World/National Archives - Page 31 of 56

Zelenskyy visits Washington as election year divide grows over Ukraine war

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is returning to Washington as U.S. support for his country’s fight against Russia faces a reckoning in this year’s presidential election. On Thursday, he’ll meet separately with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president. Biden announced billions of dollars more in military assistance for Ukraine, and Harris has pledged to continue helping if elected. However, Republican nominee Donald Trump has criticized Zelenskyy and suggested that he would push Ukraine to cut a deal with Russia to end the war. It’s the most politically treacherous landscape that Zelenskyy has encountered in Washington since Russia invaded nearly three years ago.… Continue Reading

NYC Mayor Eric Adams says he doesn’t plan to resign despite federal corruption case against him

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he’s “not surprised” by the federal corruption charges he faces and that he doesn’t plan to resign. He told reporters Thursday that, “I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments. From here, my attorneys will take care of the case so I can take care of the city.” Adams was indicted on charges alleging that he took illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals in exchange for favors that included helping Turkish officials get fire safety approvals for a new diplomatic building in the city.FBI agents seized Adams’ phone early Thursday, hours before the indictment was made public.… Continue Reading

US suicides held steady in 2023 — at a very high level

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. suicides last year remained at about the highest level in the nation’s history. Preliminary data shows that a little over 49,300 suicide deaths were reported in 2023. That number that could grow at least somewhat as some death investigations are wrapped up and reported. Just under 49,500 were reported in 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday released more information about recent suicide trends. It’s the nation’s 11th leading cause of death overall. But it’s the second leading cause of death for people ages 10–14 and 20–34. The highest suicide rate for any group — by far — was in men ages 75 and older.… Continue Reading

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted, sources say

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted by a federal grand jury on criminal charges that are still sealed. That’s according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Adams said after the indictment that he would not resign. The indictment Wednesday night marks a stunning turn for Adams, a Democrat who won election nearly three years ago to become the second Black mayor of the nation’s largest city. For much of the last year, Adams has faced growing legal peril, with multiple federal investigations into top advisers producing a drumbeat of subpoenas, searches and high-level departures.… Continue Reading

Israel tells its troops to prepare for a possible ground operation in Lebanon

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli army chief says the military is preparing for a possible ground operation in Lebanon. He made the statement Wednesday as Hezbollah hurled dozens of projectiles into Israel, including a missile aimed at Tel Aviv that was the militant group’s deepest strike yet. Addressing troops on the northern border, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the latest Israeli airstrikes were designed to ”prepare the ground for your possible entry.” Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed 72 people. That raised the death toll from the past three days to 636, with more than 2,000 people wounded. The U.S., France and other allies jointly called for an “immediate” 21-day cease-fire.… Continue Reading

Fluoride in drinking water poses enough risk to merit new EPA action, judge says

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain that the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing lower IQ in kids. But he concluded that mounting research points to an unreasonable risk that it could be. He ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to take steps to lower that risk, but didn’t say what those measures should be. The agency says it is reviewing the decision.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its record highs

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their records as financial markets around the world took a pause following big recent moves. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% Wednesday, a day after setting its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Treasury yields ticked higher in the bond market after sinking the day before on a surprisingly weak update on consumer confidence. Chinese stocks rose again after soaring Tuesday on excitement about new stimulus measures, but they pared their gains through the day. Oil prices gave back gains.… Continue Reading

Evacuation order remains in effect for Ohio town where dangerous chemical leak occurred

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — An evacuation order remains in effect for residents in an Ohio community as crews work at the scene of a dangerous chemical leak. Styrene, a toxic and flammable chemical that is used to make plastic and rubber, began leaking Tuesday afternoon from a railcar in Whitewater Township, just west of Cincinnati. The Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency soon advised anyone within a half-mile of the area near U.S. Route 50 and the Great Miami River to leave immediately. Authorities said Wednesday that crews worked overnight to put water on the car, but it hadn’t been removed from the tracks. It isn’t clear when the evacuation order might be lifted.… Continue Reading

A tale of crushing security lapses and missed chances to stop the man who shot Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Investigations into the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July have revealed striking security lapses. But the questions have only grown since then. As the country deals with an apparent second attempt on Trump’s life, there’s still a reckoning to be done from the Pennsylvania shooting that killed one man and wounded three — the ex-president among them. The Secret Service was one of at least nine federal and local security divisions that were supposed to be working together that day. But at Trump’s rally, a young man with a rifle borrowed from his dad outmaneuvered authorities for more than 90 minutes before firing the shots that came millimeters from killing Trump.… Continue Reading

What polls show about Tim Walz and JD Vance before Tuesday’s VP debate

WASHINGTON (AP) — This year’s vice presidential candidates both entered the spotlight this summer as relative political unknowns — but as they prepare to address their biggest audience yet in next week’s debate, Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance is less popular among voters than his Democratic rival, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The findings of the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reinforce a challenge for the Republican presidential ticket as voting begins in more and more states. In addition to Vance’s relative unpopularity among voters overall, Democrats are more enthusiastic about Kamala Harris and Walz than Republicans are about Donald Trump and Vance.… Continue Reading