The Associated Press

The Rundown

Biden to decry democracy ‘recession’ at White House summit

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is ready to urge participants at the first-ever White House Summit for Democracy to reverse an ongoing “recession” of democracy that is playing out at a time of rising authoritarianism around the globe and…Read More

CDC chief says omicron mostly mild so far

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 40 people in the U.S. have been found to be infected with the omicron variant so far, and more than three-quarters of them had been vaccinated, the chief of the CDC said Wednesday. But she said nearly all of them were…Read More

Even amid boycott, IOC still hit with Peng Shuai questions

IOC President Thomas Bach can’t escape repeated questions about Peng Shuai and issues raised by two video calls the IOC has had with her….Read More

Vaccine makers racing to update COVID shots, just in case

Experts doubt today’s shots will become useless but say it’s critical to see how fast companies could produce a reformulated dose and prove it works — because whatever happens with omicron, this newest mutant won’t be the last….Read More

Body-cam video dominates as trial starts in Wright killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors building their case against a suburban Minneapolis police officer who killed Black motorist Daunte Wright repeatedly played body-camera video of the fatal shooting, with the officer heard shouting “Taser!” and th…Read More

OTHER TOP STORIES

Myanmar troops reportedly burn alive 11 in retaliation attack

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar government troops raided a small northwestern village, rounding up civilians, binding their hands and then burning them alive in apparent retaliation …Read More

An Afghan village shrivels in worst drought in decades

KAMAR KALAGH, Afghanistan (AP) — Hajji Wali Jan brought a half-dozen plastic containers to the well in Kamar Kalagh on a recent Friday — one of the handful of days each week…Read More

Darwin in a lab: Coral evolution tweaked for global warming

COCONUT ISLAND, Hawaii (AP) — On a moonless summer night in Hawaii, krill, fish and crabs swirl through a beam of light as two researchers peer into the water above a vibran…Read More

New Zealand’s plan to end smoking: A lifetime ban for youth

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s government believes it has come up with a unique plan to end tobacco smoking — a lifetime ban for those aged 14 or younger. Unde…Read More