Associated Press Top News AP

Tusk’s government survives vote of confidence in Poland as he bids to reassert control WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government survived a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, shoring up its mandate after the nationalist opposition’s victory in Poland’s presidential election deepened political gridlock and raised doubts about Tusk’s ability to deliver on key reforms. Lawmakers voted 243-210 in favor of the government in the 460-seat Sejm, the lower house, with supporters rising to applaud Tusk and chant his name. ... Thu, 12 Jun 2025 05:06:02 +0000

Mali’s government adopts bill granting junta leader 5 more years in power BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s Council of Ministers on Wednesday adopted a controversial bill granting the head of the military junta an additional five years in power. Gen. Assimi Goita has led the West African nation since orchestrating two coups in 2020 and 2021. The move follows the military regime’s dissolution of political parties in May. ... Thu, 12 Jun 2025 05:06:02 +0000

Samoa to hold snap election on Aug. 29 after PM’s government collapses NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — Samoa will head to the polls on Aug. 29, a half-year earlier than expected, after Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa’s government collapsed following a budget defeat in parliament late last month. Fiamē, who became the South Pacific island nation’s first female prime minister in 2021 and ended four decades of Human Rights Protection Party rule, now faces a three-way political battle that has ramifications far beyond Samoa. ... Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:21:02 +0000

Election observers voice serious concerns about Mexico’s contentious judicial elections MEXICO CITY (AP) — Abysmal voter turnout, political polarization and voting “cheat sheets” were among the reasons an observation mission for Mexico’s historic judicial elections on Friday issued a recommendation to other countries in the region: don’t try this at home. In their report, the electoral mission from the Organization of American States said the June 1 election was “extremely complex” and “polarizing,” and was marked by a “widespread lack of awareness” among voters about what they were voting for and who the thousands of candidates were. Given the findings, the mission concluded that “it does not recommend this model of judge selection be replicated in other countries in the region.” ... Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:21:02 +0000

Poland on a knife’s edge as exit polls show a near tie in presidential runoff WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Exit polls in Poland’s presidential runoff Sunday showed the two candidates in a statistical tie with the race still too close to call in the deeply divided nation. The results could set the course for the nation’s political future and its relations with the European Union. A first exit poll showed liberal Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski with a slight lead over conservative historian Karol Nawrocki, but two hours later an updated “late poll” showed Nawrocki winning 50.7%, more than Trzaskowski with 49.3% The polls have a margin of error and it was still not clear who the winner was. ... Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:21:03 +0000

South Korea holds a snap presidential election Tuesday. Here’s what to know SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — After months of political turmoil, South Korea will elect a new president this week to succeed conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his brief but shocking imposition of martial law. ... Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:21:03 +0000

Taylor Swift has regained control of her music, buys back first 6 albums NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift has regained control over her entire body of work. In a lengthy note posted to her official website on Friday, Swift announced: “All of the music I’ve ever made now belongs to me.” According to the note, the pop star has purchased her catalog of recordings — originally released through Big Machine Records — from their most recent owner, the private equity firm Shamrock Capital. She did not disclose the amount. “We are thrilled with this outcome and are so happy for Taylor,” Shamrock Capital said in a statement. Over the last few years, Swift has been re-recording and releasing her first six albums in an attempt to regain control of her music. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 16:05:54 +0000

New York Mets hire Lew Sherr from the US Open tennis tournament as president of business operations PARIS (AP) — The New York Mets are hiring the person who oversees the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Lew Sherr, as their new president of business operations. Sherr has been the CEO and executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association since 2022 and has worked there since 2010, including previously as chief revenue officer. His departure was announced by the USTA on Friday; he will remain there until the end of June, then start with the Mets in July. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 16:05:54 +0000

U.S. Army analysis finds Great Lakes pipeline tunnel would have sweeping environmental impacts Building an underground tunnel for an aging Enbridge oil pipeline that stretches across a Great Lakes channel could destroy wetlands and harm bat habitats but would eliminate the chances of a boat anchor rupturing the line and causing a catastrophic spill, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday in a long-awaited draft analysis of the proposed project’s environmental impacts. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 16:05:54 +0000

Macron warns US and the Indo-Pacific not to abandon Ukraine at the expense of focusing on China SINGAPORE (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron warned the United States and a large audience of Indo-Pacific nations on Friday night that they risk a dangerous double standard as they concentrate on a potential conflict with China, if that shift comes at the cost of abandoning Ukraine. Macron’s made the remarks as the U.S. is considering withdrawing troops from Europe to shift them to the Indo-Pacific. He warned that abandoning Ukraine would eventually erode U.S. credibility in deterring any potential conflict with China over Taiwan. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 15:50:54 +0000

