By TARA COPP (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press. The U.S. agreed to send 31 Abrams to Ukraine in January 2023 after an aggressive monthslong campaign by Kyiv arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10 million apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines. But the battlefield has changed substantially sinc ..read more

CHICO — A mild storm system worked its way Thursday evening into Northern California and is expected to bring some rainfall and light breezes. Kate Forrest, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said the system has a chance of thunderstorms as well. “We’ve got a weak system moving into the area that will bring some isolated showers and thunderstorms, mostly in the foothills,” Forrest said. “It will mostly cover the eastern half of the valley on Friday.” Chico, the surrounding valley and Paradise are all looking at between a quarter of an inch to an inch of rain ..read more

By The Associated Press Hamas has said for more than 15 years that it could accept a two-state compromise with Israel — at least, a temporary one. But Hamas has also refused to say that it would recognize Israel or renounce its armed fight against it. For Israel and many others, especially in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that spurred the latest war in Gaza, that’s proof that Hamas is still irrevocably bent on destroying Israel. The United States and European countries have joined Israel in shunning the group they have labeled a terrorist organization. For some observers, Hamas has signaled ..read more

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI (Associated Press) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s GOP-controlled Statehouse on Thursday gave their final approval to legislation criminalizing adults who help minors receive gender-affirming care without parental consent, clearing the way for the first-in-the-nation proposal to be sent to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature. The bill mirrors almost the same language from a so-called “anti-abortion trafficking” proposal Tennessee Republican lawmakers approved just a day prior. In that version, supporters are hoping to stop adults from helping young people obtain abor ..read more

Stephanie Lai | (TNS) Bloomberg News Republican nominee Donald Trump and his campaign will host a donor retreat next week in Palm Beach, Florida, with some prominent Republicans who have been discussed as his potential running mate. Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Tim Scott of South Carolina; North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem; and Representatives Elise Stefanik of New York and Byron Donalds of Florida are scheduled to appear, according to an invitation obtained by Bloomberg News. About 400 donors to Trump’s political operation are expected to attend th ..read more

David G. Savage | Los Angeles Times (TNS) The Supreme Court on Thursday heard former President Trump’s claim that he is entirely immune from prosecution for all of his “official acts” during his time in the White House, including his effort to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. Trump’s claim of absolute immunity has been derided by legal experts and rejected by a federal trial judge and the U.S. appeals court in Washington. But the former president and his lawyers have been winning delays with their losing arguments. Special counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump for conspiring to subvert the ..read more

Danielle Battaglia | (TNS) McClatchy Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — An Arizona grand jury has indicted Mark Meadows, former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff and a former congressman, over his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election using a fake slate of electors from the state. He is among 18 people charged, though his name does not appear in the indictment. Trump is not charged. Prosecutors gave enough details in the indictment, dated Tuesday and posted on social media by a Politico reporter, to reveal Meadows as one of the defendants whose names are redacted. Trump i ..read more

By Brett Kelman, KFF Health News, Anna Werner, CBS News (TNS) A TMJ patient in Maine had six surgeries to replace part or all of the joints of her jaw. Another woman in California, desperate for relief, used a screwdriver to lengthen her jawbone daily, turning screws that protruded from her neck. A third in New York had bone from her rib and fat from her belly grafted into her jaw joint, and twice a prosthetic eyeball was surgically inserted into the joint as a placeholder in the months it took to make metal hinges to implant into her jaw. “I feel like Mr. Potato Head,” said Jenny Feldman, 50 ..read more

Phil Galewitz, Holly K. Hacker | (TNS) KFF Health News Carrie Lester looks forward to the phone call every Thursday from her doctors’ medical assistant, who asks how she’s doing and if she needs prescription refills. The assistant counsels her on dealing with anxiety and her other health issues. Lester credits the chats for keeping her out of the hospital and reducing the need for clinic visits to manage chronic conditions including depression, fibromyalgia, and hypertension. “Just knowing someone is going to check on me is comforting,” said Lester, 73, who lives with her dogs, Sophie and Doll ..read more

Julie Rovner, David Hilzenrath | (TNS) KFF Health News New technologies are making it easier for companies to fix prices and discriminate against individual consumers, the Biden administration’s top consumer watchdog said Tuesday. Algorithms make it possible for companies to fix prices without explicitly coordinating with one another, posing a new test for regulators policing the market, said Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, during a media event hosted by KFF. “I think we could be entering a somewhat novel era of pricing,” Khan told reporters. Khan is regarded as one of the mo ..read more