AP-Newswatch

Russia fires 31 missiles at Kyiv in the first attack in weeks but Ukraine intercepts them all

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia fired 31 ballistic and cruise missiles at Kyiv before dawn in the first attack on the Ukrainian capital in six weeks. Officials say air defenses shot down all the incoming missiles, though 13 people including a child were injured by falling wreckage. Residents of Kyiv were woken up by loud explosions around 5 a.m. Thursday as the missiles arrived at roughly the same time from different directions. Ukraine’s air force says Russia launched two ballistic missiles and 29 cruise missiles against the capital. An 11-year-old girl and a 38-year-old man were reported to be hospitalized and eight other people sustained light injuries.

A firework is lit, a boy is shot. Israel’s use of deadly force against Palestinians is scrutinized

JERUSALEM (AP) — A 12-year-old boy in east Jerusalem lights the fuse of a long firework and hoists it in the air. Then, just before it explodes and illuminates the night sky with a burst of red, he is shot in the chest by Israeli police and falls to the ground. A clip of Rami Halhouli’s final moments last week has been circulating on social media for days. Human rights activists say it shines a light on the surge of Palestinians — including dozens of children — who have been killed without justification by Israeli forces since Oct. 7. The Israeli government says the shooting is under investigation.

Apple has kept an illegal monopoly over smartphones in US, Justice Department says in antitrust suit

WASHINGTON (AP) — Apple says a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit accusing it of engineering an illegal monopoly in smartphones in the U.S. is “wrong on the facts and the law.” The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in New Jersey. The suit alleges Apple uses its control over the iPhone to engage in an “illegal course of conduct.” The lawsuit is the latest example of the Justice Department’s approach to aggressive enforcement of federal antitrust law that officials say is aimed at ensuring a fair and competitive market. Apple has defended the digital fortress known as its walled garden as a feature prized by consumers who want to protect their personal information.

Congress unveils $1.2 trillion plan to avert federal shutdown and bring budget fight to a close

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers have introduced a $1.2 trillion spending package that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several key federal agencies this weekend. The bill unveiled Thursday comes nearly six months into the current budget year and would allow Congress to complete its work in funding the government through September. Democrats were largely able to swat back hundreds of policy mandates and some of the steeper budget cuts that House Republicans were seeking to impose on nondefense programs. Among the policy wins that House Speaker Mike Johnson is highlighting for Republicans is a nearly 24% increase in detention beds for migrants awaiting their immigration proceedings or removal from the country.

US Jews upset with Trump’s latest rhetoric say he doesn’t get to tell them how to be Jewish

Many Jewish faith leaders and commentators are decrying what they say are inflammatory remarks by Donald Trump. That follows the Republican former president’s accusation that Jews who vote for Democrats hate their religion and Israel. A cascade of Jewish voices denounced the statement. They said it plays on antisemitic stereotypes that claim that U.S. Jews’ loyalty is divided and that there’s only one right way for Jews to be religious. But some Jewish voices dismissed the criticism and supported the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s claim to be more supportive of Israel than his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden.

US surgeons have transplanted a pig kidney into a patient

NEW YORK (AP) — Doctors in Boston say they have transplanted a pig kidney into a 62-year-old patient. Massachusetts General Hospital said Thursday it’s the first time a genetically modified pig kidney has been transplanted into a living person. Previously pig kidneys have been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors. Also, two men received heart transplants from pigs, although both died within months. The hospital announced the transplant Thursday and said the patient is recovering well.

Escaped white supremacist inmate and accomplice still at large after Idaho hospital ambush

Police say authorities are searching for a white supremacist Idaho prison inmate and an accomplice who fled after the accomplice fired at corrections officers who were transporting the inmate from a Boise hospital. Three corrections officers were shot and wounded early Wednesday in the ambulance bay at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Authorities says the accomplice shot two officers and responding police mistakenly shot a third officer. Police throughout the region were looking for suspected shooter Nicholas Umphenour, as well as the escaped inmate identified as Skylar Meade.

A small town suspended its entire police force. Residents want to know why

RIDGELY, Md. (AP) — The small town of Ridgely on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has suspended its entire police force pending the results of an investigation by state prosecutors. The largely unexplained decision has left residents skeptical and on edge. Officials declined to say what prompted the investigation, which has brought scrutiny to the Ridgely Police Department and mystified town residents. The investigation is being conducted by Maryland’s Office of State Prosecutor, which handles cases of public misconduct. The department employs half a dozen officers. It made headlines several years ago when its then-chief was involved in the 2018 in-custody death of Anton Black in neighboring Greensboro.

Reddit, the self-anointed ‘front page of the internet,’ set to make its stock market debut

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Reddit and its eclectic bazaar of online communities is ready to plumb high-stakes territory — the stock market. The company said Wednesday that it had priced its IPO at $34 a share. Shares will begin trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “RDDT.” The market debut is likely to spur a flurry of commentary on Reddit’s own platform, as well as competing social media outlets.

Yamamoto chased after 1st inning of debut as Padres beat Dodgers 15-11 for 2-game South Korea split

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto was chased after one inning of a nightmarish major league debut and the San Diego Padres outlasted the Dodgers 15-11 after Los Angeles fired Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter following allegations of illegal gambling. Mookie Betts had four hits and six RBIs for the Dodgers, including the first home run of the major league season. Jake Cronenworth tied a career high with four hits and had four RBIs for San Diego, which gained a split in the opening two-games series, Major League Baseball’s first games in South Korea. Manny Machado hit a three-run homer in the ninth off J.P. Feyereisen.