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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Before meeting Ukraine’s president, a group of European leaders took a tour of the devastation wrought by Russia. To understand Ukraine’s fight for survival, they had to see it themselves, with their own eyes. The blown up buildings. The smashed cars. And a message of hope spray-painted on a damaged building despite mounting Ukrainian deaths. French President Emmanuel Macron spotted it immediately amid the ruins. It said “Make Europe, not war.” Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis toured the small city of Irpin on Thursday. It bore the full brunt of Russia’s failed assault on the Ukrainian capital in the first weeks of the war. Later, they met with Ukraine’s president.

ANAHEIM, California (AP) — Bart Barber is a staunch Southern Baptist conservative who would welcome bans on abortion, opposes critical race theory and believes only men should serve as pastors. Yet Barber, elected Tuesday as the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, says he has a track record of dialogue with those who disagree on those and other issues.

Jaclyn Salazar, an incoming freshman at Brownwood High School, kicks the ball toward the net during the Lady Lion Soccer Camp Wednesday at Gordon Wood Stadium. The threeday camp ended Thursday. Steve Nash / Brownwood Bulletin

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar said Tuesday it is packing up its headquarters from its longtime home state of Illinois and moving to Texas.

Welch Brothers wrecker driver Leon Dixon prepares to tow away a wrecked Ford F-150 pickup at the intersection of FM 2126 and Austin Avenue Monday afternoon. The driver swerved to avoid another pickup that entered the intersection in front of him, and his pickup struck a utility pole, the Department of Public Safety said. No one was injured. Steve Nash / Brownwood Bulletin

WASHINGTON (AP) — The outline of a bipartisan Senate agreement to rein in gun violence has no game-changing steps banning the deadliest firearms. It does propose measured provisions making it harder for some young gun buyers, or people considered threatening, to have weapons.