Month: May 2024

BEIJING (AP) — China has dispatched a vice premier to oversee recovery efforts and urged better safety measures after a highway collapse killed at least 48 in the country’s mountainous south. The official Xinhua News Agency said Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has “stressed sparing no effort in carrying out rescue and relief work.” One side

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian military authorities say two military personnel will face a court martial over the killing of 85 villagers in a drone attack in the West African nation’s conflict-battered north four months earlier. Nigeria’s military often conducts air raids as it fights the extremist violence and rebel

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer Last year at the Kentucky Derby, Eddie Olczyk did what every horse racing fan and handicapper has done at one point — he changed his pick and ended up regretting it. The difference, though, is that Olczyk flipped with nearly 15 million people watching. Olczyk had told friends and

By BETH HARRIS AP Racing Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Larry Demeritte has run horses on Kentucky Derby day in the past, just never in the big race. The 74-year-old trainer says it was all practice for Saturday, when he’ll saddle West Saratoga in the Derby. The gray colt cost $11,000 and is the pride

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Nippon Steel says it has postponed the expected closing of its $14.1 billion takeover of U.S. Steel by three months after the U.S. Department of Justice requested more documentation related to the deal. In a release, Tokyo-based Nippon Steel said it was cooperating with the request

By JOVANA GEC Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Hundreds of people are laying flowers and lighting candles to commemorate the victims of Serbia’s first-ever school shooting a year ago that left nine children and a school guard dead and six people wounded. A somber, silent queue formed on a rainy day outside the elementary

By AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Roughly 100,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. are expected to enroll in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance next year. Under a new directive the Biden administration released Friday, the move took longer than promised to finalize and falls short of President Joe Biden’s initial

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s government says it is relaxing its restrictions on abortion for the first time in 50 years to make it legal for women to terminate pregnancies up to the 18th week from the previous 12th week. Officials said the law will also be changed to

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will awardthe Presidential Medal of Freedom to a diverse group of 19 individuals. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Al Gore are among those who will receive the nation’s highest civilian honor from the Democratic president at the White House on

By GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The King’s Trust has celebrated its new name, an update of King Charles III’s long-running charity The Prince’s Trust. The organization marked the expansion of its work in the United States with a star-studded gala in New York City on Thursday night. The Prince’s Trust

SYDNEY (AP) — Germany says Russia will face consequences after accusing its military intelligence service of masterminding an “absolutely intolerable” cyberattack. Relations between the two European countries have been tense, with Germany providing military support to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is visiting Australia, says Russian state

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A bus has plunged into a rocky ravine in northern Pakistan after its driver lost control, killing at least 15 people and seriously injuring more than 20 others. Police say the bus was traveling along the Karakoram Highway to Hunza, a popular tourist destination, when the accident occurred. The mountainous highway

By The Associated Press Dror Or, a 49-year-old held captive in Gaza, has died, the Hostages Families Forum said Friday. Or marks the 38th hostage killed, the forum said. He was one of about 250 people abducted when Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel says militants still

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer Asian shares were mostly higher Friday ahead of a report on the U.S. jobs market, while several major markets including Tokyo and Shanghai were closed for holidays. Oil prices and U.S. futures were higher. The Japanese yen strengthened slightly against the U.S. dollar amid signs of heavy central bank

SYDNEY (AP) — Pro-Palestinian protesters are camped on university campuses across Australia, with some scuffling with pro-Israel protesters in Sydney, mirroring similar events in the United States. Students have set up encampments at universities in major Australian cities over the last two weeks to protest Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The students are demanding that universities

By MEHDI FATTAHI Associated Press KASHAN, Iran (AP) — The historic Kashan bazaar in central Iran once sat on a major caravan route, its silk carpets known the world over. But for the weavers trying to sell their rugs under its ancient arches, their world has only unraveled since the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain’s governing Conservative Party is suffering heavy losses as local election results pour in Friday, piling pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a U.K. general election in which the main opposition Labour Party appears increasingly likely to return to power after 14 years. Labour won

By AUDREY McAVOY Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — Defense chiefs from Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States have vowed to deepen their cooperation as they gather in Hawaii for their second-ever joint meeting amid concerns about China’s operations in the South China Sea. Their meeting comes after the four countries last month held

