National News - Page 29

Oil prices are volatile amid conflicting reports about security in the Strait of Hormuz

By Steve Kopack Oil prices swung sharply Tuesday as conflicting reports about shipping in the Strait of Hormuz drove the cost of crude oil down for much of the morning, then higher in the afternoon. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil plunged as much as 19%, slipping below $77 per barrel at one point. But the move faded, and West Texas Intermediate climbed to trade around $89 a barrel by 4 p.m. ET. International Brent crude also briefly dropped 17% to below $80 per barrel but later rose back to more than $90 per barrel. Stocks also closed mixed after a

HBCU-Educated Innovator Debuts AI Tool That Predicts Best Departure Times For Travelers

Meet Ke’Shawn Alexander, a two-time HBCU graduate who turned his lifelong passion for STEM into an AI-powered travel intelligence tool that gives travelers a single, optimized departure time recommendation. A native of Washington, D.C., who now lives in Atlanta, Alexander says his love for travel was often complicated by the traffic-clogged highways leading to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, AFROTECH reports. After spending countless trips calculating parking availability, TSA wait times, and traffic routes, Alexander used his STEM background to create SkySpot—an AI-powered trip intelligence platform that tells travelers exactly when to leave for the airport to arrive at their gate on time with a single optimized

Supreme Court justices Jackson and Kavanaugh clash over handling of Trump cases

By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON — Internal Supreme Court divisions over how the high court has frequently ruled in favor of the Trump administration in emergency situations spilled out into public Monday with liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh locking horns. The court’s conservative majority has on a regular basis blocked lower court rulings that have stymied President Donald Trump’s agenda, sparking criticism from within and outside the judiciary. Jackson, often a vocal dissenter in those cases, forcefully aired her critique of the court’s actions in a rare public appearance with Kavanaugh at an event for lawyers and judges

Travelers encounter long waits at some airports as DHS shutdown affects security checkpoints

By Associated Press Travelers complained of long waits Sunday — lasting hours in some cases — at security checkpoints at airports in Houston and New Orleans, which officials blamed on a government shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The estimated wait time at the standard security checkpoint at the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston early Sunday evening was at one point three hours, according to the Houston Airports website. The Hobby airport on social media Friday said it expected more travelers than normal due to spring break. In a series of posts Sunday, the airport on X

Trump says Iran war will end ‘soon’ but also issues threats that could prolong it

By Scott Wong DORAL, Fla. — President Donald Trump described the war in Iran as “short term” Monday — suggesting the 10-day conflict that has roiled the Middle East could be nearing its end while also warning of intensifying strikes if a key oil route is restricted. “We took a little excursion because we felt we had to do that to get rid of some evil. And I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion,” Trump said. “How good is our military, right? Amazing. How good? Short term. Short term.” Trump spoke to House Republicans and donors at his eponymous resort outside

Oil hits $100 per barrel for first time since July 2022

By Steve Kopack Oil continued its recent surge Sunday, hitting $100 per barrel for the first time since July 2022 and then soaring higher as the ripple effects from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran continued to hit global markets. U.S. crude oil futures rose more than 25%, to nearly $115 per barrel, while Brent, the international benchmark, jumped more than 20%, to $110 per barrel. In addition to oil’s rise, S&P 500 futures plunged 2.3%, Dow futures plummeted more than 1,000 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures slid 2.7%, indicating U.S. stocks were poised to continue last week’s descent. Oil’s remarkable jump

Major airports grapple with hourslong security wait times and TSA staffing shortages amid partial government shutdown

By Marlene Lenthang and Jay Blackman Travel at major U.S. airports turned into a nightmare Sunday, with up to three-hour security wait times and a shortage of TSA workers at the start of spring break travel amid the partial government shutdown. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Lauren Bis said travelers are facing missed flights and massive delays. She blamed the chaos on congressional Democrats’ refusal to fund DHS, which led to the partial shutdown. “These political stunts force patriotic TSA officers, who protect our skies from serious threats, to work without pay,” she said in a statement. “These frontline heroes received only partial

Trump says he won’t sign any bills until SAVE America Act passes

By Raquel Coronell Uribe President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will not sign any bills until the SAVE America Act is passed, adding that a “watered down” version of the act would not do. The legislation, which would overhaul voting laws and require proof of citizenship nationwide to register to vote, faces an uphill battle in the Senate. Noncitizen voting is illegal and uncommon. “It supersedes everything else. MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE. I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed, AND NOT THE WATERED DOWN VERSION — GO FOR THE GOLD: MUST SHOW

Democrats say they won’t relent on DHS funding demands because of Iran war

By Sahil Kapur and Frank Thorp V WASHINGTON — Republicans have sought to use the Trump administration’s attack on Iran to pressure Democrats to relent on their demands for funding the Department of Homeland Security. But Democrats are quickly rejecting that push, making clear they will continue to insist on changes to rein in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Customs and Border Protection, after federal agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis. “No,” moderate Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said when asked if the war changes his stance. “I don’t think the two relate.” King, who caucuses with Democrats, has previously opposed shutdowns. His

Kristi Noem’s firing isn’t enough. Democrats say they want her to pay.

By Natasha Korecki and Scott Wong WASHINGTON — Kristi Noem may be out at the top of the Department of Homeland Security, but Democrats are still demanding a “reckoning.” Democrats met news of Noem’s ouster Thursday with a cascade of calls for accountability. They ranged from a potential probe into the legality of contracts cut during her tenure to a perjury investigation after her congressional testimony to even a push for impeachment to keep her from holding public office in the future. Democrats vowed to probe Noem’s time as homeland security secretary if they took back power in the November midterm elections, while at least

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