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Giant inflatable ducks make a splash in Hong Kong as pop-art project returns after 10 years
Giant inflatable ducks make a splash in Hong Kong as pop-art project returns after 10 years
Two giant inflatable ducks are making a splash in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, in the return of a pop-art project that sparked a frenzy in the city a decade ago
2023-06-09 17:23
'Jeopardy!' newcomer Allison Strekal dethrones 3-day champ Suresh Krishna but loses after major error
'Jeopardy!' newcomer Allison Strekal dethrones 3-day champ Suresh Krishna but loses after major error
'Jeopardy!' newcomer Allison Strekal dominates the game, dethroning three-day champ Suresh Krishna but makes a crucial mistake, leading to his victory
2023-06-09 17:23
What happened between Olivia Dunne and Markell Washington? Feud between TikTok stars explained
What happened between Olivia Dunne and Markell Washington? Feud between TikTok stars explained
Markell Washington revealed that his first encounter with Olivia Dunne was not a pleasant one
2023-06-09 17:13
Who stars in ‘Jack Ryan’ Season 4? From John Krasinski to Michael Pena, here is the full cast list
Who stars in ‘Jack Ryan’ Season 4? From John Krasinski to Michael Pena, here is the full cast list
Joining John Krasinski are the regular cast members along with some new additions
2023-06-09 17:12
Is Britney Spears okay? Singer deletes her Insta after 'strange' post about Brad Pitt
Is Britney Spears okay? Singer deletes her Insta after 'strange' post about Brad Pitt
The blonde beauty deleted her account on Instagram because she forgot to disable the comments section on a post about Brad Pitt
2023-06-09 17:02
In Zimbabwe, announcement of election date triggers both hope and despair
In Zimbabwe, announcement of election date triggers both hope and despair
Zimbabwe’s president recently announced that national elections will take place on Aug. 23
2023-06-09 16:32
AP News Digest 3:30 a.m.
AP News Digest 3:30 a.m.
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan. ———————- ONLY ON AP ———————- CHURCH ABUSE-STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS — Advocates for survivors of child sexual abuse say momentum is growing for completely removing the statute of limitations for such crimes. Maryland followed Maine and Vermont to become the only three states to have eliminated all time limits on lawsuits. Maryland’s governor signed the law after a report detailed more than 600 children were abused by priests over decades. By David Sharpe. SENT: 1,010 words, photos, video. ——————————— TOP STORIES ———————————- TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — A federal grand jury investigating Donald Trump in Florida heard from at least one additional witness amid signs that the Justice Department was moving toward a possible indictment over the former president’s mishandling of classified documents. By Eric Tucker, Jill Colvin and Michael Balsamo. SENT: 760 words, photos, video. With TRUMP-CLASSIFED DOCUMENTS-EXPLAINER — Trump indicted: What to know about the documents case and what’s next; TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS-TAKEAWAYS — Reactions to the federal indictment of Donald Trump, and what’s next; TRUMP INVESTIGATIONS-GLANCE — A look at the investigations of Trump underway in various states and venues; TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS-LIVE-UPDATES (all sent). SUPREME COURT-VOTING RIGHTS — The Supreme Court decision ordering Alabama to redraw its congressional maps was a surprise victory for Black and Latino voters and voting rights activists across the country who say legislatures in a number of Republican-controlled states have drawn districts in a way that dilutes their political strength. By Gary Fields. SENT: 990 words, photos. RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Thousands of people are believed to be trapped by floodwaters spread across a swathe of Ukraine after a catastrophic dam collapse. Help has been slow in coming to Oleshky, a Russian-occupied city along the Dnieper River, according to desperate Ukrainian rescuers and the exiled mayor. Officials say more than 6,000 people have been evacuated from dozens of inundated cities, towns and villages on both sides of the river. But the true scale of the disaster remains unclear for a region that was once home to tens of thousands of people. At least 14 people have died in the flooding, many are homeless and tens of thousands are without drinking water. By Illia Novikov, Yuras Karmanau and Hanna Arhirova. SENT: 1,030 words, photos. NORTH-KOREA-DOLLAR-DILLEMA — North Korea has tolerated the widespread use of more stable foreign currencies like U.S. dollars and the Chinese yuan since a bungled revaluation of the