Month: June 2023

LONDON (AP) — Official figures show that the British economy bounced back in April amid strong sales at bars and pubs as well as a rebound in car purchases. The Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday that the economy grew by 0.2% during the month. The increase was in line with expectations but failed

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The president of the American University of Beirut says Cyprus bested 15 other countries as the most suitable to host the institution’s first overseas campus. It’s part of an expansion plan that was initiated in 2018 but was expedited following the catastrophic Beirut port explosion in August 2020. President Fadlo R.

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces fired cruise missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, killing at least three people and injuring more than a dozen others in a strike that damaged homes, a warehouse, shops and cafes downtown, the regional state administration said Wednesday. The attack launched

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — Authorities worldwide are racing to rein in artificial intelligence, including in the European Union, where groundbreaking legislation passed a key hurdle. European Parliament lawmakers voted Wednesday on the proposal. It’s part of a yearslong effort by Brussels to draw up guardrails for artificial intelligence. That has

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A large search and rescue operation has been launched off the southern coast of Greece after a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized. More than 80 people have been rescued following the nighttime incident that occurred early Wednesday some 75 kilometers (46 miles) southwest of Greece’s southern Peloponnese region. Six coast guard

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press BAR ELIAS, Lebanon (AP) — Six months after she got the call informing her that her U.N. assistance would be cut, Najwa al-Jassem is struggling to feed her four children and pay rent for their tent in a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. She once received food

By SIMINA MISTREANU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang shared concerns on a phone call ahead of a possible visit by the U.S. official to China meant to shore up relations. Blinken’s official Twitter account said the two “discussed ongoing efforts to

By VICTORIA MILKO Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Power outages are leaving Vietnamese homes and businesses without power for hours at a time, as a prolonged drought and high temperatures strain the fast-growing economy’s capacity to keep up. A long-anticipated plan meant to fix the energy crunch and help achieve ambitious climate change goals

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday after a cooler reading on U.S. inflation buoyed hopes the Federal Reserve will postpone a possible interest rate hike. Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney rose while Hong Kong and Seoul declined. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index gained 0.7% to a

By HARM VENHUIZEN Associated Press/Report for America MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers have suspended a vote on funding for University of Wisconsin campuses, just hours after a top GOP leader promised to slash the college system’s budget as part of an ongoing fight over diversity and inclusion initiatives. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, the state’s

By LISA RATHKE Associated Press SHELBURNE, Vt. (AP) — Vineyards and apple orchards across the Northeast are still gauging damage from a late-season frost in May that wiped out a third to most of the crop for some growers who say it’s the worst frost damage they’ve ever seen. Some states are seeking federal disaster

By MELINA WALLING Associated Press New research from North Carolina State University offers some hope to fruit growers who have struggled with a damaging fruit fly. The research published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes how the researchers manipulated the insects’ DNA so that female offspring would be sterile.

By MARK PRATT Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Old North Church played a pivotal role in the nation’s fight for independence and has continued to be an active house of worship for 300 years. Today, one of Boston’s most popular tourist attractions is also, for the first time, a theater hosting an original play. “Revolution’s