The Latest: COVID-19 cases rise in Missouri tourist areas

O’FALLON, Mo. — A swath of southern Missouri is seeing a big rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations at just the wrong time — as tourists eager to get out after being cooped up for a year make their way

California’s virus reopening met with cheers and caution

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cable car bells clanged, Minions danced and restaurant patrons sipped their drinks indoors on a scorching day as California fully reopened its economy after 15 months of coronavirus restrictions.

US military’s elite commando forces look to expand diversity

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Navy never had to look too hard to fill its elite SEAL force. For years, eager recruits poured in to try out for naval special warfare teams — but they were overwhelmingly white.

Senate Democrats press ahead on voting bill despite dim odds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats pledged to forge ahead with a likely doomed vote on their sprawling elections and voting bill next week, even as it faces universal opposition from Republicans, as well as from a key senator in their

Bipartisan infrastructure group swells to 21 senators

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan senators’ group working on a $1 trillion infrastructure compromise more than doubled in size to 21 members Wednesday, a key threshold that gives momentum to their effort as President Joe Biden returns from overseas

What They Want: Divergent goals for Biden, Putin at summit

GENEVA (AP) — An American president won’t side with Moscow over his own intelligence agencies. There will be no talk of a “reset” in Russian relations. And it is highly doubtful that anyone will gaze into Vladimir Putin’s eyes and

‘Practical work’ summit for Biden, Putin: No punches or hugs

GENEVA (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin exchanged cordial words and plotted modest steps on arms control and diplomacy but emerged from their much-anticipated Swiss summit Wednesday largely where they started -- with deep dif...

US and Mexico seek ways to do more on irregular immigration

MEXICO CITY (AP) — In consecutive visits this month, Vice President Kamala Harris and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have conveyed to the most important U.S. partner that the Biden administration is taking a more nuanced approach to imm...

Iran election race narrows but fears persist of low turnout

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran grappled with fears of low voter turnout two days ahead of its presidential election as the race narrowed on Wednesday into a showdown between the country’s hard-line judiciary chief and moderate former Central

Australia’s highest court upholds foreign interference law

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s highest court on Wednesday rejected a challenge to foreign interference laws in a case that involved a U.S. conservative political organization and free speech arguments.