Blinken assures US support of Black Sea allies as Ukraine urges military aid during conference

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — The U.S. secretary of state assured allies bordering the Black Sea on Monday that they could depend on his country's support to make the region more secure, prosperous and integrated. Addressing the attendees of the Second Black Sea Security Conference in...

Takeaways into AP investigation into Russian system to force its passports on occupied Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian has successfully imposed its passports on nearly the entire population of occupied Ukraine by making it impossible to survive without them, coercing hundreds of thousands of people into citizenship ahead of elections Vladimir Putin has made certain he will win, an...

Ukraine's Zelenskyy pleads for more ammunition at Albania summit of southeastern European nations

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Ukraine’s president pleaded Wednesday for more ammunition to repel Russian advances as he co-hosted a summit with Albania's government to build further support for Kyiv among southeastern European countries while signs of war fatigue grow. Ukrainian...

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia began its full-scale invasion

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia began its full-scale invasion.

France honors foreign Resistance fighters as WWII hero Manouchian is inducted into the Panthéon

PARIS (AP) — When France hosts grandiose ceremonies commemorating D-Day, the heroic role of Missak Manouchian and other foreigners among French Resistance fighters in World War II is often overlooked. French President Emmanuel Macron sought to change that Wednesday by inducting Manouchian into...

France says Russian forces threatened to shoot down surveillance aircraft patrolling the Black Sea

PARIS (AP) — Russian forces threatened to shoot down a French surveillance aircraft patrolling in international airspace over the Black Sea, a signal of increasingly aggressive behavior from Moscow as its invasion of Ukraine struggles to make headway, French defense officials said Thursday. ...

Gaza mediators and others warn Israel of disaster if it launches a ground invasion on crowded Rafah

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s neighbors and key mediators warned Saturday of disaster and repercussions if its military launches a ground invasion in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where Israel says remaining Hamas strongholds are located — along with over half the besieged...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the military to prepare for evacuating Rafah ahead of expected invasion

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders the military to prepare for evacuating Rafah ahead of expected invasion.

Revelers in festive dress fill downtown Tampa, Florida, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Revelers clad in pirate finery packed Tampa's waterfront Saturday as a flotilla of boats arrived for the city's annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest. Led by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, the invading pirates docked to make a final demand for the key to the city. Once...