AP National News

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — That Donald Trump failed to achieve central goals in the government shutdown fight alongside Elon Musk seemed unimportant to many speakers and attendees at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest. Speakers and attendees in Phoenix hailed Trump and Musk for initially scuttling a bipartisan agreement to keep the federal government open. They

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Hedrick, a North Carolina farmer, flies drones to spray fertilizers on his corn, soybean and wheat fields at a fraction of what it would cost him to use a conventional ground spreader. As a volunteer rescuer, Hedrick uses thermal drones to search for people trapped by mudslides and cargo

Associated Press BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — The city of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, will not have the usual trappings of the city’s favorite holiday: no public Christmas tree, no raucous scouts march, no decorations and no twinkling lights, in deference to the ongoing war in Gaza. As

AP Business Writers Stocks shook off a choppy start to finish higher Monday, as Wall Street kicked off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 ended 0.7% higher after having been down 0.5% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also recovered from an early slide to eke out a 0.2% gain. The tech-heavy

Associated Press MEXICO CITY (AP) — A board game with ancient roots that established a foothold nearly a century ago in Mexican prisons is spreading in popularity outside the walls and trying to shed the stigma of being merely a pastime for prisoners. Poleana requires mental dexterity, rapid calculations and is increasingly bringing together people

Associated Press HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Some of the most festive times of Zimbabwe’s holiday season occur around the unveiling of tombstones for late relatives. The generations-old rite has come to be associated with long holidays such as Christmas in the southern African nation. The weakened economy leaves many people struggling to do their duty

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Two recently retired senior Israeli intelligence agents are sharing details about a deadly clandestine operation that targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Syria with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies. The agents have told their story in a segment on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday. The attacked happened in September and

Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Tuesday formally inaugurates the 2025 Holy Year, reviving an ancient church tradition encouraging the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome, amid new security fears following a Christmas market attack in Germany. At the start of Christmas Eve Mass, Francis will push open the Holy Door on

Associated Press BAN NAM KHEM, Thailand (AP) — The 20-year-old freshman student was still asleep that Sunday morning at the family’s house on the Andaman Sea coast of southern Thailand when her mom, sensing something wasn’t right, woke her up saying they needed to leave right away. The day is forever seared in Neungduangjai Sritrakarn’s

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen was injured after being bucked off a horse and is expected to be hospitalized for several days. Pillen, a first-term Republican, was with his family Sunday when he was thrown off a new horse and injured. The governor’s office says he was taken to a hospital in

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump came to Arizona on Sunday for his first rally speech since winning the November election. He was greeted by thousands of adoring supporters who confirmed his popularity across the conservative base. Trump attempted in his 75-minutes on stage to go beyond his core supporters. But he also

CATALAO, Brazil (AP) — Santa Claus braved the sticky heat of the Amazon rainforest this weekend, taking two boats to bring gifts to children in a village near the Brazilian city of Manaus. The visit was arranged by Amigos do Papai Noel, a Brazilian charity that has been taking gifts to children in the Amazon

AP Sports Writer LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game with 6 seconds left to give the Washington Commanders a 36-33 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles’ winning streak ended at 10 and they lost starting quarterback Jalen Hurts to a concussion early. Daniels led a 57-yard

WINTER PARK, Colo. (AP) — Officials were investigating Sunday what caused a crack in a Colorado ski lift that forced the evacuation of over 170 stranded skiers and snowboarders. The gondola lift at Winter Park Resort, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Denver, automatically stopped when it detected the crack in a structural piece

Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Donald Trump is suggesting that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal. He says the United States “foolishly” ceded it to its Central American ally. And he contends that shippers are being charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic

Associated Press TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s prime minister says the ban on TikTok his government announced was “not a rushed reaction to a single incident.” Prime Minister Edi Rama said the government will shut down TikTok for one year, accusing the popular video service of inciting violence and bullying, especially among children. Authorities have

Associated Press New York City police announced Sunday they have in custody a “person of interest” in the early morning death of a woman who they believe may have fallen asleep on a stationary subway train before being intentionally lit on fire by a man she didn’t know. Transit police apprehended the suspect after receiving

AP Technology Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Party City announced that it’s going to “wind down” its retail and wholesale operations as it prepares to shutter nearly 700 stores nationwide. The company said Saturday it has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection “to maximize value for the benefit of the company’s stakeholders.” The New

ROME (AP) — Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain reopened Sunday after three months of renovations on the 18th-century monument that’s one of the Italian capital’s main attractions. The opening is just in time for the inauguration of the 2025 Jubilee Holy Year that is expected to draw millions of visitors. To manage the overwhelming number of

AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — In the holiday season battle of big-budget family movies, Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” sped past the Walt Disney Co.’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” to take the top spot at the box office ahead of the lucrative Christmas corridor in theaters. “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” debuted with