James Van Der Beek attends the FOX Winter Press Day in Los Angeles on Nov. 18, 2024. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, file)

Van Der Beek

dies at 48

NEW YORK (AP) — James Van Der Beek, best known as the titular character on “Dawson’s Creek,” has died at 48, according to a statement from his family posted on Instagram.

The post on Wednesday says he died earlier that day. Van Der Beek shared in 2024 that he was receiving treatment for colorectal cancer.

Besides “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003, he also appeared in “Varsity Blues” and later leaned into jokes mocking his own hunky persona. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children.

GOP pushes

voting rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are rushing ahead with legislation that would impose strict new voter ID requirements ahead of the midterm elections. The bill is a Trump administration priority aimed at scrutinizing ballot access. But it faces blowback in the Senate.

Called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, the legislation requires Americans to present proof of citizenship when they register to vote and to show a valid photo identification before they cast ballots. Republicans say it’s needed to prevent voter fraud.

Democrats warn it will make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. Experts say voter fraud is extremely rare.

Studies test

gene-editing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists are testing an entirely new way to fight heart disease: whether gene editing might offer a one-time fix for high cholesterol. It’s very early-stage research that has been tried in only a few dozen people so far. But gene-editing approaches being developed by two companies show hints that switching off certain genes could dramatically reduce artery-clogging cholesterol.

It will take far longer and larger studies to prove. Still, researchers say it raises hope of one day being able to prevent heart attacks without having to take pills.

US sees

hiring surge

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a surprisingly strong 130,000 jobs last month, but government revisions cut 2024-2025 U.S. payrolls by hundreds of thousands.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%. The report included major revisions that reduced the number of jobs created last year to just 181,000, weakest since the pandemic year of 2020, and less than half the previously reported 584,000.

The job market has been sluggish for months even though the economy is registering solid growth.