AP National

Associated Press SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been formally charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors filed multiple charges against Franco six months after a judge ordered that he be investigated in connection with sexual and psychological abuse of the girl. Nairobi

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — He’s calling in to his favorite morning cable news show, bashing the “elites” of his party and dismissing unfavorable polls. He’s even talking up his crowd sizes. As an increasingly defiant President Joe Biden rejects calls to step aside after a disastrous debate performance, he’s been embracing some of

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made his maiden appearance on the international stage with a strong signal of support for Ukraine and a pat on the back from President Joe Biden. After a full day of meetings Wednesday at the NATO summit in Washington, Starmer met Biden

LONDON (AP) — Queen Camilla has made an appearance at Wimbledon. Camilla, the wife of King Charles III, took a seat in the Royal Box, where guests included actress Keira Knightley, actor Richard E. Grant and Formula 1 driver George Russell. Last year the queen and Kate, the Princess of Wales, had made separate Wimbledon

ROME (AP) — An aid group that rescues migrants in the Mediterranean says one of its missions has been interrupted by armed bandits. SOS Mediterranee filmed the incident Tuesday off Libya. According to the video, volunteers were helping transfer the 93 passengers from the migrant boat onto their rescue vessel when two rubber dinghies approached.

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reinforced a message that the Fed is paying growing attention to a slowing job market and not only to taming inflation, a shift that signals it’s likely to begin cutting interest rates soon. “We’re not just an inflation-targeting central bank,’’ Powell told the House

AP Aerospace Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two astronauts who should have been back on Earth weeks ago said Wednesday that they’re confident that Boeing’s space capsule can return them safely, despite a string of vexing breakdowns. NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing’s new Starliner capsule early last month,

Associated Press Movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney is adding his voice to calls for Joe Biden to leave the presidential race. Clooney says in a New York Times opinion piece Wednesday that he loves Biden, but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any control in Congress with him as

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers about “cheap, substandard replacement air bag inflators” in used cars that can fail to prevent serious injuries or death in a vehicle wreck. The agency said Wednesday that three people have been killed and two suffered severe injuries in the past nine months due to substandard,

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A new state license plate design refers to Pennsylvania’s critical role in establishing the United States’ independence from England and features the phrase, “Let Freedom Ring.” The red-white-and-blue plate design announced this week includes an image of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell. The design already appears on eight signs that welcome motorists where highways

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The 32-members of NATO on Wednesday formally declared Ukraine on an “irreversible” path to membership in the Western military alliance, offering a bare but more binding assurance of protection once its war with Russia ends. NATO member countries individually and in Wednesday’s joint statement from their summit in Washington announced

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A mass trial in the United Arab Emirates of dissidents that was widely criticized abroad has sentenced 43 people to life in prison, while others received other prison terms. The sentences Wednesday by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal came in a case described by the

AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — The European Union says it’s adding the porn site XNXX to its list of online services facing the strictest level of scrutiny under the bloc’s digital regulations, including measures requiring users to verify their ages. It’s the fourth porn site to be classed as a “very large online platform”

AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s imperiled reelection campaign hit new trouble Wednesday as House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said merely “it’s up to the president to decide” if he should stay in the race, celebrity donor George Clooney said he should not run and Democratic senators and lawmakers expressed fresh fear

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway says it will donate six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said Wednesday that the jets will be important for defending the country against Russian attacks. Ukraine has long pleaded for the sophisticated fighter to give it a combat edge against Russian firepower. No date was

AP Technology Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Samsung is dressing up its wearable devices in technology’s latest fashion — artificial intelligence. The South Korean electronics giant on Wednesday revealed that both its first-ever premium smartwatch and a smart ring heralding its entry into a niche market will include AI features that are supposed to help

BEIJING (AP) — China has lashed out at the United States over allegations of doping by Chinese swimmers ahead of this year’s summer Olympics in Paris. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson spoke a day after the World Anti-Doping Agency released an interim report from an investigator who concluded he found no evidence that WADA showed favoritism

Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — An Iraqi court has issued a death sentence against one of the wives of the late brutal Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, alleging that she was complicit in crimes committed against Yazidi women captured by the militant group. The ruling comes weeks before the 10-year mark since IS launched

Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A lawyer of imprisoned Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza was able to visit him in a prison hospital where he ad been held incommunicado for several days. His legal team said his health is “relatively stable”. Kara-Murza, a 42-year-old dual Russian-U.K. citizen, is serving a 25-year prison sentence in

AP Tennis Writer LONDON (AP) — Lorenzo Musetti threw his head back and spread his arms wide to celebrate reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, then covered his face with both hands. His 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Taylor Fritz on Wednesday was a big deal, to be sure. After

Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The remnants of Hurricane Beryl have dropped tornadoes and are threatening flooding as the system churns into Canada and the northeastern U.S. after leaving millions in the Houston area without power. Beryl was a post-tropical cyclone around midday Wednesday and centered over southeastern Michigan with maximum sustained winds of 30

WASHINGTON (AP) — BMW of North America is recalling more than 390,000 vehicles in the U.S. because they are equipped with airbag inflators that can explode, leading to a potentially serious injury or death. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with a Takata inflator, the

PRAGUE (AP) — A second Chinese pangolin was born in the Prague zoo in less than two years and is doing well, defying the odds and surprising park officials. The female of the critically endangered mammal was born July 1, the second Chinese pangolin born in captivity in Europe following her sister, Cone, in February

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say security forces have raided a hideout of the Pakistani Taliban on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar. The raid Wednesday triggered a shootout that killed four security forces and three insurgents. A police officer said that a militant commander was among the insurgents killed in the raid

Edmunds Big summer plans that call for big toys require generous towing limits. Several of today’s big SUVs are up to the task, capable of pulling between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds while offering three rows, ample cargo space, and an array of towing tech aids. And with prices starting around $60K, there’s an option for

Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A union strike launched by railway employees has stopped trains across Sri Lanka. Hundreds of scheduled train journeys were canceled Wednesday due to the strike. Now tens of thousands of passengers are stranded at railroad stations. The Station Masters’ Union is demanding authorities resolve a number of issues,

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Commerce Ministry has announced it will launch an investigation into whether unfair trade practices were adopted by the European Union in its probe of Chinese companies. It said Wednesday the investigation will focus on wind power, photovoltaics, security equipment and others and will be completed before next Jan. 10. The announcement

Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — China has reported its auto sales slumped in June as the domestic economy remained sluggish, but buoyant exports offset the decline at home. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said Wednesday that sales in China dropped 7.4% compared to a year earlier to 1.8 million cars, while exports rose 29%

Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military urged all Palestinians to leave Gaza City and head south Wednesday, pressing ahead with a fresh offensive across the north, south and center of the embattled territory that has killed dozens of people over the past 48 hours. The stepped-up military activity came as

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British police said they found Wednesday the man suspected of killing three women, the wife and daughters of a well-known BBC radio commentator, near London in a brutal crossbow attack. In a statement, Hertfordshire Police said 26-year-old Kyle Clifford was found in the Enfield area of north London, near his

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s parliament has approved a bill that would raise income taxes for the rich, in a move to help fill government coffers during the fighting in Ukraine. The bill was endorsed in the final third reading on Wednesday by the lower house, the State Duma, and hours later by the upper house,

Associated Press DAMASCUS (AP) — Regular flights between the Syrian capital of Damascus and Saudi Arabia have resumed for the first time in more than a decade as part of a thaw in relations between the countries. Syria and Saudi Arabia had severed ties in 2012 over President Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters.

