Month: September 2023

By HOLLY RAMER and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s top election official says he will not invoke an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to block former President Donald Trump from the ballot in the state that will hold the first Republican presidential primary next year. Republican Secretary of State David

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The daughters of a prominent human rights activist jailed in Bahrain say he has resumed a hunger strike after being denied medical care. The move came Wednesday, as the country’s crown prince was visiting the United States. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a dual Danish-Bahraini citizen, was imprisoned after taking part in

By SYLVIA HUI Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A major new exhibition is opening at London’s V&A Museum to honor and celebrate the life and iconic designs, as well as many more lesser-known creations by famed French designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Curators have brought together nearly 200 outfits seen together for the first time, charting

By SCOTT BAUER Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly leader says he’s created a panel to investigate the criteria for impeachment against a liberal state Supreme Court justice. The step against Justice Janet Protasiewicz would be unprecedented. She’s being targeted over comments she made during her winning campaign about redistricting and donations

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee is starting to spin away from the northern Caribbean as the Category 3 storm aims for Atlantic Canada and leaves big waves in its wake. The storm was located about 430 miles (695 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda on Wednesday. It had winds of up to 115 miles

By THALIA BEATY Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The HBCU Transformation Project, a coalition of 40 historically Black colleges and universities, on Wednesday announced a $124 million gift from philanthropic funders Blue Meridian Partners to increase enrollment, graduation rates and employment rates for the schools’ graduates. Michael Lomax, the president and CEO of UNCF,

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday agreed to delay Joran van der Sloot’s trial on extortion charges until later this year in order to give his defense more time to prepare. Van der Sloot is the chief suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. He is charged with trying to

By PAUL J. WEBER and JAKE BLEIBERG Associated Press A woman with whom Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s staff say he carried on an extramarital affair is expected to testify in Republican’s impeachment trial Wednesday. The bipartisan group of lawmakers prosecuting Paxton’s impeachment called the woman, Laura Olson, on Wednesday morning. But Lt. Gov. Dan

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — A Russian journalist who was head of the news outlet Sputnik Moldova was declared a national security threat and expelled from Moldova on Wednesday on charges of meddling in internal affairs by spreading disinformation, authorities said. Vitaly Denisov, 56, was removed under escort and banned from returning to the country for

By FOSTER KLUG and EMMA BURROWS TOKYO (AP) — The world is largely relying on North Korean and Russian media for information about the unusual train journey of leader Kim Jong Un to meet with President Vladimir Putin at a space facility. Although news gathering is constrained by both authoritarian governments to varying degrees, the

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium’s top administrative court has overturned a government decision to refuse to provide shelter for single men seeking asylum. Belgian Asylum State Secretary Nicole de Moor said last month that a shortage of asylum housing was expected in coming months, and she wanted “absolutely to avoid children ending up in the streets

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame has announced the 12 finalists being considered for induction this year. Barbie’s sidekick Ken is on the list as he rides a wave of popularity from the blockbuster “Barbie” movie. Ken is up against baseball cards, Battleship, bingo, Bop It, Cabbage Patch Kids, Choose Your

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban have hailed China’s new ambassador to Afghanistan with fanfare, saying his arrival is a sign for other nations to come forward and establish relations with them. The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war. Their leaders

By MARK LEWIS Associated Press STAVANGER, Norway (AP) — The Norwegian king’s eldest child, Princess Märtha Louise, will marry her Hollywood partner, the self-professed shaman Durek Verrett, next summer, the couple announced Wednesday. King Harald V said in a statement that his family was “delighted to welcome” Verret, who is from California and claims to

By IGNATIUS SSUUNA and CARA ANNA Associated Press KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Rwanda’s atomic energy board says it has signed a deal with a Canadian-German company to build its first small-scale nuclear reactor to test what the company claims is a new approach for nuclear fission. Rwanda is exploring nuclear power to help meet its

NEW YORK (AP) — A prisoner who used a rope made of bedsheets to escape from the fifth floor of a New York City hospital has been rearrested after a month on the run. Police say the 44-year-old man was apprehended Tuesday in Queens. He escaped from Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital in Manhattan on

MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian space launch facility where President Vladimir Putin has hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reflects an ambitious attempt by Moscow to burnish its scientific glory that faded after the Soviet collapse. The Vostochny project cost billions of dollars but has been dogged by continuous delays, workers’ protests over wage

By GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The National 4-H Council is growing in a new direction – online – by launching its e-learning platform Clover with a collaboration with Netflix and its new movie “Spy Kids: Armageddon.” Jill Bramble, who took over as president and CEO of The National 4-H Council

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s government has deployed army troops at railroad stations as railway employees continued with their strike. The action has paralyzed train services across the country for a second day on Wednesday. Two passengers were killed on Tuesday while attempting to travel on a packed

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish media say that a coal mine has collapsed in northern Turkey, and at least one miner was injured and taken to hospital. It’s unclear how many miners remain trapped. NTV television reported that rescue teams were dispatched to the mine near the town of Eregli, in northern Zonguldak province, on

POTTSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — An escaped Pennsylvania murderer was captured Wednesday after eluding hundreds of searchers for two weeks by hiding out in wooded areas, breaking into suburban homes for food, fleeing under gunfire with a rifle pilfered from a garage, stealing a vehicle and changing his appearance, authorities said. State police announced Danelo Souza

PARIS (AP) — France’s top financial prosecutor says that investigations into the organization of the 2024 Paris Olympics have not revealed any serious corruption or influence peddling. Jean-Francois Bohnert says the potential infractions currently investigated by the the financial prosecutor’s office are “mainly formal.” He says “it’s about favoritism, of illegal interest-taking. … I don’t

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have banned vehicles with Russian license plates from entering their territory as part of the European Union’s recent new interpretation of sanctions against Moscow over its war on Ukraine. Estonia imposed the measure on Wednesday morning to match a similar decision by southern neighbors Latvia and Lithuania earlier

By STEPHEN McGRATH and ANDREEA ALEXANDRU Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — NATO member Romania has found what appear to be drone fragments near its border with war-torn Ukraine, in the third such finding in the past week. The defense ministry says two helicopters with specialist teams were sent to the eastern Tulcea county where

By GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Associated Press LAMEGO, Portugal (AP) — Galego and Cabano, two dark-haired oxen, pulled the sacred image of Our Lady of Remedies on a procession float for more than two hours through this small town in Portugal’s wine country. They remained unperturbed even when two cannons fired salutes at the procession’s end, but

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The California professor who testified that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had assaulted her while they were in high school has written a memoir. Christine Blasey’s Ford’s “One Way Back” is scheduled for publication next March. According to St. Martin’s Press, she will share “riveting

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A senior prosecutor in Greece has ordered an investigation into allegations that officials in the disaster-hit central area of the country failed to complete flood defense projects on time. Extensive flooding across central Greece from a powerful storm last week killed 15 people and has caused widespread damage to property, farms

BEIJING (AP) — China has announced that it is upgrading its diplomatic ties with Venezuela to an “all weather” partnership, a label reserved for a select few of its diplomatic partners. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is on a state visit in Beijing, his fifth as president, according to state broadcaster CCTV. He met with Chinese

By SAM METZ and MOSA’AB ELSHAMY Associated Press IMI N’TALA, Morocco (AP) — Moroccan rescue crews have been joined by international crews from Spain, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Qatar, who sent emergency responders into the mountains where bodies remain buried under dust and rubble. In mountain villages like Imi N’Tala, food and water

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian political factions have raged against dozens of Palestinian academics who criticized President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent remarks on the Holocaust that have drawn widespread accusations of antisemitism. Politicians on Wednesday lambasted the open letter signed earlier this week by over a hundred Palestinian academics, activists and artists based around the

MINSK MAZOWIECKI, Poland (AP) — South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is in Poland for talks on regional security amid war in neighboring Ukraine, and also to discuss military and nuclear energy cooperation, as the two countries continue to strengthen their ties. Han and his Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki, visited an airbase in eastern Poland

By ALEX ROSENBERG of NerdWallet Making more than the maximum income level for Medicaid isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. After a long pause during the COVID-19 public health emergency, states have resumed checking whether Medicaid beneficiaries’ income meets the eligibility requirements. People whose income has gone up in the past couple of years could be

By NICK KURCZEWSKI Edmunds The Nissan Ariya is an all-new electric SUV for the 2023 model year. It’s Nissan’s second EV and serves as a roomier and more powerful complement to the brand’s pioneering Leaf hatchback. However, it’s also going up against many recently introduced competitors, one of which is the Ford Mustang Mach-E. On

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A fishery vessel will attempt to use the high tide to pull free a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship carrying 206 people that has run aground in northwestern Greenland. A captain from the Joint Arctic Command says those on board are doing fine. A scientific fishing vessel owned by the Greenland government

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo has taken a test ride on Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, a key project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. The $7.3 billion rail project, funded largely by China, connects the capital, Jakarta, and Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java province. It is to

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is launching a major series of policy reviews to ensure that the EU can still function properly as it invites in new members in coming years. Von der Leyen says the 27-nation bloc must prepare to grow to more than 30 members. Ukraine, Moldova and

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Global energy giant BP is scurrying to find a new chief executive after CEO Bernard Looney became the latest corporate leader to step down amid questions about his personal conduct. Among the most crucial questions facing the board of one of Britain’s biggest and most recognizable companies

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Parliament has passed a law that sets out to lay the ghosts of decades of violence in Northern Ireland to rest. The legislation is opposed by all of Northern Ireland’s major political parties, Catholic and Protestant churches, human rights organizations and the United Nations. The Legacy

By MUHAMMAD HATTA Associated Press PALEMBANG, Indonesia (AP) — Firefighters in Indonesia are battling several peatland fires in three villages on Sumatra island. The fires started Tuesday afternoon near residential areas and along a highway. The firefighters are hampered because water sources were far away and several reservoirs are dry. Forest and peat fires are

ROME (AP) — The Italian Red Cross is sounding the alarm about humanitarian conditions on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa after more than 5,000 people in more than 100 different migrant boats arrived in a day. State radio said at least one baby died near shore as a boat capsized. The island’s lone migrant welcome