Peru’s new government declares police state amid protests
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s new government has declared a 30-day national emergency amid violent protests following the ouster of President Pedro Castillo. The defense minister said the military will support national police in restricting the rights of people across the Andean nation to gather and move freely. Peru’s new president, Dina Boluarte, has pleaded for calm and raised possibility of scheduling general elections for a year from now. Demonstrators have called for immediate elections for the presidency and all of Congress. Meanwhile Castillo remains jailed as authorities build a rebellion case against him. At least six people have died in the demonstrations.
Live updates | France-Morocco in the World Cup semifinals
AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — Kylian Mbappé will start in a three-man attack for France. The team has made two changes from the win over England in the quarterfinals. Ibrahima Konaté replaces Dayot Upamecano at center back and Youssouf Fofana comes into midfield in place of Adrien Rabiot. Morocco is at full strength after center backs Nayef Aguerd and Romain Saiss overcame injuries. Saiss was carried off on a stretcher with a left hamstring injury during the win over Portugal in the quarterfinals. Morocco coach Walid Regragui has reverted to a 5-4-1 formation.
Ukraine: Russian strikes thwarted, wreckage hits buildings
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities say they thwarted a Russian attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region as their air defense system destroyed 13 explosive-laden drones. An official said drone wreckage damaged five buildings. No casualties were reported. The attempted strikes underlined the continued vulnerability of Ukraine’s capital but also highlighted Ukraine’s claims of increasing efficiency in intercepting weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces fired 13 Iranian-made drones, and all were intercepted. Ukraine’s capital remained largely calm after Wednesday’s attack, which occurred around daybreak. In another development, Ukraine’s human rights chiefs said authorities discovered evidence that children were tortured in formerly Russian-occupied areas.
Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, ‘Ellen’ show’s dancing DJ, dies at 40
Longtime “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss has died at the age of 40. Boss’ wife, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed his passing in a statement published Wednesday on People.com. The statement Allison issued to People did not include any detail on the cause of his death. tWitch started his tenure at the Ellen Show in 2014 and later was promoted to co-executive producer in 2020. He began his career in the entertainment business in 2008, placing as a runner-up on “So You Think You Can Dance.” He is survived by his wife and three children.
Trump Org. was secretly held in contempt for hindering probe
NEW YORK (AP) — According to a judge’s secret contempt ruling, Donald Trump’s company impeded a grand jury investigation last year by repeatedly failing to turn over evidence in a timely fashion, leading to a $4,000 fine. Court records made public Tuesday show that the Trump Organization was found to have been “willfully disobeying” four grand jury subpoenas and three court orders, to the detriment of Manhattan prosecutors who were left ill-prepared to question witnesses. The subpoenas preceded the Trump Organization’s July 2021 indictment on criminal tax fraud charges for helping executives avoid taxes on company-paid perks. The company was convicted this month and faces a fine of up to $1.6 million.
The AP names its nine Breakthrough Entertainers of 2022
This year’s nine Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year includes actors and musicians who flowered in 2022. They are Sadie Sink, Stephanie Hsu, Tenoch Huerta, Joaquina Kalukango, Iman Vellani, Daryl McCormack, Tobe Nwigwe, Simone Ashley and Danielle Deadwyler. Three of them have connections to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and several had important starts on Broadway. Sink found a breakthrough on “Stranger Things” and ”The Whale,” while Hsu also was a Broadway veteran with a few TV credits when she was asked to play both a sullen teen and an intergalactic supervillain in the movie “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
US storm brings tornadoes, blizzard-like conditions; 2 dead
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A destructive storm marching across the U.S. spawned tornadoes that authorities say killed a young boy and his mother near Shreveport, Louisiana. About 20 people other people were injured in nearby Union Parish. A moderate threat of tornadoes Wednesday extended from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, with more severe weather possible in the Florida panhandle. The storm dumped about 2 feet of snow in South Dakota and forecasters expect the storm system to hobble the upper Midwest with ice, rain and snow for days, as well as move into the Northeast and central Appalachians.
China won’t report asymptomatic COVID cases in further shift
BEIJING (AP) — China says it will stop reporting asymptomatic COVID-19 cases since they’ve become “impossible” to track with mass testing no longer required. That’s another step in the country’s uncertain exit from some of the world’s strictest antivirus policies. China last week announced its most significant easing yet of antivirus measures and has begun to see what appears to be a rapid increase in new infections. That has raised concerns that its health system could become overwhelmed as those in other countries did during early COVID waves. So far, though, many of those newly sick are staying home and there has been little evidence of a surge in patient numbers. But it’s difficult to get a clear picture of the virus’s spread.
Fed set to extend inflation fight with 7th rate hike of 2022
WASHINGTON (AP) — After four straight three-quarter-point interest rate hikes, the Federal Reserve is set to announce a smaller half-point increase in its key rate Wednesday, a first step toward dialing back its efforts to combat inflation. At the same time, the Fed is expected to signal that it plans more hikes next year than it had previously forecast to try to conquer the worst inflation bout in four decades. And most economists think Chair Jerome Powell will stress that the Fed will likely keep its benchmark rate at its high point through next year, even after the hikes have ended.
Deputy dressed as Grinch gives onions to speeding drivers
MARATHON, Fla. (AP) — Several motorists who were speeding through an elementary school zone on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway received an odorous onion as a reminder to slow down from a county sheriff’s deputy dressed as the Grinch. Col. Lou Caputo, a 37-year veteran of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office who conjured up the concept more than 20 years ago, was back on the streets Tuesday. Drivers who travel about 5 mph or less above the school zone’s speed limit can choose between traffic citations and an onion presented by the Grinch. Those speeding beyond that likely receive a costly ticket.
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