Trump brings chaos back to Washington by attempting to kill bipartisan budget deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump delivered a probable death blow to bipartisan congressional budget negotiations on Wednesday, rejecting the measure as full of giveaways to Democrats and increasing the risk of a government shutdown right before Christmas. ...

Government funding plan collapses as Trump makes new demands days before shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out. ...

Trump demands GOP renegotiate spending bill days before potential government shutdown, urging showdown with Democrats

Iran's rial hits a record low, battered by regional tensions and an energy crisis

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The Iranian rial on Wednesday fell to its lowest level in history, losing more than 10% of value since Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election in November and signaling new challenges for Tehran as it remains locked in the wars raging in the Middle East. ...

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

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...

TikTok files challenge against Canadian government order to dissolve its business in the country

TikTok has challenged a Canadian government order to shut down the Chinese video-sharing app's business operations in the country that was imposed over national security concerns. The company said Tuesday that it filed an application for a judicial review with the Federal Court in...

France’s government looks on the brink of collapse. What’s next?

PARIS (AP) — France’s minority government appeared to be in its final hours Tuesday as opposition lawmakers from the left and the far right vowed to topple Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s Cabinet. A no-confidence vote is scheduled Wednesday in parliament in the wake of a...

Trump says he'll nominate Kash Patel as FBI director to remake the agency. Here's what happens next

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s stunning announcement that he will nominate Kash Patel as FBI director sets the stage for a fresh round of turbulence at a law enforcement agency tasked with protecting the homeland and investigating federal crimes. Patel, a...

A violent showdown in Pakistan's capital pits the government against Imran Khan supporters

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Thousands of people are in the heart of Pakistan’s capital to demand the release of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan. He has been behind bars since August 2023 on charges that he and his supporters say are politically motivated. Authorities have deployed...

What to know about Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s pick to be America's ambassador to NATO

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has tapped former acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker as U.S. ambassador to NATO — set to make him the nation's representative to a bedrock Western alliance that the president-elect has repeatedly relished criticizing. Whitaker has a legal and...