Associated Press The past year has been both a glass half empty and half full for the world’s democracies. From Asia to Africa to the Americas, it produced examples of democracy working and citizens standing up against attempted coups or authoritarians. At the same time, some of the new regimes ushered in by all those
Continue Reading AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A new novel from Kiran Desai, her first fiction since the Booker Prize-winning “The Inheritance of Loss” came out nearly 20 years ago, will be published next fall. Desai’s “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny” is scheduled for release in September by Hogarth, an imprint of the Random
Continue Reading Associated Press MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — The parliament building in Liberia caught fire Wednesday and the country’s president condemned the “wanton destruction,” even as no link was immediately confirmed to anti-government protests in the capital. The protests in the West African nation began with anger Tuesday over the decision to remove the parliament speaker, an
Continue Reading Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni is defending her friendship with U.S. tech billionaire and Trump advisor Elon Musk. She told Italian lawmakers Wednesday that she would not be influenced in areas where he has economic interests. Meloni added that she has good relationships “with many people” but doesn’t “take orders from
Continue Reading Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The kids seen by Dolores Mejia around suburban Phoenix have been growing heavier in recent years. Their parents, too, she says. Mejia, a 75-year-old retiree, says she’s also had her own weight struggles on the scale. That’s why Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pledge to “Make America Healthy Again” as he
Continue Reading Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona’s subway system is using regenerative braking to help power both its convoys but also recharge electric cars at street level. Sixteen subway stations in the Spanish city are equipped so that the energy from the regenerative braking system on the train can also help power chargers for electric
Continue Reading Edmunds Full-size trucks are hugely popular thanks to their versatility and ability to get tough jobs done. This characteristic applies equally to when paved roads end and off-road hardware becomes essential. The automotive experts at Edmunds have brought together four full-size pickups that won’t wilt over rugged terrain. They’ve also kept in mind that all-terrain
Continue Reading Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The owner of Britain’s Guardian newspaper has confirmed that it has sold the Observer, the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper to Tortoise Media for an undisclosed fee. In a statement Wednesday, the Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian Media Group, said Tortoise Media is purchasing the Observer through a combination of
Continue Reading CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Honda and Nissan are discussing a possible merger, potentially bringing together two Japanese automaking titans that have recently fallen on hard times. Mitsubishi also appears to be part of the preliminary talks but none of the automakers have disclosed details about how the venture could take shape. Here’s
Continue Reading By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Honda and Nissan are discussing a possible merger, potentially bringing together two Japanese automaking titans that have recently fallen on hard times. Mitsubishi also appears to be part of the preliminary talks but none of the automakers have disclosed details about how the venture could take shape. Here’s what
Continue Reading CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — Honda and Nissan are discussing a possible merger, potentially bringing together two Japanese automaking titans that have recently fallen on hard times. Mitsubishi also appears to be part of the preliminary talks but none of the automakers have disclosed details about how the venture could take shape. Here’s
Continue Reading Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration with family and friends. But they can also bring pressure to spend money on gifts, gatherings and plane tickets home. With credit card debt rising and prices for many items still high due to inflation, overspending during the holiday
Continue Reading Associated Press Sitting alone in her car, Jen Dold was crying too hard to drive. She had just received a manila envelope with her brother’s autopsy report. There it was, one devastating word: “accident.” The papers trembled in her hands. Their mother had called 911 for help getting Dold’s 29-year-old brother, Alex, to the hospital
Continue Reading Associated Press XIAMEN, China (AP) — The world’s largest maker of batteries for electric vehicles said Wednesday it will get into battery swapping in China in a big way starting next year. The idea behind battery swapping is to refuel quickly, similar to filling a conventional car with gas. Instead of waiting for the batteries
Continue Reading Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — For Djaniele Taylor, attending WNBA games was the perfect way to rediscover a sense of community coming out of the long slog of pandemic-era lockdowns. The 38-year-old Evanston, Illinois, resident has regularly attended Chicago Sky games for the last three seasons, after she watched the team win its first
Continue Reading Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A British court ruled Wednesday that police can seize more than 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) to cover years of unpaid taxes from influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan. The Devon and Cornwall Police force went to court to claim the money, held in seven frozen bank accounts, from
Continue Reading Associated Press MACAO (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun a three-day visit to Macao to mark the 25th anniversary of the casino city’s return to Chinese rule. Xi and his wife were welcomed at the airport Wednesday by a lavish ceremony. Xi told reporters that Macao, a former Portuguese colony of 687,000 people,
Continue Reading QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani authorities have postponed a polio vaccination campaign in the country’s restive southern Balochistan province after health workers boycotted it to oppose a proposed privatization of hospitals. Authorities on Monday launched the final nationwide polio vaccination campaign for the year, aiming to protect 45 million children. According to the World Health
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It’s that time of year again. Illnesses are thriving as cold temperatures push people inside. Locally, the spread of the flu has calmed a bit but COVID-19 cases rose in early December in Boone County. That’s reflective of a national trend of rising COVID-19 infections. Have you or your family fallen prey to the bugs
Continue Reading The Israeli military on Wednesday ordered Palestinians to evacuate another section of central Gaza ahead of an offensive in the built-up Bureij refugee camp, even as Israel and the Hamas appeared to inch closer to a ceasefire in the 14-month war. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he will meet Wednesday with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s
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