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VOL. 48 | NO. 23 | Friday, June 7, 2024

Survival of the glitziest

The death of the American mall was overstated. How some survive

A half-century after its opening, Knoxville’s West Town Mall continues to adapt, evolve and thrive. A mere 14 miles to the east, its younger competitor East Towne Mall, later re-christened Knoxville Center, is but a memory.

A stroll past the food court

Here’s a rundown of the better-known malls, past and present, in the Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga areas:

Flyers beware: Deadline looms for getting Real ID

The final countdown is on for you to get your Real ID. No, really, they mean it this time.

Obtaining Real ID won’t be an easy task for some

As much as we would prefer it to be, the process of obtaining a Real ID won’t be as easy as showing up to your nearest driver’s services center or county clerk’s office with your driver’s license and utility bill and walking out with a shiny new identification card.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
42.1°F
Overcast
Wind: Southwest at 5.8 mph
Humidity: 43%

EVENTS

Willco Connected Business Mixer. A monthly networking mixer designed to connect business in Williamson County. This is a great event for prospective, new and current members. Bring plenty of business cards. Hilton Franklin Cool Springs, 601 Corporate Center Drive. Free event. Wednesday, 4:30-6 p.m. Information

more events »

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

‘Cinderella story’ draws to close for an old friend

In 2012, I wrote of my high school classmate Truitt Williams, that he had “crossed over, passed on to glory, reached the promised land.” The use of death imagery was a joke. Truitt hadn’t died; he had retired.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Parks moves ‘Onward’ with new firm after Compass sale

In an unanticipated – but not overly surprising – move, Bob Parks has decided to launch a new venture.

REAL ESTATE

Top Davidson County residential real estate transactions for May 2024

Top Davidson County residential real estate sales for May 2024, as compiled by the Nashville Ledger.

Little relief: Mortgage rates ease, pulling the average rate on a 30-year home loan to just below 7%

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage dipped to just below 7% this week, little relief for prospective homebuyers already facing the challenges of rising housing prices and a relatively limited inventory of homes on the market.

NEWSMAKERS

Stranch, Jennings & Garvey welcomes 2 new Attorneys

R. Christopher Gilreath and Grayson Wells have joined the Nashville law firm of Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, PLLC.

BRIEFS

New Nashville bars make Esquire list

Two upscale Nashville bars that opened in 2023 have made this year’s version of Esquire magazine’s “Best Bars in America” list.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

5 good bargain rides for younger drivers

Safety is critically important when choosing a vehicle for a younger driver, since motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Step back to a time when shopping was an event

You can almost do it with your eyes closed. Grab a new shirt, snag a new jacket, find accessories to go with them and you’re so familiar with your favorite store that you barely have to think. The place is almost like a second home, staffed by friends. And as you’ll see in “When Women Ran Fifth Avenue” by Julie Satow, it might’ve once been a ground-breaker.

CAREER CORNER

Do you really want everyone to ‘fit your culture?’

As children, most people are told that hard work will pay off. It makes sense that working hard is the key to success. Hard work should be the foundation for accomplishments. For each degree you earn or position you hold, you become more qualified. You are checking off more and more boxes that make you a better and better fit for a future role.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans wrap offseason program with rookie left tackle JC Latham last off field

NASHVILLE (AP) — JC Latham stopped with a quick question for his position coach after running on his own to wrap up the Tennessee Titans ' final session of their offseason program Tuesday.

NASHVILLE AREA

Amazon adds $1.4B to affordable housing fund for regions where it has corporate offices

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is adding $1.4 billion to a fund it established three years ago for preserving or building more affordable housing in regions where the company has major corporate offices, CEO Andy Jassy announced Tuesday.

Judge sets hearing over alleged leak of Covenant school shooter info to conservative outlet

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee judge has ordered a conservative media organization to appear in court over publishing details from allegedly leaked documents about a 2023 Nashville school shooting, while the outlet sues for the same kind of records to be released to the public.

RELIGION

Alarmed by embryo destruction, Southern Baptists urge caution on IVF by couples and government

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptist delegates expressed alarm Wednesday over the way in vitro fertilization is routinely being practiced, approving a resolution lamenting that the creation of surplus frozen embryos often results in "destruction of embryonic human life."

