By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — China’s Finance Ministry has denounced a report by Fitch Ratings that kept its sovereign debt rated at A+ but downgraded its outlook to negative. The ministry said in a statement that China’s deficit is at a moderate and reasonable level and risks are under control as
Continue ReadingHONG KONG (AP) — A fire in a large, mostly residential building in Hong Kong has killed at least five people and left another 36 injured. Some 250 residents were rescued from the New Lucky House in Hong Kong’s Jordan neighborhood and the fire was extinguished later Wednesday. The fire services department said that the
Continue ReadingBy TIA GOLDENBERG and WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza a mistake and called for his government to flood the beleaguered territory with aid, ramping up pressure on Israel to reach a cease-fire and widening a rift
Continue ReadingBy COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — A Florence appeals court on Wednesday opened a new slander trial against Amanda Knox based on a 2016 European Court of Human Rights decision that her rights were violated during a long night of questioning into the murder of her British roommate without a lawyer and
Continue ReadingBy ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mixed Wednesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes held at a near standstill ahead of some potentially market-moving reports. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.7% to 17,115.94, while the Shanghai Composite index lost 0.8% to 3,026.11 after Fitch Ratings lowered its outlook for China’s
Continue ReadingBy Nectar Gan and Wayne Chang, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping held rare talks on Wednesday with a former president of Taiwan who supports closer ties with China, a highly unusual meeting just weeks before the democratic island swears in a new leader Beijing openly loathes. Ma Ying-jeou, who led Taiwan
Continue ReadingBy ANDREI POPOVICIU Associated Press PIKINE, Senegal (AP) — Mouhamed Sall stepped to the chalkboard with a glance and quick question in sign language to an assistant. Then he solved the exercise to the silent approval of his classmates, who waved their hands in a display of appreciation. Sall and three other students are part
Continue ReadingBy HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a crucial test Wednesday, as voters go to the polls for a parliamentary election that could determine whether he becomes a lame duck for his remaining three years in office. In the months ahead of the election, the
Continue ReadingTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated on Wednesday a promise to retaliate against Israel over the killings of Iranian generals in Syria. Khamenei spoke at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying the airstrike that demolished Iran’s consulate in Syria earlier this month
Continue ReadingHONG KONG (AP) — A fire in a large, mostly residential building in Hong Kong on Wednesday morning killed at least five people and left another 34 injured. The blaze in the New Lucky House in the Jordan neighborhood was extinguished later in the morning, but police said people inside the building still were calling
Continue ReadingBy HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a crucial test Wednesday, as voters go to the polls for a parliamentary election that could determine whether he becomes a lame duck for his remaining three years in office. In the months ahead of the election, the
Continue ReadingBy GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Stephen Curry had 23 and the Golden State Warriors capitalized on Anthony Davis’ injury absence for a 134-120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. Andrew Wiggins had 17 points for the 10th-place Warriors, who hit 26 of
Continue ReadingBy ERIC HE Associated Press SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Andrei Kuzmenko scored a power-play goal 2:58 into overtime and the Calgary Flames came back to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Tuesday night. Kuzmenko put in the puck off a scramble in front for the Flames, who had lost three straight and eight
Continue ReadingBy JOVANA GEC Associated Press LAPOVO, Serbia (AP) — Zeljko Ilicic saved his first horse from certain death 12 years ago and found his calling. The Serbian, now 43, set up the Balkan country’s only horse sanctuary in 2015 on a small piece of land in Lapovo in Central Serbia. Around 80 horses have since
Continue ReadingBy BERNIE WILSON AP Sports Writer SAN DIEGO (AP) — Christopher Morel hit his first career grand slam and Yan Gomes also connected for the Chicago Cubs, who beat Joe Musgrove and the San Diego Padres 5-1 on Tuesday night. Unlike Monday, the Cubs held on. They blew an 8-0 lead in a 9-8 loss
Continue ReadingBy MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is calling on Nebraska Republicans to put pressure on state lawmakers to adopt a “winner-take-all” system of awarding Electoral College votes. More than 500 people turned out Tuesday night for a rally sponsored by the Nebraska Republican Party. Former President Donald
Continue ReadingBy JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — José Caballero had three hits and two RBIs, Isaac Paredes homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-4 on Tuesday night despite Mike Trout’s sixth home run. Harold Ramírez also drove in a pair for the Rays, who have won three
Continue ReadingBy BEN ROSS Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — CJ Abrams homered and drove in three runs after missing three games with a bruised left pinkie, and the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 on Tuesday night. “It always feels good to be out there on the field playing baseball,” Abrams said. “Getting
Continue ReadingBy DAN GREENSPAN Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras scored in the third period, and the Anaheim Ducks prevented the Los Angeles Kings from securing a playoff spot with a 3-1 win on Tuesday night. Frank Vatrano also scored, Lukas Dostal made 36 saves, and the Ducks beat their Freeway
Continue ReadingBy GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Klay Thompson scored 27 points, Stephen Curry had 23 and the Golden State Warriors capitalized on Anthony Davis’ injury absence for a 134-120 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. Andrew Wiggins had 17 points for the 10th-place Warriors, who hit 26 of
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