AP-National

By The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Broadway star Phillipa Soo has not forgotten her childhood stage fright. The Grammy-winning actor and singer known for her roles in “Hamilton,” “Into the Woods” and other musicals is collaborating with her sister-in-law Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrator Qin Leng on a picture book about a girl

By ANWARULLAH KHAN and MUNIR AHMED Associated Press KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani officials say the death toll from an Islamic State group’s suicide bombing at a rally of a pro-Taliban cleric’s party over the weekend has risen to 63, after eight more of the wounded died in hospital. Sunday’s massive attack also left nearly

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Labor unions are marching across Nigeria to protest the soaring cost of living under the West African nation’s new president. The unions, made up of government workers, on Wednesday accused Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu of not acting fast enough to cushion the effects of his economic

By SALLY FRENCH of NerdWallet Two to three hours is generally the minimum recommended time for an international layover, but in some cases that might not even be sufficient. Account for time to clear customs and go through security again, and you might also need to retrieve and recheck luggage. To better guarantee a seamless

By MICHAEL CANTU Edmunds BMW and Mercedes-Benz are well known for their 7 Series and S-Class flagship sedans. But now you should get familiar with their electric counterparts: the BMW i7 and Mercedes EQS sedan. These two all-electric sedans are among the most expensive, technologically advanced and luxurious electric vehicles on the market. But which

By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States has expressed concerns over major land reclamation projects in Manila Bay, where its heavily secured embassy sits on one edge. The concern is partly due to the involvement of a Chinese company that’s been blacklisted by Washington for helping build islands in the

BERLIN (AP) — The Wacken Open Air heavy metal festival in northern Germany is opening with a reduced audience after persistent rain turned the grounds to mud. The weather forced organizers to order a halt to all new arrivals. Organizers of the famed music festival in a rural area northwest of Hamburg had already told

By TOUSSAINT N’GOTTA Associated Press ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Former Ivory Coast president Henri Konan Bédié has died Tuesday night at the age of 89, according to a communiqué from his party. State media reported that he was rushed from his hometown of Daoukro in central Ivory Coast yesterday evening after falling ill. He

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A powerful typhoon slammed Okinawa and other islands in southwestern Japan Wednesday with high winds injuring more than 30 people as it moved west making its way toward mainland China. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the typhoon is heading to the East China Sea, but may change

By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — The progressive political party that won the most seats in Thailand’s general election has been excluded from a coalition to form the next government. Conservative lawmakers strongly oppose the party over its proposed reform of a law banning criticism of the country’s monarchy. Thailand has struggled for

By SAM MEDNICK Associated Press NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s new military ruler lashed out at neighboring countries and the international community in a nationally televised speech Wednesday night, and he called on the population to be ready to defend the nation. In one of few addresses to the West African country since seizing power

ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish employee of the Swedish Consulate in Izmir in western Turkey is recovering in a hospital after being injured in a gun attack at the office in the port city. The lone gunman, a Turkish citizen from the eastern province of Agri, was arrested shortly after the attack on Tuesday, according

By SHEIKH SAALIQ and AIJAZ HUSSAIN Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s top court is hearing petitions challenging the constitutionality of the legislation passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in 2019 that stripped disputed Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, scrapped its separate constitution and removed inherited protections on land and jobs. The five-judge constitutional

By NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has launched a surprise military drill on disputed islands in the Persian Gulf, just as the U.S. military increase its presence in the region over recent ship seizures by Tehran. The drill Wednesday focused primarily on Abu Musa Island,

By HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drones on Wednesday hit a Ukrainian port city along the border with Romania, causing significant damage and a huge fire at facilities that are key to Ukrainian grain exports. The attacks followed the end of a deal with Russia that had allowed Ukrainian shipments to

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street lower on Thursday after Fitch Ratings cut the United States government’s credit rating. Tokyo’s market benchmark fell almost 1.5%. Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul declined. Oil prices edged higher. Wall Street turned in its biggest one-day decline in months after

By ZANE IRWIN and BABA AHMED Associated Press BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The pending pullout of U.N. peacekeepers from Mali is creating worries about what the withdrawal will mean for thousands of citizens who built livelihoods at and around the mission’s bases. In June, the West African nation’s military junta ordered the U.N. mission in

By EDNA TARIGAN Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia has bought 12 surveillance and reconnaissance drones worth $300 million from Turkish Aerospace to be used by its military to strengthen the nation’s defenses, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The purchase aims to increase the variety, quantity and quality of Indonesia’s military defense equipment. The