World

US sanctions Russian oil company for role in Venezuela

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on the trading unit of Russian state-controlled oil company Rosneft for helping Venezuela skirt an embargo on oil from the South American co...

Feb 18, 2020

Aging Shiite cleric a powerhouse in Iraq. What comes after?

NAJAF, Iraq - When Iraq's top Shiite cleric underwent surgery for a fractured bone last month, it sent shivers around the country and beyond. "May God heal Iraq," read a photo of Grand Ayatollah Ali a...

Feb 18, 2020

Jury to begin deliberating in Harvey Weinstein's rape trial

NEW YORK - A jury is expected to begin deliberations Tuesday in Harvey Weinstein's trial after often-emotional testimony from multiple women who accused him of sexual assault. The panel of five women ...

Feb 18, 2020

Elton John cancels New Zealand shows as he battles pneumonia

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Elton John cancelled his two remaining New Zealand shows late Tuesday as he continued to suffer from a bout of pneumonia. The shows have been rescheduled for next year. Earli...

Feb 18, 2020

White House correspondents' dinner returns to comedic roots

WASHINGTON - Comedians are making their return to the White House Correspondents' Dinner after last year's hiatus. Kenan Thompson of "Saturday Night Live" and Hasan Minhaj of Netflix's "Patriot Act wi...

Feb 18, 2020

Whitey Bulger juror says she regrets murder conviction

EASTHAM, Mass. - The notorious crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger terrorized Boston from the 1970s into the 1990s with a campaign of murder, extortion, and drug trafficking, then spent 16 years on the l...

Feb 18, 2020

Homeland Security waives contracting laws for border wall

SAN DIEGO - The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will waive federal contracting laws to speed construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Department of Homeland Security said waivin...

Feb 18, 2020

Election commission: Afghan president Ghani wins 2nd term

KABUL - Ashraf Ghani has won a second term as president of Afghanistan, the country's independent election commission announced Tuesday, more than four months after polls closed. The commission said G...

Feb 18, 2020

Jeff Bezos commits $10 billion to fight climate change

NEW YORK - Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said Monday that he plans to spend $10 billion of his own fortune to help fight climate change. Bezos, the world's richest person, said in an Instagram post that h...

Feb 18, 2020

Quarantine on cruise ship in Japan comes under question

TOKYO - An extraordinary two-week quarantine of the Diamond Princess cruise ship ends Wednesday, with thousands of passengers and crew set to disembark over the next several days in the port of Yokoha...

Feb 18, 2020