AP National

Associated Press TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albanian opposition lawmakers have protested in Parliament, burning effigies and clashing with bodyguards, after one of their colleagues was convicted of slander and imprisoned. The conservative Democrat lawmakers, who had called for a boycott of Thursday’s session, tried to block their colleagues from the governing Socialist Party from entering

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — The speaker of the Georgian parliament has signed into a law a bill that severely curtails LGBTQ+ rights in the country and mirrors legislation adopted in neighboring Russia. Shalva Papuashvili, the parliament speaker, wrote on social media that the legislation does “not reflect current, temporary, changing ideas and ideologies, but is

GENEVA (AP) — Winter sports are facing a long-time crisis because of climate change and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation has teamed up with the United Nations weather agency. It’s an initial five-year partnership between FIS and the World Meteorological Organization. It aims to help national ski federations, venues and race organizers better understand

Associated Press/Report for America HORSESHOE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It was just a month ago that Brooke Hiers left the state-issued emergency trailer where her family had lived since Hurricane Idalia slammed into her Gulf Coast fishing village of Horseshoe Beach in August 2023. Hiers and her husband Clint were still finishing the electrical work

Associated Press Donald Trump is fond of a data chart that shows the stark contrast of the U.S.-Mexico border crossings between his time in the White House and President Joe Biden’s tenure. The chart has annotations of claims with no evidence and incorrectly identifies when Trump left office. Trump narrowly dodged an assassin’s bullet by

Associated Press PENSACOLA, N.C. (AP) — Rescue crews and volunteers facing obstacles at every turn in North Carolina’s remote mountains paddled canoes across swollen rivers and steered horses past mudslides in the rush to reach those stranded or missing by Hurricane Helene’s rampage that killed more than 200 throughout the Southeast. Now a week since

Associated Press LONG BEACH, Wash. (AP) — From clothes to metals used for manufacturing, most of the world’s everyday goods and raw materials moved over long distances are packed in large metal boxes the size of tractor-trailers and stacked on ships. Millions of containers cross the oceans every year. Not everything gets to its destination.

Associated Press EASTPOINTE, Mich. (AP) — Some Michigan Democrats are raising concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid in a crucial swing state. Harris’ abbreviated campaign due to President Joe Biden only exiting the race in July has left little time to connect with voters. This has revived memories of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss

Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Republican challenger David McCormick have held the first debate in their race for a swing-state seat. Casey tried to drive home the message that McCormick is a carpetbagging ex-hedge fund CEO. McCormick painted Casey as a weak career politician. Each candidate

Associated Press LAN SAK, Thailand (AP) — A small town in central Thailand is holding a mass funeral for the 23 students and teachers who died in a bus fire while on a school trip earlier this week. Families and friends of the dead, who tearfully recalled the children’s short lives, were joined at their

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene has brought climate change to the forefront of the presidential campaign after the issue lingered on the margins for months. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia Wednesday to see hard-hit areas, two days after her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, was in

Associated Press LONG BEACH, Wash. (AP) — Russ Lewis has picked up some strange things along the coast of Long Beach Peninsula in Washington state over the years: Hot Wheels bicycle helmets with feather tufts, life-size plastic turkey decoys made for hunters, colorful squirt guns. And Crocs — so many mismatched Crocs. If you find

MIAMI (AP) — Forecasters say Tropical Storm Leslie has formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen into a hurricane by the weekend. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, and the storm system was not yet deemed a threat to land. The Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm was

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A former Singaporean Cabinet minister was sentenced Thursday to a year in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of receiving illegal gifts, in a rare criminal case involving a minister in the Asian financial hub. Former Transport Minister S. Iswaran had pleaded guilty last week to one count of

Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man has been convicted of threatening to assault former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Prosecutors say 45-year-old Richard Rogers made the threat during a series of more than 100 calls to the Republican lawmaker’s office in February 2023. He was upset that the government had not shot down

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it would ban the import of goods from a Chinese steel manufacturer and a Chinese maker of artificial sweetener. The agency on Wednesday accused the companies of being involved in the use of forced labor from China’s far-west region of Xinjiang. The

Associated Press FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Defense lawyers say they will seek a mistrial for a former police officer on trial in the fatal shooting a shoplifting suspect outside a busy northern Virginia mall after prosecutors’ closing argument included evidence that was never introduced at trial. The jury heard prosecutors’ closing argument Wednesday against former

Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s police chief says an officer followed protocol when he shot a fleeing armed man eight times, killing him. Twenty-two-year-old Steven Phipps died in a hospital after the Saturday shooting. Omaha police Chief Todd Schmaderer on Wednesday told reporters Phipps was pulled over for expired plates when he ran

