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Transgender-rights advocates say the election of Trump and his allies marks a major setback

AP National Writer Election victories for Donald Trump and other candidates whose campaigns demeaned transgender people reinforced a widespread backlash against trans rights. For America’s LGBTQ-rights movement, it adds up to one of the most sustained setbacks in its history. For transgender Americans, it’s personal. There is palpable fear of potential Trump administration steps to

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Biden praises cooperation at meeting with South Korean, Japanese leaders amid North Korea worries

Associated Press LIMA, Peru (AP) — President Joe Biden praised the cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the U.S. at countering what he described as North Korea’s “dangerous and destabilizing cooperation with Russia.” Biden spoke at the start of a meeting Friday in Peru with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

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Workers at Canada’s national postal service go on strike Friday, disrupting deliveries

TORONTO (AP) — Workers at Canada’s national postal service are on strike after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with Canada Post. Canadian Union of Postal Workers says approximately 55,000 workers are striking, claiming little progress has been made in the bargaining process. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier

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Police and protesters clash in Georgia’s separatist Abkhazia region over pro-Moscow property measure

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Protesters opposing a measure allowing Russians to buy property in the Georgian territory of Abkhazia stormed the separatist republic’s parliament building and clashed with police. News reports said eight people were injured in the melee in the regional capital of Sukhumi. Protesters rammed a gate with a truck and streamed into

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Italian hotel manager rejects Israeli couple’s reservation, accusing Israeli people of ‘genocide’

Associated Press ROME (AP) — The manager of a small hotel in northern Italy has refused a reservation made by a couple of Israeli tourists and accused Israeli people of being “responsible for genocide.” Jewish groups decried the incident as an example of antisemitism. The couple had booked two nights for the beginning of November

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Malaysia protests new Philippine maritime laws that it says infringe on its territory

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia has protested new maritime laws in the Philippines that it says encroach on its territory. Deputy Foreign Minister Mohamad Alamin said Friday that Malaysia sent a protest note over the Philippine laws. He said experts found reference documents related to the laws restated Manila’s long-standing claim over the oil-rich

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Cyprus in talks with Gulf energy companies over natural gas licences, president says

Associated Press NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cypriot authorities are in talks with major energy companies from Persian Gulf states over potential natural gas reserves off the Mediterranean country’s southern coastline, President Nikos Christodoulides told an energy conference Friday. He said the discussion with the unidentified companies are in connection with some of Cyprus’ 13 areas,

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Senegal enters last day of tense campaign ahead of key legislative election

Associated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Politicians in Senegal are wrapping up a tense electoral campaign ahead of a key legislative election this weekend that’s set to determine if the country’s newly-elected president can carry out ambitious reforms. Voters in Senegal will on Sunday choose 165 lawmakers in Senegal’s assembly, where the party of President

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The last actions the Biden administration will take before Trump takes over the White House

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Biden administration officials are working against the clock doling out billions in grants and taking other steps to try to preserve at least some of the outgoing president’s legacy before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. “Let’s make every day count,” President Joe Biden said in an address to

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Police make 2 arrests after brief fan-fight at high-security France-Israel soccer match

PARIS (AP) — Paris police made two arrests after a brief fan-fight at a Nations League soccer game between France and Israel. Police chief Laurent Nunez said Friday that stadium stewards “immediately contained” the scuffle inside the Stade de France national arena on Thursday night. Speaking to broadcaster France 2, Nunez said: “We were extremely

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A Croatian corruption investigation snares the health minister and several others

Associated Press ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s health minister and several others were detained on Friday on suspicion of corruption as part of an investigation launched by the European prosecutor’s office. Minister Vili Beroš, the directors of two hospitals in the capital Zagreb and two companies are suspected of “accepting and giving bribes, abuse of

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Frustration grows at fossil fuel influence and structure of UN climate talks. Some call for reform

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Good or bad, the United Nations climate negotiations process itself became the focus of the international talks that aim to curb warming from coal, oil and natural gas. Environmental advocates released reports Friday decrying fossil fuel industry influence at the climate talks called COP29. At the same time, a

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South Korean opposition leader gets a suspended jail term for violating election law

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court has handed opposition leader Lee Jae-myung a suspended prison sentence after finding him guilty of violating election law. The court said Friday that he made false statements while denying corruption allegations during his presidential campaign. If it stands, the ruling could significantly shake up

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Trump’s pick of Rubio as America’s top diplomat could reshape US policy in Latin America

Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Sen. Marco Rubio to become U.S. secretary of state is likely to jolt Latin America after decades of neglect from Washington. Rubio’s interest in Latin America stems from his Cuban heritage and he has acquired unmatched personal relationships and knowledge of the region while serving

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Trump wants to end ‘wokeness’ in education. He has vowed to use federal money as leverage

AP Education Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s vision for education revolves around a single goal: to rid America’s schools of perceived “ wokeness ” and “left-wing indoctrination.” The president-elect wants to forbid classroom lessons on gender identity and structural racism. He wants to abolish diversity and inclusion offices. He wants to keep transgender athletes

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As airlines avoid Israel, UAE’s FlyDubai and Etihad keep up flights for both diplomacy and dollars

Associated Press BEN GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Israel (AP) — At Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport, more than a year of war has taken its toll. Global airlines have canceled flights, gates are empty and pictures of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip guide the few arriving passengers to baggage claim. But one check-in desk

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Clean energy could create millions of tons of waste in India. Some are working to avoid that

Associated Press KENCHANAHALLI, India (AP) — On the edges of a dense forest in southern India, six women in a small garage are busy stitching cloth bags, pants, hospital gowns and office uniforms with automated sewing machines. About four years ago, power cuts constantly interrupted their work. Heavy rain disrupted transmission lines and air conditioners

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APEC leaders hold Lima summit as Trump prepares to return to office

Associated Press LIMA, Peru (AP) — Leaders of Pacific Rim countries including the U.S. and China have gathered in Peru for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, the first major global summit since U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory. The annual gathering brings together countries and members that jointly account for almost two-thirds of global GDP

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Party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning president wins two-thirds majority in parliament

Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The party of Sri Lanka’s new Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won a two-thirds majority in parliament, according to official election results Friday, providing a strong mandate for his program for economic revival. Dissanayake’s National People’s Power Party won 159 of the 225 seats, according to the Elections

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Navy didn’t understand well-documented risks posed by Hawaii fuel tanks, watchdog says

Associated Press HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. military watchdog says Navy officials lacked sufficient understanding of the risks of maintaining massive fuel storage tanks on top of a drinking water well at Pearl Harbor where spilled jet fuel poisoned more than 6,000 people. The Defense Department’s inspector general says this inadequate awareness came even though

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Japan’s economy grows for a second straight quarter on the back of consumer spending

AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s economy eked out an annual rate of 0.9% growth in the July-September quarter as consumer spending held up. Government data showed Friday that the world’s fourth-largest economy grew 0.2% in the fiscal second quarter, marking the second straight quarter of expansion. Seasonally adjusted gross domestic product, or GDP,

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With Peru in the global spotlight for APEC, so is one of the world’s least popular presidents

Associated Press LIMA, Peru (AP) — The high-profile Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima has thrust one of the world’s least popular presidents into the limelight. It’s not just that Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has never before rolled out the red carpet for powerful leaders like U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social media to protect them from harm has won almost universal political support. But keeping them off social media looks far more difficult in practical terms. Experts in technology and child welfare called the 16-year age limit “too blunt” to work

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Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal

Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The banker who prosecutors say helped Alex Murdaugh move millions of dollars around to avoid detection of his thefts in exchange for a share of the money has had his conviction and seven-year prison sentence overturned on appeal. A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the judge trying Russell

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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down at end of academic year

CHICAGO (AP) — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones plans to resign at the end of the academic year. The Chicago Tribune reports that university officials made the announcement on Wednesday. Jones has served as chancellor at the state’s flagship university since 2016. He is the school’s first Black chancellor and led the university

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Chinese and Philippine forces again avoid a clash in a fiercely disputed shoal under a rare deal

Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine navy has transported food and other supplies to a territorial ship outpost in a shoal in the South China Sea without any confrontation with Chinese forces guarding the area. The Philippine delivery of supplies and military personnel to the Second Thomas Shoal was the third such trip

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In an AP interview, the next Los Angeles DA says he’ll go after low-level nonviolent crimes

Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — The incoming district attorney for Los Angeles County, Nathan Hochman, says in an interview with The Associated Press that his first task in office is to eliminate the “pro-criminal blanket policies” of one of California’s most high-profile progressive prosecutors, George Gascón. That means bringing back gang-related sentencing enhancements and

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Kentucky governor says investigators will determine what caused deadly Louisville factory explosion

Associated Press LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s governor says investigators will find out what caused a deadly explosion that ripped apart a Louisville factory. The blast at Givaudan Sense Colour on Tuesday killed two workers, injured 11 other employees and caused a partial collapse of the plant. It produces colorings for food and drinks. Neighbors

