New government in crisis-hit Lebanon, but protests continue

BEIRUT (AP) — A new Cabinet was announced in crisis-hit Lebanon late Tuesday, breaking a months-long impasse amid mass protests against the country's ruling elite and a crippling financial crisis, but demonstrations and violence continued. Hassan Diab, a 60-year-old former professor at the American...

Many Lebanese say acting FM has no business being at Davos

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s acting foreign minister is attending the elite annual World Economic Forum in the Swiss village Davos. In his home country, however, where mass protests have forced the government to resign, a campaign is afoot to have him uninvited. Many Lebanese took to social media to...

Ukrainian president rejects prime minister's resignation

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected his prime minister's offer to resign and asked him to stay on the job Friday after he was caught on tape saying Zelenskiy — a former sitcom star with no previous political experience — knows nothing about the economy. In a...

Ukraine's president has rejected the resignation of prime minister caught on tape disparaging him

Hezbollah warns of 'chaos' if Lebanon government delayed

BEIRUT (AP) — A senior Hezbollah official warned Friday that Lebanon could fall into chaos and “complete collapse” unless a new government is formed. Sheikh Ali Daamoush's comments came amid more bickering between politicians on the formation of a new Cabinet amid a crippling financial crisis...

Russia's foreign minister slams 'aggressive' US policies

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's foreign policy chief on Friday blamed what he described as “aggressive” U.S. policies for growing global tensions, noting Washington's reluctance to extend a key nuclear arms pact. Sergey Lavrov, who serves as acting foreign minister in the wake of Wednesday's...

Idaho House expels member convicted of fraud by Texas jury

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho House of Representatives on Thursday expelled one of its members a day after he was convicted of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government. The House voted 65-0 to expel Republican Rep. John Green of Post Falls. It is the first ever expulsion from the Idaho Legislature, state...

Putin fast-tracks effort to extend his rule in Russia

MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin on Thursday fast-tracked work on constitutional changes that could keep him in power well past the end of his term in 2024 while lawmakers quickly sealed his choice for new prime minister. Speaking to a working group created to draft constitutional changes, Putin cast...

Man charged in Hanukkah attack pleads not guilty

NEW CITY, N.Y. (AP) — The man charged in an attack at a suburban New York Hanukkah celebration that left five people wounded, one critically, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges on Thursday. Grafton Thomas appeared in Rockland County Court. On Monday, he also pleaded not guilty to...

Russia's new PM a career bureaucrat with no political aims

MOSCOW (AP) — Mikhail Mishustin never had any political ambitions as a career bureaucrat and his name didn't come up as a top candidate to become Russia's next prime minister. But the 53-year-old Mishustin, the longtime chief of Russia's tax service, was tapped for the post by President Vladimir Putin. The...