Tarique Rahman, who had managed his partys political affairs from Britain, is back in his country to campaign in elections.

The Puerto Rican rum and coconut drink used to be passed down within families, but now it has become a holiday party staple beyond the community.

Volleying questions with the table tennis champ Marty Reisman, an inspiration for Timothe Chalamets new film, showed that he was a character in his own right.

READING, PASaying the snot-nosed brat sure as hell better not expect any damn frankincense or myrrh, sources confirmed Friday that a bullshit newborn wasnt even Jesus Christ, the Son of God.Theres not a fucking chance this useless goddamn baby is going to die for our sins, said the childs uncle Brandon Lowrey, explaining that beyond being born in a hospital instead of a manger, the absolute disgrace of an infant wasnt actually a boy at all, but in fact a girl. I bet this little shit isnt even related to God, let alone a direct relative. I should have known when I didnt see a single Star of Bethlehem shining above that twerp to beckon wise men from the East. That dumbass baby couldnt redeem a ham sandwich.Lowrey added that the good-for-nothing childs mother was no virgin either.The post Bullshit Newborn Not Even Christ appeared first on The Onion.

AKRON, OHUsing the icon of a sleigh to denote his unmistakable presence near a residence in northeastern Ohio, NORADs official tracking app confirmed that Santa Claus paid a visit to his former girlfriends house around 3a.m. Wednesday.With our state-of-the-art satellite technology, we can see that ol St. Nick parked his reindeer on the roof and took a chimney straight down into the living room of a woman he used to know back in his single days, said chief technologist Tom Chrzanowski, noting that the jolly old elf only visited the home of his old flame Sheila Bickford after first stopping at a local bar where he reportedly gathered his courage by consuming a few double eggnogs. Children tracking Santas whereabouts at home on their iPads will be relieved to know longer visits to this location do not mean another kid is getting more presents than they are. Santas last visit to his exs house was in March 2006, when our radar detected him sneaking out his window while Mrs. Claus was asleep.At press time, NORADS tracker confirmed Santas location for the foreseeable future would be the basement couch of his North Pole residence.The post Santa Tracker Shows Sleigh Stopped For 40 Minutes Outside Old Girlfriends House appeared first on The Onion.

