AP National

Associated Press KAIPING, China (AP) — Underneath a granite hill in southern China, a massive detector is nearly complete that will sniff out the mysterious ghost particles lurking around us. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory will soon begin the difficult task of spotting neutrinos: tiny cosmic particles with a mind-bogglingly small mass. The detector is

Associated Press From public hangings in the town square to lethal injections witnessed by journalists, executions historically have mostly been carried out with at least some public scrutiny. Indiana was expected to again diverge from that tradition Wednesday, until state prison officials granted Joseph Corcoran ‘s request to include a reporter among those witnessing his

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — The premier of Canada’s most populous province says President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on all Canadian products would be a “disaster” that would hurt U.S. stock markets. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday that he’s “extremely worried”

AP Sports Writer The Washington Commanders are another step closer to the possibility of returning to the franchise’s old home in the nation’s capital. A provision to transfer the land that is the site of the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia is included in Congress’ short-term spending bill,

WAXAHACHIE, Texas (AP) — A Texas sheriff says a man being held in jail fatally assaulted a detention officer who was returning him to his cell following the one hour he was allowed out of his lockup each day. Twenty-eight-year-old Isaiah Patrick Bias was assaulted Monday afternoon at the Ellis County jail in Waxahachie, south

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. government has dedicated its more than $1 billion new embassy in Mexico, some two years after it was scheduled to be completed. Outgoing U.S. Amb. Ken Salazar said Tuesday that the largest embassy the U.S. has in the world “highlights the singular relationship between our nations and countries.” The

Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown doesn’t plan to abandon his fight for American workers when he returns to Ohio as a private citizen in January. The 72-year-old Democrat said during his final Senate speech Tuesday that it wouldn’t be the last time people hear from him. Brown lost reelection in

A religious schism has turned deadly in Nigeria, with a church member fatally shot and two young children killed as homes were set ablaze, according to United Methodist News Service. The news service said the reported violence on Sunday stemmed from a schism in the worldwide United Methodist Church over its decision to repeal LGBTQ

Hundreds of people in the U.S. have died in shootings over the past 25 years in places like offices, stores and theaters. But the carnage perhaps hits hardest when it happens in schools and colleges, when the victims are teachers, young adult students and children. A shooting Monday at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin,

LONDON (AP) — A former leader of the Church of England has resigned as a priest following allegations that he failed to properly handle the case of a priest accused of sexual misconduct. George Carey, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, quit after a BBC investigation reported that he allowed a priest

Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Dozens of children with disability gathered on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach on Tuesday to receive presents — and joy — from the white-bearded man, a joint effort by the city’s firefighters and nonprofit associations. Under 27 Celsius degrees weather, firefighter sargeant Thiago Carvalho de Paiva wore Santa

Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Police say over a dozen people tied up and terrorized a man and woman at a crime-riddled suburban Denver apartment in what’s being described as an apparent gang-related attack on two Venezuelan immigrants. Authorities say the apartment complex was the scene of a viral video that led now President-elect Donald Trump to

Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — More world leaders are confirming they have been invited to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Argentine President Javier Milei is disclosing his plans to travel to Washington. That breaks an American political tradition with foreign heads of state attending the transfer of power. Milei’s spokesman Manuel Adorni told journalists

AP Basketball Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NBA ‘s All-Star Game is going to be an All-Star tournament this season, with the league announcing on Tuesday that it has finalized plans to use a different format for the upcoming midseason showcase in San Francisco. And scoring is sure to be down — way, way,

Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers have issued a new subpoena that would require the state’s prison system to allow death row inmate Robert Roberson to testify in person on Friday about the state’s junk science law. An earlier subpoena ended up delaying Roberson’s Oct. 17 execution, which had been

AP Aerospace Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two stuck astronauts just got their space mission extended again. That means they won’t be back on Earth until spring, 10 months after rocketing into orbit on Boeing’s Starliner capsule. NASA announced the latest delay in Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ homecoming on Tuesday. The two

Associated Pres COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A man expected to be the next inmate scheduled for execution in South Carolina is making a final appeal to the state Supreme Court. Marion Bowman Jr. is on death row for the killing of 21-year-old Kandee Martin in 2001. Martin was shot in the head and her body

Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — Outgoing Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is proposing a novel tax on wealth above $100 million in hopes of plugging a budget shortfall and averting cuts to education, mental health services and police. The Democrat said Tuesday that the tax would apply to about 3,400 residents — including Microsoft founder Bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A district attorney in Tennessee is facing a reckless endangerment charge after shooting a gun several times at a fugitive and hitting a home that had a woman and her three children inside. On Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced the grand jury charge against District Attorney Chris Stanford. His

AP Film Writer The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled shortlists in 10 categories, including for documentary, international feature and best song and score. Two musicals, “Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked,” were well represented Tuesday. Netflix’s audacious transgender drug-lord drama “Emilia Pérez” was most named, advancing in international feature, original score, two original

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism, prosecutors said Tuesday as they worked to bring him to a New York court from a Pennsylvania jail. Luigi Mangione already was charged with murder in the Dec. 4 killing of Brian

AP Business Writer Small business owners should not forget about a rule that requires them to register with an agency called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, by Jan. 1. The registration is part of the Corporate Transparency Act passed in 2021. Registering isn’t difficult, but if a small business owner is unaware of

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Several people in southeast Louisiana have been injured after foggy conditions contributed to several car crashes that forced the closure of the 24-mile-long bridge connecting the south and north shores of Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain. Carlton Dufrechou, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway’s general manager, says both spans of the bridge were closed just

DENVER (AP) — Colorado State and Utah State have filed a lawsuit saying the Mountain West is engaging in “extraordinary and unauthorized actions” to penalize the five schools leaving the conference for the Pac-12. Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Utah State announced in September they planned to join the Pac-12

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says the incoming Trump administration should proceed cautiously as it considers proposals for new natural gas export terminals. Granholm warns that “unfettered exports” of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could raise wholesale domestic prices by more than 30% and increase planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Granholm’s statement

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s police say a roadside bomb has exploded near a vehicle carrying police officers assigned to protect polio workers in northwest Pakistan. Three officers were killed and two others were wounded. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. No one has so far

Associated Press MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — An official says that the pirates who hijacked a Chinese-owned fishing vessel with 18 crew off the northeastern coast of Somalia last month are demanding $10 million in ransom. The hijackers have also shared photos on social media of their captives surrounded by armed men on the ship’s deck.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Four police officers are dead after an attack by gunmen on a police patrol in the north-central state of Guanajuato. Four people were also wounded in the shooting. Guanajuato has Mexico’s highest number of homicides, and has long been the scene of bloody turf battles between rival cartels. The state also

Associated Press NAJHA, Syria (AP) — Bones are visible here and there among the mounds of earth in a field south of Damascus, one of the mass graves around Syria believed to hold the bodies of tens of thousands of people killed under Bashar Assad’s rule. With his ouster, residents, forensic teams and international groups

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government will pay nearly $116 million to resolve lawsuits brought by more than 100 women who say they were abused or mistreated at a now-shuttered federal prison in California that was known as the “rape club” because of rampant staff-on-inmate sexual misconduct. Under settlements approved Tuesday, the

Associated Press/Report for America DECATUR, Ga. (AP) — The family of an environmental activist shot and killed by state troopers near the site of a planned Atlanta-area police and firefighter training center activists call “Cop City” has filed a lawsuit against three law enforcement officers. Manuel Paez Terán’s family says state troopers used excessive force

The winter solstice is Saturday, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere — ideal conditions for holiday lights and warm blankets. For those who would rather have more sunlight, you can try to make your way to the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer. Or be patient: Starting

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces growing pressure to resign from his own Liberal Party after his top minister abruptly quit and criticized his handling of the budget. Trudeau has become widely unpopular over a wide range of issues, including the high cost of living and rising inflation. There is

Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian official says authorities have paused the process of implementing a new, stricter law on women’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab. The legislation, which was approved by the parliament in September 2023, won’t be sent to the government to enact. The surprise development means the legislation was halted, at

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — The Stellantis automaker has pledged to invest 2 billion euros or $2.1 billion in Italian production next year and spend another 6 billion euros or $6.3 billion in the supply chain. The head of European operations for the world’s fifth-largest carmaker made the pledge during a meeting with Italian ministers,

Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — New England shrimp will come back to seafood counters in small amounts next year under a research fishing program. The shrimp have been lost from the marketplace as waters have warmed. For a decade now, the seafood industry has been under a fishing moratorium for the shrimp because of

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers are raising a new claim in their fight to overturn his hush money conviction, alleging that the historic verdict was tainted by juror misconduct. But prosecutors contend that the allegations in a defense court filing made public Tuesday are “unsworn, unsupported” hearsay and part of

