AP National News

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. health agency says the global response to the longtime threat of malaria has taken a hit as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted health services in many countries and led to 47,000 more deaths worldwide last year. And questions remain on the possible fallout this year. The

By COLLIN BINKLEY and HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press A new poll finds that the stresses of the coronavirus pandemic have been especially hard for younger Americans, in particular when it comes to their education and social lives. The poll from MTV Entertainment Group and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that Americans

LE PECQ, France (AP) — French prosecutors have opened an investigation into violence that erupted at the first official campaign rally of a far-right candidate who has shaken up France’s presidential race. Police detained around 60 people after fists and chairs flew and anti-racism campaigners were left bloodied at Eric Zemmour’s rally north of Paris

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan has confirmed a third case of the new omicron COVID-19 variant. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Monday that the third infection was a traveler from Italy who had tested positive for the new strain upon his arrival at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Dec. 1. The official added

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The family of the British woman charged with helping the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein exploit underage girls has asked the U.S. attorney general to improve the treatment she is receiving during her trial “in the interest of justice and common humanity.” Ghislaine Maxwell’s family have written

TROMSO, Norway (AP) — A Norwegian soccer club has collaborated with Amnesty International and a former migrant worker in Qatar to launch a jersey that highlights the human rights violations taking place in the host country of next year’s World Cup. Tromso is a team from northern Norway. It describes itself as the first professional

By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is looking to expand reporting requirements on all-cash real estate deals to help crack down on bad actors’ use of the U.S. market to launder money made through illicit activity. The Treasury Department is seeking public comment for a potential regulation that would address

By LIZ WESTON of NerdWallet A personalized financial blueprint from a qualified planner should offer smart ways to manage your money both now and in the future. Plus, the plan should be tailored to your priorities and resources. But you don’t need a formal program or a professional to get started. Some general guidelines can

By GRANT PECK Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi was convicted of incitement and another charge and sentenced to four years in prison. The civilian leader was ousted in a de facto coup this year. Her trial has been widely criticized as yet a further attempt by the country’s military rulers

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Pope Francis is wrapping up his visit to Greece by encouraging its young people to follow their dreams and not be tempted by the consumerist “sirens” of today that promise easy pleasures. He met with students at a Catholic school in Athens in his final event

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s military says one of its helicopters has crashed in bad weather in the Pakistan-administered section of disputed Kashmir, killing the two pilots on board. The military says the helicopter went down on Monday on the Siachen glacier. It’s one of the world’s longest mountain glaciers, located in the Karakoram Range, and

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian health authorities on Monday said they have confirmed the first two cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus in travelers who returned from South Africa. The country’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said a total of 10 people who returned from South Africa recently tested positive for COVID-19, but the new variant

By ABDULLAH AL-SHIHRI and AYA BATRAWY Associated Press RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s crown prince is heading to Oman, the first stop of a tour of Gulf Arab states that will see him meet neighboring rulers and allies. The tour comes ahead of the upcoming annual Gulf Cooperation Council meeting of rulers, and

BEIJING (AP) — China is threatening to take “firm countermeasures” if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February’s Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday accused U.S. politicians of grandstanding over the issue of not sending dignitaries to attend the events that China hopes will showcase its economic development.

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norwegian archaeologists have found a cluster of longhouses including one of the largest in Scandinavia in the southeastern part of the country using ground-penetrating radar. Researchers said Monday they believe the area was a central place in the late Nordic Iron Age. Longhouses are narrow and single-room buildings. The discoveries were

By JILL LAWLESS and SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Winners of the 2021 Nobel Prizes are receiving their awards in scaled-down local ceremonies adapted for pandemic times. The coronavirus has scuttled the traditional formal banquet in Stockholm for a second year. It is usually attended by winners of the prizes in chemistry, physics,

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — One of the scientists behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is warning that the next pandemic may be more contagious and more lethal unless more money is devoted to research and preparations to fight emerging viral threats. Professor Sarah Gilbert said in excerpts released before a speech Monday

BEIJING (AP) — China is threatening to take “firm countermeasures” if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February’s Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday accused U.S. politicians of grandstanding over the issue of not sending dignitaries to attend the events that China hopes will showcase its economic development.

By GEIR MOULSON Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz has announced that an epidemiologist who has been a prominent voice of caution in the coronavirus pandemic will be Germany’s new health minister. He will be part of a team that includes the first woman to become the country’s top security official. Scholz presented

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — European shares and U.S. futures are higher after a lackluster day in Asia, where shares fell in Hong Kong and Shanghai after troubled Chinese property developer Evergrande warned it may run out of money. Moving to reassure investors and keep growth from stalling, China’s central bank