NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Drew Barrymore has been dropped as host of the upcoming National Book Awards ceremony, a day after her talk show taped its first episode since the Hollywood writers strike began. “The National Book Awards is an evening dedicated to celebrating the power of literature, and the incomparable contributions of writers to our culture,” the National Book Foundation, which…

WASHINGTON — The leading decongestant used by millions of Americans looking for relief from a stuffy nose is no better than a dummy pill, according to government experts who reviewed the latest research on the long-questioned drug ingredient. Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on Tuesday against the effectiveness of the key drug found in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other…

Most Americans should get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, health officials said Tuesday. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed the new shots for everyone 6 months and older and the agency’s director quickly signed off Tuesday on the panel’s recommendation. That means doses should be available this week, some as early as Wednesday. The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, but…

DETROIT — The top-selling vehicle in America will get a bit of a facelift next year, one of just a few new or updated vehicles that will be shown off this week at Detroit’s big auto show. Ford unveiled the latest version of the F-150 pickup Tuesday night at an event next to Huntington Place, the convention center that will host the North American International…

NEW YORK — The iconic stopwatch won’t be reset, but for six episodes this fall, “60 Minutes” will become 90 minutes. The CBS newsmagazine is stretching on some Sundays when CBS airs an NFL doubleheader, starting Oct. 8. Often, the show doesn’t air until 7:30 p.m. on the East Coast those nights (it usually starts at 7 p.m.). The request to Bill Owens, the show’s…

Thailand’s new government has approved a measure granting temporary visa-free entry to Chinese tourists, signaling that the recovery of the country’s tourism industry is a top economic priority ByJINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI Associated Press September 13, 2023, 1:01 PM FILE – Chinese family tourists rent traditional Thai costumes and take selfies at Wat Arun, or the “Temple of Dawn,” in Bangkok, Thailand, on Jan. 12, 2023. Thailand’s…

TAIPEI, Taiwan — When she first moved to the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen after graduating from college, Marguerite Wang imagined she would spend her career working hard in a big city. Instead, she’s living with her parents in her hometown in northeastern China. A record of more than one in five young Chinese are out of work, their career ambitions at least temporarily derailed…

China’s Commerce Ministry has protested a decision by the European Union to investigate exports of Chinese electric vehicles, saying it is a protectionist action aimed at distorting the supply chain ByZEN SOO Associated Press September 14, 2023, 5:17 AM Electric vehicles produced by Volkswagen Saxony park before on the Zwickau plant premises in Zwickau, eastern Germany, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. The Zwickau plant has been…

FRANKFURT, Germany — The European Central Bank hiked its key interest rate to a record high Thursday, pressing its fight against stubbornly high inflation that has been plaguing consumers — even as worries grow that higher borrowing costs could help push the economy into recession. The increase of a quarter-percentage point comes as central banks around the world, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, try to…

EUGENE, Ore. — Psilocybin tea, wind chimes and a tie-dye mattress await those coming to an office suite in Eugene to trip on magic mushrooms. For roughly six hours, adults over 21 can experience what many users describe as vivid geometric shapes, a loss of identity and a oneness with the universe. Epic Healing Eugene — America’s first licensed psilocybin service center — opened in…