Uncategorized
Journey of a lifetime: A US teen Buddhist lama is now a monk studying in the Himalayan foothills
KATHMANDU, Nepal | At a monastery in the Himalayan foothills, a teenage Buddhist lama blesses thousands. One by one, he taps bowed heads with a ritual vase and a peacock feather, sprinkling holy water for protection, purification, wisdom. He stops to smile at children who eye him with curiosity, reverence and awe. He tries to […]
Such great heights: They’re tall, they’re proud — and they’re getting together
SEATTLE | This story has legs. Very long ones. At a Seattle sports bar on a recent Saturday night, hundreds of very tall people got to experience something rare: blending in. Women in their highest heels craned their necks to look at someone taller. Men who usually duck under doorways looked ordinary. For once, nobody […]
Cannes and the Hôtel Martinez await a ‘White Lotus’ close-up
CANNES, France | Though many actors are appearing at the Cannes Film Festival this week, the best role in town might be a little further down the Croisette. Season 4 of “The White Lotus” will be set around the Cannes Film Festival, bringing one the most acclaimed TV series into the heart of cinema’s French […]
Trump administration prepares to seek Raúl Castro indictment as it pressures Cuba, AP sources say
MIAMI | The Justice Department is preparing to seek an indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro, three people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Friday, as President Donald Trump threatens possible military action against the communist-run island. One of the people told the AP that the potential indictment is connected to […]
Judge declares a mistrial in Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial after jury deadlocks
NEW YORK | Jurors deadlocked in Harvey Weinstein ‘s rape retrial Friday, forcing another mistrial in a #MeToo-era case that has gone to trial three times so far. While the former Hollywood mogul has been convicted of other sex crimes on two U.S. coasts and remains behind bars, the mistrial leaves the New York rape […]
Iran’s top diplomat says a lack of trust is impeding talks to end war with the US
NEW DELHI | Iran ‘s foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the U.S., saying Friday that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages have “made us reluctant about […]
Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen ending campaign after redraw of his Memphis district
WASHINGTON | Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee on Friday announced that he is ending his bid for reelection, his career upended by the redistricting battles that are sweeping the country after last month’s Supreme Court decision. Republicans in Tennessee this month enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up a Cohen’s majority-Black district, […]
Latin American nationals deported by the US to Congo face an uncertain future
DAKAR, Senegal | It’s an existence that Congo’s president has described as “living the Congolese dream.” For the 15 Latin Americans deported to the African nation under the Trump administration’s widely criticized crackdown on migrants, it feels more like a nightmare. The Associated Press spoke with one, a 29-year old Colombian woman who confirmed what […]
Powell’s tenure as Fed chair marked by fight for independence while trying to tame inflation
WASHINGTON | When Jerome Powell was sworn in as chair of the Federal Reserve eight years ago, economists worried that inflation and interest rates were too low and that too few Americans had jobs. Now, as Powell steps down from the post after eight tumultuous years, the U.S. economy is transformed: Inflation soared after the […]
FBI offers $200,000 reward to catch ex-Air Force specialist wanted on espionage charges in Iran
WASHINGTON | The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to capture and prosecution of a former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist who defected to Iran in 2013 and was later charged with revealing classified information to the Tehran government. Monica Elfriede Witt, 47, was indicted by a federal grand jury in February […]