AP National News

Associated Press For all the usual stagecraft, the Republican National Convention that opens Monday is different from Donald Trump’s previous nominating affairs. In 2016 and 2020, Trump was the underdog heading into fall and faced criticism from within his own party. This year, he will accept the Republican nomination with his party in lockstep behind

AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — NATO leaders met this week to celebrate the alliance’s 75th anniversary under the cloud of deep political uncertainty in its most powerful member — the United States. But even as questions swirled about President Joe Biden’s future and the implications of a possible return to the White House by

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden’s tribulations were previewed in Hollywood days before he got on the debate stage. At a fundraiser organized by George Clooney and packed with luminaries including former President Barack Obama, Biden was a listless figure, perhaps merely jet-lagged after flying straight from Italy but clearly not the man they

Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — His smile is confident, his hair well-combed and his eyes are squinting slightly: The first candidate you’ll likely see on the ballot in Venezuela’s upcoming presidential election is Nicolás Maduro, the incumbent seeking reelection. Unlike some of his nine challengers, Maduro shows up not once or twice, but a

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Relatively few Americans fully endorse the idea that a fertilized egg should have the same rights as a pregnant woman. But a significant share say it describes their views at least somewhat well, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The new survey

Associated Press KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Rwandans vote Monday in an election that will almost certainly extend the long rule of President Paul Kagame. The leader is running virtually unopposed after three decades in power in the eastern African nation. Kagame has been met by crowds of admiring supporters at campaign rallies as he seeks

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A fleet of drones patrolling New York City’s beaches for signs of sharks and struggling swimmers is drawing backlash from an aggressive group of seaside residents: local shorebirds. Since the drones began flying in May, flocks of birds have repeatedly swarmed the devices, forcing the police department and other

Associated Press PLAINFIELD, Vt. (AP) — Gov. Phil Scott says Vermont is better positioned to recover from floods caused by the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl thanks to lessons learned from another devastating flood exactly a year ago. Beryl’s remnants dumped more than 6 inches on parts of Vermont by Thursday. Two people were killed as

Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico judge on Friday brought a sudden and stunning end to the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin, dismissing it in the middle of the actor’s trial and saying it cannot be filed again. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case based on misconduct of police

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Onstage, Danjuro Ichikawa, one of the biggest stars of Japan’s Kabuki theater, is a virtuoso in switching roles. In his latest production, he plays 13 parts, including a princess, a sushi chef and a fox. He hobbles offstage as a feeble old man, then dashes back on moments later as

Associated Press KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A landslide swept two passenger buses carrying more than 50 people into a swollen river in central Nepal early Friday, while continuous rain and more landslides were making rescue efforts difficult. Three survivors apparently swam to safety, but rescuers by late morning had not found any trace of the

Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — One person is dead and two are missing in Hawaii after a tour company helicopter crashed off the island of Kauai. The crash is the latest in a series to plague the industry in recent years. Kauai police say hikers reported seeing the helicopter crash into the waters off the

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Officials with health care companies in Oregon say more than 2,400 patients at hospitals in the Portland area may have been exposed to infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C, and HIV, because of a physician who may not have followed infection control practices. Providence Health said in a statement

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian army private and her husband accused of spying for Russia have been denied bail on the first charges against suspected operatives under Australia’s updated 2018 espionage laws. Kira and Igor Korolev are Russian-born Australian citizens. They did not enter pleas at their court appearance Friday. The charge

AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The Grammy award winning rapper-actor- author LL COOL J will release his first new album in 11 years, “The FORCE” in September — 40 years into his hip-hop career. Not that he hasn’t been making music in that time. “I’ve always tinkered around in the studio here and

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden faced a test Thursday that he had avoided so far this year — a solo news conference with questions from the White House press corps. The news conference was meant to reassure a disheartened group of Democratic lawmakers, allies and persuadable voters in this year’s election that Biden

AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Led by host Serena Williams, The ESPYS celebrated a landmark year for women’s sports, with Simone Biles, A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, Dawn Staley and JuJu Watkins among the honorees on Thursday night. Staley, coach of the national champion South Carolina women’s basketball team, received the Jimmy V Award

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities say a New Jersey man who authorities say was on his way to Ukraine to join a volunteer fighting unit has been arrested in an alleged plot to attack a U.S. electrical substation to advance his white supremacist ideology. Andrew Takhistov is accused of instructing an undercover officer to