AP National News

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has fired what appears to be two short-range ballistic missiles in its third weapons launch this month in an apparent reprisal for fresh sanctions imposed by the Biden administration. South Korea’s military says the missiles came from an inland area in western North

By BISWAJEET BANERJEE Associated Press LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Tens of thousands of devout Hindus are taking a holy dip into the frigid waters of the Ganges River in northern India despite rising COVID-19 infections in the country. Hindu pilgrims on Friday congregated in Prayagraj city, in Uttar Pradesh state, to take part in the

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s popular monarch Queen Margrethe is marking 50 years on the throne with low-key events. The public celebrations for Friday’s anniversary have been delayed until September due to the pandemic. The 81-year-old will, however, lay flowers on the grave of her parents at Roskilde cathedral,

By JOHN PYE and ROD McGUIRK Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Tennis star Novak Djokovic faces deportation again after the Australian government revoked his visa for a second time. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke cited the public interest in revoking the 34-year-old Serb’s visa three days before the Australian Open begins. His lawyers are expected

By FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy, Spain and other European countries are reinstating or stiffening mask mandates as their hospitals struggle with mounting numbers of COVID-19 patients. Other nations like the Netherlands are considering introducing masking rules. The use of more protective FFP2 masks in Italy is also seen as a way

By ASHOK SHARMA and KRUTIKA PATHI Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — An Indian court has acquitted a Roman Catholic bishop of charges of raping a nun in her rural convent, a case that became a major issue amid allegations of sexual harassment in the church. The judge said the bishop was not guilty of

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Officials in South Korea and Japan say North Korea has fired at least one possible ballistic missile in its third weapons launch this month, an apparent reprisal for fresh sanctions imposed by the Biden administration for its continuing test launches. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of

By SOPHENG CHEANG Associated Press PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia has begun a fourth round of vaccinations against the coronavirus in response to the omicron variant, with high-risk groups among the first to receive the additional boosters. Front-line medical staff and members of the armed forces were among those lining up to get the

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says North Korea has fired at least one projectile in its third weapons launch this month, as it continues to demonstrate its military might amid pandemic border closures and stalled diplomacy with the United States. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not

By MSTYSLAV CHERNOV and ELENA BECATOROS Associated Press KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — There is one tradition in the heavily patriarchal, male-dominated society of Afghanistan, where women and girls are usually relegated to the home, which allows girls access to the male world: bacha posh. A girl dresses, behaves and is treated as a boy, allowing

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea will slightly ease its coronavirus gathering restrictions starting next week but continue to maintain a 9 p.m. curfew on restaurants and entertainment venues as it braces for a possible surge in infections driven by the contagious omicron variant. Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol says

By JOHN RABY, FATIMA HUSSEIN and JOSH BOAK Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — For the first time in half a year, families on Friday are going without a monthly deposit from the child tax credit. The program was intended to be part of President Joe Biden’s legacy but has instead become a flash point

By CEDAR ATTANASIO Associated Press / Report for America SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Around 75,000 New Mexico schoolchildren are missing school Friday for the second day after a cyber attack hit the state’s largest school district on Wednesday. At least five other school districts have suffered costly cyber attacks in the past two years,

By SCOTT BAUER Associated Press JANESVILLE, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is known for his folksy demeanor, sprinkling his speeches with “by gollys” and the occasional PG-rated swear word. To win reelection, the 70-year-old grandfather and former teacher is trying to convince voters that he’s also a valiant defender of democracy and the

By TODD RICHMOND Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge is poised to decide whether a Milwaukee man accused of plowing his SUV through a suburban Christmas parade, killing six people and injuring dozens more, will stand trial. Darrell Brooks Jr. is scheduled to appear in Waukesha County court for a preliminary hearing

NEW DELHI (AP) — A railroad official says nine people have died and 45 were injured when a train derailed in India’s West Bengal state. Rescuers found four more bodies overnight as they cleared the 12 mangled coaches of the train. The accident occurred Thursday as the coaches went off the rails and three capsized.

By STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged four people in connection with the robbery and killing of an off-duty Los Angeles police officer and allege the suspects are tied to a street gang. Officer Fernando Arroyos, 27, was fatally shot at about 9:15 p.m. Monday in an unincorporated area

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares are lower after a retreat on Wall Street that left the Nasdaq composite down 2.5%. Tokyo fell nearly 2% but regained some ground later in the session. Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul were also lower. China reported its global trade surplus surged nearly 30%

The crowdfunding platform GoFundMe announced Thursday that it has signed a deal to acquire the nonprofit fundraising company Classy. The move will help the largest crowdfunding site in the world further increase its influence in the philanthropic sector. A news release from GoFundMe says under the agreement, Classy will become a subsidiary of GoFundMe and

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — China’s politically volatile global trade surplus surged to $676.4 billion in 2021, likely the highest ever for any country. Exports jumped nearly 30% over a year earlier despite semiconductor shortages that disrupted manufacturing. Customs data showed the country’s trade surplus in December swelled 20.8% over a