AP-National

By LAURA UNGAR AP Science Writer Scientists are setting out to collect genetic material from 500,000 people of African ancestry to create the world’s largest database of genomic information from the population. They hope to build a new “reference genome” to compare to full sets of DNA from individuals. Research shows less than 2% of

By GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Bloomberg Philanthropies unveiled a $50 million initiative Wednesday to help cities address global issues, including climate change, by launching programs proven effective in other cities around the world. The Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange will give city governments grants for startup costs and technical support, as

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former Missouri detective convicted in the 2019 death a Black man plans another appeal and is asking for bond. Eric J. DeValkenaere’s lawyer on Wednesday asked for his release pending a rehearing or appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. The former Kansas City detective had been free on bond

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The next book by Erik Larson, known for the best-selling “The Devil in the White City,” is a work of Civil War history inspired in part by current events. Crown announced Wednesday that Larson’s “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken says new U.S. sanctions are “directed at Hamas terrorists and their support network,” not at Palestinians. The U.S. on Wednesday announced sanctions against a group of 10 Hamas members and the Palestinian militant organization’s financial network in response to the surprise attack

By TOM MURPHY and HALELUYA HADERO Associated Press Amazon will soon make prescription drugs fall from the sky when the e-commerce giant becomes the latest company to test drone deliveries for medications. The company said Wednesday that customers in College Station, Texas, can now get prescriptions delivered by a drone within an hour of placing

SAMUEL PETREQUIN BRUSSELS (AP) — The suspected attacker who killed two Swedish soccer fans in Brussels this week before he was shot dead by police resided in Belgium illegally and had been ordered to leave Belgium years ago. He never left. In a country that has been repeatedly rocked by extremist attacks, the government’s inability

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Now that she’s stepped back from the sport she dominated like few others, Serena Williams is ready to reflect. The tennis great has a two-book deal with the Random House Publishing Group, starting with an “intimate” memoir in which she will open up about everything

By SOPHENG CHEANG Associated Press PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A leading Cambodian opposition politician who was sentenced last month to 18 months in prison on charges of issuing worthless checks has been convicted and sentenced to three more years of imprisonment for alleged incitement to commit a felony and to discriminate. The case against

By ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Local authorities say a Russian missile attack has killed two civilians in an apartment building in southern Ukraine. Also Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin made light of a new U.S.-supplied weapon that Kyiv used to execute one of the most damaging attacks on the Kremlin’s air assets

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African officials are hoping the gradual recovery of one of the country’s biggest coal-fired power stations will reduce its crippling power blackouts. At least two units at the Kusile power station have been restored in the last three weeks, adding 1,600 megawatts to the national grid

LONDON (AP) — Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been charged with a public order offense after being arrested at a demonstration against an oil industry conference in London. The Metropolitan Police force said Wednesday that she was one of 26 people charged after protesters gathered outside the luxury InterContinental Hotel during the Energy Intelligence Forum.

ELAINE GANLEY Associated Press PARIS (AP) — The Palace of Versailles and three airports in cities across France were evacuated for security reasons and temporarily closed Wednesday. The incidents were the latest in a spate of evacuations in the past five days around France. The former royal chateau of Versailles apologized to visitors for forcing

By NICK KURCZEWSKI Edmunds Waiting is never easy, but it’s worth it for car shoppers who want the most car for their money. The automotive experts at Edmunds have picked five vehicles coming soon that have attention-grabbing exterior designs, increased off-road capability, and high-tech cabins with tons of passenger space. The five choices include full-electrics

By The Associated Press Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has thanked North Korea for its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine as he arrived in Pyongyang. He spoke Wednesday on a visit that comes days after the United States said the North had transferred munitions to Russia to boost its warfighting capabilities. Lavrov said his

By SARAH SCHLICHTER of NerdWallet October is the ASPCA’s Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. If you’re thinking about adding a rescue dog to your family, you may want to consider buying pet insurance coverage to help keep your furry new friend healthy. Pet insurance isn’t right for everyone. For example, it can be pricey if

By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations’ World Food Program is appealing for $19 million to provide emergency assistance to tens of thousands of people affected by a series of devastating earthquakes and aftershocks that has rocked western Afghanistan. Ana Maria Salhuana, deputy country director of the World Food Program in

By SAMY MAGDY and JOSEPH KRAUSS Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Within hours after a blast was said to have killed hundreds at a Gaza hospital, protesters hurled stones at Palestinian security forces in the occupied West Bank and at riot police in neighboring Jordan, venting fury at their leaders for failing to stop the

MOSCOW (AP) — The lower house of Russia’s parliament has approved a bill revoking the ratification of a global nuclear test ban treaty, a move Moscow described as putting it on par with the United States. The State Duma lawmakers voted unanimously to revoke the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on Wednesday.

By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — Elon Musk’s social media platform X has begun charging a $1 fee to new users in the Philippines and New Zealand, in a test designed to cut down on the spam and fake accounts flourishing on the site formerly known as Twitter. The company said late