National News - The Morning Sun

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones attempts to answer questions about his emails asked by Mark Bankston, lawyer for Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, during trial at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Wednesday Aug. 3, 2022. Jones testified Wednesday that he now understands it was irresponsible of him to declare the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre a hoax and that he now believes it was “100% real." (Briana Sanchez/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)

Economist: Alex Jones, his company worth up to $270 million

An economist says conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his company Free Speech Systems are worth up to $270 million. The testimony came Friday in front of a jury trying to determine if Jones should … more

By JIM VERTUNO | 8/5/22

Police section off the site where an SUV came to an abrupt stop after a driver careened through the parade route of the Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration. in Gallup, New Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 4. 2022. Police arrested several people who were in a large SUV that drove through a Native American celebration in New Mexico, causing multiple injuries along a parade route crowded with families. (William C. Weaver IV/Gallup Independent via AP)

Chaos erupts as SUV drives into Native American parade

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez was among those almost hit as a large SUV drove through a Native American parade in western New Mexico, causing multiple injuries. Police took the driver into … more

8/5/22

FILE - Charles Kelley, from left, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood of Lady A perform during CMA Fest 2022 in Nashville, Tenn., on June 12, 2022. Grammy-winning country trio Lady A are postponing their tour this year to as band member Charles Kelley focuses on sobriety. The band was due to start their tour in August in Nashville. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Lady A postpones tour as Charles Kelley focuses on sobriety

Grammy-winning country trio Lady A is postponing its tour this year as band member Charles Kelley focuses on sobriety. The group said in a social media post that the band would be “taking time with … more

The Associated Press | 8/5/22

A fire truck is seen hangin over the edge of the water propped against a bridge on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in Hindman, Ky., after massive flooding carried the fire truck towards the water. Temperatures are soaring in a region of eastern Kentucky where people are shoveling out the wreckage of massive flooding. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

More storms bring renewed flood threat in hard-hit Kentucky

Thunderstorms have returned to parts of Kentucky already reeling from devastating floods. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch through Sunday evening for areas that were hit hard a … more

By JOHN RABY | 8/5/22

This July 22, 2019, photo taken from video gives a 360-degree view of Ramadan prayers on the plateau of the Dome of the Rock, which can be seen in The Holy City, a virtual reality experience in the metaverse. (The Holy City VR via AP)

From Mecca to the Vatican, exploring sacred sites with VR

Worshippers, tourists and visitors around the world are increasingly joining virtual reality spiritual trips to some of Earth’s most sacred sites. Without ever leaving home, you can gaze at the … more

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO | 8/5/22

Foreign suspects detained on drugs charges are displayed during a news conference in Bali, Indonesia on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Authorities in Indonesia arrested three foreigners, for distributing cocaine on the Indonesian resort island of Bali at the end of July. From the three suspects that are identified as British, Brazilian and Mexican, the officers from the National Narcotics Agency seized 844.59 gram (1.86 pounds) of cocaine with other drugs, including MDMA and marijuana. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

Indonesia arrests 3 foreigners for drug distribution in Bali

Authorities in Indonesia arrested three foreigners for distributing cocaine on the Indonesian resort island of Bali at the end of July. Officers from the National Narcotics Agency seized almost 2 … more

By FIRDIA LISNAWATI | 8/5/22

FILE - Referee Dee Kantner works in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. Kantner, a veteran referee of women’s games who works for multiple conferences, finds it frustrating to have to justify equal pay. “If I buy an airline ticket and tell them I’m doing a women’s basketball game they aren’t going to charge me less,” she said. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, FILE)

More NCAA leagues to pay women’s basketball referees equally

The NCAA earned praise last year when it agreed to pay referees at its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments equally. The gesture only cost about $100,000, a tiny fraction of the roughly $900 … more

By DOUG FEINBERG | 8/5/22

FILE - Insulin is displayed at Pucci's Pharmacy in Sacramento, Calif., July 8, 2022. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said this week that Democrats planned to add language to the economic package focused on climate and health care that will be aimed at reducing patients' costs of insulin, the diabetes drug that can cost hundreds of dollars monthly. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

EXPLAINER: Why is insulin so expensive and difficult to cap?