Southern Baptists narrowly reject formal ban on churches with any women pastors

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in their constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

American investor Martin Shkreli accused of copying and sharing one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album

NEW YORK (AP) — American investor Martin Shkreli is facing a new lawsuit for allegedly retaining and sharing recordings from a one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album that he was forced to sell following his 2017 conviction on securities fraud charges.

COURTS

Elon Musk drops lawsuit against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI without explanation

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk has dropped his lawsuit against OpenAI just ahead of a scheduled Wednesday hearing on the case.

Supreme Court has a lot of work to do and little time to do it with a sizable case backlog

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is headed into its final few weeks with nearly half of the cases heard this year still undecided, including ones that could reshape the law on everything from guns to abortion to social media. The justices are also still weighing whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution in the election interference case against him, more than a month after hearing arguments.

Judges hear Elizabeth Holmes' appeal of fraud conviction while she remains in Texas prison

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A panel of federal judges spent two hours on Tuesday wrestling with a series of legal issues raised in an attempt to overturn a fraud conviction that sent Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes to prison after a meteoric rise to Silicon Valley stardom.

Trump's company: New Jersey golf club liquor license probe doesn't apply to ex-president

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Former president Donald Trump is not the holder of liquor licenses at his three New Jersey golf clubs, his company said Tuesday in response to an inquiry by the New Jersey attorney general's office into whether his convictions in a New York case might affect those licenses.

ELECTION 2024

AP-NORC poll: About half of US adults approve of Trump's conviction, but views of him remain stable

NEW YORK (AP) — About half of U.S. adults approve of Donald Trump's recent felony conviction, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The survey shows some potential vulnerabilities, along with some signs of resilience in his support, as Trump tries to become the first American with a felony record to win the presidency.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Thefts of charging cables pose yet another obstacle to appeal of electric vehicles

DETROIT (AP) — Just before 2 a.m. on a chilly April night in Seattle, a Chevrolet Silverado pickup stopped at an electric vehicle charging station on the edge of a shopping center parking lot.

GM board approves another $6 billion share repurchase as the automaker gains momentum

WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors has approved another $6 billion share repurchase as the Detroit automaker adds to its 2024 momentum.

Europe wants affordable electric vehicles from China. But not at the cost of its own auto industry

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Union moved Wednesday to hike tariffs, or import taxes, on electric vehicles made in China. EVs are the latest flash point in a broader trade dispute over Chinese government subsidies and the Asian nation's burgeoning exports of green technology to the 27-nation bloc.

MEDIA

Sony Pictures acquires Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the dine-in movie theater chain

Sony Pictures Entertainment is getting into the exhibition business. The studio behind recent films like "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" and "The Garfield Movie" has acquired the distinctive theater chain Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the companies said Wednesday. Included in the deal is the genre film festival Fantastic Fest.

Paramount Global owner calls off merger talks with Skydance Media

NEW YORK (AP) — National Amusements, which owns a majority voting stake in embattled entertainment giant Paramount Global, said Tuesday that it has ended talks on a possible merger of Paramount with movie production company Skydance Media.

Faking an honest woman: Why Russia, China and Big Tech all use faux females to get clicks

WASHINGTON (AP) — When disinformation researcher Wen-Ping Liu looked into China's efforts to influence Taiwan's recent election using fake social media accounts, something unusual stood out about the most successful profiles.

MILITARY

Ospreys won't return to full flight status until at least 2025, program head tells Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — The military's hundreds of V-22 Ospreys will not be permitted to fly their full range of missions until at least 2025 as the Pentagon continues to address safety concerns in the fleet, the head of the program told lawmakers at a hearing Wednesday.

ECONOMY

Federal Reserve sees some progress on inflation but envisions just one rate cut this year

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials said Wednesday that inflation has fallen further toward their target level in recent months but signaled that they expect to cut their benchmark interest rate just once this year.

US inflation cooled in May in sign that price pressures might be easing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation in the United States eased in May for a second straight month, a hopeful sign that an acceleration of prices that occurred early this year may have passed. The trend, if it holds, could move the Federal Reserve closer to cutting its benchmark interest rate from its 23-year peak.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street climbs on hopes for coming cuts to interest rates

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Wednesday following a surprisingly encouraging update on inflation and a reassurance that the Federal Reserve still sees a cut to interest rates as likely this year.

