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Rescuers dig for survivors of Vanuatu earthquake with no water and unclear death toll

Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Vanuatu’s capital is without water after reservoirs were destroyed by a violent magnitude 7.3 earthquake that wrought havoc on the South Pacific island nation. Rescuers frantically dug through the rubble of collapsed buildings after the quake hit on Tuesday afternoon. The government said Wednesday that there were 14

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Global demand spurring Indonesia’s mining boom comes at a cost for many communities

Associated Press KABAENA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s mining industry is rapidly expanding on demand for the minerals needed to help power the global energy transition, like nickel, cobalt and bauxite. But experts say it’s coming at a cost for thousands of communities across the vast archipelago. On the small island of Kabaena, Indigenous villagers are

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Biathlon official apologizes to athletes who have suffered mistreatment

Associated Press The secretary general of the International Biathlon Union apologized to any athlete who was mistreated during his tenure at U.S. Biathlon while speaking to a 90-minute meeting Tuesday that focused on concerns about athlete safety brought to light by multiple Associated Press reports. “I appreciate anyone who comes forward with issues, especially issues

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A new neutrino detector in China aims to spot mysterious ghost particles lurking around us

Associated Press KAIPING, China (AP) — Underneath a granite hill in southern China, a massive detector is nearly complete that will sniff out the mysterious ghost particles lurking around us. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory will soon begin the difficult task of spotting neutrinos: tiny cosmic particles with a mind-bogglingly small mass. The detector is

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Indiana law shrouds executions in secrecy, prompting new pushes for public oversight

Associated Press From public hangings in the town square to lethal injections witnessed by journalists, executions historically have mostly been carried out with at least some public scrutiny. Indiana was expected to again diverge from that tradition Wednesday, until state prison officials granted Joseph Corcoran ‘s request to include a reporter among those witnessing his

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Ontario’s premier says Trump’s tariffs would be a disaster for US markets

Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — The premier of Canada’s most populous province says President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on all Canadian products would be a “disaster” that would hurt U.S. stock markets. Ontario Premier Doug Ford also said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday that he’s “extremely worried”

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New York prosecutors may have trouble proving first-degree murder charge against Luigi Mangione, legal experts say

CNN By Emma Tucker, CNN (CNN) — The indictment of UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect Luigi Mangione on suspicion of murder as an act of terrorism involved multiple factors, prosecutors say, including a “frightening, well-planned, targeted” killing, as well as an outpouring of praise for the suspect and the tangible fear reported by executives since the

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Grubhub to pay $25M in deceptive practices settlement with Illinois attorney general and the FTC

AP Political Writer SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Grubhub Inc. will pay $25 million to settle a dispute over alleged deceptive business practices with the Illinois attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission. Attorney General Kwame Raoul said Tuesday that consumer complaints prompted the investigation with the FTC. Chicago-based Grubhub is an online food ordering and

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‘Vanderpump Rules’ star James Kennedy says he’s committed to change after domestic violence arrest

AP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Vanderpump Rules” star James Kennedy says he is determined to make changes and seek sobriety after he was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence for allegedly throwing his girlfriend to the ground. “I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life,” he said Tuesday via Instagram,

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Brazilian Santa swaps sleigh for Jet Ski to deliver toys — and joy — to disabled children in Rio

Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Dozens of children with disability gathered on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach on Tuesday to receive presents — and joy — from the white-bearded man, a joint effort by the city’s firefighters and nonprofit associations. Under 27 Celsius degrees weather, firefighter sargeant Thiago Carvalho de Paiva wore Santa

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Attack on 2 apparent Venezuelan migrants in Denver area seems gang-related, police chief says

Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Police say over a dozen people tied up and terrorized a man and woman at a crime-riddled suburban Denver apartment in what’s being described as an apparent gang-related attack on two Venezuelan immigrants. Authorities say the apartment complex was the scene of a viral video that led now President-elect Donald Trump to

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More world leaders from Argentina and El Salvador invited to Trump’s inauguration

Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — More world leaders are confirming they have been invited to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Argentine President Javier Milei is disclosing his plans to travel to Washington. That breaks an American political tradition with foreign heads of state attending the transfer of power. Milei’s spokesman Manuel Adorni told journalists

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A couple hundred North Korean troops killed, wounded in battles with Ukrainian forces

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A couple hundred North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine have been killed or wounded during battle in the Kursk border region, a senior military official said Tuesday. The official didn’t provide details on exactly how many have been killed, but said the North Korean forces don’t appear

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NASA’s 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March

AP Aerospace Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two stuck astronauts just got their space mission extended again. That means they won’t be back on Earth until spring, 10 months after rocketing into orbit on Boeing’s Starliner capsule. NASA announced the latest delay in Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ homecoming on Tuesday. The two

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Police dig into how and why a 15-year-old got a gun used to kill 2 people and injure several others at her Christian school

