AP National

BANGKOK (AP) — A prominent Christian church leader and human rights advocate from Myanmar’s Kachin ethnic minority was released from prison earlier this week. The Rev. Hkalam Samson was first arrested in December 2022 and later convicted on charges including terrorism. He was briefly released in April under a general amnesty but taken back into

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s interior minister says authorities have detained a Russian man who allegedly fled to Turkey shortly after carrying out a bomb attack that wounded two people in Moscow. Ali Yerlikaya says that the suspect, identified as Evgenii Serebriakov, was detained in the resort town of Bodrum in western Turkey on Wednesday

Associated Press Production has halted at a Missouri General Motors plant that manufactures trucks and vans, the result of a strike at the company that supplies seats for the vehicles. About 480 workers at Lear Corp. in Wentzville walked out at midnight Sunday. The strike brought production to a standstill Monday at the GM plant

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Wales is set to get its first female leader. Eluned Morgan was chosen Wednesday to lead the governing Welsh Labour Party. She succeeds First Minister Vaughan Gething, who stepped down last week as party leader over a campaign donation scandal. Morgan is currently the Welsh health minister and was the

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of an Indianapolis man accused of fatally shooting five people, including a pregnant woman. Marion County Superior Judge Chris Miller declared the mistrial Tuesday in the trial of 20-year-old Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III after a witness verbally confronted the defendant in front

Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — A man who served nearly 40 years in prison for a Detroit-area murder won’t face another trial after a judge threw out his conviction based on new evidence. The decision by prosecutors this week means Paul Clark, who has been out on bond since May, is free — for good.

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla says she has been barred from Friday’s opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics because she wears a hijab, and the French Olympic Committee said it is working with her to find a solution that adheres to the team’s secular requirements for athletes. Sylla, a 26-year-old member

Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s Supreme Court has challenged the constitutionality of an amnesty law pushed through by the government earlier this year to help Catalonia’s separatists. The Supreme Court cannot strike down the amnesty, but it has asked the nation’s Constitutional Court to weigh. Spain passed the amnesty law in March to

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s executive commission has criticized rule of law developments in Hungary, Italy and Slovakia, but welcomed reforms in Poland and Spain in its latest democracy health check across the 27-nation bloc. European Commission Vice President Vera Jourová said Wednesday that the bloc needs more action to protect democracy,

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Disney has reached a tentative agreement with four unions representing thousands of workers at its California theme parks including ride operators, candy makers and parking attendants. The coalition of unions said early Wednesday that 14,000 workers will get to vote on the deal on Monday. No other details were immediately released.

Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — France’s air force has made a stopover in Indonesia’s capital, part of a visit to Southeast Asia that’s meant to display French commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing Chinese maritime activity there. The French mission, named Pegase, is on a weeks-long trip that also included stops

Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — Comic-Con International, the comic book and pop culture extravaganza, is kicking off in San Diego. The convention, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs through Sunday. Actors, filmmakers, comic book authors and illustrators and more are making their way to the San

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Since the United Arab Emirates witnessed its heaviest recorded rainfall ever three months ago, the desert nation has issued a multitude of warnings about dengue. Activists say the illness has struck hardest among the country’s vast population of laborers. The tropical disease, spread by mosquitos, has witnessed

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Police say a $10,000 crown studded with multi-colored Swarovski crystals that belongs to a beauty queen from the Dominican Republic has been stolen at Puerto Rico’s main international airport. Wednesday’s incident occurred in the pre-dawn hours after police said María Victoria Bayo briefly left a case containing the crown

AP Film Writer After years of trying and many months of feverish speculation “Deadpool & Wolverine” is here at least. The movie opens in theaters nationwide Thursday and is poised to earn at least $160 million in ticket sales. Filmmaker Shawn Levy, a friend of stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, has been blown away

Associated Press When helping others, volunteers also help themselves. They might even live longer. Jacquelyn Stephens is a psychologist at the nonprofit Mather Institute who researches how to age well. She says volunteering builds social connections and provides a sense of purpose that bolsters mental health in retirement. And psychology professor Eric S. Kim says

Associated Press Volunteering helps others out, but it also helps the volunteer. Research has shown a variety of health benefits including more positive feelings and social connections. How do you find a volunteer activity that’s a good fit for you? First, think about what your goals, skills and passions are. Are you looking to find

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The United Nations’ cultural agency rejected recommendations Wednesday to place Stonehenge on the list of endangered world heritage sites over concerns that Britain’s plans to build a nearby highway tunnel threaten the landscape around the prehistoric monument. UNESCO experts had recommended listing the stone circle on a plain in southern

