内容摘要：WASHINGTON (AP) — Army leaders on Wednesday defended spending as much as $45 million to

WASHINGTON (AP) — Army leaders on Wednesday defended spending as much as $45 million to

Kirt Ethridge, left, walks with his wife, Grace, right, and their daughters Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Evansville, Ind. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)Borenstein and Daly reported from Washington, Walling and Bickel from Evansville, Indiana, and Wildeman from Hartford, Connecticut.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’sfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atWASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. fell this week for the first time in a month, but borrowing costs for homebuyers remain elevated.

The long-term rate dipped to 6.85% from 6.89% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.99%.Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also came down. The average rate fell to 5.99% from 6.03% last week and 6.29% a year ago, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. The key barometer is the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Bond yields have retreated the past week but broadly have been trending higher since hitting 2025 lows in early April, reflecting investors’ uncertainty over the Trump administration’s ever-changing. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”

NEW YORK (AP) — Strawberry, Blueberry, JoJo and Mazzy were about 6 weeks old whenout of long metal pipes in the parking lot of a storage unit company. Meatball was a single kitten living in a cold garage with a group of semi-feral adult cats.

Spaghetti, Macaroni and Rigatoni, meanwhile,when the good folks of