Russia widens social media crackdown by blocking Instagram

Russian regulators said internet users will be blocked from accessing Instagram because it’s being used to call for violence against Russian soldiers. It’s Moscow’s latest move to restrict the reach of foreign social platforms. The regulator said Friday it’s tightening access to Instagram because the platform is spreading “calls to commit violent acts against Russian…

Republican ‘unforced errors’ threaten path to Senate control

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican missteps that include intense infighting are threatening the GOP’s path to the Senate majority. Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey dealt his party its latest setback by announcing he would not challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly this fall. But the GOP’s shortcomings extend well beyond Arizona. Republican candidates in virtually every major…

Bird flu confirmed in chicken flock in southeastern Missouri

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Federal inspectors have confirmed the presence of bird flu in a flock of commercial broiler chickens in southeastern Missouri’s Stoddard County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the discovery in a news release Friday. The USDA says Missouri officials have quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be…