Top General News
Trump chooses Bessent to be treasury secretary, Vought as budget chief, Chavez-DeRemer for Labor
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he'll nominate billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction, to serve as his next treasury secretary, one of several personnel decisions that he unveiled as he closed out the workweek. ...
Trump raced to pick many Cabinet posts. He took more time to settle on a treasury secretary
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time before settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his treasury secretary nominee. The Republican not only wanted someone who jibes with him, but an official who can...
Voters rejected historic election reforms across the US, despite more than $100M push
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two weeks before Election Day, activists from across the country gathered for an online rally heralding the historic number of state ballot initiatives seeking to change the way people vote. Hopes were high that voters would ditch traditional partisan primaries and...
The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — This past week has seen the most significant escalation in hostilities that Ukraine has witnessed since Russia's full-scale invasion and marks a new chapter in the nearly three-year war — one tinged with uncertainty and fear. It began with U.S. President Joe...
At least 11 killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes in Beirut as diplomats push for cease-fire
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Israeli airstrikes Saturday killed at least 11 people and injured dozens in central Beirut, officials said, as diplomats scrambled to broker a cease-fire. Lebanon's Health Ministry said the death toll could rise as emergency responders dug through the rubble...
Fighting between armed sectarian groups in restive northwestern Pakistan kills at least 33 people
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Fighting between armed Sunni and Shiite groups in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 33 people and injured 25 others, a senior police officer from the region said Saturday. The overnight violence was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber...
Laos government pledges justice in mass alcohol poisoning case that has killed 6 tourists
VANG VIENG, Laos (AP) — The Laotian government on Saturday officially acknowledged the mass poisoning that has killed at least six tourists, promising it would bring perpetrators to justice. Two Australian teenagers and a British woman died from suspected methanol poisoning after...
Pressure ramps up at UN talks to reach a deal for cash to curb and adapt to climate change
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — The United Nations' annual climate talks pushed into overtime Saturday as negotiators pressed on to get a deal on money for developing nations to curb and adapt to climate change. Several countries were left angry and disappointed at the latest proposed deal...
Storm dumps record rain in Northern California, while US Northeast deals with winter storms
HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — A major storm dropped more snow and record rain in California, causing small landslides and flooding some streets, while on the opposite side of the country blizzard or winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday for areas spanning from the Northeast to central...
Japan will hold first memorial for 'all workers' at Sado gold mines but blurs WWII atrocity. Why?
SADO, Japan (AP) — Japan will hold a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines, which were listed this summer as a UNESCO World Heritage site after the country moved past years of historical disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines' dark history. ...
Latest General News
Polish prime minister's party picks Warsaw mayor as its candidate for president
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski has been selected by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Coalition as its candidate in next year's presidential election, beating out Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski. Tusk announced the decision at a party gathering on...
Pressure ramps up at UN talks to reach a deal for cash to curb and adapt to climate change
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — The United Nations' annual climate talks pushed into overtime Saturday as negotiators pressed on to get a deal on money for developing nations to curb and adapt to climate change. Several countries were left angry and disappointed at the latest proposed deal...
NATO head and Trump meet in Florida for talks on global security
BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and the head of NATO have met for talks on global security, the military alliance said Saturday. In a brief statement, NATO said Trump and its secretary general, Mark Rutte, met on Friday in Palm Beach, Florida. ...
The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — This past week has seen the most significant escalation in hostilities that Ukraine has witnessed since Russia's full-scale invasion and marks a new chapter in the nearly three-year war — one tinged with uncertainty and fear. It began with U.S. President Joe...
Pakistan seals off its capital ahead of a planned rally by Imran Khan supporters
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has sealed off capital Islamabad ahead of a planned rally by supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan. It’s the second time in as many months that authorities have imposed such measures to thwart tens of thousands of people from gathering in...
At least 11 killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes in Beirut as diplomats push for cease-fire
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Israeli airstrikes Saturday killed at least 11 people and injured dozens in central Beirut, officials said, as diplomats scrambled to broker a cease-fire. Lebanon's Health Ministry said the death toll could rise as emergency responders dug through the rubble...
South Korea will not attend Sado mines memorial event in Japan amid lingering historical tensions
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s government said Saturday it will not attend a memorial service near Japan’s Sado Island Gold Mines due to disagreements with Tokyo over the event, which stirred longstanding tensions over the abuse of Korean forced laborers at the site before the end of...
Moody's credit rating upgrade for Cyprus opens the door to investment, president says
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Moody’s two-notch upgrade of Cyprus' credit rating to A3 from Baa2 opens the threshold to quality foreign investment that will generate new jobs, the president said Saturday. President Nikos Christodoulides said in a statement that the rating agency’s...
The Philippine vice president publicly threatens to have the president assassinated
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday she has contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker if she herself is killed, in a brazen public threat that she warned was not a joke. Executive...
As fast fashion's waste pollutes Africa's environment, designers in Ghana are finding a solution
ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — In a sprawling secondhand clothing market in Ghana’s capital, early morning shoppers jostle as they search through piles of garments, eager to pluck a bargain or a designer find from the stalls selling used and low-quality apparel imported from the West. At...