By NICK PERRY Associated Press LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — It’s a dilemma no business owner should have to face: whether to reopen after a mass shooting. The answer didn’t come easily to Justin and Samantha Juray. But when they did decide to reopen their Maine bowling alley, they didn’t hold back. The reopening is planned

By ANITA SNOW and MORGAN LEE Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ signing of the repeal of a Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions was a stirring occasion for the women working to ensure that the 19th century law remains in the past. Current and former state lawmakers and reproductive rights

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia has been engulfed by huge protests triggered by a proposed law that critics see as a threat to media freedom and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. Here is a look at the bill and the protests it has ignited: WHAT IS THE NEW BILL? The bill would

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LYPIVKA, Ukraine (AP) — An extraordinary new church is bringing spiritual comfort to war-weary residents of the Ukrainian village of Lypivka this Orthodox Easter season. Two years ago it also provided physical refuge from the horrors outside. Residents sheltered in a basement chapel at the Church of the Intercession of

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press CHENGDU, China (AP) — In 2018, the censors who oversee Chinese media issued a directive to the nation’s entertainment industry. They barred  artists with tattoos and those who represent hip-hop or any other subculture. For months, no rappers appeared on the dozens of variety shows and singing competitions on Chinese

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press CHENGDU, China (AP) — In 2018, the censors who oversee Chinese media issued a directive to the nation’s entertainment industry: Don’t feature artists with tattoos and those who represent hip-hop or any other subculture. Right after that well-known rapper GAI missed a gig on a popular singing competition despite a

By MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — The trial in Massachusetts of a woman charged in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend has started with a focus on the crime scene. Karen Read has been charged with second-degree murder and other charges in the 2022 death of Officer John O’Keefe. Testimony this

By GRAHAM LEE BREWER Associated Press SULPHUR, Okla. (AP) — A weekly newspaper in a rural Oklahoma community was at the center of a path of destruction. But the damage isn’t stopping the Sulphur Times-Democrat from getting out its next issue as Oklahoma recovers from severe weather that killed four people across the state on

By EMMA BURROWS Associated Press From its earliest days, the Soviet Union’s intelligence services — whether known as the Cheka or the names of any of its successor agencies like the KGB — kept the government in power by pursuing its opponents no matter where they lived. The Cheka secret police, founded by Felix Dzherzhinsky,

By JULIE WATSON, CHRISTOPHER L. KELLER, CAROLYN THOMPSON and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have arrested nearly 2,200 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks. They have sometimes used riot gear, tactical vehicles and flash-bang devices to clear tent encampments and occupied buildings. At

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China is preparing to launch a lunar probe that would land on the far side of the moon and return with samples that could provide insights into differences between the less-explored region and the better-known near side. The unprecedented mission would be the latest advance in

By ASTRID SUÁREZ Associated Press BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia has become the latest Latin American country to announce it will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its military campaign in Gaza. But the repercussions for the South American nation could be broader than for other countries due to longstanding bilateral agreements over security matters.

By ED WHITE and ISABELLA VOLMERT Associated Press ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Some U.S. universities with weekend graduation ceremonies are taking steps to keep a lid on possible disruptions. The school year is closing with campus tension over the Israel-Hamas war and pro-Palestinian protests. The University of Michigan says staff and security officers are

By MICHAEL R. SISAK, JAKE OFFENHARTZ, PHILIP MARCELO and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The prosecution’s star witness has yet to take the stand in Donald Trump’s hush money trial. But jurors are already hearing Michael Cohen’s words as prosecutors work to directly tie Trump to payments to silence women with

By EMMA BURROWS Associated Press Since President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, attacks and harassment of Russians abroad have been blamed on Moscow’s intelligence operatives across Europe and elsewhere. Despite attempts by Western governments to dismantle Russian spy networks, experts say the Kremlin apparently is still able to pursue those it deems traitors

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The retirement of Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow has opened a Senate seat in Michigan. The race is expected to be highly competitive with control of the upper chamber on the line in November. Top candidates have emerged for each party ahead of the state’s August primaries.