won in 2009 triggered runway inflation and public unrest. The so-called “dollarization” phenomenon helped ease inflation and stabilize foreign exchange rates. But experts say the currency substitution may hurt leader Kim Jong Un’s authority by undermining the government’s control of the money supply and its ability to set monetary policies. By Hyung Jin Kim. SENT: 1,220 words, photos. CANADA-WILDFIRES — Images of smoke obscuring the New York skyline and the Washington Monument this week have given the world a new picture of the perils of wildfire, far from where blazes regularly turn skies into hazardous haze. By Jennifer Peltz and Rob Gillies. SENT: 1,050 words, photos, video, audio. With CANADA-WILDFIRES-DIY-PURIFIER — Social media helps invent, then circulate info on DIY air purifiers amid wildfire smoke (sent). BBO-SENTENCED-TO-UMPING — Baseball is steeped in the tradition of fans wanting to jeer the umpire. One Little League in New Jersey is taking a more hands-on approach. It’s trying to curb the appetite among the crowd watching 10- and 11-year-olds play baseball who curse at the unpaid volunteers behind the plate. The fans could become the umpires if they won’t follow league rules on sportsmanship. Outbursts of bad behavior at sporting events for young people have had frightening consequences for officials at all youth levels. The Deptford Little League is hoping its solution is a preventative one. By Dan Gelston. SENT: 1,430 words, photos. An abridged version is also available. ————————————————————————— MORE ON WILDFIRES ————————————————————————— CANADA WILDFIRES-OUTDOOR WORKERS — The hazardous haze from Canada’s wildfires is taking its toll on people whose jobs have forced them outdoors along the U.S. East Coast even as a dystopian orange hue led to the cancelation of sports events, school field trips and Broadway plays. SENT: 1,140 words, photos. CANADA-WILDFIRES-AIR-QUALITY-INDEX — How can you check the air quality in your area and what do the numbers mean? The Environmental Protection Agency monitors the air around the country and compiles an air quality index, or AQI. Here’s what to know about the index and how to keep tabs on your area, especially in U.S. regions dealing with smoke from Canadian wildfires. SENT: 370 words, photos. ————————————————————————— MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR ————————————————————————— —————————— MORE NEWS —————————— BET-AWARDS — Drake could make an impactful mark at the BET Awards later this month. The chart-topping performer scored seven nominations at the show airing live on June 25 in Los Angeles. He’s up for best male hip-hop artist, male R&B/pop artist along with best collaboration and viewer’s choice with Future and Tems for their song “Wait for U.” SENT: 310 words, photos. ——————————————————— WASHINGTON/POLITICS —————-—————————————- ELECTION 2024-GEORGIA REPUBLICANS — As Georgia’s Republican Convention gets underway, a right-wing faction of the party is seeking to punish GOP officials it considers ideological traitors by banning them from the primary ballot in future elections. The plan by allies of Donald Trump could be used to punish elected Republicans who refused his demands to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. By Jeff Amy. SENT: 1,100 words, photos. CONGRESS-DEBT COMMISSION — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is studying history and considering the appointment of a mix of lawmakers and business leaders to a new commission to tackle the nation’s soaring debt. A Democratic senator calls the effort a “prescription for trouble.” By Kevin Freking. SENT: 1,030 words, photo. REL-DESANTIS-FAITH — As Ron DeSantis wrapped up a 12-stop campaign tour that began in an Iowa evangelical church and ended here in a South Carolina convention center, dozens of pastors met backstage to pray for the presidential candidate. Later, to the 1,500 people in the auditorium, DeSantis closed out his stump speech with a paraphrased Bible verse: “I will fight the good fight, I will finish the race, and I will keep the faith.” SENT: 1,520 words, photos. ———————— NATIONAL ———————— TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL IMPEACHMENT — The FBI has arrested a businessman at the center of the scandal that led to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s historic impeachment, a move that came amid new questions about the men’s dealings raised by financial records the Republican’s lawyers made public to try to clear him of bribery allegations. PAT-ROBERTSON-LEGACY — Pat Robertson united tens of millions of evangelical Christians through the power of television and pushed them in a far more conservative direction with the personal touch of a folksy minister. His biggest impact may have been wedding evangelical Christianity to