AP National News

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares are higher after stocks advanced on Wall Street, buoyed by encouraging reports about the potential impact of the omicron variant of coronavirus. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that the U.S. economy grew at a 2.3% rate in the third quarter, slightly better than previously

By LISA RATHKE Associated Press CHESTER, Vt. (AP) — An animal tranquilizer is turning up in drug overdoses across the country. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says xylazine was involved in fatal drug overdoses in 23 states in 2019, with a highest rate — 67% — happening in the Northeast.

By ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The globalized city-state of Dubai appears to be in the midst of a boom season. It’s a surge in growth spurred on by one of the world’s highest vaccination rates and government moves to de-escalate tensions with regional rivals and lure foreign businesses. Maskless

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares are modestly higher after stocks advanced on Wall Street with encouraging reports about the potential impact of the omicron variant of coronavirus. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that the U.S. economy grew at a 2.3% rate in the third quarter, slightly better than previously

By GILLIAN FLACCUS, FELICIA FONSECA and BECKY BOHRER Associated Press WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (AP) — The massive infrastructure bill signed earlier this year promises to bring change to Native American tribes that lack clean water or indoor plumbing through the largest single infusion of money into Indian Country. It includes $3.5 billion for the federal

By YIRMIYAN ARTHUR Associated Press OTING, India (AP) — High up in the hills along India’s border with Myanmar, Oting village in the northeastern state of Nagaland is in mourning after more than a dozen people were killed by soldiers. The Indian army says it was a case of mistaken identity and the soldiers thought

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia has reported a major spike in coronavirus infections, prompting the worst-hit state of New South Wales to reimpose mask wearing indoors. New South Wales recorded 5,715 new cases, almost as many as were recorded across all of Australia on Wednesday. Victoria state also saw a sharp increase. Morrison on Wednesday convened

By HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has set a new record for COVID-19 deaths as officials warn that the highly transmissible omicron variant could soon become the dominant strain. In recent weeks, South Korea has been grappling with soaring infections and deaths after it significantly relaxed restrictions in early

By AMY FORLITI and SCOTT BAUER Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The jury at the trial of a suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Black motorist Daunte Wright was to return Thursday for a fourth day of deliberations as the Christmas holiday loomed. The jury weighing Kim Potter’s fate has been out 2

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares are modestly higher after stocks advanced on Wall Street with encouraging reports about the potential impact of the omicron variant of coronavirus. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that the U.S. economy grew at a 2.3% rate in the third quarter, slightly better than previously

By ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy says it has seized a large cache of assault rifles and ammunition being smuggled by a fishing ship from Iran likely bound for war-ravaged Yemen. U.S. Navy patrol ships say they discovered the weapons aboard what the Navy described as a

By JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — A congressional committee has launched an investigation into the promoter of the Astroworld music festival in Houston, in which 10 people were killed during a massive crowd surge. The House Oversight and Reform Committee sent a letter Wednesday to Live Nation’s president and CEO, Michael Rapino,

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says he has tested positive for COVID-19, though he is fully vaccinated with a booster and has no symptoms. The South Carolina Democrat said in a statement Wednesday he tested negative ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit last week to South Carolina State University. But on Sunday

By PATRICIA LUNA Associated Press SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — When Gabriel Boric is sworn in as Chile’s president he’ll not only be the youngest to lead the South American country but also the first in Latin America to sport several tattoos. The question is whether he’ll openly display them. But the 35-year-old has made a

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas man convicted of providing material support to the Islamic State group was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in federal prison after the government appealed his previous sentence, saying it was too lenient. Prosecutors say a judge in Houston sentenced 27-year-old Asher Abid Khan of Spring to 12 years in prison

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sally Ann Howes, who played as a child actor before she later starred in the 1968 film “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” with Dick Van Dyke, has died. She was 91. Her son Andrew Hart Adler confirmed his mother’s death in an interview with the Press Association on Wednesday. The English actor

By KATIE TAM and ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A monument at a Hong Kong university that commemorates the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has been removed by workers over the objections of its creator from Denmark. The 26-foot-tall Pillar of Shame, which depicts 50 torn and twisted bodies piled on top of

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. appeals court has affirmed a ban against cockfighting in U.S. territories. The ruling Wednesday rejects a Guam businessman’s 2019 lawsuit arguing the ban is unconstitutional. Sedfrey Linsangan argued in his lawsuit cockfighting is part of his culture. He appealed after a U.S. judge in

By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it will hold a special session in just over two weeks to hear arguments on the Biden administration’s vaccine or testing requirement for large employers and a separate vaccine requirement for health care workers. The announcement comes amid rising coronavirus cases. The high