AP National News

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic has signed a treaty over its relations with the Vatican, becoming one of the last European Union countries to do so. The lower chamber of Parliament rejected the treaty in 2003, saying the Catholic Church would receive preferential treatment over other churches and that it would be disadvantageous for

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A father and son from Ukraine have been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each in Belarus after being convicted of preparing terrorist acts. A court in the city of Gomel decreed the conviction and sentencing on Wednesday of Serhiy Kabarchuk and his son Pavlo. Both were arrested in February for allegedly

Associated Press Desserts and sweets are a traditional part of the South Asian holiday Diwali. For some, it marks the start of the Hindu New Year, and cooking blogger Hetal Vasavada says everyone wants to start the year with something sweet. The hope is that the rest of year will be sweet, too. In her

CLEVELAND (AP) — Federal agents searched the Ohio home of a prominent real estate developer who owns affordable housing properties and senior living centers across 26 states. Agents with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture descended Wednesday on the Cleveland-area home of Millennia Companies owner Frank Sinito. The raid

VIENNA (AP) — A lawmaker from the far-right Freedom Party has been elected as the new speaker of Austria’s parliament, weeks after the party won a national election for the first time. Walter Rosenkranz becomes the first member of the Freedom Party to be elected as speaker, one of the country’s highest-ranking positions in protocol

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has told North Macedonia it needs to make progress on constitutional changes if it’s to advance its bid to join the European Union. Von der Leyen praised North Macedonia’s reform efforts but stressed the need for progress after a dispute with neighbor and

Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — Relations between Israel and the United Nations have long been tense. They have sunk to a low ebb following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and Israel’s powerful military campaign against its enemies in its region. The conflict has led to untold death and destruction and sent U.N. and other humanitarians

Associated Press BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — African playwright and actor Oliva Ouedraogo’s “Queen” depicts the fictional journey of a girl who is raped by her stepfather on the night of his marriage to her mother, and decides to speak out against her family’s wishes. Ouedraogo said she wrote the play to address the culture of

AP Science Writer The world is on a path to get 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 Fahrenheit) warmer than it is now, a United Nations report said Thursday. But if countries do everything they’ve promised to fight climate change, they could knock half a degree off that future warming. Still, that’s a far cry from limiting

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The world economy, buffeted by conflict and growing geopolitical rivalries, is in danger of getting stuck in a slow-growth, high-debt rut, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday. She also urged Chinese leaders to take more decisive action to jump-start their country’s sluggish economy or risk seeing

AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Louis McCartney who starred in the play “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” in London will reprise his creepy monster on Broadway. Set in Indiana 20 years before the events of the first season of the hit Netflix show, the play focuses on the life of McCartney’s Henry Creel

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Imprisoned former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak issued a rare apology over the looting of a state investment fund worth billions of dollars “under my watch” while reiterating his innocence. The apology on Thursday comes ahead of a court decision that will either acquit or order him to enter his

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — France’s culture minister has proposed introducing an entrance fee to visit Notre Dame cathedral in Paris when it reopens in December, aiming to generate funds for the preservation of the country’s religious heritage. The iconic cathedral is set to reopen five years after it was ravaged by fire. Rachida Dati,

ROME (AP) — Venice will extend its day-tripper tax through next year, increasing the number of days and doubling the fee to 10 euros for last-minute visitors. Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro stressed Thursday that the tax aims to help the city and its citizens battle overtourism, avoiding huge influxes of visitors during crowded holidays and