By LORNE COOK and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO’s chief is warning member countries not to allow a wedge to be driven between the United States and Europe. Concern is growing in Europe about the future U.S. commitment to NATO should Donald Trump return to office. With a war in Ukraine weighing
Continue ReadingBy KIM TONG-HYUNG and JIWON SONG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s presidential office claims that the country’s move to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba would deal a “political and psychological blow” to its war-divided rival North Korea, whose diplomatic footing is largely dependent on a small number of Cold War allies.
Continue ReadingANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Officials say a search and rescue mission is underway after a cargo ship with six crew members on board sank in the Turkish inland Sea of Marmara, off Istanbul, amid high waves. The Turkish cargo ship, Batuhan A, was carrying dolomite used to manufacture cement, to the Turkish port of Gemlik
Continue ReadingBy ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials say Russia has fired cruise and ballistic missiles at a broad area of Ukraine in a morning attack. Authorities said the missiles hit five regions of Ukraine early Thursday, hours after a midnight strike in the country’s northeast killed four people in an apartment
Continue ReadingBy WAFAA SHURAFA and BASSEM MROUE Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces stormed the main hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, hours after Israeli fire killed a patient and wounded six others inside the complex. The Israeli army said it was a limited operation seeking the remains of hostages taken by Hamas.
Continue ReadingBy Zachary Cohen, Holmes Lybrand, Jason Morris and Nick Valencia, CNN (CNN) — A hearing that could derail the election subversion case against Donald Trump and others in Georgia is underway as a judge considers whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified. The two-day evidentiary hearing is a pivotal moment for the Georgia
Continue ReadingBy Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell, CNN New York (CNN) — A date for Donald Trump’s first criminal trial has been set in the former president’s New York criminal hush money case. With Trump in attendance at the hearing in downtown Manhattan, New York state Judge Juan Merchan confirmed that the former
Continue ReadingROME (AP) — Israel has formally complained after a senior Vatican official spoke of “carnage” in Gaza. The Israeli Embassy to the Holy See called the comments by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, “regrettable.” Speaking Monday at a reception, Parolin condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks against Israel and all forms of antisemitism. But
Continue ReadingBy ROD McGUIRK Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Anthony Albanese has become the first Australian prime minister to get engaged while in office, revealing Thursday that his partner accepted his marriage proposal on Valentine’s Day. He and Jodie Haydon, a financial services professional, have been together for three years. Albanese said he proposed on
Continue ReadingBy WAFAA SHURAFA and BASSEM MROUE Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces stormed the main hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, hours after Israeli fire killed a patient and wounded six others inside the complex, the Gaza Health Ministry said. The raid came a day after the army sought to evacuate thousands
Continue ReadingBy GERALD IMRAY Associated Press CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Two South African soldiers were killed and three injured when a mortar landed in their base in eastern Congo amid increased unrest in the region. The South African National Defence Force, which oversees all of its armed forces, said it believes the mortar explosion
Continue ReadingBy SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron will sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris. The French presidency did not release specific details about the agreement, which is to be signed on Friday at the Elysee presidential palace. It says this will be Zelenskyy’s third
Continue ReadingBy Adie Vanessa Offiong and Daniel Renjifo, CNN (CNN) — On February 4, the Grammy awards announced the first-ever winner of the new Best African Music Performance, with South Africa’s Tyla taking home the title for her hit “Water.” Yet African artists have been honored at the Grammys since fellow South African Miriam Makeba won
Continue ReadingCNN By Adie Vanessa Offiong and Daniel Renjifo, CNN (CNN) — On February 4, the Grammy awards announced the first-ever winner of the new Best African Music Performance, with South Africa’s Tyla taking home the title for her hit “Water.” Yet African artists have been honored at the Grammys since fellow South African Miriam Makeba
Continue ReadingBy YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s economy is now the world’s fourth-largest after it contracted in the last quarter of 2023 and fell behind Germany. The government reported the economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.4% in October to December, according to Cabinet Office data on real GDP released Thursday,
Continue ReadingMOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin says that Russia would prefer to see U.S. President Joe Biden win a second term, describing him as more experienced and predictable than Donald Trump. That’s even though Moscow strongly disagrees with the current administration’s policies. Putin’s comments during an interview with Russian state television Wednesday were his first
Continue ReadingBy PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The British economy fell into recession at the end of 2023 as output shrank more than anticipated in the final three months of the year. The Office for National Statistics said Thursday that economic activity, as measured by gross domestic product, declined by 0.3% in the fourth
Continue ReadingBy SHEIKH SAALIQ Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s top court has struck down a controversial election funding system that allowed individuals and companies to send unlimited donations to political parties without the need to disclose donor identity. A five-judge constitution bench on the Supreme Court ruled Thursday that “electoral bonds” are “unconstitutional” and
Continue ReadingBy TOM ODULA and DESMOND TIRO Associated Press LOISABA CONSERVANCY, Kenya (AP) — Conservationists in Kenya are celebrating as rhinos were returned to a grassy plateau that hasn’t seen them in decades. The successful move of 21 eastern black rhinos to a new home will give them space to breed and could help increase the
Continue ReadingBy ROD McGUIRK Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Anthony Albanese has become the first Australian prime minister to get engaged while in office, revealing Thursday that his partner accepted his marriage proposal on Valentine’s Day. He and Jodie Haydon, a financial services professional, have been together for three years. Albanese said he proposed on
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