COVID-19 takes toll on Catholic clergy in hard-hit countries
The coronavirus has taken a heavy toll among Roman Catholic priests and nuns around the world, killing hundreds of them in a handful of the hardest-hit countries alone.
World News
Airline replacing Alitalia plans to take off in October
ROME (AP) — The new airline being created to replace the long financially ailing Alitalia will take off on Oct. 15 with its first flights, the Italian Economy Ministry announced Thursday.
Turkey marks 5th anniversary of crushed military coup
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey marked the fifth anniversary of a failed military coup with a series of events Thursday commemorating the people who died trying to quash the uprising against the government.
WHO chief says it was 'premature' to rule out COVID lab leak
BERLIN (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak, and he said Thursday he is asking China to be more transparent as scientists search for the origins of the coronavirus.
Anarchy in UK court? Ex-Sex Pistols sue singer Johnny Rotten
LONDON (AP) — Two former members of the Sex Pistols are suing singer Johnny Rotten for the right to use the band’s songs in an upcoming television series about the anarchic punk rock icons.
Giant tortoise named Schurli, Austrian zoo's oldest resident, dies at 130
Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna announced the death of its oldest resident, a giant tortoise named Schurli who reached the age of about 130.
Top Poland court rejects EU court injunctions as invalid
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s constitutional court ruled Wednesday that temporary injunctions issued by the European Union’s top court regarding Poland’s judiciary conflict with the nation’s constitution are not binding.
France celebrates Bastille Day amid virus fears, tensions
PARIS (AP) — Bastille Day is back, sort of.
Stocks end a wobbly day mixed and just shy of record highs
Wall Street capped a wobbly day of trading with mixed results Wednesday, as a rally in technology stocks was kept in check by a slide in banks and energy companies.
Plan to vaccinate teens triggers large protests in Greece
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Thousands of anti-vaccine demonstrators gathered in Greece’s two largest cities Wednesday to protest plans to make coronavirus vaccines available to children 15 and older.
Spain's top court rules pandemic lockdown unconstitutional
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that a strict stay-at-home lockdown order the Spanish government issued under a state of emergency during the first wave of COVID-19 last year was unconstitutional.
Olympic athletes to put on own medals at Tokyo ceremonies
TOKYO (AP) — Athletes at the Tokyo Olympics will put their medals around their own necks to protect against spreading the coronavirus.
Chinese parents reunited with son abducted 24 years ago
After 24 years of heartache and searching, a Chinese couple were reunited with their son who was abducted as a toddler outside their front gate.
Russian envoy expects Taliban not to threaten Central Asia
MOSCOW (AP) — Moscow expects the Taliban to fulfill its pledge not to threaten Russia or its allies in Central Asia, the Kremlin envoy on Afghanistan said in an interview published Wednesday.
'God opened the door': Mystery surrounds US asylum picks
TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — In a packed camp for migrant families on Mexico's side of the busiest U.S. border crossing, Nelson Membreño has lived through a chickenpox outbreak, people's heavy drug use and night prowlers wielding knives.
Lebanon's president says no one is protected in port probe
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s president said Wednesday there would be no political cover for anyone implicated in last year’s massive explosion at the Beirut port, speaking a day after protests erupted over the handling of the investigation.
UK to ban online racists from games after Euro 2020 uproar
LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the government plans to ban anyone guilty of online racist abuse from soccer matches as authorities continue to respond to the lawlessness connected to England’s loss in the final of the European soccer championship.
UK plans to end prosecutions for N Ireland 'Troubles' crimes
LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government announced Wednesday that it plans to introduce a statute of limitations for alleged crimes committed during decades of violence in Northern Ireland, a move that would end prosecutions for killings by both British soldiers and members of militant groups.
Neck rubs, tapped phones: Merkel has history with US leaders
BERLIN (AP) — Neck rubs, pricy dinners, allegations of phone tapping, awkward handshake moments.
Taliban press advances, take key border post with Pakistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban are pressing on with their surge in Afghanistan, saying they seized a strategic border crossing with Pakistan on Wednesday — the latest in a series of key border post to come under their control in recent weeks.
