AP National

Associated Press HUSSEINIYEH, Syria (AP) — A rebel force has deployed to a village in southeastern Damascus to stop looters who swarmed a residential complex in the area and set some apartments on fire. The raid by the rebel force comes a week after the fighters marched on the Syrian capital in their lightening offensive

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s military intelligence agency and the Pentagon said Monday that some North Korean troops have been killed during combat against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk border region. These are the first reported casualties since the U.S. and Ukraine announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government has approved the sale of Royal Mail’s parent company to a Czech billionaire, paving the way for the postal service to pass into foreign ownership for the first time in its 500-year history. Authorities confirmed Monday that the 3.6 billion-pound ($4.6 billion) takeover of Royal Mail’s owner, International Distribution Services,

Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Amnesty International says Serbia’s secret service and police have been spying on journalists and opposition activists by installing spyware on their mobile phones. The report published Monday is backed by testimonies of those who claim their phones have been hacked in recent months. Amnesty says the spy software was

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union nations have set out conditions for lifting sanctions on Syria. They want guarantees from Syria’s new leaders that they are preparing for a peaceful political future where extremism and former allies Russia and Iran can play no role. The new leadership has yet to lay out a clear

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s biggest bank has apologized after an employee allegedly stole more than 1 billion yen ($6.6 million) from customers’ safe deposit boxes. The bank, MUFG, said Monday that it was investigating and that “several billion yen” might have been taken. The thefts occurred at two Tokyo branches of the bank,

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s Special Prosecutor’s Office has summoned Prime Minister Albin Kurti to testify in a case that remains unclear, with his supporters saying it’s a politically driven move as the country gears up for election. According to the spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, Kurti was on a trip abroad Monday and that

MILAN (AP) — A major rescue operation is underway in a cave northeast of the Italian city of Bergamo to free a woman who was injured in a fall and became trapped while exploring with eight other people. Ottavia Piana, 32,  remained blocked deep inside the Bueno Fonteno cave, where the temperatures were ranging from

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed a proclamation establishing a national monument honoring the late FDR-era Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet and was a driving force behind Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs that followed the Great Depression. Biden made the

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The archbishop who is due to take temporary charge of the Church of England is facing calls to resign over his handling of the case of a priest accused of sexual misconduct. The BBC reported Monday that Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell let a priest remain in his post despite

NEW DELHI (AP) — Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first overseas visit since assuming office that focused on shoring up ties as concerns grew over China’s influence in the region. Modi said Monday that India and Sri Lanka will establish electricity grid connectivity and

Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 45,000 Palestinians have now been killed in the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants, health officials in the embattled territory said Monday, as often-stalled ceasefire negotiations appeared to be gaining ground. Qatar, Egypt and the United States have renewed efforts to broker a

AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans hoping for lower borrowing costs for homes, credit cards and cars may be disappointed after this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed’s policymakers are likely to signal fewer interest rate cuts next year than were previously expected. The officials are set to reduce their benchmark rate, which affects

Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad says he had no plans to leave the country after the fall of Damascus a week ago but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack. “I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,”

Associated Press SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (AP) — A U.S. Navy warship has arrived in Cambodia, the first such visit in eight years to a nation that is China’s close ally in Southeast Asia. Cambodia’s government has suggested the port call reflects an upgrade in often-strained relations. The USS Savannah, carrying a crew of about 100, docked

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Officials say Pakistan has begun its last nationwide vaccination campaign for the year to protect 45 million children from polio after a surge in new cases hampered efforts to stop the disease. Since January, Pakistan has reported 63 confirmed cases of polio.  The prime minister’s adviser for the polio eradication program said

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted amid mixed trading Monday, ahead of this week’s upcoming meeting by the Federal Reserve that could set Wall Street’s direction into next year. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, coming off its first losing week in the last four. The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.2% to

TORONTO (AP) — Canada Post said operations will resume at the national postal service on Tuesday after the nearly monthlong work stoppage. Workers went on strike after failing to reach a negotiated agreement over key issues, including wages and job security. The labor minister announced Friday referring the dispute to an independent administrative tribunal that

Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — For decades, a little-known Christian sect has dealt with its abusive ministers and spiritual elders mostly in secret, shunning legal action in favor of urging victims to forgive the predators in their midst. Forgiveness, however, was far from a cure: The abusers were often sent to live with other

AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese retail sales slowed in November and housing prices fell, with demand still lackluster despite a flurry of stimulus measures over the past few months. The government reported Monday that retail sales rose 3% year-on-year, down from 4.8% in October, as s consumers refrained from splashing out on non-essentials

Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Nearly every detail about the religious group Lisa Webb’s family belonged to was hidden from the outside world. Its followers met in homes rather than churches. Its leadership structure was hard to discern, its finances opaque. It didn’t even have an official name. But for decades, no secret was

Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Ismael El-Amin was driving his daughter to school when a chance encounter gave him an idea for a new way to carpool. On the way across Chicago, El-Amin’s daughter spotted a classmate riding with her own dad as they drove to their selective public school on the city’s North Side.

Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The new year will usher in the bitcoin-friendly administration of President-elect Donald Trump and an expanding lobbying effort in statehouses that, together, could push states to become more open to crypto and for public pension funds and treasuries to buy into it. Proponents of the uniquely volatile commodity argue

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Shoppers laden with bags from Fendi, Loewe, Prada and other designer labels clog the narrow sidewalks of Milan’s swankiest shopping street, bringing joy to the purveyors of high-end luxury goods this, and every, holiday season. There’s even more to celebrate this year: a commercial real estate company has crowned Via

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress. Alexander Smirnov entered his plea to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along

Associated Press SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) — As dozens of deported migrants pack into a sweltering airport facility in San Pedro Sula, Norma sits under fluorescent lights clutching a foam cup of coffee and a small plate of eggs – all that was waiting for her in Honduras. The 69-year-old Honduran mother had never

Associated Press NEW DELHI (AP) — Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, died on Sunday. He was 73. The Indian classical music icon died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said in a

Associated Press YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A Filipina who was on death row in Indonesia and was nearly executed by firing squad in 2015 will return home this week under an arrangement between the countries. Mary Jane Veloso, who spent almost 15 years in an Indonesian prison for drug trafficking, won a last-minute reprieve that

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday thanked deep-pocketed Democratic donors who raised record sums in last month’s election loss to President-elect Donald Trump and urged them not to lose hope and to remain politically engaged. Biden and Harris, along with their spouses, in remarks at the

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol dodged requests by investigative agencies to appear for questioning over his short-lived martial law decree, as the Constitutional Court began its first meeting Monday on Yoon’s case to determine whether to formally unseat or reinstate him. A joint investigative team involving

AP Sports Writer A French league soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon was briefly interrupted Sunday because of homophobic chanting by PSG fans. Referee Benoît Bastien stopped play in the 53rd minute at the Parc des Princes with host PSG leading 2-1 after the chants were heard. PSG captain Achraf Hakimi approached fans in

Associated Press SERREKUNDA, Gambia (AP) — West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS has approved setting up a special court Sunday to try crimes committed in Gambia during its military dictatorship. The landmark decision was announced at the summit of regional heads of state in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja .The court will cover alleged crimes committed under military

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The California Department of Motor Vehicles has apologized for an “unacceptable and disturbing” personalized truck license plate that the agency said displayed hate speech related to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. But a relative of the vehicle’s owner said the whole controversy was an unfortunate misunderstanding. A photo posted on

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Jamie Foxx required stitches after getting hit in the face with a glass while celebrating his birthday at a restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, a representative for the actor told the Los Angeles Times. It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the incident Friday night at the celebrity hotspot Mr. Chow.

