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MADRID (AP) — The leader of Catalonia in northeastern Spain has announced that it’s excluding a separatist party in his ruling regional coalition from talks with the central government aimed at solving the tensions over the growing pro-independence sentiment. Catalan President Pere Aragonès also said Tuesday that he will urge Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sànchez

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s Socialist-led coalition government is slashing energy taxes and imposing a temporary windfall tax on the gains of energy companies in an attempt to drive down household electricity bills, which have surged to record highs and triggered an outcry. Environment Minister Teresa Ribera said Tuesday the government’s urgent measures are in response

PRAGUE (AP) — Czech President Milos Zeman has been hospitalized while predecessor Vaclav Klaus is undergoing tests at the same hospital. The presidential office didn’t immediately comment on Zeman’s hospitalization Tuesday. It was confirmed by Prague’s military hospital. Further details weren’t immediately given. An adviser to Zeman told Czech public radio that he was there

PARIS (AP) — Bordeaux, the French city that was a transit station in the slave trade, feared racism was behind the disfiguring of an African slave statue found partially covered in what looked like white paint. But instead, the city said Tuesday the statue was disfigured with plaster by an art student who had no

By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) — More than $104 million in Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls went uncollected last year as the agency fully converted to all-electronic tolling. Turnpike records show the millions of motorists who don’t use E-ZPass have a nearly 1 in 2 chance of riding without paying under the “toll-by-plate” license

BERLIN (AP) — German police are investigating the source of a balloon that caused a massive blackout in and around the eastern city of Dresden. Authorities said the metal foil balloon caused a short-circuit at an electricity substation in Dresden on Monday. It provoked a power outage that affected hospitals, trams, factories and about 300,000

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer The organizing committee for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has elevated its top marketing officer to CEO as it ramps up preparations for the Games that are now less than seven years away. Kathy Carter started work for the committee in 2018 as its chief revenue officer and is

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The slaughter of 1,428 white-sided dolphins as part of a four-century-old traditional drive of sea mammals into shallow water in the Faeroe Islands where they are killed has reignited a debate in the small North Atlantic islands. Defenders of the hunt worry that this year’s slaughter will draw unwanted attention because

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — U.K. government figures show that the number of people on payroll in Britain has soared back to levels last seen before the coronavirus pandemic struck a year and a half ago. The new statistics released Tuesday are the latest clear signal that the lifting of lockdown restrictions

By SEAN PYLES of NerdWallet. How did you spend your “hot vax summer”? If you indulged in revenge shopping, dining and travel, your summer fun may have its own payback in the form of lingering debt. To pay off what you racked up over the past few months, start by taking account of what you

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government’s medical advisory body says booster shots of coronavirus vaccines should be given “with high priority” to people with seriously compromised immune systems. The Health Council of the Netherlands also said Tuesday that giving booster shots to the rest of the Dutch population is not currently necessary. But

By PAN PYLAS and DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The U.K. plans to offer a third dose of coronavirus vaccines to everyone over 50 and other vulnerable people to help the country ride out the pandemic through the winter months. The booster shots will be rolled out beginning next week. They were approved