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Police in Georgia have launched a criminal negligence investigation after 12 people were found dead at an Indian restaurant in the country’s ski resort of Gudauri. The victims, who are believed to have worked at the restaurant, were found in dormitories on the restaurant’s second floor, Georgia’s Interior Ministry said in

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Pop star and fashion designer Pharrell Williams has been named UNESCO’s goodwill ambassador for artistic education and entrepreneurship on Tuesday in Paris. It continues his cultural dominance of the French capital as Louis Vuitton menswear artistic director and performer at Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening earlier this month. The role of

BERLIN (AP) — A prominent Russian opposition politician freed as part of the largest East-West civilian prisoner swap since the Cold War says that fears of his mother’s poisoning in Berlin have proven false. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a dual Russian-U.K. citizen and one of the leading Russian opposition figures, says that she remains in a Berlin

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won’t be the top Democrat on a prominent House committee next year. House Democrats on Tuesday picked 74-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly to lead the party on the Oversight Committee, turning aside a bid from Ocasio-Cortez for the job. Connolly has seniority on the committee, having served on

AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — The archivist and deputy archivist of the United States have issued a rare joint statement to say that the 1970s-era Equal Rights Amendment cannot be certified without further action by Congress or the courts. Tuesday’s statement comes as Democrats press President Joe Biden to act unilaterally on its

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters. The measure would prevent a partial government

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Almost three dozen high-rise condos and luxury hotels along the beach in South Florida are sinking or settling in unexpected ways, in some cases because of nearby construction, according to a new study. The 35 buildings surveyed along an almost 12-mile (19 kilometer) stretch from Miami Beach to Sunny

NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Nadal says in an essay posted online that he thought about taking a mental health break from tennis a few years ago. Nadal’s essay appeared on The Player’s Tribune site on Tuesday, less than a month after the last match of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s career. He writes that

AP Golf Writer The PGA Tour is hiring a CEO for the first time. Commissioner Jay Monahan has told his staff it’s part of a plan to help grow business opportunities for the tour. This comes after a year in which Strategic Sports Group invested $1.5 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises with the possibility of

Associated Press Ukraine’s Security Service has claimed responsibility for killing Lt. General Igor Kirillov, head of the military’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, in a bombing in Moscow. Kirillov, 54, was killed Tuesday alongside his assistant, Ilya Polikarov. An official with the SBU said the agency was behind the attack. The official, who spoke on condition

Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge has granted permission to lawyers for Derek Chauvin to have samples from George Floyd examined as part of the former Minneapolis police officer’s efforts to challenge his conviction on a federal civil rights charge stemming from Floyd’s death in 2020. The U.S. district judge agreed Monday to let

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has endorsed a ban on congressional stock trading in an interview that’s being released this week. It’s the first time he’s publicly backed the idea. He made the comments to Faiz Shakir, a political adviser for Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shakir interviewed the Democratic president for A More

Conor McGregor says he’s in negotiations to fight Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. McGregor said early Tuesday morning on social media he’s in “preliminary agreements” with the family of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani to fight Paul. “I have agreed,” McGregor said. McGregor also said that rumors of a potential bout with Ultimate

AP Medical Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Teen drug use hasn’t rebounded from its drop during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to the results from a large annual national survey released Tuesday. About 67% of 12th graders this year said they hadn’t used alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the previous

In 2010, police searching for a missing woman began finding human remains in the scrub along a barrier island parkway near New York’s Gilgo Beach. Police almost immediately feared some were left by a serial killer. Over the years, investigators used DNA analysis and other clues to identify the victims. In some cases, they were

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian lawmakers have approved a bill broadening the definition of high treason, which can bring a sentence of life in prison. It’s part of authorities’ efforts to tighten control as the fighting in Ukraine is nearing the three-year mark. The amendments were approved by the lower house in second and third readings

AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Coachella Valley Invitational will include nearly half of the teams in Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League as the preseason event continues to get bigger and bigger. The three-week event will take place from Feb. 1-22 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California,

Associated Press PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani charity has used an air ambulance to deliver medicines to a northwestern region where a doctor said 29 children had died in the past two months. The deaths were blamed on roadblocks that have prevented life-saving supplies from reaching Kuram district following sectarian clashes. Air ambulances are

