AP-National

BERLIN (AP) — Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen had an unusual encounter during an official visit to Moldova when the country’s first dog, a rescue belonging to Moldovan President Maia Sandu, bit him on the hand. Video footage from Moldovan media showed van der Bellen standing with Sandu and Codrut, her rescue dog, during

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Daisaku Ikeda, who headed Soka Gakkai, a Japanese Buddhist organization, that includes Herbie Hancock and other celebrities in its fold, has died. The Japanese religious organization said Saturday that Ikeda, 95, died on Nov. 15 at his Tokyo home from “natural causes.” Along with his two predecessors,

By NAJIB JOBAIN, BASSEM MROUE and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A United Nations team said Sunday that 291 patients were left at Gaza’s largest hospital after Israeli troops had others evacuate. Those left included 32 babies in extremely critical condition, trauma patients with severely infected wounds and others with

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press Jordan’s foreign minister offered blistering criticism Saturday of Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, describing it as “blatant aggression” against Palestinian civilians that threatens to engulf the wider Middle East. Ayman Safadi’s harsh assessment, alleging Israel was committing “war crimes” by besieging the Gaza Strip and cutting off

By ROB GILLIES Associated Press HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — A Canadian security forum has presented an award to the people of Israel for for 75 years of democracy following the Hamas incursion into the country that left some 1,200 people dead and 240 abducted. The Halifax International Security Forum presents the award annually in

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union has overwhelmingly ratified a new contract with Ford and Stellantis, a pact that, along with similar deals with General Motors, will raise pay across the industry. Ford workers voted 69.3% in favor of the pact, which passed with nearly a 15,000-vote

By SARA CLINE Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Republicans in Louisiana have swept three runoff races for powerful statewide offices: attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer. The GOP success secures control over all of Louisiana’s statewide elected positions. Liz Murrill was elected as attorney general Saturday, Nancy Landry as secretary of state

By HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — When Tymofii Postoiuk and his friends set up an online fundraising effort for Ukraine, donations poured in from around the globe, helping to purchase essential equipment for Ukrainian armed forces. As the fighting with Russia wore on and war fatigue set in, the donations slowed down,

By GENE JOHNSON and ED KOMENDA Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — The suspicious letters sent to vote centers and government buildings in six states this month were undeniably scary, some containing traces of fentanyl or white powder, accompanied by not-so-veiled threats and dubious political symbols. Harkening back to the anthrax attacks that killed five people

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A new museum in Barcelona is offering a second chance to controversial artworks that have suffered censorship for religious, sexual, political or commercial reasons. The Museum of Forbidden Art opened in late October with over 40 pieces from around the world that have been deemed offensive

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Iranian-backed militants in Iraq and Syria have long battled with U.S. and coalition forces, launching sporadic attacks against bases in the region where troops are deployed to fight Islamic State group insurgents. But since Oct. 17, as civilian deaths in Israel’s war against Hamas began to

By HANNAH FINGERHUT, JILL COLVIN and THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Former President Donald Trump celebrated a win in a closely watched election case during a return visit to Iowa Saturday, where he blasted his political foes and encouraged his supporters to not move past their grievances with President Joe Biden.

By MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — Video montages of sash-clad pageant contestants strolling beaches in El Salvador, snapping selfies in front of fireworks and wandering the streets of downtown San Salvador speckled social media this week as celebrations for the Miss Universe 2023 pageant kicked off in the Central American country. “As

By DAVID BILLER and DANIEL POLITI Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — This may sound familiar: A self-styled outsider aims to win the presidency and purge the political establishment so he can restore order to a broken nation — if only he can overcome a system rigged against him. But this isn’t former President

By TRISHA AHMED Associated Press/Report for America The leader of a South Dakota tribe says he will declare a state of emergency on a reservation because of rampant crime including gun violence, drug offenses and rapes. Oglala Sioux President Frank Star Comes Out says the declaration planned for Saturday on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

By BISWAJEET BANERJEE Associated Press LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Forty-one workers remained trapped in a collapsed road tunnel in northern India for a seventh day Saturday as a new drilling machine arrived on site to replace the damaged one. The nature of the exceptionally hard rock formation in the area coupled with the clearing of

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A lawsuit by singer Cassie containing allegations of beatings and abuse by music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs has been settled, the artists announced Friday, one day after the lawsuit was filed. The settlement was announced in a statement sent by attorney Douglas Wigdor, who represents Cassie,

By DIDI TANG Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The 92-year-old businessman who represented Taiwan at this week’s summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in San Francisco expressed hope Friday that the meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping should help to reduce tensions between the two superpowers and in the region. Morris Chang,

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s two main opposition parties have failed to agree on a joint candidate for president, once again throwing into doubt their ability to unseat the ruling party in January’s election. The Nationalist Party and the Taiwan People’s Party were expected to announce an agreed-upon candidate Saturday at a news conference. Instead,

MEXICO CITY (AP) — After dogs were seen nibbling at human body parts, activists in western Mexico are demanding authorities keep digging at what appears to be a clandestine burial site. A group representing families of some of Mexico’s more than 112,000 missing people expressed concerned that police would leave the site on the outskirts