Month: December 2024

Associated Press PERTH, Australia (AP) — Tonga’s parliament has elected Aisake Eke as the country’s new prime minister. The vote came in a special session of the house on Christmas Eve. Eke’s predecessor quit earlier this month just ahead of a no-confidence vote by lawmakers. Eke — who assumes office less than a year before

Associated Press LEAVENWORTH, Wash. (AP) — The scent of bratwurst and pretzels filled the air as horses clopped down the main street, hauling a carriage full of tourists. Nestled in her mother’s arms, a baby reached out to touch a shop window display, peering toward the sequin-covered reindeer behind it, as colorful ornaments twirled nearby.

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Straddling the scaffolding high up in a historic Boston church, murals conservator Gianfranco Pocobene is working to uncover eight angels that were hidden under layers of paint for more than a century. The painted angels — with round childlike faces and wings — once were among the defining features of

Associated Press HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — In Southern Africa, where democracy remains relatively stable, elections held in 2024 saw long-governing liberation parties struggling to survive. Across Africa, power struggles involving military governments, coup attempts and armed conflict are common, but the southern region has largely been more stable and elections in some countries brought joy

Associated Press KURUKKAL MADAM, Sri Lanka (AP) — Pulled from the mud as an infant after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, and reunited with his parents following an emotional court battle, the boy once known as “Baby 81” is now a 20-year-old dreaming of higher education. Jayarasa Abilash’s story symbolized that of the

AP Business Writer Technology stocks led a broad rally on Wall Street Tuesday during a holiday-shortened trading session ahead of Christmas. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% for its third-straight gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.9%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3%. While Big Tech companies, including Apple, Amazon and chip company Broadcom

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful government panel has failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on Monday sent its long-awaited report to President Joe Biden,

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed the annual defense authorization bill into law despite his objections to language banning transgender health care for military children. The legislation Biden signed Monday also aims to counter China’s growing power, authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members and boosts overall military spending

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador’s Congress has approved a law that would lift the country’s seven-year-old ban on mining for metals. The law, proposed by President Nayib Bukele and passed Monday on a 57 to 3 vote, would allow mining everywhere except nature reserves and sensitive watersheds. It’s expected to go into

Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico prosecutors won’t pursue an appeal of a court’s decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting on a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie, the Santa Fe district attorney’s office announced Monday. Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The office of Republican Rep. Kay Granger of Texas says she is having “unforeseen health challenges. A statement provided by her office Monday did not specify what health problems the 81-year-old has been having over the past year. Granger has not cast a vote in Washington since July. She announced

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton was admitted Monday to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington after developing a fever. The 78-year-old was hospitalized in the “afternoon for testing and observation,” Angel Urena, Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, said in a statement. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — A federal judge has struck down key parts of an Arkansas law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing so-called “harmful” materials to minors. U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks issued the ruling Monday. He found that elements of the law are unconstitutional. Arkansas Attorney General Tim

Associated Press SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm pounded California’s central coast on Monday, bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — One of Colombia’s legendary drug lords and a key operator of the Medellin cartel has been deported back to the South American country, after serving 25 years of a 30-year prison sentence in the United States. Shortly after landing on Monday in Bogota, Fabio Ochoa was a free man. The former

Associated Press PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic. The president-elect is decrying increased fees

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — A source says embattled Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not expected to announce a decision on his future over the Christmas holidays. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The Prime Minister will be traveling to British Columbia

Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Family and friends are saying their final farewells to a substitute teacher killed in a school shooting in Wisconsin last week. Scores of people attended the funeral Monday of 42-year-old Erin Michelle West. She was killed Dec. 16 when 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a Brooklyn real estate magnate working with a Turkish government official to funnel illegal campaign contributions to New York City Mayor Eric Adams plans to plead guilty in the case. Prosecutors said in a Manhattan federal court letter Monday that Erden Arkan plans to plead guilty

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a police officer has been fatally shot in a North Carolina supermarket and a suspect has been taken into custody. Police announced the officer’s death at a Monday afternoon news conference. They say the officer was responding to a call about an armed person when he was shot shortly

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A chemical company official has been charged in connection with the unauthorized discharge of oil that left a miles-long dark, oily sheen on the Flint River in Michigan. Rajinder Singh Minhas was arrested and arraigned last week. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Monday that Minhas faces charges of falsely altering