RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An apartment building under construction in North Carolina’s capital city had been inspected 50 times, most recently on Monday, before it went up in flames near an entertainment district, the fire chief said Friday. Several other buildings were damaged by the fire that broke out in Raleigh Thursday night, some of … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Moving forcefully against Obama-era environmental rules, President Donald Trump is set to announce in Michigan plans to re-examine federal requirements that regulate the fuel efficiency of new cars and trucks. Trump is expected to reveal his plans during an appearance Wednesday at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where he’ll … Continue reading
JERUSALEM (AP) — Intel announced Monday it will spend more than $15 billion to acquire Mobileye, an Israeli company that develops technology that essentially gives computers a sense of their physical surroundings — the largest high-tech acquisition in the history of the Jewish State. Faced with limited natural resources, Israel has fostered a vibrant high-tech … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials in Washington state, where recreational marijuana is legal, vow to fight any federal crackdown on the nascent industry after White House spokesman Sean Spicer said they should expect to see stepped-up enforcement of anti-pot laws. Bob Ferguson, attorney general in Washington state, which joined Colorado in 2012 as the first states … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ellen DeGeneres has handed out college scholarships to the entire senior class of a New York City charter school. DeGeneres surprised the 41 students from Brooklyn’s Summit Academy this week at her California studio during the taping of Thursday’s episode of her chat show. The four-year scholarships paid for by Wal-Mart … Continue reading
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Lidl, the German no-frills supermarket chain, is set to begin hiring in Virginia for some of its first stores in the U.S. The chain announced Thursday that it would begin hiring 800 store associates for locations in 12 Virginia cities. Spokesman Will Harwood tells the Free Lance-Star (http://bit.ly/2mcPiKd ) the hires … Continue reading
CANNON BALL, N.D. (AP) — Oil could be flowing through the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline in less than two weeks, according to court documents filed by the developer just before police and soldiers started clearing a protest camp in North Dakota where pipeline opponents had gathered for the better part of a year. Energy … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump brought two dozen manufacturing CEOs to the White House on Thursday and declared their collective commitment to restoring factory jobs lost to foreign competition. Yet some of the CEOs suggested that there were still plenty of openings for U.S. factory jobs but too few qualified people to fill … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of the news media Friday, taking direct aim this time at the use of anonymous sources. Reporters “shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name,” he declared, just hours after members of his own staff held a press briefing and refused to allow … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mariah Carey may have had her heart broken after her engagement to billionaire James Packer ended, but she shook that off and now has a vision of love for her backup dancer Bryan Tanaka. Carey, who posted an Instagram picture with her and Tanaka drinking champagne in a tub on … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin denied Friday that it has grown frustrated with a lack of progress in improving relations with Washington under President Donald Trump, saying it’s too early to say what course Russia-U.S. ties will take. “We never wore rose-tinted glasses, never had any illusions, so there is nothing to be disappointed with,” … Continue reading
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — They were gruesome sights. Whales lifeless and bloated on the beach, two of them with giant gashes along their bodies, entrails spilled out onto the sand. Even more troublesome: The scene repeated three times here in less than two weeks. So what’s the deal? The explanation seems to be a … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes took a modest step back Friday, though they remain close to record highs. Energy stocks fell more than the rest of the market, and bond yields eased. KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,343, as of 12:45 p.m. Eastern … Continue reading
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a decade as a federal appeals court judge, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has criticized courts for giving too much power to government agencies that enforce the nation’s labor and employment laws. As a lawyer in private practice, he also backed curbs on some class-action lawsuits. His conservative approach could tip … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Hundreds of Nigerians marched Monday to protest poverty and corruption as President Muhammadu Buhari’s prolonged absence abroad for medical tests raises political and economic tensions. “Nigerians are frustrated and tired with this absentee government,” activist Omoyele Sowore said as he marched in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city. Protesters carried placards saying: “Unemployed … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 