US & World News Archives - Page 3 of 89

Stars and hype on the rise as the NCAA volleyball tournament reaches the Final Four

December 17, 2025

By ALYCE BROWN - AP Sports Writer

In NCAA volleyball, it’s Final Four time with Texas A&M facing Pittsburgh and Wisconsin against Kentucky on Thursday. The winners advance to Sunday’s championship match. The Aggies and Badgers recently defeated top seeds Nebraska and Texas. Last year’s championship game drew 1.3 million viewers, and attendance records have been set annually since 2019, except for 2020. The national championship airs live on ABC for the third year. The sport’s growth includes daughters of former professional athletes, like Cari Spears, daughter of WNBA and NFL players. The NCAA anticipates continued growth and excitement in the sport.

Putin warns that Russia will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail

December 17, 2025

By The Associated Press

Russian President Vladimir Putin is warning that Moscow will extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin’s demands in peace talks. Speaking at an annual meeting with top military officers Wednesday, Putin said Moscow would prefer to achieve its goals and “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” by diplomatic means. But he added that “if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means.” He also warned that Moscow would move to expand a “buffer security zone” alongside the Russian border.

What Americans think about giving cash as holiday gifts, according to a new AP-NORC poll

December 17, 2025

By LEANNE ITALIE and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX - Associated Press

A new AP-NORC poll finds that most U.S. adults are on board with giving cash or gift cards as holiday presents. Only 30% find secondhand gifts acceptable. The poll also shows that nearly half of Americans plan to be asleep before midnight on New Year’s Eve. About 44% of adults won’t stay up to greet 2026, and that’s especially true of those over age 45. Additionally, 35% of adults plan to leave holiday decorations up after New Year’s Day. About one-quarter of U.S. adults say they’re planning to watch sports on Christmas Day. Only 5% say they’ll go see a movie in a theater.

China exploits US-funded research on nuclear technology, a congressional report says

December 17, 2025

By DAVID KLEPPER and DIDI TANG - Associated Press

A congressional report says China is exploiting partnerships with U.S. researchers to provide the Chinese military with access to sensitive nuclear technology and other innovations with economic and national security applications. Wednesday’s report by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party looked at research collaborations that received Energy Department funding. Investigators found 4,300 academic papers published in the past two years that involved partnerships between Energy Department-funded scientists and Chinese researchers. The report’s authors say the U.S. must do more to ensure the results of taxpayer-funded work don’t benefit Beijing. The Energy Department hasn’t commented. A message seeking comment has been left with the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

Blue Jays newcomer Cody Ponce takes page from playbook of his brother-in-law, NFL star George Kittle

December 17, 2025

AP

After a short and unsuccessful stint in the major leagues, Cody Ponce was pitching in Asia and still trying to find a mental approach that worked for him on the mound. So he started emulating his brother-in-law, NFL star George Kittle. That led to a huge turnaround for Ponce and a $30 million, three-year contract with the AL champion Toronto Blue Jays this offseason. Ponce says watching Kittle, the spirited San Francisco 49ers tight end, play football helped him bring out his “inner child again.” A journeyman career changed dramatically in 2025 as Ponce went 17-1 over 29 starts with the Hanwha Eagles in South Korea. He had 252 strikeouts and a 1.89 ERA, helping him win the MVP award in the KBO.

Church altar featuring homeless man goes on display a stone’s throw from his grave at the Vatican

December 17, 2025

By GEIR MOULSON, KERSTIN SOPKE and NICOLE WINFIELD - Associated Press

In 2018, German artist Michael Triegel asked a homeless man in Rome to pose for a drawing, thinking that he would make an ideal model for St. Peter if he ever needed to paint the first pope. Seven years on, the man’s likeness has gone on show a stone’s throw from his grave, a reunion of sorts that came about by improbable chance. The saga brings together religious reconciliation, a dispute over the location of an altar and a tragedy that caught the attention of Pope Francis: homeless German man Burkhard Scheffler’s death in 2022 on the edge of St. Peter’s Square.

