News

By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union nations have set fish catch quotas for next year in an attempt to protect fragile stocks and fishing fleets at the same time, but environmentalists claim they will protect neither. The traditional year-end bartering session between EU coastal nations to secure as many catch rights

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican’s big fraud and embezzlement trial has suffered another delay. The tribunal postponed any further decisions until prosecutors finish redoing their investigation for four of the original 10 defendants.  The delay means the trial won’t get off the ground until mid-February at the earliest. Tribunal

By TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s intelligence minister says Syria cannot be allowed to obtain chemical weapons. Elazar Stern’s remarks come after a report emerged that Israel targeted Syria’s chemical weapons facilities. In an interview Tuesday with Israeli Army Radio, Stern would not directly comment on the report in the

MILAN (AP) — Italian women are having dramatically fewer babies than ever during the pandemic, accentuating one of the world’s lowest birth rates. The Italian statistics agency ISTAT said Tuesday that in January 2021, 10 months after the start of Italy’s draconian lockdown, marked the lowest birth rate ever recorded, with a 13.6% decline. ISTAT

By ANDREW MELDRUM Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The omicron variant is offering more hints about what it may have in store as it spreads around the globe: A highly transmissible virus that may cause less severe disease, and one that can be slowed — but not stopped — by today’s vaccines. An analysis Tuesday

By KEN SWEET AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The banking industry appears to have overdone it on overdraft fees. After decades of raking in billions of dollars from mostly poor Americans short of cash in their accounts, the biggest banks _ under pressure from lawmakers and regulators _ are slowly decreasing their reliance

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — An unvaccinated Greek commentator and publisher has died of respiratory failure and resulting complications from COVID-19. The 71-year-old Giorgos Trangas’ death on Tuesday is focusing public attention on the large number of older people in Greece who remain unvaccinated as the country struggles with a spike in infections and deaths. Trangas

By EVENS SANON Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Officials in Haiti say a truck carrying gasoline has exploded and killed more than 50 people. Reports say that dozens of others have been injured. Prime Minister Ariel Henry said Tuesday that the explosion late Monday occurred in the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien. No further

By KATHY GANNON Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan survivors of an errant U.S. drone strike that killed 10 members of their family in August say they are frustrated and saddened that U.S. troops involved in the attack will not face disciplinary action. A hellfire missile had slammed into a car belonging to

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A Portuguese and a Swedish company are joining forces to build in Portugal what they say will be Europe’s largest lithium conversion plant. Portuguese energy company Galp and Swedish electric vehicle battery maker Northvolt said Tuesday that their goal is for the plant to deliver enough lithium hydroxide to provide batteries

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is calling for thousands of volunteers to staff new vaccination centers in shopping areas, stadiums and racecourses as the government accelerates its booster program to combat the omicron variant of COVID-19. The drive comes two days after Johnson set a target of