AP National News

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government is preparing social restrictions in Tokyo and other regions as the omicron variant of the coronavirus infects more people. Japan has never had a lockdown but has focused instead on asking restaurants and bars to close early. Crowds are back in many places, with people

By JULIUS ERVING For The Associated Press Hall of Famer Julius Erving says the commercial success he and other NBA players enjoyed in the 1980s didn’t just happen. The NBA champion known as Dr. J says players like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan gave credit to him and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But they all stood

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media report parcels mailed from overseas may have spread the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Beijing and elsewhere. Globally, health experts have stressed the virus mainly spreads through respiratory droplets when infected people breathe, speak, cough and sneeze. However, China has repeatedly emphasized the danger of infection from packaging

By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press appear to show the aftermath of a fatal attack on an oil facility in the capital of the United Arab Emirates claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The images by Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show

By JAMIE STENGLE, JAKE BLEIBERG and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press COLLEYVILLE, Texas (AP) — An armed man who took four people hostage during a 10-hour standoff at a Texas synagogue had spent time in area homeless shelters in the two weeks leading up to the attack, and was dropped off at one by someone he

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Many states in the U.S. are coming to the conclusion that solar, wind and other renewable power sources might not be enough to keep the lights on as they seek to dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels. Nuclear power is emerging as an answer to

By BRADY McCOMBS and MEAD GRUVER Associated Press KEMMERER, Wyoming (AP) — A tiny Wyoming town faces transformation when a company started by Bill Gates builds a new type of nuclear power plant there. Bellevue, Washington-based TerraPower plans to launch its Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, in the latter part of this decade. The reactor

BANGKOK (AP) — Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor says it plans to sell its stake in the Myanmar fintech company Wave Money to its main partner in the venture, Yoma Strategic Holdings. Telenor confirmed the $53 million deal, reported earlier, in a statement on its website. Yoma was founded by Myanmar tycoon Serge Pun. The purchase

By KATHY GANNON Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A year-old report by Washington’s Afghanistan watchdog has now been declassified and shows that it warned back in early 2021 that the Afghan air force would collapse without critical U.S. aid and training. That was months before President Joe Biden announced the end to America’s longest

By LISA MASCARO AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators are returning to Washington under intense pressure to pass voting legislation in the face of stark criticism from civil rights leaders. The Senate is set to launch debate Tuesday after civil rights leaders implored them to change the rules and break a Republican-led filibuster that

By The Associated Press Joe Biden’s long arc in public life has always had one final ambition: to sit behind the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office. He achieved it — albeit, at 78, as the oldest person to assume the presidency. After the turbulence and chaos of his predecessor, Donald Trump, Biden was seen

By JOSHUA GOODMAN Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — Guatemala has hired for $900,000 a major supporter of former President Donald Trump to seek influence with U.S. officials in an unusual lobbying contract paid for by its ally Taiwan. Foreign lobby records show that Ballard Partners registered as a foreign agent with the U.S. Justice Department

By STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer The Chinese artist Ai Weiwei says the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing will allow China to show the world “a fake smile,” just as it did for the 2008 Summer Games. He spoke to The Associated Press in an interview over email. When he was tapped to help design

By YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government is preparing social restrictions in Tokyo and other regions as the omicron variant of the coronavirus infects more people. Japan has never had a lockdown but has focused instead on asking restaurants and bars to close early. Crowds are back in many places, with people

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Matthew Stafford passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns in his first playoff victory and the Los Angeles Rams roared out of the wild-card round with a 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams will visit the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly higher in the absence of big market-moving news following a national holiday in the U.S. The Bank of Japan wrapped up a two-day policy meeting with no major changes. Benchmarks in Japan, China and Australia rose in early trading, but shares fell

By ROD McGUIRK Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia has reported a record high of COVID-19 deaths, and its second-largest state declared an emergency in hospitals to cope with surging patient admissions and a staffing shortage due to the coronavirus. The 74 deaths reported Tuesday exceeded the previous daily high of 59 in 2020.

By PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal appeals court has dealt opponents of Texas’ strict abortion law another defeat. The ruling Monday by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans raises concerns by opponents that the state’s near-total ban on abortions will remain intact for the foreseeable

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly higher in the absence of big market-moving news following a national holiday in the U.S. The Bank of Japan wrapped up a two-day policy meeting with no major changes. Benchmarks in Japan, China and Australia rose in early trading, but shares fell

By NICK PERRY Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Thick ash on an airport runway was delaying aid deliveries to the Pacific island nation of Tonga, where significant damage was being reported days after a huge undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami. New Zealand is preparing much-needed drinking water and other supplies, but said the