News

MOSCOW (AP) — The presidents of Russia and Belarus say they have made significant progress on integrating their countries’ economies, including forming common energy and financial markets. The moves would bolster Belarus as it faces Western sanctions imposed in response to political repression and its forced diversion of an airliner carrying a prominent opposition journalist.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Firefighters are working to quash new fires ignited by lightning after thunderstorms with mostly small but welcome amounts of rain rumbled across drought-stricken Northern California, where forests have been burning for weeks. Firefighters were diverted from the huge Caldor Fire south of Lake Tahoe to fight multiple overnight lightning fires throughout

By REBECCA BOONE Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Roughly 11,000 kids in Coeur d’Alene were getting ready for their first day of school when Idaho public health officials announced this week that northern hospitals were so crowded with coronavirus patients that they would be allowed to ration health care. Coeur d’Alene School District spokesman

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman convicted of helping mastermind the killing of her husband more than two decades ago has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after a previous life sentence was tossed on appeal. The Tallahassee Democrat reports that a Leon County circuit judge handed down the sentence Thursday for Denise

By CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The Nigerian army says its troops have arrested a high-profile member of the Boko Haram extremist group in northern Borno State, where the rebels’ 12-year insurgency is concentrated. An army spokesman said Thursday that troops also raided two locations where improvised explosive devices materials were made.

By TOM HAYS Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A former radio station intern says R&B singer R. Kelly kept her locked in a darkened room for days before sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious in 2003. The woman recounted the episode for the first time in public on Thursday at Kelly’s New York

HAVANA (AP) — The Roman Catholic archbishop of Boston has met Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel at a time of tense relations between the U.S. and Cuba. Cuban state media published images of the meeting with Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, but gave no details on what had been discussed. A battery of senior Cuban officials attended,

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Six Black farmworkers in Mississippi say their former employer has brought white laborers from South Africa to do the same jobs type of jobs they were doing, but for more pay. They say in a lawsuit that Pitts Farm Partnership has been violating federal law

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to campaign for California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the final days of a recall campaign. Biden will join the Democratic governor in the Southern California city of Long Beach on Monday. Voting ends Tuesday. Biden is the latest in a string

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term mortgage rates were marginally higher this week as the recovering economy appeared stalled against the backdrop of a wave of new delta variant coronavirus cases. They remained under 3%. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the average rate for a 30-year mortgage edged up to 2.88% from 2.87% last week. The