National-World

CHOWCHILLA, Calif. (AP) — A powerful dust storm known as a haboob caused a vehicle pile-up on a central California highway, sending several people to hospitals with minor injuries, authorities said. An enormous rolling cloud of dust reduced visibility Monday afternoon on State Route 152 in Madera County, causing motorists to crash into one another,

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seems likely to keep alive a class-action lawsuit accusing Nvidia of misleading investors about its dependence on selling computer chips for the mining of volatile cryptocurrency. The justices heard arguments Wednesday in the tech company’s appeal of a lower-court ruling allowing a 2018 suit led by a

AP Film Writer TORONTO (AP) — Karla Sofía Gascón’s performance in “Emilia Pérez” as a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender affirmation surgery to become a woman has brought her global acclaim and set Gascón on a path that may make her the first openly transgender actor ever nominated for an Oscar. “Emilia Pérez,” an

AP Sports Writer The National Basketball Players Association has connected with former Duke star and NBA player Kyle Singler’s family after he said he fears for his life in a cryptic Instagram video he posted. The NBPA said it offers support to all current and former members. The 36-year-old Singler spoke slowly and was shirtless

Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria has inked a $1.2 billion deal with a Chinese firm to revitalize a gas processing facility, a move that officials say could propel the African country to a leading position in aluminum production. The deal between the Chinese state-owned CNCEC and the BFI Group, a major investor in

MADRID (AP) — New storms in Spain have caused school closures and train cancellations two weeks after flash floods in Valencia and other areas killed more than 220 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Coastal areas of Valencia have been placed under the highest alert as forecasters say up to 7 inches of rain could

AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Wow, much bull market. Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency whose mascot is a super-cute dog that muses things like “much wow,” has been racing higher in value since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week. It got another bump after Trump named Tesla’s Elon Musk as one of the

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced he will ask for a vote of confidence in December, setting the path for an early election in February. His three-party coalition government collapsed last week when Scholz fired the finance minister following disagreements over how to revive the shrinking economy. Here are five things to

NEW DELHI (AP) — An association of editors and rights groups has condemned a decision by Bangladesh’s interim government to cancel press accreditations for 167 journalists, calling it a threat to press freedom in the country. The move to cancel accreditations has added to concerns over press freedom and harassment of journalists following the ouster

NEW YORK (AP) — James Patterson’s latest philanthropic project marks a deepening of ties to his undergraduate alma mater. The bestselling author is teaming with Manhattan University on the James Patterson Honors Program, which has a mission to “provide a strong foundation in critical thinking, writing, and creative problem-solving to prepare top students for fulfilling

Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rapper Nelly won’t face drug charges following his arrest this summer at a St. Louis-area casino, a prosecutor said. “We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday. Nelly, 49, whose birth name

Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — The process of vetting candidates for some of the European Union’s top jobs has bogged down in acrimony. The biggest political faction in the bloc’s parliament, the European People’s Party, is accused by critics of collaborating with the hard right. Senior lawmakers have been questioning the 26 new members of

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Daniele Rustioni will become just the third principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in its nearly century-and-a-half history, leading at least two productions each season starting in 2025-26 as a No. 2 to music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Rustioni agreed to a three-year term. He is to helm revivals

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s trade minister says Turkey expects to be offered “partner country” status with the BRICS bloc of developing economies. The state-run Anadolu Agency quoted his remarks during a parliamentary committee meeting. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the bloc’s summit in Russia last month. Turkey requested to join the group as a

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia’s mass transit system is proposing a 21.5% fare increase starting New Year’s Day and also considering severe service cuts that would take effect in the summer. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority announced its plans Tuesday and scheduled a Dec. 13 public hearing on its proposal. If approved by SEPTA’s board, riders

Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The father of imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova says she’s considering asking authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko for a pardon after more than four years behind bars. Alexander Kolesnikov spoke to The Associated Press a day after seeing his daughter at a prison near Gomel where the 42-year-old musician-turned-activist

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A tribunal in Argentina has upheld a six-year sentence term and lifetime ban from holding public office sentence against former President Cristina Fernández, a dominant political leader in recent years in the South American country. Fernández was convicted and sentenced in 2022 for a fraud scheme that embezzled millions of

