Regulators, experts take up thorny vaccine study issues

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. regulators who will decide the fate of COVID-19 vaccines are taking an unusual step: Asking outside scientists if their standards are high enough. The Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year’s end whether to allow use of the first vaccines against the...

Today in History

Today in History Today is Thursday, Oct. 22, the 296th day of 2020. There are 70 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Oct. 22, 1979, the U.S. government allowed the deposed Shah of Iran to travel to New York for medical treatment — a decision that precipitated the Iran hostage...

The Latest: Sri Lanka orders more curfews over virus cluster

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Authorities in Sri Lanka have closed the country’s main fish market and widened the curfew in many parts of the island nation following a surge of coronavirus infections related to a new cluster centered on a garment factory. The government imposed a curfew Thursday in parts of...

Asian stocks follow Wall Street lower on lack of US aid plan

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stocks followed Wall Street lower on Thursday as investors watched Washington for signs of whether political leaders can agree on an economic aid plan in the two weeks before the Nov. 3 presidential election. Market benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul retreated. On Wall...

US urges countries to withdraw from UN nuke ban treaty

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States is urging countries that have ratified a U.N. treaty to ban nuclear weapons to withdraw their support as the pact nears the 50 ratifications needed to trigger its entry into force, which supporters say could happen this week. The U.S. letter to signatories, obtained...

US government: Russia, Iran have obtained some voter registration data, aiming to interfere in election

Justice Dept.: 127 suspected MS-13 members charged this year

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged 127 suspected members of the violent MS-13 street gang this year, and six face sentences of life in prison after being convicted in 2020, the Justice Department said Wednesday. The statistics — detailed in a report being released by the Justice...

Fed survey finds tepid growth as US economy battles pandemic

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Federal Reserve survey of business conditions around the country found that the U.S. economy grew at a “slight to modest” pace in September and early October, but also documented many areas of economic activity hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic. The Fed report made...

Nigerian forces killed 12 peaceful protesters, Amnesty says

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday that Nigeria's security forces fired upon two large gatherings of peaceful protesters Tuesday night, killing 12 people calling for an end to police brutality. At least 56 people have died during two weeks of widespread demonstrations...

US approves $1 billion in new arms sales to Taiwan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has approved the sale of more than a billion dollars worth of advanced weaponry for Taiwan in a move that will enrage China and further exacerbate tensions between Washington and Beijing that have are already heated over issues such as trade, Tibet, Hong Kong and...