Month: September 2023

By ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Six Ukrainian deputy defense ministers have been fired following the dismissal two weeks ago of the defense minister in a corruption scandal, as heavy fighting against Russian forces continues in the east. A government official provided no explanation of the firings. The new defense minister, Rustem

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross says it shipped badly needed flour and medical supplies to an ethnic Armenian region within Azerbaijan suffering under a road blockade since late last year. The region, Nagorno-Karabakh, has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by Armenia since 1994 which marked

MIAMI (AP) — A rapidly intensifying storm in the Atlantic has developed into a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Nigel is a fast-spaced storm that is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane on Tuesday. It poses no immediate threat to land. At 11 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Nigel was about 875 miles

GENEVA (AP) — The rights situation in Russia has “significantly deteriorated” since President Vladimir Putin launched his war against Ukraine in February last year, an expert commissioned by the U.N.’s top human rights body said in her first report on the country on Monday. Mariana Katzarova, the special rapporteur on Russia’s rights situation mandated by

By OMAR FARUK Associated Press MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — The second phase of the African Union troop withdrawal from Somalia has begun, under a timeline for the handover of security to the country’s authorities. The African Union troops are to fully hand over security to Somali forces at the end of 2024. The mission is

SANFORD, Maine (AP) — A man from Maine who was reported missing was found after being trapped for two days in his pickup truck in a muddy, wooded area in New Hampshire, authorities said. Robert Brown, 65, of Sanford, Maine, drove his wife to work about 15 miles (24.1 kilometers) away in Rochester, New Hampshire,

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British police said Monday that they had received a sexual assault allegation after media outlets published claims by several women against Russell Brand. Promoters postponed the remaining dates in a string of live gigs by the comedian, who denies the allegations. A talent agency and a publisher

By PAOLO SANTALUCIA and NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — Russia’s new ambassador to the Vatican is meeting with Pope Francis for a protocol visit to present his diplomatic credentials. He’s meeting the pontiff as signs emerge that the Vatican’s Ukraine peace ambassador could soon be undertaking a second mission to Moscow. In

By JON GAMBRELL, LUJAIN JO and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Five Americans detained for years in Iran walked off a plane and into freedom Monday, most arm-in-arm, as part of a politically risky deal that saw President Joe Biden agree to the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets

By CLAIRE RUSH and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press/Report for America PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon judge will decide whether a gun control law approved by voters last year is lawful under the state constitution. Measure 114 requires a permit, criminal background check and training course to buy a gun while also banning high-capacity magazines.

By KAREL JANICEK Associated Press MICHALOVCE, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister whose party is favored to win Slovakia’s early parliamentary election plans to reverse the country’s military and political support for neighboring Ukraine if he returns to power. It’s a direct challenge to the European Union and NATO. Robert Fico and his

By KAREL JANICEK Associated Press MICHALOVCE, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister whose party is favored to win Slovakia’s early parliamentary election plans to reverse the country’s military and political support for neighboring Ukraine, in a direct challenge to the European Union and NATO, if he returns to power. Robert Fico, who led

MOSCOW (AP) — China’s top diplomat is in Russia for security talks after two days of meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser over the weekend in Malta. Foreign Minister Wang Yi began talks Monday with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and will meet other Russian officials during his visit that will last

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — The Chevron Corp. says a liquefied natural gas plant in Australia has resumed full production after a fault cut output by one-fifth for three days. A turbine at the Wheatstone LNG plant in Western Australia state tripped last Thursday as around 500 unionized Chevron staff escalated strike action over pay and

ROME (AP) — A 4.8-magnitude earthquake has rattled parts of Tuscany. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Italy’s vulcanology institute says the quake’s epicenter was near Marradi, northeast of Florence, and struck at 5:10 a.m. It was preceded by some smaller temblors. The vulcanology agency noted that the area is considered at

By CHEYANNE MUMPHREY and JUAN LOZANO Associated Press MONT BELVIEU, Texas (AP) — A Black high school student in Texas has served more than two weeks of in-school suspensions for wearing twisted dreadlocks to school. When he arrived Monday with the same hairstyle, he was suspended again, his mother said. Darryl George, a junior at

By MALLIKA SEN Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — For two years, it was the coronavirus pandemic. Then, it was Russia’s war in Ukraine. Throughout it all, the perils of climate change, poverty and inequality have steadily, increasingly thrummed through each convening of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly. As the 78th session opens,