By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday, tracking gains on Wall Street, although Tokyo’s benchmark slipped. U.S. futures and oil prices advanced. Stocks rose in Shanghai and the smaller market in Shenzhen after Chinese regulators issued another set of market-enhancing policies, while Hong Kong gave up early
Continue ReadingCNN By Marc Stewart and Simone McCarthy, CNN Beijing (CNN) — Blizzards and freezing rain have brought massive disruption to China’s peak Lunar New Year travel rush, leaving drivers stuck in cars on icy highways and passengers struggling to rebook canceled trains and flights. The severe winter weather comes as Chinese travelers make an estimated record
Continue ReadingBy MATTHEW LEE, WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Hamas’ response to the latest plan for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages was “generally positive,” key mediator Qatar said Tuesday, as the militant group reiterated its demand for an end to the war, something Israel has thus
Continue ReadingBy Marc Stewart and Simone McCarthy, CNN Beijing (CNN) — Blizzards and freezing rain have brought massive disruption to China’s peak Lunar New Year travel rush, leaving drivers stuck in cars on icy highways and passengers struggling to rebook canceled trains and flights. The severe winter weather comes as Chinese travelers make an estimated record 9
Continue ReadingBy Juliana Liu and Chie Kobayashi, CNN Hong Kong/Tokyo (CNN) — One of Japan’s biggest trading firms, Itochu, has decided to end its partnership with a major Israeli defense company due to the war in Gaza. The sprawling conglomerate, best known outside Japan for its Family Mart chain of convenience stores, said its aviation unit
Continue ReadingBy Laura He, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — A Chinese court has handed a suspended death sentence to Tian Huiyu, an ex-president of China Merchants Bank and previously the right-hand man of the country’s former economic tsar, on charges including bribery and insider trading. The sentence comes as Chinese leader Xi Jinping steps up his
Continue ReadingBy Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — The Ukrainian-born beauty queen who sparked a debate on cultural identity by being named Miss Japan has relinquished her title just two weeks after being crowned. Karolina Shiino, the first person of predominantly European heritage ever to win the Miss Nippon contest (which takes its title from the country’s
Continue ReadingBy YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is raising its full fiscal year profit forecast after reporting its October-December profits nearly doubled from the year before. Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday that its third quarter profit totaled 1.36 trillion yen, or $9 billion. Japan’s top automaker has recovered from losses suffered when
Continue ReadingBy STEFANIE DAZIO and JULIE WATSON Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — One of the wettest storms in Southern California history unleashed at least 475 mudslides in the Los Angeles area after dumping more than half the amount of rainfall the city typically gets in a season in just two days, and officials warned Tuesday
Continue ReadingBEIJING (AP) — Icy conditions trapped thousands of motorists on highways in central China as snow and freezing rain snarled travel by air, train and road during the annual Lunar New Year holiday rush. A Chinese travel blogger said she and her boyfriend were waiting with others Tuesday for de-icing work to be completed after
Continue ReadingMelissa Velásquez Loaiza (CNN) — Le di un mordisco a mi hamburguesa y supe que algo andaba mal. Al principio, pensé que era el chef quien accidentalmente había cocinado demasiado la hamburguesa, perdiendo los sabrosos sabores habituales. Sin embargo, mi intuición resultó ser correcta. Menos de una hora después, estaba teniendo un caso horrible de
Continue ReadingBy EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Nine members of the United Nations Security Council have condemned “indiscriminate” airstrikes by Myanmar’s military against civilians. Shortly after, an envoy briefed the council as part of regional efforts to implement a peace plan that has so far been largely ineffective. The plan was adopted
Continue ReadingBy HUIZHONG WU Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese American rapper Bohan Phoenix has straddled both countries in his career. Working with Chinese rappers like the popular Higher Brothers, he has always interspersed English song lyrics with a catchy Chinese chorus. Far from the flex-heavy culture of rap songs in the Top 40, his latest
Continue ReadingBy EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Attorneys for a public school advocacy group say Mississippi is violating its own constitution with a law that would put public money into grants for private schools. They made the argument Tuesday to three justices of the state Supreme Court. One attorney representing the state
Continue ReadingPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Cedric Coward and Casey Jones posted double-doubles and Eastern Washington breezed to a 90-77 victory over Portland State on Monday night. Coward finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, sinking four 3-pointers and 10 of 11 free throws for the Eagles (15-8, 9-1 Big Sky Conference). Jones totaled 12 points and
Continue ReadingBy PAT EATON-ROBB and MICHAEL HILL Associated Press HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Cannabis retailers in Connecticut are experiencing a shortage of marijuana, while just across the border in New York growers recently dealt with an excess. Connecticut legalized recreational marijuana use a year ago. There were then seven dispensaries and four producers in the state.
Continue ReadingBy STEPHEN WADE AP Sports Writer TOKYO (AP) — Look for Lionel Messi to play on Wednesday in Tokyo where Inter Miami meets Japanese club Vissel Kobe in a friendly. And don’t look for another public relations disaster as happened on Sunday when Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain sat on the bench for an entire match
Continue ReadingBy NICK PERRY and KATHY McCORMACK Associated Press LITTLETON, N.H. (AP) — The quaint town of Littleton, New Hampshire, is seeing more tourists, drawn to a main street where rainbow colors and gay pride symbols are on display alongside American flags. Its population of 6,000 is growing younger and more diverse, supporting LGBTQ art and
Continue ReadingBy LISA MASCARO AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — In a dramatic setback, House Republicans failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, forced to shelve a high-profile priority — for now — after a few GOP lawmakers refused to go along with the party’s plan. The stunning roll call Tuesday fell just a single
Continue ReadingBy ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — China has redoubled efforts to revive its wobbling financial markets, with a major Chinese state investment fund promising to expand its purchases of stock index funds. The moves signal Beijing’s resolve to end a downturn and restore confidence in the economy. Shares in Shanghai and Hong
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