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Biden opens Vietnam visit by saying the two countries are ‘critical partners’ at a ‘critical time’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

HANOI (AP) — President Joe Biden opened a brief visit to Vietnam on Sunday by telling the country’s leadership that the two nations have a chance to shape Indo-Pacific for decades to come.Biden said he hoped progress could be made on climate, the economy and other issues during his 24-hour visit. “Vietnam and the U.S. are critical partners at what I would argue is a very critical time,” Biden told Nguyễn Phú Trọng, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, during the public portion of their meeting at party headquarters. Trọng agreed that their meeting presented an “excellent opportunity“ to expand bilateral ties. He thanked Biden for inviting him to visit Washington soon. Vietnam is elevating its relationship with the U.S. to the status of being a comprehensive strategic partner, which one of Biden’s top national security advisers said represents Vietnam’s highest tier of international partnership. Other countries that Vietnam has extended the designation to includ...

Russian strikes on Ukraine kill 2 foreign aid workers and target Kyiv

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Two foreign aid workers were reportedly killed in eastern Ukraine on Sunday as Russian shelling hit a van carrying a team of four working with a Ukrainian NGO, while dozens of Russian drones targeted Kyiv and wounded at least one civilian. The four volunteers from the Road to Relief NGO, which helps evacuate wounded people from front-line areas, were trapped inside the van as it flipped over and caught fire after being struck by shells near the town of Chasiv Yar, the organization said on its Instagram page. Road to Relief said Canadian Anthony Ihnat died in the attack, while German medical volunteer Ruben Mawick and Swedish volunteer Johan Mathias Thyr were seriously injured. Road to Relief added that it could not trace the whereabouts of the van’s fourth passenger, Emma Igual, a Spanish national who was the organization’s director. Hours later, Spain’s Acting Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told Spanish media that authorities in Madrid had rec...

A magnitude 3.9 aftershock rattles Morocco as rescuers seek survivors in ancient cities and towns

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — A magnitude 3.9 aftershock rattled Moroccans on Sunday as they prayed for victims of the nation’s strongest earthquake in more than a century and worked to rescue survivors while soldiers and workers brought water and supplies to mountain villages in ruins. More than 2,000 people are dead — a number that is expected to rise.The United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake and some Moroccans complained on social networks that the government wasn’t allowing more help from outside. International aid crews were prepared to deploy, but remained in limbo waiting for the Morocco government to request their assistance.“We know there is a great urgency to save people and dig under the remains of buildings,” said Arnaud Fraisse, founder of Rescuers Without Borders, who had a team stuck in Paris waiting for the green light. “There are people dying under the rubble, and we cannot do anything to save them.”Those ...

Hurricane Lee unleashes heavy swell on northern Caribbean as it charges through open waters

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee barreled Sunday through open waters just northeast of the Caribbean, unleashing heavy swell on several islands.The Category 2 storm is not forecast to make landfall and is expected to stay over open waters through Friday. On Sunday morning, it was centered about 280 miles (450 kilometers) northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. Its maximum sustained winds had decreased to 105 mph (165 kph) and it was moving west-northwest at 9 mph (15 kph)Last week, Lee strengthened from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in just one day.“We had the perfection conditions for a hurricane: warm waters and hardly any wind shear,” said Lee Ingles, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan.Lee is expected to regain some strength in upcoming days and will then weaken again, according to the National Hurricane Center.Breaking waves of up to 20 feet (6 meters) were forecast for Puerto Rico and nearby islands starting early this week, with ...

Maldives presidential runoff is set for Sept. 30 with opposition in surprise lead but short of mark

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Maldivians will return to the polls on Sept. 30 to vote in a runoff election between the top two candidates in the country’s presidential race after neither secured more than 50% in the first round, the elections commission said Sunday.Main opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz managed a surprise lead with more than 46% of votes, while the incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who was seen as the favorite, got only 39%. The election on Saturday has shaped up as a virtual referendum over which regional power — India or China — will have the biggest influence in the Indian Ocean archipelago state.The vote was to choose the country’s fifth freely elected president since Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008. Solih is perceived as pro-India, facing off against his main rival Muiz, who is seen as pro-China.The result is seen a remarkable achievement for Muiz, who was only a late selection as a candidate by his party after its leader, former Presi...

