Stories by Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports

The world in brief: Earthquake kills 5, injures 44 in Iran ; Search on for survivors after ship sinks Earthquake kills 5, injures 44 in IranTEHRAN, Iran -- Five people were killed and 44 others injured in a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in southern Iran on Saturday, state television reported.Rescue teams w... July 3, 2022

The nation in brief: Tropical Storm Colin forms off Carolinas Tropical Storm Colin forms off CarolinasMIAMI -- Tropical Storm Colin formed along the South Carolina coast Saturday, bringing the threat of rain and high winds during the holiday weekend before impro... July 3, 2022

The world in brief: Swiss same-sex couples legally marry Swiss same-sex couples legally marryGENEVA — Lesbian and gay couples in Switzerland rejoiced as they legally tied the knot Friday when the rich Alpine nation formally joined many other western E... July 2, 2022

The nation in brief: First suits filed in Amtrak derailment First suits filed in Amtrak derailmentKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The first lawsuits have been filed days after an Amtrak train collision and derailment in rural Missouri that left four people dead and injure... July 2, 2022

Justices rein in authority of EPA WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Thursday limited the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants, dealing a blow to the Biden administration's e... July 1, 2022

The world in brief: Israel’s parliament votes to dissolve Israel's parliament votes to dissolveIsrael's parliament voted Thursday to dissolve itself and paved the way to the country's fifth election in less than four years after a fragile governi... July 1, 2022

The nation in brief: Vermont senator breaks hip in fall Vermont senator breaks hip in fallU.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont has broken a hip in a fall at his home and was to undergo surgery to repair it, his office said Thursday.The 82-year-old Democrat f... July 1, 2022

The world in brief: Israeli thanks Turkey for foiling attacks Israeli thanks Turkey for foiling attacksANKARA, Turkey -- Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday thanked Turkish authorities for their cooperation in reportedly foiling attacks against Israe... June 24, 2022

The nation in brief: Wounded Warriors visit White House Wounded Warriors visit White HouseWASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed members of the Wounded Warriors Project to the White House for the annual soldier ride, praising the current an... June 24, 2022

Biden asks Congress to suspend fuel taxes WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden on Wednesday called on Congress to suspend federal gasoline and diesel fuel taxes for three months -- a move meant to ease financial pressure on motorists.Biden also ... June 23, 2022

The world in brief: Bulgarians OK no-confidence motion ;Kuwait sheikh dissolves parliament ;Australian Parliament turns greener ;U.K. face 2nd national railway strike Bulgarians OK no-confidence motionSOFIA, Bulgaria -- Lawmakers in Bulgaria have approved a no-confidence motion against the country's coalition government that could topple the centrist prime mini... June 23, 2022

The nation in brief Insanity plea clears N.Y. car rampagerNEW YORK — The man who drove his car through crowds of people in Times Square in 2017, killing a young tourist and maiming helpless pedestrians, was cleared... June 23, 2022

Fed raises rate by three-quarters of a point WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point Wednesday-- the largest bump since 1994 -- as it tries to chill the U.S. economy without causing a recession... June 16, 2022

The world in brief: Charity’s Gaza chief guilty in Israeli court Charity's Gaza chief guilty in Israeli courtBEERSHEBA, Israel -- An Israeli court on Wednesday found a Gaza aid worker guilty of several terrorism charges in a high-profile case in which his emplo... June 16, 2022

The nation in brief: Hate-crime case filed on Buffalo suspect Hate-crime case filed on Buffalo suspectBUFFALO, N.Y. -- The man suspected of killing 10 Black people in a racist attack at a Buffalo, N.Y., supermarket was charged Wednesday with federal hate crimes ... June 16, 2022

Legal recourse scant in Uvalde, experts say; action against police an uphill fight In the aftermath of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, parents and community members have clamored for accountability, asking how officers allowed a gunman to remain inside a ... June 5, 2022

Russians strike Donbas hard KYIV, Ukraine -- Reinforced Russian troops backed by airstrikes pummeled a portion of eastern Ukraine on Saturday, blowing up bridges and shelling apartment buildings as they fought to capture two cit... June 5, 2022

The world in brief: Fifth body found in German rail crash Fifth body found in German rail crashFRANKFURT, Germany -- Police said Saturday the body of a fifth victim has been been found beneath a train that derailed Friday in the Alps in southern Germany.The ... June 5, 2022

The nation in brief: Driver dies in flash flooding near Dallas Driver dies in flash flooding near DallasDALLAS -- At least one person was killed as heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.The storms sloshed across the region Friday night,... June 5, 2022

Names and faces • Atlanta rapper Young Thug was denied bond after an hourslong hearing in his Fulton County racketeering case. The artist, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, pleaded innocent during the hearing... June 5, 2022

Plan by Russia seen addressing troop shortage Russia is moving toward eliminating age limits for military service -- an apparent effort to expand the pool of potential recruits amid heavy casualties in Ukraine.Under an amendment introduced by sen... May 21, 2022

Officials: Wastewater signals covid-19 surge Health officials in several parts of the United States are seeing worrisome signals in wastewater surveillance data that the coronavirus may be spreading more widely than recent tallies of new cases w... May 21, 2022

The world in brief: G-7 plans against future pandemics G-7 plans against future pandemicsBERLIN -- The Group of Seven wealthy democracies announced plans Friday to strengthen epidemiological early-warning systems to detect infectious diseases with pandemi... May 21, 2022

The nation in brief: Florida congressional maps reinstated;De Blasio to seek redrawn district seat;MyPillow CEO hit with legal fees, costs;Guilty plea entered for Jan. 6 actions Florida congressional maps reinstatedTALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A new congressional map drawn by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' staff that could diminish the state's Black representation in W... May 21, 2022

Congress gives final OK to $40B Ukraine aid bill WASHINGTON -- The Senate advanced a $40 billion package of military, economic and food aid for Ukraine and U.S. allies to final congressional approval Thursday, putting a bipartisan stamp on America&#... May 20, 2022

The World in Brief: Pandemic party probe wraps up in U.K. Pandemic party probe wraps up in U.K.LONDON -- Britain's Metropolitan Police told Prime Minister Boris Johnson he faced no further action over lockdown-breaching gatherings at his official residen... May 20, 2022

The nation in brief: Buffalo rampage suspect silent in court Buffalo rampage suspect silent in courtBUFFALO, N.Y. -- The white man accused of killing 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., appeared in court Thursday, standing silently during a brief... May 20, 2022

Names and faces • Country stars Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Brandi Carlile, Little Big Town, Martina McBride and Ashley McBryde will join Wynonna Judd on tour this fall after the sudden death of her mother and ... May 20, 2022

Surrendered hold-outs at 959 in Mariupol siege, Russia says KYIV, Ukraine -- Nearly 1,000 last-ditch Ukrainian fighters who had held out inside Mariupol's pulverized steel plant have surrendered, Russia said Wednesday, as the battle that turned the city in... May 19, 2022

Covid rebound drives 2nd look at mask orders WASHINGTON -- Covid-19 cases are increasing in the United States -- and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider r... May 19, 2022

Defense Production Act invoked for baby formula WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces political pre... May 19, 2022

Portugal, U.K. log 7 new monkeypox cases in outbreak LISBON, Portugal -- Portuguese health authorities on Wednesday confirmed five cases of monkeypox in young men, and Britain announced another two, marking an unusual outbreak in Europe of a disease typ... May 19, 2022

The world in brief: India wall collapse kills 12 saltpackers India wall collapse kills 12 saltpackersNEW DELHI -- A wall collapsed in a salt packaging factory in western India on Wednesday, killing at least 12 workers and injuring another 13, a government admin... May 19, 2022

The nation in brief: N.M. firefighters brace for more wind N.M. firefighters brace for more windALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Firefighters have been able to slow the growth of a major wildfire burning in the mountains of northeastern New Mexico as they prepared Wednes... May 19, 2022

Names and faces • Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Lee Lewis, the late country singer Keith Whitley and music executive Joe Galante will join the Country Music Hall of Fame in October. "I was wondering i... May 19, 2022

2 of Ukraine’s cities take hits from Russians ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine -- Russian forces fired cruise missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa on Saturday and bombarded a besieged steel mill in Mariupol, hoping to complete their conquest of ... May 8, 2022

The world in brief: Hunt goes on for missing in Cuba blast Hunt goes on for missing in Cuba blastHAVANA-- Relatives of the missing searched Saturday for victims of an explosion at one of Havana's most luxurious hotels, the Hotel Saratoga, that killed at l... May 8, 2022

The nation in brief: Judge won’t halt Arizona execution Judge won't halt Arizona executionPHOENIX -- A federal judge on Saturday refused to halt an Arizona execution planned for Wednesday after the state provided attorneys for convicted killer Clarence... May 8, 2022

Names and faces • Fred Savage has been dropped as an executive producer and director of the rebooted "The Wonder Years" amid allegations of inappropriate conduct, the television show's production c... May 8, 2022

Evacuations proceed at Ukraine steel plant ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine -- Dozens more civilians were rescued Friday from the tunnels under the besieged steel mill where Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol have been making their last stand to prevent Russ... May 7, 2022

U.S. employers maintain streak of hiring gains WASHINGTON -- American employers added 428,000 jobs in April, extending a streak of solid hiring that has defied inflation, supply shortages, the Russian war against Ukraine and increased borrowing co... May 7, 2022

Record drug seizures worry EU officials BRUSSELS -- Records amounts of cocaine are being seized in Europe while manufacturing of the drug is now taking place inside the the European Union, officials in charge of fighting and monitoring drug... May 7, 2022

The world in brief: Opposition editor convicted in Belarus Opposition editor convicted in BelarusLVIV, Ukraine -- A woman who ran a Belarusian opposition messaging app channel was convicted Friday of charges that included inciting social hatred.Following her ... May 7, 2022

The nation in brief: Daunte Wright’s mom has police run-in Daunte Wright's mom has police run-inBROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. -- The mother of Daunte Wright, who was fatally shot by a suburban Minneapolis police officer, said she was injured while she was briefl... May 7, 2022

Missiles hit Russian ship, U.S. says; its sinking forces fleet from coast of Ukraine WASHINGTON -- The Moskva was the pride of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, a symbol of the country's dominance in the region and a powerful war machine that had been used to launch precision cruise m... April 16, 2022

Experts warning of virus’s next step Experts warn that the United States is trudging into what could be another covid-19 surge, as cases rise nationally and in most states after a two-month decline."We don't know how high that m... April 16, 2022

Texas governor lifts order on border checks AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday repealed his immigration order that backed up commercial trucks at the U.S.-Mexico border, after a week of intensifying backlash and fears of deepenin... April 16, 2022

The world in brief: U.S. giving Cameroonians a reprieve U.S. giving Cameroonians a reprieveWASHINGTON -- The Homeland Security Department said Friday that it will temporarily shield people from deportation back to Cameroon, saying extreme violence between ... April 16, 2022

The nation in brief: Court ruling keeps Iowan in Senate race Court ruling keeps Iowan in Senate raceDES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Democratic Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer qualifies for the primary ballot, rejecting a lower-c... April 16, 2022

Pfizer booster shows promise in kids’ trial A booster shot of the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech increased the level of neutralizing antibodies against both the original version of the virus and the omicron variant in a small trial... April 15, 2022