AP National

AP Business Writer TikTok asked a federal appeals court on Monday to bar the Biden administration from enforcing a law that could lead to a ban on the popular platform until the Supreme Court reviews its challenge to the statute. The legal filing was made after a panel of three judges on the same court

AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour brought in approximately $2.2 billion in its nearly two-year run, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time for a second year in a row. That’s according to Pollstar estimates from data collected across 149 shows and provided to The Associated Press on Monday.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A large volcano eruption in the Philippines sent a plume of ash and gases up to 1.8 miles high following a powerful blast that sent villagers fleeing to emergency shelters. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the latest explosion on Monday of Mount Kanlaon, on central Negros island, but

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — A polygamist religious leader who claimed more than 20 spiritual “wives” including 10 underage girls was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Monday for coercing girls as young as 9 years old to submit to criminal sex acts with him and other adults, and for scheming to kidnap them

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that he’s open to the potential deployment of Western troops in Ukraine to guarantee the country’s security as part of a broad effort to end the almost three-year war with Russia. The deployment would be a step toward Ukraine joining NATO, Zelenskyy said in a

AP Business Writer Omnicom is buying Interpublic Group in a stock-for-stock deal that will create an advertising powerhouse with combined annual revenue of almost $26 billion. The companies have had a hand in iconic marketing campaigns like “Got Milk” for the California Milk Processor Board, “Priceless” for Mastercard, “Because I’m Worth It” for L’Oreal and

Assocaited Press CILVEGOZU BORDER CROSSING, Turkey (AP) — Hundreds of Syrian refugees have gathered at two border crossings in southern Turkey, eagerly anticipating their return to Syria after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government. Assad’s fall has sparked widespread joy among Turkey’s 3 million Syrian refugees. Turkish officials have not said how many Syrians have

Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Prosecutors have told the International Criminal Court that they are confident that two alleged leaders of a predominantly Christian rebel group in the Central African Republic are guilty of multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Former CAR football federation president Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona and Alfred Yekatom,

MILAN (AP) — Italian authorities say at least two people have been killed in a fuel depot explosion in the central region of Tuscany. Fourteen people were injured and three others were believed missing in a building that collapsed nearby. Italy’s ENI oil company said the cause of the explosion Monday at the depot in

AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — The United Nations’ top human rights official has pledged to try to ensure migrant labor standards in Saudi Arabia are “properly respected” around soccer’s 2034 World Cup. FIFA will confirm the kingdom on Wednesday as the 2034 host. Saudi Arabia is the only candidate for the decision by FIFA’s

Associated Press DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt.” Meanwhile, streams

BEIJING (AP) — China’s military appears to be preparing for widely anticipated drills in response to a recent visit by Taiwan’s president to Hawaii and Guam. Taiwan’s defense ministry said Monday that it has detected Chinese naval and coast guard ships entering the Taiwan Strait and the western Pacific and that China had restricted airspace

Associated Press More than three-quarters of the land on Earth is permanently drying, primarily due to climate change, according to a report released Monday at a United Nations summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Nations at the conference on combating desertification — the process of once-fertile lands turning arid because of hotter temperatures, lack of water

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia has announced a multimillion-dollar agreement with Nauru that gives Australia a veto right over a range of pacts the tiny Pacific atoll might want to enter with third countries including China. Australia on Monday offered $89 million over five years to the remote nation’s population of 12,000 under

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take to the witness stand Tuesday for the first time in his trial on corruption allegations, a pivotal point in the drawn-out proceedings that comes as he wages war in Gaza and faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes charges. Netanyahu

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Empress Masako says the Nobel Peace Prize for an organization of atomic bombing survivors was a key event that impressed her this year and reminded her of the importance of global peace efforts. Her remarks were in a palace statement for her 61st birthday Monday. They came a day

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A fishing boat capsized after colliding with a sand barge in waters off South Korea’s southeastern coast, leaving seven crew members dead and one missing, according to local coast guard and fire departments. The 29-ton fishing boat, which had eight passengers, three South Koreans and five Indonesian nationals, capsized after

The silent black-and-white surveillance camera video of the Russian missile attack in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro was brief but chilling: Six huge fireballs pierced the darkness and slammed into the ground at astonishing speed. Within hours of the Nov. 21 attack on the military facility, Russian President Vladimir Putin took the rare step of

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As California’s newest senator, Democrat Adam Schiff says he’s not going to shy away from familiar territory — opposing Donald Trump when he feels it is necessary. But he’s also hoping to be known for bipartisanship, as well, after campaigning in Republican areas of his state and working to learn

