AP National News

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s lower house of parliament has passed final reading of a bill to ban adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transitioning is legal. It follows an array of measures in recent years suppressing non-traditional sexuality. President Vladimir Putin and other top officials in recent years have increasingly called

Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish police are closing the investigation into the devastating fire that destroyed more than half of Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange. Police say that nothing points to it being a criminal act. The Copenhagen police officer in charge of the investigation said Tuesday that “it is not possible to determine

BERLIN (AP) — German media are reporting that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to ask for a vote of confidence in his government on Dec. 16. That would pave the way for a new parliamentary election as early as February. The expected vote in the Bundestag would come a full month ahead of original plans.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Authorities in Pakistan say a key suspect in connection with a deadly attack at a mosque in a police compound nearly two years ago has been arrested and has been identified as a police officer. The provincial police chief Akhtar Hayyat announced the arrest of Mohammad Wali at a news conference

Love them or hate them, it’s hard to see health savings accounts losing traction any time soon. Used in conjunction with high-deductible healthcare plans, the accounts have been touted as a way to put downward pressure on healthcare costs. Here’s a closer look at how to know if an HSA is subpar, and the best

AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group swung back to profitability in the July-September quarter, boosted by its Vision Fund investments. The Tokyo-based company reported fiscal second-quarter profit of nearly 1.18 trillion yen, or $7.7 billion. SoftBank credited income as coming from royalties and licensing related to its holdings in Arm,

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Oil and natural gas companies for the first time will have to pay a federal fee if they emit dangerous methane above certain levels under a rule being made final by the Biden administration. The Environmental Protection Agency rule follows through on a directive from Congress included in the 2022

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Defense Department says Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted two U.S. Navy warships with multiple drones and missiles as they were traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, says the Iranian-backed Houthis launched at least eight drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Protesters have blocked bridges leading to the capital of the Georgian separatist region of Abkhazia as tensions flared in a dispute over a proposed law that would encourage Russian investment. News reports said police and protesters clashed at one of the bridges on Tuesday. But there were no immediate reports of

Associated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A special tribunal in Bangladesh has asked the international police organization Interpol to issue a red notice for the arrest of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in connection with the deaths of hundreds of protesters. Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5 with her close aides and former ministers,

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech power company CEZ on Tuesday reported net profit of 23.4 billion Czech crowns ($984 million) in the first three quarters of the year, 6.4 billion lower than the same period last year. CEZ attributed the 27.3% decline to lower earnings in trading and mining. The company is preparing to build

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — After nearly a decade of negotiations, leaders during the United Nations climate conference’s first day decided on some of the finer points of much-debated sticking point aimed at cutting planet-warming emissions from coal, oil and gas. Known as Article 6, it was set up as part of the 2015

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A former Hong Kong reporter of The Wall Street Journal says she’ll sue the publication for sacking her because she joined a trade union. Selina Cheng lost her job in July after a senior editor told her that her position was eliminated due to restructuring. However, Cheng believed the

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro says he doesn’t expect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s next administration will demand the Philippines pay more for military protection because both allies face the shared threat of China. Teodoro was speaking at a news conference with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday. The

Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch appeals court has overturned a landmark ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The decision Tuesday was a defeat for the Dutch arm of environmental group Friends of the Earth. It hailed the

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hundreds of survivors of abuse in state, foster and faith-based care arrived at New Zealand’s Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday, each representing thousands more. They came to hear the government formally apologize for the “unimaginable” horrors they suffered as children and vulnerable adults, after a long-running inquiry made