Jim Holtshouse watches video through a Rendever virtual-reality headset at the Forum at Rancho San Antonio retirement community in Cupertino, Calif. on June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Terry Chea)2025-12-25T05:08:27Z LOS GATOS, Calif. (AP) Like many retirement communities, The Terraces serves as a tranquil refuge for a nucleus of older people who no longer can travel to faraway places or engaging in bold adventures.But they can still be thrust back to their days of wanderlust and thrill-seeking whenever caretakers at the community in Los Gatos, California, schedule a date for residents many of whom are in their 80s and 90s to take turns donning virtual reality headsets.Within a matter of minutes, the headsets can transport them to Europe, immerse them in the ocean depths or soar them on breathtaking hang-gliding expeditions while they sit by each other. The selection of VR programming was curated by Rendever, a company that has turned a sometimes isolating form of technology into a catalyst for better cognition and social connections in 800 retirement communities in the United States and Canada. A group of The Terraces residents who participated in a VR session earlier this year found themselves paddling their arms alongside their chairs as they swam with a pod of dolphins while watching one of Rendevers 3D programs. We got to go underwater and didnt even have to hold our breath! exclaimed 81-year-old Ginny Baird following the virtual submersion. During a session featuring a virtual ride in a hot-air balloon, one resident gasped, Oh my God! Another shuddered, Its hard to watch! This article is part of APs Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well. The Rendever technology can also be used to virtually take older adults back to the places where they grew up as children. For some, it will be the first time theyve seen their hometowns in decades. A virtual trip to her childhood neighborhood in New York Citys Queens borough helped sell Sue Livingstone, 84, on the merits of the VR technology even though she still is able to get out more often than many residents of The Terraces, which is located in Silicon Valley about 55 miles south of San Francisco. It isnt just about being able to see it again, its about all the memories that it brings back, Livingstone said. There are a few people living here who never really leave their comfort zones. But if you could entice them to come down to try out a headset, they might find that they really enjoy it.Adrian Marshall, The Terraces community life director, said that once word about a VR experience spreads from one resident to another, more of the uninitiated typically become curious enough to try it out even if it means missing out on playing Mexican Train, a dominoes-like board game thats popular in the community. It turns into a conversation starter for them. It really does connect people, Marshall said of Rendevers VR programming. It helps create a human bridge that makes them realize they share certain similarities and interests. It turns the artificial world into reality.Rendever, a privately owned company based in Somerville, Massachusetts, hopes to build upon its senior living platform with a recent grant from the National Institutes of Health that will provide nearly $4.5 million to study ways to reduce social isolation among seniors living at home and their caregivers. Some studies have found VR programming presented in a limited viewing format can help older people maintain and improve cognitive functions, burnish memories and foster social connections with their families and fellow residents of care facilities. Experts say the technology may be useful as an addition to and not a replacement for other activities.There is always a risk of too much screen time, Katherine Kate Dupuis, a neuropsychologist and professor who studies aging issues at Sheridan College in Canada, said. But if you use it cautiously, with meaning and purpose, it can be very helpful. It can be an opportunity for the elderly to engage with someone and share a sense of wonder.VR headsets may be an easier way for older people to interact with technology instead of fumbling around with a smartphone or another device that requires navigating buttons or other mechanisms, said Pallabi Bhowmick, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who is examining the use of VR with older adults. The stereotypes that older adults arent willing to try new technology needs to change because they are willing and want to adapt to technologies that are meaningful to them, Bhowmick said. Besides helping them to relieve stress, be entertained and connect with other people, there is an intergenerational aspect that might help them build their relationships with younger people who find out they use VR and say, Grandpa is cool!Rendever CEO Kyle Rands interest in helping his own grandmother deal with the emotional and mental challenges of aging pushed him down a path that led him to cofound the company in 2016 after studying neuroengineering at Duke University. What really fascinates me about humans is just how much our brain depends on social connection and how much we learn from others, Rand said. A group of elderly residents who dont really know each other that well can come together, spend 30 minutes in a VR experience together and then find themselves sitting down to have lunch together while continuing a conversation about the experience.Its a large enough market that another VR specialist, Dallas-based Mynd Immersive, competes against Rendever with services tailored for senior living communities. Besides helping create social connections, the VR programming from both Rendever and Mynd has been employed as a possible tool for potentially slowing down the deleterious effects of dementia. Thats how another Silicon Valley retirement village, the Forum, sometimes uses the technology. Bob Rogallo, a Forum resident with dementia that has rendered him speechless, seemed to be enjoying taking a virtual hike through Glacier National Park in Montana as he nodded and smiled while celebrating his 83rd birthday with his wife of 61 years.Sallie Rogallo, who doesnt have dementia, said the experience brought back fond memories of the couples visits to the same park during the more than 30 years they spent cruising around the U.S. in their recreational vehicle. It made me wish I was 30 years younger so I could do it again, she said of the virtual visit to Glacier. This lets you get out of the same environment and either go to a new place or visit places where you have been.In another session at the Forum, 93-year-old Almut Schultz laughed with delight while viewing a virtual classical music performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and later seemed to want to play with a puppy frolicking around in her VR headset.That was quite a session we had there, Schultz said with a big grin after she took off her headset and returned to reality. MICHAEL LIEDTKE Liedtke has been covering technology and wide range of other business topics for The Associated Press since the turn of the century. twitter mailto