AP Basketball Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) — Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers has heard and seen enough. He’s convinced there will be an NBA team in Las Vegas. It’s no secret that when NBA expansion happens — nobody has revealed exactly when that will be — Las Vegas will be at the front of the list

HOUSTON (AP) — Police in Houston say two teens were killed and four were injured — including a 13-year-old girl — in a shooting at a makeshift club. Assistant Chief Luis Menendez-Sierra says that officers arriving at the site late Saturday night found “a very hectic scene” with “a large crowd of people running out

Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, elected officials are urging action to identify and stop the mysterious flights. “There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the

LONDON (AP) — Edinburgh Airport has been shut down by an unspecified information technology issue, causing headaches for passengers at the start of the busy holiday travel season. All flights into and out of Scotland’s busiest airport were grounded at 4:15 p.m. local time Sunday, with some incoming flights diverted to Glasgow Airport about 50

Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel said Sunday it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorated over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials said new Israeli airstrikes killed over 46 people including several children. The decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Authorities in Ohio are investigating after the bodies of three women were found inside a Columbus home. Officers were called to a home on the city’s south side just before 4 p.m. Saturday for what a 911 caller described as a medical event. Police found three women who were pronounced dead

Associated Press SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been discharged from the hospital after undergoing surgery to stop a brain bleed. The 79-year-old president spoke alongside doctors in a press conference on Sunday morning in a show that he was doing well following the head surgery. Lula’s medical team

AP Business Writer With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season is five days shorter than last year, and owners of small retail shops say that people have been quick to snap up holiday décor early, along with gifts for others and themselves. Cozy items like sweaters are popular so far. Businesses are also holding

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Ukrainian drone has struck a campus belonging to Russia’s National Guard in the Russian region of Chechnya, as Kyiv continues to strike back after a mass air attack from Moscow. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov confirmed that the drone had hit a site belonging to the Akhmat Grozny riot

Associated Press Right now chestnut enthusiasts are cozying up next to their open fires (or toaster ovens) to roast a holiday snack that has long roots in North America. But the chestnuts they’re roasting aren’t native, because the American variety has been mostly wiped out by an invasive fungal blight since the 1930s. Researchers are

Associated Press GOMA, Congo (AP) — Much anticipated peace talks between Congo and Rwanda have been unexpectedly canceled. Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame were set to meet Sunday in Angola, which has been mediating the conflict to put an end to a decades long conflict in eastern Congo between the Congolese

Associated Press AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Before the November presidential election, Ohio’s secretary of state and attorney general announced investigations into potential voter fraud that included people suspected of casting ballots even though they were not U.S. citizens. It coincided with a national Republican messaging strategy warning that potentially thousands of ineligible voters would be

MOSCOW (AP) — At least one person has died after two Russian oil tankers took heavy storm damage in the Kerch Strait, spilling oil and sparking an emergency rescue operation, Russian officials told state news outlets. The Volgoneft-212 tanker, with a crew of 13 and a cargo of fuel oil, ran aground Sunday and had

Associated Press CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The death toll in the French territory of Mayotte from Cyclone Chido is “several hundred” and may run into the thousands, the island’s top government official told a local broadcaster Sunday. France rushed rescue teams and supplies to its largely poor overseas department in the Indian Ocean

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s foreign minister is warning anyone involved in atrocities for the ousted Syrian government against seeking refuge in her country and says they would face “the full force of the law.” Germany has been a major destination for Syrian refugees over the past decade and several hundred thousand Syrian nationals live there.

The Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s prime minister says five Australians who have spent almost 20 years in Indonesian prisons for heroin trafficking have returned to Australia under a deal struck between the two governments. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the men had returned to Australia on Sunday as free citizens. Albanese

Associated Press OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A tornado near a mall in central California swept up cars, uprooted trees and sent several people to the hospital. In San Francisco, authorities issued the first-ever tornado warning. Elsewhere, inclement weather plagued areas of the U.S., with dangerous conditions including heavy snow in upstate New York, a major

Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana officials are preparing to execute the state’s first death row inmate in 15 years, who was convicted a quarter-century ago of killing his brother and three other men. Joseph Corcoran, 49, has been on Indiana’s death row since 1999. If he is put to death as scheduled Wednesday, it

Associated Press DAMASCUS (AP) — The new head of security arrived at Damascus’ international airport with his men, a bearded fighter who marched with other rebels across Syria to the capital. The few maintenance staff who showed up for work huddled around Maj Hamza al-Ahmed, eager for answers about what happens next. They unloaded all