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — In the history of American politics, there’s no shortage of presidents who promised to shake up Washington once they got to the White House. But Donald Trump may prove to be in a class of his own, and he appears more interested in beating the federal government into submission than

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The trial of two men charged with cutting down the majestic Sycamore Gap tree last year along Hadrian’s Wall in northern England has been postponed until next year. The case was postponed Monday until the week of Jan. 6 in Newcastle Crown Court after a defense lawyer said one defendant

Associated Press The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election rattled the country and sent shockwaves across the world — or were cause for celebration, depending on who you ask. Is it any surprise then that the Merriam-Webster word of the year is “polarization”? “Polarization means division, but it’s a very specific kind of division,”

Associated Press DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Tens of thousands of people held in Syria’s notorious prisons have been freed in the 10 days since the insurgents began their lightning advance across the country that ended with the toppling of President Bashar Assad. Human rights groups, whistleblowers, and former detainees say torture has been systematic, while

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A Marine veteran who used a chokehold on an agitated subway rider was acquitted on Monday in a death that became a prism for differing views about public safety, valor and vigilantism. A Manhattan jury cleared Daniel Penny of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely ’s 2023 death. A

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Tonga’s Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni has abruptly quit his post in parliament ahead of a planned confidence vote in his leadership, capping a period of fraught relations between his government and Tonga’s king. Sovaleni took office in 2021. He did not give a reason for his departure on

Associated Press TAMESNA, Morocco (AP) — After African countries struggled to get testing kits during the COVID-19 pandemic, officials vowed to make the continent less dependent on imported medical supplies. Now, in a first for Africa, a Moroccan company is filling orders for mpox tests as an outbreak grows. Moroccan startup Moldiag began developing mpox

Associated Press Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee. One of her potential next steps is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Donald Trump tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would choose who would serve for two years until the

Associated Press Earth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record due to human-caused climate change coupled with

AP Baseball Writer DALLAS (AP) — Having waited for the call from Cooperstown for nearly three decades, Dave Parker burst into tears Sunday when he was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame along with the late Dick Allen. “Yeah, I cried,” Parker said after receiving the news from Hall chair Jane Forbes Clark. “It only

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Justice Ministry has imposed an overseas travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol as authorities investigate allegations of rebellion and other charges in connection with his short-lived declaration of martial law last week. Yoon’s martial law decree brought special forces troops onto Seoul’s streets. And it

AMCHITKA ISLAND, Alaska (AP) — A series of moderate to strong earthquakes that have struck Alaska’s western Aleutian Islands and offshore areas comprise what scientists call a “swarm,” but the state’s earthquake monitors say the seismic events should not cause residents to worry. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the area

Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he is appointing one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case as counselor to the president. Alina Habba, 40, defended Trump earlier this year, also serving as his legal spokesperson. Habba has been spending time with the president-elect

The first 12-team College Football Playoff field has been revealed. Undefeated Oregon earned the top seed, while SMU beat out Alabama for the 12th and final spot. Oregon has the best odds to win the national title on BetMGM Sportsbook. The Ducks have plus-325 odds. Georgia has the second best odds, followed by Texas, Ohio

REFORM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that the family of former NFL player Glenn Foster Jr., who died in law enforcement custody in Alabama, can pursue a lawsuit alleging his death was the result of excessive force. Foster, a former New Orleans Saints defensive end, died in December 2021, three days after

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — After days of searching, police have announced the arrest of a suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel last week. The hunt began in the hours after Brian Thompson was gunned down on the sidewalk early Wednesday morning, with the suspected shooter slipping away

Associated Press TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Tens of thousands of people joined an 11th straight day of protests in Georgia on Sunday after the governing party moved to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union. Meanwhile, a separate rally decried violence against Georgian journalists covering the demonstrations. Police have been cracking down with increasing force

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says the U.S. government believes missing American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared 12 years ago near the Syrian capital, is alive and Washington is committed to bringing him home after Bashar Assad’s ouster from power. Biden said Sunday that “we think we can get him back.” Tice

Associated Press DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza killed at least 14 people including children Sunday, Palestinian health officials said, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but that it’s “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Mideast. Speaking at the White House on Sunday, Biden credited action by the U.S. and

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump said he can’t guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with

AP Sports Writer ROME (AP) — A promise is a promise. Danilo Cataldi texted hospitalized Fiorentina teammate Edoardo Bove to say that he would score for him and then did just that in a 1-0 win over Cagliari. It was Fiorentina’s first Serie A soccer match since Bove collapsed on the field during a game

