AP National

Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova has resurfaced after more than 20 months without any communication with relatives or friends and met with her father, a human rights group said Tuesday. Kolesnikova, one of the most popular and charismatic figures who helped lead protests of Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — French farmers have protested against a trade deal that would increase agricultural imports from South America, saying it hurt their livelihoods. The European Union and the Mercosur trade bloc reached an initial agreement in 2019, but negotiations stumbled amid concern about the use of pesticides in South American produce and

AP Technology Writer Waymo on Tuesday opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles, marking another milestone in the evolution of self-driving car technology since the company began as a secret project at Google 15 years ago. The expansion comes eight months after Waymo began offering rides in Los Angeles

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog will travel to Iran this week to meet with officials including its new president. Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says he hopes the meetings can lead to a breakthrough in monitoring the country’s nuclear program.

Associated Press ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A U.S. jury on Tuesday awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison, holding a Virginia-based military contractor responsible for contributing to their torture and mistreatment two decades ago. The decision from the eight-person jury came after a different jury earlier this year couldn’t

Associated Press STAVANGER, Norway (AP) — In 1965, a Norwegian woman gave birth to a baby girl in a private hospital. Seven days later she returned home with a baby. When the baby developed dark curls that made her look different from herself, Karen Rafteseth Dokken assumed she just took after her husband’s mother. It

Associated Press PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration prohibited U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti for 30 days after gangs shot three planes and the United Nations also Tuesday temporarily suspended flights to Port-au-Prince, limiting humanitarian aid coming into the country. Bullets hit a Spirit Airlines plane when it was about to land

Associated Press SALEM, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey judge has granted prosecutors a 30-day extension in which to bring formal charges against the driver accused of killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, while they were cycling in August. The judge granted the extension for prosecutors to indict Sean M. Higgins

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — A fight among inmates has left 15 dead and 14 injured at Ecuador’s largest prison. The Litoral Penitentiary in the coastal city of Guayaquil has been the site of frequent riots and mass killings. Prison officials provided few details about what triggered the violence Tuesday but said security forces had been

Associated Press OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Canada’s Labor Minister Steven Mackinnon says he is intervening to end lockouts at the country’s two biggest ports after the negotiations reached an impasse. He said he is directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of all operations at the ports of Vancouver and Montreal and

Associated Press BATON ROUGE, LA. (AP) — A new Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public classrooms is “unconstitutional on its face,” a federal judge ruled Tuesday, ordering state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision.

Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — United Nations peacekeepers warned Tuesday that the Israeli military has committed “severe violations” of a cease-fire deal with Syria as its military continues a major construction project along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria. The comments from the U.N. Disengagement Observer

Associated Press ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — My Little Pony finally made it to the winner’s circle. After years as an also-ran, the pastel-colored ponies were enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame on Tuesday, along with Transformers action figures and the Phase 10 card game. The honorees rose to the top in voting by

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday after an investigation found that he failed to tell police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware

AP Sports Writer AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Gerry Faust, the gravel-voiced Cincinnati high school coach who lived a dream by becoming the coach at Notre Dame, has died. He was 89. Notre Dame said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the family confirmed Faust’s death. Faust guided the Fighting Irish from

Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A doctor accused of criticizing Russia’s war in Ukraine in front of a patient was convicted of spreading false information about the military and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. It’s the latest example of an unrelenting Kremlin crackdown on dissent. Dr. Nadezhda Buyanova, 68, was arrested in

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Frank Auerbach, who fled Nazi Germany for Britain as a child and became one of the major artists of the 20th century, has died at age 93. Auerbach’s gallery said on Tuesday the artist died at his home in London the day before. He was born in Berlin in 1931

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has dusted off his golf clubs in an attempt to forge a bond with President-elect Donald Trump, an avid lover of the game. Since his election, Trump’s “America first” approach has raised concerns it could negatively affect the American defense commitment to

Associated Press Vardis J. Vardinoyannis, a powerful and pivotal figure in Greek shipping and energy who survived a terrorist attack and cultivated close ties with the Kennedy family, has died in Athens, aged 90. His death was announced by Motor Oil Hellas, the petroleum company he transformed into one of Greece’s largest corporations. Vardinoyannis embodied

Associated Press LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Officials say worsening air pollution in the past month has sickened an estimated 1.8 million people in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province. Ahsan Riaz, a spokesman for the health department said that most of those people have been suffering from respiratory diseases and burning of eyes. The increasing smog has

