AP National News

PRAGUE (AP) — Early results in the Czech presidential election show retired army General Petr Pavel in the lead. Pavel has 54.7% of the vote with ballots from more than 45% of polling stations counted. The Czech Statistics Office says that populist billionaire Andrej Babis is behind with 45.3%. Czech voters are picking a successor

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A physicians’ group based in the Midwest lacks legal standing to challenge a 25-year-old Mississippi Supreme Court ruling recognizing a right to abortion under the state constitution, lawyers for six women who support abortion rights argued in court papers filed Friday. “This case was brought

By CHEVEL JOHNSON RODRIGUE Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — For 17 seasons the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra has been under the musical direction of Carlos Miguel Prieto. That changes this summer when the LPO begins to take its cues from conductor Matthew Kraemer. The orchestra’s Board of Trustees recently announced that Kramer will take over

By VANESSA GERA Associated Press KRAKOW, Poland (AP) — The husband of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris says he was deeply moved by a “solemn and sad” visit to the former site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. Doug Emhoff described Friday’s visit as important to his work for the Biden administration combating antisemitism. Some 1.1

By MEG KINNARD and JILL COLVIN Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is set to kick off his 2024 White House bid on Saturday with visits to a pair of early-voting states, his first campaign events since announcing his latest run more than two months ago. Trump will be the keynote

By ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Hours before sunrise, migrants at one of Mexico’s largest shelters wake up and go online, hoping to secure an appointment to try to seek asylum in the U.S. The daily ritual resembles a race for concert tickets when online sales begin for a major act, as

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Hundreds of climate activists have blocked one of the main roads into The Hague, defying attempts to prevent their protest that have sparked concerns about restrictions on the right to demonstrate. The protesters, many waving colored flags with the symbol of environmental group Extinction Rebellion,

By ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — A 13-year-old Palestinian boy opened fire in east Jerusalem on Saturday, wounding two Israelis, officials said, a day after another attacker killed seven outside a synagogue in the deadliest attack in the city since 2008. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his Security Cabinet late Saturday to discuss

By SAMY MAGDY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — Italy’s prime minister is in Libya for talks with officials from the country’s west-based government that will focus on energy and migration. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni landed in the capital, Tripoli, on Saturday amid tight security. Her office says she is accompanied by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani

LONDON (AP) — Struggling U.K. airline Flybe has collapsed for the second time in less than three years. The flyer initially limped into bankruptcy in March 2020, with the loss of 2,400 jobs. It was relaunched in April 2022 with hedge fund backing, but has called in the bankruptcy accountants once again after less than

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech voters are casting ballots on the second day of a presidential runoff election, picking a successor to Milos Zeman in the largely ceremonial post. Retired army Gen. Petr Pavel and populist billionaire Andrej Babis, advanced to a second round of voting because none of the eight initial candidates received an absolute

By ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian gunman opened fire in east Jerusalem on Saturday, wounding two people, Israeli medics said, less than a day after another assailant killed seven outside a synagogue in the deadliest attack in the city since 2008. The shooting in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in east

By MARI YAMAGUCHI and KWIYEON HA Associated Press YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — A Japanese whaling operator, after struggling for years to promote its products amid protests from conservationists, has found a new way to cultivate clientele and bolster sales: whale meat vending machines. The Kujira (Whale) Store, an unmanned outlet that recently opened in the

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s president has suspended Parliament until Feb. 8, when he said he would announced a new set of long-term policies to address a range of issues including an unprecedented economic crisis. The government did not give a clear reason for the move, but Wickremesinghe’

By ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian gunman opened fire in east Jerusalem on Saturday, wounding at least two people, less than a day after another assailant killed seven outside a synagogue in the deadliest attack in the city since 2008. The shooting in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in east Jerusalem,

MILAN (AP) — Italy’s premier says Italian diplomatic property has been the target of vandalism in Berlin and Barcelona. Premier Giorgia Meloni said in a statement Saturday that the car of diplomat Luigi Estero had been set ablaze in Berlin, while the Italian consulate in Barcelona had been vandalized. There were no reports of injury.