Month: July 2023

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s central bank has left its benchmark interest rate at 4.1%  after inflation fell to 5.6% in May from 6.5% a month earlier. The Reserve Bank has lifted the cash rate 12 times since May 2022 to reduce inflation to a target range of 2% to 3%. Bank governor Philip Lowe

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press A Christian graphic artist who the Supreme Court said can refuse to make wedding websites for gay couples pointed during her lawsuit to a request from a man named “Stewart” and his husband-to-be. The twist? Stewart says it never happened. The revelation has raised questions about

By SONIA PÉREZ D. Associated Press GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A week after Guatemala’s June 25 elections boosted a relative long-shot candidate into the final second round of voting, the country’s top court has frozen certification of the election results. Several political parties filed appeals questioning the vote, and the court agreed to freeze certification

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam’s state media have reported that the government banned distribution of the popular “Barbie” movie because it includes a view of a map showing disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. The newspaper Vietnam Express and other media said posters advertising “Barbie” were removed from movie distributors’ websites after

By KANIS LEUNG Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader says the eight overseas-based activists who are wanted for alleged national security offenses will be pursued for life, dismissing criticism from Western governments over the police’s high-profile crackdown on the pro-democracy figures. Chief Executive John Lee expressed his support for the police’s efforts

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The American flag will be flown throughout the country on July 4, but it wasn’t always a revered and debated symbol. Unlike the right to assemble or trial by jury, the flag’s role was not prescribed by the founders: Flags would have been rare during early

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Tuesday after Wall Street hit a 15-month high ahead of a decision by Australia’s central bank on a possible interest rate hike. Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and Sydney retreated. Hong Kong gained. Oil prices rose. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index lost

MOSCOW (AP) — The US embassy says its ambassador to Russia was allowed to visit Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been behind bars in Russia since March on charges of espionage. The last visit was in April. The embassy confirmed Monday’s visit but did not immediately provide more information. The 31-year-old U.S.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in Philadelphia on Monday night, killing four people and wounding two others, police said. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at a news conference that all the victims were male. The suspect was arrested in an alley without incident, Outlaw said. He had a bulletproof

By ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police on Monday accused eight self-exiled pro-democracy activists of violating the territory’s harsh National Security Law and offered rewards of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,600) each for information leading to their arrests. The U.S. and Britain strongly condemned the move. The rewards are

By ALMUDENA CALATRAVA Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — An Argentine bishop named by Pope Francis to lead a powerful Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy is rejecting accusations that he refused to believe victims of sexual abuse by a priest in the South American country. He said he took some actions after the