KYIV, Ukraine — Russian troops pressed their offensive into the Donbas region on Saturday, aiming to encircle the easternmost point of Ukrainian control in what one official said would be a repeat of Moscow’s assault on the beleaguered city of Mariupol.

Meanwhile, Moscow cut off natural gas exports to Finland, and the Russian Defense ...Read more

U.S. President Joe Biden said Sunday that he wasn’t concerned about the possibility of North Korea holding a nuclear test while he’s in Asia.

“We are prepared for anything North Korea does,” Biden told reporters in Seoul. “We’ve thought through how we’d respond to whatever they do, and so I am not concerned.”

U.S. intelligence...Read more

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Sunday congratulated Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party on winning the Australian Federal election.

“I spoke to Anthony Albanese early this morning as he was preparing to address his supporters. It was a warm conversation and I’m really looking forward to formally meeting with him soon,” ...Read more

NEW YORK — A technique that Mayor Eric Adams has championed as part of his efforts to curb gun violence on New York City streets may also play a role in his approach to addressing conflict in schools, budget documents show.

Adams has cited “violence interrupters” — trusted community members who fan out into neighborhoods to identify and...Read more

Two people were killed and three more were wounded in a shooting Saturday afternoon at a house in northern Indiana.

Police in the city of Goshen did not say if the shooter was included in that count or if anyone had been arrested.

“Although the investigation is ongoing, preliminary information indicates that the shooting was targeted, not ...Read more

A flood of posts pushing misinformation in Slovakia is putting the spotlight on Facebook for facilitating the spread of pro-Russian theories on the war in neighboring Ukraine, ranging from claims that Kyiv is secretly developing biological weapons to questioning whether President Vladimir Putin’s invasion even happened at all.

While Facebook ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — After the once-secret location of a famed grove of ancient redwoods in Northern California was made public, visitors flocking to see the towering trees caused significant damage looking for the off-trail behemoths.

Now, a new 1,300-foot boardwalk through the Grove of Titans will give visitors a chance to see the old-growth ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Seniors would no longer pay taxes on social security income, millions of Minnesotans could see a small income tax cut and tens of thousands of families and renters across the state would be eligible for more tax credits under a sweeping deal struck Saturday at the divided Capitol.

Top legislative negotiators heralded the $4 ...Read more

DETROIT — The tornado that touched down in Gaylord on Friday was an EF3 with winds reaching 140 mph, causing two deaths and 44 injuries, according to officials and the National Weather Service.

The twister ranks 16th in injuries and 21st in fatalities in Michigan since 1950, according to the weather service.

The last tornado to cause more ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Fire Department has launched an investigation into a video posted on social media that shows firefighters punching and kicking a man outside Station 6 in Silver Lake on Friday.

The man had allegedly tried to break into the station, said Officer Norma Eisenman, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman.

The ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — As millions of Southern Californians brace for new drought restrictions coming June 1, one big, blue question mark remains: How will the rules apply to swimming pools?

As with nearly every other facet of the rollout, the agencies affected by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's urgent call for conservation ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In an unexpected move, the California Department of Mental Health Care informed Kaiser Permanente that it will be examining whether the company is providing adequate mental health care services to its 9.4 million California members.

“This non-routine survey is based on complaints received from enrollees, providers, and ...Read more

France’s outgoing foreign affairs minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said he’s pleased that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison lost Saturday’s election, a swipe at the sudden decision last year to dump a $64 billion French submarine deal.

“I can’t stop myself from saying that the defeat of Morrison suits me very well,” Le Drian ...Read more

France’s new government reaffirmed the country’s pledge to lower debt after the COVID-19 pandemic forced President Emmanuel Macron to carry out an unprecedented spending splurge to prevent the economy from crashing.

“I will be a relentless craftsman in keeping our public accounts in a context that we know is difficult,” Gabriel Attal, ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Fire crews worked overnight Saturday to contain 20% of the Owens fire, which has burned 36 acres near Point Arena in Mendocino County.

The vegetation fire has been burning since Friday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.

No structures have been threatened by the wildfire so far, although windy conditions in Mendocino County ...Read more

SEATTLE — Gan Hao Li rode his bike every day, sometimes two or three times. And every day on his way out the door, he'd smile and wave to Marena Ostbo, the manager of Hirabayashi Place in Seattle's Chinatown International District. Wednesday, May 10, was no different.

"He stopped, smiled, said, 'Good morning, enjoy the sunshine,' and left," ...Read more

DETROIT — The tornado that touched down in Gaylord on Friday was an EF3 with winds reaching 140 mph, causing two deaths and 44 injuries, according to officials and the National Weather Service.

The twister ranks 16th in injuries and 21st in fatalities in Michigan since 1950, according to the weather service.

Deaths and injuries are a rare ...Read more

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and others have been investigating a multistate outbreak of salmonella senftenberg infections and they are linked to a product so many of us enjoy daily.

In this case, the salmonella outbreaks are linked to certain Jif peanut butter products produced ...Read more

NEW YORK — A 32-year-old runner collapsed at the Coney Island finish line of the Brooklyn half-marathon race and died at a nearby hospital on a sticky Saturday morning where 16 other participants were injured, authorities said.

David Reichman of Brooklyn died at Coney Island Hospital, becoming the second runner to die during the race since ...Read more

A first air shipment of baby formula will be delivered to the U.S. on Sunday under an emergency program authorized by President Joe Biden to address a national shortage that has parents struggling to meet the needs of their newborns.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Indianapolis to greet the arrival of 132 pallets of Nestle ...Read more