By FERNANDA PESCE and ALEXIS TRIBOULARD Associated Press TULTEPEC, Mexico (AP) — Every year, in the first week of March, hundreds of giant papier-mâché bulls stuffed with fireworks are erected in the front yards of the Mexican town of Tultepec. Thousands of restless fingers carefully cut, pasted and painted the colorful patterns that brought the
Continue ReadingBy Catherine Nicholls, CNN (CNN) — Nearly 50 gold pieces of art created by Italian sculptor Umberto Mastroianni were stolen from an exhibition near Lake Garda, Italy, on Wednesday night, the host of the exhibition, the Vittoriale degli Italiani estate, told CNN. Forty-nine pieces of art, worth €1.2 million (more than $1.3 million USD), were
Continue ReadingBy MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS Associated Press NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Another top donor to the U.N. agency aiding Palestinians said Saturday that it would resume funding, weeks after more than a dozen countries halted hundreds of millions of dollars of support in response to Israeli allegations against the organization. Sweden’s reversal came as a ship bearing
Continue ReadingBy Samantha Waldenberg, CNN (CNN) — Alabama Sen. Katie Britt graphically described a woman’s story of being “sex trafficked by the cartels starting at age 12,” during the Republican response to the State of the Union address on Thursday, using the story as an anecdote of, what she called, President Joe Biden’s failed immigration policies.
Continue ReadingBILBAO, Spain (AP) — Spain’s prime minister says he will propose that parliament recognizes a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Saturday that his position on the conflict in the Gaza Strip is much like his country’s support for Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Sánchez joins other European leaders and government officials who have
Continue ReadingBy FERNANDA PESCE Associated Press TULTEPEC, Mexico (AP) — Every year, in the first week of March, hundreds of giant paper-mache bulls stuffed with fireworks are erected in the front yards of the Mexican town of Tultepec. Thousands of restless fingers carefully cut, pasted and painted the colorful patterns that brought the “toritos” to life
Continue ReadingBy CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Armed men broke into a boarding school in northwestern Nigeria early Saturday and seized 15 children as they slept, police told The Associated Press, about 48 hours after nearly 300 students were taken hostage in the conflict-hit region. School abductions are common in Nigeria’s northern region,
Continue ReadingSAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador’s lawmakers have granted a request by President Nayib Bukele for the 24th consecutive one-month extension of an anti-gang emergency decree. The vote in congress means that the country will have spent a full two years under the decree by March 27. The measure suspends some rights. Bukele
Continue ReadingROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire attorney general says police shot and killed a man during a foot chase after he was taken down by a police dog and pulled a weapon. State Attorney General John Formella says New Hampshire state police troopers killed Joseph Russell, 36, during the pursuit with the Rochester Police
Continue ReadingBy The Associated Press This week’s new streaming entertainment releases include a new album from pop princess Ariana Grande, a docuseries on National Geographic that follows female leaders of the animal kingdom and the Emma Stone-led “Poor Things” landing on Hulu, just in time for the Academy Awards. Also, Theo James stars in Guy Ritchie’s
Continue ReadingBy KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $460 billion package of spending bills approved by the Senate in time to avoid a shutdown of many key federal agencies. The legislation’s success gets lawmakers about halfway home in wrapping up their appropriations work for the 2024 budget year.
Continue ReadingBy Niamh Kennedy, CNN (CNN) — The US has joined several other countries in airdropping aid into Gaza, which is grappling with a humanitarian crisis. With aid deliveries on land falling far short of the numbers needed to ward off famine in the enclave, it is hoped these airdrops will provide a lifeline to people
Continue ReadingBy SAMY MAGDY Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — A Sudanese paramilitary group battling the country’s military in a nearly yearlong ruinous conflict has endorsed a resolution by the U.N. Security Council calling for a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Rapid Support Forces said Saturday that it hopes the resolution will help
Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES (AP) — After a winter barrage of award shows — the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Grammys — the grandaddy of them all, the Academy Awards, are around the corner. The 96th Oscars may be a coronation for “Oppenheimer,” which comes in with a leading 13 nominations, though other films, including “Barbie,” “Killers
Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES (AP) — After a winter barrage of award shows — the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Grammys — the grandaddy of them all, the Academy Awards, are around the corner. The 96th Oscars may be a coronation for “Oppenheimer,” which comes in with a leading 13 nominations, though other films, including “Barbie,” “Killers
Continue ReadingBy Clare Foran, Ted Barrett, Morgan Rimmer and Kristin Wilson, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden signed a package of six government funding bills into law Saturday, a day after lawmakers raced to fund critical government departments and agencies through the remainder of the fiscal year. The spending bills – backed by the top Democrats and
Continue ReadingMADRID (AP) — An official at Spanish soccer club Sporting Gijón has apologized for a video meant to commemorate International Women’s Day that sparked widespread criticism. The short video featured a young girl painting a woman symbol on its field. But the opening sequence showed the girl on her hands and knees removing the original
Continue ReadingBy Amarachi Orie, CNN (CNN) — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has said she experienced “cruel” online bullying and abuse, the “bulk” of which occurred during her pregnancies. Speaking on stage at an event at the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Meghan said, “I keep my distance from (social media) right
Continue ReadingBESSEMER, Ala. (AP) — A new plea hearing has been set for an Alabama woman accused of falsely telling police she was abducted last summer after stopping her car to check on a toddler wandering near a highway. Carlee Russell’s two-day disappearance, and her story of being abducted, captivated the nation before police called her
Continue ReadingBy Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN (CNN) — Diversity, equity and inclusion programs have come under attack in boardrooms, state legislatures and college campuses across the country. Since 2023, 81 anti-DEI bills that target programs at colleges have been introduced in 28 states and in Congress, according to a tally by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Eight have been signed into law, in states like
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