China threatens U.S. entities over downing of balloon
BEIJING — China said Wednesday it will take measures against U.S. entities related to the downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the American East Coast.
In Trump probe, U.S. seeks to pierce attorney-client privilege
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Justice Department prosecutors investigating the mishandling of classified documents at Donald Trump’s Florida estate are seeking to pierce the attorney-client privilege and want to again question one of the former president’s lawyers before a grand jury, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday night.
Nikki Haley to formally launch GOP campaign for White House
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Republican Nikki Haley plans to formally announce her 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday, betting that her boundary-breaking career as a woman and person of color who governed in the heart of the South before representing the U.S. on the world stage can overcome entrenched support for her onetime boss, former President Donald Trump.
U-Haul driver blames ‘invisible object’ for deadly rampage
NEW YORK — A man who went on a deadly rampage with a U-Haul truck Monday in New York City was suffering from an apparent mental health crisis and said he started mowing people down after seeing an “invisible object” coming toward him, police said Tuesday.
Parkland remembers victims 5 years after school massacre
PARKLAND, Fla. — People released doves, lit candles, recited prayers and shed tears Tuesday as the Parkland community commemorated the fifth anniversary of the murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and showed support for their families.
11 states consider ‘right to repair’ for farming equipment
DENVER — On Colorado’s northeastern plains, where the pencil-straight horizon divides golden fields and blue sky, a farmer named Danny Wood scrambles to plant and harvest proso millet, dryland corn and winter wheat in short, seasonal windows. That is until his high-tech Steiger 370 tractor conks out.
U.S. officials point to Russia using Iranian drones in Ukraine
LONDON — American defense officials on Tuesday sought to dispel any doubt that Iran is supplying drones for Russia’s war in Ukraine, releasing photos and analysis of unmanned aircraft deployed in the conflict to demonstrate Tehran’s involvement.
U.N. chief: Rising seas risk ‘death sentence’ for some nations
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations chief warned Tuesday that global sea levels have risen faster since 1900 and their relentless increase puts countries like Bangladesh, China, India and the Netherlands at risk and acutely endangers nearly 900 million people living in low-lying coastal areas.
Syria’s Assad could reap rewards from aid crossing deal
BEIRUT — A convoy of 11 trucks from a United Nations agency crossed into northern Syria from Turkey on Tuesday, just hours after the U.N. and Syrian government reached an agreement to temporarily authorize two new border crossings into the rebel enclave, devastated by the region’s deadly earthquake.
Report: 8,468 perished trying to reach Europe since 2019
CAIRO — More than 8,400 Europe-bound migrants perished at sea while attempting to cross the Mediterranean over the past four years, a charity said Tuesday.
China’s Xi expresses support for Iran amid Western pressure
BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed support for Iran during a visit Tuesday by its president as Tehran tries to expand relations with Beijing and Moscow to offset Western sanctions over its nuclear development.
U.S. jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A U.S. military fighter jet shot down an unknown object flying off the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday on orders from President Joe Biden, White House officials said.
AP source: Trump team turns over items marked as classified
WASHINGTON — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have in recent months voluntarily turned over to federal investigators additional papers marked as classified as well as a laptop belonging to a Trump aide, a person familiar with the situation said Friday night.
New classified document found in FBI search of Pence home
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FBI discovered an additional document with classified markings at former Vice President Mike Pence ‘s Indiana home during a search Friday, following the discovery by his lawyers last month of sensitive government documents there.
IRS won’t tax most relief payments made by states last year
The IRS announced Friday that most relief checks issued by states last year aren’t subject to federal taxes, providing 11th hour guidance as tax returns start to pour in.
Joyous parades and parties kick off New Orleans’ Mardi Gras
NEW ORLEANS — A venerable fine-dining fixture on Bourbon Street helped kick off the final frantic days of New Orleans Mardi Gras season Friday — relaxing its jackets-required dress code and briefly ditching its no-pets policy for a pair of crown- and cape-wearing rescue dogs.
Rescuers rejoice as more quake survivors emerge from rubble
ISKENDERUN, Turkey — Six relatives huddled in a small air pocket, day after day. A desperate teenager grew so thirsty that he drank his own urine. Two frightened sisters were comforted by a pop song as they waited for rescuers to free them.
Prepped and eloquent, Zelenskyy wows Europe’s leaders
BRUSSELS — Before the Ukraine war, Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to western European capitals as a junior partner, one of many leaders of poorer eastern countries looking for aid and attention.
Nicaraguan bishop who refused exile gets 26 years in prison
MEXICO CITY — Roman Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez, an outspoken critic of Nicaragua’s government, was sentenced to 26 years in prison and stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship Friday, the latest move by President Daniel Ortega against the Catholic church and his opponents.
Biden, Lula focus on democracy, climate during visit
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met at the White House on Friday and reflected on how their nations were tested in their respective battles to preserve democracy, with the U.S. president declaring that democracy ultimately “prevailed” over the far-right mobs that stormed their governments’ halls of power in an attempt to overturn election victories.