Colombia’s government is eager for post-fossil fuels economy. But costs are a barrier

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia's fiery left-wing President Gustavo Petro is one of the biggest opponents of fossil fuels on the world stage today, with speeches that lump oil and coal with cocaine as his country's “three poisons.” He's set a goal of weaning Colombia off those fossil fuels,...

Iranian official met with Musk in a possible step to ease tensions with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran successfully sought a meeting with Elon Musk, according to a U.S. official, one in a series of steps that appeared aimed at easing tensions with President-elect Donald Trump. Iran's U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani met with Musk — a Trump ally named this...

The United Nations faces uncertainty as Trump returns to US presidency

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations and other international organizations are bracing for four more years of Donald Trump, who famously tweeted before becoming president the first time that the 193-member U.N. was “just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time.” ...

Lebanon's prime minister asks Iran to help secure a cease-fire in Israel-Hezbollah war

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister on Friday asked Iran to help secure a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah and appeared to urge it to convince the militant group to agree to a deal that could require it to pull back from the Israel-Lebanon border. ...

Germany's Scholz discusses Ukraine with Russia's Putin in first such call in 2 years

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin leader’s first publicly announced conversation with the sitting head of a major Western power in nearly two years. Scholz urged Putin to be open to negotiations with Ukraine, his office...

As airlines avoid Israel, UAE's FlyDubai and Etihad keep up flights for both diplomacy and dollars

BEN GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Israel (AP) — At Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, more than a year of war has taken its toll. Global airlines have canceled flights, gates are empty and pictures of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip guide the few arriving passengers to baggage...

Lawmakers stage Māori protest in New Zealand's parliament during fraught race relations debate

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A vote in New Zealand’s parliament was suspended and two lawmakers ejected on Thursday when dramatic political theater erupted over a controversial proposed law redefining the country’s founding agreement between Indigenous Māori and the British Crown. ...

Israel's West Bank settlers hope Trump's return will pave the way for major settlement expansion

BEIT EL, West Bank (AP) — As Donald Trump’s victory became apparent in last week's U.S. elections, Jewish West Bank settlement advocates popped bottles of champagne and danced to the Bee Gees at a winery in the heart of the occupied territory, according to a post on Instagram. The winery said...

Mike Huckabee, Trump's pick for ambassador to Israel, has long called himself a Zionist

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador to Israel, has long rejected a Palestinian state in territory previously seized by Israel and has repeatedly signaled his staunch support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Huckabee,...

UN force says Israeli project on Syria border saw 'severe violations' of a cease-fire deal after AP report on work there