AP National News

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union says a new U.S. tax credit plan aimed at encouraging Americans to buy electric vehicles could discriminate against European producers and break world trade rules. The Inflation Reduction Act is nearing approval in Congress. It would grant a tax credit of up to $7,500 to lower the cost of

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Russia’s Baltic neighbor Estonia has decided to bar Russians with tourist visas from entering the northernmost Baltic country as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Its foreign minister said “Russian citizens’ opportunity to visit Estonia in large numbers or to visit Europe through Estonia is incompatible with the meaning of

By FRANK JORDANS Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says his government won’t leave citizens freezing or unable to pay their energy bills but acknowledges his country faces considerable challenges in the coming months. Rising fuel costs sparked by Russia’s war against Ukraine have put severe financial strain on many in Germany

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior ministers have held inconclusive talks with energy companies amid mounting pressure to help people cope with soaring gas and electricity prices. Johnson, who is in his final weeks as prime minister, joined his Treasury chief at the meeting with firms

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Stocks are rising on Wall Street, extending gains from a day earlier that lifted indexes to three-month highs. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are each up more than 0.6% at the opening bell Thursday, and the Dow Jones industrials are also higher. Inflation at the wholesale

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Prices at the wholesale level fell from June to July, the first month-to-month drop in more than two years and a sign that some of the U.S. economy’s inflationary pressures cooled last month. Thursday’s report from the Labor Department showed that the producer price index —

By SUSIE BLANN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Western nations make more pledges to send arms to Ukraine while the European Union’s full ban on Russian coal imports kicks in on Thursday amid claims sanctions against Moscow now even affected its defense exports. Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged that Germany “is shipping arms _ a

MADRID (AP) — Spain has brought 294 Afghan refugees via Pakistan to Spain. The mission brings to 3,900 the number of Afghans flown to Spain since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan last year. Spain said Thursday said the 294 Afghans and their families flew into an air base near Madrid late Wednesday. The group includes

By FRANCISCO SECO Associated Press ABOARD THE ASTRAL (AP) — A Spanish maritime rescue group says it helped pull some 40 people from the Mediterranean Sea after their overcrowded wooden boat capsized during a rescue operation. An Associated Press photographer who was aboard the ship operated by Spanish group Open Arms documented the harrowing rescue

CHICAGO (AP) — McDonald’s will start reopening some of its restaurants in Ukraine in the coming months, a symbol of the war-torn country’s return to some sense of normalcy and a show of support after the American fast-food chain pulled out of Russia. The burger giant closed its Ukrainian restaurants after Russia’s invasion nearly six

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Recently retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has become the honorary co-chairman of a nonpartisan group devoted to education about the Constitution, joining Justice Neil Gorsuch at a time of intense political polarization and rising skepticism about the court’s independence. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia said

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president has threatened to fire top agricultural officials if an investigation shows they improperly announced a decision to import sugar amid a shortage without his approval, his press secretary said Thursday. It’s the stiffest punitive step newly elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could take against officials over an apparent

BEIJING (AP) — China has renewed its threat to attack Taiwan following almost a week of war games near the island, amid international condemnation and a stinging rebuke from the self-governing democracy’s government. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Thursday said Taiwan’s “collusion with external forces to seek independence and provocation will only accelerate

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — A Lebanese man armed with a shotgun broke into a Beirut bank on Thursday, holding employees hostage and threatening to set himself ablaze with gasoline unless he receives his trapped savings, a security official said. The man, who entered a branch of the Federal Bank in Beirut’s

By JELAL HASSAN Associated Press RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The wife of a Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike says he has been moved from an Israeli prison so a hospital because of his worsening condition. Khalil Awawdeh has refused food for just over 160 days in a bid to draw attention to his detention

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) — Authorities say an eastern Indiana police officer was critically wounded and a man was injured in a shootout following a traffic stop. State police say Richmond Police Department Officer Seara Burton responded to a call about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday from other officers to assist with the stop involving a man who

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has met with a fourth group of transgender people who found shelter at a Rome church. Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano said the encounter took place Wednesday on the sidelines of Francis’ weekly general audience. The newspaper on Thursday quoted Sister Genevieve Jeanningros and the Rev.

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Indian capital has reintroduced public mask mandates as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country. The New Delhi government on Thursday reinstituted a fine of 500 rupees ($6) for anyone caught not wearing a mask or face covering in public. India’s Health Ministry said 16,299 new cases were recorded

By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Africa’s public health agency says the continent of 1.3 billion people still does not have a single dose of the monkeypox vaccine, but “very advanced discussions” are underway with at least two partners. The acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says