Traffic resumes through Baltimore's busy port after $100M cleanup of collapsed bridge

BALTIMORE (AP) — Authorities anticipate commercial shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore will soon return to normal levels since the channel fully reopened earlier this week for the first time since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Republicans stick to attacking criminal justice system, echoing Trump, after Hunter Biden conviction

PHOENIX (AP) — Republicans are responding to Hunter Biden's conviction on federal gun charges with some version of, "That's it?"

US widens sanctions on Russia to discourage countries such as China from doing business with Moscow

The United States widened its sanctions against Russia Wednesday as G7 leaders prepared to gather in Italy for a summit where the top priorities will be boosting support for Ukraine and grinding down Russia's war machine.

Senators blast health regulators and law enforcement over illegal e-cigarettes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators on Wednesday blasted top health and law enforcement officials for not doing more to combat the rise of illegal electronic cigarettes in the U.S., a multibillion-dollar business that has flourished amid haphazard enforcement.

House votes to hold AG Garland in contempt for withholding Biden audio

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over audio of President Joe Biden's interview in his classified documents case, Republicans' latest and strongest rebuke of the Justice Department as partisan conflict over the rule of law animates the 2024 presidential campaign.

US will send Ukraine another Patriot missile system after Kyiv's desperate calls for air defenses

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will send Ukraine another Patriot missile system, two U.S. officials said Tuesday, answering Kyiv's desperate calls for more air defenses as it battles an intense Russian assault on the northeastern Kharkiv region.

8 people with possible Islamic State ties arrested in US on immigration violations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight people from Tajikistan with suspected ties to the Islamic State group have been arrested in the United States in recent days, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.


TUESDAY, JUNE 11
UT SPORTS

College World Series might offer glimpse of future with only SEC and ACC teams in the field

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The College World Series begins this week and only two conferences will be represented on the game's biggest stage for the first time since the event expanded to eight teams in 1950.

Breaking down the teams playing for national championship at the College World Series

A look at the eight teams competing in the College World Series, which starts Friday at Charles Schwab Field. (Capsules in order of CWS opening games. Coaches' records through super regionals):

RELIGION

More than 10,000 Southern Baptists gather for meeting that could bar churches with women pastors

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than 10,000 voting representatives gathered Tuesday for the opening of the Southern Baptist Convention's two-day annual meeting, where they will vote on whether to ban churches with women pastors and deliberate yet again on how to respond to sexual abuse within churches.

COURTS

A Florida law blocking treatment for transgender children is thrown out by a federal judge

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday struck down a 2023 Florida law that blocked gender-affirming care for transgender minors and severely restricted such treatment for adults, calling the statute unconstitutional.

President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, is convicted of all 3 felonies in federal gun trial

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Hunter Biden was convicted Tuesday of all three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018 when, prosecutors argued, the president's son lied on a mandatory gun-purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.

President offers love and pride for his son's addiction recovery after Hunter Biden's guilty verdict

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden kept his distance from the courtroom where his son Hunter stood trial on felony gun charges to avoid any appearance of meddling but his quick statement reacting to the jury's guilty verdict Tuesday spoke to where his heart has been all along.

Justice Alito questions possibility of political compromise in secret recording

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is heard questioning whether compromise between the left and right is possible in a conversation posted on social media. The conservative justice is also heard agreeing with a woman who says the United States should return "to a place of godliness."

3 Nixon justices helped end his presidency. Will the 3 Trump appointees force him to stand trial?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fifty years ago, three of the justices Richard Nixon appointed to the Supreme Court joined in an 8-0 decision in the Watergate tapes case that effectively ended his presidency, ruling only 16 days after hearing the case. Nixon resigned from office just over two weeks later.

Judge strikes paragraph from Trump classified docs indictment but denies request to dismiss charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge presiding over the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump and two of his associates struck a paragraph from the indictment on Monday but denied a defense request to dismiss some of the charges.

In the rough: Felony convictions could cost Trump liquor licenses at 3 New Jersey golf courses

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's attorney general's office is looking into whether Donald Trump's recent felony convictions in New York make him ineligible to hold liquor licenses at his three New Jersey golf courses.

