Month: June 2023

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo made no breakthrough in emergency talks aimed at defusing tensions around their border. But European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agree on the need for early elections. Tensions flared

By ILAN BEN ZION Associated Press Writer JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli troops have demolished the home of a Palestinian who is suspected of killing an Israeli soldier last year, in the latest military operation in the increasingly volatile occupied West Bank, which has been gripped by surging violence. Thursday’s demolition came during a week of

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Switzerland’s central bank has raised its key interest rate as it seeks to combat inflation and said “it cannot be ruled out” that more hikes will be necessary. Inflation has declined significantly to 2.2% in May but is above the target set by the Swiss National Bank. It warned Thursday that

By RAF CASERT Associated Press MECHELEN, Belgium (AP) — The confessionals where generations of Belgians admitted their sins stood stacked in a corner of what was once Sacred Heart Church, proof the stalls — as well as the Roman Catholic house of worship — had outlived their purpose. The building is to close down for

By PAN PYLAS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Fears that the British economy is heading for recession have mounted sharply after the Bank of England raised borrowing costs by more than anticipated. Thursday’s move to combat stubbornly high inflation will hit borrowers hard, particularly homeowners who have to refinance over the coming months. On a

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME and SIBI ARASU Associated Press MIDDELBURG, South Africa (AP) — Plumes of heat-trapping pollutants last billowed from the giant stacks of South Africa’s Komati Power Station in October. That’s when the coal-fired plant was shut down to make way for a solar, wind and battery storage plant. Converting Komati to be part

By MEAD GRUVER Associated Press CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A judge is about to consider whether to allow Wyoming’s first-in-the-nation ban on abortion pills to take effect or be put on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging it. While other states have instituted de facto bans on abortion-inducing medication by outlawing most abortions

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday struck down Florida rules championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis restricting Medicaid coverage for gender dysphoria treatments for potentially thousands of transgender people. “Gender identity is real” and the state has admitted it, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle wrote in a 54-page ruling. He said a Florida

By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer When I told friends and family I was reporting on the first chicken meat grown from animal cells, their first comment was “Eww.” Their second comment was: “How does it taste?” The short answer (you’ve probably heard this sentence before in other contexts): Tastes like chicken. The longer answer,