Month: January 2024

By KIMBERLY PALMER of NerdWallet Romance scams are increasingly common, with consumers losing $1.3 billion to them in 2022, according to Federal Trade Commission reports. While anyone can fall victim to a romance scam, there are strategies you can use to reduce your risk. First, be wary of online relationships that move quickly. Common red

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic’s government has signed an agreement with the United States to acquire 24 U.S. F-35 fighter jets as part of a deal worth about $6.6 billion, the biggest single purchase for the Czech military. The Czech defense minister and U.S. ambassador signed a memorandum of understanding for the deal. The

By GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press Lawmakers in more than a half-dozen U.S. states are pushing laws to define antisemitism, triggering debates about free speech and bringing complicated world politics into statehouses. The definition lays out standards for determining in which instances criticism of Israel amounts to antisemitism. But some, including an author of the definition,

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese moon explorer is up and running Monday after several tense days without the sunlight it needs to generate power. Japan’s first lunar mission hit its target in a precision touchdown on Jan. 20, but landed the wrong way up, leaving its solar panels unable to

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer A court in Hong Kong has ordered China Evergrande, the world’s most deeply indebted company with more than $300 billion in liabilities, to be liquidated. The decision Monday came after the company failed to win support from its creditors for a plan to restructure the debt. Evergrande’s own Hong

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Chair Jerome Powell will enter this week’s Federal Reserve meeting in a much more desirable position than he likely ever expected: Inflation is getting close to the Fed’s target rate, the economy is still growing at a healthy pace, consumers keep spending and the unemployment rate

PARIS (AP) — Protesting farmers are vowing to encircle Paris with tractor barricades and drive-slows in a battle with the government over their industry’s future. Traffic blockages were starting to be put in place on Monday on major highways heading for the French capital — host of the Summer Olympics in six months. The disruptions

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s election commission on Monday formally registered President Vladimir Putin as a candidate for the March presidential election, a vote in which he’s all but certain to win another six-year term in office. Putin, 71, is running as an independent, although he relies on the tight control over Russia’s political system that

ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is opening a summit of African leaders aimed at unveiling Italy’s big development plan for Africa. The government is hoping the plan will help stem migration flows and forge a new relationship between Europe and the continent. Two dozen African leaders, top European Union and United Nations officials

By JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration will start implementing a new requirement for the developers of major artificial intelligence systems to disclose their safety test results to the government. The White House AI Council is scheduled to meet Monday to review progress made on the executive order that President Joe

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is marking the 15th anniversary of a landmark pay equity law with new steps to tackle persistent gaps in pay for federal government employees and those who work for federal contractors. The Biden administration is finalizing regulations that will bar the federal government from

GENEVA (AP) — Shares of Holcim Ltd. have jumped Monday after the Swiss-based cement and building materials company announced plans to spin off its North American unit and list its shares in the U.S. Sunday’s announcement of the listing and spinoff comes 15 months after Holcim’s French subsidiary Lafarge pleaded guilty to paying millions of

LONDON (AP) — The British government says it will ban the sale of disposable vapes and limit their cornucopia of flavors in an effort to prevent children becoming addicted to nicotine. It also says it will stick to a contentious proposal to ban today’s young people from ever buying cigarettes. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The CEO overseeing Saudi Arabia’s royal commission for its historic al-Ula site has been arrested on corruption and money-laundering charges over some $55 million in contracts. The charges target Amr bin Saleh Abdulrahman al-Madani in part over “illegally obtaining” contracts to benefit a private company he had interests in

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A group of Japanese citizens, including a man of Pakistani descent, is suing the country’s police, accusing authorities of racial profiling and discrimination. The case, launched on Monday, is to be heard in Tokyo District Court. It comes as Japan has seen an influx of workers from

By ROBERT BADENDIECK Associated Press ISTANBUL (AP) — The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul during a Sunday Mass that killed one person, in a statement issued late Sunday. The extremist group said that it “attacked a gathering of Christian unbelievers during their polytheistic ceremony” inside

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have said they attacked a U.S. Navy mobile base at sea without offering evidence, something immediately rejected by an American defense official. They said they targeted the USS Lewis B. Puller, a ship that serves as a floating landing base. Houthi military spokesperson Brig.

