AP National

Associated Press PAIMADO, Colombia (AP) — Illegal gold mining along the banks of northwestern Colombia’s Atrato river is causing severe contamination and deforestation for the small, impoverished riverbank communities made up of predominantly Afro-Colombian and Indigenous peoples. The river was granted legal rights in 2016 and local guardians were put in place who work as

GENEVA (AP) — The World Trade Organization has raised its outlook for global goods trade this year slightly, but cautions that increasing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over economic policy pose “substantial” risks to its forecast. The Geneva-based WTO projected Thursday that global goods trade will increase by 2.7% this year, compared with the 2.6% it

Associated Press Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from tennis on Thursday, signaling the end to a career that spanned two decades and 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 on his favorite clay at Roland Garros, and 92 singles titles overall. Here is a look at the victories, losses, rivalries and injuries that have marked the

AP Sports Writer WREXHAM, Wales (AP) — A former market and mining town in north Wales has become a new and unlikely tourist destination in Britain after its soccer team was bought by Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Wrexham is thriving on and off the field following the 2021 takeover. Its notoriety has

AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Mott’s first novel since “Hell of a Book” is a kind of meta-sequel to his award-winning meta-narrative about a Black author’s haunting promotional tour. The Penguin Random House imprint Dutton announced Thursday that it has reached a deal with Mott for “People Like Us,” in which a

MOSCOW (AP) — Two people died in a fire at one of the Russian capital’s most notable buildings, a gargantuan Brutalist apartment block that viewers have likened to a toppled skyscraper. The nighttime fire broke out in the so-called Dom Korabl (Ship Building), a hive of about 1,000 apartments that rises 14 stories in the

AP Business Writers LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tesla unveiled its long-awaited robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night, though fans of the electric vehicle maker will have to wait until at least 2026 before they are available. CEO Elon Musk pulled up to a stage at the Warner Bros. studio lot in one of the

Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes on central Beirut on Thursday left two neighborhoods smoldering, killed 22 people and wounded dozens, Lebanon’s health ministry said, as well as further escalating Israel’s bloody conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The air raid on central Beirut — the deadliest in over a year of war

ROME (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been city-hopping across Europe to promote a “victory plan” that he said “aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war” against Russia. He detailed the proposals Thursday to European allies after a summit with President Joe Biden was derailed by Hurricane Milton. Zelenskyy’s

Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rescue teams are plucking Florida residents from the flotsam of Hurricane Milton after the storm smashed through coastal communities. The storm tore homes into pieces, filled streets with mud and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes. At least eight people are dead. Arriving just two weeks after the

Associated Press VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuania’s center-right coalition could be replaced by the opposition Social Democrats and smaller center-left parties when voters in the Baltic country go to the polls on Sunday. That’s despite recent economic successes. Strict COVID-19 measures and a migration influx from neighboring Belarus have cast shadows over conservative Prime Minister

Associated Press VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders have stepped up pressure on China to respect international law following clashes in the disputed South China Sea, but Chinese Premier Li Qiang remained defiant during annual summit talks as he blamed “external forces” for interfering in regional affairs. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations’

Associated Press KAMPONG PHLUK, Cambodia (AP) — Em Phat, 53, studies his eel tanks with the intensity of a man gambling with his livelihood. For millennia, fishermen like him have relied on the bounty of the Tonle Sap in Cambodia, Southeast Asia’s largest lake and the epicenter of the world’s most productive inland fishery. But

Associated Press/Report for America ATLANTA (AP) — A new report from The Sentencing Project estimates that the number of people who cannot vote because of prior convictions has decreased slightly, but advocates still struggle to turn this population out. In Georgia, almost 250,000 individuals with past convictions still can’t vote, the eighth highest rate in

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A May 5 trial date was set Thursday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’sex trafficking case, and a prosecutor argued that the jailed hip-hop mogul’s lawyers were trying to exclude a “damning piece of evidence” by claiming it was leaked by the government. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson struck back against

Associated Press About 200 women ages 18-22 from across Africa have been recruited to work in a factory alongside Russian vocational students assembling thousands of Iranian-designed attack drones to be launched into Ukraine. In interviews with The Associated Press, some of the women said they were misled that it would be a work-study program, describing

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living increase to their monthly checks beginning in January, the Social Security Administration announced Thursday. The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for retirees translates to an average increase of more than $50 for retirees every month, agency officials said. About 72.5 million

Associated Press MANLIUS, N.Y. (AP) — The upstate New York village of Manlius is known for the majestic white swans that have inhabited a village pond for more than 100 years. But after one of the swans was taken by teenagers and killed last year, New York state stepped in with plans to change things.