Louvre workers vote to extend a strike at the world’s most visited museum

December 17, 2025

By THOMAS ADAMSON - Associated Press

Employees at the Louvre Museum have voted to extend a strike that has disrupted operations at the world’s most visited museum. Union workers were protesting chronic understaffing, building deterioration and recent management decisions — pressures intensified by a brazen crown jewels heist in October. The decision came during a morning general assembly, after workers had adopted the walkout unanimously earlier this week. The museum was already closed Tuesday for its regular weekly shutdown. It remained unclear whether the strike would force a full closure on Wednesday. Visitors holding tickets queued outside the museum in the morning.

Jack Smith set for private interview with lawmakers about Trump investigations

December 17, 2025

By ERIC TUCKER and LISA MASCARO - Associated Press

Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is set for a closed-door interview with House Republicans after lawmakers rebuffed his offer to testify publicly about his investigations into President Donald Trump. The private deposition set for Wednesday is part of an ongoing investigation by the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee into the Justice Department’s criminal inquiries of Trump during the Biden administration. Smith was subpoenaed earlier this month to provide both testimony and documents, and his lawyers indicated that he would cooperate with the congressional demand despite having volunteered more than a month earlier to answer questions publicly before the committee.

See stunning photos of animals and nature captured by AP photojournalists in 2025

December 17, 2025

By The Associated Press

The Associated Press’ most striking images from nature in 2025 show existence as fragile as an albino turtle hatchling among its peers or a cicada’s translucent wings. Beyond the headlines and sometimes dangerous human impacts on their worlds, animals and other creatures persist. A polar bear sprawls outside an abandoned research station on an island off Russia, surrounded by grass,…

Trafficked, exploited, married off: Rohingya children’s lives crushed by foreign aid cuts

December 17, 2025

By KRISTEN GELINEAU - Associated Press

Severe foreign aid cuts imposed this year by U.S. President Donald Trump, along with funding reductions from other countries, shuttered thousands of schools and youth training centers in camps for Rohingya in Bangladesh and crippled child protection programs. In addition to unwanted marriages, scores of children as young as 10 were forced into backbreaking manual labor, and girls as young as 12 forced into prostitution. In a statement to the AP, the State Department said the U.S. has provided more than $168 million to the Rohingya since the beginning of Trump’s term and had “advanced burden sharing and improved efficiency” in the Rohingya response.

Photos reveal impact of U.S. aid cuts on Rohingya children in camps in Bangladesh

December 16, 2025

By MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU - Associated Press

UKHIYA, Bangladesh (AP) — Deep cuts to foreign aid by U.S. President Donald Trump this year, compounded by reductions from other donor countries, have led to the closure of thousands of schools and youth centers in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, severely weakening child protection programs. As a result, girls have been forced into marriage, children as young as 10…

FCC leader Brendan Carr to face Senate questioning for first time since Kimmel controversy

December 16, 2025

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and MATT SEDENSKY - Associated Press

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is set to testify before lawmakers for the first time since pressuring broadcasters over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Carr has closely aligned with the administration’s aggressive posture toward media outlets it views as hostile since being appointed to the position last November. Carr earlier this year warned broadcasters, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” after he said comments Kimmel made regarding Charlie Kirk were “truly sick.” Carr’s remarks drew bipartisan criticism and raised concerns about government interference in the media.

To find living donors for kidney transplants, a pilot program turns to social networks

December 16, 2025

By MARK SCOLFORO - Associated Press

Fernando Moreno has been waiting for a kidney transplant for about two years. His Philadelphia hospital connected him with a pilot project called the Great Social Experiment. This project pairs patients with “angel advocates” who share their stories on social media to find potential donors. Although Moreno hasn’t yet found a donor, the program has shown promising results. Two patients at Temple University Hospital have found donors, and one is preparing for surgery. The program aims to create a blueprint for future kidney donations by combining social media outreach with storytelling. Living kidney donations are rare but can offer better matches and longer-lasting results.

Fellow Wisconsin judge ‘shocked’ by Hannah Dugan’s response to immigration officers

December 16, 2025

By TODD RICHMOND - Associated Press

A colleague of the Milwaukee judge accused of helping an immigrant evade arrest is testifying at her criminal trial that she was shocked by her fellow judge’s behavior. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Kristela Cervera testified on Tuesday that, “Judges shouldn’t help defendants evade arrest.” The testimony on the second day of trial came after officers involved in the arrest told the jury that Judge Hannah Dugan’s behavior on April 18 made it more dangerous for them to do their jobs. Dugan is on trial on charges of obstruction and concealment for her role in the incident.