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s weekend test of new cruise missiles for submarine launches has added to its provocative start to 2024, as leader Kim Jong Un flaunts his growing nuclear arsenal and threatens nuclear conflict with Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. Kim has gained confidence from the advancement

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday was forced to start this year’s parliamentary session with an apology over one of the country’s biggest corruption scandals in decades. Prosecutors recently indicted 10 people, including three lawmakers and a number of political aides. The scandal is the latest

By EILEEN NG Associated Press KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia charged a former minister on Monday with failing to declare assets. It’s the latest step in a corruption probe that’s targeting people connected to the country’s last prime minister. Former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin, who left office more than 20 years ago, is a

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Monthslong tension between three coup-hit countries in West Africa and the regional bloc known as ECOWAS boiled over when the nations announced their immediate withdrawal from the bloc, accusing it of a lack of support and “inhumane” coup-related sanctions. The juntas of Niger, Mali and Burkina

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s diplomats are talking with Somali authorities trying to ascertain the whereabouts of a fishing vessel and its six crewmembers suspected of being abducted by Somali pirates. The abduction Saturday came two weeks after Sri Lanka said it would join a U.S.-led operation to

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian state media say authorities executed four men convicted of planning sabotage and alleged links with Israel’s Mossad secret service. The official IRNA news agency said the men were convicted of planning to target a factory in 2022 belonging to Iran’s defense ministry and involved in missile and defensive equipment in

By BERNARD CONDON Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump could potentially have his real estate empire ordered “dissolved” for repeated misrepresentations on financial statements to lenders in violation of New York’s powerful anti-fraud law. But an Associated Press analysis of nearly 70 years of similar cases showed Trump’s case stands apart: It’s the

By BERNARD CONDON Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Within days, Donald Trump could potentially have his sprawling real estate business empire ordered “dissolved” for repeated misrepresentations on financial statements to lenders, adding him to a short list of scam marketers, con artists and others who have been hit with the ultimate punishment for violating

By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Alex Murdaugh is returning to a South Carolina courtroom, but this the convicted killer, disbarred attorney and admitted thief won’t be fidgeting in the spotlight. Instead, the judge will be questioning the jurors who found him guilty of the shooting deaths of his wife and son.

By MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Iran’s foreign minister is in Pakistan for talks on deescalating tensions after deadly airstrikes by Tehran and Islamabad earlier this month that killed at least 11 people in a significant escalation in fraught relations between the neighbors. Hossein Amirabdollahian landed at an airport near Islamabad before dawn

BY JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is throwing allegations at his successor, Fernando Marcos Jr., and even raising the prospect of removing him from office. The attacks in an expletive-laden speech late Sunday bring into the open a long-rumored split between the two. The populist Duterte alleged

By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A dying thief who confessed to stealing a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz” because he wanted to pull off “one last score” is expected to stay out of prison after he’s sentenced Monday. Terry Jon Martin, 76, stole the

NEW YORK (AP) — Two men accused of murder in the death of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay in 2002 are set to go on trial in New York City. Prosecutors allege Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. killed the 37-year-old DJ in his recording studio 2002 after Washington was cut out of a cocaine

By The Associated Press This week’s new streaming entertainment releases include the launch of the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on Sunday, Donald Glover starring as a spy in the new TV series “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and a documentary on Run-D.M.C. airing on Peacock. The National Geographic’s “Genius” anthology series this time focuses

By ZIMO ZHONG Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Asian markets opened the week on a positive note, with Chinese regulators announcing measures to support the country’s teetering stock markets while heavily indebted property developer China Evergrande was ordered to undergo liquidation. U.S. futures were lower while oil prices gained. China’s securities regulator announced on

By DAVID RISING Associated Press LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — China’s growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea and escalating violence in Myanmar are topping the agenda for Southeast Asian diplomats meeting in Laos. The gathering that began Monday is the first high-level meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since Laos took

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw for 267 yards and a touchdown, and the San Francisco 49ers rallied from 17 points down at halftime to beat the Detroit Lions 34-31 on Sunday and reach the Super Bowl. The 49ers (14-5) scored 17 points in an eight-minute

By KANIS LEUNG and ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court on Monday ordered property developer China Evergrande Group to liquidate after it was unable to reach a restructuring deal with creditors. Judge Linda Chan said it was appropriate for the court to order Evergrande to wind up its business

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A teenager awaiting trial in a homicide case who escaped outside a Philadelphia hospital last week has been captured. Police say Shane Pryor was taken into custody Sunday by the U.S. Marshals Service. The marshals will hand the 17-year-old over to police homicide detectives. Authorities said Pryor fled Wednesday from the driveway