Associated Press PANAMA CITY (AP) — Ten migrants have drowned trying to cross a rushing river in Panama’s Darien Gap that borders Colombia. Panama’s National Border Service said in a statement Wednesday that the victims were swept away by a strong current and their bodies were later seen near the Indigenous community of Carreto. An

Associated Press MATURIN, Venezuela (AP) — Eleven years into Venezuela’s crisis, the days of food shortages are virtually gone. But with many earning under $200 a month, getting the essentials is a constant struggle for families in rural and urban areas alike. Now, that angst-provoking money math is among the reasons why the ruling party’s

AP National Writer PARIS (AP) — Sip a cool caipirinha cocktail in Brazil. Sample a spicy samosa in India. Boogie down with a DJ in France ’til the early hours. Or, do all three in a day and perhaps meet some athletes, too. If you’re in Paris but don’t have tickets for the Olympics, organizers

Associated Press The majority of Venezuelans are religious — just like parts of the country’s political history. But as they prepare for the upcoming presidential election, it’s hard to say exactly how religious Venezuelans are and what specifically they believe. The government has not released official figures in more than a decade. Most estimates provided

Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president has incorporated the opposition in his new Cabinet, appointing four ministers from the main opposition party in a bid to form a broad-based government that would address governance issues raised in deadly protests. President William Ruto on Wednesday appointed the minority leader in parliament and opposition leader

NEW YORK (AP) — CrowdStrike has blamed a bug in an update that allowed its cybersecurity systems to push bad data out to millions of customer computers. That set off last week’s global tech outage that grounded flights, took TV broadcasts off air and disrupted banks, hospitals and retailers. CrowdStrike also outlined measures it would

AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — What was expected to be a simple coronation of Salt Lake City as the 2034 Winter Olympic host turned into complicated Olympic politics Wednesday, as the IOC pushed Utah officials to end an FBI investigation into a suspected doping coverup. The International Olympic Committe formally awarded the 2034 Winter

AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — When Naomi Osaka lifts her racket on the red clay courts at Roland Garros during the Paris Olympics later this month, it’ll represent more than a high-stakes competition for the tennis star. For Osaka, a four-time grand slam champion, it’s an important step in her journey after returning to

GENEVA (AP) — Sudan’s paramilitary leader has announced plans to attend cease-fire talks in Switzerland next month arranged by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the Rapid Support Forces fighting Sudan’s army, posted a message on social media late Tuesday responding positively to an invitation to talks expected to

PARIS (AP) — French prosecutors are investigating an alleged gang rape of an Australian woman visiting Paris where preparations to host the 2024 Olympics are in the final stretch. The Paris public prosecutor’s office said in a statement Wednesday a 25-year-old Australian woman told authorities in the French capital that she was raped, adding they

Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Farmers in Africa are blaming chemical fertilizers for increasingly acidic soils that have led to production decline. Experts say a return to traditional agricultural practices can save dying soils. About 63% of arable land in Kenya is acidic and has been recording a decline in production of staples such

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand is the latest country to confront cruel, systemic and commonplace abuse of children and vulnerable adults in state and faith-based care institutions. A six-year independent inquiry has just been presented to Parliament. The authors said it is the widest-ranging exploration of abuse and neglect of people

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — The German government has banned an organization accused of being an “outpost” of Iran’s theocracy, promoting the ideology of its leadership and supporting Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group. Police raided 53 properties around the country on Wednesday, including a prominent mosque in Hamburg. The ban of the Islamic Center Hamburg, or

Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — In the crush of anti-government protests paralyzing downtown Buenos Aires in the last months, some Argentines saw a traffic-induced headache. Others saw a reaction to President Javier Milei’s brutal austerity measures. Alejandra, a street vendor, saw people with nowhere to urinate. Plazas provided no privacy and cafes insisted

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican officials say an explosion and fire erupted inside a tequila factory, killing at least five workers and injuring two others at the site in the liquor’s namesake town in Jalisco state. The state Civil Protection agency announced late Tuesday that five people were confirmed dead and two people were injured,

Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has passed a decree radically loosening the Communist Party-ruled state’s control on how electricity is sold to private companies. This means companies that need a lot of energy can buy clean energy directly from solar or wind farms. It’s an important change for companies like Samsung, Vietnam’s largest

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden might not often use the word “abortion” when he talks about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. But Vice President Kamala Harris does. Harris also toured a Minnesota Planned Parenthood clinic where abortions are performed and routinely links the fall of Roe to the larger issue of