Sellers outnumber prospective homebuyers as high prices and mortgage rates skew the housing market LOS ANGELES (AP) — Homeowners eager to sell may have to wait a while before a buyer comes along. As of April, the U.S. housing market had nearly 34% more sellers than buyers shopping for a home, according to an analysis by Redfin. Aside from April 2020, when the pandemic brought the economy and home sales activity to a standstill, there haven’t been this few buyers in the market for a home before, based on records that date back to 2013. The trend is good news for home shoppers — if they can afford to buy at current mortgage rates and prices, which are still rising nationally, albeit more slowly. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 15:05:54 +0000

US group including 49ers Enterprises buys majority stake of Glasgow club Rangers GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Scottish soccer club Rangers confirmed on Friday a U.S.-based consortium that includes an investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers has purchased a majority ownership stake. Rangers said health insurance entrepreneur Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises led the consortium of investors that was reported to have bought a 51% stake. The purchase price was not disclosed. The club said the group has committed to invest 20 million pounds ($27 million) right away, subject to shareholder approval in June. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 14:50:54 +0000

Oreo maker Mondelez sues Aldi, alleging grocery chain copies its packaging to confuse customers Snack food maker Mondelez International is suing the Aldi supermarket chain, alleging the packaging for Aldi’s store-brand cookies and crackers “blatantly copies” Mondelez products like Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins and Oreos. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 13:50:54 +0000

US inflation gauge cools with little sign of tariff impact, so far WASHINGTON (AP) — A key U.S. inflation gauge slowed last month as President Donald Trump’s tariffs have yet to noticeably push up prices, while American incomes jumped. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices rose just 2.1% in April compared with a year earlier, down from 2.3% in March and the lowest since September. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.5% from a year earlier, below the March figure of 2.6%. Economists track core prices because they typically provide a better read on where inflation is headed. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 12:50:54 +0000

Appeals court revives Native American challenge to $10B SunZia energy transmission project A federal appeals court has sided with Native American tribes in their fight against the federal government over a $10 billion energy transmission line designed to carry wind-generated electricity from New Mexico to customers as far away as California. The Tohono O’odham Nation — along with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Center for Biological Diversity and Archaeology Southwest — sued the U.S. Interior Department and then-Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in 2024. They argued that the agency failed to properly consult with the tribes on a historic property designation for southern Arizona’s San Pedro Valley. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 12:50:54 +0000

Cyprus shows off its new Airbus military helicopters touted as more advanced than what Germany has NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus on Friday unveiled four of its newly-delivered Airbus H145 helicopters that officials say are among the most advanced rotorcraft in the word with a proven track record that gives the Cypriot National Guard an operational edge. The helicopter is currently used by Germany, the U.S. Hungary, Belgium, Ireland and other militaries with over 500 variants currently in operation, logging over 8 million flight hours, according to Cyprus Defense Minister Vassilis Palmas. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 12:05:55 +0000

Russian captain denies manslaughter in North Sea collision, faces UK trial in January LONDON (AP) — The Russian captain of a cargo ship that collided with a U.S. tanker in the North Sea pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of one of his crew at a U.K. court hearing on Friday. Vladimir Motin, 59, from St. Petersburg, appeared by video link from prison for the pretrial hearing at London’s Central Criminal Court. Assisted by a Russian interpreter, he denied a charge of gross manslaughter over the death of 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia. Motin was ordered detained until his next hearing, and his trial was set for Jan. 12. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 11:20:54 +0000

New Zealand hails ‘breakthrough’ in trade talks with India, but no timeline for deal NEW DELHI (AP) — New Zealand’s deputy prime minister said on Friday that talks over a free trade agreement between his country and India were ongoing, but he didn’t provide a timeline for when the two nations could eventually sign a deal. Winston Peters, who is on a two-day visit to India, said that the negotiations were “going with real meaning now,” calling them “a breakthrough in our economic relationship.” ... Fri, 30 May 2025 10:50:54 +0000

Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams wins libel lawsuit against BBC LONDON (AP) — Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has won a libel suit against the BBC over a claim he authorized the killing of an informant. A jury at the High Court in Dublin ruled in Adams’ favor and he was awarded 100,000 euros in damages. Adams sued Britain’s public broadcaster over a claim in a documentary and online article that he sanctioned the killing of Denis Donaldson, a long-serving Sinn Fein official who acknowledged in 2005 that he had worked for British intelligence. He was shot dead at his cottage in rural Ireland four months later. In the BBC program broadcast in September 2016, an anonymous source claimed the shooting was sanctioned by the political and military leadership of the IRA and that Adams gave “the final say.” ... Fri, 30 May 2025 10:50:54 +0000

Goods delivered by nuclear power? UN agency chief meets Greek shipowners to discuss the idea ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, met with Greek shipowners on Thursday to discuss the potential use of nuclear power in future global goods transportation. The United Nations agency recently launched an initiative to develop a regulatory and safety framework for deploying nuclear reactors on commercial maritime vessels. Its aim is to reduce global emissions, improve efficiency in the shipping industry, and ultimately help lower food prices. Grossi has been engaging with shipping leaders in Europe to promote the initiative, known as ATLAS – Atomic Technology Licensed for Applications at Sea. ... Fri, 30 May 2025 07:35:54 +0000