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MADRID – The leader of Spain’s separatist-minded Catalonia region has announced that regional elections will be held in September to determine whether a majority of lawmakers favor an independence drive. Catalonia regional leader Artur Mas said Wednesday elections will be held Sept. 27 after he failed last year to convince …

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghanistan is investigating a Cabinet nominee over allegedly being on an Interpol most-wanted list for tax evasion, a government spokesman said Sunday, a potential embarrassment for President Ashraf Ghani amid his pledges to root out corruption. The probe focuses on Mohammad Yaqub Haidari, 52, the nominee to …

TORONTO – Canada’s central bank is cutting its key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point because of the recent sharp drop in oil prices. The Bank of Canada unexpectedly cut its trend-setting rate on Wednesday to three quarters of a percentage point from one percent. The bank …