AP National News

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan, one of the most earthquake-prone nations on earth, issued its first-ever “megaquake advisory” last week after a powerful quake struck off the southeastern coast of the southern main island of Kyushu. The magnitude 7.1 quake caused no deaths or severe damage, but the advisory has led to widespread confusion

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks ticked higher in a quiet Wednesday after the latest update on inflation came in almost exactly as economists expected. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to follow up on one of its best days of the year and climb within 3.7% of its all-time high set last

Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — It’s been three years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. They have transitioned from insurgency to authority, imposed their interpretation of Islamic law and sought to reinforce their claim to legitimacy. Despite no international recognition as the country’s official rulers, the Taliban enjoy high-level meetings with major regional

Associated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Within a week of unseating Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister, the students who drove out former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were directing Dhaka’s traffic. Two students who led the charge are also settling into the interim government, ushered in just a few days after Hasina resigned and fled to India.

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden, watching tens of thousands of migrants from Central America reach the U.S.-Mexico border just a few months into his administration, tapped his second-in-command to help address the influx — a decision that has exposed Vice President Kamala Harris to one of her biggest political liabilities. In grappling

Associated Press Arkansas’ highest court upheld a decision to keep an abortion rights ballot initiative off the state’s November ballot, agreeing with election officials that the group behind the measure did not properly submit documentation regarding the signature gatherers it hired. The move is the latest development in the ongoing fight to put abortion on

Associated Press ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Donald Trump made little effort to stay on message Wednesday at a rally in North Carolina that his campaign billed as a big economic address, mixing pledges to slash energy prices and “unleash economic abundance” with familiar off-script tangents on Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’ laugh, the mechanics of wind

Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Gerry Cushman has seen Maine’s iconic lobster industry survive numerous threats in his three decades on the water, but the latest challenge — which might sound tiny — could be the biggest one yet. Lobster fishing is a game of inches, and the number of inches is about to

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Year-over-year inflation reached its lowest level in more than three years in July, the latest sign that the worst price spike in four decades is fading and setting up the Federal Reserve for an interest rate cut in September. Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices

Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A top Democrat in the U.S. House says it will take a shift of power in Congress to ensure that legislation is finally passed to extend and expand a compensation program for people exposed to radiation following uranium mining and nuclear testing carried out by the federal government. Democratic

Maine utility regulators have unanimously rejected an electric utility’s proposal to proactively report high consumption that signals an illicit marijuana growing operation to law enforcement officials. The state’s second-largest electric utility floated the idea to aid police cracking down on operations hidden inside rural homes that are being investigated for ties to transnational crime. But

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the University of California, Los Angeles, cannot allow pro-Palestinian protesters to block Jewish students from accessing classes and other parts of campus. The preliminary injunction marks the first time a U.S. judge has ruled against a university over the demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war on

Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy has narrowly won the Republican primary in Utah’s 2nd District. The state Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected her challenger’s lawsuit that asked justices to count a batch of ballots with late postmarks after Maloy won a recount by fewer than 200 votes. Maloy is

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will not seek another term as his party’s leader, meaning Japan will get a new prime minister in September. Kishida was losing support because of corruption scandals within the Liberal Democratic Party. He said a new leader was a chance for the party to show

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s former mayor is the Democrats’ pick to succeed the late Texas congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on the November ballot. Sylvester Turner secured the nomination Tuesday during a party meeting in Houston. Jackson Lee died in July after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The 74-year-old longtime Texas congresswoman had already won the

Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — A Maui judge’s ruling resolves a critical roadblock to finalizing a $4 billion wildfire settlement. Judge Peter Cahill has ruled that insurance companies who have paid out more than $2 billion in claims can seek reimbursement only from the settlement amount defendants fire victims blame for causing the deadly tragedy

FOREST PARK, Ga. (AP) — Drug agents say that celery was used to conceal more than 2,300 pounds of methamphetamines at a farmers market south of Atlanta. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says it’s one of the largest seizures of its kind. WAGA-TV reports that authorities said Monday the drugs were found inside a semitrailer.