BEIJING (AP) — China and Bangladesh are reaffirming their ties during a visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Beijing as tensions rise in the region over territorial disputes and resources. Bangladesh occupies a strategic position between Myanmar, a longtime Chinese ally now wracked by internal conflict, and India, the rising Asian giant with

BEIJING (AP) — Rescue efforts were underway for more than 130 people including some tourists who were trapped in a mountainous town in China’s Tibet region after heavy rains and flooding washed away sections of a provincial highway. The trapped also included migrant workers and businesspeople, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV. Another 342 stranded

Associated Press AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — At the graduation ceremony of New York University Abu Dhabi this May, a student wearing the traditional Palestinian black-and-white keffiyeh scarf shouted “Free Palestine!” as he crossed the stage to receive his diploma, witnesses say. Days later, he reportedly was deported from the United Arab Emirates. The incident at

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has targeted a Liberian-flagged tanker in the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The vessel’s captain reported explosions off the side of the vessel. The Joint Maritime Information Center, which is overseen by the U.S. Navy, says the vessel and crew are

Associated Press JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan peace talks that were almost complete have hit a stumbling block. Opposition groups are demanding a newly passed bill that allows the detention of people without an arrest warrant be scratched out. Since May, Kenya has been hosting high-level meetings between government representatives and rebel opposition

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rangers have shot dead a 14-foot saltwater crocodile in Australia after it killed a 12-year-old girl while she was swimming with her family. Wildlife rangers had been attempting to trap or shoot the crocodile since the girl was attacked last week in Mango Creek near Palumpa, an Indigenous community

AP Business Writer Asian shares advanced Thursday, tracking a blistering rally on Wall Street, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index surging over 42,000 for the first time. On Wednesday, the U.S. stock market vaulted to more all-time highs, led by big technology companies whose shares have been soaring thanks to the frenzy over artificial intelligence. Hopes

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Nikkei 225 share index has closed at another record high, gaining 0.6% to close Wednesday at 41,831,99. That followed a record close on Tuesday, as world markets tracked gains on Wall Street. The Nikkei 225 index also hit a record intraday high of 41,889.16. The benchmark has advanced nearly 30% in

Associated Press READING, Pa. (AP) — Religion and politics frequently overlap in Reading, an old industrial city in one of the most pivotal swing states of this year’s presidential election. In Pennsylvania, there is early precedent for this kind of thing. The state began as a haven for Quakers and other European religious minorities fleeing

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The United States’ new top envoy to Taiwan has promised Washington will help the self-ruled island defend itself as China ramps up its military threats against Taipei. Raymond Greene assumed his new role as director of the American Institute in Taiwan earlier this week and met Wednesday with Taiwanese President Lai

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics have declared an indefinite strike to pressure South Korea’s biggest company to accept their calls for higher pays and other benefits. Thousands of members of the National Samsung Electronics Union launched a temporary, three-day strike on Monday. But the union said Wednesday that

Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A battle for control of several swing state capitols is playing out in the shadow of the presidential campaign. National groups aligned with Democrats and Republicans are planning to spend a couple hundred million dollars on state legislative races. The top targets include several states where control of a

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — When California’s minimum wage increase went into effect in April, fast food workers across the state went from making $16 to $20 overnight. It’s already having an impact, according to local operators for major fast food chains, who say they are reducing worker hours and raising menu prices as

Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas baked Wednesday in its record fifth consecutive day of temperatures sizzling at 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 Celsius) or greater amid a lengthening hot spell that is expected to broil much of the U.S. into the weekend. The temperature climbed to 115 shortly after 1 p.m. at Harry

Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A defense attorney told jurors Wednesday that the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was an “unspeakable tragedy” but that “ Alec Baldwin committed no crime; he was an actor, acting.” Baldwin’s lawyer Alex Spiro emphasized in his opening statement in a Santa Fe, New Mexico, courtroom that

Associated Press PALU, Indonesia (AP) — Incessant rains have halted the search for 30 people believed trapped under a landslide that engulfed an unauthorized gold mine on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island over the weekend, killing at least 23 people. More than 100 villagers were digging for grains of gold on Sunday in a remote village in

