National News - The Morning Sun

This July 22, 2019, photo taken from video gives a 360-degree view of Ramadan prayers on the plateau of the Dome of the Rock, which can be seen in The Holy City, a virtual reality experience in the metaverse. (The Holy City VR via AP)

From Mecca to the Vatican, exploring sacred sites with VR

Worshippers, tourists and visitors around the world are increasingly joining virtual reality spiritual trips to some of Earth’s most sacred sites. Without ever leaving home, you can gaze at the … more

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO | 8/5/22

Foreign suspects detained on drugs charges are displayed during a news conference in Bali, Indonesia on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Authorities in Indonesia arrested three foreigners, for distributing cocaine on the Indonesian resort island of Bali at the end of July. From the three suspects that are identified as British, Brazilian and Mexican, the officers from the National Narcotics Agency seized 844.59 gram (1.86 pounds) of cocaine with other drugs, including MDMA and marijuana. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

Indonesia arrests 3 foreigners for drug distribution in Bali

Authorities in Indonesia arrested three foreigners for distributing cocaine on the Indonesian resort island of Bali at the end of July. Officers from the National Narcotics Agency seized almost 2 … more

By FIRDIA LISNAWATI | 8/5/22

FILE - Referee Dee Kantner works in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. Kantner, a veteran referee of women’s games who works for multiple conferences, finds it frustrating to have to justify equal pay. “If I buy an airline ticket and tell them I’m doing a women’s basketball game they aren’t going to charge me less,” she said. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, FILE)

More NCAA leagues to pay women’s basketball referees equally

The NCAA earned praise last year when it agreed to pay referees at its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments equally. The gesture only cost about $100,000, a tiny fraction of the roughly $900 … more

By DOUG FEINBERG | 8/5/22

FILE - Insulin is displayed at Pucci's Pharmacy in Sacramento, Calif., July 8, 2022. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said this week that Democrats planned to add language to the economic package focused on climate and health care that will be aimed at reducing patients' costs of insulin, the diabetes drug that can cost hundreds of dollars monthly. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

EXPLAINER: Why is insulin so expensive and difficult to cap?

Reining in the soaring prices of insulin has thus far been elusive in Congress, although Democrats say they’ll try again — as part of their economic package that focuses on health and climate. … more

By AMANDA SEITZ | 8/5/22

A horse grazes in a pasture as the McKinney Fire burns in Klamath National Forest, Calif., Saturday, July 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

AP Week in Pictures: North America

JULY 29 - AUGUST 4, 2022 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images from North America made or published by The Associated Press in the past week. The selection was … more

8/5/22

A coca farmer kicks a tear gas canister back a police on the third day of clashes near a coca market in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Anti-government coca farmers are protesting against a new, parallel coca leaf market. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean

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8/5/22

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, or KPLO, lifts off from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.South Korea joined the stampede to the moon Thursday with the launch of a lunar orbiter that will scout out future landing spots. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

South Korean spacecraft launched to the moon, country's 1st

South Korea is on its way to the moon. SpaceX launched the Asian nation's first lunar explorer Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite is taking a long, roundabout path and will … more

By MARCIA DUNN | 8/4/22

This 2014 illustration made available by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention depicts a polio virus particle. On Thursday, July 21, 2022, New York health officials reported a polio case, the first in the U.S. in nearly a decade. (Sarah Poser, Meredith Boyter Newlove/CDC via AP)

Polio fears rise in New York amid possible community spread

New York state health officials have issued a more urgent call for unvaccinated children and adults to get inoculated against polio, citing new evidence of possible “community spread” of the … more

8/4/22

Barricades block off a portion of Elm Street in Laurel, Neb., Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a situation with multiple fatalities that occurred in Laurel on Thursday morning. Emergency personnel from the state patrol, Belden and the Cedar County Sheriff's Department were working in the area. (Riley Tolan-Keig/The Norfolk Daily News via AP)

Patrol: 4 found dead in 2 burning homes in Nebraska city

Authorities say four people have been found dead in two burning homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska. Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc said at a news conference that a man was … more

8/4/22

In this photo provided by the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Bibi, a 23-year-old hippopotamus, stands by her new baby, born Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. The staff at the zoo discovered the calf's mother was pregnant around April Fool's Day. It came as a surprise because she was on birth control. (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via AP)

Fiona gets a sibling: Baby hippo born at Cincinnati Zoo

There’s a new mouth to feed to at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. A full-term hippopotamus was born Wednesday night. The baby is a sibling to Fiona, a hippo who became a global celebrity when … more

8/4/22

This combination of images shows Alyssa Farah Griffin, left, and Ana Navarro, newly named co-hosts for "The View." (Jeff Lipsky/ABC via AP)