AP Film Writer The Walt Disney Co.’s animated film “Moana 2” remained at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it brought in another record haul. The film added $52 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. That brings its domestic total to $300 million, surpassing the original, and its

The fall of Syria’s authoritarian government at the hands of jihadi militants has set off waves of jubilation, trepidation and alarm around the world. Expatriate Syrians and many residents across the Middle East exulted at the overthrow of a leader who led his country through 14 years of civil strife that left half a million

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A short-lived martial law decree by South Korea’s leader last week raised worries about budding authoritarianism around the world. In the end, though, democracy prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was declaring martial law and giving his government sweeping powers to crack down on protesters, ban

AP College Football Writer Georgia moved up to No. 2 behind Oregon in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, Texas and Penn State remained in the top five after losing conference championship games, and Arizona State appeared in the top 10 for the first time in a decade. Unbeaten Oregon, with its win over

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Adam Pemble, an Associated Press journalist who covered some of the biggest global news of the past two decades, from earthquakes and conflicts to political summits and elections, has died. He was 52. Pemble died Thursday in Minneapolis surrounded by friends and family after a long battle with cancer. Known

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Half a century of rule by the Assad family in Syria has crumbled with astonishing speed. It has been less than two weeks since insurgents burst out of a rebel-held enclave and converged on the capital, Damascus, taking city after city in a matter of days. Opposition forces led by

Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt did in 1906 what Congress was unwilling to do through legislation: He used his new authority under the Antiquities Act to designate Devils Tower in Wyoming as the first national monument. Then came Antiquities Act protections for the Petrified Forest in Arizona, Chaco Canyon and

Associated Press FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — Just off a state highway in New Jersey, one of the largest statues of the Buddha in the United States appears unexpectedly in the middle of a backyard. It rises 30 feet high from the woods in Franklin Township, near Princeton, where it was built a decade ago

Associated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of members of associate bodies of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have marched toward the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh’s capital to denounce attacks on a diplomatic mission and alleged desecration of Bangladeshi flags in India. The protests on Sunday came a day before India’s foreign secretary is due

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. “Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the

AP National Writer The new, 12-team College Football Playoff brings with it a promise to be bigger, more exciting, more lucrative. Perfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad that finished with

Associated Press BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu has protested outside a closed polling station against a top court’s unprecedented decision to annul the first round of the vote in which he emerged as the frontrunner. The Constitutional Court on Friday canceled the election after a trove of declassified intelligence alleged

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta has appointed a new prime minister, a day after dissolving the government without providing any reason. Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, until now communications minister and spokesperson of the government, will be the West African country’s new prime minister, junta leader Ibrahim Traore said in a

Associated Press ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama is set to return to office in the West African nation’s presidential election after the ruling party candidate conceded defeat. Voters apparently vented their anger at the government’s handling of the economy. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia was running as the flagbearer of the

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera museum, conceived under Napoleon as a “little Louvre,” is finally getting a modern art addition first envisioned more than 50 years ago with the opening Sunday of Palazzo Citterio. Completing the project long beset by shifting priorities, neglect and an ill-fated architectural vision was a priority

Associated Press DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally, Russian media said Sunday, hours after a stunning rebel advance seized control of Damascus and ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire and

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe’s economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Notre Dame Cathedral has hosted its first Mass since the catastrophic fire of 2019. The moment transcended religious significance to become a powerful symbol of Paris’ resilience. For Catholics, it marks the revival of the city’s spiritual heart. For the world, it signals the rebirth of one of humanity’s most

Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Shortly after Donald Trump’s win in last month’s U.S. election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to congratulate the president-elect: “History’s greatest comeback!” he gushed. If Trump’s staunchly pro-Israel first term and his nominations for top administration positions are any indication, Netanyahu’s glee is justified. But much has

Associated Press IZIUM, Ukraine (AP) — Hopes for victory, a swift end to the war and prayers for their loved ones’ survival or return from Russian captivity are among the wishes scattered throughout letters sent to a volunteer group by Ukrainian children living in frontline areas. While the volunteers, who are named reindeer after the

Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country on Sunday, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. The exit of the 59-year-old Assad stood in stark

HAVANA (AP) — Ernest Hemingway has returned to Cuba… in a way. Eighteen white-bearded men who resemble the late U.S. author arrived in Havana to visit some of his favorite places when he lived on the island decades ago. The members of the Hemingway Look-alike Society on Saturday visited the author’s favorite bar in Havana,

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors on Sunday detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol, making him the first figure detained over the case. The development came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach