New Zealand's leader formally apologizes to survivors of abuse in state and church care

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made a “formal and unreserved” apology in Parliament on Tuesday for the widespread abuse, torture and neglect of hundreds of thousands of children and vulnerable adults in care. “It was horrific. It...

'A hollow and limited apology.' New Zealand survivors of abuse in care speak in their own words

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hundreds of survivors of abuse in state, foster and faith-based care arrived at New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday, each representing thousands more. They came to hear the government formally apologize for the “unimaginable”...

New Zealand prime minister formally apologizes for 'horrific' and 'heartbreaking' abuse of people in state, church care

Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Coco Gauff won the WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the final on Saturday. The 20-year-old American came from 2-0 and 5-3 down in the final set and was two points from defeat at one...

A judge will decide if the owners of a New Zealand volcano where 22 died were unjustly convicted

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand judge will decide whether the owners of an island volcano suffered a miscarriage of justice when their company was convicted of failing to keep visitors safe following an eruption that killed 22 tourists and local guides in 2019. A...

A New Zealand city waves goodbye to its 'disturbing' giant hand sculpture that many came to love

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Perched on two fingers on the roof of an art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, the giant sculpture of a hand has loomed over the city for five years. Named Quasi, the 16-foot — almost 5 meters — creation of Australia-based sculptor Ronnie van...

Fourth mass coral bleaching prompts UN emergency session at Colombia biodiversity summit

CALI, Colombia (AP) — The United Nations, scientists and governments made an urgent call Wednesday for increased funding to protect coral reefs under threat of extinction. Research this year shows that 77% of the world’s reefs are affected by bleaching, mainly due to warming...

The owners of a New Zealand volcano that erupted in 2019, killing 22 people, appeal their conviction

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The owners of an island volcano in New Zealand that erupted in 2019, killing 22 people, launched an appeal on Tuesday against their criminal conviction for violating safety laws, arguing that tour operators — rather than their company — were responsible for the...

Italian skier Brignone wins World Cup season opener as Shiffrin drops to 5th

SOELDEN, Austria (AP) — Federica Brignone had just mastered the tricky Rettenbach course on a glacier in Austria. The Italian skier wasn't done, though. She did a chicken dance in the finish area. Brignone found the fastest line between the turning gates to win the...

An Air New Zealand flight to Auckland diverts to Melbourne because of disruptive passenger

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An Air New Zealand flight bound for Auckland, New Zealand, from Perth, Australia, was forced to divert on Wednesday morning after a passenger became disruptive, the airline said. The flight landed instead in the Australian city of Melbourne, where...