AP-National

PLUM, Pa. (AP) — The owners of a home that exploded in western Pennsylvania last weekend were having issues with their hot water tank, authorities said, but the cause of the blast that killed five people — including two municipal officials — remains under investigation. The explosion in Plum destroyed three structures and damaged at

By MARTÍN ADAMES ALCÁNTARA and DÁNICA COTO Associated Press SAN CRISTOBAL, Dominican Republic (AP) — Authorities say the death toll from a powerful explosion near the capital of the Dominican Republic has risen to 11 as firefighters are searching through the smoldering rubble. More than 50 people were injured in Monday’s explosion at a bustling

By THALIA BEATY Associated Press The presidents of 13 universities are elevating free speech on their campuses this academic year, as part of a new nonprofit initiative announced Tuesday. The Institute for Citizens & Scholars launched the initiative with funding from the Knight Foundation in response to what organizers see as threats to U.S. democracy.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Power is back in most of Brazil after a major blackout had left much of the north and northeast regions without any electricity for nearly six hours. The country’s energy ministry says that energy providers still have to make some adjustments in some cities. The outage occurred at 8:30 a.m.

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares declined Wednesday amid worries over discouraging data on China, as well as over the future of the U.S. economy. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 dropped 1.1% in morning trading to 31,879.84. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dove 1.4% to 7,204.00. South Korea’s Kospi dipped 1.2% to 2,539.48.

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Baseball Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Professional sports are a difficult career for athletes or coaches with a fear of flying. Hall of Fame football coach John Madden famously insisted on traveling across the United States by bus. Soccer star Dennis Bergkamp from the Netherlands was nicknamed “The Non-Flying Dutchman” for

By RONALD BLUM Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Opera Philadelphia is postponing a show to save money, and gearing up for a change in leadership. David Devan will retire next spring following 13 years as general director. Devan, who recently turned 60, says the organization shouldn’t have “a bunch of 60-, 70-year-olds figuring out

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Americans increased their purchases at retailers last month – for clothing, dining out, sporting goods and other areas – in a sign that solid consumer spending is still powering a resilient U.S. economy. Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.7% in July from June, according to

By MARTHA MENDOZA Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Child welfare advocates filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday asking a judge to force the Biden administration to block imports of cocoa harvested by children in West Africa that can end up in America’s most popular chocolate desserts and candies. The lawsuit, brought by International Rights Advocates, seeks

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas is suing Shell, alleging a fire at the oil giant’s Houston-area petrochemical plant damaged the environment. The lawsuit filed Aug. 7 in Travis County seeks more than $1 million in damages. A Shell spokesperson says the company is aware of the lawsuit but does not comment on pending litigation. The

By MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Officials say Pakistan’s anti-graft tribunal in the eastern city of Lahore has allowed authorities to interrogate the president of former premier Imran Khan’s party for a week to determine whether he was involved in corruption. Tuesday’s development comes a day after the National Accountability Bureau arrested Pervez

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian ex-priest convicted of sexually abusing children has had another 12 months added to his 39-year prison sentence for molesting a 72nd victim. Gerald Ridsdale has been in prison since 1994 for for abusing children between 1961 and 1988 while he worked as a Roman Catholic priest in churches and

By JACK JEFFERY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Medical authorities say clashes between rival militias in Libya’s capital have killed at least 27 people and left residents trapped in their homes. The fighting late Monday and Tuesday appeared to be the most intense to shake Tripoli this year. Libya’s Emergency Medicine and Support Center said

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO member Poland displayed its state-of-the-art weapons and defense systems at a massive military parade as war rages in neighboring Ukraine and ahead of parliamentary elections in two months. President Andrzej Duda said the protection of Poland’s eastern border is a key element of state policy.

By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A parliamentary committee in Kenya has launched an inquiry into alleged human rights violations and ethical breaches by a British army training unit that’s been active for decades in the East African country. Some Kenyans have raised concerns about the way British forces treat local residents

BEIJING (AP) — A vast swath of northeastern China is threatened by flooding as at least 90 rivers have risen above warning levels and 24 have already overflowed their banks. State media say crews are standing by to defend homes and farmland across the Songliao Basin north of Beijing which includes parts of four provinces

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA and YURAS KARMANAU Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland is deploying thousands of troops to its border with pro-Russian Belarus, calling it a deterrent move as tensions between the neighbors ratchet up. Officials in Belarus have been making hostile comments about Poland, a European Union and NATO member. Recently two Belarusian

ELIZABETH AYOOLA of NerdWallet When inflation is high, people usually reduce their spending.  In some cases, investors may turn to luxury goods, viewing them as investments that can hedge against inflation. The demand for luxury goods remains strong, and consumers may be considering luxury purchases for the long-term benefits. Before making that investment, they should

By JAMEY KEATEN and JACK JEFFERY Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — Twenty United Nations agencies and other international organizations are calling for peace, access to humanitarian support and respect for human rights in Sudan. The country in northeast Africa was plunged into chaos in April when months of simmering tensions between the military, led by

By ZANE IRWIN Associated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Gabon is refinancing $500 million of its debt through a deal aimed at directing more funds to ocean management. The so-called “debt-for-nature swap” is brokered by The Nature Conservancy, a leading international environmental NGO, which negotiated a deal with the Bank of America to buy back