There are some things you might expect, even count on, in a Super Mario Galaxy movie. The introduction of the celestial Princess Rosalina? Check. A scene of her reading bedtime stories to her adorable, glowing star children Lumas? Check. A wild revenge scenario that takes Princess Peach, Mario, Luigi and Toad away from the Mushroom Kingdom and into space.
NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks overcame early losses to finish with slim gains and close out their first winning week since the start of the Iran war. The S&P 500 fell 0.1% after slumping as much as 1.5% in early trading. The Dow Jones shed 108 points, or 0.2% as of 3:17 p.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Stocks in Europe and Asia finished lower.
BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) – The president of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, was sworn in for a third term on Monday three months after a disputed general election.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – New Zealand and Cook Islands signed a defense and security pact Thursday, easing more than a year of tension between the Pacific nations over Cook Islands’ deepening ties with China. The fraught diplomatic standoff that prompted Wellington to pause millions of dollars in aid to Avarua was hardly a clash of geopolitical heavyweights.
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) – A night attack on a community in Nigeria ‘s north-central region left at least 20 people dead, residents and authorities said. The attack occurred on Sunday night in Gari Ya Waye community in the Jos North area of Plateau state, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, the state commissioner for information, said in a statement.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, to step down, the Pentagon said Thursday. A Pentagon official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, confirmed that George has been asked to take early retirement from the post of Army chief of staff.
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) – Gunmen killed more than 70 people in South Sudan over a gold mining row on the outskirts of the capital over the weekend, police said Monday. A video of dozens of bodies lying on the ground was shared online, and a local journalist said many other victims are believed to have fled to the bushes.
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:
GOMA, Congo (AP) – Congolese rapper Clem Cléopâtre took to the stage on the last day of a three-day music festival organized by women in Goma, firing up the crowd with rapid, punchy lyrics about social cohesion, peace, and unity.