News

By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Colleen Hoover’s years as a published — and self-published — fiction writer have been one long, pleasant surprise. The Texas-based Hoover broke through in January 2012 when she released her novel “Slammed” through an Amazon.com program. It became a showcase for how an author in

By REBECCA BOONE Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — In another ominous sign about the spread of the delta variant, Idaho public health leaders expanded health care rationing statewide and individual hospital systems in Alaska and Montana have enacted similar crisis standards. The moves come amid a spike in the number of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients

A white catfish caught in Connecticut last month has smashed a state record and could also be a world record for the species. Ben Tomkunas caught the 21.3-pound fish late at night in Coventry on Aug. 21. Connecticut Fish and Wildlife confirmed that it was a white catfish and that it easily broke the previous

By DAVID McHUGH and ARITZ PARRA MADRID (AP) — Gas and electric prices are spiking in Europe. Consumers are already finding higher bills in their mailboxes and jumps in prices on wholesale markets in recent days are expected to send costs higher still. Governments in Spain, Greece and Italy are taking steps to cap the

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Tommy Thompson, the longest-serving governor in Wisconsin history and current interim president of the University of Wisconsin System, says he is having surgery following a weekend water skiing accident. The 79-year-old Thompson says in a Facebook post Thursday that he needed to “have my bicep reattached to the tendon.” UW spokesman

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Officers who escorted a Michigan lawmaker to jail say they were surprised when they found a handcuff key taped to his foot. Authorities in Livingston County say the key was discovered Tuesday when state Rep. Jewell Jones was put in jail for violating bond conditions in a drunken driving case. The

By KATE BRUMBACK Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Commissioners in Georgia’s Fulton County have picked a former Atlanta City Council president to lead the county’s elections board. They picked former Atlanta City Council president Cathy Woolard for the job in the Democratic stronghold, which is under a state elections review. Republican Secretary of State Brad

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The Nigerian air force says it is investigating reports that shots fired from one of its jets in the northeast Yobe state killed civilians. The air force initially denied the incident but said in a second statement that it received reports that civilians “were erroneously killed”

CAIRO (AP) — Forces loyal to a powerful Libyan commander say they are battling former allies, Chadian rebels who have sought refuge in southern Libya as they fight the government in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena. The self-styled Libyan army led by commander Khalifa Hifter said it launched an operation against Chadian mercenaries in the Libyan towns

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A New York man was killed Thursday after he was beaten with a trash can lid and pummeled during a brawl outside a famous Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant, police said. The violence at Pat’s King of Steaks may involve spectators who earlier attended a soccer game, police said. The Philadelphia Union had lost

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union wants to boost economic, political and defense ties in the Indo-Pacific. It unveiled a new strategy Thursday just hours after the United States, Britain and Australia announced a security alliance likely to reshape their relations with the vast region. The EU sees the zone

By GILLIAN FLACCUS and BRITTANY PETERSON Associated Press MADRAS, Ore. (AP) — Oregon farmers who grow 60% of the world’s carrot seed have been without irrigation water for weeks as drought ravages the American West. But just down the road, sprinklers douse crops and cattle graze in green pastures. The stark contrast is a consequence

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — Experts working under the U.N.’s top human rights body say Venezuela’s judicial system has played a “significant role” in the state’s repression in the country that has involving widespread allegations of rights violations. One defendant cited in a new report released Thursday cited use of a tactic

By KATHERINE ROTH Associated Press Gas-powered home lawn-care machines for mowing, trimming and blowing have generally been accompanied by deafening roars and fumes. There’s now a lower-decibel lawn-care revolution going on. Quieter, zero- to low-emissions electric lawn-care tools now have better batteries that last longer. The changes so far seem more popular among homeowners than