KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the $40 billion aid package, which got final congressional approval on Thursday. “This is a demonstration of strong leadership and a necessary contribution to our common defense of freedom,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation. He also thanked the […]
How gas interests slowed Chile’s clean energy transition
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Chile holds itself out as a global leader on climate change. Nearly 22% of Chile’s electricity is generated by solar and wind farms, putting it far ahead of both the global average, 10%, and the United States, at 13%. It was one of the first countries to declare a target […]
Veering from Mad Max, George Miller debuts ‘3,000 Years’
CANNES, France (AP) — It’s taken a lot of time and a good deal of yearning for Australian director George Miller to make “Three Thousand Years of Longing, ” his long-awaited follow-up to “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Miller premiered “Three Thousand Years of Longing” over the weekend at the Cannes Film Festival, the culmination of […]
Australia PM Morrison defends record despite election loss
SYDNEY (AP) — Scott Morrison said his conservative government had left Australia in a robust condition, even as voters on Saturday punished him for his handling of issues including climate change and the pandemic that helped return the center-left opposition to power for the first time in almost a decade. Morrison, 54, said he would […]
Australia’s next prime minister came from humble beginnings
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Prime Minister-elect Anthony Albanese is a politician molded by his humble start to life as the only child of a single mother who raised him on a pension in gritty inner-Sydney suburbia. He is also a hero of multicultural Australia, describing himself as the only candidate with a “non-Anglo Celtic […]
New maps create challenge for women seeking reelection
CHICAGO (AP) — Democrats took control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 thanks to a record showing by Democratic female candidates. Two years later, a record number of GOP women won seats, bringing the number of women in the chamber to a historic high. But for some female incumbents running for reelection this […]
As Biden visits Asia, China launches South China Sea drills
BEIJING (AP) — China is holding military exercises in the disputed South China Sea coinciding with U.S. President Joe Biden’s visits to South Korea and Japan that are largely focused on countering the perceived threat from Beijing. China’s Maritime Safety Administration office in the southern island province of Hainan said the drills began Thursday and […]
N Ireland party leader pans Pelosi’s warning on Brexit terms
LONDON (AP) — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is facing criticism from the leader of Northern Ireland’s biggest unionist party after saying Congress won’t approve a trade deal with the U.K. if Britain scraps the agreement governing post-Brexit trade on the Irish island. The trans-Atlantic sparring follows British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government announcing its […]
Farmer sues VW over climate change; German court has doubts
BERLIN (AP) — A court in Germany cast doubt Friday on claims by a German farmer that automaker Volkswagen is partly responsible for the impact that global warming is having on his family business. The plaintiff, Ulf Allhoff-Cramer, claims drier soil and heavier rains due to climate change are harming his fields, cattle and commercial […]
Elon Musk visits Brazil’s Bolsonaro to discuss Amazon plans
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Tesla and SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk met with Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday to discuss connectivity and other projects in the Amazon rainforest. The meeting, held in a luxurious resort in Sao Paulo state, was organized by Communications Minister Fábio Faria, who has said he is seeking […]