Maryland to consider slavery reparations after Gov. Wes Moore’s veto is overridden

December 16, 2025

By BRIAN WITTE - Associated Press

Maryland will create a commission to study potential slavery reparations in the state, after lawmakers overrode a veto by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore. The General Assembly voted in a brief special session Tuesday to override a veto by the nation’s only Black governor currently in office. Moore had disappointed many lawmakers in the heavily Democratic state when he vetoed the legislation in May. Moore said now isn’t the time for another study, and called for delivering results instead. But Democrats who control both chambers of the legislature felt the commission was needed to better examine how to do that.

House Speaker Johnson rebuffs efforts to extend health care subsidies, pushing ahead with GOP plan

December 16, 2025

By KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO - Associated Press

House Republican leaders are determined to push ahead with a health care bill that excludes efforts to address the soaring monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act recipients. The enhanced tax credits for people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act are set to expire at year’s end. Speaker Mike Johnson had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable Republicans lawmakers a chance to vote on their plan that would temporarily extend the pandemic-era subsidies. But leadership ultimately sided with conservatives who assailed the subsidies as propping up Obamacare. The outcome all but guarantees that many Americans will see substantially higher insurance costs in 2026.

Takeaways: Susie Wiles pulls back the curtain on the Trump administration in revealing interviews

December 16, 2025

By BILL BARROW - Associated Press

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has offered an unusually candid look inside an ongoing presidency. There are several takeaways from her series of interviews with Vanity Fair magazine, which published a two-part piece Tuesday on Wiles and Trump’s second presidency. Wiles defends Trump while comparing his personality to an alcoholic, even though the president doesn’t drink. She also says she wanted his ongoing revenge crusade to be shorter. She tells Vanity Fair that Trump’s tariffs are more painful than she expected and that the administration has made mistakes in some deportations. Meanwhile, her statements on foreign affairs differ from public White House positions. Notably, she says plainly that Trump wants Nicolas Maduro out of power in Venezuela.

Hyundai and Kia will repair millions of vehicles under a deal to fix anti-theft technology

December 16, 2025

The Associated Press,

(Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP, File) Automakers Hyundai and Kia must offer free repairs to millions of models under a settlement announced Tuesday by Minnesota’s attorney general, who led an effort by dozens of states that argued the vehicles weren’t equipped with proper anti-theft technology, leaving them vulnerable to thefts. Under the nationwide settlement, the companies will offer a free…

Trump will travel to Delaware for return of National Guard members killed in Syria, White House says

December 16, 2025

By SEUNG MIN KIM - Associated Press

President Donald Trump is traveling to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware this week for a dignified transfer for the two Iowa National Guard members killed Saturday in an attack in the Syrian desert that is testing the rapprochement between Washington and Damascus. The U.S. Army says the two guardsmen killed in the attack were 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, of Des Moines, and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, of Marshalltown. Both were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. Trump will got to Delaware on Wednesday.

Sen. Mark Kelly calls Pentagon investigation into his remarks a move to chill military dissent

December 16, 2025

By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and BEN FINLEY - Associated Press

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona says the Pentagon’s escalating investigation into his plea to troops to refuse unlawful orders is part of an effort to silence dissent within the military. He told reporters Tuesday that it was meant to send a message to “not speak out against this president or there will be consequences.” Kelly said the Defense Department did not notify him of an investigation. The Pentagon confirmed late Monday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office escalated a preliminary review of Kelly to an official command investigation over “serious allegations of misconduct.” Such investigations are very common but not against a retired service member, much less a sitting member of Congress.

Gaza families struggle to recover from days of torrential rains that killed 12 people

December 16, 2025

By WAFAA SHURAFA - Associated Press

Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to recover from torrential rains that have battered the enclave for days, flooding camps for the displaced, collapsing buildings already badly damaged in the two-year war and leaving at least 12 dead, including a two-week-old baby. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, said on Tuesday that the two-week-old died of hypothermia as a result of the weather. The baby was brought to the hospital a few days ago and was transferred to intensive care but died on Monday. Shifa Hospital says a man died in Gaza City after a home already damaged during in Israeli strikes, collapsed because of the heavy rainfall.

