NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks are flirting with a record Wednesday following their big rally the last two weeks on hopes that the global economy can avoid a worst-case scenario. The S&P 500 rose 0.8%  The Dow Jones was down 52 points, or 0.1%, as of 3:09 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.4% higher.

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) – Pope Leo XIV called for peace and the end of “neocolonial tendencies” in world affairs on Monday during the first papal visit to Algeria, all while facing an extraordinary broadside by President Donald Trump over his criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

BEIJING (AP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are particularly “precious” in the face of an international landscape intertwined with change and chaos.

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) – A Nigerian Air Force strike targeting jihadi rebels hit a local market in northeastern Nigeria, killing over 100 civilians including children and injuring many others, a rights group and local media reported on Sunday. Officials confirmed a misfire without providing details.

TYRE, Lebanon (AP) – Israel pressed on with bombarding southern Lebanon on Wednesday, a day after historic talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington. Smoke rose over the coastal city of Tyre, underscoring the fragility of diplomatic efforts.

LONDON (AP) – A former Nigerian oil minister accused of staying in luxury homes for free and enjoying lavish spending sprees in exchange for government contracts denied taking bribes as she gave evidence in a London court on Monday.

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) – Dominic Frimpong of Ghanaian Premier League club Berekum Chelsea was killed after the team’s bus was attacked by a group of suspected armed robbers, the country’s soccer association said Monday.