[ad_1] RABAT, Morocco (AP) – Moroccan authorities decided Wednesday to enforce a night-time curfew during the holy month of Ramadan because of a recent rise in COVID-19 cases, as scientists announced the discovery of a new, local variant of the virus. Many Moroccans voiced their anger over the decision on social networks, describing it as…

[ad_1] Cruise giant Carnival Corp. said Wednesday that it lost $2 billion in the first quarter as its corner of the travel industry remained closed down in most of the world by the pandemic. Carnival said, however, that bookings have begun to pick up recently, and 2022 could be a strong year for cruises. Shares…

[ad_1] WASHINGTON (AP) – More than a half million Americans have taken advantage of the Biden administration’s special health insurance sign-up window keyed to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government announced Wednesday in anticipation that even more consumers will gain coverage in the coming months. The reason officials expect sign-ups to keep growing is that millions…

[ad_1] The Biden administration on Wednesday said half a million Americans had selected a health insurance plan on the federal Obamacare signup portal since the start of a special enrollment period in February. The Department of Health and Human Services provided the update after President Biden and Democratic allies muscled through a bill that provides…

[ad_1] NEW YORK (AP) – A part of Hank Azaria wasn’t really ready to let go of foul-mouthed baseball announcer Jim Brockmire, a character he affectionately calls a “debauched freak.” So less than a year after the last episode of the off-beat TV series “Brockmire” aired on the IFC channel, comes “The Jim Brockmire Podcast,”…

[ad_1] NEW YORK (AP) – George Bradley used to love watching the Academy Awards. The 28-year-old Brit now living in San Diego would stay up late back home just to tune in. Though he’s now in the right time zone, he’s just not interested, and that’s due primarily to the pandemic. “The rising dominance of…

[ad_1] KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) – Rwanda is marking 27 years since its genocide with somber commemoration events Wednesday, as France reevaluates its role in the mass killings and opens its archives from the period. For the second year running, Rwanda‘s genocide commemoration events will be curtailed to combat the spread of COVID-19. Rwandans will watch…

[ad_1] MANCHESTER, England (AP) – Manchester City now has the Premier League’s largest-ever wage bill, and it is set to keep on growing. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne secured improved terms on Wednesday with a two-year extension that contracts him to City until 2025. The deal was announced as the club’s annual report showed employee costs…

[ad_1] PRAGUE (AP) – Czech Prime Minster Andrej Babis fired his health minister on Wednesday, the third health minister who has been ousted during the pandemic in one of Europe’s hardest-hit countries. Jan Blatny was expected to be replaced by Petr Arenberger, the director of Prague’s University Hospital Vinohrady, who will be sworn in later…

[ad_1] TOKYO (AP) – Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after Wall Street took a breather, with major indexes edging lower. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.1% to finish at 29,730.79 and the Shanghai Composite index sank 0.2% to 3,475.96. Australia’s S&P;/ASX 200 gained 0.6% to 6,928.00. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.4% to 3,139.55. Hong…