AP-National

By MARCO DI MARCO Associated Press GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Wednesday for the fifth time since December, spewing red lava that once again threatened the coastal town of Grindavik and led to the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The eruption began in the early afternoon following

By GERALD IMRAY Associated Press CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa held a national election Wednesday that could be the country’s most hotly contested in 30 years, with the long-ruling African National Congress party facing a stern test to hold onto its majority. The ANC has been the majority party and in government

By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is urging the owners of about 84,000 older vehicles to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators have an increased risk of exploding in a crash and hurling dangerous metal fragments. Wednesday’s urgent request comes after one person in a Nissan was killed

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A Jewish veteran is preparing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Pvt. Mervyn Kersh was summoned by his commanding officer and threatened with arrest even as he prepared to embark for the battlefields of Normandy eight decades ago. The officer demanded to know why

By DINO HAZELL Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Months after the nation’s capital bid an emotional farewell to its giant pandas, the National Zoo is expecting a renewed surge in panda-mania with the announcement that two more of the furry black-and-white icons will be coming to Washington. The zoo announced Wednesday that a fresh agreement

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch police say that an international investigation is homing in on a gang of robbers believed to be responsible for a brazen multimillion-dollar jewelry heist at an art show in the Netherlands. They say two stolen gemstones have been recovered. Smartly dressed robbers wielding sledge hammers snatched jewelry from display

By FATMA KHALED Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Egypt and China have signed agreements deepening their cooperation during President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s visit to Beijing. El-Sissi, accompanied by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, witnessed the signing Wednesday together with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a ceremony that coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Egypt-China comprehensive

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Coming this fall: “The Tipping Point,” the sequel. Little, Brown and Co. announced Wednesday that Malcolm Gladwell’s “Revenge Of the Tipping Point” will be published Oct. 1. The book arrives nearly a quarter-century after Gladwell’s million-selling debut “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A fire believed to have been caused by a short circuit, has destroyed part of Miniland, a section of the Legoland theme park in western Denmark with replicas of famous buildings made of Lego bricks. A spokesperson for the park said Wednesday that the fire likely started in an electric car

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A preliminary investigation says rapid changes in the gravitational force led to a 178-feet altitude drop of a Singapore Airlines flight that left one passenger dead and many others who were not buckled up injured in extreme turbulence last week. A 73-year-old British man died of a suspected heart attack

By The Associated Press French President Emmanuel Macron says Western countries should let Ukraine strike military bases inside Russia with the sophisticated long-range weapons they are providing to Kyiv. It is the most recent sign of a potentially significant policy shift that could help change the complexion of the war. The question of whether to

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer ConocoPhillips is buying Marathon Oil in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $17.1 billion as energy prices rise and big oil companies reap massive profits. The deal is valued at $22.5 billion when including $5.4 billion in debt. Crude prices have jumped more than 12% this year and the

By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — About 6.5 million children in Afghanistan are forecast to experience crisis levels of hunger in 2024. That’s according to nongovernmental organization Save the Children. It says that nearly three out 10 Afghan children will face crisis or emergency levels of hunger this year. Afghanistan is facing the

By DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Haiti’s new prime minister says he is “very honored” to be chosen for the post, in his first statement since a transitional council selected him to lead the troubled Caribbean country. Garry Conille on Wednesday thanked the civil society groups, political parties and members

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A group working under the U.N. Human Rights Council has issued a wide-ranging report about rights in Japan, including discrimination against minorities and unhealthy working conditions. The report, issued this week, recommends changes in Japan, including more training to raise awareness of rights issues, enhancing diversity and

By BARBARA SURK Associated Press NICE, France (AP) — The French prosecutor in New Caledonia says authorities have opened an investigation into deadly unrest that has left seven people dead and significant destruction in the Pacific archipelago with decades of tensions between those seeking independence and those loyal to France. The violence flared on May

NEW YORK (AP) — The first day of jury deliberations in Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial has concluded after the panel sent two notes to the judge. The panel asked to rehear jury instructions and to rehear select testimony from two key witnesses: former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and Trump’s former lawyer Michael

By CHRISTIAN WARDLAW Edmunds Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. That’s why it’s important for young people to drive the safest vehicle that fits the budget. We’ve identified two used cars, two used SUVs, and one used pickup truck that provide good safety ratings coupled with a price under $20,000.

LONDON (AP) — Australian mining giant BHP Group has pledged to invest in South Africa’s economy as it seeks support for a 38.6 billion pound ($49.3 billion) bid to acquire Anglo American, which was founded in the country more than a century ago and remains one of its biggest employers. London-based Anglo American last week

By DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The top European Union cybersecurity official says that disruptive digital attacks have doubled in the 27-member bloc in recent months and election-related services are also being targeted. Many of the cyberattacks are traced to Russia-backed groups. European Union Agency for Cybersecurity chief Juhan Lepassaar told The