ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s trade minister says Turkey expects to be offered “partner country” status with the BRICS bloc of developing economies. The state-run Anadolu Agency quoted his remarks during a parliamentary committee meeting. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the bloc’s summit in Russia last month. Turkey requested to join the group as a
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rapper Nelly won’t face drug charges following his arrest this summer at a St. Louis-area casino, a prosecutor said. “We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday. Nelly, 49, whose birth name
Continue ReadingAssociated Press In picking Fox News Channel host Pete Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense, President-elect Donald Trump has selected a military veteran and popular conservative media personality with a large following of his own. In his decade at the network, Hegseth has developed a close rapport with Trump, who also reportedly considered him
Continue ReadingPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia’s mass transit system is proposing a 21.5% fare increase starting New Year’s Day and also considering severe service cuts that would take effect in the summer. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority announced its plans Tuesday and scheduled a Dec. 13 public hearing on its proposal. If approved by SEPTA’s board, riders
Continue ReadingCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — An insurance magnate who was once a big political donor in North Carolina has pleaded guilty related to what prosecutors call a $2 billion scheme to defraud insurance regulators, policyholders and others. Greg Lindberg of Florida entered the plea on Tuesday in Charlotte to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses
Continue ReadingMEXICO CITY (AP) — Legislators from Mexico’s ruling party have reelected the head of the National Human Rights Commission despite widespread opposition and her refusal to criticize the government. The reelection of Rosario Piedra for another six-year term in a congressional vote Wednesday was another example of the ruling Morena party’s attempts to weaken independent
Continue ReadingAssociated Press TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The father of imprisoned Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova says she’s considering asking authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko for a pardon after more than four years behind bars. Alexander Kolesnikov spoke to The Associated Press a day after seeing his daughter at a prison near Gomel where the 42-year-old musician-turned-activist
Continue ReadingBUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A tribunal in Argentina has upheld a six-year sentence term and lifetime ban from holding public office sentence against former President Cristina Fernández, a dominant political leader in recent years in the South American country. Fernández was convicted and sentenced in 2022 for a fraud scheme that embezzled millions of
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s president says he remains hopeful that a reconciliation with Syrian President Bashar Assad can be achieved. In comments published on Wednesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he believes a normalization of ties would help stabilize Syria and protect its “territorial integrity.” Relations between Ankara and Damascus broke down with
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — Spirit Airlines says it won’t announce its quarterly financial results on time because the company is focused on talks with bond holders to restructure its debt. In a regulatory filing Wednesday, Spirit said the debt-reduction talks have been productive. But the budget airline says if it can’t reach a deal with
Continue ReadingAssociated Press PARIS (AP) — More than five years after the devastating fire ravaged Notre Dame, igniting nearly $1 billion in pledged donations within days, restoration chief Philippe Jost says €140 million (around $148 million) still remains from the unprecedented outpouring of funds. The surplus, sourced from both billionaire benefactors and countless small donors, will
Continue ReadingCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s royal court says it will phase out a labeling system dating to the 1800s that grants companies the right to use the image of the Danish crown on their letterhead, packaging and labels. The palace says the five-year renewable designations, including “Holder of the Royal Warrant” and “By Appointment to
Continue ReadingAssociated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Weeks of violent protests have marked the outcome of Mozambique disputed Oct. 9 elections, which saw ruling party Frelimo’s candidate Daniel Chapo declared the winner. At least 30 people have been killed and the post-election violence is set to be high on the agenda of a Southern African Development Community
Continue ReadingAP Science Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Janet Rapp strode briskly down a paved path through the city zoo, waving at friends and stopping briefly to greet emus she knows by name. The 71-year-old retiree starts each morning this way with a walking club. “I’m obsessed,” she said. Not only does it ease her joint
Continue ReadingAssociated Press BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus said that leaders shouldn’t be negotiating at United Nations climate talks this year, with countries responsible for warming up the planet instead just providing the funds to deal with the global crisis. Yunus was chosen to head Bangladesh’s interim government after the nation’s longtime
Continue ReadingAssociated Press Democratic governors and state attorneys general are dusting off the playbooks from their offices’ pushback against President-elect Donald Trump’s policies, but they know it could be a harder battle in his second time in office. Trump’s campaign promises included mass deportations of people in the country illegally, and his history includes rolling back
Continue ReadingAssociated Press Aprons have their fans any time of year, but they especially go with Thanksgiving. For many people, aprons conjure up memories of family members cooking up a storm in the kitchen. For modern cooks, they can inspire confidence that you really can create something special for the holiday. Aprons carry all kinds of
Continue ReadingAssociated Press GENEVA (AP) — Families in a tiny Swiss village are packing up after authorities issued an evacuation order with a weekend deadline because of the threat of a possible rockslide. Authorities in charge of the eastern village of Brienz say they analyzed the potential danger with geology and natural hazards specialists and recommended
Continue ReadingNEW YORK (AP) — Amtrak service along sections of the Northeast corridor have resumed after disruptions on two consecutive days. Service between New York and New Haven, Connecticut, was restored Wednesday. It was suspended Tuesday afternoon because of a fire near a train route in New York City. Amtrak officials said in a statement that
Continue ReadingAssociated Press DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Niger’s military junta has banned the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, or Acted, from working in the country amid tensions with France. The Ministry of the Interior signed a decree on Tuesday withdrawing the nonprofit organization’s licence to operate, without providing reasons for the decision.
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