ROME (AP) — The Vatican document explicitly saying Catholic priests can bless same-sex unions lays out the conditions for what such blessings can, and cannot, involve. The overall goal is to make it abundantly clear to the couple and those around them that the blessing is not a liturgical or sacramental ritual, and that it
Continue ReadingBy COURTNEY BONNELL AP Business Writer LONDON (AP) — The attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels have scared off some of the world’s top shipping companies and oil giants, effectively rerouting global trade away from a crucial artery for consumer goods and energy supplies that is expected to trigger
Continue ReadingMOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities have added popular detective novelist and dissident Grigory Chkhartishvili, known under the pen name Boris Akunin, to its register of “extremists and terrorists.” Also on Monday, Russian state media reported that a criminal case had been opened against the Russian-Georgian writer for “discrediting the army.” Discrediting the Russian military is
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — A storm barreled up the East Coast on Monday, flooding roads and downing trees in the Northeast, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, and forcing flight cancelations and school closures. More than 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain had fallen in parts of New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania by mid-morning,
Continue ReadingBy HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — This year’s winners of the I Love My Librarian Award took on a lot more than selecting books and fighting bans. Winners for 2024 include Diana Haneski at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who survived the 2018 shooting and is committed
Continue ReadingBy MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — For the first time, artificial intelligence has been used to deliver a speech by Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan to supporters. Analysts say the stunning development could help his political party to win upcoming elections. The replicated voice of Pakistan’s most popular opposition figure was
Continue ReadingBy Andrew Kaczynski, Allison Gordon and Em Steck, CNN (CNN) — Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr. have come to the defense of a one time social media influencer who has been convicted of election interference and has a well-known history of pushing deeply racist, antisemitic, anti-Muslim and homophobic content online. In a video posted
Continue ReadingBy NOAH TRISTER AP Baseball Writer BALTIMORE (AP) — The Maryland Stadium Authority has approved a lease extension for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in one of the final steps formalizing a long-term agreement between the team and the state. The deal is set to go before the state’s Board of Public Works later
Continue ReadingBy DYLAN LOVAN Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Attorneys for a Kentucky woman who sued demanding the right to an abortion have withdrawn the lawsuit after the woman learned her embryo no longer has cardiac activity. In a court filing Sunday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky told a judge the attorneys will
Continue ReadingBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is imposing sanctions on Russia over its war against of Ukraine, targeting the lucrative diamonds industry as well as more than 140 officials and organizations. Monday’s measures will also close loopholes that Moscow has used to bypass previous measures. It’s the 12th round of sanctions that the EU has
Continue ReadingBy MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Leonard Bernstein was a towering figure on Broadway. So it seems only fitting that the new biopic of him leans on the Great White Way to get the story right. Bradley Cooper’s movie “Maestro” is studded with theater stars — 29 of the 38 principal
Continue ReadingBy DUSAN STOJANOVIC Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Aleksandar Vucic likes nothing more than to win. Critics say he cheats, but Serbia’s president argues he just knows how to remain in power. The Balkan nation’s populist leader has ruled Serbia for more than a decade as both prime minister and president. After his populists
Continue ReadingBy COLLEEN LONG Associated Press WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Wilmington police say a 46-year-old driver believed to be drunk accidentally plowed into a parked SUV that was guarding President Joe Biden’s motorcade Sunday night while the president was leaving a visit to his campaign headquarters. The president and first lady Jill Biden were unharmed. While
Continue ReadingBy HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Since the release a year ago of the acclaimed documentary “Turn Every Page,” Robert Caro has been feeling a bit like a movie star. “I walk up Broadway and kids recognize me,” the historian and author of “The Power Broker” says. “If I linger a
Continue ReadingMOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities added popular detective novelist and dissident Grigory Chkhartishvili, known under the pen name Boris Akunin, to its register of “extremists and terrorists.” It occurred on the same day that Russian state media reported that a criminal case had been opened last week against the Russian-Georgian writer for “discrediting the army.”
Continue ReadingBy EMMA BURROWS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The United Nations’ special rapporteur for human rights in Russia says she is concerned about imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Navalny’s allies said he failed to appear in court as expected Monday and they were still searching for him in Russia’s extensive prison system 13 days
Continue ReadingBy KEN SWEET AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Sebastian Siemiatkowski is a co-founder and CEO of Klarna, the Sweden-based company that’s one of the world’s biggest providers of buy now, pay later services to customers. Klarna started off in Europe and entered the U.S. market in 2015. Siemiatkowski spoke to the AP about
Continue ReadingBy MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has pledged to lead efforts to simultaneously achieve decarbonization, economic growth and energy security in Asia. He set the ambitious goal at a regional climate summit Monday attended by leaders from Southeast Asia. Kishida told the Asia Zero Emission Community summit that
Continue ReadingBy NICOLE WINFIELD and DAVID CRARY Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it. The document
Continue ReadingBy Radina Gigova and Darya Tarasova, CNN (CNN) — Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny failed to appear at another court hearing on Monday, further raising concerns about his well-being 10 days after his team lost contact with him. Navalny, who had been imprisoned in a penal colony about 150 miles east of Moscow, was scheduled
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