Top General News

Judge in Trump's hush money trial threatened to remove witness from court for behavior on stand

May. 20, 2024 21:33 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in Donald Trump's hush money trial cleared the courtroom of reporters Monday and then threatened to remove the defense's witness from the trial altogether because of his behavior on the stand, which included making comments under his breath and rolling his eyes, a court...

War crimes prosecutor seeks arrest of Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu

May. 20, 2024 22:20 PM EDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court sought arrest warrants Monday for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war. While Netanyahu and his defense minister,...

What is the ICC and why it is considering arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders

May. 20, 2024 17:15 PM EDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court could soon issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, more than seven months into the war between the two sides, based on a request by the court’s chief prosecutor. ...

What's next for Iran's government after death of its president in helicopter crash?

May. 20, 2024 22:23 PM EDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The death of Iran's president is unlikely to lead to any immediate changes in Iran's ruling system or to its overarching policies, which are decided by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday, was seen as a...

Australia and New Zealand sending planes to evacuate nationals from New Caledonia's unrest

May. 20, 2024 21:43 PM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — The Australian and New Zealand governments announced Tuesday they were sending planes to evacuate their nationals from violence-scorched New Caledonia. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Australia had received clearance from French authorities for two...

Judge blocks Biden administration from enforcing new gun sales background check rule in Texas

May. 20, 2024 19:42 PM EDT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge has blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a new rule in Texas that would require firearms dealers to run background checks on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores. The decision by U.S. District Judge...

Top US drug agency a notable holdout in Biden's push to loosen federal marijuana restrictions

May. 20, 2024 20:58 PM EDT

In an isolated part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters known as the 12th-floor “bubble,” chief Anne Milgram made an unusual request of top deputies summoned in March for what she called the “Marijuana Meeting”: Nobody could take notes. Over the next half...

The White House says FDIC chairman to step down following report on agency's toxic workplace culture

May. 20, 2024 18:27 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — The White House said Monday that the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will step down, a departure that follows the release earlier this month of a damning report about the agency’s toxic workplace culture. The White House said Martin Gruenberg...

US says cyberattacks against water supplies are rising, and utilities need to do more to stop them

May. 20, 2024 20:35 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cyberattacks against water utilities across the country are becoming more frequent and more severe, the Environmental Protection Agency warned Monday as it issued an enforcement alert urging water systems to take immediate actions to protect the nation's drinking water. ...

Scarlett Johansson says a ChatGPT voice is 'eerily similar' to hers and OpenAI is halting its use

May. 20, 2024 21:29 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — OpenAI on Monday said it plans to halt the use of one of its ChatGPT voices that “Her” actor Scarlett Johansson says sounds “eerily similar" to her own. In a post on the social media platform X, OpenAI said it is “working to pause” Sky — the name of one...

Latest General News

NRA names new leadership to replace former CEO found liable for wrongly spending millions

May. 20, 2024 22:33 PM EDT

DALLAS (AP) — The National Rifle Association, which has had its image sullied by former leader Wayne LaPierre’s spending excesses, elected Doug Hamlin as executive vice president and CEO on Monday. “Our association is at a decisive moment in our history, and the future of...

Climbing limits are being set on Mount Fuji to fight crowds and littering

May. 20, 2024 22:32 PM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — Those who want to climb one of the most popular trails on Japan's iconic Mount Fuji will have to book a slot and pay a fee as crowds, littering and climbers who try to rush too fast to the summit cause safety and conservation concerns at the picturesque stratovolcano. ...

What's next for Iran's government after death of its president in helicopter crash?

May. 20, 2024 22:23 PM EDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The death of Iran's president is unlikely to lead to any immediate changes in Iran's ruling system or to its overarching policies, which are decided by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday, was seen as a...

War crimes prosecutor seeks arrest of Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Netanyahu

May. 20, 2024 22:20 PM EDT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court sought arrest warrants Monday for leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war. While Netanyahu and his defense minister,...

Haiti’s main airport reopens nearly 3 months after gang violence forced it closed

May. 20, 2024 22:12 PM EDT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s main international airport reopened Monday for the first time in nearly three months after relentless gang violence forced authorities to close it. The reopening of the Toussaint-Louverture airport in the capital of Port-au-Prince is expected...

Studio Ghibli takes a bow at Cannes with an honorary Palme d'Or

May. 20, 2024 21:59 PM EDT

CANNES, France (AP) — Studio Ghibli, the Japanese anime factory of surreal ecological wonders that has for 39 years spirited away moviegoers with tales of Totoros, magical jellyfish and floating castles, was celebrated Monday by the Cannes Film Festival with an honorary Palme d'Or. ...

Russian theater director and playwright go on trial over a play authorities say justifies terrorism

May. 20, 2024 21:55 PM EDT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Russian court on Monday opened the trial of a theater director and a playwright accused of advocating terrorism in a play, the latest step in an unrelenting crackdown on dissent in Russia that has reached new heights since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine. ...

Philippines blames China for loss of giant clams in disputed shoal and urges environmental inquiry

May. 20, 2024 21:49 PM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines blamed Chinese fishermen on Monday for a massive loss of giant clams in a disputed shoal controlled by China's coast guard in the South China Sea and urged an international inquiry into the amount of environmental damage in the area. The...

Australia and New Zealand sending planes to evacuate nationals from New Caledonia's unrest

May. 20, 2024 21:43 PM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — The Australian and New Zealand governments announced Tuesday they were sending planes to evacuate their nationals from violence-scorched New Caledonia. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Australia had received clearance from French authorities for two...

Judge in Trump's hush money trial threatened to remove witness from court for behavior on stand

May. 20, 2024 21:33 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in Donald Trump's hush money trial cleared the courtroom of reporters Monday and then threatened to remove the defense's witness from the trial altogether because of his behavior on the stand, which included making comments under his breath and rolling his eyes, a court...