AP-National

By ALEXA ST. JOHN Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — The Biden administration is handing out almost $830 million in grants for 80 projects around the country aimed at toughening infrastructure against the extreme weather of climate change. The money will pay for things like moving roads, raising bridges, improving drainage and improving evacuation routes. And

By GRANT PECK Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Guerrillas from the Karen ethnic minority in Myanmar claim to have captured the last of the army’s outposts in Myawaddy township in the east of the country, virtually clearing the way for them to take the border town that is the major crossing point for trade with

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The Augusta National that Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and the rest of golf’s greats played during their practice rounds for the Masters was a bit different than what greeted them Thursday after they drove down Magnolia Lane. A storm system that raked the southeast with

MADRID (AP) — A Czech tourist has died after falling into the sea while apparently taking photographs of huge waves during a storm on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Authorities say the 53-year-old died Wednesday afternoon in the town of Puerto de la Cruz. Authorities had warned of possible flooding in coastal areas due to

By BABA AHMED Associated Press BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s ruling junta has issued a decree suspending all political activities until further notice, citing a need to preserve public order. The a move follows last year’s decision to call off elections indefinitely. Junta spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga read out the statement on state television Wednesday evening,

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia on Thursday successfully test-launched a new heavy-lift rocket from its Far Eastern space complex, a lift-off that comes after two aborted attempts earlier this week. The first attempt to launch the Angara-A5 rocket from the Vostochny spaceport on Tuesday was canceled about two minutes before the scheduled liftoff due to a

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands more firearms dealers across the United States will have to run background checks on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores, according to a Biden administration rule that will soon go into effect. The rule aims to close a

By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday that U.S. defense commitment to Pacific allies was “ironclad” as he gathered Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House in the midst of growing concern about provocative Chinese military action in

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A Vietnam court has sentenced real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death in the country’s largest financial fraud case. The 67-year-old chair of real estate company Van Thinh Phat was accused of fraud amounting to $12.5 billion — nearly 3% of the country’s 2022 GDP.

BERLIN (AP) — Lufthansa and a union representing cabin crew have reached a pay deal, concluding the last of several major disputes that have led to recent strikes at Germany’s biggest airline and in the country’s wider aviation sector. The UFO union said Thursday that nearly 19,000 cabin crew will get a pay rise effectively

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s interior minister says police have seized the third largest haul of cocaine in the country’s history. Ali Yerlikaya announced Thursday that 608 kilograms (1,340 pounds) of the drug, most of it in liquid form, have been confiscated in an operation across three provinces. Groups monitoring organized crime say Turkey is growing

By SAMYA KULLAB and ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s parliament has passed a controversial law that will govern how the country calls up new soldiers at a time when it needs to replenish depleted forces who are increasingly struggling to fend off Russia’s advance. The law was passed Thursday against a

By DAVID McHUGH AP Business Writer FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank has opened the door for an interest rate cut as early as its June meeting. The bank left rates unchanged Thursday but said there are signs that inflation is finally heading toward its goal of 2%.Bank President Christine Lagarde said that

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani official says a bus crash has killed 17 people and injured 16 others in the country’s southwest. They were travelling to a revered religious site in Baluchistan late Wednesday, the first day of Eid Al-Fitr celebrations and a public holiday in Pakistan, according to a spokesperson for the provincial

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities say special forces killed two people suspected of plotting terror attacks in a shootout in the country’s south on Thursday. The National Antiterror Committee said the suspects were blockaded on the outskirts of Nalchik, capital of the Kabardino-Balkaria republic, and opened fire on Federal Security Service forces. The committee did

By ZIMO ZHONG Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Asia stocks were mostly lower on Friday after gains for Big Tech shares helped U.S. stock indexes claw back much of their slide from the day before. U.S. futures and oil prices were higher. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index was up 0.4% at 39,609.60, with

By MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments related to voter fraud allegations made after the 2016 election. The Thursday hearing sets the stage for how partisan officials can pursue claims of voter fraud in future state elections. A group of four voters claimed in a

By MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press Nebraska lawmakers are on track to pass a bill that would circumvent voters who could repeal a new law that funds private school tuition with taxpayer money. The bill by Omaha Sen. Lou Ann Linehan advanced Wednesday. Linehan is the author of last year’s measure allowing businesses and people

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press KADUNA, Nigeria (AP) — His weak body stood in the doorway, exhausted and covered in dirt. For two years, the boy had been among Nigeria’s ghosts, one of at least 1,500 schoolchildren and others seized by armed groups and held for ransom. But paying a ransom didn’t work for 12-year-old

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s parliament is holding a long-awaited debate on liberalizing the country’s strict abortion law. The traditionally Catholic nation has one of the most restrictive laws in Europe. But many women terminate pregnancies at home with pills mailed from abroad. A 1993 law passed under the influence