Associated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus said that leaders shouldn’t be negotiating at United Nations climate talks this year, with countries responsible for warming up the planet instead just providing the funds to deal with the global crisis. Yunus was chosen to head Bangladesh’s interim government after the nation’s longtime

NEW YORK (AP) — Disruptions to Amtrak service on the Northeast corridor are continuing due to a fire near a train route in New York City. Service between New York and New Haven, Connecticut, remains suspended and passengers are advised to take Metro-North. Railroad officials said Tuesday night that they expected normal service to resume

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Nearly $1 billion in donations were pledged within days of the fire that ravaged Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral five years ago. The restoration chief Philippe Jost says 140 million euros, or around $148 million, still remains from the unprecedented outpouring of funds. The surplus, sourced from both billionaire benefactors and

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s royal court says it will phase out a labeling system dating to the 1800s that grants companies the right to use the image of the Danish crown on their letterhead, packaging and labels. The palace says the five-year renewable designations, including “Holder of the Royal Warrant” and “By Appointment to

Associated Press Democratic governors and attorneys general are set to reprise their roles in battling President-elect Trump’s policies. They’re preparing for a tougher legal environment than they faced when he first took office eight years ago. Democratic attorneys general back then sued over Trump’s policies scores of times and had success in the courts, especially

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The only Church of England bishop to publicly demand the resignation of former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says his departure wasn’t enough to solve the church’s “profound failure” in safeguarding vulnerable people or ease the trauma suffered by victims of abuse. The 68-year-old Welby stepped down Tuesday after an

AP Sports Writer Seventy years since the last professional women’s baseball league, another one hopes to give women a chance to shine in baseball. The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is set to launch in 2026, the first professional women’s baseball league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League dissolved in 1954. Heightened interest in

Associated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Niger’s military junta has banned the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, or Acted, from working in the country amid tensions with France. The Ministry of the Interior signed a decree on Tuesday withdrawing the nonprofit organization’s licence to operate, without providing reasons for the decision.

Associated Press Aprons have their fans any time of year, but they especially go with Thanksgiving. For many people, aprons conjure up memories of family members cooking up a storm in the kitchen. For modern cooks, they can inspire confidence that you really can create something special for the holiday. Aprons carry all kinds of

AP Film Writer James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are being honored Sunday with an honorary Oscar. The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award celebrating producers is rarely given out, only 39 have been bestowed since its inception in 1937. But this honor is especially meaningful for the siblings: Their father, the late

Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain’s waterways, has died, He was 90. In a statement Wednesday, his children said that

Associated Press MILAN (AP) — Global sales of personal luxury goods are forecast to shrink next year for the first time since the Great Recession in 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to a new study by the Bain consultancy. It forecasts a 2% slowdown next year due to global turmoil and steep price

Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that he will ask for a vote of confidence on Dec. 16, paving the way for early parliamentary elections in February. He declared his plans during a speech in parliament, a week after his three-party coalition government collapsed. Germany has been governed since 2021

Edmunds The end of the year is often the best time to buy a car.  To help get the best deal, Edmunds editors analyzed thousands of new-car transactions to find five of the vehicles most likely to produce great deals at the end of 2024. They include the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford Edge, GMC Terrain,

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is recalling nearly 462,000 pickup trucks and big SUVs with diesel engines because the rear wheels can lock up, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall in the U.S. covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2020 through 2022 model years. Also

Associated Press ROME (AP) — Italy’s president has sharply rebuked Elon Musk. President Sergio Mattarella issued an unusually piqued statement on Wednesday following Musk’s weighing in on Italian court rulings that have stymied the government’s plans to process some asylum-seekers in Albania. Musk wrote earlier that the court rulings were unacceptable and that “these judges

BANGKOK (AP) — In case you can’t get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there’s now an official song featuring the internet’s favorite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans. The upbeat 50-second song “Moodeng Moodeng,” available in Thai, English, Chinese and Japanese versions, features simple lyrics

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A court in Greenland has again decided to extend the custody of anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson, until Dec. 4, while Denmark considers a Japanese extradition request. The Canadian-American citizen is a former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which has had high-seas confrontations with whaling vessels. Watson was arrested in

Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government says its law enforcement agencies will be obliged to cooperate if the International Criminal Court seeks the custody of former President Rodrigo Duterte as part of an investigation into thousands of deaths during his crackdown on illegal drugs. The Hague-based court has been investigating the widespread

Associated Press BEIT EL, West Bank (AP) — Advocates of Jewish settlement in the West Bank believe they have reason to celebrate after Donald Trump’s election win. Not only did settlement building surge during Trump’s first term, but his administration took unprecedented steps to support Israel’s territorial claims, including recognizing Jerusalem as its capital and

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul. He was 39. Officials at Seoul’s Seongdong district police station didn’t immediately comment Wednesday on the cause of death. South Korea’s Yonhap

Associated Press CAIRO (AP) — The United States has sanctioned a commander of Sudan’s paramilitary forces, saying he played a leading role in the ongoing violence against civilians in West Darfur. The U.S. Department of Treasury said in a statement on Tuesday that Abdel Rahman Juma Barakallah led the Rapid Support Forces campaign in West

Associated Press SITUBONDO, Indonesia (AP) — The Indonesian and Australian militaries are holding joint combat drills off Indonesia’s main island of Java with about 2,000 troops training in air, maritime, amphibious and land operations. They’ll participate in a live-fire exercise near Banongan beach of East Java’s Situbondo district with tanks, artillery, infantry and attack helicopters,

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson won the House Republican nomination Wednesday to stay on the job, on track to keep the gavel after a morning endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump ahead of a full House vote in the new year. While Johnson has no serious challenger, he faces dissent within his

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — In the first seriously contested Senate Republican leadership election in decades, three senators are vying to replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell when he steps down from the post at the beginning of next year. South Dakota Sen. John Thune, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Florida Sen. Rick Scott have

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as the next Senate majority leader, completing a momentous shift in their leadership that elevates a top deputy of Mitch McConnell into a key position as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. Thune, 63, is in his fourth Senate term

Associated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — African leaders may have been quick to congratulate Donald Trump on his election, professing a desire for mutually beneficial partnerships, but there are meager expectations that his presidency will change things for this continent of over 1.4 billion people. In the wake of Trump’s win, Kenya’s William Ruto said

Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) — When Zarifa Nawfal’s family arrived in Beirut for her wounded daughter’s surgery, one of the first things she wanted to do was go to the sea. The Mediterranean had been a constant companion at their home in Gaza before the war. “The moment I smelled the sea, I felt at

Associated Press Conspiracy theory purveyor Infowars and most of its assets went on the auction block Wednesday, with Alex Jones waiting to see if he will be allowed to stay or if he will get kicked off its online platforms. The private auction was being held as part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy, which resulted from

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump made a victor’s return to Washington on Wednesday, visiting the White House for a nearly two-hour meeting with President Joe Biden and committing to a straightforward transition of power as the president-elect moves quickly to build out his new administration. Sitting in front of a crackling fire in

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Let the office debates begin — John Krasinski is People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2024. The magazine announced the actor-writer-director as its pick Tuesday night during “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Krasinski starred in “The Office” before launching the “Quiet Place” franchise and leading the action series “Jack Ryan.”

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. political chief has accused allies of Sudan’s warring military and paramilitary forces of “enabling the slaughter” that has killed more than 24,000 people and created the world’s worst displacement crisis. Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday: “This is unconscionable. It is illegal, and

Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is looking to consolidate his party’s power in Thursday’s parliamentary election to help him implement his election pledges to solve the country’s economic woes and foster good governance. Dissanayake won the presidential election on Sept. 21 in a victory that marked a

Associated Press ZHUHAI, China (AP) — Online discussion about China’s deadliest mass killing in years was being censored Wednesday as authorities in a southern city cleared candles and flowers from the memorial to the 35 people dead. Police have offered little information about the 62-year-old driver who rammed his vehicle into a sports complex in

Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Dozens of soldiers and police fanned out across a neighborhood on a recent night in the Turks & Caicos Islands just days after the archipelago reported a record 40 killings this year. They were on the hunt for criminals and illegal weapons fueling a surge of violence

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dallas Long, a three-time NCAA shot put champion who won a gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, has died. USC says a family member informed them that Long died of natural causes Sunday in Whitefish, Montana. No further details were provided. Long’s gold-medal performance in Tokyo included a then-Olympic record