Associated Press stories, Page 261
Myanmar’s military declares a ceasefire to ease quake relief as the death toll tops 3,000
BANGKOK — Myanmar’s ruling military declared a temporary ceasefire in the country’s civil war Wednesday to facilitate relief efforts following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that has killed more than 3,000 people. The surprise announcement by military leaders who also head the unelected government came late Wednesday on state television MRTV,...
Supreme Court sides with the FDA in its dispute over sweet-flavored vaping products
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled for the Food and Drug Administration in its crackdown on sweet-flavored vaping products following a surge in teen electronic cigarette use. But the justices’ unanimous decision throwing out a federal appeals court ruling is not the final word in the case, and...
A leaked draft letter from Somalia to Trump offers U.S. exclusive access to bases and ports
MOGADISHU, Somalia — The draft of a letter from Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to U.S. President Donald Trump offering exclusive access to air bases and seaports has reignited tensions between Somalia’s government and the breakaway region of Somaliland. In the letter, Somalia offers “exclusive operational control” over the Berbera...
Suspected U.S. airstrikes in Yemen kill at least 4 people near Hodeida, Houthi rebels say
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the Houthis saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. Meanwhile, satellite images taken Wednesday and analyzed by The Associated Press show at least six...
Israeli leader Netanyahu will visit Hungary, defying an international arrest warrant
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive in Hungary on Wednesday to meet with its nationalist prime minister despite an international arrest warrant for the Israeli leader over the war in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu’s four-day visit to Budapest is a sign of both his...
Jackson Merrill, Padres agree to $135 million, 9-year contract for 2026-34
SAN DIEGO — All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill and the San Diego Padres agreed Wednesday to a $135 million, nine-year contract covering 2026-34. Merrill gets a $10 million signing bonus, $1 million payable within 30 days of the contract’s approval by Major League Baseball and $3 million on Jan. 15 in...
Trump pressures Senate Republicans to oppose resolution that would nullify Canada tariffs
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are facing pressure Wednesday from President Donald Trump to oppose a Democratic resolution that would nullify the presidential emergency on fentanyl he is using to implement tariffs on Canada. Just hours before Trump was set to announce his plan for “reciprocal tariffs” on China, Mexico and...
MLB’s average salary tops $5 million for first time, AP study shows
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s average salary broke the $5 million barrier on opening day for the first time, according to a study by The Associated Press. The New York Mets, with Juan Soto’s record $61.9 million pay, led MLB for the third straight opening day with a $322.6...
Cooking with kids teaches healthy eating, life skills and more
To raise adventurous, self-sufficient and health-conscious eaters, get kids in the kitchen. It may sound too simple, but those are just a few of the benefits when kids learn to cook. Cooking builds life skills, promotes healthy eating, boosts confidence and strengthens family bonds — all while making mealtime fun....
Israel’s operations in Gaza expands to seize ‘large areas.’ Palestinians say dozens killed
JERUSALEM — Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize “large areas,” the defense minister said, while officials at hospitals inside the Palestinian territory said that Israeli strikes overnight and into Wednesday had killed more than 40 people, nearly a dozen of them children. Israel’s offensive in...
Nintendo offers new Switch 2 details ahead of June 5 launch
NEW YORK — Nintendo has announced a June 5 launch date for its latest gaming console, the Switch 2, which will introduce interactive chat and screenshare functions to connect gamers. At its 60-minute Nintendo Direct presentation, the company revealed a more vibrant display on the Switch 2, a larger screen...
Congo’s leader commutes death sentences of 3 Americans convicted in failed coup plot
KINSHASA, Congo — Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has commuted the death sentences of three Americans convicted on charges of participating in a botched coup attempt in the country’s capital Kinshasa last year, an official said Wednesday. A presidential order commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment, Congolese presidential spokesperson Tina...
Judge dismisses corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams
NEW YORK — A federal judge dismissed New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ corruption case on Wednesday, acquiescing to the Justice Department’s extraordinary request to set aside criminal charges so the Democrat could help with President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The judge, though, denied prosecutors the ability to potentially bring...
U.S. judge orders Trump administration to restore legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge in California on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore legal aid to tens of thousands of migrant children who are in the United States without a parent or guardian. The Republican administration on March 21 terminated a contract with the Acacia Center...
GOP senators push ahead on Trump’s tax cuts package, punting big decisions for later
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans said they are pushing ahead on President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts this week, even though they’re punting some of the most difficult decisions — including the costs and how to pay for the multitrillion-dollar package — until later. The Senate...
Trump announces new tariffs to promote manufacturing, risking inflation and trade wars
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced far-reaching new tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners — a 34% tax on imports from China and 20% on the European Union, among others — that threaten to dismantle much of the architecture of the global economy and trigger broader trade...
Democrats’ win in Wisconsin court race also is a big loss for Elon Musk
MADISON, Wis. — Judge Susan Crawford preserved liberals’ narrow majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court Tuesday by defeating conservative Brad Schimel, but in a way the real loser of the election was billionaire Elon Musk. Musk and his affiliated groups sunk at least $21 million into the normally low-profile race...
Wisconsin and Florida elections provide early warning signs to Trump and Republicans
A trio of elections on Tuesday provided early warning signs to Republicans and President Donald Trump at the beginning of an ambitious term, as Democrats rallied against his efforts to slash the federal government and the outsize role being played by billionaire Elon Musk. In the marquee race for a...
Val Kilmer, ‘Top Gun’ and Batman star with an intense approach, dies at 65
LOS ANGELES — Val Kilmer, the brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in “Top Gun,” donned a voluminous cape as Batman in “Batman Forever” and portrayed Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” has died. He was 65. Kilmer died Tuesday night in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends,...
Democratic-backed Susan Crawford wins Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, cementing liberal majority
MADISON, Wis. — The Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court defeated a challenger endorsed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday, cementing a liberal majority for at least three more years. Susan Crawford, a Dane County judge who led legal fights to protect union power and abortion...
Storms could unleash deadly floods, strong tornadoes in large part of U.S. in coming daysVideo
Forecasters are warning of potentially deadly flash flooding and strong tornadoes as more rounds of thunderstorms are poised to strike parts of the Midwest and South. The potent storm system will bring the threat of “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” starting Wednesday, according to the Weather Prediction Center, a part of...
Paul Brown rises, Ravens drop by NFL including AAFC stats
Paul Brown just moved up a few spots on the NFL career coaching wins list. The NFL owners approved a proposal by Competition Committee on Tuesday to incorporate player, coach and team statistics from the All-America Football Conference into the official NFL records. The AAFC existed from 1946-49 with Paul...
Lawsuit claims Elon Musk failed to make promised payments over 2024 petition signatures
PHILADELPHIA — A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Pennsylvania accuses billionaire Elon Musk and the political action committee he started of failing to pay a suburban Philadelphia man more than $20,000 for getting people to sign a petition in favor of free speech and gun rights. The lawsuit seeking class-action...
Republicans win Florida special elections in Trump strongholds by narrower margins than in 2024
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — Republicans Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine won special elections Tuesday in two Florida congressional districts, bolstered by President Donald Trump’s endorsement to fill vacant seats in reliably Republican strongholds. Patronis, the state’s chief financial officer, fended off a challenge from Democrat Gay Valimont even though she...
Alex Ovechkin scores No. 891, needs 3 to tie Wayne Gretzky
BOSTON — Alex Ovechkin moved four goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record after scoring the 891st of his career in the Washington Capitals’ game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. Ovechkin gave Washington a 2-0 lead with about four minutes left in the first period, when the...