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Former NBA player Jontay Porter admitted Wednesday that he schemed to take himself out of games for gambling’s sake, pleading guilty to a federal conspiracy crime in the scandal that already got him banned from the league. “I know what I did was wrong, unlawful, and I am deeply

Associated Press LUCKNOW, India (AP) — A double-decker passenger bus collided with a milk truck in northern India on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people and injuring many others, officials said. The collision occurred on an expressway in Uttar Pradesh state, and 19 injured people were rushed to the hospital by villagers in the area,

Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Pressure mounted Wednesday on Houston’s power utility as millions of residents still had no electricity nearly three days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, stoking questions over how a city that is all too familiar with destructive weather was unable to better withstand a Category 1 storm. With frustration growing as

Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The ballooning debt in East Africa’s economic hub of Kenya is expected to grow even more after deadly protests forced the rejection of a finance bill that President William Ruto said was needed to raise revenue. He now warns “it will have huge consequences.” Facing public calls to resign,

Associated Press WENZHOU, China (AP) — At a factory in Zhejiang province on China’s eastern coast, two mounds of discarded cotton clothing and bed linens, loosely separated into dark and light colors, pile up on a workroom floor. Jacket sleeves, collars and brand labels protrude from the stacks as workers feed the garments into shredding machines. It’s the

PHOENIX (AP) — A temporary election worker accused of computer tampering in Arizona’s largest county has been charged with additional crimes. An indictment and a news release from prosecutors show that Walter Ringfield was charged with third-degree burglary and criminal trespassing. Authorities say he stole several items while walking through a secure area of the

Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Republican primary race to represent Utah’s 2nd District in Congress narrowed into recount territory on Tuesday after dueling endorsements from influential Republicans created a conundrum for voters who had little time to get to know the incumbent before casting ballots. The Associated Press declared the race between

Associated Press CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The warning from a woman in Yellowstone National Park came in just after midnight on July Fourth: She’d just been held at gunpoint by a man who said he planned to carry out a mass shooting — a random attack common in the U.S. these days but not in

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Authorities say an Arkansas couple has been charged with capital murder after one of their four young children left inside a hot vehicle died from apparent heat exhaustion. Prosecutors in Little Rock filed the murder charges Monday against Deja and Justin Rollins following their 2-year-old’s death. They have pleaded not

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The pressure and chaos swirling since Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance is causing cracks inside a White House that until now has been marked mostly by discipline and loyalty. The debate fallout has sparked internal drama, leaks and second-guessing. The Biden White House has been mostly a restrained and staid

AP Basketball Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris was a surprise guest at the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team’s practice Tuesday, and her message was clear. “Bring back the gold,” Harris said. Harris — who flew to Las Vegas on Tuesday for campaign appearances — addressed the team briefly at the end

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi judge has set bond at $300,000 for a man accused of stealing a car with a baby inside. Police say 44-year-old James Wilson of Rankin County was arrested Monday and charged with auto theft and kidnapping. The Mazda sedan had its motor running when it was stolen Saturday evening

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A member of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s security detail shot an armed man during an attempted carjacking in the early morning hours, according to court documents. It happened as two deputy U.S. Marshals were on duty in a government car in Washington, D.C., about 1 a.m. on July 5.

AP Business Writer DoorDash said Tuesday that it’s stepping up efforts to identify dangerous delivery drivers and remove them from its platform after a flood of complaints from cities. In a letter sent last month to DoorDash and other food delivery companies, Boston officials said they were seeing an increase in the unlawful and dangerous

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Iranian government is covertly encouraging American protests over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza in a bid to stoke outrage ahead of the fall election, the nation’s top intelligence official said Tuesday. Using social media platforms popular in the U.S., groups linked to Tehran have posed as online activists,

Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A judge on Tuesday rejected an attempt to revive the recall effort targeting the longest-serving Wisconsin Assembly speaker in state history, likely putting an end to the recall push. Supporters of former President Donald Trump had targeted Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos for recall after he refused calls to