AP National News

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A second Japanese high court ruled Wednesday that the government’s policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of decisions upholding plaintiffs’ demands for marriage equality. The Tokyo High Court called the ongoing ban “a groundless legal discrimination based on sexual orientation,” saying it violates the constitutional

Associated Press ARAMOUN, Lebanon (AP) — Ayman Jaber’s memories are rooted in every corner of Mhaibib, the village in southern Lebanon he refers to as his “habibti,” the Arabic word for “beloved.” The root of the village’s name means “the lover” or “the beloved.” Reminiscing about his childhood sweetheart, the 45-year-old avionics technician talks about

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s economy is struggling and the governing coalition has a lot of ideas on how to fix it. But it can’t agree which the right one is. The latest outbreak of infighting in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has raised questions about whether it will get anything done in the 11

Associated Press GABORONE, Botswana (AP) — Botswana is holding a national election and voters are deciding if one of Africa’s longest-ruling parties stays on for another five-year term. The Botswana Democratic Party has been in power in the southern African nation for 58 years, since independence from Britain in 1966. Wednesday’s election will decide the

LONDON (AP) — Police say two people have been hospitalized after a fire broke out at the shipyard that builds Britain’s nuclear-powered submarines, but they said there is no nuclear risk. Cumbria Constabulary said the fire broke out soon after midnight at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, northwest England. The force said two people were

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes edged lower Wednesday after drops for Eli Lilly and chip companies overshadowed a jump for Google’s parent company. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% after drifting between small gains and losses several times, though it’s still near its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s High Court has ordered imprisoned former Prime Minister Najib Razak to enter a defense in his second corruption trial over the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund. Najib set up the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state fund shortly after taking power in 2009  to promote economic development, but

Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The closest West Virginia voters could come to having their say at the ballot box on whether abortion should be legal in the post-Roe v. Wade era might be in this year’s governor’s race. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams have been leaders and occasional

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A foreign man living in Hong Kong has been arrested on suspicion of killing a Southeast Asian woman at a waterfall inside a park in the Chinese territory. Police said the woman, who was about 25 years old, was a domestic worker in Hong Kong but did not work

Associated Press CHESTER, Md. (AP) — Republican and Democratic voters in Maryland largely agree on one thing: the state’s U.S. Senate race between Republican Larry Hogan and Democrat Angela Alsobrooks has unusually high stakes this year. In a deeply blue state where a Republican hasn’t won a Senate race in more than 40 years, Hogan

The question posed to Vladimir Putin in September about the U.S. election drew a wry smile and an arched eyebrow from the Russian president. Asked whether he preferred Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, Putin caught listeners up short with his teasing reply that also included a gentle jab at President Joe Biden. “Our ‘favorite,’ if

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris has Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Donald Trump has Kid Rock, Waka Flocka Flame and Hulk Hogan. As the 2024 campaign whirls into its final week, Democrats are noticeably leaning on their star power advantage, calling on a diverse range of celebrities to endorse Harris, invigorate audiences

Associated Press CIUDAD HIDALGO, Mexico (AP) — The first place where many migrants sleep after entering Mexico from Guatemala is inside a large structure, a roof above and fenced-in sides on a rural ranch. They call it the “chicken coop” and they don’t get to leave until they pay the cartel that runs it. Migrant

Associated Press DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — No scene has dominated U.S. politics since 2015 quite like Donald Trump on stage, waxing on for an hour-plus in front of a chorus of red “Make America Great Again” hats. The stream-of-consciousness routine, the interrupting one of his thoughts with the next, is not a polemic Cicero or

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Inside a squat building ringed with a chainlink fence and concrete barriers in downtown Phoenix, election workers on Nov. 5 will begin a grindingly slow tally of every ballot cast in the vast expanse of stucco and saguaro that is Maricopa County, Arizona. In what has become the nation’s ultimate

Associated Press TRENTON, Mich. (AP) — The same Michigan voters Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris needs in the critical swing state will also determine whether her party maintains its foothold on state government two years after pulling off a historic sweep. Michigan Democrats enacted a strong progressive agenda following the 2022 midterms when they won

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Many American voters are concerned that the ongoing Middle East conflict will escalate into an all-out regional war, a new poll finds. About half of voters are “extremely” or “very” worried about the possibility of a broader war in the region. Though there is concern about the conflict growing, according

Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — America’s golden eagles face a rising threat from a black market for their feathers used in Native American powwows and other ceremonies, according to wildlife officials, researchers and tribal members. The government’s response has been two-pronged: A crackdown on rings illegally trafficking dead eagles coupled with a longstanding program