AP Medical Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — People worried they’ll never get a scarce human transplant want to know when they might get a pig kidney instead. They call and email NYU Langone Health and Massachusetts General Hospital. Researchers are gearing up as two companies, United Therapeutics and eGenesis, aim to begin the world’s first

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Panto is as much a part of Christmas in Britain as turkey, tinsel and mince pies. Pantos is short for pantomimes. They are stage musicals that play at theaters big and small across the U.K. each winter. They mix a fairy-tale plot with topical references, slapstick, song, dance and double

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Leading contenders in Germany’s upcoming election have presented their programs, setting out contrasting visions of how to put new vigor into Europe’s biggest economy and tackle other issues such as migration. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a center-left Social Democrat, will seek a second term in the parliamentary election expected on Feb.

AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Here are some of The Associated Press’ favorite music documentaries of the year — in no particular order — along with where to find them. AP Music Writer Maria Sherman selections include: “Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.,” “The Beach Boys,” “Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood,” “Road Diary: Bruce

AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Who are the top reggaeton musicians in the world? Or throughout history? Does Bad Bunny come to mind? Daddy Yankee? For years, urbano music has been defined solely by its male superstars. But that’s not the case, and certainly not in recent history. A crop of newer talent

AP Soccer Writer MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Organizers of a breakaway European Super League have revealed new plans to create a rival to the Champions League. The Unify League is the latest incarnation of a proposed elite competition for the biggest soccer clubs in Europe. It comes after the launch of a Super League in

DETROIT (AP) — A company that sells replacement winter tires is recalling more than 541,000 of them in the U.S. because they don’t have enough snow traction to meet North American standards. Prinx Chengshan Tire North America is recalling certain Fortune Tormenta and Prinx Hicountry tires with three-peak mountain snowflake symbols on the sidewalls. The

AP Business Writers WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers stepped up their spending at retail stores last month, providing a boost to the economy in the early phases of the winter holiday shopping season. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that retail sales rose 0.7% in November. That’s a solid increase and higher than October’s 0.5% gain. The

MILAN (AP) — Rescue officials say the operation to transport an injured spelunker out of a cave in northern Italy has cleared a difficult passage Tuesday. The officials say they have left the uncharted part of the Bueno Fonteno cave and entered the main tunnel. The operation is in its fourth day and is expected

AP Sports Writer Record numbers of basketball fans filled arenas to watch the rookie seasons of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese unfold. Simone Biles captivated the world at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Coco Gauff made women’s tennis history. It was all part of a pivotal year for women in sports, both financially and culturally, and

Associated Press BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — On Christmas Eve in 1741, Moravian settlers named this Pennsylvania city after the biblical birthplace of Jesus. Nearly 300 years later, Moravians continue celebrating their Christmas season traditions in Bethlehem. They include the “putz,” a Nativity scene that tells the story of Christ’s birth with miniature wooden figurines, the

LONDON (AP) — The world’s most famous fictional Top Gun is now a decorated naval hero. Tom Cruise was awarded the U.S. Navy’s top civilian honor on Tuesday for “outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine Corps” with “Top Gun” and other films. Cruise, who has been working in the U.K., was given the

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Boston is planning to renovate a crumbling stadium in one of the city’s most diverse neighborhoods for its new professional women’s soccer team. The nearly $200 million project is expected to start in the coming weeks and has the support of Mayor Michelle Wu. She argues the public-private partnership —

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — A lawyer accused of trying to interfere in British politics on behalf of China has lost a legal challenge against the U.K.‘s domestic intelligence agency. Britain’s MI5 security service issued an alert to all lawmakers in January 2022 warning that London-based lawyer Christine Lee was knowingly engaged in “political interference

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — The European Union’s legislature has celebrated the bravery and staunch resistance of Venezuelan opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia while awarding them the EU’s top human rights honor. The European Parliament president said the Sakharov Prize is “in recognition of your tireless efforts to restore freedom and democracy

Global security leaders are warning that nuclear threats are growing as weapons spending has surged around the world. At the same time, private bunker sales are on the rise globally. Critics warn these bunkers create a false perception that a nuclear war is survivable. They argue that people planning to live through an atomic blast

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds that Democrats are feeling more pessimistic about the U.S. economy after Donald Trump’s victory. Republicans, meanwhile, are still dour about the current state of the economy but hopeful that growth will be stronger next year when Trump returns to the White House as president. The latest