A photographer finds thousands of dinosaur footprints near Italian Winter Olympic venue

December 16, 2025

By COLLEEN BARRY - Associated Press

A wildlife photographer has discovered one of the oldest and largest collections of dinosaur footprints in an Italian national park. Officials announced Tuesday that the footprints date back about 210 million years to the Triassic Period. The site is near the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic venue of Bormio. Experts say the site contains as many as 20,000 footprints over five kilometers. The prints were made by long-necked bipedal herbivores, similar to a Plateosaurus. Lombardy regional governor, Attilio Fontana, called it a “gift for the Olympics,” although public access plans have not yet been made.

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti becomes the first back-to-back winner of AP coach of the year

December 16, 2025

By ERIC OLSON - AP College Football Writer

Curt Cignetti has been named The Associated Press coach of the year in college football for the second consecutive season. He is the first coach to win the award back-to-back since it was first presented in 1998. Cignetti has led Indiana to unprecedented success, with a 24-2 record over two seasons. The Hoosiers are 13-0 this year, Big Ten champions for the first time since 1967, and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Cignetti received 47 first-place votes. Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea received two each, and Virginia’s Tony Elliott got one.

The Queen of Disco: Donna Summer is posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

December 16, 2025

By MARIA SHERMAN - AP Music Writer

Donna Summer has been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the hall said. The Queen of Disco is known for such timeless tunes as “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” “Bad Girls,” “Dim All the Lights,” “On the Radio” and “She Works Hard for the Money.” Summer died in 2012 at age 63. She was welcomed into the Songwriters Hall on Monday at a ceremony held at The Butterfly Room at Cecconi’s in Los Angeles. It was led by Academy Award-winning songwriter Paul Williams. Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano and their daughters Brooklyn Sudano and Amanda Sudano Ramirez were in attendance.

Howard Stern’s new SiriusXM deal: How he plans to ‘have it all’

December 16, 2025

By The Associated Press

Howard Stern has announced he’s staying on SiriusXM for another three years. He told listeners Tuesday that he’s “figured out a way to have it all.” Stern, 71, says he created a more flexible schedule, allowing him more free time. He made the announcement during his last show of the year and will be back live on Jan. 5. Stern joined Sirius in 2006, becoming one of the highest-paid personalities in broadcasting. SiriusXM is facing challenges with a shrinking subscriber base and competition from free platforms like Spotify.

Rome opens long-awaited Colosseum subway station, with displays of unearthed artifacts

December 16, 2025

By DAVID BILLER - Associated Press

Rome has opened two subway stations. One is deep beneath the Colosseum that mixes the modernity of high-tech transport with artifacts from an ancient era. Commuters and tourists who entered the station on Tuesday beside the iconic amphitheater can view displays of ceramic vases and plates, stone wells and suspended buckets. They can also see the ruins of a cold plunge pool and thermal bath from a first-century dwelling. Screens show the excavation process serving both to delight archaeology enthusiasts and justify why it has taken so long to open.

Britain’s BBC is both beloved and maligned. Now it faces a $10 billion Trump lawsuit

December 16, 2025

By JILL LAWLESS and DANICA KIRKA - Associated Press

U.S. President Donald Trump is suing the BBC for $10 billion over a documentary he claims was defamatory. The BBC has apologized for editing a speech in the program but insists there’s no basis for the lawsuit. The documentary, aired before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, allegedly portrayed Trump as inciting violence on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump’s lawyers argue it damaged his brand and interfered with the election. Legal experts say Trump faces challenges proving his case. The BBC’s decision to fight or settle is complicated by its public funding and potential costs to British taxpayers.

The US gained 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October; unemployment rate at 4.6%

December 16, 2025

By PAUL WISEMAN - AP Economics Writer

The United States gained a decent 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration, the government said in delayed reports. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, highest since 2021. Both the October and November job creation numbers, released Tuesday by the Labor Department, came in late because of the 43-day federal government shutdown.