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s lower house of parliament has passed final reading of a bill to ban adoption of Russian children by citizens of countries where gender transitioning is legal. It follows an array of measures in recent years suppressing non-traditional sexuality. President Vladimir Putin and other top officials in recent years have increasingly called

ROME (AP) — Italian authorities say a network of European art forgers who painted fake Warhols, Banksys and Picassos and then tried to sell them to unsuspecting buyers with the help of complicit auction houses has been dismantled. Thirty-eight people have been placed under investigation, including six in Spain, France and Belgium. Italian authorities say

Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish police are closing the investigation into the devastating fire that destroyed more than half of Copenhagen’s Old Stock Exchange. Police say that nothing points to it being a criminal act. The Copenhagen police officer in charge of the investigation said Tuesday that “it is not possible to determine

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The nominee for the European Union’s next top diplomat says the bloc must commit to Ukraine for the long-haul even as the war’s costs mount. Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also urged the U.S. to clearly understand China’s role in it. Doubts about the 27-nation EU’s commitment to Ukraine

Love them or hate them, it’s hard to see health savings accounts losing traction any time soon. Used in conjunction with high-deductible healthcare plans, the accounts have been touted as a way to put downward pressure on healthcare costs. Here’s a closer look at how to know if an HSA is subpar, and the best

AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group swung back to profitability in the July-September quarter, boosted by its Vision Fund investments. The Tokyo-based company reported fiscal second-quarter profit of nearly 1.18 trillion yen, or $7.7 billion. SoftBank credited income as coming from royalties and licensing related to its holdings in Arm,

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Oil and natural gas companies for the first time will have to pay a federal fee if they emit dangerous methane above certain levels under a rule being made final by the Biden administration. The Environmental Protection Agency rule follows through on a directive from Congress included in the 2022

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Protests that blocked bridges to the capital of the Russia-backed Georgian separatist region of Abkhazia have ended Tuesday after authorities freed five opposition supporters who were jailed the night before. The unrest was sparked by a parliament session considering ratification of an agreement with Russia that would allow Russians to buy

Associated Press DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A special tribunal in Bangladesh has asked the international police organization Interpol to issue a red notice for the arrest of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in connection with the deaths of hundreds of protesters. Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5 with her close aides and former ministers,

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech power company CEZ on Tuesday reported net profit of 23.4 billion Czech crowns ($984 million) in the first three quarters of the year, 6.4 billion lower than the same period last year. CEZ attributed the 27.3% decline to lower earnings in trading and mining. The company is preparing to build

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — After nearly a decade of negotiations, leaders during the United Nations climate conference’s first day decided on some of the finer points of much-debated sticking point aimed at cutting planet-warming emissions from coal, oil and gas. Known as Article 6, it was set up as part of the 2015

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A former Hong Kong reporter of The Wall Street Journal says she’ll sue the publication for sacking her because she joined a trade union. Selina Cheng lost her job in July after a senior editor told her that her position was eliminated due to restructuring. However, Cheng believed the

Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro says he doesn’t expect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s next administration will demand the Philippines pay more for military protection because both allies face the shared threat of China. Teodoro was speaking at a news conference with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday. The

Associated Press THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch appeals court has overturned a landmark ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. The decision Tuesday was a defeat for the Dutch arm of environmental group Friends of the Earth. It hailed the

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hundreds of survivors of abuse in state, foster and faith-based care arrived at New Zealand’s Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday, each representing thousands more. They came to hear the government formally apologize for the “unimaginable” horrors they suffered as children and vulnerable adults, after a long-running inquiry made

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Mauritius’ opposition coalition has won the country’s election by a landslide. The Alliance for Change coalition took all parliamentarly seats in a major rejection of the country’s current government. Results were released at various constituencies across the country throughout Monday. The ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth failed to get

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that Israel has made some good but limited progress in increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and therefore it will not limit arms transfers to Israel as it had threatened to a month ago if the situation had not improved. Relief groups say

GUWAHATI, India (AP) — Ethnic organizations in parts of India’s violence-wracked northeastern state have shut schools and businesses to protest the killings of 10 people by paramilitary soldiers. The Manipur state police said those killed were “armed militants″ and the soldiers fired on them when they attacked their post near the district town of Jiribam.

Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes killed at least 46 people in the Gaza Strip in the past day, including 11 at a makeshift cafeteria in an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone, medics said. In Lebanon, warplanes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs and killed 33 people elsewhere in the country on Tuesday. The latest

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — World leaders are converging Tuesday at the United Nations annual climate conference in Azerbaijan. The climate talks often have the star power of a soccer World Cup, but many big names and powerful countries are noticeably absent. That includes the top leaders of the 13 largest carbon dioxide-polluting countries.

