CHARLESTON SHOOTING-GUN CONTROL

WASHINGTON — This week's slaughter of nine people in a South Carolina church left prospects that Congress will curb guns right where they've been for years — remote for now, according to lawmakers and activists on both sides of the issue. 

CHARLESTON SHOOTING

CHARLESTON, South Carolina — Relatives of the nine people shot down during a Bible study session inside their historic black church confronted Dylann Storm Roof during his initial hearing. They described their pain and anger, but also spoke of love. 

UNITED STATES-CHINA

WASHINGTON — Tensions between the U.S. and China are growing over its island-building in the South China Sea and over suspicions that Beijing was behind a massive hack into a federal government server that resulted in the theft of personnel and security clearance records of 14 million employees and contractors. 

BERKELEY BALCONY COLLAPSE

BERKELEY, California — About 15 family members and dozens of their fellow Irish students gathered at a church in Oakland for a vigil for four of the six students killed in a balcony collapse this week. Hearses carried the four metal caskets into St. Columba Catholic church. 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-MIGRANTS' PLIGHT

FONBAYA, Haiti — Human rights activists worry that tens of thousands of people will be uprooted from their longtime homes in the coming weeks and months now that the Dominican government is pledging to deport non-citizens who did not submit applications to establish legal residency before Wednesday night's deadline. Most of those affected are from neighboring Haiti or of Haitian descent. 

ARGENTINA-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — The leading opposition presidential candidate in Argentina announces his running mate, picking a popular senator who uses a wheelchair just days after the ruling party candidate named his own running mate. 

MEXICO-VIOLENCE

MONTERREY, Mexico — At least 10 people are dead after armed men attacked a beer distribution center on the outskirts of the northern city of Monterrey, Mexican authorities say. Nuevo Leon State Attorney General Javier Flores tells a news conference that authorities are investigating the possibility that the attack involved organized crime.

MEXICO-TRUMP PINATA

MEXICO CITY — After Donald Trump's Mexico-bashing comments this week, Mexicans are engaging in a little Trump-bashing of their own. Call it revenge, Mexican style. Artisan Dalton Avalos Ramirez launches a Trump piñata, featuring The Donald's inimitable hairstyle and a big, big mouth.

MEXICO-JOURNALIST KILLED

MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities investigate the murder of a journalist in the southeastern state of Tabasco, as a prominent press watchdog group expresses concern over the killing and urges transparency in the probe.