Associated Press FT. PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — Tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton caught many Floridians by surprise as they prepared for heavy wind, rain, and storm surges. Several dozen twisters were reported by eyewitnesses, which is notable since the state typically sees 50 tornadoes in an entire year. The number of confirmed tornadoes is expected

AP Political Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republican former baseball star Steve Garvey is making a late-hour push for Latino support in his longshot U.S. Senate campaign against Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. The two candidates are vying for the California seat long held by the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Mail-in ballots go out to

Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children were among more than 200 demonstrators who gathered outside a federal courthouse in New Orleans where appellate judges heard arguments over a policy shielding them from deportation. At stake in the case that a panel of the 5th U.S.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The government of El Salvador says two of its migrants, including a 17 year-old, died when Mexican soldiers opened fire on the truck they were riding in last week. Another under-age migrant, an 11-year-old Egyptian girl, also died in the shooting along with her 18-year-old sister. A total of six migrants

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — A Democratic National Committee campaign office in suburban Phoenix has been struck in a third shooting in recent weeks. Police in Tempe, Arizona, said Wednesday that no one was in the building or hurt in any of the incidents. The latest shooting occurred shortly after midnight Sunday, when someone fired at

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — A former Arkansas law enforcement officer who pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a man he repeatedly punched during a violent arrest in 2022 will be serving time in a medical facility. U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey on Wednesday sentenced former Crawford County sheriff’s Deputy Levi White

AP Science Writer With its mighty strength and its dangerous path, Hurricane Milton powered into a very rare threat flirting with experts’ worst fears. Warm water fueled amazingly rapid intensification that took Milton from a minimal hurricane to a massive Category 5 in less than 10 hours. It weakened, but quickly bounced back, and when

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden blasted his predecessor for spreading an “onslaught of lies” about how the federal government is handling the damage from Hurricane Helene as another hurricane, Milton, was on the verge of making landfall in Florida. Biden says, “Quite frankly, these lies are un-American.” Biden says that former President

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia authorities say five people including an inmate connected to Atlanta rapper Young Thug are under arrest as part of an investigation into bribery and contraband circulating at the Fulton County detention center. One of the accused is a former guard at the facility. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office told news outlets

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Twin brothers who were born conjoined recently celebrated their first birthday after undergoing successful separation surgery. Amari and Javar Ruffin, whose family lives in Philadelphia, were born via cesarean section on Sept. 29, 2023. The brothers — who shared part of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall and liver — weighed a combined

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Brown University has rejected a proposal to divest from 10 companies that protesters say were facilitating the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. The vote Tuesday by the Corporation of Brown follows a committee report recommending against divesting partly because the university has little investment in them and the amount it

AP Auto Racing Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The two teams suing NASCAR asked a judge for a preliminary injunction Wednesday so they can compete next season under the charter system they are challenging as their antitrust case moves through federal court. 23XI Racing, which is owned by Michael Jordan, veteran driver Denny Hamlin and

Associated Press As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida’s west coast with powerful winds and flooding rain, environmentalists are worried it could scatter the polluted leftovers of the state’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry and other hazardous waste across the peninsula and into vulnerable waterways. More than 1 billion tons of slightly radioactive phosphogypsum waste is

AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — All of Broadway’s marquees will dim to honor the life of Gavin Creel following an outcry by theater fans when only a partial dimming was proposed after the 48-year-old Tony Award-winner’s death last month. The Committee of Theatre Owners on Wednesday said all 41 Broadway theaters would dim

Anne Hathaway, Kelli O’Hara, Kristin Chenoweth and Audra McDonald and other stars of stage and screen are set for a campaign rally for Kamala Harris in New York City next week. “Broadway Rallies for Kamala” will be performed in front of a live, invited audience and live streamed nationally for free on Monday via BroadwayWorld