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the agency tasked with helping communities recover from Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters does not have enough money to make it through the hurricane season. Mayorkas told reporters on Air Force One that the Federal Emergency Management Agency can meet immediate needs, but

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A chance for parole has been rescinded for a former Los Angeles police detective convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend’s wife in 1986. Stephanie Lazarus is serving a sentence of 27 years to life for the death of Sherri Rasmussen. The victim was a 29-year-old nurse who was bludgeoned and shot to

CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped their case against the last of three men accused of killing an off-duty Chicago police officer in 2011. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that prosecutors dropped charges against Alexander Villa during a court hearing Wednesday. Villa, Tyrone Clay and Edgardo Colon were all charged in the shooting death of Officer

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The Dominican Republic says it will start massive deportations of Haitians living illegally in the country and expel up to 10,000 of them a week. Government spokesman Homero Figueroa said Wednesday that the government took the decision after noticing an “excess” of Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic, which

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance on Wednesday again refused to say who he believed won the 2020 presidential election, which has been the persistent focus of false claims by his running mate, Donald Trump. Vance, speaking in Michigan a day after appearing in a debate with Democrat Tim Walz,

AP Medical Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates dipped last year and the proportion of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Wednesday. The share of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 3.3%, up from 3% the year before. Meanwhile, 92.7% of kindergartners got their

Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — An independent group of election experts that observed Venezuela’s July presidential election has legitimized the vote tally sheets that the country’s opposition has offered as proof of President Nicolás Maduro’s defeat. Jennie Lincoln led the Carter Center’s mission to Venezuela. She told the Organization of American States Wednesday that

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fernando Valenzuela is stepping away from his broadcast duties with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the rest of the season so the former major league pitcher can focus on his health. Valenzuela, who turns 64 on Nov. 1, is a Spanish language broadcaster for LA. The Dodgers say he is hoping

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has taken action to immediately implement a sweeping new gun law in her state. The law cracks down on privately made, unserialized “ghost guns,” criminalizes possession of bump stocks and trigger cranks and requires applicants for a gun license complete live-fire training. The new law was

Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A civil rights group is suing the city of Albuquerque, its police department and top officials on behalf of a man who was among those arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and later forced to pay bribes to get the charges dropped. The DWI scandal has spurred a

Associated Press Whether a 2-year-old beaver named Nibi gets to stay with the rescuers she has known since she was a baby or must be released into the wild as winter approaches in Massachusetts has ended up in court — and caused such an uproar that even the governor has weighed in. “To literally see

Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Anti-abortion leaders say they’re undeterred by Donald Trump’s comments that he would veto a federal abortion ban. The Republican presidential nominee said for the first time Tuesday night that “everyone knows I would not support a federal abortion ban, under any circumstances, and would, in fact, veto it.” Trump had

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations has called Israel’s ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering the country a political statement by its foreign minister and stressed that the world body’s contacts with Israel will continue “because they have to.” A U.N. spokesman told reporters Wednesday that Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz deeming

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A Massachusetts couple have been indicted on suspicion of casting ballots in New Hampshire despite living outside the state. New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced last week that the two each face three felony counts of wrongful voting, The indictments accused them of voting multiple times in Concord despite living

Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — U.S. authorities have charged five Chinese nationals with lying and trying to cover their tracks. It comes more than a year after they were confronted in the dark near a remote Michigan military site where thousands of people had gathered for drills. The five were University of Michigan students at

AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard expects to be fined by the NFL for his celebration after a catch against Denver last Sunday that included what officials deemed to be a gun-like gesture. Lazard called the situation “very, very silly.” The wide receiver said his

Associated Press ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland officials have approved a $2.75 million settlement to resolve a federal investigation into discriminatory hiring practices affecting 48 Black and female applicants to the Maryland State Police. The settlement was approved Wednesday by the Maryland Board of Public Works and will include changes to how applicants are tested.

Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the issue of gun violence came up at the vice presidential debate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had a personal story to tell: His teenage son, Gus, had been at a sports center last year when a shooting took place. Gus Walz was at volleyball practice at the Jimmy Lee

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The massive port workers’ strike that has shut down all the major dockyards on the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. and the Gulf coast is highlighting a fear held by many workers: Eventually, we will be replaced by machines. The International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents the approximately 45,000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A new lawsuit alleges that some New Mexico residents with felony convictions have been wrongly denied ballot access despite state lawmakers restoring their voting rights. The lawsuit filed last week in Santa Fe by Millions For Prisoners, a group that advocates for people who are incarcerated or used to be, contends

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Officials say Malaysia’s prime minister has arrived in Pakistan’s capital on his first official visit which is aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries. Anwar Ibrahim was received by his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif when his plane landed at an airport near Islamabad on Wednesday. Ibrahim will hold a formal meeting