Nasry Asfura, presidential candidate for the National Party, gestures during general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)2025-12-24T21:23:39Z TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura won Honduras presidential election, electoral authorities said Wednesday afternoon, ending a weeks-long count that has whittled away at the credibility of the Central American nations fragile electoral system.The election is continuing Latin Americas swing to the right, coming just a week after Chile chose the far-right politician Jos Antonio Kast as its next president.Asfura, of the conservative National Party, received 40.27% of the vote in the Nov. 30 vote, edging out four-time candidate Salvador Nasralla of the conservative Liberal Party, who finished with 39.53% of the vote. Honduras president-electThe former mayor of Honduras capital Tegucigalpa, won in his second bid for the presidency, after he and Nasralla were neck-and-neck during a weeks-long vote count that fueled international concern.On Tuesday night a number of electoral officials and candidates were already fighting and contesting the results of the election. Meanwhile, followers in Asfuras campaign headquarters erupted into cheers. Supporters of the National Party celebrate as the National Electoral Council decelerate presidential candidate Nasry Asfura the winner of Honduras presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Destephen) Supporters of the National Party celebrate as the National Electoral Council decelerate presidential candidate Nasry Asfura the winner of Honduras presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Destephen) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Asfura, in a video statement released late Wednesday night, promised to be a unifying force for the Central American nation.Today, with deep gratitude, I accept the honor of being able to work for you. I extend my hand so we can walk together with determination to work tirelessly for Honduras. I will not fail you, he said.The results were a rebuke of the current leftist leader, and her governing democratic socialist Liberty and Re-foundation Party, known as LIBRE, whose candidate finished in a distant third place with 19.19% of the vote. Trump takes a spotlight in HondurasSecretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura on Wednesday, writing on a post on X: The people of Honduras have spoken ... (the Trump administration) looks forward to working with his administration to advance prosperity and security in our hemisphere.The European Union and a number of right-leading leaders across Latin America, namely Trump-ally Argentine President Javier Milei, also congratulated the politician. Asfura ran as a pragmatic politician, pointing to his popular infrastructure projects in the capital. Trump endorsed the 67-year-old conservative just days before the vote, saying he was the only Honduran candidate the U.S. administration would work with. National Party presidential candidate Nasry Asfura speaks to supporters during a closing campaign rally, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Nov. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Elmer Martinez, File) National Party presidential candidate Nasry Asfura speaks to supporters during a closing campaign rally, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Nov. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Elmer Martinez, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Nasralla has for weeks alleged the election was fraudulent, and said Wednesday that electoral authorities who announced the results betrayed the Honduran people.On Tuesday night, he also addressed Trump in a post on X, writing: Mr. President, your endorsed candidate in Honduras is complicit in silencing the votes of our citizens. If he is truly worthy of your backing, if his hands are clean, if he has nothing to fear, then why doesnt he allow for every vote to be counted?He and other opponents of Asfura have maintained that Trumps last-minute endorsement was an act of electoral interference that ultimately swung the results of the vote.A chaotic electionThe unexpectedly tumultuous election was also marred by a sluggish vote count, which fueled even more accusations.The Central American nation was stuck in limbo for more than three weeks as vote counting by electoral authorities lagged, and at one point was paralyzed after a special count of final vote tallies was called, fueling warnings by international leaders. After expressing democratic concern about the lack of results days before, Organization of American States Secretary General Albert Rambin wrote Wednesday on X that the OAS takes note of the results announced and noted it is closely following events in Honduras. Supporters of the National Party celebrate after the National Electoral Council declared presidential candidate Nasry Asfura the winner of Honduras presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Destephen) Supporters of the National Party celebrate after the National Electoral Council declared presidential candidate Nasry Asfura the winner of Honduras presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Destephen) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More It also condemned electoral authorities for announcing the results while the final .07% of votes were still being counted.A rightward shift in Latin AmericaFor the incumbent, progressive President Xiomara Castro, the election marked a political reckoning. She was elected in 2021 on a promise to reduce violence and root out corruption.She was among a group of progressive leaders in Latin American who were elected on a hopeful message of change around five years ago but are now being cast out after failing to deliver on their visions. Castro said last week that she would accept the results of the elections even after she claimed that Trumps actions in the election amounted to an electoral coup.But Eric Olson, an independent international observer during the Honduran election with the Seattle International Foundation, said the rejection of Castro and her party was so definitive that they had little room to contest the results.Very few people, even within LIBRE, believe they won the election. What they will say is theres been fraud, that there has been intervention by Donald Trump, that we we should tear up the elections and vote again, Olson said. But theyre not saying we won the elections. Its pretty clear they did not. ___ Janetsky reported from Mexico City. MEGAN JANETSKY Megan Janetsky covers migration, conflict, human rights and politics in Mexico and Central America for The AP based in Mexico City. Previously, she covered Cuba and the Caribbean for The AP and worked as freelance journalist in Colombia, reporting across South America. twitter instagram facebook mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

