AP National News

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Basic services like electricity and telecoms have been restored to key parts of Ethiopia’s Tigray region following the signing of a cease-fire deal a month ago, but most areas are still cut off from the world. The agreement signed Nov. 2 requires Ethiopia’s federal government to restore basic services to Tigray,

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Technology Writer A former Theranos executive learns Wednesday whether he will be punished as severely as his former lover and business partner for peddling the company’s bogus blood-testing technology that duped investors and endangered patients. The sentencing for Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, who was convicted in July of fraud and conspiracy, comes

LONDON (AP) — Microsoft agreed Wednesday to make the hit video game Call of Duty available on Nintendo for 10 years should its $69 billion purchase of game maker Activision Blizzard go through — an apparent attempt to fend off objections from rival Sony. The blockbuster merger is facing close scrutiny from regulators in the

By CHINEDU ASADU and DAVID CRARY of The Associated Press and CATHERINE PEPINSTER of Religion News Service Friction has long-simmered within the global Anglican Communion over its 42 provinces’ sharp differences on whether to recognize same-sex marriage and ordain LGBTQ clergy. The divisions widened this year as conservative bishops affirmed their opposition to LGBTQ inclusion

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — In 2022, the story of book publishing was often the industry itself. Penguin Random House’s attempt to purchase Simon & Schuster ended up in a Washington, D.C. courtroom, as the Department of Justice prevailed after a three week antitrust trial last summer that also served

By LLAZAR SEMINI Associated Press TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s last brown bear in captivity was rescued by an international animal welfare organization Wednesday and will be taken to a sanctuary in Austria. Four Paws began the journey with the 24-year-old bear, named Mark, accompanied by a large file of documents to get him across

By DENG MACHOL Associated Press JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan’s ruling party has endorsed President Salva Kiir as its candidate for another term in the country’s delayed election set for the end of 2024. Kiir has been the country’s only president since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. South Sudan has since

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, says a rise in antisemitism in the United States shows that an “epidemic of hate” exists in the country and that it cannot be normalized. Emhoff, who’s Jewish, is leading a White House roundtable discussion on the issue

By RONALD BLUM and JAY COHEN AP Baseball Writers SAN DIEGO (AP) — Aaron Judge has issued his ruling: Court remains in session in the Bronx. Judge is staying with the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract, according to a person familiar with baseball’s biggest free agent deal ever. The person spoke

By COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Italy’s premier opera house has opened its new season with the Russian opera “Boris Godunov.” Pro-Ukrainian activists gathered outside La Scala’s gala premiere in Milan on Wednesday to protest the performance, calling the selection a propaganda win for the Kremlin. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni attended the gala

By JOSHUA GOODMAN Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — For years, Mark Hager’s job as an observer aboard New England fishing boats made him a marked man, seen as a meddling cop on the ocean, counting and scrutinizing every cod, haddock and flounder to enforce rules and help set crucial quotas. On one particularly perilous

By NINIEK KARMINI and EDNA TARIGAN Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A bombmaker in the 2002 Bali attacks that killed 202 people has been released from an Indonesian prison on parole after serving half his 20-year sentence. Australia’s prime minister opposed his early release, calling him “abhorrent.” Umar Patek was a leading member of

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The convicted killer of South African anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani has been released from prison in the capital Pretoria after serving more than 28 years for the 1993 murder. Janusz Walus, 69, has been placed on parole effective Wednesday after he was discharged from the prison’s hospital

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and ABBY SEWELL Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — An Iraqi activist has been sentenced to three years in prison over alleged criticism of state-sanctioned militias, spurring criticism from human rights monitors and local activists. Hayder al-Zaidi, 20, was active in popular anti-government protests that began in October 2019. He was sentenced Monday

By ELAINE KURTENBACH and MATT OTT AP Business Writers Wall Street futures edged lower Wednesday ahead of new employment and wholesale price data with the Federal Reserve gauging its next step in its fight to cool inflation. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials slipped 0.4% and the S&P 500 fell 0.7% just over an hour

BERLIN (AP) — Environmentalists in Switzerland have criticized the election of a top car- and oil-industry lobbyist to the country’s new government, calling it a “disaster for climate policy.” Lawmakers on Wednesdays picked Albert Roesti of the nationalist Swiss People’s Party as one of two new members of the Cabinet, or Federal Council. The election

By MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani investigators say the killing in Kenya of outspoken Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was a “planned assassination.” The investigators released a report about the incident on Wednesday in Islamabad, weeks after the mysterious killing triggered condemnations and calls for an independent probe. Separately, Islamabad police on Wednesday

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Juul Labs has reached settlements covering more than 5,000 cases brought by about 10,000 plaintiffs related to its vaping products. Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Juul said that it has secured an equity investment to fund it. Buffeted by lawsuits, Juul announced hundreds of layoffs

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping will be arriving to Saudi Arabia to attend meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations crucial to his country’s energy supplies as Beijing tries to revive an economy battered by strict coronavirus measures. Saudi and Chinese flags flew  on Wednesday in

By KATHERINE ROTH Associated Press Handmade holiday cards can be gifts in themselves for both maker and receiver. They’re a way to express creativity and connection. And gathering to make them can be a nice social activity. Experts advise setting out to make just a small number of quality cards. Don’t get overwhelmed trying to