AP-National

By ANNA FURMAN Associated Press Watermelons have emblazoned banners, T-shirts, balloons and social media over the past three months in global protests against the Israel-Hamas war. The colors of sliced watermelon — with its red pulp, green-white rind and black seeds — are the same as those in the Palestinian flag. So from New York

By DAVID McHUGH and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s hard-won economic stability is under threat again as the government faces a large budget hole and its two biggest allies and sponsors — the United States and the European Union — have so far failed to decide on extending more aid. Without

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel cannot achieve “genuine security” without a pathway to a Palestinian state, insisting such a move could help unify the Middle East and isolate Israel’s top rival: Iran. Speaking at World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss ski

By SHEIKH SAALIQ and BISWAJEET BANERJEE Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — Frenzied preparations were underway Wednesday in India’s northern holy city of Ayodhya to mark the opening of a grand temple for Lord Ram, Hinduism’s most revered deity. The Ram Mandir’s opening Monday would fulfill a decadeslong Hindu nationalist pledge that is expected to

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative Supreme Court justices have voiced support for weakening the power of federal regulators, but it’s unclear whether a majority would overturn a major 40-year-old decision. Billions of dollars are potentially at stake in front of a court that was remade during Donald Trump’s presidency by conservative

By SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has made a point of showing his leadership hasn’t faded in more than two hours of answering questions at a news conference in which he promised a stronger France to face with world’s challenges. “I still have three years and a half in

By HOLLY RAMER Associated Press ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire have increased in recent years, and some residents want to hear more from the presidential candidates about how they’d help. Much of the talk from the Republican presidential hopefuls has focused on the supply side. Former President Donald Trump, who

By MICHAEL R. SISAK, LARRY NEUMEISTER and JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was threatened with expulsion from his Manhattan civil trial Wednesday after he repeatedly ignored a warning to keep quiet while writer E. Jean Carroll testified that he shattered her reputation after she accused him of sexual abuse. Judge

By CLAIRE SAVAGE Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced an American woman to 26 years in prison for helping to kill her mother at a luxury resort in Bali then stuffing her body into a suitcase. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly sentenced Heather Mack on Wednesday for conspiring to kill Sheila

WELLINGTON (AP) — New Zealand’s first refugee lawmaker was charged by police a day after resigning amid allegations she had shoplifted several times at local high-end boutiques. New Zealand Police said Golriz Ghahraman, a former member of New Zealand’s Green Party, had been charged on Wednesday with two counts of shoplifting. Ghahraman, who was the party’s

By SOPHIE AUSTIN Associated Press/Report for America SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A lawsuit is accusing the deputy director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services of sexual harassment and retaliation against a senior employee while the agency did nothing to stop it. The suit, filed Tuesday, alleges that Kendra Bowyer faced a campaign of

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States, South Korea and Japan conducted combined naval exercises involving an American aircraft carrier in their latest show of strength against nuclear-armed North Korea. The three allies’ senior diplomats were to meet in Seoul to discuss the deepening standoff with Pyongyang. North Korean

By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are foreshadowing elements of their defense in the criminal case charging him with illegally retaining classified documents. They say in a motion filed Tuesday that they will dispute prosecutors’ allegations that the estate where the records were stored was not secure.

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Music festival obsessives, the wait is over. The 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup is here. Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator will headline this year’s festivities, joined by an unexpected No Doubt reunion. (Remember No Doubt? The Orange Country

By KEN MORITSUGU Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — China’s population fell by 2 million people in 2023 in the second straight annual decrease as births dropped and deaths jumped. The government’s statistics bureau said Wednesday that the total population was 1.4 billion last year. The number of deaths rose by 690,000 to 11.1 million, more than

By ZEN SOO AP Business Writer HONG KONG (AP) — China’s economy for the October-December quarter grew at a quicker rate, allowing the Chinese government to hit its target of about 5% annual growth for 2023 even though trade data and the economic recovery remain uneven. Official data released Wednesday showed the Chinese economy grew

By SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — What’s expected to be an expensive and bitter fight over Missouri abortion-rights ballot measures so far has not attracted much money. A campaign to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution Tuesday reported it had no cash on hand at the end of 2023. The group

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate, has been hospitalized in the Washington area with an infection and is receiving antibiotic infusions, his office said Tuesday. Grassley, 90, will return to work “as soon as possible following doctors’ orders,” his office said

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s Republican legislative leaders have pledged to reinforce laws they passed last year requiring parental permission for kids and teens to access social media apps. Two laws signed last year by the Republican governor face lawsuits challenging their constitutionality. Both laws are set to take

By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that the third-party group No Labels can prohibit members from using its ballot line to run for office in Arizona. The decision on Tuesday protects the group’s efforts to maintain control and secrecy around its operations and finances. No Labels is