Trump completes mandatory presentencing interview after less than 30 minutes of questioning

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump completed his mandatory presentencing interview Monday after less than 30 minutes of routine, uneventful questions and answers, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity.

ELECTION 2024

House Democrats step up to try to stop Project 2025 plans for a Trump White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — Warning about the far-right Project 2025 agenda for a Donald Trump White House, a group of House Democrats has launched a task force to start fighting the proposal and stop it from taking hold if the Republican former president returns to power.

Americans are split on Biden's student loan work, even those with debt, an AP-NORC poll finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — As he campaigns for reelection, President Joe Biden frequently touts his work on student debt, pointing to the millions of people who received cancellation under his watch. Yet relatively few Americans say they're fans of his work on the issue, even among those who have student loans.

Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle join Biden for early Juneteenth celebration on White House lawn

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden celebrated the Juneteenth holiday early with a Monday concert on the White House South Lawn with singers including Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle.

Biden plans to head to Camp David to prepare for June 27 debate with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — After back-to-back trips to Europe, President Joe Biden plans to head to Camp David next week to prepare for his first 2024 debate with former President Donald Trump, hunkering down at the woodsy Maryland hideaway that has hosted many similar cram sessions in the past.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Future of Elon Musk and Tesla are on the line this week as shareholders vote on massive pay package

DETROIT (AP) — If Tesla shareholders vote against restoring Elon Musk's $44.9 billion pay package Thursday, the CEO could deliver on threats to take artificial intelligence research to one of his other companies. Or he could even could walk away.

TECHNOLOGY

Key new features coming to Apple's iOS18 this fall

Apple announced a slew of new features for iOS 18 at Monday's developers conference event, many of which are designed to enhance the Siri assistant and bring artificial intelligence tools to iPhone users.

ENERGY

US gas prices are falling. Experts point to mild demand at the pump ahead of summer travel

NEW YORK (AP) — Gas prices are once again on the decline across the U.S., bringing some relief to drivers now paying a little less to fill up their tanks.

AGRICULTURE

With 100M birds dead, poultry industry could serve as example as dairy farmers confront bird flu

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the U.S. dairy industry confronts a bird flu outbreak, with cases reported at dozens of farms and the disease spreading to people, the egg industry could serve as an example of how to slow the disease but also shows how difficult it can be to eradicate the virus.

MILITARY

As Congress investigates the Osprey, families balance grief with pilots' love for the warplane

WASHINGTON (AP) — The V-22 Osprey that crashed off the coast of Japan last year brought the aircraft's safety record back under scrutiny — but this time without one of its most vocal defenders.

ECONOMY

World Bank boosts forecast: Strength of US economy will support global growth of 2.6% this year

WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Bank upgraded its outlook for the global economy Tuesday, estimating that it will expand 2.6% this year on the strength of sustained growth in the United States.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street drifts to a mixed close but still notches some records

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks drifted to a mixed close overall on Wall Street, but the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite still managed to notch more record highs.

Waffle House raises worker pay after strikes and pressure from labor organizers

Waffle House is increasing pay for its U.S. workers after a year-long push from labor advocates.

Thousands of drivers file arbitration claims against Amazon for unpaid wages and other losses

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of delivery drivers filed legal claims against Amazon on Tuesday, alleging the company's classification of them as independent contractors instead of employees has led to unpaid wages and other financial losses.

Watchdog investigates UAW president Shawn Fain, accuses union of being uncooperative

NEW YORK (AP) — United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain is under investigation by a court-appointed watchdog who has been working to stamp out corruption at the union in the wake of its stunning bribery and embezzlement scandal several years ago.

GM board approves another $6 billion share repurchase as the automaker gains momentum

WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors has approved another $6 billion share repurchase as the Detroit automaker adds to its 2024 momentum.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Trump prosecutor Matthew Colangelo will appear before Congress July 12

WASHINGTON (AP) — Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has agreed to testify before Congress on July 12, a day after former President Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money trial.

Biden and gun control advocates want to flip an issue long dominated by the NRA

ATLANTA (AP) — Groups pushing tighter gun laws have been building political muscle through multiple elections, boosted by the outcry following mass shootings at schools and other public places, in addition to the nation's daily gun violence.