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Ukraine, trade and investment are expected to dominate Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s first trip to Europe in five years, which starts in France on Monday. Last year, on a visit to Beijing, French President Emmanuel Macron courted controversy by saying France would not necessarily always align

By MICHELLE L. PRICE and JILL COLVIN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — After a years-long breakup with his hometown, former President Donald Trump is back in New York, this time as a criminal defendant. The Queens-born presumptive GOP nominee has been conjuring images of his old days as a celebrity real estate developer, reality

By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy likely delivered another solid hiring gain in April, showing continuing durability in the face of the highest interest rates in two decades. The Labor Department is expected to report that employers added a healthy 233,000 jobs last month, down from a sizzling 303,000

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL and JAE C. HONG Associated Press HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) — The world is producing more electronic waste than ever — 62 million metric tons in 2022. And it’s growing faster than formal efforts to recycle it. Some gets picked up by a web of low-paid workers who pull apart

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis police have fatally shot a male pointing a weapon at other people and threatening to shoot them. Officer William Young of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says officers were sent to the scene on the city’s north side Thursday afternoon on a report of a person armed with a weapon. Young

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Comcast has blacked out 15 regional sports networks offered by Bally Sports, escalating a contract dispute with their distributor. The cutoff that began Wednesday affects games played by a dozen Major League Baseball teams based in nine states. Diamond Sports Group, which distributes the networks under the Bally name, called the

By SAMY MAGDY and DREW CALLISTER Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Israel and Hamas appear to be seriously negotiating an end to the war in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages. A leaked truce proposal hints at compromises by both sides after months of stalemated talks. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police say they have detained the driver of a white Toyota Camry who briefly accelerated toward a crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Portland State University in Oregon. The Portland Police Bureau said in a written statement late Thursday afternoon that the man was taken to a hospital on a police mental

By MALAK HARB Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Airport authorities in Dubai say several flights have been cancelled and diverted as heavy rains hit the United Arab Emirates for the second time in a month. An airport authority spokesperson said Thursday five inbound flights were diverted overnight, while nine arriving and four

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG and EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi’s Republican-led Legislature has completed a last-ditch effort to revive a bill to regulate transgender people’s use of bathrooms, locker rooms and dormitories in public education buildings. The bill would require all public education institutions to equip their buildings with single-sex spaces.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former Milwaukee election official convicted of misconduct in office and fraud for obtaining fake absentee ballots has been sentenced to one year of probation and fined $3,000. Forty-seven year-old Kimberly Zapata also was ordered Thursday to complete 120 hours of community service. Prosecutors charged Zapata in November 2022 with one

By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate has approved a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The 27-8 vote came Thursday. The bill bars health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18. School principals or vice principals would have

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP Political Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nearly two months after the election, a recount settled the outcome in a Northern California U.S. House primary contest. The results in the 16th Congressional District south of San Francisco snapped a mathematically improbable tie for second place but also spotlighted the long stretch

By ANDREW DeMILLO Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says her state won’t comply with a federal regulation that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation’s schools. Sanders on Thursday signed an executive order stating that Arkansas will continue to enforce restrictions on which bathrooms

Associated Press The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state has jumped to 29, with another 60 people missing, according to the state’s civil defense agency. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva traveled to the state on Thursday to meet with local authorities and express his solidarity. Operators

By CHRISTINA MALKIA and MARK BANCHEREAU Associated Press KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A rebel group with alleged links to Rwanda this week seized Rubaya, a mining town in eastern Congo known for producing a key mineral used in smartphones, the group said in a statement. In a statement shared with The Associated Press, a spokesperson

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in connection with an encounter with Williston police in 2022 in which prosecutors say he shot at the officers. A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Eric Obregon Jr. to the prison term and three years of supervised release.

By ANDREW DALTON AP Entertainment Writers LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears and Sam Asghari are officially divorced and single, nearly two years after they married. A Los Angeles judge on Friday approved of the divorce agreement that the 42-year-old pop superstar and the 30-year-old model and actor had settled on. Court documents share few

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations says the world hasn’t seen anything like the unprecedented destruction of housing in Gaza since World War II, and it would take at least until 2040 to restore the homes devastated in Israel’s bombing and ground offensive if the conflict ended today.