Bloated public salaries at heart of Iraq's economic woes

BAGHDAD (AP) — Long-time Iraqi civil servant Qusay Abdul-Amma panicked when his monthly salary was delayed. Days of waiting turned to weeks. He defaulted on rent and other bills. A graphic designer for the Health Ministry, he uses about half his salary to pay his rent of nearly 450,000 Iraqi dinars a...

Poland's top court rules out abortions due to fetal defects

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s top court ruled Thursday that a law allowing abortion of fetuses with congenital defects is unconstitutional, shutting a major loophole in the predominantly Catholic country's abortion laws that are among the strictest in Europe. Two judges in the 13-member...

Nigerian president leaves protest shootings out of speech

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari spoke to the nation about the unrest that has gripped the country in recent days, but without making any mention of the shootings of peaceful protesters at Lekki toll plaza on Tuesday night that prompted international outrage. The military opened...

Seattle, Portland, New York sue over Trump's 'anarchy' label

SEATTLE (AP) — New York, Seattle and Portland — three cities recently labeled “anarchist jurisdictions” by the U.S. Justice Department — filed a lawsuit Thursday to invalidate the designation and fight off the Trump administration's efforts to withhold federal dollars....

Protest at Kansas school after student told to remove hijab

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — Officials at a Kansas high school are investigating after a student was told to remove her Islamic head scarf, known as a hijab, prompting other students to stage a demonstration. A spokeswoman for the Geary County School District said officials are still determining details of...

GOP-led Senate panel advances Barrett as Democrats boycott

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans powered past a Democratic boycott Thursday to advance Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate, keeping President Donald Trump's pick on track for confirmation before the Nov. 3 election. Democratic senators refused to show up...

Nigeria's president addresses the nation but makes no mention of shootings of peaceful police brutality protesters

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's president addresses the nation but makes no mention of shootings of peaceful police brutality protesters.

Kyrgyz MPs put off re-run of election that sparked protests

MOSCOW (AP) — Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted Thursday to put off a re-run of contested parliamentary elections for after a constitutional reform that commentators say could allow the acting president — a politician recently freed from jail — to strengthen his grip on power and stay in office...

For 4th time, Hariri is back as PM in crisis-hit Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s president tasked former Prime Minister Saad Hariri with forming a new government Thursday, bringing back the veteran politician a year after he was toppled amid nationwide protests against widespread corruption and a flunking economy. President Michel Aoun designated Hariri...

Hong Kong summons German consul in friction over asylum case

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's consul general to Hong Kong was brought in for talks, following reports Berlin had granted asylum to a student who faced prosecution for demonstrating against the city's extradition law, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday. The ministry confirmed that Consul General Dieter Lamle had...