ROME (AP) — Italian media say police in Rome have detained a man found with a knife in his bag on a boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Square. The incident occurred Sunday a few hours before Pope Francis was due to appear at a window of a Vatican palazzo to greet the crowd in the

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised test firings of new cruise missiles designed to be launched from submarines and also reviewed efforts to build a nuclear-powered submarine while reiterating his goal of building a nuclear-armed navy to counter what he portrays as growing external

EL MONTE, Calif. (AP) — A 911 recording shows a California police dispatcher failed to tell two officers before they were fatally shot by a convicted gang member that the suspect reportedly had a gun and was under the influence of drugs. El Monte Police Officer Joseph Santana and Cpl. Michael Paredes were killed in

YUKON, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma trooper who was thrown to the ground when a vehicle he’d pulled over for a traffic stop was hit by another vehicle says he feels lucky that he was able to walk away. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol on Wednesday posted dash camera video on its Facebook page that shows

By NOAH TRISTER AP Sports Writer BALTIMORE (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were at their magnificent best in the first half, and Kansas City’s defense delivered another masterpiece against Lamar Jackson and Baltimore, helping the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years with a 17-10 victory in the

The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Former President Donald Trump should be removed from Illinois’ primary ballot, but the decision should be left to the courts, a retired judge recommended Sunday to the state’s election board, arguing that it was clear Trump engaged in insurrection in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

By COSTAS KANTOURIS and DEMETRIS NELLAS Associated Press THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Speaking at a commemoration for victims of the Holocaust, a high-ranking official of the Orthodox Church is warning Sunday against the spread of anti-semitism by religious and church officials. Archbishop Elpidophoros is the spiritual leader of Greek Orthodox faithful in North and South

Massapequa Park, N.Y. (AP) — A Facebook Marketplace sale has gone horribly wrong on Long Island. It started Friday when a man arranged to sell his Rolex watch in front of his home in Massapequa Park. Police say the prospective buyer asked seller Steve Mauro to come over to his SUV to get paid for

By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Condemnation against the government of Venezuela for its decision to block the presidential candidacy of opposition leader María Corina Machado continues to strengthen. On Sunday, the Organization of American States declared that the move eliminates any possibility of a free election this year. The regional

PALM BAY, Fla. (AP) — Two police officers along Florida’s Space Coast were wounded and had non-life-threatening injuries during what authorities described as “an active incident.” The wounded officers from the Palm Bay Police Department were being treated on Sunday at a nearby hospital. The agency’s police chief told Florida Today that the officer were

By DENG MACHOL Associated Press JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — A regional official says gunmen attacked villagers in the oil-rich region of Abyei claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan. At least 52 people were killed, including a U.N. peacekeeper, and 64 wounded. The motive for the attack Saturday evening was not immediately clear but

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer Former NHL player Alex Formenton has turned himself in to police in connection with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by several members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team. Formenton’s legal team confirmed that police in London, Ontario, have charged Formenton and several other players. Lawyer Daniel Brown

PACIFIC, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a woman was killed and three other people were injured after a driver backed through the wall of a Missouri nail salon. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the crash happened Saturday afternoon in the town of Pacific. That’s about 30 miles southwest of St. Louis. The patrol says

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer BALTIMORE (AP) — Taylor Swift celebrated Travis Kelce’s latest touchdown catch in the playoffs early in the AFC championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Swift and others could be seen cheering after Kelce caught a 19-yard TD pass from Patrick Mahomes midway through the first

HONOLULU (AP) — Five American Airlines flight attendants and one passenger are recovering after their flight from Los Angeles made a a hard landing on Maui. Flight 271 landed at Kahului Airport at around 2 p.m. Saturday. The Federal Aviation Administration says it is investigating. American Airlines says the six people taken to a hospital

By KONSTANTIN TESTORIDES Associated Press SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia’s parliament has approved a caretaker government with a mandate to organize a general election in May. The government will be headed by the country’s first-ever ethnic Albanian prime minister, current parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi, 61. The 120-member parliament on Sunday approved the caretaker

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s president has accused the U.N. world court of misquoting him in a ruling that ordered Israel to take steps to protect Palestinians and prevent a genocide in the Gaza Strip. The court’s ruling on Friday cited a series of statements made by Israeli leaders as evidence of incitement and dehumanizing language.

HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) — Two people have been taken into custody as part of an investigation into the abandonment of a newborn girl who was found last week behind dumpsters in Mississippi. Authorities say the two people were arrested Friday. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office didn’t provide further details. The baby was found bundled