Associated Press As representatives from nearly 200 countries, along with hundreds of journalists, arrived in Azerbaijan in November for the U.N. climate conference known this year as COP29, they bring with them a level of scrutiny the hosts aren’t accustomed to — and don’t often tolerate. Human rights groups say the government has regularly targeted

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Democrat Ruben Gallego has been elected Arizona’s first Latino U.S. senator. Gallego defeated Republican Kari Lake. Both parties targeted the closely watched race in their quest for a congressional majority. Gallego’s victory continues a string of Democratic successes in a state that was reliably Republican until Donald Trump was elected

AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — John Robinson has died at 89. The veteran football coach enjoyed many years of success at the University of Southern California and with the Los Angeles Rams. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after his two successful tenures with the Trojans. Robinson also

AP Congressional Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that Republicans are “ready to deliver” President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda after his election victory, insisting the GOP won’t make the mistakes of last time and will be much better prepared for a second-term Trump White House. Standing on the steps of the U.S.

Associated Press WINCHESTER, England (AP) — There are now more deer in England than at any other time in the last 1,000 years. Hunters say culling them is a necessity because the population has dramatically multiplied, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s had a devastating impact on woodland and farms. Forestry experts and businesses say

Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — Donald Trump’s first picks for immigration policy jobs spent the last four years angling for this moment. Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan had critical roles in the first Trump administration and are unapologetic defenders of its policies, which included separating thousands of parents from their children at the border

Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — Declassified 1970s-era U.S. spy satellite imagery has led a British-Iraqi archeological team to what they believe is the site of a seventh-century battle that became decisive in the spread of Islam throughout the region. The Battle of al-Qadisiyah was fought in Mesopotamia — in present-day Iraq — in the A.D.

Associated Press OUGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — The last three years have been tough for Fanta Charlotte Dabone, a mother of three from the conflict-battered West African country of Burkina Faso. She fled her village after it was attacked by extremists, leaving her husband and her farm behind. Since then, she has been moving from

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Mauritius’ prime minister says his ruling coalition is set for a “huge defeat” following Sunday’s parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is acknowledging the rejection of the Militant Socialist Movement even as vote-counting continued Monday. Jugnauth has been in office since 2017 and was seeking another five-year term. But his government faced

Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea ratified a major defense treaty with Russia stipulating mutual military aid, the North’s state media reported Tuesday, as the U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. Russia had completed the ratification of

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted lower Tuesday as momentum cooled for the torrid “Trump trade” that swept Wall Street following Donald Trump’s presidential victory. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% a day after setting its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 382 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq

Democratic Rep. Mark Takano won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing California on Monday. Takano defeated Republican David Serpa. The congressman is a long-time incumbent, the ranking member on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and also sits on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Takano was previously a classroom teacher and

Associated Press SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Costa Rica has bestowed its highest diplomatic honor on visiting El Salvador President Nayib Bukele for his success in lowering levels of violence during a more than two-year campaign against powerful street gangs. President Rodrigo Chaves lauded Bukele’s efforts Monday as his own country continues to struggle

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada residents returned to their homes after a wind-whipped wildfire spread quickly near a residential area south of Reno. The blaze Monday destroyed one home and damaged several other buildings. About 200 firefighters aided by light rain quelled flames near the main highway to Lake Tahoe. Roughly 3,000 people were told

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has survived a runoff vote against the opposition but will face turmoil ahead amid anger over the ruling party’s financial scandals. Ishiba was battered in last month’s parliamentary elections, his ruling coalition losing a majority in parliament, less than a month after taking office. He

Associated Press With a record 99 Grammy nominations and acclaim as one of the most influential artists in music history, pop superstar Beyoncé and her expansive cultural legacy will be the subject of a new course at Yale University next year. Titled “Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music,” the

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly are expecting to grow their family. Fox announced her pregnancy in a social media post Monday. She appeared in a photo covered in black ink while holding her baby bump and another of a pregnancy test that said “Yes.” “Nothing is ever really lost. welcome

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Voters in a Southern California city have rejected a measure that would have allowed residents who aren’t U.S. citizens to vote in local elections. The Los Angeles Times reports that Measure DD was rejected by 60% of the voters in Santa Ana, a city of about 310,000 in Orange County

NEW YORK (AP) — Dazzling displays of synchronized lights on the facade of Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store in midtown Manhattan have thrilled holiday visitors for years. But Saks Fifth Avenue said Monday they’re taking a different approach this year. A spokesperson says they will illuminate the facade and frame the holiday windows. The holiday