AP National News

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — China’s air regulator has cleared the Boeing 737 Max to return to flying with technical upgrades more than two years after the plane was grounded worldwide following two fatal crashes. China is the last major market where the Boeing 737 Max awaited approval after the United

By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The top adviser to the European Union’s highest court says the principle of linking the bloc’s budget disbursements to respect for rule of law is compatible with the bloc’s laws and that a challenge by Hungary and Poland should be dismissed.  The right-wing governments of both nations

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin has voiced concern about a possible escalation of fighting in eastern Ukraine’s separatist conflict as the U.S. issued a strong warning to Russia to stay away from Ukraine. Ukrainian and Western officials have worried about a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine could herald an invasion.

NEW DELHI (AP) — India has confirmed its first two cases of the omicron coronavirus variant. The Health Ministry says the cases involve two men in southern Karnataka state. It says they came from abroad, but did not say where. Health official Lav Agarwal says all contacts of the two men have been traced and

By ANGELA CHARLTON and THOMAS ADAMSON Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Pope Francis has accepted the archbishop of Paris’ resignation after he admitted to an “ambiguous” relationship with a woman in 2012. Archbishop Michel Aupetit said in a statement on Thursday that he offered to step down “to preserve the diocese from the division that

By MARK SHERMAN and JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — After hours of public arguments, the Supreme Court’s justices will now embark on a private debate over what to do about possibly drastic abortion limits for pregnant women in the U.S. The justices will talk it over this week and hold a preliminary vote.

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin has voiced concern about what it described as belligerent rhetoric of the Ukrainian leadership. Moscow says it raises concerns about a possible escalation of fighting in a separarist conflict in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian and Western officials have worried about a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine.

NEW DELHI (AP) — India has confirmed its first two cases of the omicron coronavirus variant. India’s Health Ministry says the cases include two men in southern Karnataka state. The ministry says they came from abroad, but did not say where. Health official Lav Agarwal said all contacts of the two men had been traced

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Authorities say 17 Turkish nationals received permission to enter Greece and apply for asylum there after they crossed the border from Turkey. Greek police said the eight men, four women and five children were temporarily detained at a police station near the border for formal identification on Wednesday. Members of the

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese news outlet says regulators have cleared the Boeing 737 Max to fly again with technology upgrades more than two years after the plane was grounded worldwide following two fatal crashes. The company welcomed the decision. The China Aviation Daily said pilots will need to complete new training before commercial flights

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Austria’s former chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, said Thursday that he is quitting politics two months after stepping down as leader amid corruption allegations. Kurz said the recent birth of his first child had motivated him to take the step. The 35-year-old said he had always done his best

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The European Union drug regulator says it has started a rolling review of a new coronavirus vaccine made by French startup Valneva. The move announced on Thursday is a first step toward giving the vaccine the green light to be used in the 27-nation EU. Approval by the European Medicines

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has fined four major banks a combined $390 million for colluding in a foreign exchange spot trading cartel that allowed them to beat inherent risks in currency deals. HSBC received the biggest fine of almost $200 million, while Credit Suisse, RBS and Barclays received smaller penalties. The European Commission

By SOPHENG CHEANG Associated Press PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen has explicitly declared support to have his eldest son, army commander Hun Manet, succeed him as the nation’s leader. The 44-year-old Hun Manet, a West Point graduate, has the rank of lieutenant general and holds several important military posts.

By AMI BENTOV Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Residents of Israel’s seaside metropolis Tel Aviv have for years complained of how expensive it is, with living costs taking a chunk out of their paychecks. Now a report released Wednesday affirms their dissatisfaction with the prices. Tel Aviv has emerged as the most expensive

By SYLVIA HUI and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The Duchess of Sussex has won the latest stage in her long-running privacy lawsuit against a British newspaper publisher over its publication of parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father. The Court of Appeal in London upheld a High Court ruling

By ZEKE MILLER and ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press BETHESDA (AP) — President Joe Biden is kicking off a more urgent campaign for Americans to get COVID-19 booster shots. Biden on Thursday is unveiling a winter plan to combat the coronavirus and its omicron variant with enhanced availability of shots and vaccines but without major new

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her likely successor have met with state governors to consider tighter rules to curb coronavirus infections that again topped 70,000 newly confirmed cases in a 24-hour period. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said Tuesday that he backs a general vaccine mandate but favors letting lawmakers vote according to

By LORI HINNANT Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Governments around the world are weighing new measures for populations tired of hearing about coronavirus restrictions and vaccines. The proposals have emerged as the delta variant of COVID-19 pushes up cases in Europe and fears grow over the omicron variant. Greeks who are over age 60 and

LONDON (AP) — A British court is set to reaffirm or quash a ruling that a British newspaper publisher breached the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing portions of a letter she wrote to her estranged father. A High Court judge ruled in February that publication of the letter that the former Meghan