Month: September 2021

By MICHELLE LIU and JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — In the past few weeks, South Carolina has set records for COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases have approached peak levels of last winter. Classes, schools and entire districts have gone virtual, leaving parents frustrated and teachers quitting weeks into the school year. Republicans

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Four candidates vying to lead Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party _ and replacing outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga _ have held their first main debate. They discussed plans to tackle key issues such as China, the COVID-19 measures, the pandemic-hit economy and climate change. The vote will

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press U.S. envoy John Kerry is on a diplomatic quest to stave off the worst scenarios of global warming, but he’s running into resistance from China, the world’s biggest climate polluter. Chinese officials are adamant that the United States must ease confrontation over other matters if it wants China to speed

By JIM HEINTZ Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — The head of Russia’s Communist Party, the country’s second-largest political party, is alleging widespread violations in the election for a new national parliament in which his party is widely expected to gain seats. Communist Party head Gennady Zyuganov said Saturday — the second of three days of

By ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Just a month ago, President Joe Biden and his health advisers announced big plans to soon deliver a coronavirus vaccine booster shot to all Americans. But while Biden had campaigned for the White House on a pledge to “follow the science,” he now finds himself ahead of

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is urging European bishops to listen to survivors of clergy sexual abuse and consider them partners in reforming the Catholic Church. Francis issued a videomessage to Central and Eastern European bishops who are gathering in Poland starting on Sunday for a four-day child protection conference. The

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The top U.S. military officer is in Greece meeting with NATO counterparts this weekend, and Army Gen. Mark Milley is hoping to forge more basing, intelligence-sharing and other agreements to prevent terrorist groups from regrouping in Afghanistan, and threatening America and the region. The chairman

PARIS (AP) — France’s Notre Dame Cathedral is finally stable and secure enough for artisans to start rebuilding it. It took more than two years of work to stabilize and protect it after the shocking fire that tore through its roof and knocked down its spire. The government agency overseeing the reconstruction announced the news

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s electricity minister says an attack with explosive devices laid along a natural gas pipeline southeast of Syria’s capital knocked out power in parts of the country before it was quickly restored. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest incidence of sabotage targeting Syria’s oil and gas infrastructure.

By AHMED AL-HAJ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels say they have executed nine people for their alleged involvement in the killing of a senior Houthi official in an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition more than three years ago. The public executions by firing squad were carried out on

By KATHY GANNON Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers have set up a ministry for the “propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice” in the building that once housed the Women’s Affairs Ministry. They escorted out World Bank staffers Saturday as part of the forced move. It’s the latest troubling