Belarusian authorities said Wednesday they have launched dozens of raids to target those suspected of “extremist” activities in new efforts by the political opposition to create “people’s embassies” abroad. The raids are the latest move in a crackdown on dissent by the government of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus’ Investigative Committee, a top state criminal investigation agency, said its agents …

A wrecked seagoing vessel discovered decades ago off the Florida Keys has recently been identified as a British warship that sank in the 18th century. National Park Service archaeologists used new research to determine that the wreckage first spotted in 1993 near Dry Tortugas National Park is the HMS Tyger, the agency said in a news release late last week. …

A Georgia man should not be executed because he is intellectually disabled and feels remorse for killing his former girlfriend three decades ago, his lawyers wrote in seeking clemency for him. Willie James Pye, 59, is scheduled to be put to death Wednesday using the sedative pentobarbital in what would be the state’s first execution in more than four years. …