Month: August 2024

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The great inflation spike of the past three years is nearly spent — and economists credit American consumers for helping slay it. Some of America’s largest companies, from Amazon to Disney to Yum Brands, say their customers are increasingly seeking cheaper alternative products and services, searching for bargains or

Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A major forest fire has raged into the northern suburbs of Athens, killing one person and triggering evacuations of several areas as swirling winds hampered efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping planes. Officials said the situation had slightly improved by late Monday night but Greece remained

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a minivan explosion in the Afghan capital that killed at least one person. The militant group said in a statement that it detonated an explosive device on Sunday targeting a vehicle carrying members of the Shiite minority community, killing and wounding about 13 people. Police

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted through a quiet Monday to finish mixed, as markets around the world stabilized following a wild week of extreme swings. The S&P 500 finished little changed, edging up by less than 0.01%, after flipping between small gains and losses through the day. The Dow Jones

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A man has died after an unauthorized helicopter flight in Queensland, Australia ended in a crash on a hotel roof, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people from the building as flames engulfed the aircraft. Authorities in the city of Cairns said Monday that they had not confirmed

Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — The trial of a Las Vegas-area politician accused of killing an investigative reporter who wrote articles critical of him began Monday, after the judge denied the defendant’s last request to dismiss the case and jury selection began. The death of reporter Jeff German, who spent 44 years covering the

Associated Press High up in the mountains of Maui, residents of one small town have taken their future into their own hands after a fire last year that burned 19 homes. The blaze that hit part of Kula in August was far smaller than the fire that devastated the historic city of Lahaina, on Maui’s

Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Arianne Risso worked every day to help her patients battle cancer. That made it all the more heart wrenching when her life — along with that of seven other doctors — ended abruptly after a plane tumbled from the sky in Brazil. She boarded the ill-fated flight Friday

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s Los Angeles’ turn for the torch. Mayor Karen Bass accepted the Olympic flag at the Paris closing ceremony Sunday, before handing it off to a key representative of LA’s local business — Tom Cruise — who in a pre-recorded trek via motorcycle, plane and parachute kicked off the

Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — The smell of hairspray clouds Alexa Flores López as she gets the finishing touches of an intricate updo on her thick black hair. When Alexa found out she was going to have a quinceañera — the traditional celebration for a 15th birthday in Mexico — she could barely contain

Associated Press Jannatul Prome hopes to leave Bangladesh to study more or possibly find a job after she finishes her university degree, frustrated by a system that she says doesn’t reward merit and offers little opportunity for young people. “We have very limited scope here,” said the 21-year-old, who would have left sooner if her

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — At the top of his first speech as her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz turned to Vice President Kamala Harris and declared, “Thank you for bringing back the joy.” The next day, Harris took the theme a step further, branding the Democratic ticket “joyful warriors.” Contrast that with former

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has repeatedly taunted her opponent’s seeming reluctance to debate, telling a series of raucous audiences about Donald Trump’s criticisms of her: “As the saying goes, if you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.” After first backing out of an agreement, Trump reversed himself

AP Entertainment Writer PARIS (AP) — Parisian singer-model Yseult was the final act to perform during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Sunday. In an interview with The Associated Press before the show, Yseult said her goal was to represent her country on the global stage, showcase her upcoming music including her viral