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Some exult, others worry: Reactions to Trump’s victory are mixed on NATO’s eastern flank

Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Conservative lawmakers in the Polish parliament exulted at Donald Trump’s victory, standing and applauding while they chanted his name. The prospect of a second Trump term has excited people on the populist right across Central Europe who share his anti-immigrant views and contempt for international organizations. But many others

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Japan’s minister visits Ukraine to stress mutual concern over North Korean troops

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Japan’s foreign minister has arrived in Kyiv to discuss North Korea’s deepening military alliance with Russia, including the deployment of thousands of troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Takeshi Iwaya will meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, on Saturday to reaffirm Japan’s strong support for Ukraine and discuss

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They fled war in Sudan. Now, women in refugee camps say they’re being forced to have sex to survive

Associated Press ADRE, Chad (AP) — Some women who fled the war in Sudan say they face sexual exploitation as refugees in Chad. They say that men in displacement sites — including humanitarian workers and local security forces — have offered them money, easier access to assistance and jobs. Such sexual exploitation during large humanitarian

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Investigation reveals a Russian factory’s plan to mix decoys with a new deadly weapon in Ukraine

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A high-tech factory in central Russia has created a new, deadly force to attack Ukraine: a small number of highly destructive thermobaric drones surrounded by huge swarms of cheap foam decoys. The plan, which Russia dubbed Operation False Target, is intended to force Ukraine to expend scarce resources to

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Operation False Target: How Russia plotted to mix a deadly new weapon among decoy drones in Ukraine

Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At a secretive factory in Russia’s central grasslands, engineers are manufacturing hundreds of decoy drones meant to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses as they try to protect against a horrific new weapon, an Associated Press investigation has found. The plant at Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone recently started churning out thermobaric

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Alaska political leaders hope to see Trump undo restrictions on oil drilling

Associated Press JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Political leaders in Alaska have welcomed President-elect Donald Trump’s pledges to expand oil production. They hope he will undo restrictions imposed by the Biden administration on vast swaths of Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope, as well as pursue drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Biden administration canceled leases

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House elections produced a stalemate. Can Republicans figure out how to work with a thin majority?

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — After one of the most chaotic and least productive U.S. House sessions in modern history, voters made a surprising choice in elections — they overwhelmingly stuck with the status quo. Republicans will hold onto a thin majority in the House. While the chamber’s exact partisan divide is still coming into

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In a meeting with Biden, China’s Xi cautions US to ‘make the wise choice’ to keep relations stable

Associated Press LIMA, Peru (AP) — China’s leader Xi Jinping met for the last time with U.S. President Joe Biden but was already looking ahead to President-elect Donald Trump and his “America first” policies, saying Beijing “is ready to work with a new administration.” The two leaders gathered Saturday on the sidelines of the annual

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All 17 counties in the battleground state of Nevada certify election results

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Election certification meetings in Nevada’s two most populous counties have been roiled by voting conspiracies. But all 17 counties in the battleground state finished certifying results before the Friday statewide deadline. President-elect Donald Trump won Nevada and carried its 15 rural counties. Officials in those counties quietly and unanimously approved election

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AP Race Call: Democrat Jim Costa wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 21st Congressional District

Democratic Rep. Jim Costa won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing California on Friday. Costa was first elected to the U.S. House in 2005 after spending roughly 24 years in the state Legislature. He defended his seat against Republican Michael Maher, who also challenged Costa in 2022. Costa serves on the House Committee on

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AP Race Call: Democrat Jared Golden wins reelection to U.S. House in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Maine on Friday. Golden is one of just a handful of Democratic House members who represents a district that Republican Donald Trump carried in 2020, making his northern Maine seat a key target for Republicans. He faced Republican Austin Theriault, a former NASCAR

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Oregon school board chair resigns, superintendent and principal on leave over sex abuse arrests

ST. HELENS, Ore. (AP) — A school district in northwest Oregon has put its superintendent and high school principal on leave, accepted the school board chair’s resignation and temporarily canceled classes in response to an uproar over the arrests of a teacher and former teacher on sexual abuse charges. The St. Helens Police Department said

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US steps up campaign to transform Kenya-led force in Haiti to a UN peacekeeping force

Associated Press UNITED NATiONS (AP) — The United States has stepped up its campaign to transform the Kenya-led multinational force in Haiti into a U.N. peacekeeping force, spurred by escalating gang violence that shut all air traffic to the capital Port-au-Prince this week. The U.S. proposed a U.N. peacekeeping mission in early September as one way

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In Milei’s latest drastic move, Argentina is sole UN holdout voting ‘no’ to ending gender violence