Reining in the soaring prices of insulin has thus far been elusive in Congress, although Democrats say they’ll try again — as part of their economic package that focuses on health and climate. … more

By AMANDA SEITZ | 8/5/22

A horse grazes in a pasture as the McKinney Fire burns in Klamath National Forest, Calif., Saturday, July 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

AP Week in Pictures: North America

JULY 29 - AUGUST 4, 2022 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images from North America made or published by The Associated Press in the past week. The selection was … more

8/5/22

A coca farmer kicks a tear gas canister back a police on the third day of clashes near a coca market in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Anti-government coca farmers are protesting against a new, parallel coca leaf market. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean

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8/5/22

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, or KPLO, lifts off from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.South Korea joined the stampede to the moon Thursday with the launch of a lunar orbiter that will scout out future landing spots. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

South Korean spacecraft launched to the moon, country's 1st

South Korea is on its way to the moon. SpaceX launched the Asian nation's first lunar explorer Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite is taking a long, roundabout path and will … more

By MARCIA DUNN | 8/4/22

This 2014 illustration made available by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention depicts a polio virus particle. On Thursday, July 21, 2022, New York health officials reported a polio case, the first in the U.S. in nearly a decade. (Sarah Poser, Meredith Boyter Newlove/CDC via AP)

Polio fears rise in New York amid possible community spread

New York state health officials have issued a more urgent call for unvaccinated children and adults to get inoculated against polio, citing new evidence of possible “community spread” of the … more

8/4/22

Barricades block off a portion of Elm Street in Laurel, Neb., Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a situation with multiple fatalities that occurred in Laurel on Thursday morning. Emergency personnel from the state patrol, Belden and the Cedar County Sheriff's Department were working in the area. (Riley Tolan-Keig/The Norfolk Daily News via AP)

Patrol: 4 found dead in 2 burning homes in Nebraska city

Authorities say four people have been found dead in two burning homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska. Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said at a news conference that a man was … more

8/4/22

In this photo provided by the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Bibi, a 23-year-old hippopotamus, stands by her new baby, born Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. The staff at the zoo discovered the calf's mother was pregnant around April Fool's Day. It came as a surprise because she was on birth control. (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via AP)

Fiona gets a sibling: Baby hippo born at Cincinnati Zoo

There’s a new mouth to feed to at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. A full-term hippopotamus was born Wednesday night. The baby is a sibling to Fiona, a hippo who became a global celebrity when … more

8/4/22

This combination of images shows Alyssa Farah Griffin, left, and Ana Navarro, newly named co-hosts for "The View." (Jeff Lipsky/ABC via AP)

Alyssa Farah Griffin, Ana Navarro join 'The View' as cohosts

Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump administration spokeswoman who broke from her old boss following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, will be the conservative voice on the daytime talk show … more

By DAVID BAUDER | 8/4/22

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, surrounded by members of law enforcement, gestures as he speaks during a news conference Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. DeSantis announced that he was suspending State Attorney Andrew Warren, of the 13th Judicial Circuit, due to "neglect of duty." Looking on at right is Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Florida governor suspends prosecutor over new abortion law

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended the elected state prosecutor of Tampa for pledging not to enforce the state’s new 15-week abortion ban and for supporting gender transition treatments for … more

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE | 8/4/22

FILE - Hungary President Viktor Orban arrives at the NATO Heads of State summit in Madrid, June 30, 2022. Hungary's controversial prime minister is coming to the United States to address a gathering of conservative activists. Orban has become a hero to many on the right for his push against immigration, LGBTQ rights and progressives. (Bertrand Guay, Pool via AP, File)

Hungary's autocratic PM Orban addressing US conservatives

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is in the U.S. to speak to one of the nation's largest gatherings of conservative activists. The autocratic leader has a headline spot Tuesday at the … more

By PAUL J. WEBER | 8/4/22

FILE - Melissa Bank, author of "The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing," appears in her New York apartment on May 26, 2005. Publisher Viking says Bank, who had lung cancer, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022 in East Hampton, N.Y. She was 61. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

Melissa Bank, witty, bestselling author, dies at 61

Melissa Bank, whose 1999 bestseller “The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing” was a series of interconnected stories widely praised for its wit and precise language and embraced by many young … more

8/4/22

A photo of Tyler and Sarah Schmidt sits on the podium during the Celebration of Life event for Tyler, Sarah, and Lula Schmidt held at Overman Park on Tuesday, Aug. 2 2022 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Schmidt's were shot and killed at Maquoketa Caves State Park on July 22. (Chris Zoeller/The Courier via AP)

Autopsy: Family killed at Iowa park shot, stabbed, strangled

Autopsy results say three family members killed during a shooting last month at an eastern Iowa state park were shot, stabbed and/or strangled. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news … more

8/4/22

A camper is seen partly submerged under water in Carr Creek Lake on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, near Hazard, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Water becomes needed commodity in flood-ravaged Kentucky

National Guard soldiers rushed to distribute bottled water to flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky as forecasters warned of more rain coming to the region. In the days since historic flooding swamped the … more

By BRUCE SCHREINER | 8/4/22