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Judge hears case over Montana rule blocking trans residents from changing sex on birth certificate

Associated Press HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A state judge in Montana has heard arguments over policies that block transgender people from changing the sex designation on their birth certificates and driver’s licenses. District Court Judge Mike Menahan did not immediately rule after Thursday’s hearing on a request for a preliminary injunction to block the rules

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Attorneys say accused shooter in 2022 July 4th parade shooting denied lawyer during police interview

Associated Press WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — Defense attorney allege that the man accused of killing seven people at a 2022 Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago was denied his constitutional right to legal representation while being interrogated by police hours after the shooting. Authorities have said Robert Crimo III confessed to the shooting that also

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Trump rewards legal defense team, picks lawyer Todd Blanche as No. 2 Justice official

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Todd Blanche, an attorney who led the legal team that defended the Republican at his hush money criminal trial, to serve as the second-highest ranking Justice Department official. Trump made the announcement Thursday. A former federal prosecutor, Blanche has been a key figure on Trump’s

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What to know about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for health secretary

Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump has picked a prominent vaccine skeptic to lead the nation’s sprawling public health apparatus. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promoted claims about vaccines that contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientists. Even before Trump was elected, Kennedy said he would recommend water agencies stop adding fluoride to drinking water. Fluoride strengthens

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long record of promoting anti-vaccine views

Associated Press Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was building up a following with his anti-vaccine nonprofit group, Children’s Health Defense, and becoming one of the world’s most influential spreaders of fear and distrust around vaccines. Now, President-elect Donald Trump says he will nominate Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and

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Ex-Phoenix Suns employee files racial discrimination, retaliation lawsuit against the team

AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — A former Phoenix Suns employee is suing the team, alleging racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation that led to her termination. Andrea Trischan says in the lawsuit filed Wednesday that “potential financial misconduct” and sexual misconduct also took place by team employees. Trischan was the franchise’s manager of diversity, equity

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Advance Auto Parts is closing hundreds of stores in an effort to turn its business around

NEW YORK (AP) — Advance Auto Parts is closing more than 500 stores and shedding another 200 independent locations. The announcement came as the struggling car parts retailer posted disappointing quarterly results. North Carolina-based Advance Auto says its reducing its U.S. footprint as part of wider turnaround efforts. It’s shuttering a total of 523 of

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Judge weighs the merits of a lawsuit alleging ‘Real Housewives’ creators abused a cast member

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The lawyer for a former cast member of the “Real Housewives of New York” told a federal judge Thursday that the First Amendment cannot shield the show’s creators from a lawsuit alleging that the show’s participants were subjected to a “rotted workplace culture.” Attorney Sarah Matz said the lawsuit

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Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation

Associated Press MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued the first round of permits allowing Enbridge to reroute an aging pipeline around a tribal reservation. About 12 miles (19 kilometers) of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline runs through the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation. The tribe sued the

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West Virginia expands education savings account program for military families

Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A program that incentivizes West Virginia families to pull their children out of K-12 public schools by offering them government-funded scholarships to pay for private school or homeschooling is expanding to cover military families that temporarily relocate out of state. The Hope Scholarship Board has to approve a policy

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Rand Paul wants to bring back Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy as a Senate chair

Associated Press Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is preparing to lead the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Paul said Thursday that when he becomes the committee’s chair in January, he intends to immediately take up President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to reinstate a policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in U.S.

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New Pentagon report on UFOs includes hundreds of new incidents but no evidence of aliens

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A new report from the Pentagon has revealed hundreds of new reports of unidentified aircraft and aerial phenomena, but no indications of extraterrestrial life. The review was completed by a Defense Department office tasked with investigating unidentified aerial encounters and reports. In many cases, investigators determined that witnesses misidentified birds,

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What are recess appointments and how could Trump use them to fill his Cabinet?

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is considering recess appointments to skip over Senate confirmations for some of the most powerful positions in the U.S. government. Trump over the weekend demanded that Republican leaders in the Senate agree to allow recess appointments as he fills out his administration. It would be a significant

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Tennessee suspect in dozens of rapes is convicted of producing images of child sex abuse

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man accused in lawsuits of drugging and sexually assaulting dozens of women while police deliberately botched investigations into him has been convicted of producing images of child sexual abuse. Jurors found Sean Williams guilty Thursday on three federal counts related to the images of a 9-month-old, a 4-year-old and

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