Pompeo calls Taliban leader amid Russian bounty scandal

ISLAMABAD (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called and spoken with the Taliban’s chief negotiator, a spokesman for the insurgents said Tuesday, amid a raging controversy in Washington over when President Donald Trump was told about U.S. intelligence that Russia was paying the Taliban to...

A quiet Israeli ex-general emerges as new foil to Netanyahu

JERUSALEM (AP) — Unlike many of his fellow Israeli generals, Amir Haskel wasn't looking to politics in retirement. After 32 years in the Israeli Air Force, he became a Holocaust researcher and was satisfied with publishing books, leading student delegations to former concentration camps in Poland and...

French ex-prime minister Fillon, wife found guilty of fraud

PARIS (AP) — Former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon was found guilty Monday in a fraud case of having used public funds to pay his wife and children more than 1 million euros ($1.13 million) since 1998 for work they never performed. The couple's lawyers immediately appealed Monday's verdict from the...

Israeli court releases anti-Netanyahu activist after arrest

JERUSALEM (AP) — A court ordered the release of a former Air Force general and leading critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from jail on Sunday, a day after hundreds of people protested outside the Israeli leader's residence calling for him to be freed. Retired Brig. Gen. Amir Haskel has been a...

Attorney: Ex-Baltimore mayor surrenders for prison term

Baltimore’s disgraced former mayor surrendered to federal authorities Friday to begin serving a three-year prison sentence stemming from a public corruption scandal. Catherine Pugh's attorney, Steven Silverman, told The Associated Press his client “surrendered as directed.” Pugh was sentenced...

Greece mulls damages claim over drugmaker bribe scandal

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s government said Friday that it is planning to seek damages from Swiss drugmaker Novartis following a settlement in the United States over bribery allegations. The settlement worth more than $345 million was announced Thursday by the Securities and Exchange Commission...

Disgraced former Baltimore mayor to report to prison Friday

BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore’s disgraced former mayor will report to a federal prison in Alabama on Friday. Catherine Pugh was en route to the state Thursday, the Baltimore Sun reported. She was sentenced in February to three years in prison in a public corruption scandal over the sales of her...

Republican state Sen. Chris Jacobs wins special election for House seat vacated by convicted congressman in western NY

NEW YORK (AP) — Republican state Sen. Chris Jacobs wins special election for House seat vacated by convicted congressman in western NY.

Voters could get say on abolishing police after Arbery death

ATLANTA (AP) — A bill to let local voters decide whether to abolish the scandal-plagued Glynn County police department has gone to Gov. Brian Kemp for his approval or veto, having gained support in the Georgia legislature after the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery. The state House voted 159-3 on Monday to...

Pandemic puts convicted representative's seat on 2 ballots

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The U.S. House district once represented by Chris Collins is on two separate ballots Tuesday in a special election to fill out the convicted former congressional member's fourth term and in a Republican primary for the GOP line in November’s general election. The unusual...