By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a pandemic low last week, another sign that the job market and economy continue to recover from last year’s coronavirus recession. Jobless claims dropped by 10,000 to 281,000, lowest since mid-March 2020, the Labor Department said
Continue Reading By KEITH RIDLER Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho company that successfully brought genetically modified potatoes to the market has announced an agreement to help a California-based plant breeding company grow strawberries they say will stay fresh longer and have a longer growing season. J.R. Simplot Company and Plant Sciences Inc. said Thursday
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By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ROME (AP) — The Vatican has abruptly canceled the planned live broadcast of President Joe Biden’s meeting with Pope Francis. The Vatican press office provided no explanation for why the live broadcast of Biden’s visit had been trimmed to just the arrival of his motorcade in the courtyard of the
Continue Reading By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL AP Science Writer NEW DELHI (AP) — COVID-19 travel restrictions will cut the representatives of Pacific island nations attending U.N. climate talks that begin this weekend in Scotland. Their absence means the conference known as COP26 may not hear much from countries most threatened by climate change despite contributing only a fraction
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CNN Editorial Research Here is a look at the life of Laura Bush, wife of former US President George W. Bush. Personal Birth date: November 4, 1946 Birth place: Midland, Texas Birth name: Laura Lane Welch Father: Harold Welch, real estate developer Mother: Jenna (Hawkins) Welch Marriage: George W. Bush (November 5, 1977-present) Children: twins
Continue Reading By KEITH RIDLER Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho company that successfully brought genetically modified potatoes to the market has announced an agreement to help a California-based plant breeding company grow strawberries they say will stay fresh longer and have a longer growing season. J.R. Simplot Company and Plant Sciences Inc. said Thursday
Continue Reading MADRID (AP) — A top Spanish court has given a 2-year prison term to the former treasurer of Spain’s powerful conservative party for using a slush fund to pay for the renovation of the party’s headquarters in Madrid. In Thursday’s ruling, Spain’s National Court said it couldn’t establish if the leaders of the Popular Party
Continue Reading By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — With a buffalo plaid design and a nod to sustainability, Ralph Lauren on Thursday unveiled navy blue uniforms for Team USA to wear during the closing ceremonies of the winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing. Just six months after the summer games closed in Tokyo, winter
Continue Reading By DAMIAN J. TROISE AP Business Writer Energy prices are soaring in 2021 and oil and gas stocks are the clear winners, but the losers might just turn out to be businesses and consumers. The energy sector has far outpaced the broader market this year. The S&P 500’s energy stocks are up more than 50%,
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By Katharina Krebs, CNN Tough new Covid-19 restrictions went into effect in Moscow on Thursday, with the Russian capital entering an 11-day paid holiday that authorities hope will help rein in skyrocketing coronavirus cases and deaths across the country. The rest of the country is due to join Moscow in taking so-called ‘non-working’ days from
Continue Reading By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Hampered by COVID-19 cases and supply shortages, the U.S. economy slowed sharply to a 2% annual growth rate in the July-September period, the weakest quarterly expansion since the recovery from the pandemic recession began last year. The government estimate fell below expectations and would have been
Continue Reading By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Hampered by COVID-19 cases and supply shortages, the U.S. economy slowed sharply to a 2% annual growth rate in the July-September period, the weakest quarterly expansion since the recovery from the pandemic recession began last year. The government estimate fell below expectations and would have been
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By Shawna Mizelle and Chandelis Duster, CNN A bipartisan group of congressional members and the Washington press corps returned to the field on Wednesday to face off in the Congressional Women’s Softball Game after months of delay, a collegial event that carried a message of hope and awareness. The game, typically held in June and
Continue Reading By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a pandemic low last week, another sign that the job market and economy continue to recover from last year’s coronavirus recession. Jobless claims dropped by 10,000 to 281,000, lowest since mid-March 2020, the Labor Department said
Continue Reading PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison have had their first conversation since Australia pulled out of a multibillion-dollar submarine deal with France. Macron’s office said Thursday that Macron said it’s up to Morrison’s government to repair the damaged relationship between their countries. Australia last month canceled a contract
Continue Reading BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s chief executive is calling for climate leadership ahead of two major international meetings focused on curbing global warming. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Thursday that the world is facing “a moment of truth.” World leaders are gathering in Rome for a weekend summit of the Group
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HOISINGTON, Kan. (AP) — Police in central Kansas are investigating the shooting death of a man in Hoisington. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says in a news release that it is assisting the Hoisington Police Department in the investigation of the early Wednesday morning shooting death. Officials say police were called just after 3 a.m.
Continue Reading By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer The blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda and the vaccine Gardasil pushed Merck well past Wall Street’s third-quarter expectations, even as COVID-19 sapped demand for another vaccine. The drugmaker said Thursday that sales of its pneumonia vaccine, Pneumovax 23, tumbled 26% in the quarter to $277 million. That was mainly because
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By Katie Hunt, CNN The great-grandson of the legendary Lakota Sioux Chief Sitting Bull has been confirmed as his closest living relative using an innovative new DNA technique applied to hair taken from the Native American leader’s scalp lock. People had tried to question Ernie LaPointe’s relationship with Sitting Bull, who was also known as
Continue Reading By DAVID PITT Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature will convene for its second special session in a month to consider another plan for redrawing boundaries for the state’s legislative and congressional districts. The second gathering Thursday was required after the Iowa Senate rejected the first plan drawn by the nonpartisan
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