AP National News

BRUSSELS (AP) — The consortium of journalists behind the Pegasus Project investigation into malware from Israel-based NSO Group that provided further evidence that it was used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents has won the top European Union journalism prize. The European Parliament said Thursday that the “unprecedented leak of more

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Foreign Ministry has warned against what it calls possible “political manipulation” of a renewed probe by the World Health Organization into the origins of the coronavirus. A spokesperson for the foreign ministry said Thursday Beijing would support the U.N. health agency’s efforts but it would “firmly oppose any forms of political

By JOSEPH PISANI AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — TikTok, an app best known for dancing videos with 1 billion users worldwide, has also become a shopping phenomenon. National chains, hoping to get TikTok’s mostly young users into its stores, are setting up TikTok sections, reminiscent of “As Seen On TV” stores that sold

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has recorded the highest daily numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths since the start of the pandemic, a rapidly surging toll that has severely strained the nation’s health care system. The government’s coronavirus task force reported 31,299 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 986 deaths on Thursday.

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Officials say the death toll from a fire in southern Taiwan that engulfed a building overnight has further risen to 46 people. Fire authorities say at least another 41 people have been injured. The 13-story building caught fire around 3 a.m. Thursday in the city of

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Global shares are mostly higher, with European benchmarks tracking gains in Asia. Stocks rose Thursday in Paris, London and Tokyo, while Shanghai shares were little changed after the release of data showing producer price inflation at a record high 10.7% in September, mainly due to surging

By MIKE CORDER Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Armenia is accusing neighboring Azerbaijan of systematically promoting ethnic hatred against Armenia citizens as the two nations that fought a six-week war last year face off at a U.N. court. Armenian representative Yeghishe Kirakosyan made the accusation Thursday as a hearing opened at the International

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Turkish Foreign Ministry says a high-level delegation from Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers has arrived in the country for opening talks. The meetings Thursday in Ankara are the first between the Taliban and senior Turkish government officials after the group seized control of Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesman said the visiting delegation is

By The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Katie Couric’s book tour, which begins in two weeks, will have some have well known guests. Live Nation announced Thursday that Jennifer Garner, “Saturday Night Live” performers Chloe Fineman and Melissa Villaseñor and Brad and Kimberly Paisley will be among those joining Couric for appearances around the

By JILL COLVIN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The Republican fundraising committee dedicated to flipping the House in next year’s midterm elections says it raised more than $105 million this year through September. The record haul marks a 74% increase over last cycle and includes $25.8 million raised in the third quarter of the

ROME (AP) — The trial of four high-ranking members of Egypt’s security forces has started in a Rome courtroom. The Egyptians weren’t on hand Thursday to face charges they were involved in the abduction, torture and killing in Cairo of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni. His body was found on a highway days after he

BERLIN (AP) — Austrian news agency APA has reported that former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has been sworn as a member of parliament after resigning last week amid corruption allegations. Kurz is also keeping his role as party leader and became the head of its parliamentary group. That keeps him at the heart of Austrian politics

By BABA AHMED Associated Press TIMBUKTU, Mali (AP) — Many residents of Timbuktu are worried that when French troops pull out of the city in northern Mali, jihadis will return to impose strict Shariah law including public whippings and amputations. The Islamic extremists ruled Timbuktu in 2012 and banned music and destroyed historic mausoleums, saying

MADRID (AP) — A 4.5-magnitude earthquake has shaken Spain’s La Palma island off northwest Africa in what was the strongest recorded since a local volcano began erupting 26 days ago.  Spain’s National Geographic Institute said the quake was one of around 60 recorded overnight. The Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to spew fiery rivers of lava

By SUSAN FERRISS and JOE YERARDI The Center for Public Integrity Immigrants perform some of America’s lowest-paying, most arduous jobs, and are among those most victimized by employers failing to pay them fairly. Even if they have support to file a lawsuit or a claim — with a state labor agency or the U.S. Department

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s leading economic institutes have slashed their forecast for Europe’s biggest economy. They said Thursday that output is being held back by global supply bottlenecks and lingering restraints on personal contact amid the pandemic. The experts cut their growth forecast for this year to 2.4% from the 3.7% they had forecast earlier

By HUIZHONG WU Associated Press TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Officials say the death toll from a fire in southern Taiwan that engulfed a building overnight has further risen to 46 people. Fire authorities Thursday said at least another 41 people were injured. The 13-story building caught fire around 3 a.m. Thursday, fire officials in the

By PAAL NORDSETH, JAN M. OLSEN and MARK LEWIS Associated Press KONGSBERG, Norway (AP) — Police say a Danish man suspected of a bow-and-arrow attack on a small Norwegian town that killed five people and wounded two others is a Muslim convert who was previously flagged as having been radicalized. Police chief Ole B. Saeverud

BEIRUT (AP) — Armed clashes have broken out during a protest in Beirut against the lead judge investigating last year’s massive blast in the city’s port. The protest outside the Justice Palace was called by the powerful Hezbollah group and its allies who are demanding the removal of the judge. It was not clear what

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s defense ministry says one of its soldiers has been killed and three injured in an overnight Israeli airstrike on a telecommunication tower in the central province of Homs. Syrian air defenses responded to the incoming missiles, which the defense ministry said originated from the Tanf region in southeast Syria. Iran-backed