• Israeli Strikes Kill 12 People in Gaza
  • US Carries Out New Strikes on Iran
  • Ukraine and EU Sign Weapons Partnership
  • Troops to be Tested for Low Testosterone
  • Starmer Says Political Journey is Over
US stocks rise within 0.5% of record, even as oil prices climb

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks ticked higher Wednesday following strong profit reports from BlackRock and other big companies. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% after flipping between modest gains and losses through the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 150 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.6%.

Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Latest Updates

BEIJING (AP) – A senior official has been expelled from China’s ruling Communist Party, state media said Tuesday, the latest to fall in Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s long-running anti-corruption campaign. Ma Xingrui is one of three members of the current Politburo, the 24-member body made up of top party leaders, to be purged in the campaign.

Messi rallies Argentina in 2-1 win over England in World Cup semifinal

Defending champion Argentina rallied to beat England 2-1 on Wednesday and reach the World Cup final.

Politics
Amazon will launch its satellite internet in South Africa, seemingly beating Musk

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) – Amazon said Wednesday that the technology company will launch its new satellite internet service Amazon Leo in South Africa in 2027, seemingly pushing ahead of Elon Musk’s rival Starlink to win business in Africa’s most advanced economy.

Politics
US Mint produces a $1 coin bearing Trump's face for 250th birthday

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Mint has begun producing a new $1 coin bearing President Donald Trump’s face to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.

Politics
Fed chair Warsh sidesteps Senate questions on inflation, AI, contact with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Wednesday sought to evade a range of questions from senators on issues such as the impact of AI on inflation, what contacts he has had with President Donald Trump, and how the central bank will determine the persistence of inflation.

Politics
Israel's latest strikes kill a dozen people in Gaza including police

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) – Israeli airstrikes have killed at least a dozen people in Gaza over the past two days, local health officials said Wednesday, as strikes continue almost daily despite a months-old ceasefire with Hamas. On Wednesday, three members of a family were killed in central Gaza, Al Aqsa Hospital officials said.

Politics
Ukraine and EU aim for a weapons production partnership

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – The European Union’s top official signed an agreement Wednesday to move forward on joint weapons production with Ukraine, saying Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s 4-year-old invasion is a key part of the continent’s defense.

Politics
Starmer says his political journey is over at his last question session

LONDON (AP) – Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he was leaving the United Kingdom in “better shape than I found it” as he fielded questions, criticism and even a bit of praise from lawmakers in the House of Commons for the last time on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump will deliver a primetime address this week that he says will include a focus on elections, suggesting he could revisit long-debunked conspiracy theories about his 2020 defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. The speech comes as he’s escalated calls for Republicans to pass tighter federal voting rules for November’s midterm elections.

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Mystery bidder buys T. rex nicknamed 'Gus' for a record $50 million
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E. Jean Carroll is paid $5.6 million in Trump sex abuse and defamation case
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Gibraltar border fence with Spain is removed
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Darline Graham, sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has been sworn in to finish his term