How a Trump Media deal with a crypto firm exposes potential conflicts of interest

December 16, 2025

By BRIAN SLODYSKO - Associated Press

Crypto.com was under siege — investigated by President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration and told enforcement action was likely. Then Donald Trump won the 2024 election, and the company’s legal peril dissipated. Crypto.com tapped a lobbyist close to Trump and donated $11 million to political committees tied to the Republican president. The investigation was dropped. Then the company announced it would invest roughly $1 billion into a venture with Trump’s social media company. Legal and ethics experts say the arrangement offers a case study of the conflicts of interest that have arisen in Trump’s second presidency. The White House says neither the president nor his family has ever engaged in conflicts of interest.

Hegseth and Rubio are expected back on Capitol Hill as questions mount over boat strikes

December 16, 2025

By STEPHEN GROVES, LISA MASCARO and BEN FINLEY - Associated Press

President Donald Trump’s top Cabinet officials overseeing national security are headed back to Capitol Hill. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others are set to talk to lawmakers Tuesday. The officials will brief members of the House and the Senate amid congressional investigations into a military strike in September that killed two survivors of an initial attack on a boat allegedly carrying cocaine in the Caribbean. Lawmakers have been examining the attack as they question the purpose of the U.S. military buildup in the region. The U.S. has flown fighter jets near Venezuelan airspace and seized an oil tanker as part of its campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Zelenskyy says peace proposals to end the war in Ukraine could be presented to Russia within days

December 16, 2025

By ILLIA NOVIKOV - Associated Press

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says peace proposals for U.S. officials to present to Russia could be finalized within days. He said late Monday a draft peace plan discussed in Berlin with American and European officials is “very workable.” But issues like the status of Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia remain unresolved. U.S.-led peace efforts are gaining momentum. But Russian President Vladimir Putin may resist some proposals including security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy reiterated that Kyiv won’t recognize Moscow’s control over any part of the Donbas. Ukraine expects increased Western pressure on Moscow including tougher sanctions and military support if diplomacy fails. Zelenskky is visiting the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Australian police say Bondi Beach mass shooting was inspired by Islamic State group

December 16, 2025

By CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-McLAY and ROD McGUIRK - Associated Press

Australia’s federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett says a mass shooting in which 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was “a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.” The suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24, authorities have said. The older man, whom state officials named as Sajid Akram, was shot dead, while his son was being treated at a hospital on Tuesday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a news conference Tuesday that they were making their first comments about the suspects’ ideologies because of evidence they had obtained, including “the presence of Islamic State flags in the vehicle that has been seized.” 25 people are still being treated in hospitals after Sunday’s massacre, 10 of them in critical condition.

Holocaust survivor and 10-year-old with gentle soul among those killed in Bondi Beach shooting

December 16, 2025

By KRISTEN GELINEAU - Associated Press

The victims of a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach range from a 10-year-old girl with a gentle soul to an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. They are among the 15 people who were killed Sunday by two armed gunmen during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. Australia’s federal police commissioner says the shooting was a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State group. Family and friends say the other victims included two respected rabbis, an 82-year-old grandmother, a 78-year-old grandfather, a 27-year-old French national, a retired police officer and a bystander who tried to stop the violence.

US Jewish groups urge heightened security at public events after Hanukkah attack in Australia

December 16, 2025

By DAVID CRARY - AP National Writer

Leading Jewish groups in the United States are urging all Jewish organizations to ratchet up security at public events following the weekend’s mass shooting attack on a Hanukkah celebration on a beach in Australia. The groups say Jewish public events in coming days should be open only to people who had been screened after they have preregistered. In a counterpoint to calls for heightened security, including restrictions on access, some rabbis said their synagogues would proceed with large-scale celebrations. Australian authorities said a father and son are suspected in the attack that killed 15 people. The father was killed at the scene and the son was left in a coma.

What are the 10 largest US lottery jackpots ever won?

December 15, 2025

By The Associated Press

The Powerball jackpot is growing to an estimated $1.25 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing after lottery officials said no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Monday night. The U.S. has seen more than a dozen lottery jackpot prizes exceed $1 billion since 2016. The record prize was $2.04 billion in November 2022. The winning ticket was purchased at a Los Angeles-area gas station. California has been the luckiest state, producing multiple huge winners, but other big wins have been recorded in Florida, Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Maine, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon and New Jersey.

