US bans second Malaysian palm oil giant over forced labor

The U.S. said it will ban all shipments of palm oil from one of the world’s biggest producers after finding indicators of forced labor and other abuses on plantations that feed into the supply chains of some of America’s most famous food and cosmetic companies.

Census Bureau to miss deadline, jeopardizing Trump plan

The Census Bureau will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats, a delay that could undermine President Donald Trump’s efforts to exclude people in the country illegally from the count if the figures aren’t submitted before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.

Trump push on $2K checks flops as GOP-led Senate won't vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell all but shut the door Wednesday on President Donald Trump's push for $2,000

Probe: Lax oversight let alleged cheats get Cyprus passport

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Authorities in Cyprus should consider stripping citizenship from a dozen individuals over their alleged involvement in acts of theft and fraud, according to the findings of a probe into 42 foreign nationals who obtained a Cypriot passport in exchange for millions in investments.

Georgia governor pushes back on Trump's call for resignation

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday called a tweet by President Donald Trump demanding his resignation a “distraction” and said he was focused on the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic and upcoming runoff elections for two U.S. Senate seats.

Jones in quarantine after wife tests positive for COVID-19

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Doug Jones will spend the final days of his term in quarantine after his wife tested positive for COVID-19.

NC Sen. Sam Searcy to leave as second term begins

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina state senator plans to resign as his second General Assembly term is about to begin, citing the potential "to serve the people of North Carolina in a different capacity.”

Wiser resolutions? Lessons from COVID's unfulfilled ones

She’d wanted to frame and hang them — just three printed pictures that had been sitting in Lucy O’Donoghue’s suburban Atlanta house since the year began. That’s all. Yet with a full-time job and two small kids, she hadn’t found the time.

Major rail safety technology installed before deadline

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The railroad industry has installed an automatic braking system on nearly 58,000 miles of track where it is required ahead of a yearend deadline, federal regulators said Tuesday.

Scandal-battered utility now faces specter of pricy lawsuits

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ohio’s largest electric utility, its reputation battered by scandal, has been besieged by more than a dozen lawsuits filed by angry shareholders who include some of the country’s biggest institutional investors.

Nevada revises vaccine plan but assures delivery is smooth

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada health officials said that nearly 26,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines — about 16% of the state's initial December allocation — have been administered and they announced plans to move people older than 75 to the next tier of its distribution plan.

N Korea's Kim reviews agenda for congress in early January

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reviewed the agenda for an important ruling party congress set for early next month, state media reported Tuesday, dispelling outside speculation the North might delay the meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pace of vaccine rollout dismays South Carolina lawmakers

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina lawmakers are questioning the pace of the state's coronavirus vaccine rollout, even as health officials say they're vaccinating people faster than the rest of the country.

The Latest: Louisiana congressman-elect dies from COVID-19

BATON ROUGE, La. — Luke Letlow, who was to have been Louisiana’s newest Republican member of the U.S. House, has died from complications related to COVID-19 only days before being sworn into office. He was 41.

Legals for December, 31 2020

Brexit's choice for EU, UK: firm friends or nearby rivals

BRUSSELS (AP) — The New Year could finally bring a fresh start and a commitment to let bygones be bygones for Britain and the European Union.

$250k bond set for man accused of discarding human remains

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — Bond has been set at $250,000 for a man accused of discarding human remains believed to have been used for medical research in remote areas of central Arizona.

2020 finally ending, but New Year's revelries muted by virus

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget.

The Latest: South Korea enforces tough measures in prisons

SEOUL, South Korea __ South Korea has enforced its toughest physical distancing rules at correctional facilities across the country after a major cluster of coronavirus infections flared at a Seoul prison.

AP News in Brief at 9:04 p.m. EST

California has nation's 2nd confirmed case of virus variant