The Latest: The White House says weekly vaccinations up

WASHINGTON, — The U.S. is vaccinating on average 1.7 million Americans per day for the coronavirus, up from under 1 million a month ago.

The Latest: Maine AG warns against vaccinating ineligibles

PORTLAND, Maine -- Maine’s attorney general has warned state health care providers against administering COVID-19 vaccines to ineligible people.

The Latest: Bosnian Serbs crossing border for vaccine

LOZNICA, Serbia — Dozens of Bosnian Serb medical workers have crossed into neighboring Serbia for vaccination as Belgrade seeks to show solidarity in the region after launching mass inoculation in the country.

The Latest: European Union to buy 300 million vaccine does

BRUSSELS — The European Union announced that it has agreed to buy a further 300 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine against COVID-19 and was injecting almost a quarter of a billion euros (almost $300 million) into efforts to counter the threat of coronavirus variants that are spreading on the continent.

Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry announces Senate run

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrat Alex Lasry, a 33-year-old Milwaukee Bucks executive and son of a billionaire, announced Wednesday that he's running for the U.S. Senate in 2022 for the seat held by Republican Ron Johnson.

The Latest: Denmark says new tests could speed reopening

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Denmark could reopen large part of the society if people get tested twice a week, the Danish government said Wednesday as it announced it had bought 10 million of a new type of quick coronavirus tests.

The Latest: Slovakia asks EU to send in medical workers

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia is asking other European Union countries to deploy their medical personnel in the hard-hit country to help treat COVID-19 patients as its hospitals struggle under the load.

The Latest: UK approves trial exposing volunteers to virus

LONDON — British regulators have approved the world’s first coronavirus human challenge trial, in which volunteers will be deliberately exposed to the virus to study how infection spreads.

The Latest: German use cycling arena as vaccination center

BERLIN — Authorities in Berlin have opened the German capital’s fifth coronavirus vaccination center, located inside an indoor cycling arena.

The Latest: Sweden warns of possible local lockdowns

STOCKHOLM — The Swedish government warned Wednesday of possible local lockdowns for the first time in the pandemic as it fears a new wave following an increase of cases in some regions after weeks of a relatively stable spread of the coronavirus.

New caution lights coming to Othello's Main Street

New caution lights to improve pedestrian safety will go in at two Main Street intersections, Fifth and Sixth streets, in Othello this spring.

The Latest: UK to urge cease-fires to allow vaccinations

UNITED NATIONS -- British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says he will urge the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution calling for cease-fires in conflict zones to allow the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.

Anatomy of a conspiracy: With COVID, China took leading role

BRUSSELS (AP) — The rumors began almost as soon as the disease itself. Claims that a foreign adversary had unleashed a bioweapon emerged at the fringes of Chinese social media the same day China first reported the outbreak of a mysterious virus.

New charge filed on Suu Kyi as Myanmar crackdown intensifies

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Police in Myanmar filed a new charge against deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer said Tuesday, as the military authorities who seized power in a coup intensified their crackdown against their opponents.

South Africa's health care workers eager for first vaccines

ELANDSDOORN, South Africa (AP) — After testing thousands of people for coronavirus, South African nurse Asnath Masango says she can't wait to get vaccinated.

Pentagon rethinking how to array forces to focus on China

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration faces a conundrum as it rethinks the positioning of military forces around the world: How to focus more on China and Russia without retreating from longstanding Mideast threats — and to make this shift with potentially leaner Pentagon budgets.

Vigorous preparation returns as Biden calls other leaders

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new-old ritual is taking shape in the Biden White House, one that starts with bulky briefing packages, war-gaming the “what-ifs,” and Oval Office discussions about how to talk to this or that particular U.S. ally or adversary.

The superspreaders behind top COVID-19 conspiracy theories

As the coronavirus spread across the globe, so too did speculation about its origins. Perhaps the virus escaped from a lab. Maybe it was engineered as a bioweapon.

Legals for February, 17 2021

Pentagon rethinking how to array forces to focus on China

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration faces a conundrum as it rethinks the positioning of military forces around the world: How to focus more on China and Russia without retreating from longstanding Mideast threats — and to make this shift with potentially leaner Pentagon budgets.