Fireworks light up the skies across the US as Americans endure searing heat to celebrate July Fourth

Millions of people in the U.S. celebrated and suffered under heat warnings Thursday as they flocked to beaches and traveled in droves to toast their nation’s birth with July Fourth parades, cookouts and the always anticipated fiery splashes of color in the evening sky. In...

Bertoletti, Sudo win top dog honors at Nathan’s Famous power-eating contest, absent longtime champ

NEW YORK (AP) — Patrick Bertoletti gobbled up 58 hot dogs to win his first men’s title Thursday at the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, taking advantage of the absence of the event's biggest star. In the women's competition, defending champion Miki Sudo won her...

2 women in Chicago and Cleveland police officer are among those killed in July Fourth shootings

Two women in a home in Chicago, a police officer serving a warrant in Cleveland and an armed person making threats in Yellowstone National Park were among those killed in shootings on the Fourth of July, historically one of the nation's deadliest days of the year. Violence and mass...

The July Fourth parade shooting paralyzed a boy. His life remains shattered 2 years later, mom says

CHICAGO (AP) — Keely Roberts counts the days, not years, since a deadly shooting at an Independence Day parade in 2022 injured her and left one of her twin boys paralyzed from the waist down. It has been 730 days since her now-10-year-old son Cooper could chase his brother Luke in...

Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago wins his first men’s title at the annual Nathan’s hot dog eating contest

Two women dead, 3 children critically injured in early morning July Fourth Chicago shooting

CHICAGO (AP) — Two women died and three children were critically wounded in an early Thursday morning shooting on Chicago's south side, police said. The shooting occurred about 6:15 a.m. in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. A 42-year-old woman and a 22-year-old woman died,...

Cuypers scores 2 late goals, Fire rally to beat Union 4-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Hugo Cuypers scored two goals in the closing minutes — including one in stoppage time — and Gastón Giménez also scored a goal late to help the Chicago Fire rally and beat the Philadelphia Union 4-3 Wednesday night. Maren Haile-Selassie chipped a one-touch...

Erick Fedde pitches 6 strong innings, Martin Maldonado has 3 RBIs and White Sox rout Guardians 8-2

CLEVELAND (AP) — Erick Fedde allowed one run in six innings, Martin Maldonado homered and had three RBIs, and the Chicago White Sox routed the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians 8-2 on Wednesday night. Fedde (6-3) retired the final 12 batters he faced, giving up three hits...

The July 4th holiday rush is on. TSA expects to screen a record number of travelers this weekend

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Nicole Lindsay thought she could beat the holiday-week travel rush by booking an early-morning flight. It didn't work out that way. “I thought it wouldn’t be that busy, but it turned out to be quite busy,” the Baltimore resident said as she herded...

Why mass shootings and violence increase in the summer

Violence and mass shootings often surge in the summer months, especially around the Fourth of July, historically one of the deadliest days of the year. A flurry of shootings around the holiday a year ago left more than a dozen people dead and over 60 wounded. Just two years ago,...