Trump will meet with House and Senate Republicans this week near the Capitol

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans will meet privately with Donald Trump on Thursday, as the former president who is now the party's presumptive nominee returns to Capitol Hill for the first time since his supporters attacked the building on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn President Joe Biden's election.


MONDAY, JUNE 10
UT SPORTS

Wins by Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida and A&M mean it'll be only SEC and ACC at College World Series

Kentucky finally made it to a College World Series, and the Wildcats will be joined by at least three other Southeastern Conference teams on college baseball's biggest stage.

Top-seeded Tennessee hits 7 home runs, routs Evansville 12-1 to win super regional, spot in CWS

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Christian Moore and Dalton Bargo both hit two of Tennessee's seven home runs, powering the top-seeded Volunteers to a 12-1 victory over Evansville in the championship game of the Knoxville Super Regional on Sunday night.

NASHVILLE AREA

The Rev. James Lawson Jr., civil rights leader who preached nonviolent protest, dies at 95

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. James Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95.

COURTS

'No one is above the law,' prosecutor says as he urges jurors to convict Hunter Biden on gun charges

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A prosecutor told jurors Monday that "no one is above the law" as he urged them to convict President Joe Biden's son Hunter on charges that he lied about his drug use when he bought a gun in 2018.

Supreme Court will take up Meta's bid to end lawsuit over Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider shutting down a multibillion-dollar class action investors' lawsuit against Facebook parent Meta stemming from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm.

Trump to undergo probation interview Monday, a required step before his New York sentencing

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be interviewed by New York probation officials Monday, a required step before his July sentencing in his criminal hush money case, according to three people familiar with the plan.

Hunter Biden's family weathers a public and expansive airing in federal court of his drug addiction

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — In a span of less than 48 hours this past week, first lady Jill Biden shuttled from a Normandy ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in France to the front row of a Delaware courtroom, where Hunter Biden is on trial in a gun case, and then back to Paris for an elaborate state visit at Élysée Palace.

ELECTION 2024

Biden hosting early Juneteenth celebration concert on White House lawn

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will celebrate the Juneteenth holiday early with a Monday concert on the White House South Lawn with singers including Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle.

The presidential primary season is officially over. Here's what the results could mean for November

WASHINGTON (AP) — The presidential primary calendar has officially come to an end with weekend victories for Democratic President Joe Biden in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Biden's team asks CEOs how to further boost the economy while Trump says business is on his side

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the campaign trail, President Joe Biden likes to take a hard thwack at corporate America.

Donald Trump tells a group that calls for banning all abortions to stand up for 'innocent life'

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Donald Trump on Monday urged a staunchly anti-abortion Christian group to stand up for "innocent life," ambiguously revisiting an issue that Democrats want to make a focus of this year's presidential election.

Trump complains about his teleprompters at a scorching Las Vegas rally

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former President Donald Trump rallied voters in the scorching heat of Las Vegas, at points telling his supporters to ask for help if needed and appearing irritable with the teleprompters that he said were not working.

Why Robert F. Kennedy's Jr.'s current presidential polling numbers might not hold up into November

WASHINGTON (AP) — Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reached 15% or more in three approved national polls. One more, and he will have met one of CNN's benchmarks to qualify for the debate June 27 with Democratic President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Chrysler recalls more than 211,000 SUVs and pickup trucks due to software malfunction

NEW YORK (AP) — Stellantis-owned Chrysler is recalling more than 211,000 SUVs and pickup trucks in the U.S., due to a software malfunction that could disable the cars' electronic stability control systems.

HEALTH CARE

Alzheimer's drug that can slow disease gets backing from FDA advisers

WASHINGTON (AP) — A closely watched Alzheimer's drug from Eli Lilly won the backing of federal health advisers on Monday, setting the stage for the treatment's expected approval for people with mild dementia caused by the brain-robbing disease.

ENERGY

In Wyoming, Bill Gates moves ahead with nuclear project aimed at revolutionizing power generation

Bill Gates and his energy company are starting construction at their Wyoming site for a next-generation nuclear power plant he believes will "revolutionize" how power is generated.

TECHNOLOGY

Apple expected to enter AI race with ambitions to overtake the early leaders

CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Apple's annual World Wide Developers Conference on Monday is expected to herald the company's move into generative artificial intelligence, marking its late arrival to a technological frontier that's expected to be as revolutionary as the invention of the iPhone.

