AP National News

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s defense minister says the government will reintroduce a two-month compulsory military service starting January 1, 2025. The move comes amid heightened tensions in Europe following the Russian aggression against Ukraine as well as an apparent arms race and military buildup in the Balkans which went through a bloody war in

LONDON (AP) — London police say two teenagers are due in court on charges related to extreme right-wing terrorism that is not connected to recent rioting in the country. Rex Clark, 18, and Sofija Vinogradova, 19, face charges of preparation of terrorist acts. Vinogradova is also charged with two counts of collecting information likely to

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced that his country will strive to host the Summer Olympics for the first time. Tusk has a particular eye on the Games in 2040 and 2044. He says, “Life will show whether this is a realistic goal. Taking into account the initial decisions, commitments,

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Police in New Zealand have so far accounted for 41 chunks of methamphetamine enclosed in candy wrappers — each a potentially lethal amount of the drug — that were unknowingly distributed by an Auckland food bank. The authorities were in the process of collecting two dozen more of

Associated Press PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s health ministry said Friday it has identified a case of mpox, but sequencing is being done to determine whether it is a new variant, days after the World Health Organization declared the spread of mpox a global health emergency. The case, in a man who had recently returned

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A British judge who was part of a Hong Kong court panel that dismissed an appeal from prominent imprisoned publisher Jimmy Lai and six former pro-democracy lawmakers has quit his position on an advisory board to an international media freedom group. David Neuberger, a non-permanent overseas judge on Hong

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — As conflict casts a shadow across the Middle East, people are getting rich in Dubai. The desert sheikdom’s economy is buzzing with tourism and construction as it positions itself as a safe haven in a region that’s resting on a knife’s edge following the assassination of Hamas

Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — The election of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as Thailand’s prime minister represents a remarkable comeback for the political dynasty founded by her billionaire father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006. Paetongtarn, 37, a former executive in a hotel business run by her family, becomes the third close

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is coasting to the close of its best week since November, and U.S. stocks are drifting higher Friday. The S&P 500 was 0.3% higher in afternoon trading and on track to extend its winning streak to a seventh day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up

Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s outgoing President Joko Widodo highlighted advances in the economy and infrastructure during his final State of the Nation address. Widodo said Friday that in the 10 years he’s led the country, his administration controlled inflation, reduced rates of unemployment and extreme poverty, and built new infrastructure in parts

Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — More evidence has emerged that Mexican authorities disposed of the bodies of dissidents in “death flights” during the country’s 1965-1990 “dirty war.” Mexico’s governmental Truth Commission said in a report Friday that recollections by witnesses and documents leaked over the years describe the chilling last moments of the victims.

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — In a sign that mediators believe a Gaza cease-fire deal is imminent, a U.S. official said Friday that Mideast negotiators are working out logistics for the potential release of hostages and distribution of aid as part of any agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war. The official, who spoke to reporters

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Kim Dotcom, founder of the once wildly popular file-sharing website Megaupload, lost a 12-year fight this week to halt his deportation from New Zealand to the U.S. on charges of copyright infringement, money laundering and racketeering. New Zealand’s Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith divulged Friday that he had decided

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nearly 10 months after the death of Matthew Perry, the long-simmering investigation into the ketamine that killed him came dramatically into public view with the announcement that five people had been charged with having roles in the overdose of the beloved “Friends” star. Here are key things to know

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Thousands of people in northern Japan were ordered to evacuate because of risks of flooding and mudslides from a powerful typhoon approaching in the Pacific Ocean. Flights and trains in the Tokyo area were canceled Friday as warnings were issued for strong winds and heavy rainfall from Typhoon Ampil. The

Associated Press Even before JD Vance got into politics, he has been clear about his concerns regarding birth rates. In a 2021 speech at the conservative nonprofit Intercollegiate Studies Institute in Virginia, Vance floated an idea to allow parents to cast ballots on behalf of their children. He now says that was a “thought experiment”

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. says Beijing weaponizes tourism to the Pacific Island archipelago in an effort to force it to sever ties with Taiwan. Palau is reliant on tourism for 40% of its GDP. Whipps told The Associated Press that Beijing was also angered by his claims

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The “Squad,” a group of progressive lawmakers in the House, is set to shrink next year after two members suffered primary defeats this election cycle following an unprecedented deluge of special interest spending. The primary losses for Reps. Cori Bush in Missouri and Jamaal Bowman in New York came over

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As California’s attorney general, Kamala Harris successfully defended the death penalty in court, despite her past crusade against it. As a new senator, she proposed to abolish cash bail — a reversal from when she chided San Francisco judges for making it “cheaper” to commit crimes by setting bail amounts

Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — Five summers ago, Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance — then a 34-year-old memoirist and father of a 2-year-old boy — took the stage at a conservative conference and tackled an issue that would become a core part of his political brand: the United States’ declining fertility rate. “Our people