The Latest: Taiwan raises alert amid sharp rise in cases

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan has raised the COVID-19 alert level for the capital Taipei and the surrounding area of New Taipei city following its worst outbreak since the pandemic began. The level 3 alert announced Saturday requires people to wear a mask outdoors and limits...

Americans dominate first World Triathlon Series women's race

It was quite a day for American women at the season-opening World Triathlon Championship Series race outside Tokyo, one that bodes well for them at the Olympics in less than two months. Taylor Knibb won the Yokohama Triathlon to book her place on the U.S. team for the...

China lands on Mars in major advance for its space ambitions

BEIJING (AP) — China landed a spacecraft on Mars for the first time on Saturday, a technically challenging feat more difficult than a moon landing, in the latest step forward for its ambitious goals in space. Plans call for a rover to stay in the lander for a few days...

Back-to-back tornadoes kill 10 in China; over 300 injured

BEIJING (AP) — Back-to-back tornadoes killed at least 10 people in central and eastern China and left more than 300 others injured, officials and state media reported Saturday. Six people died in the inland city of Wuhan and four others in the town of Shengze, about 400...

China cancels Everest climbs over fears of virus from Nepal

BEIJING (AP) — China has canceled attempts to climb Mount Everest from its side of the world's highest peak because of fears of importing COVID-19 cases from neighboring Nepal, state media reported. The closure was confirmed in a notice Friday from China’s General...

State media say China has landed a spacecraft on Mars for first time in latest advance for its space program

Tornadoes kill seven people, injure more than 200 others in China; six dead in city of Wuhan

Ex-Ohio State prof sentenced for sharing work with China

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A medical researcher and professor who pleaded guilty to what prosecutors called a sophisticated scheme to transfer U.S.-backed research to China was sentenced Friday to 37 months in federal prison. Song Guo Zheng, 58, who had been working most...

Chasing baseball gold: Israeli team has big dreams for Tokyo

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Danny Valencia ducked out of the scorching Arizona sun, reached into a cooler to grab an ice-cold drink and took a seat on the bench. The former Major League Baseball player savored the sweat dripping off his face onto the dugout floor, knowing he had found a second...

Turkish tourism video sparks outcry, unequal treatment claim

ISTANBUL (AP) — A video promoting tourism in Turkey amid the pandemic has caused an uproar on social media for showing tourism employees wearing masks that read “Enjoy, I’m vaccinated.” The video, in English, was published Thursday on the social media accounts of...