BEIJING (AP) -- China says the death toll from a new virus has risen to 80, with 2,744 confirmed cases. The National Health Commission said Monday morning there were 769 new cases confirmed in the 24 hours through midnight Sunday. The government also reported five cases in Hong Kong and two in Macao. Small numbers of cases have been found in Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the US, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France and Australia. The US has confirmed cases in Washington st

KATHMANDU (AP) -- Rescuers took advantage of improved weather on Nepal's Mount Annapurna to press ahead with a search for four South Korean climbers and three Nepali guides and have a possible location for them, officials said Wednesday. Nine soldiers and seven civilian rescuers were digging through ice and snow on the Annapurna trekking trail and had made progress in determining their possible whereabouts, said army spokesman Bigyan Dev Pandey. Snow and bad weather on Tuesday stalled the rescue

SEOUL (AP) -- The US ambassador to South Korea has some unusual explanations for the harsh criticism he's faced in his host country. His mustache, maybe? Or a Japanese ancestry that raises unpleasant reminders of Japan's former colonial domination of Korea? Many South Koreans, however, have a more straight-forward explanation for Harry Harris' struggle to win hearts and minds in Seoul, and it's got more to do with an outspoken manner that they see as undiplomatic and rude. Since arriving in Seou

SEOUL (AP) -- The US ambassador to South Korea said Thursday he was surprised and pleased that North Korea did not give the US an unwelcome "Christmas gift" because of stalled nuclear disarmament talks, and that President Donald Trump is still confident it will denuclearize.North Korea had warned that its "Christmas gift" to the US would depend on what action Washington took in the talks, leading to concerns that it might conduct a major weapons test. It has not conducted any

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Fresh from a landslide reelection victory, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met Sunday with the de facto US ambassador to Taipei, as China warned that countries should stick with recognizing communist-ruled Beijing as the rightful government of ''One China,'' including Taiwan. William Brent Christensen, a US diplomat who is director of the American Institute in Taiwan, congratulated Tsai on her victory and she thanked him for his support. ''The Taiwan-US partnership

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Iran deployed riot police in the capital on Sunday expecting more protests after its Revolutionary Guard admitted to accidentally shooting down a passenger plane at a time of soaring tensions with the United States. Riot police and plainclothes officers could be seen massing in Vali-e Asr Square in Tehran as calls circulated for protests later in the day. A large black banner unveiled in the square bore the names of those killed in the plane crash.The plane cr

Iran announced Saturday that its military  'unintentionally' shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard. The statement came Saturday morning  and blamed ``human error'' for the shootdown.The jetliner, a Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines, went down on the outskirts of Tehran during takeoff just hours after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at US forces. Iran had denied for several days that a missile downed the aircraft. But then the US and Canada, ci

TEHRAN (AP) -- A Ukrainian airplane carrying at least 170 people crashed Wednesday near an airport in the capital, Tehran, state TV reported. There was no immediate word on casualties.The plane had taken off from Imam Khomeini International Airport, the report said. The crash is suspected to have been caused by mechanical issues, it added, without elaborating. An investigation team was at the site of the crash in southwestern outskirts of Tehran, civil aviation spokesman Reza Jafarzadeh said. &q

TEHRAN (AP) -- Iran struck back at the United States for the killing of a top Iranian general early Wednesday, firing a series of surface-to-surface missiles at an Iraqi air base housing US troops and warning the United States and its allies in the region not to retaliate.US officials confirmed airstrikes at the air base. There was no immediate word on injuries.Iranian state TV said the attack was in revenge for the killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whose funeral Tuesday in h

TOKYO (AP) -- Nissan said Tuesday it will still pursue legal action against its former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, despite his escape from Japan to Lebanon. The Japanese automaker said in a statement that Ghosn engaged in serious misconduct while leading the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance. "The company will continue to take appropriate legal action to hold Ghosn accountable for the harm that his misconduct has caused to Nissan," it said without giving details. Ghosn faces charges of fi

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon on Monday distanced itself from President Donald Trump's assertions that he would bomb Iranian cultural sites despite international prohibitions on such attacks. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the US will "follow the laws of armed conflict." When asked if that ruled out targeting cultural sites, Esper said pointedly, "That's the laws of armed conflict."The split between the president and his Pentagon chief came amid heightened tensions with

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Joe Biden sought Saturday to clarify his assertion that if the Senate subpoenas him to testify in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, he will defy the order. But he did not clear up what he would do.A day earlier, the Democratic presidential contender told The Des Moines Register he stood by his position that he would defy the Republican-controlled Senate if it ordered him to be a witness in the proceedings."Correct," he said when asked if that was still his

MOSCOW (AP) -- Almaty International Airport said nine people died on Friday in the crash of a Bek Air plane in Kazakhstan. The aircraft had 100 passengers and crew abroad, and hit a concrete fence and a two-story building shortly after takeoff. The airport said the plane lost attitude at 7:22 a.m. (0122 GMT). In a statement on its Facebook page, the airport said there was no fire and a rescue operation got underway immediately following the crash. The plane was flying to Nur-Sultan, the cou

HONG KONG (AP) -- Clashes resumed in Hong Kong on Tuesday between police and anti-government protesters, some of them donned in Santa Claus hats, as the more than 6-month-long demonstrations look set to move into the new year. Black-clad protesters smashed shop windows, while police responded with tear gas and the arrest of a number of demonstrators.  The protests demanding greater democratic rights show no sign of ending despite the overwhelming victory by anti-establishment candidates in

SEOUL (AP) -- A new satellite image of a factory where North Korea makes military equipment used to launch long-range missiles shows the construction of a new structure.The release of several images from Planet Labs comes amid concern that North Korea could launch a rocket or missile as it seeks concessions in stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States.North Korea has warned that what "Christmas gift" it gives the US depends on what action Washington takes. One of the sat