Amazon refreshes its Fire 7 tablets with faster CPUs, longer battery life and USB-C

AFP
US envoy visits DMZ on heavily-fortified Korea border
The US ambassador to the United Nations visited the heavily-fortified border between North and South Korea Tuesday, urging Pyongyang to return to talks as global enforcement of UN sanctions stumbles."We urge Russia and China to reverse course and once again to urge Pyongyang to choose diplomacy and come to the negotiating table," Thomas-Greenfield said.
20m ago
Associated Press
Paris Olympics flame to be lit with elan at Greek cradle of ancient games -- if it's sunny enough
One way or another, the flame that's to burn at the Paris Olympics will be kindled Tuesday at the site of the ancient games in southern Greece. Lookers-on included a small, enthusiastic group of tourists from the northwestern French region of Brittany, where the ship's homeport of Nantes is, waving French and Breton flags.
31m ago
Associated Press
Philippines' Marcos says 'not one person died' as police make huge drug bust, in dig at predecessor
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday police seized the largest haul of methamphetamine in the country in years without anybody being killed, in a subtle criticism of his predecessor’s notoriously deadly crackdown on illegal drugs. Police seized nearly 1,630 kilograms (1.8 tons) of methamphetamine Monday from a van and arrested its driver at a checkpoint in Alitagtag town in Batangas province south of Manila. "This should be the approach in the drug war for me and the most important objective is to stop the smuggling of illegal drugs into the Philippines,” Marcos said, adding that the newly seized drugs came from outside the country.
33m ago
AFP
Germany's Scholz seeks Chinese role in 'just peace' for Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday he hoped Berlin and Beijing could help achieve a "just peace" in Ukraine, as he met President Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital.Meeting with Xi at Beijing's Diaoyutai State guesthouse on Tuesday, Scholz told the Chinese leader he hoped to discuss "how we can contribute more to a just peace in Ukraine".
33m ago
AFP
Chinese economy beats growth expectations in first quarter
China's economy expanded far more than expected in the first quarter of 2024, data showed Tuesday, but disappointing retail and industrial figures suggested leaders face severe headwinds to hit their annual growth target.Reflecting those difficulties, last month also saw a fall in property prices in China's major cities, data showed.
58m ago
AFP
Iceland volcano still spewing lava, one month on
Orange lava bubbles and pops, occasionally spewing large fountains from a volcano that has been erupting for a month in Iceland, the second-longest eruption since the region's volcanic activity reawakened in March 2021.This scenario is similar to the first eruption in the region, near Mount Fagradalsfjall in March 2021, which lasted six months.
1h ago
Associated Press
Maui Fire Department to release after-action report on deadly Hawaii wildfires
The Maui Fire Department is expected to release a report Tuesday detailing how the agency responded to a series of wildfires that burned on the island during a windstorm last August — including one that killed 101 people in the historic town of Lahaina and became the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The release comes one day before the Hawaii Attorney General is expected to release the first phase of a separate comprehensive investigation about the events before, during and after the Aug. 8 fires. The reports could help officials understand exactly what happened when the wind-whipped fire overtook the historic Maui town of Lahaina, destroying roughly 3,000 properties and causing more than $5.5 billion in estimated damage, according to state officials.
1h ago
Associated Press
Voters to decide primary runoffs in Alabama's new 2nd Congressional District
Alabama voters are set to cast their ballots Tuesday to decide party nominees for the state's 2nd Congressional District, which was redrawn by a federal court to boost the voting power of Black residents. Democrats are aiming to flip the Deep South seat, and Republicans, with control of the U.S. House of Representatives on the line, will try to keep it under the GOP column. A federal court redrew the district in October after ruling that the state’s previous congressional map — which had only one majority-Black district out of seven in a state that is about 27% Black — illegally diluted the voting power of Black residents.
1h ago
CNN
Powerful storms could brew destructive tornadoes and hail in parts of the Midwest
A powerful storm system capable of unleashing damaging hail, wind and tornadoes is expected to barrel through parts of the Mississippi Valley and Midwest Tuesday after triggering tornado watches in the Plains overnight.
1h ago
Associated Press
Salvage crews race against the clock to remove massive chunks of fallen Baltimore bridge
Nearly three weeks since Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed under the impact of a wayward cargo ship, crews are using the largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard to haul the wreckage to a nearby salvage yard. The heaviest section so far weighed about 450 tons (408 metric tons). In the salvage yard Monday morning, workers disassembled the metal trusses by attacking them with propane torches and a pair of giant shears that sliced them into more manageable pieces.
1h ago
Reuters
Exclusive-Ukraine man's torture case against Russians seeks justice in Argentina
A Ukrainian man who alleges he was tortured by Russian occupying forces has filed a legal complaint halfway around the world in Argentina, an unusual bid to seek accountability for alleged war crimes at a time when prosecutors in Kyiv are overwhelmed. In the filing, reported for the first time, the man accuses one named person, two identified by their call signs or military insignia, and others who are unnamed of using electrocution and unlawful imprisonment as forms of torture in mid to late 2022, the complaint seen by Reuters shows. The man, who asked not to be identified by Reuters because of fears for his family who are still in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, filed the complaint with the Federal Court in Buenos Aires on Monday against the people who he says tortured him, the officials who ran the detention center in southern Ukraine where he says he was held, and his superior at work who he accuses of facilitating the abuse.
1h ago
Associated Press
Democrats seek to seize control of deadlocked Michigan House in special elections
Democratic lawmakers are hoping to win back a majority in the deadlocked Michigan House and regain control of the state government in two special elections on Tuesday. Democrat Mai Xiong is taking on Republican Ronald Singer in District 13, while Peter Herzberg, a Democrat, faces Republican Josh Powell in District 25.
2h ago
Associated Press
Ex-test cricketer Slater in custody after facing an Australian court on domestic violence charges
Former Australian test cricketer Michael Slater has been remanded in custody while awaiting trial on 19 charges relating to domestic violence, stalking and breaches of bail. The 54-year-old Slater was refused bail Tuesday when he appeared in Maroochydore Magistrates Court, about an hour north of Brisbane in Queensland state, charged with unlawful stalking or intimidation, breaking into a dwelling with intent at night, common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and choking or suffocation. Slater made his debut for Australia in 1993 and played 73 test matches, scoring 5,312 runs at an average of almost 43.
2h ago
CNN
Why mango sticky rice is one of Thailand’s most beloved summer dishes
Mango sticky rice is a deceptively simple dish that’s incredibly delicious. Here’s what makes it a summertime favorite in Thailand.
2h ago
Reuters
Microsoft to invest $1.5 billion in Emirati AI firm G42, takes minority stake
Under the partnership, G42 will run its AI applications and services on Microsoft's cloud computing platform Azure to deliver advanced AI solutions to global public sector clients and large enterprises. Microsoft President Brad Smith, who will take a seat on G42's board, said "We will combine world-class technology with world-leading standards for safe, trusted, and responsible AI, in close coordination with the governments of both the UAE and the United States."
2h ago
CNN
Stabbing of bishop at Sydney church a ‘terrorist act,’ police say
A bishop was among several people reportedly stabbed in a church in Sydney, Australia, just two days after the city was rocked by a mass stabbing in a shopping mall.
2h ago
Politico
Biden's campaign spending quadrupled in March
Massive ad buys drove most of the campaign’s spending.
2h ago
NBC News
U.S. officials expect Israeli response to Iran strikes will be limited
U.S. officials expect a possible Israeli response to Iran’s attack over the weekend to be limited in scope and most likely involve strikes against Iranian military forces and Iranian-backed proxies outside Iran, four U.S. officials told NBC News.
2h ago
Associated Press
House to send Mayorkas impeachment articles to the Senate, forcing a trial
House Speaker Mike Johnson says he is sending impeachment charges against Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on Tuesday, forcing senators to convene a trial on the allegations that the Homeland Security secretary has “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws. While the Senate is obligated to convene a trial under the rules of impeachment once the charges are walked across the Capitol, Democrats are expected to try to dismiss or table the charges before the arguments get underway. Majority Democrats have said the GOP case against Mayorkas doesn’t rise to the “high crimes and misdemeanors” laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., likely has enough votes to end the trial immediately if he decides to do so.
2h ago
Associated Press
New recruiting programs put Army, Air Force on track to meet enlistment goals. Navy will fall short
After several difficult years, the Army and Air Force say they are on track to meet their recruiting goals this year, reversing previous shortfalls using a swath of new programs and policy changes. With half a year to go in the recruiting year, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said she is optimistic about hitting the 55,000 enlistment goal and getting an additional 5,000 recruits for the delayed entry pool that would come in during the next year or so. “Right now we are 5,000 contracts ahead of where we were compared to this time last year,” Wormuth said in an interview with The Associated Press.
2h ago

