AP-National

By ILLIA NOVIKOV and BARRY HATTON Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has scoffed at the possibility of his country launching an attack on a NATO member, calling it “sheer nonsense.” But he warned late Wednesday that any Western air base hosting U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets that are slated for deployment

By GLENN GAMBOA AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg are among the diverse group of political, business and philanthropic leaders Global Citizen will convene in New York on May 1 and 2, the nonprofit announced on Thursday. The Global Citizen NOW

By DARREN SANDS Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many churches moved their services online, the Rev. William H. Lamar IV initially shuddered at the thought that he needed to morph into a “video personality” to stay engaged with his parishioners. “I resisted kicking and screaming because I’m

LONDON (AP) — A British comedian has been ordered to remove a picture of a hot dog from a poster in London subway stations for his new standup show. Transit bosses say it violates the transit network’s ban on junk food advertising. The poster for Ed Gamble’s show, “Hot Diggity Dog,” showed a mustard- and

NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian court has extended custody of a top opposition leader for four more days after his arrest last week triggered protests, as the country gears up for a general election starting next month. Arvind Kejriwal, New Delhi’s top elected official and one of the country’s most consequential politicians of the

By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president says his government will take action against what he called dangerous attacks by the Chinese coast guard and suspected militia ships in the disputed South China Sea, saying, “Filipinos do not yield.” Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not provide details of his government’s response

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 women inmates at a Rome prison during a Holy Thursday ritual meant to emphasize his vocation of service and humility. The 87-year-old Francis performed the ritual from his wheelchair, after recent ailments have compounded his mobility problems. The

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Home Depot will buy SRS Distribution, a materials provider for professionals, in a deal valued at approximately $18.25 billion including debt. It is Home Depot’s largest acquisition in its history and with it, it steps more aggressively into the fast growing professional builder and contactor business. Retail sales that

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Ukrainian and Polish leaders say they have made progress on regulating Ukraine food imports that have led to farmer protests in Europe. Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk held talks Thursday to address Polish and western European farmers’ demands that regulations be applied to the cheap

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s main national postal carrier has stopped using domestic flights to transport letters after nearly 63 years. The move reflects the declining significance of letter mail and allows it to improve its climate footprint. Deutsche Post said Thursday the last planes carrying letters between northern and southern Germany, operated by Lufthansa unit

By REESE DUNKLIN Associated Press Every day, police in the U.S. rely on common use-of-force tactics that, unlike guns, are meant to stop people without killing them. But when misused, these tactics can still end in death. Over a decade, more than 1,000 people died after police subdued them through physical holds, stun guns, body

By REESE DUNKLIN, RYAN J. FOLEY, JEFF MARTIN, JENNIFER McDERMOTT, HOLBROOK MOHR and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press Carl Grant, a Vietnam veteran with dementia, wandered out of a hospital room to charge a cellphone he imagined he had. When he wouldn’t sit still, the police officer escorting Grant body-slammed him, ricocheting the patient’s head off

By STEVE DOUGLAS and PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The coach of Oxford’s crew taking part in the Boat Race has described the pollution in London’s River Thames as a “national disgrace.” His team has also expressed concerns about maintaining the post-event tradition of throwing the winning cox into the water. Testing by

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer U.S. federal agencies must show that their artificial intelligence tools aren’t harming the public, or stop using them, under new rules unveiled by the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris says government agencies that use AI tools will be required to verify that those tools do not endanger the

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press Some 40,000 people are expected to participate in Monday’s “EGG-ucation”-themed White House Easter Egg Roll, about 10,000 more than last year. Jill Biden, a teacher for more than 30 years, is transforming an annual tradition first held in 1878 into an “EGG-ucational” experience. Various stations on the South Lawn and

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press President Joe Biden is announcing new steps to protect consumers who buy short-term health insurance plans that critics say amount to junk. A new rule finalized by the Democratic president’s administration will limit short-term health insurance to just three months. And the plans can only be renewed for a maximum

By JADE LE DELEY Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Lawmakers in France’s lower house of parliament have approved a bill that would ban discrimination over the texture, length, color or style of someone’s hair. The bill’s authors hope the groundbreaking bill sends a message of support to Black people and others who have faced hostility

By ZEN SOO and KEIRAN SMITH Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — China says it will lift tariffs placed on Australian wine over three years ago, in a sign of improving ties between the two countries. China’s Ministry of Commerce says the decision will take effect Friday. China imposed tariffs on Australian wine in 2020

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Friday in quiet holiday trading, with markets closed in Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore and India, among other places. Many financial markets are closed on Friday for Good Friday. In India, markets were closed for the Holi holiday. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 rose

By TIAN MACLEOD JI Associated Press BOAO, China (AP) — A top Communist Party official says China is committed to introducing reforms that will upgrade the technological level of its largely manufacturing-based economy.  and generate huge revenues from green technologies that would drive around $1.4 trillion in annual revenues. Zhao Leiji, who heads China’s rubberstamp