BEIJING (AP) — China is insisting it is up to the U.S. to “create necessary conditions” for anti-drugs cooperation, following complaints from Washington that Beijing is ignoring its calls for a crackdown on precursor chemicals for the highly addictive painkiller fentanyl. China “firmly oppose smears and unilateral sanctions on other countries under the pretext of
Continue Reading By AREF TUFAHA Associated Press NABLUS, West Bank (AP) — Israeli forces killed two wanted Palestinians in a flashpoint West Bank city, days after Israel concluded a major two-day offensive meant to crack down on militants. The Israeli domestic security agency Shin Bet said the two men, who it claimed were behind a shooting attack
Continue Reading By DAVID RISING Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-controlled government is accusing pro-democracy fighters of killing 15 civilians in a mortar attack in a restive central area of the country. The guerrilla group denies the allegation. A report in state media Thursday says so-called People’s Defense Forces attacked the village in the Sagaing region
Continue Reading By ÁLVARO BARRIENTOS Associated Press PAMPLONA, Spain (AP) — Thousands of thrill seekers took part Friday in the first running of the bulls at the San Fermín festival in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona. Several runners took knocks and hard falls in the 8 a.m. event but no one was gored by the beasts,
Continue Reading By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen criticized Chinese treatment of U.S. companies and new export controls on metals used in semiconductors during a visit Friday to Beijing to try to revive strained relations. Talking with a group of businesspeople, Yellen defended U.S. controls on technology exports that irk
Continue Reading JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in a flashpoint West Bank city, days after Israel concluded a major two-day offensive meant to crack down on militants. The Israeli domestic security agency Shin Bet said the two men, which it claimed were behind a shooting attack this week, were killed in a shootout in
Continue Reading MILAN (AP) — A fire that broke out in a Milan nursing home during the night has killed six residents. Italian firefighters said the blaze began about 1:30 a.m. on Friday, apparently in the room of two residents, who are among those who died. The firefighters said some 80 other residents were taken to the
Continue Reading By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press WANTAGH, N.Y. (AP) — Off the coast of Long Island, drones sweep over the ocean, patrolling the water for any danger that might lurk below the surface as beachgoers grow more vigilant because of a recent spate of shark encounters. Over two days this week, five people reported being
Continue Reading By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is visiting Beijing as part of efforts to revive U.S.-Chinese relations that are at their lowest level in decades due to disputes over technology, security and other irritants. Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in November and agreed to improve relations.
Continue Reading By SETH BORENSTEIN and ISABELLA O’MALLEY Associated Press Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high on Thursday, the third such milestone in a week that already rated as the hottest on record. The planetary average hit 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17.23 degrees Celsius), surpassing the 62.9-degree mark (17.18-degree mark) set Tuesday and equaled Wednesday,
Continue Reading By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s government has formally endorsed the safety of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea as it tries to calm people’s fears about food contamination. Seoul’s assessment, released Friday, was based on a 22-month review by
Continue Reading NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian state court has refused to stay opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction for criminal defamation. Friday’s ruling sets back his prospects to contest elections next year. He had been ousted from Parliament after his conviction in March, and a stay would have opened up a path to reinstate his parliamentary
Continue Reading By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — In 2010, newly anointed as a Grammy winner, Taylor Swift released “Speak Now,” her third studio album and her first without a single songwriting collaboration. Her 2006 self-titled debut and 2008’s “Fearless” had inspired both acclaim and criticism for her bold bridges and keen lyricism
Continue Reading By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is taking a major step in approving plans to boost its anemic production of ammunition and missiles within the 27-nation bloc. It’s aimed at both defending itself and quickly helping Ukraine in trying to push back the invasion by Russia. The EU presidency announced
Continue Reading By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares slipped Friday after another decline on Wall Street, where hopes for an end to interest rate hikes were again shaken by strong jobs data. U.S. futures fell and oil prices were higher. Investors were watching for updates from U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit
Continue Reading By DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russia’s rebellious mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin walked free from prosecution for his June 24 armed mutiny, and it’s still unclear if anyone will face any charges in the aborted uprising against military leaders or for the deaths of the soldiers killed in it. Instead, a campaign
Continue Reading By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press PARIS (AP) — After a pleasant evening of wine-tasting — joyfully billed “Grapes and Friends!” — with a hundred or so people and oysters, charcuteries and cheeses, the mayor of the picturesque French town of Quissac was on his way home. Then his phone rang: Urban unrest that was engulfing
Continue Reading By MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador President Nayib Bukele stood before tens of thousands of roaring sports fans with a message: I am not a dictator. “They say we live in a dictatorship,” Bukele said, but “ask bus passengers, people eating in restaurants, waiters. Ask whomever you want.
Continue Reading SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the capitals of Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, discussing military aid and receiving assurances of support for Ukraine’s entry into NATO after its war with Russia is over. Czech President Petr Pavel said it is in the interest of his country and Ukraine that soon as the war
Continue Reading By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and its Western allies clashed with Russia and Iran at the U.N. Security Council over Tehran’s advancing uranium enrichment and its reported supply of combat drones to Moscow used to attack Ukraine. The sharp exchanges were at a meeting Thursday on implementation
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