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Hints From Heloise

Using an electric fan in the kitchen Dear Heloise: I have several hints for multiple ways to use a 5-inch electric fan on a kitchen counter. You can use it to cool off closed containers of warm food before storing them in a fridge or freezer. You can place a paper towel under a colander and use the fan to dry washed grapes, tomatoes, etc. You can also use the fan to blow fumes away from your eyes when you’re slicing an onion or to cool off your face and neck when you’re having a hot flash. — Sandra M., in Temple, Texas SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise@Heloise.com ONYX ...

Republicans are launching a voting bill debate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans launched an unprecedented effort on Tuesday to hold the Senate floor and talk for days about a bill that they know won’t pass — an attempt to capture public attention on legislation requiring stricter voter registration rules as President Donald Trump pressures Congress to act before November’s midterm elections. The talkathon could last a week or longer, potentially through the weekend, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune tries to navigate Trump’s insistence on the issue and Democrats’ united opposition. Trump has urged Thune to scrap the ...

U.S. drivers see gas prices jump to their highest level since 2023 as the Iran war drags on

NEW YORK (AP) — The Iran war has rattled the global flow of oil, with steeper fuel costs already straining households worldwide. And in the U.S., drivers are now facing the highest prices they’ve seen at the pump in nearly two and a half years. According to motor club AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped to $3.79 on Tuesday, up from $2.98 consumers were paying before the U.S. and Israel launched the war with joint attacks against Iran on Feb. 28. The last time gas prices were as expensive as they are now was in October 2023. “It’s pretty hard. I ...

New York transit officials sue Trump administration

NEW YORK (AP) — The transit agency in charge of New York City’s subway system sued the Trump administration Tuesday, accusing it of breach of contract for withholding almost $60 million in federal funding that was supposed to help build new stations in Manhattan. The suit from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the latest in a series of legal battles between the federal government and officials in New York and New Jersey over funding for transportation infrastructure projects in the region — including a reconstruction project for New York’s Penn Station, a new rail ...

Bank of America settles claims over lawsuits by Epstein victims

NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America has tentatively settled a lawsuit claiming it ignored suspicious financial transactions involving Jeffrey Epstein while he was sexually abusing hundreds of girls and women. The proposed settlement was revealed in filings in Manhattan federal court on Monday, the same day that billionaire financier Leon Black was originally scheduled to be deposed in the case. Terms were not disclosed. The bank declined to comment through a spokesperson. Though not a defendant, Black was recently described as a “critical witness” in the case by Sigrid McCawley, ...

Howard gets its first NCAA tourney win

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Bryce Harris had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and he sank a turnaround jumper with 13 seconds remaining that sent Howard to its first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, 86-83 over UMBC in the First Four on Tuesday night. Ose Okojie scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Bison (24-10), who entered with an 0-4 record in March Madness and had to hold off a late rally by the Retrievers (24-9). “We’ve done a lot of things in our program, but let’s check off the box of winning an NCAA game today,” Howard coach Kenneth Blakeney said. DJ Armstrong ...