world news

EU to reject cherry-picking for Britain in post-Brexit deal

BRUSSELS –  The European Parliament is set to reject any attempts by Britain to cherry-pick the most advantageous parts of its current membership for when it leaves the European Union next year. A draft motion of a resolution seen Wednesday…

Zoo's smoking orangutan riles animal activists in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia –  An Indonesian zoo infamous for mistreatment of animals is being slammed again by animal rights activists after a video emerged of one of its orangutans smoking. Activist Marison Guciano said the video shot Sunday at Bandung Zoo…

Poland indicts Moroccan man over alleged IS activity

WARSAW, Poland –  Polish prosecutors say they have indicted a Moroccan man for alleged participation in the Islamic State group, the first such case in Poland. The national prosecutor's office said Wednesday the man, identified only as Mourad T., was…

Saudi crown prince greeted in Britain with pomp, protests

LONDON –  Saudi Arabia's crown prince was being greeted Wednesday in Britain by Queen Elizabeth II — and met by protesters against the war in Yemen. Theresa May's office said the prime minister will "raise deep concerns at the humanitarian…

Afghan official among 2 killed in suicide bombing

KABUL, Afghanistan –  An Afghan official says a suicide bomber has killed two people, including the local head of the Ministry of Haj and Religious Affairs, in the eastern Nangarhar province. Attahullah Khogynai, spokesman for the provincial governor, says another…

AP Explains: What to make of N. Korean offer for nuke talks

SEOUL, South Korea –  At first glance it seems like a blockbuster: North Korea has reportedly offered up its nukes for negotiation, an abrupt reversal from its repeated vows never to relinquish the "treasured sword" it sees as protection against…

European police bust international weapons smuggling ring

BERLIN –  European police have smashed an international weapons-smuggling ring operating in at least four countries. Police say the group traded firearms in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France. Rudolf Welte of Rottweil police in southern Germany said Wednesday that the…

The Latest: Syrian troops look to split rebel-held enclave

BEIRUT –  The Latest on Syria's civil war (all times local): 1:15 p.m. Syrian state media says government forces have advanced against rebels in the eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus and will try to divide the besieged enclave in two.…

Bleak Women's Day in South Sudan, where #MeToo has no impact

JUBA, South Sudan –  As International Women's Day is to be marked across the globe, South Sudan remains a country where women face grinding difficulties. Women across much of the Western world have galvanized around the #MeToo movement by speaking…

Germany indicts suspect in kidnapping of Vietnamese oil exec

BERLIN –  German prosecutors say they have indicted a 47-year-old Vietnamese man on suspicion of espionage and involvement in the kidnap a former Vietnamese oil executive in Berlin last year. Federal prosecutors accuse the suspect, identified only as Long N.…

Gunmen kill police officer guarding Shiites in Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan –  Police in Pakistan say gunmen riding on motorcycles shot and killed a police officer guarding minority Shiites in the southwestern city of Quetta. Abdur Razzaq Cheema, police chief in Quetta, said another police officer was wounded in…

Macron addresses France's Jews amid anti-Semitism concerns

PARIS –  President Emmanuel Macron is set to address France's leading Jewish group, amid concerns about a rise in anti-Jewish violence and the possible re-publication of anti-Semitic pamphlets by a renowned writer. Macron will be the guest of honor at…

Turkey wants Greece to arrest protesters for burning flag

ANKARA, Turkey –  Turkey is demanding that Greece arrest and start legal proceedings against right-wing demonstrators who burned a Turkish flag during a weekend protest in Athens. Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said Wednesday that Turkey "strongly…

S. Korean president says talks won't ease pressure on North

SEOUL, South Korea –  South Korean President Moon Jae-in has downplayed concerns that the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue will be accompanied by an easing of international sanctions and pressure on North Korea over its nuclear program. Moon made the comments…

Outrage in Spain after alleged racist attack on actor

MADRID –  An alleged racist attack on an actor of African descent has sparked outrage in Spain. Marius Makon, a 34-year-old theater and television actor born in Cameroon and raised in Spain, was treated for injuries near his right eye…

Yemen officials say UAE barring ships with government cash

SANAA, Yemen –  Yemeni officials say the United Arab Emirates is barring ships carrying some 170 billion Yemeni rials ($680 million) from entering the southern port of Aden. They told The Associated Press Wednesday the money is meant for the…

Turkey calls on US to halt Kurdish redeployment in Syria

ANKARA, Turkey –  Turkey is calling on the United States to prevent U.S.-backed Kurdish forces from sending fighters deployed against the Islamic State group to shore up Kurdish forces battling a Turkish offensive in an enclave in northwest Syria. President…

The Latest: Sri Lanka orders social media networks blocked

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka –  The Latest on religious violence in Sri Lanka (all times local): 2:30 p.m. An internet company official says the government has ordered popular social media networks blocked across a swathe of central Sri Lanka in an…

Fukushima plant ice wall partly reduces radioactive water

TOKYO –  A government-commissioned group of experts has concluded that a costly underground ice wall is only partially effective in reducing the ever-growing amount of contaminated water at Japan's destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant, and other measures are needed as well.…

German court to rule on group accused of far-right terrorism

BERLIN –  A German court is to rule on eight Germans who are accused of forming a far-right terrorist organization and carrying out bombing attacks on asylum-seeker facilities and left-wing political targets. A Dresden regional court will announce its verdict…