AP National News

The Latest: Australia state easing rules as vaccine goal met

By The Associated Press

SYDNEY — Authorities in Australia’s New South Wales state say they will ease pandemic restrictions for vaccinated adults next month even as they are reporting a record 1,029 coronavirus infections and three deaths from COVID-19. The record reported Thursday surpassed the previous high for a 24-hour period of 919 infections just a day earlier. State Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the…

The Latest: S Korea nearly matches its high for new cases

By The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported 2,155 new coronavirus cases, nearly matching a record daily increase set earlier this month amid an alarming spread of infections. With Wednesday’s report, the country has tallied more than 1,000 new cases for 50 consecutive days, including a record 2,221 on Aug. 11. The virus has shown no signs of slowing despite…

The Latest: Mexico accepts its 1st group of Afghan refugees

By The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Mexico has accepted its first group of refugees from Afghanistan. The five women and one man arrived Tuesday in Mexico City, where they were welcomed by Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard. Ebrard told the group, “Welcome to your home.” The refugees belong to a group involved in the field of robotics. They had to travel through six…

FACT FOCUS: Florida doctors did not walk off the job

By JUDE JOFFE-BLOCK and ALI SWENSON - Associated Press

A news conference held by doctors in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to urge the public to get vaccinated amid a statewide surge of COVID-19 was undermined online as false reports claimed the physicians had walked off the job. Doctors who participated in Monday’s event told The Associated Press that they did not walk off the job or refuse to treat…

The Latest: Hawaii gov seeks to limit visits to the islands

By The Associated Press

HONOLULU — Hawaii’s governor is urging residents and potential visitors to limit travel to the islands to essential business while the state struggles to control outbreaks of the delta variant of the coronavirus. Gov. David Ige wants to curtail travel to Hawaii through the end of October. In his words, “It is a risky time to be traveling right now.”…

The Latest: Australia, New Zealand evacuate hundreds

The Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s prime minister says Australian and New Zealand officials evacuated more than 650 people from Kabul Airport over Monday night. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Tuesday five flights had left the airport in the busiest day of Australian involvement in evacuations since the Taliban took control of the country. Morrison told Nine Network television that the…

Conservatives file redistricting lawsuit in Wisconsin

By SCOTT BAUER - Associated Press

A conservative group has filed a redistricting lawsuit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, an action that comes after Democrats filed their own legal challenge in federal court less than two weeks ago. The two lawsuits mean there are fights in both state and federal courts in Wisconsin over redistricting, even before the Legislature proposes a map or takes a vote on new political boundary lines. Both lawsuits argue that the current maps, adopted in 2011, are unconstitutional and courts should establish a plan to draw new lines because the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will not be able to agree.

The Latest: U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls tests positive for COVID-19

By The Associated Press

HOUSTON — U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas says that he’s tested positive for COVID-19 and has moderate symptoms. Nehls, a Republican from the Houston area, said Saturday that he is fully vaccinated and hopes the symptoms pass soon. “All Americans are free to make their own health decisions, but I strongly encourage getting vaccinated,” he wrote on Twitter Saturday….

The Latest: Biden warns of IS threat to Kabul evacuation

The Associated Press

President Joe Biden is raising concerns that the Islamic State poses a threat as American troops seek to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan. Biden on Sunday noted that the terror group is a “sworn enemy of the Taliban” and said that the longer U.S. troops are on the ground increases the chance that the group will attempt to strike innocent civilians and American personnel near the Hamid Karzai International Airport. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been warning Americans to avoid traveling to the airport in part because of concerns about Islamic State fighters. The extremist group has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad and it has been active in Afghanistan for a number of years.

The Latest: India evacuates 168 people on flight from Kabul

The Associated Press

An Indian official says an air force transport plane has left Kabul for New Delhi carrying 168 people on board. The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson says the plane took off from Kabul on Sunday morning and the passengers include 107 Indian nationals. He didn’t give the nationalities of 61 others evacuated from the Afghan capital. Meanwhile, another group of 87 Indians who were evacuated from Kabul to Tajikistan on Saturday in an Indian air force plane are being flown to New Delhi on Sunday. Two Nepalese nationals also were evacuated on that flight. India began evacuating its nationals last Sunday after the Taliban swept into Kabul.