Brown University shooting leaves students, community frustrated with official response

December 15, 2025

By HELEN WIEFFERING, BYRON TAU, JENNIFER McDERMOTT and BRIAN SLODYSKO - Associated Press

The effort to find a man who walked onto Brown University’s campus and shot nearly a dozen students in a crowded lecture hall has raised serious questions about the school’s security systems and the urgency of the investigation itself. On Sunday, officials released a person of interest without charges, leaving investigators scrambling for new leads. The shooting killed two students and injured nine others. The FBI and Providence police have released footage but have not identified the suspect. Students and community members are frustrated by security gaps. The lack of campus footage has led police to seek public tips, and the investigation continues.

US Army names 2 Iowa National Guard members killed in attack in Syria

December 15, 2025

By BEN FINLEY and HANNAH FINGERHUT - Associated Press

The two Iowa National Guard members killed in a weekend attack that the U.S. military blamed on the Islamic State group in Syria have been identified. The U.S. Army named them Monday as 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor. A civilian working as a U.S. interpreter also was killed in the attack Saturday, and three other Iowa National Guard were wounded. A Syrian official says the assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS. The gunman was killed.

Vanderbilt’s Langston Patterson among 5 seeking injunction to play 2026 season

December 15, 2025

By TERESA M. WALKER - AP Sports Writer

Five college football players at power-conference schools asked a federal judge on Monday for a preliminary injunction to play a fifth year next season. All five have competed four seasons in four years without taking a redshirt: Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson; kicker Nathanial Vakos, tight end Lance Mason and long snapper Nick Levy of Wisconsin; and Nebraska long snapper Kevin Gallic. U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell granted an injunction nearly a year ago that allowed Diego Pavia to play this season. Pavia finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up leading Vanderbilt to a 10-2 record.

Abrego Garcia is still hoping to find justice after his wrongful deportation, his lawyer says

December 15, 2025

By REBECCA SANTANA and TRAVIS LOLLER - Associated Press

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s mistaken deportation to El Salvador has become a significant issue in the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Despite having no criminal record, he was held in a brutal prison there. His lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, says Abrego Garcia is still fighting for justice. Last week, a federal judge in Maryland ordered his release and temporarily barred the government from detaining him again. Abrego Garcia has options like applying for asylum or a green card, but challenges loom with those options. His priority is avoiding a return to the El Salvador prison where he says he was was tortured.

‘General Hospital’ star Anthony Geary of Luke and Laura fame dies at 78

December 15, 2025

By The Associated Press

Anthony Geary, who played Luke Spencer on the longrunning soap opera “General Hospital,” has died. He was 78. The show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini, expressed heartbreak over Geary’s passing. Geary died from complications following a recent surgery. He joined the soap in 1978 and won eight Daytime Emmy awards. His character’s wedding to Laura, played by Genie Francis, became a cultural phenomenon in 1981. Geary played Luke on and off until 2015 and returned for a cameo in 2017. He lived a quiet life in Amsterdam with his husband, Claudio Gama.

Biff Poggi tells signees and parents Michigan hopes to hire a coach by end of month, AP source says

December 15, 2025

By LARRY LAGE - AP Sports Writer

Michigan interim football coach Biff Poggi had a Zoom call with the program’s signees and their parents just hours after Sherrone Moore was fired last week. That’s according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because they were not authorized to share details from the call. The person said Poggi told the players and their parents that athletic director Warde Manuel hoped to have a new coach hired by the end of the month. Moore’s firing has left the Wolverines scrambling to retain recruits and to give current players reasons to stay out of the transfer portal.

Big retailers didn’t pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after botulism recall, FDA says

December 15, 2025

By JONEL ALECCIA - AP Health Writer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves. The FDA sent letters posted Monday to leaders at Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons, saying the companies continued to sell ByHeart infant formula for days or weeks, despite a Nov. 11 recall of all products. The formula is linked to an outbreak of infant botulism that has sickened more than 50 babies in 19 states. All of the babies have been hospitalized and treated for the illness.

