Chinese city at center of virus outbreak is major crossroads

The city of Wuhan is one of China's largest industrial hubs and a major crossroads. The capital of Hubei province has 11 million people and is under an unprecedented, open-ended lockdown to try to prevent the spread of a virus that first appeared in the city last month. HISTORY: An inland port on the north bank...

Airports taking precautions after China virus outbreak

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Airports are adding passenger screenings and taking other precautions to prevent a new virus from being spread by Chinese tourists going abroad for the Lunar New Year holidays. China has imposed an unprecedented, open-ended shutdown of Wuhan, the city of 11 million people...

China expands lockdowns to 25M people to halt viral outbreak

BEIJING (AP) — China broadened its unprecedented, open-ended lockdowns to encompass around 25 million people Friday to try to contain a deadly new virus that has sickened hundreds, though the measures' potential for success is uncertain. At least eight cities have been shut down —- Wuhan, Ezhou,...

Those trapped in China virus lockdown expect lonely holiday

BEIJING (AP) — Bai Xue had planned a road trip through China's lush eastern coast to ring in the Lunar New Year, usually a time of lively family reunions and abundant feasts. Then came a new virus, a rapidly developing outbreak, and the shutdown of her city. After Wuhan authorities announced the city would...

China broadens lockdowns to new cities, encompassing more than 20.5 million people, to try to contain new virus

Ex-pharmaceutical exec gets 5 1/2 years for pushing opioid

BOSTON (AP) — The founder of an Arizona pharmaceutical company was ordered to spend 5 1/2 years in prison Thursday for orchestrating a bribery and kickback scheme prosecutors said helped fuel the opioid crisis. John Kapoor, 76, the former chairman of Insys Therapeutics, was sentenced in Boston's federal...

Missouri doctor indicted in alleged fentanyl fraud scheme

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a southwest Missouri physician accused of receiving tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks for prescribing fentanyl spray to hundreds of patients in a $2.4 million medical fraud scheme. Randall D. Halley, 63, of Nixa, was charged in a...

China confirms 1st death outside epicenter of viral outbreak

BEIJING (AP) — China moved to lock down at least three cities with a combined population of more than 18 million in an unprecedented effort to contain the deadly new virus that has sickened hundreds of people and spread to other parts of the world during the busy Lunar New Year holiday. The open-ended...

Need a legal pot shop in California? Grab your smartphone

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Want to find a legal marijuana shop in California? Grab your smartphone. In another step to curb the state's flourishing illegal pot market, California regulators proposed rules Thursday that would require legal shops to post a unique black-and-white code in storefront windows to help...

China's National Health Commission confirms 830 cases of new respiratory virus, 25 deaths