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed measures that allow defendants in criminal cases to avoid prosecution if they join the military. The move comes as military manpower needs remain high in the more than 2 1/2-year-old conflict in Ukraine. The measures amend a section of the Russian criminal code that stated convicts

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the U.S. government’s cybersecurity agency says security for the nation’s election systems has become so robust that Russia, Iran or any other foreign adversary won’t be able to alter the outcome of this year’s presidential race. Jen Easterly is director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security

Associated Press HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A lawyer for a pro-Palestinian protester charged with violating a New York county’s face mask ban for wearing a keffiyeh scarf is questioning whether the arrest was justified. Geoffrey Stewart said Wednesday that his client, Xavier Roa, was merely exercising his constitutionally protected free speech rights as he led

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — The remains of nine more Native American children who died at a notorious government-run boarding school in Pennsylvania over a century ago were disinterred from a small Army cemetery and returned to families, authorities said Wednesday. The remains were buried on the grounds of the Carlisle Barracks, home of the U.S.

Associated Press ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Americans are once again free to bet on the outcome of U.S. congressional elections, at least temporarily. A federal appeals court on Wednesday dissolved an order it had previously issued that prevented New York startup company Kalshi from taking bets on which political party would control the House

MIAMI (AP) — The claim to Shohei Ohtani’s potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball. According to online records, the latest suit was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court, and the defendants

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan court says concert promoter Live Nation isn’t responsible for the deaths of three young men who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator while camping at a concert. The three were camping at a Michigan music festival in 2021 when they died. Family members said the small campsites

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it is “right” that he paid back more than 6,000 pounds worth of gifts and hospitality. Starmer, who became prime minister in July, has faced criticism for the scale of the donations that he received while leader of the opposition against the former Conservative government. Though

Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s Interior Ministry says four Iraqi troops have been killed in an ambush by the extremist Islamic State group. Wednesday’s attack came days after the U.S. military announced that troops from its coalition against IS in Iraq and Syria will withdraw from Iraqi territory next year but maintain a presence

Shares of Humana have tumbled after the health insurer said a Medicare Advantage quality rating drop will hurt future bonus payments the company receives. The insurer said the share of its customers currently enrolled in plans rated four stars or higher for 2025 is down to 25% from 94% this year. Humana said the rating

Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — The wildfire that killed at least 102 people on Maui last year erupted from an earlier brushfire, sparked by downed power lines, that firefighters believed they had extinguished, officials confirmed Wednesday as they presented their findings on the cause. The Aug. 8, 2023, blaze — the deadliest U.S. wildfire in

CAMPBELL, Wis. (AP) — A massive fire at a western Wisconsin recycling facility is finally out. The blaze broke out at Omaha Track in the town of Campbell on French Island, just outside the city of La Crosse, around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. The facility grinds up scrap railway ties and other materials into chips that

AP Film Writer Saoirse Ronan is having a big fall with two major films coming to theaters. First is “The Outrun,” an adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s memoir of alcoholism and recovery that she stars in and produced alongside her husband Jack Lowden. It opens in theaters Friday. Next is Steve McQueen’s highly anticipated “Blitz,” in

BALTIMORE (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to strangling his cellmate to death in Baltimore’s jail two years ago. The plea entered Tuesday concludes the prosecution of a case that raised significant questions about operations in the detention center and the city’s backlogged court system. Thirty-five-year-old Gordon Staron was charged with first-degree murder in

Associated Press HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Helene dumped heavy rain on a mountainous region hundreds of miles away from the coast. Some residents who live in the Appalachian Mountains were surprised they faced such a severe threat from flooding — and climate change is making that threat worse. The landscape adds to the problem.

NEW YORK (AP) — Please disregard US–Theft-Diamond Ring Swap, published on Oct. 2, 2024, and datelined in NEW YORK. It is an older story that was retransmitted in error.

ROME (AP) — The Vatican bank has fired two employees on the grounds that their recent wedding violates a new ban on workplace marriages. The Institute for Religious Works said it took the “difficult decision” to fire the couple, who have three children, after neither one agreed to resign voluntarily to allow the other to

Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — More than 100 people, mostly women and children, were missing after an overloaded boat bringing them back from an Islamic festival at night capsized in northwestern Nigeria, authorities said Wednesday. The locally made boat, whose capacity was 100 passengers, had about 300 people onboard along the Niger River when

AP Science Writer NEW YORK (AP) — To save power, NASA has switched off another scientific instrument on its long-running Voyager 2 spacecraft. The space agency said Tuesday that Voyager 2’s plasma science instrument — designed to measure the flow of charged atoms — was powered down in late September so the spacecraft can keep