TRENDS

A majority of Black Americans believe US institutions are conspiring against them, a Pew poll finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Black Americans say they've experienced racial discrimination regularly or from time to time, which colors how they view U.S. institutions like policing, the political system and the media, according to a study on conspiracy theories.

BANKING

Coffee, sculptures and financial advice. Banks try to make new branches less intimidating

NEW YORK (AP) — It's like Sephora or Starbucks now offered a checking account.

ECONOMY

Inflation data this week could help determine Fed's timetable for rate cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) — After Federal Reserve officials meet this week, a statement they will issue may suggest that they've seen meaningful progress on inflation this year — a prelude to eventual interest rate cuts.

Japan's economy is shrinking, although slightly less than previously thought

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese economy shrank at an annual rate of 1.8% in the first quarter of this year, slightly better than the initial estimate at a 2.0% contraction, according to revised government data Monday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street drifts up to more records ahead of this week's Fed meeting

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks ticked to more records Monday ahead of a week with several top-tier reports on inflation due, as well as the Federal Reserve's latest meeting on interest rates.

Investment firm takes a $1.9B stake in Southwest Airlines, wants to oust the CEO

DALLAS (AP) — Activist shareholder Elliott Investment Management has bought a $1.9 billion stake in Southwest Airlines and is seeking to force out the CEO of the airline, which has struggled with operational and financial problems.

Nvidia 10-for-1 stock split goes into effect after stock price for the chipmaker doubled this year

Nvidia's 10-for-1 stock split is in effect, giving investors nine additional shares for every one that they already own.

Martha's Vineyard is about to run out of pot. That's led to a lawsuit and a scramble by regulators

VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) — An 81-year-old woman on Martha's Vineyard drove up to the Island Time dispensary last week seeking her usual order of pot. But owner Geoff Rose had to tell her the cupboard was bare — he'd been forced to temporarily close three weeks earlier after selling every last bud and gummy.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

FDA and DOJ pledge more cooperation on illegal e-cigarettes ahead of congressional hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health regulators and law enforcement officials on Monday vowed to work more closely to stop sales of illegal electronic cigarettes, which have grown into a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. while skirting government oversight.


FRIDAY, JUNE 7
UT SPORTS

Surprising Evansville has a winning hand in getting to the super regional against No. 1 Tennessee

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Evansville was an afterthought in the college baseball discussion two weeks ago.

COURTS

Thomas acknowledges more travel paid for by Harlan Crow. Colleagues report six-figure book payments

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Clarence Thomas on Friday belatedly acknowledged more travel paid by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, while several colleagues reported six-figure payments as part of book deals.

Judge rather than jury will render verdict in upcoming antitrust trial

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A judge rather than a jury will decide whether Google violated federal antitrust laws by building a monopoly on the technology that powers online advertising.

Internet group sues Georgia to block law requiring sites to gather data on sellers

An internet trade group is suing the state of Georgia to block a law requiring online classified sites to gather data on high-volume sellers who advertise online but collect payment in cash or some other offline method.

British tech magnate Mike Lynch acquitted of fraud charges in $11 billion deal with Hewlett Packard

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mike Lynch, once hailed as Britain's king of technology, has been cleared of charges alleging he orchestrated a fraud and conspiracy leading up to an $11 billion deal that turned into a costly albatross for Silicon Valley pioneer Hewlett Packard.

ELECTION 2024

Trump film 'The Apprentice' made noise in Cannes, but it still lacks a US distributor

NEW YORK (AP) — Two weeks after its much-anticipated premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, a film about Donald Trump in the 1980s is still seeking distribution in the United States.

A new account rekindles allegations that Trump disrespected Black people on 'The Apprentice'

Gene Folkes had just been jettisoned as a contestant on "The Apprentice" and was commiserating with a crew member at a bar inside the lobby of Trump Tower. He was indignant — and not just at having been kicked off the reality show after its star, Donald Trump, had delivered his catchphrase: "You're fired."

What to know about new claims that Trump made racist comments on 'The Apprentice'

As Donald Trump seeks to make inroads with African American voters in his third run for the White House, fresh allegations are surfacing about his disrespectful behavior toward Black people on " The Apprentice," the hit reality TV show that launched his political career.

