AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make his 19th trip in office to Asia this week when he leads the U.S. delegation to a meeting of East Asian leaders in Laos. The State Department said Tuesday that Blinken would fill in for President Joe Biden at the annual East
Continue ReadingMore than a dozen states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, saying that the popular short-form video app is designed to be addictive to kids and harms their mental health. The lawsuits stem from a national investigation into TikTok, which was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of
Continue ReadingBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has set up a system for imposing sanctions against people accused of cyber-attacks or acts of sabotage on behalf of Russia to undermine EU support for Ukraine. NATO warned earlier this year of possible Russian “hostile state activity” against several European countries. The EU says that it too has
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wilmer Valderrama memoir, titled “An American Story: Everyone’s Invited” chronicles his family’s journey as Venezuelan immigrants in the United States. Throughout the memoir, Valderrama also outlines his time as an aspiring teen actor trying to make it in Hollywood and provide for his family, going to casting after casting
Continue ReadingZURICH (AP) — FIFA has banned Italian soccer player Marco Curto for 10 games for making a discriminatory remark to South Korea forward Hee Chan Hwang in a preseason game between Como and Wolverhampton. The 25-year-old Curto also must do community services and undergo training and education. Como defended Curto after the game in July
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ABOARD SKYLINE CAR 8511 (AP) — To get between Churchill, Manitoba and Winnipeg, Manitoba, there are only two options: A one-way plane flight that takes two-and-a-half hours or a scenic 45-hour to 49-hour much cheaper train ride. While it’s promoted for tourism, the train is actually a lifeline for the town of Churchill.
Continue ReadingAP Hockey Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team. Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber introduced the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act along with co-sponsors Elise Stefanik from New York, Mike Quigley from
Continue ReadingAP Science Writer Explosively intensifying Hurricane Milton is the latest freaky system to come out of what veteran hurricane scientists call the weirdest storm season of their lives. Before this Atlantic hurricane season started, forecasters said everything lined up to be a monster busy year, and it began that way when Beryl was the earliest
Continue ReadingAssociated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The Metropolitan Opera is preparing to stage a Flamenco-infused production of an opera about Spanish author Federico Garcia Lorca. The work, “Ainadamar,” by Argentine-born composer Osvaldo Golijov and playwright David Henry Hwang tells Lorca’s story through the lens of his muse, Margarita Xirgu, who starred in one of his
Continue ReadingSTOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden will send out another update of a Cold War-era civil emergency advice booklet this month. Officials say the new version was “adapted to better reflect today’s security policy reality” such as what to do in case of nuclear attacks. The booklet, “If Crisis or War Comes,” includes lessons learned from Russia’s
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LONDON (AP) — The head of MI5 says Britain is facing a staggering rise in attempts at assassination, sabotage and other crimes backed by Russia and Iran. Ken McCallum says hostile states are increasingly recruiting criminals to carry out plots. The head of the U.K.’s domestic intelligence agency said in a rare public
Continue ReadingAP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey has chosen Lisa Marie Presley’s posthumous memoir as her next book club selection. Winfrey also made a trip to the famed Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee, to meet with Presley’s daughter and Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s granddaughter, actor Riley Keough. Lisa Marie Presley’s “From Here to
Continue ReadingAssociated Press LAN SAK, Thailand (AP) — Mourners wept and monks prayed at a cremation ceremony in a small town in central Thailand for 23 young students and teachers who died in last week’s bus fire on a school field trip. A large cremation site was set up Tuesday close to the temple in Lan
Continue ReadingTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Former Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen is to visit Czech Republic, and other European destinations, drawing China’s ire. During Tsai’s two terms, which ended in May, she came under relentless attack from China for her refusal to concede to Beijing’s demands that Taipei recognize China’s sovereignty over it. At a briefing Tuesday,
Continue ReadingAssociated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese prosecutors say they will not appeal the acquittal of the world’s longest-serving death-row inmate in a retrial last month, bringing closure to the 1966 murder case after more than a half-century of legal battles. Prosecutor-general Naomi Unemoto said Tuesday the prosecution decided not to appeal the Shizuoka District Court
Continue ReadingAssociated Press SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Kashmir’s biggest political party opposed to India’s stripping of the region’s semi-autonomy won the most seats in a local election, official data showed Tuesday, in a vote seen as a referendum against the move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’ s government five years ago. National Conference, or NC, won
Continue ReadingOWENTON, Ky. (AP) — Three crew members were killed when a medical helicopter heading to pick up a patient hit a wire and crashed in Kentucky, authorities said. The crash was reported Monday evening in Owenton near state Highway 22, Kentucky State Police said in a news release. Troopers determined that an Air Evac Lifeteam
Continue ReadingAssociated Press EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — The police department in Evansville said one recruit died and another was injured in a “routine” training exercise at its police academy. What was unsaid: Both rookies had been hurt in the “Big Fight” after going against the same instructor who wrapped them in headlocks, punched them and sat
Continue ReadingAssociated Press EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — It was the day of the “Big Fight” at the police academy, and rookie sheriff’s deputy Asson Hacker groaned as the hulking instructor pressed down on his chest. Playing the role of a combative suspect, the trainer challenged Hacker to battle like his life was on the line. He
Continue ReadingPARIS (AP) — France’s interior minister says he has taken additional steps against any effort by one of the sons of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden to return to France. The Interior Ministry said Tuesday that Omar bin Laden had been living in France’s Normandy region but left the country in October 2023 after French
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