By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has hosted family members of some of the eight Americans believed still held captive in Gaza, assuring them his administration won’t stop working to get their loved ones home. The meeting Wednesday was Biden’s first in-person engagement with the families of
Continue ReadingBy Bryan Mena, CNN Washington, DC (CNN) — The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it will hold interest rates steady at a 22-year high for the third consecutive meeting, as US economic growth slows and investors look toward the beginning of rate cuts sometime next year. The Fed has raised rates 11 times since March 2022 to combat high inflation, which
Continue ReadingBy JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer Houston, we have a problem: Where’s Kevin? Perhaps the ultimate coming-home movie, “Apollo 13,” and the ultimate staying-home one, “Home Alone,” are both being honored this year, selected for preservation in the National Film Registry They’re part of an annual group of 25 that this year spans more than
Continue ReadingBy Annie Grayer, CNN House Republicans voted Wednesday to formalize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as their investigation reaches a critical juncture and right-wing pressure grows. In a 221-212 vote, all GOP members supported the resolution to formalize the inquiry – including Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, who had said earlier this week
Continue ReadingBy Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis and MJ Lee, CNN (CNN) — The Biden administration currently has no plans to place conditions on the military aid it is providing to Israel, officials told CNN, despite growing calls by Democratic lawmakers and human rights organizations for the US to stop providing weapons unless Israel does more to protect
Continue ReadingNEW DELHI (AP) — Indian police have arrested two people who jumped from the visitors’ gallery into the chamber of the lower house of Parliament. It was a major security breach on the anniversary of a deadly 2001 attack on the complex. Speaker Om Birla said Wednesday two accomplices also were arrested outside the chamber.
Continue ReadingBy Akanksha Sharma, Vedika Sud and Rhea Mogul, CNN (CNN) — Two unidentified men stormed the lower house of India’s parliament on Wednesday, in a major security breach that fell on the anniversary of a deadly attack on the complex more than two decades ago. Video broadcast live on Sansad TV, the official channel for
Continue ReadingLONDON (AP) — Britain’s National Theatre announced that Indhu Rubasingham will be the next artistic director of the United Kingdon’s pre-eminent public stage company. Rubasingham will be the first woman and first person of color to lead the National. She currently runs the small but influential Kiln Theatre in north London. She will join as
Continue ReadingBy MUNIR AHMED Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Officials say the suicide bomber who rammed his car into a police station’s main gate in Pakistan’s northwest used about 264 pounds of explosives. The attack — one of the deadliest in months — killed 23 officers and wounded 32 others on Tuesday. The assault — which also
Continue ReadingBy Jacopo Prisco, CNN (CNN) — If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of the iconic A380 superjumbo, here’s your chance: Emirates is preparing to launch a limited-edition collection of luggage and accessories made from upcycled parts, sourced from the carrier’s Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The collection includes suitcases, backpacks, handbags, cardholders,
Continue ReadingBy Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — The three-year cruise is dead – long live the three-and-a-half-year cruise. As the dust settles on Life at Sea Cruises, which canceled its three-year voyage shortly before departure, having not secured a ship, another possible heir to the throne is emerging. Villa Vie Residences, another long-term cruise startup, has
Continue ReadingBy KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The International Monetary Fund executive board has approved the release of the second tranche of a bailout package to help Sri Lanka recover from the worst economic crisis in its history. The fund says that the approval Tuesday to release $337 million came after Sri
Continue ReadingANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The head of the Turkish Football Federation says domestic soccer league matches will resume on Dec. 19. The games had been suspended after a referee was attacked by the president of a top-flight club on Monday. Mehmet Buyukeksi has also told reporters that the federation’s disciplinary board is set to announce
Continue ReadingADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia’s peace minister has been fired and arrested for having alleged links to an outlawed rebel group after he made a series of social media posts criticizing the government. Federal police released a statement Tuesday accusing Taye Dendea of “collaborating with anti-peace forces that are trying to destroy Ethiopia” and
Continue ReadingBy WAFAA SHURAFA, JACK JEFFERY and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian militants carried out one of the deadliest single attacks on Israeli soldiers since the Gaza invasion began, killing at least nine in an urban ambush, the military said Wednesday, a sign of the stiff resistance Hamas still poses
Continue ReadingBy NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis says he wants to be buried in the Rome basilica of St. Mary Major, not in the grottoes of the Vatican like other popes, so he can be near his favorite icon of the Madonna. Francis, who turns 87 on Sunday, also said he never
Continue ReadingBy MONIKA SCISLOWSKA Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Cabinet members have taken office after being sworn in by the country’s president. The ceremony in Warsaw on Wednesday marked the end of eight tumultuous years of rule by a national conservative party, Law and Justice. President
Continue ReadingTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s state news agency says authorities have executed a bank guard who was convicted of fatally shooting a senior cleric in April following months of unrest. Ayatollah Abbas Ali Soleimani was the most senior member of the clergy who was killed after protests and a bloody security crackdown on demonstrators. The
Continue ReadingBy Juliana Liu, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Video-sharing platform TikTok has become the first app that isn’t a mobile game to generate $10 billion in global consumer spending, according to a new report, and is expected to become the highest earning app ever. The other four apps identified by app intelligence provider data.ai as having
Continue ReadingBy GEIR MOULSON Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s governing coalition has reached a deal to resolve a budget crisis triggered by a court ruling last month. It agreed Wednesday to cut some subsidies and spending but stressed that Berlin will stick to plans to step up support for Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition
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