Trump, in his first post-trial rally, demands that appeals courts reverse his felony conviction

PHOENIX (AP) — Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail Thursday with a trip to Arizona, his first appearance in a battleground state since he was convicted in a hush money scandal, repeating his critiques of the case against him as politically motivated and calling for his conviction to be overturned on appeal.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Kia recalls nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs due to fire risk, urges impacted consumers to park outside

NEW YORK (AP) — Kia America is recalling nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs — and urging owners to park their cars outside and away from other structures until an issue posing a fire hazard is fixed.

Real-world mileage standard for new vehicles rising to 38 mpg in 2031 under new Biden rule

WASHINGTON (AP) — New vehicles sold in the U.S. will have to average about 38 miles per gallon of gasoline in 2031 in real-world driving, up from about 29 mpg this year, under new federal rules unveiled Friday by the Biden administration.

ECONOMY

US hiring and wage growth picked up last month in sign of sustained economic health

WASHINGTON (AP) — America's employers added a strong 272,000 jobs in May, accelerating from April and a sign that companies are still confident enough in the economy to keep hiring despite persistently high interest rates.

China's exports grow 7.6% in May, beating expectations despite trade tensions

HONG KONG (AP) — China's exports in May grew at their fastest pace in more than a year despite trade tensions, though imports fell short of analyst expectations, according to customs data released Friday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks slip and bond yields jump following a hotter-than-expected jobs report

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks slipped and Treasury yields rose sharply after the government released a jobs report whose headline numbers came in hotter than expected.

GameStop shares plunge even as meme stock booster 'Roaring Kitty' says company is on the right track

The investor at the center of the pandemic meme stock craze said Friday that he still believes GameStop's management team can turn the struggling video game retailer around.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Blinken to push cease-fire proposal in eighth urgent Mideast trip since war in Gaza erupted

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will push for a breakthrough on President Joe Biden's cease-fire proposal when he returns to the Middle East next week on his eighth diplomatic mission to the region since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began in October, the State Department said Friday.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu set to address the US Congress on July 24

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to address a joint meeting of Congress on July 24, setting the stage for what is expected to be a contentious speech at a crucial moment for the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Members of Congress commemorate D-Day with their own parachute jump over Normandy

WASHINGTON (AP) — A contingent of U.S. lawmakers from the House of Representatives made a commemorative parachute jump Friday at Normandy marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the historic assault that launched the end of World War II.

US to send new $225 million military aid package to Ukraine, officials say.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will send about $225 million in military aid to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Thursday, in a new package that includes ammunition Kyiv's forces could use to strike threats inside Russia to defend the city of Kharkiv from a heavy Russian assault.


THURSDAY, JUNE 6
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Black Music Month has evolved since the 1970s. Here's what you need to know

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Every June since the 1970s, across the United States, musicians, fans and industry professionals celebrate Black Music Month. It's an opportunity to highlight the contributions of Black artists and position Black art at the center of American culture across popular music and beyond.

RELIGION

Southern Baptists are poised to ban churches with women pastors. Some are urging them to reconsider

From its towering white steeple and red-brick facade to its Sunday services filled with rousing gospel hymns and evangelistic sermons, First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, bears many of the classic hallmarks of a Southern Baptist church.

COURTS

Trump ally Steve Bannon must surrender to prison by July 1 to start contempt sentence, judge says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of former President Donald Trump, must report to prison by July 1 to serve his four-month sentence for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the U.S. Capitol insurrection, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

Supreme Court sides with Native American tribes in health care funding dispute with government

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court sided with Native American tribes Thursday in a dispute with the federal government over the cost of health care when tribes run programs in their own communities.

ELECTION 2024

The ACLU is making plans to fight Trump's promises of immigrant raids and mass deportations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union filed legal challenges against former President Donald Trump 's administration more than 400 times during his time in the White House, helping to halt an array of policies, including separating immigrant children from their parents.

Trump campaign steps up vice presidential vetting efforts

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump 's campaign has begun requesting information from his potential vice presidential candidates, sending vetting paperwork to a list of top contenders in recent weeks, according to two people familiar with the effort.

