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By FRANK BAJAK Associated Press Jonathan M. Katz’s lively, deeply researched “Gangsters of Capitalism” tracks the blood-soaked transformation of Smedley Butler, a Quaker from Philadelphia’s Main Line suburbs and congressman’s son, from his role as spearhead of U.S. imperialism beginning in 1898 as a swashbuckling Marine officer to repentant antiwar activist. The author, a former

By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer The fast-moving omicron variant may cause less severe disease on average, yet COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are climbing. Modelers forecast 50,000 to 300,000 more Americans could die by the time the omicron wave subsides this spring. The seven-day rolling average for daily new COVID-19 deaths in the

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration plans to significantly increase efforts to stave off catastrophic wildfires that have been torching areas of the U.S. West by more aggressively thinning forests around areas where nature and neighborhoods collide. Officials have crafted a $50 billion plan to more than double the

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The head of emergencies at the World Health Organization says the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, including deaths, hospitalizations and lockdowns, could be over this year if huge inequities in vaccinations and medicines are addressed quickly. Dr. Michael Ryan said Tuesday on a vaccine equity panel discussion

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s president has raised the minimum monthly wage to about $172, a move meant to ease the burdens of Egyptians hurt by painful austerity measures in recent years. He said the minimum monthly wage in the country would be 2,700 Egyptian pounds, or about $171.5. That’s a 12.5% increase from the current

By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with his Russian counterpart in Switzerland this week as tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalate over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The State Department said Blinken will travel to Kyiv on Wednesday to meet with President Volodymyr

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The environment ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic are meeting for another round of talks in hopes of ending a stalemate over a Polish lignite mine. The Czech government says is harmful to its citizens who live near the border between the two countries. The two ministers have have suggested

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Athletes at the Beijing Olympics have been urged by human rights activists to avoid criticizing China because they could be prosecuted. The International Olympic Committee has said athletes will have freedom of speech at next month’s Winter Games but the Olympic Charter rule that prohibits political