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BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s Cabinet has approved a draft 2024 budget that foresees lower spending with defense among the exceptions. It comes as Europe’s biggest economy sticks to rules limiting borrowing that were suspended during the coronavirus pandemic. The government’s plan calls for spending of 445.7 billion euros ($486 billion), down 6.4% from the 476.3

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Rapper, producer and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs is asking the New York Supreme Court to enforce a 2021 agreement that requires spirits seller Diageo to treat his DeLeon tequila brand “at least as favorably” as its other tequila brands. Combs signed and agreement with Diageo – which owns more

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A powerful summer storm lashing the Netherlands and parts of Germany has killed at least two people, blown trees onto houses and forced one of Europe’s busiest airports to cancel or delay hundreds of flights. The national meteorological institute issued its highest-level alert in three provinces as Storm Poly hit

By JOE McDONALD and MATT OTT AP Business Writers Wall Street headed lower early Wednesday ahead of the release of notes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting and new jobs data out later in the week. Futures for the benchmark S&P 500 index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.5% before the bell. Notes

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has set up a special commission that will identify those he hails as the new martyrs of the 21st century. The Vatican on Wednesday released a copy of a letter in which the pope announced the commission will be part of the Holy See’s saint-making

By SAMYA KULLAB Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine and Russia accused each other Wednesday of planning to attack one of the world’s largest nuclear power plants, which is located in southeastern Ukraine and occupied by Russian troops, but neither side provided evidence to support their claims. Citing intelligence reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Defense Ministry is accusing the United States of turning of Taiwan into a powder keg with its latest sales of military equipment to the self-governing island democracy. Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei responded Wednesday to the State Department’s approval of the sale of 30 mm ammunition and related equipment, along

By SALLY FRENCH of NerdWallet More than 10.5  million North American households took a glamping trip in 2022, up from 9.6 million in 2021. Although glamping has taken off in popularity, it’s not because it’s an affordable way to travel. In fact, a 2023 survey from Kampgrounds of America found that glampers spent, on average,

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say a suicide bomber has targeted a security checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least two soldiers and a 10-year-old boy and wounding 14 other civilians. The bombing happened Wednesday in Miran Shah, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. The region is a former stronghold of the

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Heavy monsoon rains are lashing Pakistan and disrupting lives in areas where residents already were struggling to recover from floods last summer that affected 33 million people and killed 1,739. Pakistani media report that weather-related incidents killed at least three people in the past day and at least 18 people have died

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden and Ukraine have launched a case against Iran at the United Nations’ highest court over the downing in 2020 of a Ukrainian passenger jet and the deaths of all 176 passengers and crew. The countries want the International Court of Justice to rule that Iran

By DENG MACHOL Associated Press JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — President Salva Kiir of South Sudan says his country’s long-delayed elections will take place in 2024 and that he will be on the ballot. Kiir, who has led South Sudan since the territory became independent of Sudan in 2011, accepted the endorsement of the ruling

By CHASE BIERENKOVEN Edmunds Automakers routinely update their vehicles with new features, engines and trim levels. At a certain point, the sheer amount of information on this subject can be daunting. Updates from automakers can range from minor changes — like a new center screen — to massive refreshes that totally change the way a

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press STAR, Idaho (AP) — Once he and his wife, Jennifer, moved to a Boise suburb last year, Tim Kohl could finally express himself. Kohl did what the couple never dared at their previous house outside Los Angeles — the newly-retired Los Angeles police officer flew a U.S. flag and a

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer Morgan Pressel considered extending her playing career so she would have the opportunity to play in this week’s U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. Even though she stopped playing two years ago, Pressel will still have an excellent vantage point for all four rounds of the first Women’s Open

By SIMINA MISTREANU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The European Union says China has abruptly cancelled a visit by the EU’s top diplomat for unspecified reasons. Josep Borrell, the E.U.’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, was due to arrive in China on July 10 for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin