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The Kremlin said Wednesday that CIA Director John Ratcliffe held talks in Moscow with his intelligence counterparts, a rare and secretive visit at a time when relations with Washington remain strained over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ratcliffe did not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was informed of the contacts that were “on the intelligence agencies’ level.” “Of course, President Putin is immediately informed […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation measure closely watched by the Federal Reserve was unchanged last month in the latest sign that many Americans are still struggling with higher costs. The Commerce Department’s Wednesday report showed that prices rose 3.7% in July compared with a year earlier. Inflation has worsened since the Iran war began in late February, when it stood at 2.9%. It’s noticeably above the Fed’s target of 2%. […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a sluggish 1.5% pace from April through June. But consumer spending stayed strong. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that growth in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of a goods and services — decelerated from a 2.1% pace from January through March. The second-quarter growth number was unchanged from the department’s first estimate. Still, consumer spending — which accounts for about […]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs, said Wednesday it saw a sharp drop in passengers during the second quarter as the Iran war disrupted air travel and prompted many travelers to choose routes that avoided the Middle East. The airport recorded 13 million passengers during the second quarter, following 31.5 million passengers in the first half. That was a 31.3% drop […]

JERUSALEM (AP) — Iran will not allow military vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz under an agreement the Islamic Republic is currently negotiating with Oman, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister told state TV late on Tuesday night. The top diplomats of the two countries met to discuss managing commercial shipping traffic in the vital waterway, which remains largely shut down nearly six months after the Iran war began. Officials […]

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom, one of Ukraine’s highest state honors, for his “outstanding personal merits” in protecting human life and freedom and strengthening ties between Ukraine and the United States. Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has become one of the most influential, and contentious, private sector figures in Ukraine’s war effort. His decision to provide Ukraine with […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Just weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the American South in 2024, Dolly Parton stood on a stage in her iconic blonde wig, with a song on her lips. She promised the flood-ravaged community in her native Tennessee — to the tune of her classic song “Jolene” — that “we’re all here to mend these broken hearts.” For the music legend and multimillionaire businesswoman, that meant using […]

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Tanzania’s vice president is resigning after less than a year in office, following what analysts say was a power struggle with the country’s first female leader. Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi offered to vacate the office on Sept. 4, according to a statement released on Tuesday. The presidency confirmed that constitutional measures will be taken to select a new deputy to President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Nchimbi’s statement […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the few months they have left as senators, Democrat Dick Durbin and Republican Bill Cassidy have embarked on a mission to save tens of millions of Social Security beneficiaries from a projected 22% cut in their benefits, starting in just six years. It is one of the most perilous political efforts that a member of Congress can undertake, so it is telling that the push is […]