People inspect the scene of a deadly bomb explosion inside a mosque in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jossy Ola )2025-12-25T03:56:45Z LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) A bomb exploded during prayers at a mosque in Nigerias northeastern city of Maiduguri on Wednesday night, killing five people in what police described as a likely suicide attack. Police said that 35 people were also injured in the attack.Nahum Daso, spokesperson for police command in the surrounding state of Borno, said in a statement that fragments of a suspected suicide vest were found at the site.The bombing is the latest in a series of attacks in Nigerias troubled northern region, where the country is battling multiple armed groups, including Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province. Several thousand people have been killed, with millions displaced from their homes since 2009, according to the United Nations.No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the use of suicide bombers has been heavily attributed to Boko Haram, the Islamic militant group that has previously claimed responsibility for many such attacks across the northeastern region.Analysts say the groups use of suicide bombers has subsided over the past few years, but it still has the capacity to launch such attacks. In July 2024, a three-pronged suicide attack on a wedding ceremony in Borno raised the specter of a renewed use of the method by the militant group. OPE ADETAYO Adetayo is a West Africa reporter for The Associated Press. He covers news and regional development across West and Central Africa. twitter facebook mailto

Palestinian actor Mohammed Bakri poses during the photocall for the film "Wajib" at the 70th Locarno International Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland, on Aug. 5, 2017. (Urs Flueeler/Keystone via AP, File)2025-12-25T13:33:08Z TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Mohammad Bakri, a Palestinian director and actor who sought to share the complexities of Palestinian identity and culture through a variety of works in both Arabic and Hebrew, has died, his family announced. He was 72.Bakri was best known for Jenin, Jenin, a 2003 documentary he directed about an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city the previous year during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising. The film, focusing on the heavy destruction and heartbreak of its Palestinian residents, was banned by Israel.Bakri also acted in the 2025 film All Thats Left of You, a drama about a Palestinian family through more than 76 years, alongside his sons, Adam and Saleh Bakri, who are also actors. The film has been shortlisted by the Academy Awards for the best international feature film. Over the years, he made several films that spanned the spectrum of Palestinian experiences. He also acted in Hebrew, including at Israels national theater in Tel Aviv, and appeared in a number of famous Israeli films in the 1980s and 1990s. He studied at Tel Aviv University.Bakri, who was born in northern Israel and held Israeli citizenship, dabbled in both film and theater. His best-known one-man-show from 1986, The Pessoptimist, based on the writings of Palestinian author Emile Habiby, focused on the intricacies and emotions of someone who has both Israeli and Palestinian identities. During the 1980s, Bakri played characters in mainstream Israeli films that humanized the Palestinian identity, including Beyond the Walls, a seminal film about incarcerated Israelis and Palestinians, said Raya Morag, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who specializes in cinema and trauma. He broke stereotypes about how Israelis looked at Palestinians, and allowing someone Palestinian to be regarded as a hero in Israeli society, she said. He was a very brave person, and he was brave by standing to his ideals, choosing not to be conformist in any way, and paying the price in both societies, said Morag. Bakri faced some pushback within Palestinian society for his cooperation with Israelis. After Jenin, Jenin, he was plagued by almost two decades of court cases in Israel, where the film was seen as unbalanced and inciting. In 2022, Israels Supreme Court upheld a ban on the documentary, saying it defamed Israeli soldiers, and ordered Bakri to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages to an Israeli military officer for defamation.Jenin, Jenin was a turning point in Bakris career. In Israel, he became a polarizing figure and he never worked with mainstream Israeli cinema again, Morag said. He was loyal to himself despite all the pressures from inside and outside, she added. He was a firm voice that did not change during the years.Local media quoted Bakris family as saying he died Wednesday after suffering from heart and lung problems. His cousin, Rafic, told the Arabic news site Al-Jarmaq that Bakri was a tenacious advocate of the Palestinians who used his works to express support for his people.I am certain that Abu Saleh will remain in the memory of Palestinian people everywhere and all people of the free world, he said, using Mohammed Bakris nickname.___AP correspondent Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report. MELANIE LIDMAN Lidman is an Associated Press reporter based in Tel Aviv, Israel. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The holiday spirit is bringing people together, with celebrations of lights, dance and Santa.

