News

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials agreed at their last meeting that if the economy continued to improve, they could start reducing their monthly bond purchases as soon as next month and bring them to an end by the middle of 2022. The discussion was revealed in the minutes

By SUZAN FRASER Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s state-run news agency says authorities have detained eight people, including two alleged Iranian agents, who attempted to abduct a former Iranian soldier and smuggle him back to Iran. The Anadolu Agency said the eight were caught in the eastern province of Van, which borders Iran,

By REBECCA BOONE Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Idaho state lawmaker charged with rape has made his first appearance in the case in court. Aaron von Ehlinger was a Republican state representative from Lewiston when a 19-year-old legislative intern reported that he brought her to his apartment under false pretenses and raped

LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — Authorities say a drunk driver was going 152 mph when he was pulled over in Rockbridge County over the weekend. According to a tweet Tuesday from Virginia State Police, the 29-year-old man was stopped on Interstate 81 on Sunday and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Police say he

By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Israel say they are exploring a “Plan B” for dealing with Iran if the Islamic Republic does not return in good faith to negotiations to salvage the languishing landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair

ROME (AP) — Italy’s highest court has annulled an arrest warrant for a key suspect in the Vatican’s fraud and extortion trial. The court’s action puts into question whether and when Gianluigi Torzi might be extradited from Britain. In a decision Tuesday, Italy’s Court of Cassation sent the case back to a Rome court which

By STEPHEN McGRATH Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Doctors in Romania’s capital has issued an open letter titled “a cry of despair” as the country’s overwhelmed health care system copes with record coronavirus infections and deaths. The College of Physicians of Bucharest said Wednesday in a letter addressed to Romanians that the medical system

MADRID (AP) — Spanish rescuers have saved over 200 migrants on the perilous seaborne route from Africa to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Emergency services for the Canary Islands say that rescuers saved 90 migrants from two boats intercepted near the island of Gran Canaria. Another 55 people were pulled from a boat

By RAF CASERT Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The great Brexit brawl is heading into its next standoff as European Union concessions to improve trade in Northern Ireland are likely to be deemed insufficient by the United Kingdom. The EU’s top Brexit official has proposed major changes in the customs system for Northern Ireland. It

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Pamela is moving inland over Mexico’s northwest region after slamming into the coast just north of Mazatlan at hurricane strength. Pamela made landfall 40 miles (65 kms) north of the port city of Mazatlan, which also serves as a resort for Mexican tourists. Civil defense officials say wind and rains did

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and MARIAM FAM Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The nomination of a Pakistani-born businessman who’d be the highest-ranking Muslim in the U.S. government is in jeopardy because Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked his confirmation. The stalemate has led to Democratic charges of anti-Muslim bias and galvanized some Muslim and Jewish organizations

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of retirees on Social Security will get a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic. The COLA increase amounts