the Republican party, to an extent once unimaginable. SENT: 820 words, photos. TRANSIT-FINANCIAL-WOES — California’s transit agencies are asking Democrats who control the state’s government to rescue them like Democrats in New York recently did. It’s proving to be a much tougher sell in California. The nation’s most populous state is far more automobile-reliant than much of the Northeast. SENT: 1,160 words, photos. OREGON-ILLEGAL-MARIJUANA — Oregon has long been known as a mecca for high-quality marijuana, but that reputation has come with a downside. Illegal growers offer huge amounts of cash to lease or buy land and then leave behind pollution, garbage and a drained water table. A bill passed by the Oregon Legislature seeks to tackle that by making the landowners themselves responsible for the aftermath. The bill prohibits using rivers or groundwater at the illegal sites. SENT: 700 words, photos. FOUR KILLED UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO-GAG-ORDER — A judge overseeing the case against Bryan Kohberger, charged with killing four University of Idaho students last fall, is set to hear arguments over a gag order that largely bars attorneys and other parties in the case from speaking with news reporters. SENT: 560 words, photo. ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE-THE-COURTS — Two apologetic lawyers responding to an angry judge in Manhattan federal court has blamed ChatGPT for tricking them into including fictitious legal research in a court filing. SENT: 760 words, photo, audio. —————————————- INTERNATIONAL ————————————— SYRIA-ASSAD-AMPHETAMINES — A little white pill has given Syrian President Bashar Assad powerful leverage with his Arab neighbors, who have been willing to bring him out of pariah status in hopes he will stop the flow of highly addictive Captagon amphetamines out of Syria. SENT: 1,130 words, photos. UAE-CORAL-RESTORATION — Restoration efforts are underway in the United Arab Emirates as coral reefs face threats in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Environment Agency Abu Dhabi is re-planting corals after growing them in nurseries, while Dubai has announced it will plant 1 billion corals along the coast of the emirate. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. CYPRUS-RUSSIA-SANCTIONS — For Cypriots, it was a collective “here we go again” moment. In April, the U.S. and the U.K. included a handful of Cypriot nationals and Cyprus-registered companies on a list of “enablers” helping Russian oligarchs skirt sanctions. It was an unwelcome reminder of the lingering perception that the island nation somehow remains Moscow’s financial lackey. SENT: 860 words, photos. AUSTRALIA-GAY-HATE — The brother of a gay American who was attacked and fell from a Sydney cliff top in 1988 said elements within local police had demonized their family over their pursuit of justice. SENT: 750 words, photos. JAPAN-DEVELOPMENT-AID — Japan approved a major revision to its development aid policy Friday to focus on maritime and economic security and its national interests while helping developing nations overcome compound challenges amid China’s growing global influence. SENT: 560 words, photo. PHILIPPINES-VOLCANO — Philippine troops, police and rescue workers began forcibly evacuating residents near Mayon Volcano on Friday as its increasing unrest indicated a violent eruption of one of the country’s most active volcanoes is possible within weeks or days. SENT: 460 words, photo. SUDAN — The United Nations envoy to Sudan, a key mediator in the country’s brutal conflict, is no longer welcome in the African country, Sudanese authorities say. SENT: 380 words, photo. CHINA-HONDURAS — Honduran President Xiomara Castro arrived in Shanghai on Friday on her first visit since China established ties with Honduras, pulling it away from former diplomatic ally Taiwan. SENT: 200 words, photo. ————————————————— BUSINESS/ECONOMY ————————————————— FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Asian shares have mostly rose, led by a jump on the Tokyo Stock Exchange where share prices got a boost of optimism from a new bull market on Wall Street. SENT: 600 words, photos, audio. GENERAL MOTORS-TESLA-CHARGING STATIONS — Electric vehicles made by General Motors will be able to use much of Tesla’s extensive charging network beginning early next year under an agreement the two companies announce. SENT: 730 words, photos, audio. ————————————— ENTERTAINMENT ————————————— FILM-THE FLASH — “The Flash” filmmaker Andy Muschietti and his producer sister Barbara Muschietti talk about bringing their time-hopping, DC universe-resetting superhero pic to the big screen and convincing both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck play Batman again. SENT: 1,100 words, photos. ———————— SPORTS ———————— HKN--STANLEY CUP FINAL — Overtime. Season basically on the line. The Florida Panthers keep finding ways to flourish in those moments. And for the first time, they’ve won a game in the Stanley Cup Final. Carter Verhaeghe snapped a wrister from the slot high into the back of the net 4:27 into overtime and the Panthers rallied to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 3. Vegas still leads the title series 2-1, but Florida has life and found a way to turn overtime into its favorite time once again. SENT: 700 words, photos. TEN--FRENCH OPEN — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are scheduled to play against each other for the first time in more than a year when they meet in the French Open semifinals. The much-anticipated showdown is the first singles match on Friday at Court Philippe Chatrier. It is the 45th Grand Slam semifinal for Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, and the second for Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain. SENT: 300 words, photos. Will be updated. ————————- HOW TO REACH US ———————— At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. Read More Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement Staring down the barrel of 100 years: Is Donald Trump going to prison? Sunak praises Biden’s experience on China as ‘valuable to someone newer at this’ What is an indictment? Here’s what Donald Trump is facing
2023-06-09 15:34
Watch live as tributes paid to victims of Annecy knife attack that left four children injured
Watch live as tributes paid to victims of Annecy knife attack that left four children injured
Watch live as people lay flowers in tribute after four children and two adults were stabbed in a knife attack in the French Alps. The incident happened on Thursday 8 June at a lakeside park in Anney. Police say they have arrested a suspect, a 31-year-old Syrian and according to reports, the alleged knifeman had been denied asylum in France just days before the attack. A British child is among the victims injured in the attack, foreign secretary James Cleverly has confirmed. “Our thoughts are with the victims and the families and we stand ready to support the French authorities in whichever way we can,” he said on Thursday. “We have already deployed British consulate officials travelling to the area to make themselves available to support the family. And, of course, we stand in strong solidarity with the people of France.” Ahead of Friday morning’s tributes, flowers, teddy bears, candles and written messages were left at the park overnight. Read More AP News Digest 3:30 a.m. Western tanks lead Ukraine’s counteroffensive as heavy fighting starts – latest ‘Hero’ woman shielded kids in France playground knife attack
2023-06-09 15:31
Trump indictment – latest: Reactions as Donald Trump faces seven charges in classified documents case
Trump indictment – latest: Reactions as Donald Trump faces seven charges in classified documents case
Former president Donald Trump has been indicted on seven charges related to his alleged unlawful retention of national defence information at his Palm Beach, Florida home. He is set to appear in federal court in Miami at 3pm ET on Tuesday. Writing on his Truth Social platform, the ex-president wrote: “The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax”. The Department of Justice has been investigating Mr Trump for violating the Espionage Act and for obstruction of justice over the discovery of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, the latest setback to hit his 2024 presidential campaign. The DoJ has not made any comment on Mr Trump’s claims but reports are that the former president is facing seven charges in the case. The dramatic development comes as Mark Meadows, Mr Trump’s former White House chief of staff, has reportedly agreed to plead guilty to several federal charges. Meanwhile, Republicans, including Mr Trump’s rivals from the party rallied behind the former president while criticising the “weaponisation of federal law enforcement”. Read More What is an indictment? Here’s what Donald Trump is facing Will Donald Trump be arrested and jailed after classified documents indictment? Trump indicted in classified documents case in a historic first for a former president Trump indicted: What to know about the documents case and what's next
2023-06-09 14:25
'I wondered what I'd done wrong in life,' says man next to passenger who opened plane door on flight
'I wondered what I'd done wrong in life,' says man next to passenger who opened plane door on flight
If you think you always get the bad seat when taking a flight, then spare a thought for Lee Yoon-jun. He was sat next to the man accused of opening the emergency door on an Air Asiana flight last month -- while the plane was still in the air.