Associated Press BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The usual suspects abstained from voting on a seemingly uncontroversial United Nations resolution that denounced violence against women and girls on Thursday — Iran, Russia, North Korea. But the country casting the sole vote against the nonbinding resolution, drafted by France and the Netherlands, took the world by

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AP Race Call: Democrat Josh Harder wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 9th Congressional District

Democratic Rep. Josh Harder won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing California on Friday, defeating Republican Kevin Lincoln. Harder, who had been a venture capitalist, was first elected in 2018, when he defeated a four-term GOP incumbent. Lincoln is the mayor of Stockton. Democrats have a voter registration advantage in the 9th Congressional District,

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Democratic Rep. Jared Golden wins through Maine’s ranked choice voting

Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Democratic Rep. Jared Golden has won reelection to Congress. Friday’s outcome marks the third time Golden has won thanks to the lesser choices of some voters under Maine’s ranked choice system. The retabulated votes gave the incumbent Marine Corps veteran a majority over Republican challenger Austin Theriault. The Republican’s

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Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — Sen.-elect Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas; Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Preet Bharara, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. ___ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla. ___ CNN’s

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Ruben Gallego did better than most Democrats. He says his party needs to stoke working class roots

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Incoming Democratic Senator-elect Ruben Gallego of Arizona says building authentic connections with working-class voters can help Democrats find their way back to power in Washington. Gallego did better than other Democrats in this month’s election. He told The Associated Press on Friday that he put a lot of work into

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Court temporarily limits scope of ruling that Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law is unconstitutional

Associated Press NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court has temporarily limited the scope of a ruling that Louisiana’s law requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms next year is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge John deGravelles’ ruling that the law is unconstitutional remains in effect under Friday’s appellate order. However, the

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North Carolina court race is extremely close as counties complete election tallies

Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An already close race for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat reached a razor-thin margin as most counties completed final tallies from the Nov. 5 election. Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs and Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin were essentially even as of Friday night. The margin is within the range

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Here’s how Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promised to remake the nation’s top health agencies

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — If confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would control the world’s largest public health agency, and its $1.7 trillion budget. Kennedy for years has condemned how that agency does business — putting him on a direct collision course with some of the 80,000 scientists, researchers,

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Speaker Johnson says Gaetz ethics report should not be released, rebuffing senators

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson says that he will “strongly request” that the House Ethics Committee not release the results of its investigation into ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz. The move effectively rebuffs senators who are demanding access now that Gaetz is President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Johnson’s intervention is highly

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President of Kentucky plant that exploded says it is ‘accountable’ for neighborhood damages

Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The president of a Kentucky plant that exploded earlier this week says the company is accountable and will pay damages to neighbors affected by the blast. Givaudan Sense Color President Ann Leonard told reporters Friday that the company is “devastated by the accident that happened on Tuesday.” The explosion

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The United Nations faces uncertainty as Trump returns to US presidency

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations and other international organizations are looking at new uncertainties with Donald Trump returning to the White House. The “America First” promoter has long been wary of global institutions and agreements. Experts say his stance on issues like trade, migration, human rights could clash with U.N. priorities.

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Virgin Mary statue, a symbol of resilience, returns to Notre Dame Cathedral 5 years after fire

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — A medieval statue of the Virgin Mary and Child, known as the “Virgin of Paris,” has returned to Notre Dame cathedral, five years after surviving the devastating fire of 2019. A torchlit procession drew thousands of Parisians Friday as Archbishop Laurent Ulrich blessed the intact 14th-century sculpture, now a symbol

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Company announces nearly $712 million project in Kentucky to make batteries used to store energy

Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A battery manufacturer has selected Kentucky for a nearly $712 million project to produce industrial-sized batteries used to store and distribute energy. It is a process officials say is important to help secure a reliable electric grid for the country. Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday the Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing

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Texas inmate Melissa Lucio is ‘actually innocent’ of killing daughter, judge says

Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Efforts to free a Texas woman whose execution was delayed in 2022 amid growing doubts she fatally beat her 2-year-old daughter have received a significant boost. A judge has concluded that Melissa Lucio is “actually innocent” of capital murder and her conviction and death sentence should be overturned. Senior State District Judge

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Outside report calls on UCLA to develop clear plans and policies for major protests

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A law enforcement consulting group says the University of California, Los Angeles should develop clear plans and policies, communication lines and decision-making authority for major protests. The outside review was requested in response to the university’s controversial handling of large student protests against the Israel-Hamas war in late April and May.