Niger junta accuses France of amassing forces for a military intervention after the coup in July

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Niger’s new military leaders accused France of amassing forces for a possible military intervention in the country following the coup in July. French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that he would only take action at the demand of deposed Nigerien leader Mohamed Bazoum.Niger’s junta spokesman, Maj. Amadou Abdramane, said that France is also considering collaborating in such an intervention with the Economic Community of West African States, a regional bloc known as ECOWAS. “France continues to deploy its forces in several ECOWAS countries as part of preparations for an aggression against Niger,” Abdramane said late Saturday in a statement broadcast on state television.Macron said he wouldn’t directly respond to the junta’s claim when asked about it after the Group of 20 summit.“If we redeploy anything, it will only be at the demand of Bazoum and in coordination with him, not with those people who are holding a president hostag...

Why the United Auto Workers union is poised to strike major US car makers this week

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — About 146,000 U.S. auto workers are set to go on strike this week if General Motors, Ford and Stellantis fail to meet their demands for big pay raises and the restoration of concessions the workers made years ago when the companies were in financial trouble.Shawn Fain, the combative president of the United Auto Workers union, has threatened to strike any of the three companies that hasn’t reached an agreement by the time its contract with the union expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Thursday.Both sides began exchanging wage and benefit proposals last week. Though some incremental progress appears to have been made, a final agreement could come too late to avoid walkouts by UAW workers at factories in multiple states. Any strike would likely cause significant disruptions for auto production in the United States. Here’s a rundown of the issues that are standing in the way of new contract agreements and what consumers could face if a prolonged strike occurs:W...

Canada beats U.S. in OT to take bronze, win first medal at FIBA World Cup

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

For the second time this tournament, Canada has made history.Canada defeated the United States 127-118 in overtime to take bronze and win its first medal at a FIBA World Cup on Sunday in Manila, Philippines.CANADA TAKES HOME BRONZE. ????#FIBAWC | @CanBball pic.twitter.com/Cfls2FN0An— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 10, 2023Canadian star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored his team’s first seven points of overtime as Canada never trailed in the extra frame.In a crazy finish to regulation, American Mikal Bridges purposely missed a free throw with the U.S. down three and 4.2 seconds left, grabbed the offensive rebound and then raced beyond the arc to drill a game-tying three.Kelly Olynyk’s three at the buzzer rimmed out, sending it to overtime.Though Canada had its best start of the tournament — scoring 34 points in the first quarter — the game was close throughout.Gilgeous-Alexander made a tough pull-up jumper with Bridges in his face to put Canada up two wit...

What to know about the Bears-Packers 2023 season opener

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

CHICAGO — After an offseason full of changes and the usual anticipation during training camp, the regular season opener has arrived for the 2023 edition of the Chicago Bears. This year, it begins with their biggest rival making their way to Soldier Field with a big change at a key position. Matt Eberflus' team welcomes in the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon, with the Bears kicking off their season at 3:25 p.m. at Soldier Field. It's the first time the teams have opened the season against each other since 2019 and is the start of a 17-game journey for both squads. Here's what to look for as the rivals meet on Sunday on the lakefront.(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)A rivalry renewedThis is the renewal of the oldest running rivalry in the National Football League, with the teams meeting for the 205th time in the regular season on Sunday.Lately, the Packers have had the advantage, winning the last eight meetings with the Bears, leading the overall regular season series 104-94-6.The Be...

ATCEMS: 1 dead in auto-motorcycle crash on Mopac service road

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:48:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person is dead after an auto-motorcycle crash on the Mopac service road in north Austin, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. The crash happened around 9:45 p.m. Saturday on the Mopac Expressway southbound service road near the Capitol of Texas Highway intersection. One adult was pronounced dead at the scene, ATCEMS said. No other crash information was available at the time.