White House upgrade: First lady's done a lot with the place

WASHINGTON (AP) — She's done a lot with the place. Like anyone who has ever spruced up their home, Melania Trump will have a few new touches to showcase Friday when guests visit the White House for only the second state dinner of the Trump presidency. There's refreshed wall fabric in the Red Room,...

EU lawmakers vote to approve Brexit delay if UK requests one

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — European Parliament lawmakers on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of another Brexit delay if Britain requests one and certain conditions are met, after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told the chamber that a no-deal scenario remains "very real." After a...

Jimmy Carter says he couldn't have managed presidency at 80

ATLANTA (AP) — Weeks shy of his 95th birthday, former President Jimmy Carter said he doesn't believe he could have managed the most powerful office in the world at 80 years old. Carter, who earlier this year became the longest-lived chief executive in American history, didn't tie his comments to any of his...

Iran warns US of response to any action over Saudi attack

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran warned the U.S. that any action taken against it following an attack on Saudi oil installations will "immediately" be met with a response from Tehran, its state-run news agency reported Wednesday, further raising Mideast tensions. Iran's president and foreign minister also may skip...

The Latest: State media says Iran sends US official warning

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on tensions in the Persian Gulf (all times local): 1:15 p.m. Iran's state-run news agency is reporting that Iran sent an official warning through Swiss diplomats to the U.S. that any action taken against Tehran "will face an immediate answer." That's according...

State-run news agency says Iran's president, foreign minister may not go to UN meeting as no US visas issued for them

UK envoy tips trade deal with Australia months after Brexit

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Britain's top trade envoy said Wednesday that she expects to strike a free trade deal with Australia within months of leaving the European Union. British International Trade Secretary Liz Truss met with Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham to lay the foundations for a...

Japan exports sink on weaker trade with China, US

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's exports fell 8% in August from a year earlier, as trade tensions took a growing toll on demand across the region. Exports of machinery, vehicles and chemicals all declined, the Finance Ministry reported Wednesday. Exports totaled 6.1 trillion yen ($56 billion), while imports slipped...

Sanders-Biden feud ramps up in front of key union audience

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The high-stakes fight for working-class voters moved to Pennsylvania on Tuesday as a slate of Democratic White House hopefuls vowed to use the power of the presidency to crack down on corporate America and strengthen organized labor. But beneath all the agreement at the AFL-CIO...

US, Venezuela opposition majority renew support for Guaidó

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's opposition-led congress stood by Juan Guaidó on Tuesday, saying he will be the crisis-wracked nation's interim president until Nicolás Maduro's grip on power has been broken. The socialist government hours later released the No. 2 leader of congress, Edgar...