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Trump names Interior-designee Doug Burgum to head new White House council on energy

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, his choice to head the Interior Department, will also lead a newly created National Energy Council that will seek to establish U.S. “energy dominance” around the world. Burgum, in his new role, will oversee a panel that crosses all

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Myanmar airstrikes indiscriminately target civilians a rights group says in a new report

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military has consistently targeted civilians and their communities as a form of collective punishment in the country’s southeast since the army seized power in early 2021. That’s according to a rights group’s new report Friday. Documented airstrikes on villages examined by researchers from the Karen Human Rights Group are emblematic of

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Heftier GOP majorities in Arizona Legislature could imperil Democratic governor’s agenda

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs had hoped fellow Democrats would make enough gains during this month’s election to flip one or both chambers of a state Legislature that Republicans narrowly controlled, easing the path for her policy agenda ahead of a 2026 reelection campaign. Instead, the opposite happened. Rather than lose

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Austria says Russia’s Gazprom will cut off natural gas supply this weekend

Associated Press VIENNA (AP) — Austria’s chancellor says Russia’s state-owned natural gas company Gazrom will cut off supplies early Saturday to Austrian utility OMV. Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Friday that his country’s underground gas storage is full and that it has alternative non-Russia supplies. The cutoff follows OMV’s announcement that it would stop paying for

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Regulators approve North Dakota section of planned 5-state Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline

Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Utility regulators in North Dakota have approved part of a carbon dioxide pipeline that would span five Midwestern states. Friday’s decision by the state’s Public Service Commission is a key victory for Summit Carbon Solutions, a company that has faced vociferous landowner objections and various setbacks in its plans.

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Guatemalan court overturns order that freed journalist José Rubén Zamora, orders his return to jail

Associated Press GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A Guatemalan appeals court has overturned the order freeing journalist José Rubén Zamora and ordered his return to jail. Zamora, founder of El Periódico newspaper, had spent more than two years in jail awaiting trial before a judge granted him house arrest in October. Prosecutors appealed the order and

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Missouri officers accused of pulling over women, searching phones for nude pictures

Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Two Missouri police officers were indicted separately this week and accused of similar crimes — pulling over women and searching their phones to find nude photos. The indictments of former Missouri State Highway Patrol officer David McKnight on Tuesday and former Florissant, Missouri, officer Julian Alcala on Wednesday were

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What to stream: ‘The Piano Lesson,’ ‘Wicked’ album, ‘Spellbound’ and ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV series

The animated movie “Spellbound” with a heroine voiced by Rachel Zegler and Denzel Washington’s son Malcolm directing August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” for Netflix are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases. Kim Deal, the center of bands like the Breeders and the Pixies, will release her debut solo album, while in Hulu’s “Interior

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Dutch coalition survives crisis over top official resignation decrying offensive comments

Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government dominated by hard-right leader Geert Wilders looked survive a government crisis that centered on the resignation of the finance state secretary over what she saw as denigrating comments on immigrants after Israeli fans were assaulted after a soccer game in Amsterdam. Wilders blamed Moroccans for

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Police clash with students in Turin as anti-government rallies draw support across Italy

Associated Press ROME (AP) — Students clashed with police during a demonstration in Turin on Friday, as thousands of people took to the streets across Italy to protest against the far-right government of Giorgia Meloni. Fifteen police officers were taken to hospital in Turin following scuffles with demonstrators. Students has organized “No Meloni Day” protests

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Texas high court says execution in ‘shaken baby syndrome’ case can’t be halted by lawmaker subpoena

Associated Press/Report for America AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that a legislative subpoena cannot stop an execution after Republican and Democratic lawmakers who say Robert Roberson is innocent used the novel maneuver to pause his execution at the last minute. The ruling clears the way for Roberson’s execution to

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Belarus has arrested scores of relatives of dissidents ahead of presidential vote, activists say

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities have detained over 100 relatives of political prisoners in a new wave of arrests ahead of January’s election in which authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term. The Viasna human rights center said that the raids began Thursday, targeting relatives and friends of political prisoners in various

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Moody’s downgrades Mexican government’s outlook to ‘negative’ over weakening of judiciary and debt

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president has lashed out at Moody’s ratings service after it downgraded the Mexican government’s debt outlook to “negative.” Moody’s said newly approved laws in Mexico could weaken the judiciary branch and checks and balances. It reaffirmed Mexico’s Baa2 overall credit rating but said increased government debt represented a risk for

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Germany’s Scholz discusses Ukraine with Russia’s Putin in first such call in 2 years

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin leader’s first publicly announced conversation with the sitting head of a major Western power in nearly two years. Scholz urged Putin to be open to negotiations with Ukraine, his office said. The Kremlin leader responded that any

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