AP National News

By JUAN A. LOZANO and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — The man who inspired the film “Hotel Rwanda” and was freed by Rwanda last week from a terrorism sentence returned Wednesday to the United States, where he will be reunited with his family. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed Paul Rusesabagina’s

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Actor Melissa Joan Hart said she and her husband helped a class of kindergartners that was fleeing the Nashville school shooting earlier this week. Hart said in a video posted on Instagram Tuesday that her children attend a school next to the private Christian Covenant School. She said she and her

By ADAM BEAM Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California lawmaker wants to end a ban on state-funded travel to states with discriminatory LGBTQ laws. State Sen. Toni Atkins said Wednesday she wants to replace the ban with a state-authorized marketing campaign to promote inclusive messaging in those states. California passed a law in

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Officials say militants in Colombia have killed nine soldiers and wounded nine others in an attack on a military unit that was securing a northern pipeline. The violence complicates efforts by the country’s new leftist president to negotiate a lasting peace. The assailants attacked early Wednesday with long-range weapons and improvised

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — In a story published March 28, 2023, about a leak of water containing radioactive material at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the water leaked into the river. Officials with Xcel Energy and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have said the water containing tritium has remained

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rallied Wednesday as Wall Street shakes off more of the fear that dominated it earlier this month. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% for its fourth gain in the last five days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 323 points, or 1%, while the Nasdaq

By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday offered an optimistic outlook on the health of democracy worldwide, declaring that leaders are “turning the tide” in stemming a yearslong backslide of democratic institutions. Opening his second democracy summit, Biden looked to spotlight hopeful advancements over the past year despite Russia’s

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal is facing a possible misdemeanor charge in central Florida. A fan accused the NBA All-Star of hitting him during an argument after a March 21 game against the Orlando Magic. An Orlando police report says probable cause exists to charge Beal with simple battery. The

By JOSHUA GOODMAN MIAMI (AP) — The former general counsel for Venezuela’s state-owned oil company pleaded guilty in Miami federal court on money laundering charges Wednesday in connection to a conspiracy to siphon hundreds of millions from state coffers through corrupt currency deals. Alvaro Ledo Nass acknowledged taking $11.5 million in bribes while serving in

By RANDALL CHASE AP Business Writer DOVER, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for a group of Tesla shareholders are asking Delaware’s Supreme Court to overturn a judge’s decision in favor of CEO Elon Musk in a lawsuit challenging the electric car maker’s $2.4 billion acquisition of a solar panel company founded by two of his cousins.

By KEVIN McGILL and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Oil companies including Chevron and ExxonMobil offered a combined $264 million for drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico in a sale mandated by last year’s climate bill compromise. Wednesday’s Department of Interior auction could further test the loyalty of environmentalists and young

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Sports Writer A congressional hearing targeting what one lawmaker called “NIL chaos” in college sports drifted into the consequences of college athletes being deemed employees. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held the first hearing Wednesday related to college sports in the House or Senate

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, has appointed his eldest son Khaled as crown prince of Abu Dhabi. Wednesday’s move places Sheikh Khalid in line to take over as the next leader of the federation. Sheikh Mohammed, commonly known as MBZ, ascended

By JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press The judge who presided over Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial in South Carolina told his law school he wasn’t surprised the jury came back with a guilty verdict in three hours. Judge Clifton Newman returned to Cleveland State University on Tuesday to discuss his career and the topic on everyone’s minds:

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A career criminal whose rap sheet includes bank robberies and a murder conspiracy was sentenced to 16 years for killing a New Jersey political consultant in exchange for money in 2014. George Bratsenis, 74, pleaded guilty a year ago to a charge that he and another man accepted thousands of dollars

By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer A seemingly relentless series of severe storms, likely with deadly tornadoes, are forecast to rip across parts of America’s Midwest and South over the next couple weeks, especially Friday, meteorologists said. An unusual weather pattern has set in, last week triggering the devastating tornado that hit Rolling Fork, Mississippi,

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was hospitalized with a lung infection Wednesday after experiencing difficulty breathing in recent days and will remain in the hospital for several days of treatment, the Vatican said. The 86-year-old pope doesn’t have COVID-19, spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement late Wednesday. The

By ISABELLA O’MALLEY and DANA BELTAJI Associated Press The countries of the United Nations led by the island nation of Vanuatu adopted what they called a historic resolution Wednesday calling for the U.N.‘s highest court to strengthen countries’ obligations to curb warming and protect communities from climate disaster. The resolution was adopted by consensus and

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has canceled his audiences for the next two days as he undergoes tests at a Rome hospital. The Vatican says he’s at Gemelli hospital for previously scheduled tests. It provided no details. The 86-year-old pope spent 10 days at the same hospital in 2021 following intestinal surgery. Francis also

By KEN POWTAK Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — When the Nashville Predators’ team flight took off for Boston, defenseman Ryan McDonagh wasn’t aboard. He stayed home Monday, to be with his three young daughters in the shaken community. A day after a fatal grade school shooting in Nashville left six dead, including three children, McDonagh