WISC, CNN By Karina Tsui, Holly Yan and Nicole Chavez, CNN (CNN) — The pre-Christmas buzz and serene sense of safety at a Wisconsin private school were shattered when a student pulled out a gun and opened fire – killing two people, wounding six others and devastating a bewildered community. Now, investigators are digging into

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Hannah Kobayashi says she was ‘unaware’ of frenzy over her disappearance

By Artemis Moshtaghian and Caroll Alvarado, CNN (CNN) — Hannah Kobayashi, the Hawaii woman whose disappearance last month sparked a weekslong search complete with grainy surveillance images and tearful family, says she was unaware of “everything that was happening” while she was out of touch. Kobayashi arrived at Los Angeles International Airport from Maui on

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‘Emilia Pérez’ and ‘Wicked’ advance in Oscars shortlists

AP Film Writer The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled shortlists in 10 categories, including for documentary, international feature and best song and score. Two musicals, “Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked,” were well represented Tuesday. Netflix’s audacious transgender drug-lord drama “Emilia Pérez” was most named, advancing in international feature, original score, two original

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Car crashes in foggy weather injure 33 people and force bridge near New Orleans to close for hours

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Several people in southeast Louisiana have been injured after foggy conditions contributed to several car crashes that forced the closure of the 24-mile-long bridge connecting the south and north shores of Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain. Carlton Dufrechou, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway’s general manager, says both spans of the bridge were closed just

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Trump sues Des Moines Register, pollster for ‘election interference’ after pre-election poll

AP Media Writer President-elect Donald Trump sued the Des Moines Register and its pollster for “brazen election interference” in publishing a survey the weekend before the election that showed Democrat Kamala Harris with a surprising lead of three percentage points in the state. The Register’s parent Gannett Co. on Tuesday dismissed the lawsuit as meritless

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Energy chief Granholm warns against ‘unfettered exports’ of liquefied natural gas

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says the incoming Trump administration should proceed cautiously as it considers proposals for new natural gas export terminals. Granholm warns that “unfettered exports” of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could raise wholesale domestic prices by more than 30% and increase planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Granholm’s statement

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MLB study: Velocity, max efforts likely causing pitching injuries; rule changes should be considered

AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A yearlong study by Major League Baseball has concluded rising velocities, pitch shaping and emphasis on maximum effort are the likely causes of the vast increase in pitcher injuries and recommended exploring rules changes to address the problem. The 62-page report says the trends extend to high school

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Harassment investigation clears Navajo president and stokes new wave of political upheaval

Associated Press SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Political turmoil erupted within one of the largest Native American tribes in the U.S. as the attorney general for the Navajo Nation announced that an investigation had cleared the tribal president of sexual harassment allegations by the vice president. Even as results of the investigation were announced Monday,

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US to pay nearly $116M to settle lawsuits over rampant sexual abuse at California women’s prison

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government will pay nearly $116 million to resolve lawsuits brought by more than 100 women who say they were abused or mistreated at a now-shuttered federal prison in California that was known as the “rape club” because of rampant staff-on-inmate sexual misconduct. Under settlements approved Tuesday, the

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Police dig into how and why a 15-year-old got a gun used to kill 2 people and injure several others at her Christian school

By Karina Tsui, Holly Yan and Nicole Chavez, CNN (CNN) — The pre-Christmas buzz and serene sense of safety at a Wisconsin private school were shattered when a student pulled out a gun and opened fire – killing two people, wounding six others and devastating a bewildered community. Now, investigators are digging into how and

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Family of ‘Cop City’ activist who was killed by troopers files lawsuit

Associated Press/Report for America DECATUR, Ga. (AP) — The family of an environmental activist shot and killed by state troopers near the site of a planned Atlanta-area police and firefighter training center activists call “Cop City” has filed a lawsuit against three law enforcement officers. Manuel Paez Terán’s family says state troopers used excessive force

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Iran pauses the process to implement a new, stricter headscarf law for women, official says

Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian official says authorities have paused the process of implementing a new, stricter law on women’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab. The legislation, which was approved by the parliament in September 2023, won’t be sent to the government to enact. The surprise development means the legislation was halted, at

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Stellantis pledges invest $2.1 million in Italian production in 2025 during talks with government

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — The Stellantis automaker has pledged to invest 2 billion euros or $2.1 billion in Italian production next year and spend another 6 billion euros or $6.3 billion in the supply chain. The head of European operations for the world’s fifth-largest carmaker made the pledge during a meeting with Italian ministers,

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Trump’s lawyers allege juror misconduct in latest bid to get his hush money conviction dismissed

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers are raising a new claim in their fight to overturn his hush money conviction, alleging that the historic verdict was tainted by juror misconduct. But prosecutors contend that the allegations in a defense court filing made public Tuesday are “unsworn, unsupported” hearsay and part of

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Georgian police open criminal negligence case after 12 found dead at ski resort restaurant

