AP-National

By JENNIFER PELTZ and DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press When the coronavirus pandemic took hold in an unprepared U.S., many states like Ohio scrambled for masks and other protective gear. Supplies were so limited in 2020 that the state bought millions of medical gowns from a marketing and printing company and spent about $20 million

By VALERIE GONZALEZ Associated Press McALLEN, Texas (AP) — How far can a state go to keep migrants out of the U.S.? The answer may soon come out of Texas, where a new law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott this week will allow police to arrest migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally and

By DÉBORA REY and ALMUDENA CALATRAVA Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — President Javier Milei announced sweeping initiatives Wednesday to transform Argentina’s struggling economy, including easing government regulation and allowing privatization of state-run industries as a way to boost exports and investment. The right-wing libertarian announced the moves for South America’s second biggest economy

By SAM MEDNICK and RUTH ALONGA Associated Press KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Lengthy delays at the polls have forced officials to extend voting in Congo’s presidential election to Thursday. Many voters in the West African nation struggled to cast ballots because of steep logistical and security challenges, raising concerns about the election’s credibility. The national

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has reported its exports fell slightly in November from a year earlier while imports declined nearly 12%. Exports to the rest of Asia were down 4%, while exports to the U.S. rose more than 5%. Shipments to China, Japan’s biggest single overseas market, fell more than 2%. Tepid global demand has

By The Associated Press After blunting Ukraine’s counteroffensive from the summer, Russia is building up its resources for a new stage of the war over the winter, which could involve trying to extend its gains in the east and deal significant blows to the country’s vital infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be hoping

By SHARON JOHNSON Associated Press DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Historic Black communities have dwindled from their once-thriving existence in the United States and efforts to preserve what’s left encounter complicated challenges. The incorporated towns were founded by formerly enslaved people and often had their own churches, schools, stores and economic systems. A decrease in

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council has again delayed a vote on a new U.N. resolution on desperately needed aid to Gaza as the Biden administration struggles to change key wording in high-level negotiations seeking to avoid a U.S. veto. The vote is now expected on Thursday

By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia and New Zealand leaders have agreed to seek closer defense ties as New Zealand considers sharing advanced military technologies with the United States and Britain through the so-called AUKUS partnership. On Wednesday, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made Australia the destination of his first

By ZEN SOO AP Technology Writer HONG KONG (AP) — China’s Alibaba Group says its CEO Eddie Wu will head its core e-commerce business, as the company seeks to drive growth and fend off fast-growing online shopping rivals like Pinduoduo. Wu is replacing Trudy Dai, a longtime Alibaba executive who was one of the founding

Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — An ethnic armed group in northeastern Myanmar has seized a major crossing point for trade along the Chinese border. The border gate in Laukkaing township, the capital of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone in the northern part of Shan state, became the fifth crossing seized by the group since it launched

By JERRY HARMER and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Naphat Krutthai and Rasithaya Jindasri have been in a committed relationship for eight years, but only now can they consider getting married. In a clothing shop in Siam Square, a commercial hub in Thailand’s capital, the happy couple excitedly eyed multi-colored garments as they

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former New York Giants running back Derrick Ward has been arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of robbery. Police say the 43-year-old was arrested Monday in the North Hollywood area. He’s jailed on $250,000 bail. Police haven’t released other details. Ward had an eight-year NFL career. It started with his 2004

By RIO YAMAT Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — A body found in an open field in 1979 near what is today a busy intersection of the Las Vegas Strip has been identified as a teenager from Ohio. Las Vegas police announced Tuesday that she was 19-year-old Gwenn Marie Story. She was known only as

By HANNAH FINGERHUT and ALI SWENSON Associated Press WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his comments about migrants crossing the southern border “poisoning the blood” of America, and he reinforced the message while denying any similarities to fascist writings others had noted. “I never read ‘Mein Kampf,’” Trump said at

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California’s attorney general will not seek criminal charges against a Vallejo police officer who fatally shot a man outside a San Francisco Bay Area pharmacy. A Vallejo police officer fatally shot 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa on Jun 2, 2020, after responding to reports of suspects stealing

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say two Southern California brothers who ran a heroin-delivery operation that took telephone orders from customers using code words like “taco” have been sentenced to 24 years each in federal prison. Julio and Victor Martinez were sentenced Monday for conspiracy to distribute heroin. They pleaded guilty in August

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the public disclosure of the identities of more than 150 people mentioned in a mountain of court documents related to the late-financier Jeffrey Epstein, saying that most of the names were already public and that many had not objected to the release. The people whose names