AP National News

By SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is about to jet off to Qatar for the second time in a week, despite broad concerns about the emirate’s human rights and environmental record. Why? Because France is in the World Cup final, and Macron really is a big soccer fan —

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A former commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army has been found guilty of arbitrarily detaining and torturing prisoners perceived as supporters of Serbia and murdering one of them a late 1990s war for Kosovo’s independence. The commander, Salih Mustafa, was sentenced to 26 years’ imprisonment

BEIJING (AP) — A squadron of Chinese Navy ships sailed through straits near Japan into the Western Pacific this week, while Beijing blasted Tokyo’s adoption of a new national security strategy putting itself on a more offensive footing, largely as a result of the perceived threat from China. The destroyers Lhasa and Kaifeng, along with

LONDON (AP) — Four people have been hospitalized in critical condition after a suspected crush at a London concert venue. Police say eight people were taken to hospitals after being caught in a crush of people trying to get into the O2 Brixton Academy, where Nigerian singer Asake was performing. Two other injured people were

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA and FARAI MUTSAKA Associated Press KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The Ugandan health official was so sure Argentina would win its World Cup soccer match against Saudi Arabia that he gambled $1,800 advanced to him by authorities as allowances for 243 people who had participated in a polio immunization campaign. Argentina lost, and

By HANNA ARHIROVA, VASILISA STEPANENKO and JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s capital came under one of the biggest attacks of the war on Friday as Russia’s invading forces fired dozens of missiles across the country, triggering widespread power outages, Ukrainian officials said. Gunfire from air defense systems and thudding explosions combined

BERLIN (AP) — A huge aquarium in the center of Berlin burst Friday, causing a wave of devastation in and around the Sea Life tourist attraction, German police said Friday. Glass and other debris were swept out of the building, which also contains a hotel and cafes, as 1 million liters of water poured out

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s strict self-defense-only postwar principle is being loosened. Japan on Friday adopted a national security strategy declaring plans to possess preemptive strike capability and cruise missiles within years to give itself more offensive footing against threats from neighboring China, Russia and North Korea. North Korea has fired

BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA Associated Press TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — To the outside world, Saturday’s elections in Tunisia raise several red flags: Many opposition parties are boycotting them, foreign media are banned from talking to candidates and critics say it will be harder for women to compete. But many Tunisians believe their country’s decade-old democratic revolution

By Mae Anderson AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — In some ways, the bustling holiday shopping season feels like a return to pre-pandemic days: More people are out and about, shopping in groups and buying for themselves as well as gifts. And there’s plenty of merchandise to select from because the supply chain snags

By NICK PERRY Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An international group that monitored Fiji’s general election this week says it didn’t observe any voting irregularities and the process was transparent and credible. The group’s comments Friday came after five of the political parties that contested the election said they were launching a nationwide

By HELENA ALVES and LUJAIN JO Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Coming from Brazil for the World Cup in Qatar, Daniela Crawford had been worried about conservative dress codes. But like many women attending the tournament, she said she found no problems. “In Brazil people are used to it, but we came here and

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ and DAVID McHUGH Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — At a gas station outside New York City, retired probation officer Karen Stowe was faced with a pump price she didn’t want to pay. She bought groceries from the convenience store instead, planning to buy cheaper gas elsewhere. “The price is so high,

By The Associated Press With the war in Ukraine grinding through its 10th month, both sides are locked in a stalemated battle of attrition, which could set the stage for a new round of escalation. Many observers see the current deadlock as beneficial to Ukraine, allowing it to receive more state-of-the-art weapons from the West

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordanian police say a senior commander has been killed in clashes with protesters that broke out over high fuel prices. Abdul Razzaq Abdel Hafez Al Dalabeh, deputy police director in the city of Maan, was killed Thursday. The police say they will strike “with an iron fist“ those who attack lives

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S. immigration court. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas stayed the termination until legal challenges by Texas and Missouri are settled but didn’t order the policy

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Government officials say a remote-controlled bomb has exploded on a highway in Turkey as a van carrying police officers drove past, injuring all nine occupants. The interior minister said five people were detained in connection with the attack, which occurred Friday near the city of Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey. The bomb

By ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press CHULA VISTA, Calif. (AP) — Phil Metzger promises to arrange entry to the United States for Russian-speaking asylum-seekers through unmatched connections with U.S. border officials and people in Mexico who can guarantee safety while traveling. Though seeking asylum is free, the pastor of Calvary San Diego said his services are

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD, JAE HONG and AMY TAXIN Associated Press RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) — The November elections saw Californians continue to embrace progressive leadership, but voters in one of the state’s most populous counties are so frustrated with this political direction that they voted to consider seceding and forming their own state. An