Skip to Content

AP National News

Nobel laureates call on Belarus’ leader to release all political prisoners

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Dozens of Nobel Prize laureates are calling in an open letter on Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to free all political prisoners following the release of 18 seriously ill activists. The Belarusian human rights group Viasna counts almost 1,400 political prisoners, including its Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder Ales Bialiatski. Many of

Continue Reading

Israel’s military will begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday. It could rattle the government

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military on Tuesday said it would begin sending draft notices to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday — a step that could destabilize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The announcement followed a landmark Supreme Court order for young religious men to begin enlisting for military service. Under long-standing political

Continue Reading

Baltic countries notify Russia and Belarus they will exit the Moscow-controlled electricity grid

Associated Press VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — The electricity grid operators of the three Baltic countries on Tuesday officially notified Russia and Belarus that they will exit a 2001 agreement that has kept Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania connected to an electricity transmission system controlled by Moscow. The Baltic countries already have stopped buying electricity from Russia,

Continue Reading

At least 72 people are killed in a militia attack near Congo’s capital in a conflict over land

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — At least 72 people, including nine soldiers and a soldier’s wife, were killed when armed men attacked a village in western Congo, local authorities said, as violence intensifies between rival communities. Saturday’s attack took place in the village of Kinsele, around 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Kinshasa, the capital. Because

Continue Reading

Microsoft faces UK competition investigation over hiring of AI startup’s founder and key staff

AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — British regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into Microsoft’s hiring of an AI startup’s key staff over concerns that it could thwart competition in the booming artificial intelligence market. The Competition and Markets Authority said Tuesday that its review of the hirings from Inflection AI turned up “sufficient information”

Continue Reading

Thousands of Philadelphia city workers are back in the office full time after judge rejects lawsuit

Associated Press Thousands of Philadelphia city employees are back in their offices full time after a judge rejected a union’s request to block Mayor Cherelle Parker’s requirement that they return. District Council 47 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees had sued the city. It says the mandate violates its contract and

Continue Reading

French president accepts prime minister’s resignation but keeps him as head of caretaker government

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has accepted the prime minister’s resignation but kept him on as head of a caretaker government. Macron’s office said in a statement that Macron “accepted” the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and the ministers. Attal and other government members are “to handle current affairs until

Continue Reading

IMF’s economic view: Brighter outlook for China and India but tepid global growth

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its economic outlook this year for China, India and Europe while modestly lowering expectations for the United States and Japan. But it says worldwide progress against accelerating prices has been slowed by stickier-than-expected inflation for services, from airline travel to restaurant meals. Overall,

Continue Reading

Soros’ Open Society Foundations say their restructuring is complete and pledge $400M for green jobs

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Open Society Foundations revealed Tuesday its first new commitment after a years-long internal reorganization, pledging $400 million over eight years to support green economic development. OSF is the philanthropic organizations that billionaire investor George Soros has built up since the 1970s. OSF president Binaifer Nowrojee said the goal of

Continue Reading

French rugby head says ‘chain of events is dramatic’ after national team assault, racism claims

MARCOUSSIS, FRANCE (AP) — French Rugby Federation President Florian Grill has addressed allegations of sexual assault and racism against members of the national team on its tour of Argentina, saying the “chain of events is dramatic” for all involved. Team members Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou were arrested for sexual assault in Buenos Aires after

Continue Reading