Month: December 2022

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer Michael Jordan was moments away from hoisting his third of what would become five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, and then-Commissioner David Stern greeted him at the midcourt ceremony with words that were both simple and profound. “You are simply the standard,” Stern said that night in 1992, “by

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE and SAM MEDNICK Associated Press ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — The International Monetary Fund has agreed to give Ghana $3 billion to try to get the West African nation’s debt under control and restore financial stability. The announcement follows IMF officials’ two-week visit to Ghana’s capital Accra, where they discussed support for the

By TRISNADI and NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press TENGGULUN, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian militant who was paroled last week after serving about half of his original 20-year prison sentence for making the explosives used in the 2002 Bali bombings has apologized to victims’ families. Umar Patek was a leading member of the al-Qaida-linked network Jemaah

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A moderately strong earthquake and two aftershocks have hit Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, causing panic but no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 4.9 quake was centered 22 miles north of Amlapura. Its shallow depth of 6 miles may have caused people to

LONDON (AP) — Dozens of mourners have left teddy bears and held a candlelight vigil for three boys who died after falling into an ice-covered lake near Birmingham in central England.  Emergency workers, including a police officer who tried to punch through the ice to get to the children, pulled them from the water Sunday

By KEN SWEET and FATIMA HUSSEIN AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government charged Samuel Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, with a host of financial crimes on Tuesday, alleging he intentionally deceived customers and investors to enrich himself and others, while playing a central role in the

By ELIZABETH AYOOLA of NerdWallet This year has been full of economic uncertainty for many. High inflation has affected the cost of living, making housing, food and gas more expensive. Now that we’re near the end of the year, people may be setting financial goals for 2023. Consider looking at the current state of the

PAPHOS, Cyprus (AP) — The defense team of a British man accused of killing his wife in Cyprus last year says a hearing in the case has been adjourned until next week following a prosecution request. David Hunter, 75, had faced a murder charge in last year’s death of his wife, Janice, although his defense

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is recalling about 1.25 million pickup trucks because the tailgates may not close completely and cargo could spill onto the road. The recall covers Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2019 to 2022 model years. The company, formerly Fiat Chrysler, says it found that striker plates on the pickups

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say investigators have carried out raids on members of the Last Generation climate activist group over actions against an oil refinery in eastern Germany. A prosecutor said Tuesday that 11 premises across the country were searched. He said that “somewhat more than 11 people” are under investigation on suspicion of

By KEN RITTER Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Living with less water in the U.S. Southwest is the focus this week for state and federal water administrators, tribal officials, farmers, academics and business representatives meeting about the drought-stricken and overpromised Colorado River. The Colorado River Water Users Association conference, normally a largely academic three-day

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A Spanish court has acquitted soccer star Neymar and his fellow defendants in a fraud and corruption trial related to the Brazilian’s 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona. Brazilian company DIS had accused Neymar, his father, and the former presidents of Santos and Barcelona of having

By RAQUEL REDONDO Associated Press MADRID (AP) — Amnesty International says a failure by Morocco and Spain to properly investigate the deaths of more than 20 migrants at the border of Spanish enclave city of Melilla in North Africa in June “smacks of a cover-up.” The human rights organization described events in a report as

By The Associated Press President Vladimir Putin has ditched his annual marathon news conference following a series of battlefield setbacks in Ukraine — a tacit acknowledgment that the Russian leader’s war has gone badly wrong. Putin typically uses the year-end ritual to polish his image, answering a wide range of questions on domestic and foreign

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s parliament was reeling Tuesday, it’s credibility under threat, as a corruption and bribery scandal damaged lawmakers’ careers and as fingers pointed at Qatari officials accused of seeking to play down labor rights concerns ahead of the soccer World Cup. The scandal, which started unfolding

By CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A celebratory crowd of thousands bundled up on a chilly Tuesday afternoon to watch President Joe Biden sign gay marriage legislation into law, a joyful ceremony that was tempered by the backdrop of an ongoing conservative backlash over gender issues. “This law and the love it defends

By NINIEK KARMINI and HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Senior diplomats from the United States, South Korea and Japan have agreed to boost efforts to curb North Korea’s illicit cyber activities and other methods to finance its nuclear program and evade international sanctions. Meeting in Indonesia’s capital Tuesday, the three envoys also

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has moved closer to pushing through an unprecedented tax on foreign companies that want to import products that do not meet climate-protection standards that EU companies have to comply with. The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism seeks to create a competitive level playing field after EU companies complained that they

By SYLVIE CORBET, INNA VARENYTSIA and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Dozens of countries and organizations have pledged more than 1 billion euros (dollars) in fresh aid pledges to keep Ukrainians powered, fed and warm during the winter. French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an international donor conference in Paris on Tuesday to secure

BERLIN (AP) — German security officials say a convicted far-right murderer temporarily took two prison guards hostage during an attempted jailbreak before he was overwhelmed by other guards. They said Tuesday that the hostage taker is a man who was convicted to life in prison  for fatally shooting two people and trying to storm a

By NICK PERRY Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand has passed into law a unique plan to phase out tobacco smoking by imposing a lifetime ban on young people buying cigarettes. The law states that tobacco can’t ever be sold to anybody born on or after Jan. 1, 2009.  It means the

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — Most small SUVs flunked the latest frontal crash tests done by the insurance industry, but oddly enough, they’re just as safe as they were before. That’s because the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety updated the test so it places more emphasis on keeping back-seat passengers safe.

By RIAZAT BUTT Associated Press LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — No menu. No delivery. No walk-ins. Advance orders only. Explanations and instructions while you eat. Welcome to Baking Virsa, a hole-in-the-wall in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore described as the country’s most expensive restaurant for what it serves — household favorites like flatbreads and kebabs.

By VICTORIA MILKO and ANDI JATMIKO Associated Press JATILUWIH, Indonesia (AP) — The tropical tourist destination of Bali, Indonesia, is facing a worsening water crisis from tourism development, population growth and water mismanagement. Shortages already are affecting UNESCO sites, Balinese culture and residents and experts warn the issues will worsen if better water management isn’t

By NICK PERRY Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was caught on a hot mic Tuesday using a vulgarity against a rival politician in a rare misstep for a leader known for her skill at debating and calm, measured responses. After five years as prime minister, Ardern faces