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King Charles III says his cancer journey brought the best of humanity into focus
LONDON (AP) — King Charles III described Wednesday how a cancer diagnosis can be a "daunting and at times frightening" experience for sufferers and their loved ones as he hosted an event to laud the "extraordinary work" of cancer charities. In a message written in a booklet for guests at a Buckingham Palace reception to celebrate organizations helping people with the disease, Charles poignantly reflected on his experience of cancer. As one of the 1,000 or so people in the UK who receive a cancer
May 1, 2025 -
US economy unexpectedly shrinks, Trump blames Biden
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The US economy unexpectedly contracted in the first three months of the year on an import surge triggered by Donald Trump's tariff plans, although the president pinned the blame squarely on his predecessor. The sharp increase in imports was a reflection of businesses and consumers stockpiling foreign goods to get ahead of Trump's sweeping trade levies, which went into effect earlier this month. All three major Wall Street indices fell on the economic news, before paring losse
May 1, 2025 -
US Senate votes down resolution to block Trump's tariffs
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans in the US narrowly voted down a Democratic resolution Wednesday that would have blocked global tariffs announced by Donald Trump a month ago, giving the president a modest win as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda. Trump announced the far-reaching tariffs on nearly all US trading partners on April 2 and then reversed himself a few days later after a market meltdown, suspending the import taxes for 90 days. Amid the uncertain
May 1, 2025 -
Israel strikes Syria, saying it hit group that attacked Druze
Israel said it carried out a strike in Syria against "an extremist group" that attacked members of the Druze community, following through on a promise to defend the minority group as deadly sectarian violence spread near Damascus on Wednesday. A Syrian Foreign Ministry statement rejected "all forms of foreign intervention" in Syria's internal affairs, without mentioning Israel, and declared Syria's commitment to protecting all Syrian groups "including the noble Druze sect." It marks the first ti
May 1, 2025 -
Despite war's end, Afghanistan remains deep in crisis: UN relief chief
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (AFP) -- Climate change, women's rights, displacement, poverty: Afghanistan remains a priority as it faces overlapping crises, the United Nations' relief chief Tom Fletcher told Agence France-Presse Wednesday, deploring "brutal" aid budget cuts. "We've identified 17 crises across the world where our engagement is most urgent, most vital. Afghanistan is high on that list," said the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs in an interview with AFP during
May 1, 2025 -
Palestinian student at Columbia freed after arrest at citizenship interview
BURLINGTON, Vermont (AP) — A judge on Wednesday released a Palestinian student at Columbia University who led protests against Israel's war in Gaza and was arrested by immigration officials during an interview about finalizing his United States citizenship. Immigration authorities have arrested and detained college students from around the country since the first days of the Trump administration, many of whom participated in campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war, which has killed more than 5
May 1, 2025 -
Bosnia says Interpol refused 'red notice' appeal for wanted leader Dodik
Interpol has confirmed its refusal to issue a notice to detain Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, who is wanted by Bosnia's federal authorities on secession charges, a court said on Wednesday. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina said Interpol "has not accepted a request to revise its decision about the issue of an arrest warrant" against Dodik, president of the Bosnian Serb statelet of Republika Srpska, and RS parliament speaker Nenad Stevandic. Interpol declined a request to comment. Since the
May 1, 2025 -
Burkina junta rallies supporters after claimed coup plot
Several thousand people rallied in support of Burkina Faso's junta Wednesday, days after the military rulers said they had uncovered a "plot" to overthrow the government. Demonstrators carried giant posters of junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore and Burkinabe and Russian flags in one of the biggest rallies since Traore seized power in a coup in September 2022. With placards bearing slogans such as: "Down with imperialism and its local lackeys" and "Full support for President Ibrahim Traore and t
May 1, 2025 -
Rebels in Colombia are recruiting youth on social media
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Rebel groups in Colombia are using apps like Facebook and Tik Tok to recruit children and young adults, and social media companies must do more to moderate content, the United Nations says. The UN's top human rights official in Colombia, Scott Campbell, in an interview with The Associated Press said more investment is needed in both automated tools and human moderators to take down videos posted by gangs and rebel groups that are targeting youth from marginalized communit
May 1, 2025 -
2 dead as slow-moving storms flood roads across Oklahoma and Texas
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A least two people drowned when their vehicles were caught in floodwaters in Oklahoma on Wednesday as slow-moving thunderstorms inundated roads across parts of that state and Texas, authorities said, while Pennsylvania residents picked up from a powerful storm that left three people dead. Heavy rains and severe thunderstorms will mean a heightened risk of flash flooding across the south-central United States through early Thursday, the National Weather Service said. The stor
May 1, 2025 -
Kuwait frees 10 more Americans in the second release in as many months
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kuwait has released an additional 10 American detainees, bringing to nearly two dozen the total number freed by the country in the past two months, United States officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Taken together, Kuwait’s pardons of 23 Americans since March — done as a goodwill gesture by the US ally — amounted to the largest release of US citizens by a single foreign country in years. The prisoners, both men and women, include military contractors and veterans h
May 1, 2025