Japan to watch WHO probe of director’s alleged racism, abuse
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government said Friday it will watch the World Health Organization’s investigation into staff complaints over racism and abuse by a top Japanese official at the agency but denied it inappropriately received sensitive vaccine information from him. WHO staffers have alleged that Dr. Takeshi Kasai, the U.N. health agency’s top director in […]15 hours ago
S. Korea plans to add small hospitals as COVID cases surge
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea plans next month to add hundreds of small neighborhood hospitals and clinics to treat the thousands more people expected to get COVID-19 during a developing omicron surge. Health officials announced the plans Friday as South Korea’s daily cases reached a new high for a fourth straight day. The […]15 hours ago
How many times can I reuse my N95 mask?
NEW YORK (AP) — How many times can I reuse my N95 mask? It depends, but you should be able to use N95s and KN95s a few times. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention says health care workers can wear an N95 mask up to five times. But experts say how often the […]17 hours ago
NYC gives final salute to slain NYPD officer
NEW YORK (AP) — Mourning New York police officers will give a final salute Friday to Jason Rivera, a rookie colleague gunned down with his partner a week ago. A morning funeral Mass is planned at St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the officer, who, at age 22, was recently married and barely into his second year […]17 hours ago
China skis: Olympics brings on boom in winter sports
BEIJING (AP) — Holding his skis beside a bunny slope, Li Wei enthuses over his winter job as a farmer-turned-ski coach on the northwestern outskirts of Beijing. The tall, tanned 36-year-old works December to March at a resort in the Yanqing district, which will host skiing, luge and other sliding events at the Winter Olympics, […]17 hours ago
Hong Kong cuts foreign arrival quarantine from 21 to 14 days
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong is cutting the length of mandatory quarantine for people arriving from overseas from 21 to 14 days, even as the southern Chinese city battles a new surge in COVID-19 cases. Hong Kong is a major hub for business and finance and the tight restrictions on foreign travel had drawn […]17 hours ago
Today in History
Today in History Today is Friday, Jan. 28, the 28th day of 2022. There are 337 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Jan. 28, 1973, a cease-fire officially went into effect in the Vietnam War, a day after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords by the United States, North Vietnam […]17 hours ago
Toyota heading to moon with cruiser, robotic arms, dreams
TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is working with Japan’s space agency on a vehicle to explore the lunar surface, with ambitions to help people live on the moon by 2040 and then go live on Mars, company officials said Friday. The vehicle being developed with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is called Lunar Cruiser, whose name […]18 hours ago
COVID hits one of the last uninfected places on the planet
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — When the coronavirus began spreading around the world, the remote Pacific archipelago of Kiribati closed its borders, ensuring the disease didn’t reach its shores for nearly two full years. Kiribati finally began reopening this month, allowing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to charter a plane to bring […]19 hours ago
Palin dines out again in NYC days after positive virus test
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was spotted dining out at a New York City restaurant two days after testing positive for the coronavirus. The 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee’s visit Wednesday to the upscale Manhattan eatery Elio’s drew attention from photo-snapping bystanders. It came shortly after she was in the news […]21 hours ago
Appeals court mulls arguments on South Carolina abortion law
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — An appellate court heard arguments Thursday in Planned Parenthood’s legal challenge to South Carolina’s new abortion law, with attorneys for the state arguing the nonprofit doesn’t have standing to bring the case. The nonprofit group, which immediately challenged the law after Republican Gov. Henry McMaster signed it last year, countered that […]23 hours ago
Home Depot names longtime executive as new CEO
The Home Depot on Thursday named a veteran executive as its new CEO. Edward “Ted” Decker, who has served as Home Depot’s chief operating officer since October 2020, will become president and CEO on March 1. Current Chairman and CEO Craig Menear will continue to serve as the company’s board chairman. Decker, 58, joined Atlanta-based […]23 hours ago
Anti-mask anger forces Colorado children’s museum to close
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado children’s museum is the latest casualty of harassment by people angry over mask mandates designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, for decades a popular downtown attraction primarily devoted to those age 8 and under, temporarily closed on Wednesday because of […]1 day ago
Hospital patient without COVID shot denied heart transplant
MENDON, Mass. (AP) — A Boston hospital is defending itself after a man’s family claimed he was denied a new heart for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying most transplant programs around the country set similar requirements to improve patients’ chances of survival. The family of D.J. Ferguson said in a crowdfunding appeal this […]1 day ago
Education chief: ‘We must make up for lost time’ in schools
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said Thursday that the nation’s schools must act more urgently to help millions of students who have fallen behind during the pandemic. “We must make up for lost time,” he said. Striving to keep schools open is no longer enough, Cardona said in a speech laying out his priorities. He urged […]1 day ago
Two powerful drugs now adding to US overdose crisis
NEW YORK (AP) — Emerging reports show that two little-known drugs are making lethal new contributions to America’s drug overdose crisis. Para-fluorofentanyl and metonitazene are being seen more often by medical examiners looking into overdose deaths, according to a government report published Thursday. They often are taken with — or mixed with — illicit fentanyl, […]1 day ago
Youngkin faces criticism from Dems over schools ‘tipline’
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is facing a mounting backlash from Democratic lawmakers and some teachers and parents during his first month in office as word spread about an email address his administration set up to solicit concerns about schools. Youngkin, a political newcomer who campaigned heavily on education and a […]1 day ago
Bill to regulate explicit books in school libraries killed
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Senate committee on Thursday killed legislation that would have required parental consent for students to check out sexually explicit books from school libraries. Sen. Bill DeSteph, R-Virginia Beach, introduced the bill after parents across the state complained about library books that included graphic depictions of sex acts. It […]1 day ago
Kim Jones back on runway as Fendi channels celestial Rome
PARIS (AP) — The name Kim Jones dominated Paris fashion for a second week running as the indefatigable Briton who designs for Dior Men’s returned to the runway for his latest couture collection for Fendi. Following in the steps of the late Karl Lagerfeld at the Roman house’s creative helm is no easy task — […]1 day ago
Lowe’s teams up with Petco to offer pet supplies, services
Lowe’s is teaming up with Petco to offer pet departments within its stores, betting that customers want cans of dog food along with their cans of paint. The first Lowe’s with a Petco is expected to open in February in Alamo Ranch, Texas. Fourteen additional Lowe’s locations in Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina will […]1 day ago
Rare Tom Brady card from 1st Super Bowl year to be auctioned
SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) — One of just 20 special football cards featuring Tom Brady in the year he won his first Super Bowl is coming up for auction. The 2002 Topps Finest X-Fractor card is expected to draw six figures, underscoring the hot market for memorabilia associated with the quarterback dubbed the GOAT, or Greatest […]1 day ago
Watchdog says key federal health agency is failing on crises
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government’s main health agency is failing to meet its responsibilities for leading the national response to public health emergencies including the coronavirus pandemic, extreme weather disasters and even potential bioterrorist attacks, a federal watchdog said Thursday. The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office said it is designating the Health and Human Services Department’s […]1 day ago