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Police in Georgia have launched a criminal negligence investigation after 12 people were found dead at an Indian restaurant in the country’s ski resort of Gudauri. The victims, who are believed to have worked at the restaurant, were found in dormitories on the restaurant’s second floor, Georgia’s Interior Ministry said in

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Archivist says Equal Rights Amendment can’t be certified as Democrats push Biden to recognize it

AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — The archivist and deputy archivist of the United States have issued a rare joint statement to say that the 1970s-era Equal Rights Amendment cannot be certified without further action by Congress or the courts. Tuesday’s statement comes as Democrats press President Joe Biden to act unilaterally on its

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Congress unveils funding deal with more than $100 billion in disaster aid

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in emergency aid to help states and local communities recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters. The measure would prevent a partial government

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Pennsylvania jail confiscated inmates’ toilet paper and soap, cut power and heat, a lawsuit alleges

Associated Press A Pennsylvania jail is facing accusations it retaliated against inmates suspected of smoking synthetic marijuana by withholding necessities like toilet paper, soap and warm clothing. The suit also alleges the jail cut power and heat to the inmates. Inmates at Dauphin County Prison accuse top jail officials in a federal lawsuit of waging

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Lawsuit accuses State Department of creating loopholes for Israel on military aid and human rights

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has carved out loopholes for Israel that give the close American ally a pass on U.S. law that restricts aid to foreign militaries over human rights abuses, a lawsuit from a group of Palestinians in Gaza and American relatives asserts Tuesday. Former State Department officials and crafters

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The killing of a Russian general is one of several that Moscow blames on Ukraine

Associated Press Ukraine’s Security Service has claimed responsibility for killing Lt. General Igor Kirillov, head of the military’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, in a bombing in Moscow. Kirillov, 54, was killed Tuesday alongside his assistant, Ilya Polikarov. An official with the SBU said the agency was behind the attack. The official, who spoke on condition

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Judge allows testing of tissue samples from George Floyd as officer who killed him seeks new trial

Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge has granted permission to lawyers for Derek Chauvin to have samples from George Floyd examined as part of the former Minneapolis police officer’s efforts to challenge his conviction on a federal civil rights charge stemming from Floyd’s death in 2020. The U.S. district judge agreed Monday to let

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Netanyahu says Israeli troops will occupy a buffer zone inside Syria for the foreseeable future

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israeli forces will stay in a buffer zone on the Syrian border, seized after the ouster of Syria’s President Bashar Assad, until another arrangement is in place “that ensures Israel’s security.” Netanyahu made the comments from the summit of Mount Hermon — the

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Son-in-law of top foe of Venezuela’s president sentenced to 30 months on money laundering charge

Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — The son-in-law of a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a vast bribery conspiracy to siphon $1.2 billion from the state-owned oil company, some of which allegedly landed into accounts controlled by President Nicolás Maduro’s stepsons. Fernando

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Conor McGregor says he’s in negotiations with Logan Paul for boxing exhibition in India

Conor McGregor says he’s in negotiations to fight Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. McGregor said early Tuesday morning on social media he’s in “preliminary agreements” with the family of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani to fight Paul. “I have agreed,” McGregor said. McGregor also said that rumors of a potential bout with Ultimate

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Montana judge blocks rule that prevented transgender people from changing their sex on documents

Associated Press HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A state judge in Montana has temporarily blocked policies that prevented transgender people from changing the sex designation on their birth certificates and driver’s licenses. District Judge Mike Menahan issued his order Monday, blocking the rule while the case moves through the courts. The state had argued that sex

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Pakistani air ambulance delivers medicines to violence-hit district as roads remain closed

Associated Press PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani charity has used an air ambulance to deliver medicines to a northwestern region where a doctor said 29 children had died in the past two months. The deaths were blamed on roadblocks that have prevented life-saving supplies from reaching Kuram district following sectarian clashes. Air ambulances are

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Indiana carries out first execution in 15 years, putting inmate with paranoid schizophrenia to death for quadruple murder

By Dakin Andone, John Fritze and Hanna Park, CNN (CNN) — Joseph Corcoran, who was convicted of a quadruple homicide in 1997, was executed in Indiana early Wednesday, state prison officials announced, marking the state’s first execution in 15 years. Corcoran, 49, was pronounced dead at 12:44 a.m., the Indiana Department of Corrections said in

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Germany’s election contenders set out contrasting plans to revive the economy, reduce migration

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — Leading contenders in Germany’s upcoming election have presented their programs, setting out contrasting visions of how to put new vigor into Europe’s biggest economy and tackle other issues such as migration. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a center-left Social Democrat, will seek a second term in the parliamentary election expected on Feb.

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AP’s top music documentaries of 2024: Taylor Swift, ABBA, the Boss and more — and where to watch

AP Music Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Here are some of The Associated Press’ favorite music documentaries of the year — in no particular order — along with where to find them. AP Music Writer Maria Sherman selections include: “Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.,” “The Beach Boys,” “Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood,” “Road Diary: Bruce

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