| | | | | | Australia's center-left opposition party has toppled the conservative government after almost a decade in power. Prime Minister-elect Anthony Albanese in his Saturday election victory speech promised sharper reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while he faces an early foreign policy test. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he quickly conceded defeat despite millions of votes yet to be counted because an Australian leader must attend a Tokyo summit on Tuesday with U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders from Japan and India. Albanese has described himself as the only candidate with a "non-Anglo Celtic name" to run for prime minister in the 121 years that the office has existed. He referred to his own humble upbringing in the Sydney suburb of Camperdown. | | | | | | The former director of the Ohio state prison system has emerged as a leading contender to run the crisis-plagued federal Bureau of Prisons. That's according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press. The people say Gary Mohr is among the top contenders to replace Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal. Carvajal submitted his resignation in January but said he would stay on until a successor was named. The people cautioned a final decision has not been made. Mohr said Saturday he was "shocked to see an article" describing him as a contender for the position and denied he had applied or been interviewed. | | | | | | The White House is planning for what it calls "dire" contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn't approve more money for fighting COVID-19. Biden administration officials have been warning for weeks that the country has spent nearly all the money approved for COVID-19 response. The administration faces critical decisions about how to spend what's left. It's weighing whether to use it to secure the next generation of vaccines to protect the highest risk populations or to prioritize highly effective therapies to reduce the risks of severe illness and death. Rationing could expose even the most vulnerable to shortages. | | | | | | SATURDAY, May 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- It's a good idea to get children outside every day, but especially on Kids to Parks Day, a national day of outdoor play on May 21. | | | | | | After mass shootings killed and wounded people grocery shopping, going to church and simply living their lives, the nation marked a milestone of 1 million deaths from COVID-19. The number was once unthinkable. Now it's a pedestrian reality in the United States, just as is the reality of the continuing epidemic of gun violence that kills tens of thousands of people annually. Americans have always tolerated high rates of death among certain segments of society. But the sheer numbers of what should be preventable deaths, and the apparent acceptance that there's no policy change coming has people wondering: Is mass death now acceptable in America? | | | | | | After mass shootings killed and wounded people grocery shopping, going to church and simply living their lives, the nation marked a milestone of 1 million deaths from COVID-19. The number was once unthinkable. Now it's a pedestrian reality in the United States, just as is the reality of the continuing epidemic of gun violence that kills tens of thousands of people annually. Americans have always tolerated high rates of death among certain segments of society. But the sheer numbers of what should be preventable deaths, and the apparent acceptance that there's no policy change coming has people wondering: Is mass death now acceptable in America? | | | | | | Ukraine's ambassador to neighboring Poland says his country is grateful for the welcome that Poles have given to millions of Ukrainians, but hopes the European Union will soon release billions of euros to Poland so that helping those fleeing the war does not come "at the cost of the Polish people." Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia said that while there have been no real social tensions in the three months since Ukrainians began crossing into Poland seeking safety, he worries they could appear in the future given how much Poland has done. The government has extended free medical care, education and other social services to the Ukrainians, while more than 80% of them are being housed in private Polish homes. | | | | | | U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol say after meeting that they will consider expanded joint military exercises to deter the nuclear threat from North Korea. The announcement Saturday during Biden's visit to Seoul reflects a shift in direction from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump had considered scrapping the exercises and had expressed affection for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The announcement may also put to rest concerns in Seoul that Washington would revert to the Obama administration's policy of "strategic patience" in which it largely looked the other way while North Korea expanded its nuclear arsenal. | | | | | | |