Pope Leo XIV greeted the soggy faithful in St. Peters Square in both English and Italian and apologized that there wasnt enough room in the basilica for them all.

2025-12-25T13:47:04Z ISTANBUL (AP) Officers from the Istanbul Police Counter-Terrorism Department launched simultaneous raids on Thursday at 124 locations and detained over a hundred suspected members of the Islamic State group who were allegedly planning attacks against Christmas and New Years celebrations.The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors Office said in a statement that authorities received information that the extremist organization had issued a call to action particularly against non-Muslims during Christmas and New Years celebrations.The prosecutors office issued warrants for 137 suspects, of which 115 were detained. Officers also seized many firearms, cartridges and organizational documents during the raids.The polices counter-terrorism operation is still ongoing.

His annual Christmas message was more outward-looking than last years, when he focused on the medical workers who had helped him and his daughter-in-law after their cancer diagnoses.

Hollywood is Hollywood because of its gift for mythmaking.

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The toll on older people and those with disabilities is especially severe as Moscows forces repeatedly attack the port citys infrastructure.

Prominent business and government figures spread rumors about the attack on Brown Universitys campus this month, reigniting questions about accountability in online discourse.

The Baltic nations congressional liaison is using candy, an American flag outfit and Die Hard jokes to make friends in Congress as the Trump administration turns against Europe.

For decades, Havaianas flip-flops have been a beloved global symbol of Brazilian culture, worn by millions of people each day. They are now ensnared in a political fight.

The artifacts of 20th-century cinema are being preserved in museums, and in the care of private film collectors like Brian Darwas, who has hundreds of movie prints at his home.

Brendan Costello was a cleareyed writer who might have found this article a bit treacly. Such is the cost of being a good guy.

Brendan Costellos family was bracing for goodbyes. But he had one last wish.

Sergei Udaltsov, a political activist, stands behind glass in a cage in a courtroom prior to a session in Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov, File)2025-12-25T18:40:31Z A court in Russia on Thursday convicted a pro-war activist and critic of President Vladimir Putin of justifying terrorism and sentenced him to six years in prison. Sergei Udaltsov, the leader of the Left Front movement that opposes Putin and is affiliated with the Communist Party, was arrested last year. According to Russian independent news site Mediazona, the charges against him stem from an article Udaltsov posted online in support of another group of Russian activists accused of forming a terrorist organization. Those activists were convicted earlier this month and handed sentences ranging from 16 to 22 years in prison. Udaltsov has rejected the charges against him as fabricated. On Thursday, he denounced the verdict as shameful and said he was going on a hunger strike, Mediazona reported. According to the court ruling, the activist will be serving his sentence in a maximum security penal colony. Udaltsov was a prominent opposition figure during the 2011-12 mass protests in Russia, triggered by reports of widespread rigging of a parliamentary election. In February 2012, he took part in a meeting that then-President Dmitry Medvedev held with various opposition figures. Russian authorities have ramped up their crackdown on dissent and free speech after the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine, relentlessly targeting rights groups, independent media, members of civil society organizations, LGBTQ+ activists and some religious groups. Hundreds of people have been jailed and thousands of others have fled the country. In December 2023, a Moscow court sentenced Udaltsov to 40 hours of compulsory labor for violating procedures relating to organizing a rally after he was detained on Red Square, where he tried to unfurl a flag with the image of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, according to Russias state news agency Tass.Udaltsov was previously imprisoned in 2014 and sentenced to 4 years on charges related to his role in organizing a 2012 demonstration against Putin that turned turbulent. He was released in 2017.

