AP Top News at 11:48 p.m. EDT

Asia shares jump after US stocks soared to historic gains when Trump paused most of his tariffs

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares surged in Thursday trading, with Japan’s benchmark jumping more than 2,000 points almost immediately after the Tokyo exchange opened, as investors welcomed President Donald Trump ’s decision to back off on most of his tariffs. Analysts had expected the regional comeback given that U.S. stocks had one of their best days in history Wednesday on a euphoric Wall Street, where investor hopes had run high that Trump would tone down the tariffs. On Thursday, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 jumped 8.3% in morning trading to 34,353.17, zooming upward as soon as trading began. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 soared 4.7% to 7,722.90.

Trump limits tariffs on most nations for 90 days, raises taxes on Chinese imports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a global market meltdown, President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly backed off his tariffs on most nations for 90 days even as he further jacked up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. It was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the U.S. and most of the world to a showdown between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 stock index jumped 9.5% after the announcement, but the drama over Trump’s tariffs is far from over as the administration prepares to engage in country-by-country negotiations. In the meantime, countries subject to the pause will now be tariffed at 10%.

Officials scramble to identify victims of Dominican club roof collapse that killed at least 184

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The number of victims who died after a roof collapsed at an iconic nightclub surged to 184 late Wednesday as dozens of people lingered outside the Dominican Republic’s forensic institute for news of their loved ones still missing more than a day after disaster struck. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, although no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon. “We’re not going to abandon anyone. Our work will continue,” he said. Several blocks away from the rubble, people searching for friends and family donned face masks and began complaining about a bad odor as they pleaded with officials to give them information about their loved ones.

Appeals court clears the way for the Trump administration to fire thousands of probationary workers

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court cleared the way Wednesday for President Donald Trump’s administration to fire thousands of probationary workers, halting a judge’s order requiring them to be reinstated in a legal win for Trump’s effort to downsize the federal workforce. The decision comes a day after the Supreme Court also sided with the Trump administration in another lawsuit filed over mass firings. A split panel for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the terminations of federal workers should probably be appealed through a separate employment process rather than fought out in federal court. Two judges appointed by Republican presidents sided with the administration, while a third Democratic appointed judge dissented.

Trump targets ‘Anonymous’ author and former top cybersecurity official in escalation of retribution

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump intensified his efforts to punish his critics on Wednesday by signing a pair of memoranda directing the Justice Department to investigate two officials from his first administration and stripping them of any security clearances they may have. Trump’s targeting of Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official in Trump’s first term, and Chris Krebs, a former top cybersecurity official, came as the president has sought to use the powers of the presidency to retaliate against his adversaries, including law firms. Trump also on Wednesday retaliated against another law firm, Susman Godfrey, as he seeks to punish firms that have links to prosecutors who have investigated him or employed attorneys he sees as opponents.

Trump: Israel would be ‘leader’ of Iran strike if Tehran doesn’t give up nuclear weapons program

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel would be the “leader” of a potential military strike against Iran if Tehran doesn’t give up its nuclear weapons program. Trump made the comments ahead of this weekend’s scheduled talks involving U.S. and Iranian officials in the Middle East sultanate of Oman. Trump earlier this week said the talks would be “direct” while Iran has described the engagement as “indirect” talks with the U.S. “If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” Trump said. “Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They’ll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, but we do what we want to do.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week said he supports Trump’s diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement with Iran.

Israeli strike on Gaza apartment building kills at least 23, officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli aircraft struck a residential block in war-ravaged northern Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 23 people, health officials said, as the renewed fighting in the devastated Palestinian enclave showed no signs of slowing. The Al-Ahly hospital said at least 23 people were killed in the strike, including eight women and eight children. The territory’s Health Ministry confirmed the figures. The strike hit a four-story building in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, and rescue teams were searching for victims under the rubble, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency service. The civil defense, a rescue group that operates under the Hamas-run government, said other neighboring buildings were damaged in the strike.

50 years later, Vietnam’s battlefields draw retrospective veterans and other tourists

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) — Hamburger Hill, Hue, the Ia Drang Valley, Khe Sanh: Some remember the Vietnam War battles from the headlines of the 1960s and 1970s, others from movies and history books. And thousands of Americans and Vietnamese know them as the graveyards of loved ones who died fighting more than a half-century ago. Today the battlefields of Vietnam are sites of pilgrimage for veterans from both sides who fought there, and tourists wanting to see firsthand where the war was waged. “It was a war zone when I was here before,” reflected U.S. Army veteran Paul Hazelton as he walked with his wife through the grounds of the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, which was known as Saigon when he served there.

Pope Francis meets privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla during his Vatican convalescence

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis met privately with King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday at the Vatican during the royal couple’s four-day state visit to Italy and on the occasion of their 20th wedding anniversary, the Vatican announced. It was the first known meeting since the pope’s return to the Vatican after five weeks in the hospital for life-threatening double pneumonia. Francis had planned to have an audience with Charles, but the official state visit to the Vatican was postponed due to the pope’s health. The pope issued a new invitation for a private audience, but it was subject to his health and only confirmed Wednesday morning.

Author, wife of Weezer bassist arrested after being shot by police who say she pointed a gun at them

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jillian Lauren, author and wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, was shot and injured by Los Angeles police and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after pointing a gun at officers from her front yard, authorities said Wednesday. The 51-year-old Lauren, identified by police as Jillian Shriner and listed as Jillian Lauren Shriner in jail records, had injuries that were not life threatening after the shooting in the northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock on Thursday, the LAPD said in a statement. Her representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment and there is no indication Scott Shriner was involved in the incident.