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of protesters against the war in Gaza converged on Washington on Wednesday to condemn Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit, chanting “Free, free Palestine” as they marched toward the Capitol before police deployed pepper spray on some in the crowd. Demonstrators calling for an end to the war that

Associated Press CHOCTAW, Miss. (AP) — As the drummers walk onto the field, the players behind them smack their hickory sticks to the beat. The rhythm envelops the stands and a palpable sense of anticipation flows through the crowd. Indigenous peoples have been playing stickball for hundreds of years, and every summer since 1975, teams

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged in a scathing speech to Congress on Wednesday to achieve “total victory” against Hamas and denounced American opponents of the war in Gaza as “idiots,” taking a combative stance in a visit the Biden administration has hoped will yield progress in negotiations to end

Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court has ordered the state to initially count signatures that were collected by volunteers in favor of putting an abortion rights measure on the ballot. Justices on Tuesday night issued a one-page order that stopped short of ruling on whether a lawsuit over the proposal

Associated Press MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — Lawyers for the man accused of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students are urging a judge to move his murder trial away from the county, arguing the intense media coverage and public interest in the case make it impossible for him to get a fair trial. “The prolific

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — A necropsy has shown that a polar bear who died after rough play with a fellow bear in a zoo in western Canada drowned after his throat was crushed. The male bears Baffin and Siku were roughhousing in a pond in front of visitors to the Calgary Zoo on Friday morning

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders are warning party members against using overtly racist and sexist attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris, as they and former President Donald Trump ‘s campaign scramble to adjust to the reality of a new Democratic rival less than four months before Election Day. At a closed-door meeting of

Associated Press JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Attorneys for the state say an initiative aimed at repealing Alaska’s ranked choice voting system still has sufficient signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Last week, a state court judge found instances in which the signature-gathering process was not properly carried out and disqualified those booklets. The judge

Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that New Mexico can continue to enforce a new, seven-day waiting period on gun sales while a court challenge backed by the National Rifle Association moves forward. Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday applauded the ruling. Albuquerque-based U.S. District Court

Associated Press McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — At the start of every work day, construction worker Charles Smith puts on the essentials: hard hat. Safety glasses. A reflective vest. And a small, watch-like band for his wrist. But rather than track time, its purpose is to ensure he doesn’t overheat while working during sweltering summer days

Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — State election directors from across the country voiced serious concerns to a top U.S. Postal Service official Tuesday that the system won’t be able to handle an expected crush of mail-in ballots in the November election. Steven Carter, manager of election and government programs for the postal service, attempted to

LONDON (AP) — John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, has died. He was 90. A statement on Mayall’s Instagram page announced his death Tuesday, saying the musician died Monday at his home in California. “Health issues that

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls said Tuesday that his Donald Trump-inspired celebration of a hit Sunday was not intended as an endorsement of the Republican presidential candidate and added he was unlikely to do it again. Walls pumped his fist and shouted “Fight! Fight! Fight!” after hitting a double

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A sentencing change by a Louisiana judge assures that the man who fatally shot former New Orleans Saints star Will Smith will get credit for the time he served on home incarceration. New Orleans news outlets report that Cardell Hayes was formally re-sentenced Tuesday to 22 years and two months in

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — San Diego Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka received a replica of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to his grandfather’s World War II unit Monday during a ceremony at the National Museum of the United States Army. The late G. Shigeru Higashioka was part of the 100th Infantry Battalion of the 442nd

Associated Press BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Firefighters in the West are scrambling as wildfires threaten communities in Oregon, California and Washington, with at least one Oregon fire so large that it is creating its own weather. Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon was closed in both directions Tuesday between Ontario and Baker City as flames from

TEXARKANA, Texas (AP) — The trial in a countersuit brought by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones against a woman who says she’s his daughter and her mother abruptly ended as Jones agreed to drop the countersuit if the women dismissed pending lawsuits against him, including one where the billionaire was ordered to take a DNA

RYE, N.H. (AP) — Two fishermen are safe after a whale crashed onto their boat, capsizing it off the New Hampshire shore. The U.S. Coast Guard says the incident occurred Tuesday near Odiorne Point State Park. The Coast Guard posted to X that they had received a mayday call stating that a 23-foot center console

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Trash carried by at least one North Korean balloon has fallen on the South Korean presidential compound, raising worries about the security of key South Korean facilities during North Korean provocations. The presidential security service says the rubbish contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt. North

Associated Press The Anti-Defamation League says the Philadelphia school district has failed to protect Jewish students from “a virulent wave of antisemitism” that swept through classrooms after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. The ADL filed a complaint Tuesday with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The Jewish advocacy group wants the