The nonfiction spy thriller The Falcon and the Snowman, which became a film, grew out of his work as a journalist covering the West Coast for The Times.

Julia Angwin turns her iPhone screen to gray and learns a lot about her relationship with her phone.

The region could see accumulations of up to 5 to 7 inches from late Friday into Saturday.

Many Americans can take advantage of President Trumps deduction on auto loan interest, but the tax break will provide only modest savings.

New technologies are complicating efforts to teach the scrolling generation to think critically and defensively online.

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Chosen by a British TV station to give an alternative to the kings speech, Jimmy Kimmel said it had been a great year for the U.S. from a fascism perspective.

Imran Ahmed, who runs an organization that chronicles disinformation, was among five Europeans the State Department had barred, claiming they promote censorship.

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President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-12-25T23:40:14Z WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) President Donald Trump said Thursday night that hed launched a powerful and deadly strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after he spent weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians.The presidents post did not include information about how the strike was carried out and what effects it had and the White House did not immediately provide further details.Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries! the president posted on his social media site.Last month, Trump said hed ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following the claims of Christian persecution. The State Department then announced in recent weeks that it would restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in mass killings and violence against Christians in the West African country. The U.S. recently designated Nigera a country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act. I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was, Trump wrote in his Christmas night post. He said that U.S. defense officials had executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.The president added: our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The attack comes after President Trump ordered the Defense Department last month to prepare to intervene militarily in Nigeria to protect Christians from Islamic militants.

Before the strikes on Thursday, President Trump said he would halt all aid and go in guns-a-blazing to target militants.

Government officials have traditionally steered clear of such overtly religious language, as the Constitution prohibits the establishment of an official state religion.

