AP National News

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police have identified a 61-year-old man as a prime suspect behind a fire that engulfed a mental health clinic in an eight-story building where he was a patient, killing 24 people who were trapped inside. The government also announced plans to inspect tens of thousands of

By JIM GOMEZ Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The governor of an island province in the central Philippines says at least 49 people have died in the devastation wrought by Typhoon Rai in just half of the towns that managed to contact him, bringing the death toll in the strongest typhoon to batter the

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police have identified a 61-year-old man as a prime suspect behind a fire that engulfed a mental clinic in an eight-story building where he was a patient, killing 24 people who were trapped inside. The government also announced plans to inspect buildings nationwide. Authorities believe the

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP) — A fire has ripped through a distribution center in North Carolina for the QVC home-shopping television network, causing extensive damage to the facility. The News & Observer reports that more than 300 employees were working at the facility near Rocky Mount when the fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m.

By MALLIKA SEN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — People’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2021 is set to be inducted into the vaunted Five-Timers Club on “Saturday Night Live,” but the surging omicron variant of the coronavirus means there won’t be a live audience to see it happen. The long-running sketch comedy show announced on

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Four men are dead in north-central Mexico after armed assailants burst into a home where a holiday-season party was being held and opened fire. Prosecutors in the state of Guanajuato say two other men were wounded in the shooting. The attack occurred before dawn Saturday in the town of Cueramaro, near

By ZEN SOO Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong is voting in the first election since Beijing amended the laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run. The semi-autonomous territory was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019,

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen has died at age 52. The Ferndale Republican’s death Friday came weeks after he said he had tested positive for the coronavirus while in El Salvador, though his cause of death wasn’t immediately released. The state Senate Republican Caucus confirmed Ericksen’s passing Saturday. The senator last month

By MALLIKA SEN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — People’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2021 is set to be inducted into the vaunted Five-Timers Club on “Saturday Night Live,” but the surging omicron variant of the coronavirus means there won’t be a live audience to see it happen. The long-running sketch comedy show announced on

By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) — The global surge in coronavirus infections wreaked havoc with Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s round-the-world diplomatic journey last week. At least three people on board his military plane tested positive for COVID-19 during the trip, which started in Liverpool, England, and ended abruptly after stops

By The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — People’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2021 is set to be inducted into the vaunted Five-Timers Club on “Saturday Night Live,” but the surging omicron variant of the coronavirus means there won’t be a live audience to see it happen. The long-running sketch comedy show announced on social

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP) — A fire has ripped through a distribution center in North Carolina for the QVC home-shopping television network, causing extensive damage to the facility. The News & Observer reports that more than 300 employees were working at the facility near Rocky Mount when the fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m.

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — The Salvation Army says Farmington-area residents of northern New Mexico are donating gifts and money after somebody stole a van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys to be distributed to over 350 children. The marked van was stolen Tuesday from outside a store. Lt. Christopher Rockwell said the community’s response was

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gov. Andy Beshear says all of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state last weekend have been accounted for. Beshear hailed the report by state emergency management officials and said he hoped it means no more people in Kentucky will be found dead from the storm.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A former CEO has been charged with embezzling more than $15 million from her employer and using stolen money to pay for a lavish lifestyle, including travel, jewelry and family weddings. A court filing on Friday also accuses Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, of using stolen money to fund

By DANICA KIRKA and MIKE CORDER Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Nations across Europe are moving to reimpose tougher measures to stem a new wave of COVID-19 infections spurred by the highly transmissible omicron variant. The Dutch government has gone the farthest, imposing a new nationwide lockdown starting Sunday. Caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said