Amazon refreshes its Fire 7 tablets with faster CPUs, longer battery life and USB-C

The new Fire 7 will set you back at least $60.

Latest Stories

US envoy visits DMZ on heavily-fortified Korea border

Paris Olympics flame to be lit with elan at Greek cradle of ancient games -- if it's sunny enough

Philippines' Marcos says 'not one person died' as police make huge drug bust, in dig at predecessor

Germany's Scholz seeks Chinese role in 'just peace' for Ukraine

Chinese economy beats growth expectations in first quarter

Iceland volcano still spewing lava, one month on

Maui Fire Department to release after-action report on deadly Hawaii wildfires

Voters to decide primary runoffs in Alabama's new 2nd Congressional District

Powerful storms could brew destructive tornadoes and hail in parts of the Midwest

Salvage crews race against the clock to remove massive chunks of fallen Baltimore bridge

Exclusive-Ukraine man's torture case against Russians seeks justice in Argentina

Democrats seek to seize control of deadlocked Michigan House in special elections

Ex-test cricketer Slater in custody after facing an Australian court on domestic violence charges

Why mango sticky rice is one of Thailand’s most beloved summer dishes

Microsoft to invest $1.5 billion in Emirati AI firm G42, takes minority stake

Stabbing of bishop at Sydney church a ‘terrorist act,’ police say

Biden's campaign spending quadrupled in March

U.S. officials expect Israeli response to Iran strikes will be limited

House to send Mayorkas impeachment articles to the Senate, forcing a trial

New recruiting programs put Army, Air Force on track to meet enlistment goals. Navy will fall short