By Rhea Mogul, CNN (CNN) — A tropical cyclone has rapidly intensified off the northern coast of Australia as millions across the country endure heat wave conditions that are forecast to stretch into the weekend. Severe tropical cyclone Jasper strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane Friday, with maximum winds of 220 kilometers
Continue ReadingBy Aya Elamroussi and Jamiel Lynch, CNN (CNN) — Three officers in Alabama were fired and another was suspended without pay in connection to September’s fatal police shooting of a man outside his home as a towing company tried to repossess his vehicle, Decatur city officials announced Thursday. Stephen Perkins, 39, was fatally shot by
Continue ReadingBy ISABEL DEBRE, SAMY MAGDY and NAJIB JOBAIN Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The roads are so ravaged that the dead and wounded arrive by donkey cart. Desperate relatives rush bloodied and dust-covered people, many of them children, to the hospital. Naseem Hassan, a 48-year-old Palestinian medic in the Gaza Strip’s southern town
Continue ReadingBy Simone McCarthy, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Italy, the only G7 country to join China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative, will leave the global infrastructure program when its contract expires next year – the latest sign of hardening European attitudes to Beijing and its global ambitions. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday confirmed the
Continue ReadingBy LUIS ANDRES HENAO Associated Press Buddhists around the world are celebrating Bodhi Day. Also called Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, it commemorates when Siddhartha Gautama attained awakening — or enlightenment — some 2,600 years ago, becoming the Buddha. When is Bodhi Day celebrated? Japan celebrates on Dec. 8, following the Western calendar. It varies elsewhere in
Continue ReadingBy LUIS ANDRES HENAO Associated Press Buddhists around the world are celebrating Bodhi Day. Also called Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, it commemorates when Siddhartha Gautama attained awakening — or enlightenment — some 2,600 years ago, becoming the Buddha. When is Bodhi Day celebrated? Japan celebrates on Dec. 8, following the Western calendar. It varies elsewhere in
Continue ReadingBy BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — On a night when almost everyone scored for No. 2 UCLA, Kiki Rice did a lot more. The sophomore guard had her first career triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists Thursday in a 111-48 rout of Cal State Northridge. It was the
Continue ReadingBy WAFAA SHURAFA, JACK JEFFERY and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press MUWASI, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel has designated a small slice of mostly undeveloped land along Gaza’s Mediterranean coast as a safe zone — a place where waves of people fleeing the war can find protection from airstrikes and receive humanitarian supplies for their families.
Continue ReadingBy RIO YAMAT and BEN FINLEY Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — A 67-year-old college professor who was denied jobs at various Nevada colleges and universities stuffed loaded handgun magazines into his waistband before walking into a University of Nevada, Las Vegas building and killing three faculty members, police said. After police killed him in
Continue ReadingBERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Yvonne Ejim scored 21 points and Brynna Maxwell scored 18 points and 23rd-ranked Gonzaga took control in overtime and beat California 78-70 on Thursday night. Kayleigh Truong’s jump shot with 31 seconds left tied it at 65-all in regulation to force overtime Ejim finished shooting 9 for 19 and Maxwell was
Continue ReadingBy JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — No matter who wins, Houston will elect the oldest big-city mayor in the U.S. this weekend, choosing between two candidates who each have been in public office longer than the median age of the residents they will govern. Voters in Saturday’s runoff between state Sen. John
Continue ReadingBy GRANT PECK Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Reports from Myanmar say its military government has been freeing soldiers and police who had been jailed for desertion and absence without leave as authorities seek to get them to return to active duty. A police officer and an army officer on Thursday confirmed independent media reports
Continue ReadingBy EDNA TARIGAN Associated Press BOGOR, Indonesia (AP) — At a lake in the West Javan city of Bogor, children and teenagers paddle toward piles of floating trash, pick it up and store it in their kayaks, before passing it to friends sorting it onshore. The group of around 20 youngsters started off as a
Continue ReadingBy ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge was poised Friday to prohibit separation of families at the border for purposes of deterring immigration for eight years, preemptively blocking resumption of a lightning-rod, Trump-era policy that the former president hasn’t ruled out if voters return him to the White House next
Continue ReadingBy ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge was poised Friday to prohibit separation of families at the border for purposes of deterring immigration for eight years, preemptively blocking resumption of a lightning-rod, Trump-era policy that the former president hasn’t ruled out if voters return him to the White House next
Continue ReadingBy MICHAEL R. SISAK and MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press Derek Chauvin was stabbed nearly two dozen times at a federal prison in Arizona. Larry Nassar was knifed repeatedly at a federal penitentiary in Florida. The recent assaults of two high-profile federal prisoners by fellow inmates have renewed concerns about whether the crisis-plagued federal Bureau of
Continue ReadingBy BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 19 points and No. 2 UCLA thoroughly dominated Cal State Northridge in a 111-48 victory Thursday night. The Bruins (7-0) had six players in double figures. Gabriela Jaquez had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Lauren Betts added 18 points. Kiki Rice
Continue ReadingBy MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press The U.S. Census Bureau wants to change how it asks people about disabilities, and some advocates don’t like where things are heading. They say the proposed changes will artificially reduce their numbers by almost half, even as more people are living with new conditions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Census Bureau
Continue ReadingTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s Defense Ministry says a Chinese military surveillance balloon has been spotted in the Taiwan Strait, along with a large-scale movement of military aircraft and ships. The ministry said the balloon passed over the northern port city of Keelung on Thursday night, then continued east before disappearing. Taiwan has threatened to
Continue ReadingBy MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nicki Minaj ‘s highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Pink Friday 2,” is finally here. Out Friday, the 10-time Grammy nominee’s 41st birthday, “Pink Friday 2” is Minaj’s first full-length release since 2018’s “Queen.” The 22-track release is stacked with features, including contributions from Drake, Lil
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