Associated Press Form Energy, a company that is beginning to produce a longer-lasting alternative to lithium batteries, hit a milestone Wednesday with an announcement of $405 million in funding. The money will allow Form to speed up manufacturing at its first factory in Weirton, West Virginia and continue research and development. Manufacturing long-duration energy storage

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — You’ve heard the horror stories: Someone casting multiple ballots, people voting in the name of dead relatives, mail-in ballots being intercepted. Voter fraud does happen occasionally. When it does, we tend to hear a lot about it. It also gets caught and prosecuted. The nation’s multilayered election processes provide

Associated Press/Report for America PHOENIX (AP) — Early in-person voting is beginning in Arizona, making it the first of this year’s presidential battleground states where all residents can cast a ballot at a traditional polling place ahead of Election Day. The start of in-person voting on Wednesday in the closely contested state also is drawing

Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tourism in Orlando is coming to a standstill ahead of Hurricane Milton’s expected hit as a major storm in Florida. At least three major theme parks and the airport were set to cease operations on Wednesday. Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando will shut down Wednesday afternoon while SeaWorld

Associated Press Hmong Minnesotans were among those who watched as Gov. Tim Walz was catapulted onto the Democratic presidential ticket with Vice President Kamala Harris two months ago. They have watched him crisscross the country and earlier this week debate Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance. Hmong lawmakers and community activists say Walz has built a

Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s corrections chief says the department is expected to unveil a new process for executing inmates by the end of the year. The announcement signals a pending end to the yearslong pause that was put in place after a blistering report revealed that the state had conducted several executions

Associated Press Travis Kelce is the host of “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?”, a spin-off of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” The game show was taped during Kelce’s NFL off-season from the Kansas City Chiefs. He also has a supporting role in the new Ryan Murphy series called “Grotesquerie” on FX. Kelce

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wants to go to trial on sex trafficking charges next spring, lawyers for the jailed hip-hop mogul told a judge on Wednesday. His preference for a trial in April or May was mentioned in a joint letter in which his lawyers and prosecutors advised a judge

Associated Press Rudy Giuliani’s son is trying to stop two Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against his father from taking the elder Giuliani’s four New York Yankees World Series rings. Andrew Giuliani says in court documents filed Tuesday in New York that he is actually the rightful owner of the

Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Milton is expected to unleash its greatest force over hundreds of thousands of immigrants who don’t speak English. Most are Latin Americans who have been harvesting the fields along Florida’s I-4 corridor. They’ve also been washing dishes in restaurants, cleaning hotel rooms and working construction. For the Spanish speakers

AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The theme of the next Met Gala and its celebrity chairs have been announced: Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and LeBron James will help the museum celebrate Black style in menswear over the centuries. Williams and Hamilton were on hand Wednesday to help museum officials

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Saudi Arabia was defeated for a seat in the U.N.’s premier human rights body Wednesday after a campaign by rights groups urging the world body’s members to reject its bid. The 193-member General Assembly elected 18 new members Wednesday to serve on the 47-nation Human Rights Council. The Geneva-based

Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Nazi-looted Claude Monet pastel has been returned to descendants of the man who owned it when it was seized in Austria decades ago. The pastel was sold off to support the Third Reich, but the family got the artwork back Wednesday at the FBI field office in New

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Britain’s opposition Conservative Party will choose either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch to be its next leader. A third contender, James Cleverly, was dramatically knocked out of the leadership contest in a tight vote on Wednesday. Badenoch, a former business secretary, received 42 of the 120 votes cast, and former

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Sherri Myers, an 82-year-old resident of Pensacola City, Florida, says the Social Security cost-of-living increase she’ll receive in January “won’t make a dent” in helping her meet her day-to-day expenses. “Inflation has eaten up my savings,” she said. “I don’t have anything to fall back on — the cushion is

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U.N. tribunal has ordered a former high-ranking official to repay the United Nations $58.8 million lost in deals he made with a British businessman who showered him with interest-free loans, a Mercedes for his wife and perks for his sons. The three-judge United Nations Dispute Tribunal ruled last

Associated Press A law moving many town and county elections in New York to even-numbered years to align them with state and federal races was struck down by a state judge. The ruling from a judge in Syracuse on Tuesday provides a win to Republicans who claimed it was a partisan effort by Democrats to