Photos of a tragedy in Hollywood, as filmmaker Rob Reiner and wife are found dead and son arrested

December 15, 2025

By DAMIAN DOVARGANES and CAROLINE BREHMAN and ETHAN SWOPE - Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Renowned filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead at their Los Angeles home before authorities arrested the Reiners’ son, Nick Reiner, on suspicion of murder. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Categories: US & World News

Big Ten puts 10 on AP All-America first team, led by 4 from Ohio State and Hoosier star Mendoza

December 15, 2025

By ERIC OLSON - AP College Football Writer

The Associated Press has released its All-America team, featuring four Ohio State players among 10 first-team picks from the Big Ten. Caleb Downs of Ohio State and Fernando Mendoza of Indiana headline the list. Downs, a repeat selection, is the Big Ten defensive player of the year. Mendoza, the AP Player of the Year, led Indiana to a 13-0 record and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. The team includes players from 18 schools, with seven from the College Football Playoff. Western Kentucky, Navy, and Hawaii each have first-team selections for the first time in decades.

MRI confirms Packers’ Micah Parsons tore his ACL, AP source says

December 15, 2025

By ROB MAADDI and STEVE MEGARGEE - AP Sports Writers

An MRI has confirmed Green Bay Packers star pass rusher Micah Parsons tore his left anterior cruciate ligament. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the test results who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the team hasn’t announced the injury. It will knock Parsons out for the remainder of the season. He suffered the non-contact injury Sunday during the third quarter of Green Bay’s 34-26 loss at Denver. Parsons had gotten past right tackle Mike McGlinchey and was chasing Broncos quarterback Bo Nix when he pulled up and fell to the ground.

Hallmark holiday movie fans are flocking to Connecticut’s quaint filming locations

December 15, 2025

By SUSAN HAIGH - Associated Press

Connecticut is working to become a destination for holiday movie fans, promoting its charming towns featured in films by Hallmark and Lifetime. The state has launched the nation’s first Christmas Movie Trail, a self-guided tour of locations where 22 films were made. It has sparked online buzz and boosted business for some attractions. Fans are visiting places like Wethersfield, where parts of “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane” were shot. The holiday movie industry is booming, with 100 new films released annually. Connecticut’s marketing officer says the trail is also part of a rebranding effort to promote the state as a great place to live and work.

Arizona, Michigan stay 1-2 in AP Top 25 men’s poll; No. 15 Nebraska hits highest mark since 1991

December 15, 2025

By AARON BEARD - AP Basketball Writer

No. 1 Arizona and No. 2 Michigan remain atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a second straight week. Monday’s new poll also saw Nebraska jump eight spots to No. 15. That is the program’s highest ranking since sitting at No. 11 in the final poll of the 1990-91 season. The top 10 was unchanged from last week other than No. 7 Gonzaga and No. 8 Houston swapping spots. Georgia was the lone new addition to the poll at No. 25. The Bulldogs replaced UCLA.

US tariffs are having an uneven effect on holiday prices and purchases

December 15, 2025

By MAE ANDERSON - AP Business Writer

Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer impact that many economists foresaw from the administration’s trade policies hasn’t materialized, some popular gift items have been affected more than others. Most toys and electronics sold in the U.S. come from China. So do most holiday decorations. Jewelry prices have risen due to the cost of gold.

Trump administration says it needs to fight SNAP fraud, but the extent of the problem is unclear

December 15, 2025

By GEOFF MULVIHILL - Associated Press

Accusations of widespread fraud are at the heart of the Trump administration’s policies on SNAP. Officials looking at the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from a law enforcement view see it as a huge problem, costing taxpayers billions a year taken by both organized crime and people who receive benefits. Other government data does not show such a deep problem and some researchers see fraud as troublesome but not something that happens on a massive scale. Some advocates warn that measures intended to thwart fraud could also make it harder for qualified people to access benefits.

Authorities renew search for the Brown University shooter after releasing a person of interest

December 15, 2025

The Associated Press,

A police vehicle is parked at an intersection near crime scene tape at Brown University, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Providence, R.I., following a Saturday shooting at the university. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Police renewed their search Monday for the gunman who killed two Brown University students and wounded nine others, a day after they released a person of…