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BEIJING (AP) — American electric automaker Tesla’s plans to produce energy-storage batteries in China are moving forward with a signing ceremony for the land acquisition for a new factory in Shanghai. China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Friday that construction is scheduled to start early next year with production to come on line by the

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Christmas Eve is almost here. But before running out the door for some last-minute gifts or final tree trimmings ahead of Santa’s visit, you might want to double-check the hours of the stores you’re headed to. Business closings on Christmas Eve are less common than

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian deputy foreign minister said talks with the United States on a potential prisoner exchange that would free Americans held in Russia are hampered by publicity and an alleged disparity in the U.S. negotiating stance. The U.S. State Department said last week that Russia rejected several proposals for freeing Paul Whelan,

By JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — One of the world’s largest electrical vehicle manufacturers, China’s BYD, will open its first European EV production factory in Hungary, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday. The move was the latest step in the Central European nation’s efforts to become a global hub for EV

By JEAN FERNAND KOENA Associated Press BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Local authorities say rebels targeting a security outpost and a village in northern Central African Republic have killed at least 21 people, including children and a soldier. A federal lawmaker who represents the village of Nzakoundou said the assailants attacked a security outpost

By NAJIB JOBAIN and SAM MAGDY Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Health officials in Hamas-run Gaza say the Palestinian death toll there has surpassed 20,000. That figure was released Friday. It is the latest indication of the staggering cost of the war as Israel expands its ground offensive and ordered tens of thousands

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese automaker BYD plans to build a new electric vehicle plant in Hungary, its first car factory in Europe, as part of its rapid global expansion. The company said Friday that Hungary will be the center for its European operations. The factory is to be based

By JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — After 11 weeks of war in Gaza, the Israeli military campaign against Hamas now sits among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history. The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 20,000 and satellite data shows that one-third of structures across the tiny enclave have been destroyed. A

BERLIN (AP) — Pre-Christmas rail travelers in parts of Germany face disruption as a storm sweeps across northern Europe. The weather brought down trees and prompting warnings of flooding on the North Sea coast. A woman was killed in neighboring Belgium by a falling Christmas tree. German national railway operator Deutsche Bahn said Friday there

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge hearing a challenge to a transgender health care ban for minors and restrictions for adults noted that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spread false information about doctors mutilating children’s genitals. Judge Robert Hinkle said during the last day of the trial that DeSantis

By KAREL JANICEK Associated Press PRAGUE (AP) — Three foreign nationals were among 25 wounded after a student opened fire at a university in the Czech capital, Prague, killing 14 people, authorities said Friday. The mass shooting was one of the Czech Republic’s worst attacks in recent years. Minister Vit Rakusan said police in Prague

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Shares are mostly lower in Europe and Asia after several strong profit reports helped Wall Street claw back most of its sharp losses from day before. Germany’s DAX shed 0.2% to 16,658.43 and the CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.1% lower to 7,562.91. Britain’s FTSE 100

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s defense spending will surge more than 16% next year as it accelerates deployment of long-range cruise missiles that can hit targets in China or North Korea. Japan also will further fortify its military with F35 stealth combat jets and other American weapons as Japanese troops increasingly

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s interior minister says security forces have rounded up 304 people suspected of links to the Islamic State extremist group in simultaneous raids. Ali Yerlikaya said Friday the suspects were detained in 32 provinces but the majority were in Turkey’s three largest cities of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. The raids were

MADRID (AP) — People across Spain are tuning into the television, radio and internet as children from Madrid’s San Ildefonso school begin singing out the prize-winning numbers in Spain’s huge Christmas lottery. The lottery is known as “EL Gordo” (the fat one) and will shell out 400,000 euros ($440,000) to holders of 20-euro tickets bearing

By ZEN SOO AP Technology Writer HONG KONG (AP) — China has released draft guidelines aimed at curbing excessive spending on online gaming. The proposal caused shares in the biggest Chinese gaming companies, Tencent and NetEase, to plunge in Hong Kong. China’s gaming regulator, the National Press and Publication Administration, issued guidelines saying online games