AP-National

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s government says it has banned all Swatch watches that contain lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer elements. It said Thursday that anyone found with a Swatch watch, or even Swatch wrappers and boxes containing LGBTQ+ elements, could be jailed for up to three years and fined heavily. The Home

By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s government and residents say the military has recaptured several areas in the embattled Amhara region from local militia fighters. Details of dozens of civilians killed have begun to emerge amid an internet shutdown. The goverment says the military has reclaimed control of six towns including

By RAFIQ MAQBOOL Associated Press MUMBAI, India (AP) — Fans of Rajinikanth, one of India’s biggest movie superstars, are thronging theaters and celebrating with dancing and prayers as his latest film hits screens. The first screening began at 6 a.m. local time on Thursday. One theater in Mumbai stopped the movie for a minute when

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s defense minister says the country intends to put 10,000 soldiers along its border with Belarus. His statement Thursday comes as Warsaw worries about the presence of Russian-linked mercenaries in Belarus and migrants trying to cross the border without authorization. For two years, Poland has contended

BEIJING (AP) — China has increased the number of countries that its big-spending tourists can visit by more than 70 following the lifting of its last COVID-19 travel restrictions. The decision comes as international flights gradually return to their pre-pandemic levels. China implemented draconian controls within the country and almost entirely closed its borders after

By KANIS LEUNG Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong police have arrested 10 people on suspicion of endangering national security through their alleged involvement with a now-defunct fund that aimed to help people arrested in 2019 pro-democracy protests. Police said Thursday the 10 people were suspected of conspiring to collude with the 612

By ILLIA NOVIKOV and EMMA BURROWS Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation Thursday of nearly 12,000 civilians from 37 towns and villages in the eastern Kharkiv region, where Russian forces reportedly are making a concerted effort to punch through the front line. The local military administration in Kharkiv’s Kupiansk

By SAM MEDNICK and CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s junta told a top U.S. diplomat that they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if neighboring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule, two Western officials told The Associated Press. They spoke to the AP shortly before the West African

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — A Lebanese security official says two bullets hit the car of the country’s caretaker defense minister while he was in a convoy near Beirut. No one was hurt. Defense Minister Maurice Sleem confirmed the shooting on Thursday in the Beirut neighborhood of Hazmieh but did not provide

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift closed the 2023 U.S. leg of her landmark Eras Tour in Los Angeles in a big way by announcing the fourth edition of her re-recording project: “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” After playing a few tracks from her “1989” era live Wednesday, she approached the

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are rising Thursday as Wall Street lets out a bit of an exhale following the latest update on inflation across the U.S. The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher in afternoon trading and on track for just its second winning day in the last eight.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A Palestinian militant group says Israeli forces have shot and killed one of its members in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli troops killed the 27-year-old in the West Bank town of Zawata, north of the city Nablus. The area has been a flashpoint for violence

By KEVIN McGILL Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Officials have broken ground in southeast Louisiana on a nearly $3 billion project to fight coastal wetland loss. It involves building massive gates in a section of levee in a rural area southeast of New Orleans and creating a channel to divert some of the Mississippi

By AUDREY MCAVOY, JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER and NICK PERRY Associated Press WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — The search of the wildfire wreckage on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of burned out homes and obliterated communities as firefighters battled the stubborn blaze that has already claimed 36 lives, making it the deadliest

By NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — For months, Iranian authorities did little to enforce the law on women covering their hair but now the country’s theocracy is pushing to make businesses the new battleground over the mandatory headscarf. The effort comes ahead of the first anniversary of nationwide protests

By RIO YAMAT Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Food service workers at a Las Vegas Strip arena who want higher pay and better benefits are set to rally on the famed tourist corridor. The gathering is scheduled for Thursday evening. It highlights the Culinary Workers Union’s ongoing contract negotiations with Levy Premium Food Service.

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military to sharpen its war plans and signed off on expanding combat operations of frontline units. That’s according to state media Thursday. Kim’s comments during a meeting with his top military brass Thursday came as the

By JOCELYN GECKER Associated Press When philosophy professor Darren Hick came across another case of cheating in his classroom at Furman University last semester, he posted an update to his followers on social media: “Aaaaand, I’ve caught my second ChatGPT plagiarist.” Friends and colleagues responded, some with wide-eyed emojis. Others expressed surprise. “Only 2?! I’ve