Month: October 2023

By DASHA LITVINOVA Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian authorities are seeking to fine a prominent human rights advocate on trial for criticizing the war in Ukraine, the latest step in a relentless crackdown. Oleg Orlov, co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group Memorial, has been charged with “discrediting” the Russian military

By JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press PARIS (AP) — The “Mona Lisa” has given up another secret. Using X-rays to peer into the chemical structure of a tiny speck of the celebrated work of art, scientists have gained new insight into the techniques that Leonardo da Vinci used to paint his groundbreaking portrait of the woman

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Exxon Mobil is buying Pioneer Natural Resources in an all-stock deal valued at $59.5 billion, its largest buyout since acquiring Mobil two decades ago, and creating a colossal fracking operator in West Texas. Including debt, Exxon is committing about $64.5 billion to the acquisition, leaving no doubt of the

By ELIZA HAVERSTOCK of NerdWallet On the bumpy road to repayment this fall, student loan borrowers have some qualms. Borrowers filed more than 101,000 student loan complaints with the Federal Student Aid office in 2022 – more than double from 2021  – and that number is poised to increase further as October payments approach. But

By JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a rule to ban any hidden and bogus junk fees, which can mask the total cost of concert tickets, hotel rooms and utility bills. President Joe Biden has made the removal of these fees a priority of his administration. Administration officials

By ROBERT YOON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The race to replace Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards tops the list of contests voters will decide Saturday in one of only three gubernatorial elections scheduled this year. Fourteen candidates are competing to succeed Edwards under a primary system in which all candidates appear together on

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Officials from Sapporo and the Japanese Olympic Committee have announced a decision to withdraw the northern Japanese city as a candidate to host the 2030 Winter Olympics. The effort has been soiled by massive corruption and bid-rigging tied to the one-year delayed 2020 Tokyo Games. Sapporo Mayor

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A former prime minister of Slovakia who plans to end the country’s military support for Ukraine is poised to return to office after his political party signed a coalition government deal with two other parties. The leftist Smer, or Direction, party captured 22.9% of the vote in Slovakia’s Sept 30 parliamentary

LONDON (AP) — Thousands of travelers faced disruption as all flights were suspended Wednesday at London’s Luton airport after a fire tore through a newly built parking garage, destroying vehicles and partially collapsing the structure. Four firefighters and an airport employee were treated for the effects of smoke inhalation after the fire, which broke out

By CHASE BIERENKOVEN Edmunds The Honda Pilot has become a byword for the affordable midsize SUV. With three rows and a fresh face, the Pilot is more enticing than ever. It’s plenty spacious for front and middle-row passengers, and the easy-to-use controls make for a great experience inside. But Toyota is gunning for the Pilot

VIGO, Spain (AP) — The mayor of Spain’s northwestern city of Vigo says that four people, including three children, have died in a fire at an apartment building. Mayor Abel Caballero said Wednesday that one of the victims was an adult after emergency services had initially said that all four victims were between 9 and

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — World shares were mixed on Wednesday after an easing of pressure from the bond market fueled an advance on Wall Street. Oil prices edged lower. Germany’s DAX was little changed, losing 2 points to 15,421.12. In Paris, the CAC 40 fell 0.5% to 7,124.26. Britain’s FTSE