Tag Archives: associated press

Japan’s birth rate fell to a new low for the eighth straight year in 2023, according to Health Ministry data released on Wednesday. A government official described the situation as critical and urged authorities to do everything they can to reverse the trend. The data underscores Japan’s long-standing issues of a rapidly aging and shrinking population, which has serious implications …

A special commission tasked with investigating Russian and Belarusian influence in Poland was beginning its work on Wednesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced. At a news conference in Warsaw, Tusk and other officials described the commission as a non-partisan body of experts whose aim is to protect national security. Its work begins at a time of security concerns across the …

“The Traitors,” a reality/competition show hybrid, has announced a lineup of reality television all-stars, actors and even a British aristocrat for the cast of its upcoming season. A slew of stars from the “Real Housewives,” “Survivor,” the “Bachelor” franchises and more popular television shows will join host Alan Cummings for the upcoming third season of the Peacock hit. ALEC BALDWIN …

The first thing that strikes you, arriving in the gallery that houses artist Maurizio Cattelan’s latest satirical work, is the gleam. The brilliant gleam of 64 panels coated with 24-karat gold — in all, a glittering wall 17 feet tall and 68 feet wide. The second is the pockmarks on all that gold, created by more than 20,000 rounds of …

More than 31,000 Atlantic salmon raised in a Michigan fish hatchery had to be killed after failing to recover from disease, officials said Tuesday. The decision followed an unsuccessful 28-day treatment period at the Harrietta hatchery in Wexford County. It was “gut-wrenching for staff,” even if the fish were just a fraction of the millions raised in hatcheries each year, …

Janis Paige, a popular actress in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 90s, has died. She was 101. Paige died Sunday of natural causes at her Los Angeles home, longtime friend Stuart Lampert said Monday. Paige starred on Broadway with Jackie Cooper in the …

Tuesday’s Democratic primary in heavily Democratic Washington will largely focus on crime, policing and law enforcement — hot-button issues in a city where violent crime spiked dramatically last year. Although the numbers for homicides and carjackings are down so far in 2024, the political dynamics and tensions from last year’s crime spree continue to play out this year, with leftist …

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared victory Tuesday for his alliance in India’s general election, claiming a mandate to push forward with his agenda, even though his party lost seats to a stronger than expected opposition, which pushed back against his mixed economic record and polarizing politics. “Today’s victory is the victory of the world’s largest democracy,” Modi told the crowd …

When Michael Bommer found out that he was terminally ill with colon cancer, he spent a lot of time with his wife, Anett, talking about what would happen after his death. She told him one of the things she’d miss most is being able to ask him questions whenever she wants because he is so well-read and always shares his …

State agencies in Maryland will be required to submit a plan to help address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, under an executive order signed by Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday. The plan calls for all state agencies to submit a report to the governor by Nov. 1 showing how they will help the state meet its goal to …