Alyssa Farah Griffin, Ana Navarro join 'The View' as cohosts

Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump administration spokeswoman who broke from her old boss following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, will be the conservative voice on the daytime talk show … more

By DAVID BAUDER | 8/4/22

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, surrounded by members of law enforcement, gestures as he speaks during a news conference Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. DeSantis announced that he was suspending State Attorney Andrew Warren, of the 13th Judicial Circuit, due to "neglect of duty." Looking on at right is Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Florida governor suspends prosecutor over new abortion law

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended the elected state prosecutor of Tampa for pledging not to enforce the state’s new 15-week abortion ban and for supporting gender transition treatments for … more

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE | 8/4/22

FILE - Hungary President Viktor Orban arrives at the NATO Heads of State summit in Madrid, June 30, 2022. Hungary's controversial prime minister is coming to the United States to address a gathering of conservative activists. Orban has become a hero to many on the right for his push against immigration, LGBTQ rights and progressives. (Bertrand Guay, Pool via AP, File)

Hungary's autocratic PM Orban addressing US conservatives

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is in the U.S. to speak to one of the nation's largest gatherings of conservative activists. The autocratic leader has a headline spot Tuesday at the … more

By PAUL J. WEBER | 8/4/22

FILE - Melissa Bank, author of "The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing," appears in her New York apartment on May 26, 2005. Publisher Viking says Bank, who had lung cancer, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022 in East Hampton, N.Y. She was 61. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

Melissa Bank, witty, bestselling author, dies at 61

Melissa Bank, whose 1999 bestseller “The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing” was a series of interconnected stories widely praised for its wit and precise language and embraced by many young … more

8/4/22

A photo of Tyler and Sarah Schmidt sits on the podium during the Celebration of Life event for Tyler, Sarah, and Lula Schmidt held at Overman Park on Tuesday, Aug. 2 2022 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Schmidt's were shot and killed at Maquoketa Caves State Park on July 22. (Chris Zoeller/The Courier via AP)

Autopsy: Family killed at Iowa park shot, stabbed, strangled

Autopsy results say three family members killed during a shooting last month at an eastern Iowa state park were shot, stabbed and/or strangled. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news … more

8/4/22

A camper is seen partly submerged under water in Carr Creek Lake on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, near Hazard, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Water becomes needed commodity in flood-ravaged Kentucky

National Guard soldiers rushed to distribute bottled water to flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky as forecasters warned of more rain coming to the region. In the days since historic flooding swamped the … more

By BRUCE SCHREINER | 8/4/22

This photo provided on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, shows Allie Tarantino holding a baseball card featuring a very young Mark Zuckerberg grinning in a red jersey and gripping a bat. For 30 years Tarantino kept the baseball card filed it away in his basement, not knowing Zuckerberg would someday become a household name. (Shira Tarantino via AP)

How much is Zuckerberg worth? Card collector could find out

When camp counselor Allie Tarantino was flipping through a magazine years ago, he came upon a familiar name: Mark Zuckerberg. He rifled through boxes of memorabilia in his basement, running his … more

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN | 8/4/22

Sacoby Wilson, associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, poses for The Associated Press, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Bowie, Md. Billions of dollars in climate and environment investments from the Inflation Reduction Act could flow to communities in the United States that have been plagued by pollution and climate threats for decades. “Over the last two years, there’s probably more money being invested in these communities than over the last 20 years,” Wilson said. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Advocates: Senate bill means environmental health, also harm

Billions of dollars in climate and environment investments from the Inflation Reduction Act could flow to communities in the United States that have been plagued by pollution and climate threats for … more

BY DREW COSTLEY | 8/4/22

FILE - Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani listens to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, June 23, 2022. The resumption of the Vienna talks, suddenly called Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, appears not to include high-level representation from all the countries part of Iran's 2015 deal with word powers. Kani, arrived in Vienna for the talks, Iranian state media reported. U.S. Special Representative for Iran Rob Malley also was on hand, tweeting Wednesday that “our expectations are in check.” (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

Iran nuclear talks in Vienna as Tehran expands enrichment

Negotiators from Iran, the United States and the European Union have resumed monthslong, indirect talks over Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal. That's even as international inspectors acknowledged … more

By JON GAMBRELL | 8/4/22

FILE - Law enforcement officers block off the entrance to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Feb. 15, 2018, the day after a deadly shooting at the school. Jurors in the trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz are expected to walk through the still blood-spattered rooms of the high school Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in a visit to the three-story building where he murdered 14 students and three staff members four years ago. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Jurors to visit still bloodstained Parkland school building

Jurors in the trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will be visiting the still bloodstained building where he murdered 17 people four years ago. The 12 jurors and their 10 alternates will … more

By TERRY SPENCER | 8/4/22