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It’s 9 a.m. on a Tuesday morning when Michelle Statham settles into her gaming setup: three monitors, two PCs, a camera, headphones and a microphone. Colorful lights accent the walls, and a Baby Yoda doll is perched on the shelf behind her. A few minutes later, she’s in the middle …

BAGHDAD — Pope Francis begins his first overseas trip since the coronavirus outbreak Friday. Of all the places he could travel to, he chose Iraq. The pilgrimage to historic Babylon has been a dream of former popes — a visit to the birthplace of Abraham, patriarch of Jews, Christians and …

WASHINGTON — The Democratic-controlled Congress is on the verge of passing its biggest round of coronavirus stimulus payments, delivering on a campaign promise by President Joe Biden. If the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill passes and becomes law, it would provide the third round of stimulus checks — after the …

For 25 years, Hong Kong, a bustling international hub, proudly led a major ranking of the world’s freest economies. Now, it doesn’t even feature. The latest edition of the Heritage Foundation’s annual “Index of Economic Freedom,” released Thursday, saw Hong Kong excluded from the list it once dominated because its …

Three vaccines to prevent Covid-19 infections have now been granted authorization for emergency use, and every day thousands more people are becoming vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported tens of millions first doses administered and people fully vaccinated. One two-dose vaccine, developed by the U.S. drugmaker …

OMAHA, Neb. — Creighton University suspended basketball coach Greg McDermott indefinitely Thursday night for using racially insensitive language while addressing the team after a game last weekend. McDermott publicly apologized Tuesday and again Wednesday for urging his players to “stay on the plantation” after the 14th-ranked Bluejays’ 77-69 loss at …

A former State Department aide during the Trump administration has been arrested in connection with the pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to an FBI spokesperson and documents. Federico Klein was arrested Thursday by the FBI in Virginia, but the agency would not discuss the charges or the case, …

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden called off an air strike against a second target in Syria last week after a woman and children were spotted in the area, a senior administration official told NBC News. Because of the presence of civilians, only one target was bombed in last week’s operation, …

A body found in the Grand Canyon on Wednesday is believed to be that of a Kentucky man who was last seen last month, the National Park Service said. The body, which officials say may be John Pennington, 40, of Walton, Kentucky, was found with a motorcycle around 465 feet …