Tim Scott, a potential Trump VP pick, launches a $14 million outreach effort to minority voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top ally and potential running mate of former President Donald Trump is launching a new effort to win over Black and other nonwhite working class voters he argues could be the deciding factor in November's elections.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Kentucky Democratic governor pushes back against Trump-led attacks on electric vehicles

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Electric vehicles have built up enough momentum from job growth and investments to steer past any roadblocks from Donald Trump and other critics, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

ENVIRONMENT

Climate records keep getting shattered. Here is what you need to know

WASHINGTON (AP) — Month after month, global temperatures are setting new records. Meanwhile, scientists and climate policymakers warn of the growing likelihood that the planet will soon exceed the warming target set at the landmark Paris 2015 climate talks.

HEALTH CARE

FDA advisers urge targeting JN.1 strain in recipe for fall's COVID vaccines

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government advisers Wednesday said it's time to update the recipe for the COVID-19 vaccines Americans will receive in the fall -- targeting a version of the ever-evolving coronavirus called JN.1.

TECHNOLOGY

AI 'gold rush' for chatbot training data could run out of human-written text

Artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT could soon run out of what keeps making them smarter — the tens of trillions of words people have written and shared online.

TRANSPORTATION

NTSB says an air traffic controller's faulty assumption led to a close call between planes in Texas

An air traffic's controller's faulty assumption that a Southwest Airlines jetliner would take off from a Texas airport before a landing FedEx plane reached the runway caused the planes to come within less than 200 feet of colliding in thick fog last year, federal investigators said Thursday.

MEDIA

A realistic way to protect kids from social media? Find a middle ground

Ahmed Othman isn't on TikTok and doesn't want to be. He and his younger sister got iPhones when they were in eighth and seventh grade respectively, but with no social media, just iMessage. Their parents, who are both computer scientists, spent the next year teaching them about social media, bombarding them with studies about its effects on teen mental health.

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know

At what age should kids be on social media? Should they be on it at all? If they aren't, will they be social pariahs? Should parents monitor their conversations? Do parental controls work?

YouTube toughens policy on gun videos and youth; critics say proof will be in enforcement

WASHINGTON (AP) — YouTube is changing its policies about firearm videos in an effort to keep potentially dangerous content from reaching underage users.

ECONOMY

Slightly more Americans apply for jobless benefits, but layoffs remain at healthy levels

The number of Americans applying for jobless claims rose last week, but layoffs remain at healthy levels despite lingering inflation and high interest rates.

Europe Central Bank jumps ahead of the Fed in lowering rates. But future cuts may be limited

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank cut its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter-point, moving ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve as central banks around the world lean toward lowering borrowing costs — a shift with far-reaching consequences for home buyers, savers and investors.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Wall Street's momentum cools after its latest record-setting day

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed close as Wall Street's momentum cooled following its latest record-setting day.

US antitrust enforcers will investigate leading AI companies Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI

U.S. antitrust enforcers have decided to investigate the roles Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI have played in the artificial intelligence boom, according to people familiar with the pending actions.

Robinhood buying crytocurrency exchange Bitstamp for about $200 million

Robinhood Markets Inc. is buying crytocurrency exchange Bitstamp for about $200 million in cash as the company looks to speed up its cryptocurrency expansion globally.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden will praise men like his uncles when he commemorates the 80th anniversary of D-Day in France

WASHINGTON (AP) — As tens of thousands of soldiers stormed French beaches during the D-Day landings of World War II, 2nd Lt. John Arthur Finnegan was on duty in a mess hall half a world away on the northeastern coast of Australia.

As Zelenskyy visits for D-Day, Macron promises Ukraine Mirage aircraft to fend off Russian attacks

KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will provide Ukraine with its Mirage combat aircraft to help the country's defense against Russia's aggression. He spoke after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined world leaders in France to commemorate the D-Day invasion.

Republicans block bill to protect contraception access as Democrats make election-year push

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have blocked legislation designed to protect women's access to contraception, arguing that the bill was just a political stunt as Democrats mount an election-year effort to put GOP senators on the record on reproductive rights issues,

Speaker Johnson appoints two Trump allies to a committee that handles classified intelligence

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday appointed two far-right Republicans to the powerful House Intelligence Committee, positioning two close allies of Donald Trump who worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election on a panel that receives sensitive classified briefings and oversees the work of America's spy agencies.


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