Type-12 surface-to-ship missile launchers are seen at the inauguration ceremony of a missile regiment of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in Uruma, Okinawa, southern Japan, on March 30, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)2025-12-26T01:57:11Z TOKYO (AP) Japans Cabinet on Friday approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for the coming year, aiming to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals as tensions rise in the region.The draft budget for fiscal 2026 beginning April is up 9.4% from 2025 and marks the fourth year of Japans ongoing five-year program to double annual arms spending to 2% of gross domestic product.The increase comes as Japan faces elevated tension from China. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that her countrys military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing says must come under its rule.Takaichis government, under U.S. pressure for a military increase, pledged to achieve the 2% target by March, two years earlier than planned. Japan also plans to revise the ongoing security and defense policy by December 2026 to further strengthen its military. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Missiles and drones will add to southwestern island defenseJapan has been bolstering its offensive capability with long-range missiles to attack enemy targets from a distance, a major break from its post-World War II principle limiting the use of force to own self-defense.The current security strategy, adopted in 2022, names China as the countrys biggest strategic challenge and calls for a more offensive role for Japans Self-Defense Force under its security alliance with the U.S.The new budget plan allocates more than 970 billion yen ($6.2 billion) to bolster Japans standoff missile capability. It includes a 177 billion-yen ($1.13 billion) purchase of domestically developed and upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles with a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). The first batch of the Type-12 missiles will be deployed in Japans southwestern Kumamoto prefecture by March, a year earlier than planned, as Japan accelerates its missile buildup in the region. In part due to Japans aging and declining population and its struggles with an understaffed military, the government believes unmanned weapons are essential.To defend the coasts, Japan will spend 100 billion yen ($640 million) to deploy massive unmanned air, sea-surface and underwater drones for surveillace and defense under a system called SHIELD planned for March 2028, defense ministry officials said.For speedier deployment, Japan initially plans to rely mainly on imports, possibly from Turkey or Israel. Tension with China growsThe budget announcement comes as Japans row with China escalate following Takaichis remark in November that Japanese military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own.The disagreement escalated this month when Chinese aircraft carrier drills near southwestern Japan prompted Tokyo to protest when Chinese aircraft locked their radar on Japanese aircraft, which is considered possible preparation for firing missiles.The Defense Ministry, already been alarmed by Chinas rapid expansion of operations in the Pacific, will open a new office dedicated to studying operations, equipment and other necessities for Japan to deal with Chinas Pacific activity.Two Chinese aircraft carriers were spotted in June almost simultaneously operating near southern Japanese island of Iwo Jima for the first time, fueling Tokyos concern about Beijings rapidly expanding military activity far beyond its borders and areas around the disputed East China Sea islands. Japan plans joint development of frigates and jets Japan is pushing to strengthen its largely domestic defense industry by participating in joint development with friendly nations, and promoting foreign sales, after drastically easing arms export restrictions in recent years. For 2026, Japan plans to spend more than 160 billion yen ($1 billion) to jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy for deployment in 2035. There also are plans for research and development of AI-operated drones designed to fly with the jet. In a major boost to the countrys defense industry, Australia selected Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in August to upgrade Mogami-class frigate to replace its fleet of 11 ANZAC-class ships. Japans budget allocates nearly 10 billion yen ($64 million) to support industry base and arms sales. Meeting targets but future funding uncertainThe budget plan requires parliamentary approval by March to be implemented as part of a 122.3 trillion yen ($784 billion) national budget bill.The five-year defense buildup program would bring Japans annual spending to around 10 trillion yen ($64 billion), making it the worlds third-largest spender after the U.S. and China. Japan will clear the 2% target by March as promised, the Finance Ministry said.Takaichis government plans to fund its growing military spending by raising corporate and tobacco taxes and recently adopted a plan for income tax increase beginning 2027. Prospects for future growth at a higher percentage of GDP is unclear. MARI YAMAGUCHI Yamaguchi is based in Tokyo and covers Japanese politics, security, nuclear energy and social issues for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Alain Rodriguez Colina, who was injured when a cargo plane crashed into his Kentucky workplace more than a month ago, died on Christmas Day.

Fighting has caused the spread of illnesses like malaria and cholera. In a worst-case scenario, the situation could threaten regional health security, experts say.

The far right juggernaut known as the R.S.S. and its most prominent member, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are remaking secular India as a Hindu-first society, pushing aside minorities.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, known as the R.S.S., has survived bans and vilification to emerge as the force reshaping Indias secular republic into a Hindu nation.

The terror group has lost its territorial stronghold, but it still orchestrates and inspires violence through affiliates across Africa and beyond.

For the past decade, every administration in Washington has said Venezuela represents an extraordinary threat to the United States.

An Oxford professor and renowned critic, he was pugnacious, fearless and disdainful of the received wisdom of his intellectual milieu.

Here are the best nonfiction essays of the year, according to me.

Its become easier to imagine the moment when Trumps mystique finally evaporates.

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House about a meeting, which President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has sought since the latest U.S.-.led push for peace got underway.

Artificial intelligence companies looking to raise funds are being made to pay lofty interest rates, as debt investors become cautious.

Megacities in southern India are attracting enormous investments to help build artificial intelligence infrastructure to serve the worlds most data-hungry country.