trump's economy in the midterms

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Standing behind a downtown bar, Evan Duke smiled when he thought about no longer paying federal income tax on the hundreds of dollars in tips he earns on a busy night pouring beers and mixing drinks.

Comey seeks to cancel upcoming court appearance in North Carolina

WASHINGTON (AP) – Former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday asked to cancel his upcoming court appearance in North Carolina, saying it was unnecessary because he already surrendered in Virginia and gone before a judge for allegedly threatening President Donald Trump. The Department of Justice is supporting the request.

A real WKRP radio comes to Cincinnati, decades after sitcom

CINCINNATI (AP) – WKRP isn’t dead – as of Monday, it’s living on the air in Cincinnati.

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.

Trump pays $2 billion in taxpayer money to end offshore wind projects

The Trump administration is spending nearly $2 billion to get energy companies to walk away from U.S. offshore wind projects. Democrats in Congress are investigating. The Republican administration adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted President Donald Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action.

Comey appears in court in Trump threat case that's likely to pose a challenge

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) – Former FBI Director James Comey made his first court appearance Wednesday in a criminal case against him that legal experts say presents significant hurdles for the prosecution and will likely be a challenge for the Justice Department to win.

Ex-officer planned to kill Black people in mass shooting in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Authorities say a former North Carolina law enforcement officer planned to kill Black people in a mass shooting at a major New Orleans festival but was arrested at a Florida hotel with a handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

'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.”