BERLIN (AP) — A storm has brought heavy rain and strong winds across northern Europe, bringing down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast. A woman in Belgium was fatally injured by a falling Christmas tree, while another tree killed a person in the Netherlands. The 20-meter Christmas tree collapsed onto
Continue ReadingBy Catherine Nicholls, CNN London (CNN) — Alex Batty, a British boy who was found in France after going missing for six years, says it feels “surreal” to be back with his grandmother in the United Kingdom. In an interview with The Sun newspaper published Thursday, Batty – who is now 17 – said: “Every
Continue ReadingBy WILL GRAVES AP National Writer There were jitters, of course. Considering all that happened, how could there not be? When Simone Biles walked onto the floor at a suburban Chicago arena in late July for her first gymnastics competition in two years, she knew plenty of people were wondering how it was going to
Continue ReadingCNN By Marshall Cohen, CNN (CNN) — The Detroit News reviewed a recording of a call former President Donald Trump made to two Michigan county officials in 2020, urging them not to certify the election results from Detroit. The call was previously known and reported by CNN – and condemned at the time by election
Continue ReadingBy KAREL JANICEK Associated Press PRAGUE (AP) — Three foreign nationals were among the 25 people wounded when a student opened fire at a university in the Czech capital, Prague, shooting dead 14 people before killing himself, authorities said Friday. It was the worst mass shooting in Czech history. Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said police
Continue ReadingBy MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered in a surprise ruling the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of his party deputies on bail in a case involving alleged corruption. Khan — currently serving a three-year sentence in jail in a graft case — won’t be
Continue ReadingBEIJING (AP) — American electric automaker Tesla’s plans to produce energy-storage batteries in China are moving forward with a signing ceremony for the land acquisition for a new factory in Shanghai. China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Friday that construction is scheduled to start early next year with production to come on line by the
Continue ReadingBy Samantha Waldenberg, CNN (CNN) — President Joe Biden intends to sign a new executive order on Friday to “strengthen” sanctions against Russia, according to senior administration officials. The executive order, they said, will focus on “secondary sanctions to go after financial institutions” that support Russia’s military in its war in Ukraine. “This tool will be
Continue ReadingBy WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Christmas Eve is almost here. But before running out the door for some last-minute gifts or final tree trimmings ahead of Santa’s visit, you might want to double-check the hours of the stores you’re headed to. Business closings on Christmas Eve are less common than
Continue ReadingMOSCOW (AP) — A Russian deputy foreign minister said talks with the United States on a potential prisoner exchange that would free Americans held in Russia are hampered by publicity and an alleged disparity in the U.S. negotiating stance. The U.S. State Department said last week that Russia rejected several proposals for freeing Paul Whelan,
Continue ReadingBy JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — One of the world’s largest electrical vehicle manufacturers, China’s BYD, will open its first European EV production factory in Hungary, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday. The move was the latest step in the Central European nation’s efforts to become a global hub for EV
Continue ReadingBy JEAN FERNAND KOENA Associated Press BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Local authorities say rebels targeting a security outpost and a village in northern Central African Republic have killed at least 21 people, including children and a soldier. A federal lawmaker who represents the village of Nzakoundou said the assailants attacked a security outpost
Continue ReadingBy Ivana Kottasová, CNN Near Prague, Czech Republic (CNN) — Prague was in shock and mourning Friday after a gunman killed 14 people and injured 25 more at Charles University, the deadliest peacetime attack in the history of the Czech Republic. The brutal incident on Thursday was also the first-ever school or college shooting in
Continue ReadingBy NAJIB JOBAIN and SAM MAGDY Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Health officials in Hamas-run Gaza say the Palestinian death toll there has surpassed 20,000. That figure was released Friday. It is the latest indication of the staggering cost of the war as Israel expands its ground offensive and ordered tens of thousands
Continue ReadingBy ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese automaker BYD plans to build a new electric vehicle plant in Hungary, its first car factory in Europe, as part of its rapid global expansion. The company said Friday that Hungary will be the center for its European operations. The factory is to be based
Continue ReadingBy JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — After 11 weeks of war in Gaza, the Israeli military campaign against Hamas now sits among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 20,000 and satellite data shows that one-third of structures across the tiny enclave have been destroyed. A
Continue ReadingBy Manu Raju and Alayna Treene, CNN Rep. Matt Rosendale was fundraising at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month when he ran into former President Donald Trump on his way back from the golf course. Their encounter — described by sources as brief and polite — soon was promoted with photos by the Montana Republican on social
Continue ReadingBERLIN (AP) — Pre-Christmas rail travelers in parts of Germany face disruption as a storm sweeps across northern Europe. The weather brought down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast. A woman was killed in neighboring Belgium by a falling Christmas tree. German national railway operator Deutsche Bahn said Friday there
Continue ReadingBy BRENDAN FARRINGTON Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge hearing a challenge to a transgender health care ban for minors and restrictions for adults noted that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spread false information about doctors mutilating children’s genitals. Judge Robert Hinkle said during the last day of the trial that DeSantis
Continue ReadingBy KAREL JANICEK Associated Press PRAGUE (AP) — Three foreign nationals were among 25 wounded after a student opened fire at a university in the Czech capital, Prague, killing 14 people, authorities said Friday. The mass shooting was one of the Czech Republic’s worst attacks in recent years. Minister Vit Rakusan said police in Prague
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