2023-06-09 12:10
Trump indicted in classified documents case in a historic first for a former president
Trump indicted in classified documents case in a historic first for a former president
Donald Trump has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, a remarkable development that makes him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges by the federal government that he once oversaw. The Justice Department was expected to make public a seven-count indictment ahead of a historic court appearance next week in the midst of a 2024 presidential campaign punctuated by criminal prosecutions in multiple states. The indictment carries unmistakably grave legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Trump's convicted. But it also has enormous political implications, potentially upending a Republican presidential primary that Trump had been dominating and testing anew the willingness of GOP voters and party leaders to stick with a now twice-indicted candidate who could face still more charges. And it sets the stage for a sensational trial centered on claims that a man once entrusted to safeguard the nation's most closely guarded secrets willfully, and illegally, hoarded sensitive national security information. The Justice Department did not immediately confirm the indictment publicly. But two people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said that the indictment included seven criminal counts. One of those people said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted. Within minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, began fundraising off it for his presidential campaign. He declared his innocence in a video and repeated his familiar refrain that the investigation is a “witch hunt.” The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been indicted in New York and faces additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he faces, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when. Appearing Thursday night on CNN, Trump attorney James Trusty said the indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information — a crime under the Espionage Act, which polices the handling of government secrets — obstruction, false statements and conspiracy. The inquiry took a major step forward last November when Attorney General Merrick Garland, a soft-spoken former federal judge who has long stated that no one person should be regarded as above the law, appointed Jack Smith, a war crimes prosecutor with an aggressive, hard-charging reputation to lead both the documents probe as well as a separate investigation into efforts to subvert the 2020 election. The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. The most notable investigation was an earlier special counsel probe into ties between his 2016 campaign and Russia, but prosecutors in that probe cited Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. Once he left office, though, he lost that protection. The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records. Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House, including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation. Trump has repeatedly insisted that he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them. Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed, including the retention of national defense information, destruction of government records and obstruction. Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump, including his own lawyers. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction. Even so, it remains unclear how much it will damage Trump's standing given that his first indictment generated millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t weaken him in the polls. The former president has long sought to use his legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him. Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case. Smith is separately investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state. Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a Monday meeting between Trump’s lawyers and Justice Department officials. His lawyers had also recently been notified that he was the target of the investigation, the clearest sign yet that an indictment was looming. Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors took place. The Justice Department has said Trump repeatedly resisted efforts by the National Archives and Records Administration to get the documents back. After months of back-and-forth, Trump representatives returned 15 boxes of records in January 2022, including about 184 documents that officials said had classified markings on them. FBI and Justice Department investigators issued a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents that remained in Trump’s possession. But after a Trump lawyer provided three dozen records and asserted that a diligent search of the property had been done, officials came to suspect even more documents remained. The investigation had simmered for months before bursting into front-page news in remarkable fashion last August. That’s when FBI agents served a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago and removed 33 boxes containing classified records, including top-secret documents stashed in a storage room and desk drawer and commingled with personal belongings. Some records were so sensitive that investigators needed upgraded security clearances to review them, the Justice Department has said. The investigation into Trump had appeared complicated — politically, if not legally — by the discovery of documents with classified markings in the Delaware home and former Washington office of President Joe Biden, as well as in the Indiana home of former Vice President Mike Pence. The Justice Department recently informed Pence that he would not face charges, while a second special counsel continues to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents. But compared with Trump, there are key differences in the facts and legal issues surrounding Biden’s and Pence’s handling of documents, including that representatives for both men say the documents were voluntarily turned over to investigators as soon as they were found. In contrast, investigators quickly zeroed on whether Trump, who for four years as president expressed disdain for the FBI and Justice Department, had sought to obstruct the inquiry by refusing to turn over all the requested documents. _____ Tucker reported from Washington. Colvin reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Read More Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement GOP opponent says Trump should drop out after ‘disrespect for the rule of law’ Trump says he’s ‘an innocent man’ as he’s indicted on seven charges in documents case Trump allies accuse Democrats of ‘election interference’ as ex-president indicted
2023-06-09 12:09
Donald Trump's criminal cases, explained
Donald Trump's criminal cases, explained
Could he still run for president? Why did the adult-film star case move before any of the ones about protecting democracy? How could you possibly find an impartial jury? Here are answers to some of the questions about the indictment of former President Donald Trump.
2023-06-09 12:07
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