Year: 2024

Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has extended his party’s control over the media, directly affecting informed democratic participation. Opposition politicians have long complained that they only get five minutes of air time every four years on public television, the legal minimum, to present their platforms before elections. His Fidesz

Associated Press GJADER, Albania (AP) — Migrants rescued at sea while attempting to reach Italy are likely to see themselves transported to Albania beginning next month while their asylum claims are processed. That’s because of a controversial deal in which the small Balkan country will host thousands of asylum-seekers on Italy’s behalf. Women, children and

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is facing the delicate task of calibrating her policy pitch to American voters, a standard task for any White House hopeful but one that comes with additional challenges this year. First, Harris is running for president while serving under President Joe Biden, meaning she’s linked to

AP Business Writers TOKYO (AP) — The Bank of Japan has raised its key interest rate to 0.25% from a range of zero to about 0.1%, acting to curb the yen’s slide against the U.S. dollar. The move was widely expected, and the yen gained sharply against the dollar after Wednesday’s decision, trading at about

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris’ views on important issues have shifted since she first ran for president four years ago. Back then, she took a variety of liberal positions on issues involving crime, energy and immigration. However, she generally charted a more moderate path after becoming vice president under President Joe Biden. Now

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A floating barrier in the Rio Grande meant to discourage migrants from trying to cross from Mexico into Texas can stay for now, a full federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a previous decision by a panel of the court. The

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris appears to have energized Democrats in the early days of her candidacy, with the surge in warm feelings extending across multiple groups, including some key Democratic constituencies that had been especially tepid about President Joe Biden, a new poll shows. About 8 in 10 Democrats say

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday set the stage for the central bank’s first rate cut in four years, citing greater progress toward lower inflation as well as a cooler job market that no longer threatens to overheat the economy. Still, the Fed kept its key interest rate

Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Hamas’ top political leader was killed Wednesday by a predawn airstrike in the Iranian capital, Iran and the militant group said, blaming Israel for a shock assassination that risked escalating into an all-out regional war. Iran’s supreme leader vowed revenge against Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “will

Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — Chen Yulu never thought her home province of Hunan had any culture that she would be proud of, much less become an ambassador of. But these days, the 23-year-old is a self-proclaimed ambassador of nüshu, a script once known only to a small number of women in the south China.

BEIJING (AP) — A closely watched measure of Chinese manufacturing activity remained negative in July as concern persists about the state of the world’s second largest economy. The National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday that the Purchasing Managers’ Index slipped 0.1 points to 49.4, It was the third straight monthly reading below 50, a level