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By JAMEY KEATEN, RAF CASERT and MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says the global risk from the omicron variant of the coronavirus is “very high” based on early evidence. The United Nations health agency also says omicron could lead to surges with “severe consequences.” The assessment in a technical

PARIS (AP) — France’s interior minister says France will double the number of officers in charge of fighting smugglers after 27 people died last week trying to cross the Channel to get Britain in an overcrowded smuggling boat. Speaking Monday after a defense council meeting, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the anti-smuggling office will be

By ALBERT AJI Associated Press DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria has hosted the first international basketball tournament on its soil in at least two decades, bringing an Asia region World Cup qualifying game to a packed stadium in the capital Damascus. The game Monday with Kazakhstan, which Syria lost 81-71, saw the national team play

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection will vote Wednesday to hold Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official, in contempt of Congress. The panel is seeking charges against a defiant witness for a second time after holding former White House aide Steve Bannon

By KIYOKO METZLER Associated Press VIENNA (AP) — Negotiators in Vienna have resumed talks over reviving Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, with the United States taking part at arm’s length as in previous rounds since the Trump administration pulled out of the accord three years ago. Hopes of quick progress were muted after

QUINCY, Mass. (AP) — Sea turtle strandings on Cape Cod are picking up after a slow start to the season. New England Aquarium experts said Monday they have so far cared for almost 120 turtles at the Quincy turtle hospital. They have mostly been Kemp’s ridley turtles, but there have also been a few green

By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement. The preliminary injunction issued Monday applies to Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Regional authorities in Portugal’s Madeira Islands have expanded a protected marine area to create what they said is the largest fully protected marine reserve in the North Atlantic. The reserve spans 12 nautical miles around the Selvagens Islands, a small archipelago located midway between the Madeira Islands and Spain’s Canary Islands,

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and MARINA VILLENEUVE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Transcripts released Monday shed new light on CNN anchor Chris Cuomo’s behind-the-scenes role advising his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in the face of sexual harassment allegations that forced him from office. Chris Cuomo told investigators he spoke regularly with