Associated Press DAMASCUS (AP) — At Damascus’ international airport, the new head of security — one of the rebels who marched across Syria to the capital — arrived with his team. The few maintenance workers who showed up for work huddled around Maj Hamza al-Ahmed, eager to learn what will happen next. They quickly unloaded

MEXICO CITY (AP) — An American couple has been shot to death while visiting the western Mexico state of Michoacan. State prosecutors said the couple died when their pickup truck was sprayed with bullets. The killings occurred earlier this week in the town Angamacutiro, Michoacan. Officials confirmed their nationalities Saturday. The town government confirmed that

Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — A red fox frantically scratches the wires of its small cage. An Arctic fox meanders lazily with a bloody tail. Other furry creatures, some with teary eyes, stare blankly into a light on an activist’s video camera. Finnish advocacy group Oikeutta Elaimille, or Justice for Animals, and Humane Society International

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s opposition leader offered Sunday to work with the government to ease the political tumult as officials sought to reassure allies and markets, a day after the opposition-controlled parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law. Liberal Democratic

AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Travis Hunter turned every play into prime time — on both sides of the ball — and ultimately took home the Heisman Trophy. Now he’s got a leg up on his celebrity coach at Colorado. The two-way star won college football’s most prestigious award Saturday night, punctuating a

Associated Press WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he’s picked longtime foreign policy adviser Richard Grenell to serve as an envoy for special missions, tasking him with helping the incoming administration deal with some of the toughest foreign policy challenges. Grenell served as ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Members of Venezuela’s political opposition who have been sheltering for months in the Argentine diplomatic compound in the capital, Caracas, are trying to grow a sense of urgency among the governments working to secure their safe departure from their home country. On Saturday, they told reporters that their living conditions are

Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Fifty years later, a man who grew up in suburban Detroit tried to return a very overdue baseball book to his boyhood library. The answer: You can keep it — and no fine. Chuck Hildebrandt, 63, of Chicago said he visited the public library in Warren while in town for

AP Pro Football Writer A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Bill Belichick contacted the New York Jets about their head coaching vacancy before accepting the job at North Carolina. The 72-year-old Belichick was introduced Thursday as North Carolina’s football coach. But the former New England Patriots coach recently reached out to

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A judge in Las Vegas has sentenced a Texas man to 100 years in prison for his role in a two-state shooting rampage on Thanksgiving 2020 that included the killing of a man in Nevada and a shootout with authorities in Arizona. 32-year-old Christopher McDonnell pleaded guilty in October to more

OAKLAND, Wis. (AP) — Officials say roughly 70,000 gallons of oil from a pipeline spilled into the ground in Wisconsin. The problem was discovered Nov. 11 in Jefferson County, 60 miles west of Milwaukee, by an Enbridge Energy technician. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cited a federal accident report. Enbridge says the spill on the company’s

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police are trying to find out who taped a bulldog inside a trash bag and abandoned him in Des Moines. The emaciated dog was found Tuesday afternoon near a railroad viaduct with his head sticking out of a black plastic garbage bag. The dog was unable to walk because the

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Isak Andic, the founder of Spanish fashion brand Mango, has died after suffering an accident, the company said in a statement. Spanish media, including state news agency EFE, said Andic, 71, died after falling while on a hike near Barcelona. Andic opened Mango’s first store in Barcelona in 1984 and over

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian authorities have arrested a female singer who performed a virtual concert on YouTube, a lawyer said. Milad Panahipour, an Iranian lawyer, told Associated Press that Parastoo Ahmady was arrested in her father’s home in Sari city, capital of the northern province of Mazandaran. The judiciary filed a case

NEW YORK (AP) — Santa Clauses are coming to town. Thousands of Kris Kringles and jolly Old St. Nicks are jamming streets, sidewalks and bars from Adelaide to Vancouver on Saturday for annual SantaCon charity pub crawls. In New York City, where temperatures hovered around freezing, the fermented merriment kicked off around 10 a.m. and