The 18-year-old, radicalized online, was planning a New Years Eve attack in a Charlotte suburb, officials said.

Subscribe to 404 Media to get The Abstract, our newsletter about the most exciting and mind-boggling science news and studies of the week. Mysterious bones that date back seven million years likely belong to the oldest known human ancestor, according to a study published on Friday in Science Advances.For years, scientists have debated whether Sahelanthropus tchadensisan ape known from skull and limb bones found in Chadwas primarily bipedal, meaning that it walked on two legs like humans, or if it walked on all fours like chimpanzees.Now, a team led by Scott Williams, an associate professor of anthropology at the Center for the Study of Human Origins at New York University, has spotted a detail in the femur bone, known as a femoral tubercle, that strongly suggests this ape was a biped. Since bipedalism is a defining trait of human relatives, known as hominins, the discovery confirms that these bones belonged to the earliest known human ancestor by a margin of about one million years.The really novel part of our study is the discovery of a new feature that had never been noticed before, and that's the femoral tubercle, Williams told 404 Media in a call. I think that was the final piece of evidence that convinced me that this was a biped, and therefore probably a hominin, because you don't find that feature in anything else.I think this will convince a lot of people, but certainly not everyone, he added. There'll be rebuttals. I'm sure that people will challenge it. That's fine. That's how science works.Fig. 1. S. tchadensis fossils (TM 266) compared to a chimpanzee and a human. Image: Wiliams et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eadv0130Indeed, the remains of Sahelanthropus tchadensis have generated controversy since they were initially reported in 2002. Over the past five years, different teams have argued both for and against the hypothesis that this species walked on two legs. This unresolved question inspired Williams and his colleagues to take a fresh and independent look at the fossils, he said.The researchers conducted a comparison of the limb bones with other hominin remains, while also re-examining them using a technique called 3D geometric morphometrics. The latter effort exposed a hidden detail: the presence of a femoral tubercle, which is a bony protrusion where the femur connects to the hip.It basically prevents our torso from falling backward or falling sideways as we walk, explained Williams. "Chimpanzees, gorillas, and other apes don't need to have that structure because they don't have to take on a vertical posture like we do. You don't need that structureunless you're a biped.Of course, hominins didnt just suddenly stand upright one day, and this ancient species shows an interesting mix of features that suggest it still spent plenty of time in the treetops in addition to walking on land. This liminal state between arboreal and terrestrial life persisted for millions of years in hominins until the rise of Homo erectus two million years ago, which is the first hominin to walk in a similar upright position to modern humans.In addition to pinpointing our own human origins, the fossils offer a possible glimpse of the last common ancestor between humans and our closest living relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. These two ape lineages split about six or seven million years ago, around the same time Sahelanthropus tchadensis was roaming through Chad.The debate about what the last common ancestor was like is really highly contested, Williams said. The remains of Sahelanthropus tchadensis suggest that human relatives in this era may have been similar in size to chimpanzees and bonobos, but had body proportions more akin to later hominins.While Sahelanthropus tchadensis can be described as the earliest human ancestor in a general sense, it was probably not the direct ancestor to modern humans. Its become clear in recent decades that a diversity of hominin lineages emerged and became extinct over the past seven million years, so its difficult to trace the direct lineage of our own species, Homo sapiens, the only humans that have survived to the modern day.The more fossils that are discovered, Williams said, the more complicated the picture looks.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York canceled executive orders issued by his predecessor that had barred city agencies from boycotting Israel and defined some criticism of Israel as antisemitic.

Russia requested this week that the United States end its pursuit of the vessel, which was intercepted in the Caribbean on its way to pick up oil in Venezuela.

Democratic Socialists gathered at a Bushwick dance club to celebrate as one of their members began to govern New York City.

After years of playing smarmy characters, the actor is stepping up as the lead in a comedy about a grumpy but charming doctor.

Boredom, or an approximation of it, is an online trend for young people trying to sharpen their attention spans.

Cameron Winter, the Geese frontman who made his solo debut with the LP Heavy Metal, has been hailed by fans as a Gen Z Leonard Cohen. The Onion shares everything you need to know about the artist.Vocal Style: A lotBiggest Musical Influence: Spotify Smart ShuffleChildhood Nickname: Future Geese frontman Cameron WinterSource Of Existential Pain: Getting grounded for vaping at the dinner tablePre-Show Ritual: Losing track of time while playing 2KHow School Was Today When Parents Asked: FineSignature Stage Move: Coughing blood into handkerchiefLice: 10Message To Fans: Can I stay at your place for a couple nights?Whats Next For Him: Zipping up hoodie over headThe post Artist Profile: Cameron Winter appeared first on The Onion.

LOS ANGELESAddressing the shows hotly anticipated finale at a press event this week, Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer admitted to reporters that they havent watched the series in years. We got through most of the first season, mostly because of all the buzz it was getting, but after that we really fell off, Matt Duffer said as his brother nodded and cited long wait times between new episodes, baffling plot holes, and frequent pacing issues among the reasons they stopped tuning in. Some of the stuff with the bald girlThirteen or whateverwas kind of cool. I think shes supposed to be some kind of space alien. But as soon as those stupid demo-monsters appeared, the show completely lost us. By the third season, it felt like theyd totally abandoned any meaningful character development. It just became this surface-level 80s nostalgia fest. Which is fine if thats your thing, but its not for us. The brothers went on to express surprise that Stranger Things ever got a second season, let alone a fifth one.The post Duffer Brothers Admit They Havent Watched Stranger Things In Years appeared first on The Onion.

A magistrate judge said he was concerned that the defendant, Brian Cole Jr., had continued after Jan. 6, 2021, to purchase components similar to those prosecutors said he had used to make pipe bombs.

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People gather for a news conference at the state capitol in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Giovanna Dell'Orto)2026-01-02T23:18:40Z Minnesota officials have until next week to provide the Trump administration with information about providers and parents who receive federal child care funds or risk losing potentially millions of dollars in federal funding, state officials said Friday. In an email sent Friday to child care providers shared with The Associated Press by multiple providers, Minnesotas Department of Children, Youth, and Families said it has until Jan. 9 to provide a set of verifying information about recipients. The announcement earlier this week by the Trump administration that it would freeze child care funds to Minnesota and the rest of the states comes after a series of fraud schemes at Minnesota day care centers, many run by Somali residents. The move came after a right-wing influencer alleged there were widespread abuses. The Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides $185 million in child care funds annually to Minnesota, federal officials have said. The email instructed providers and families who rely on the frozen federal child care program to continue the programs licensing and certification requirements and practices as usual. It does not say that recipients themselves need to take any action or provide any information. We recognize the alarm and questions this has raised, the email said. We found out about the freezing of funds at the same time everyone else did on social media. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on The state agency added that it did not receive a formal communication from the federal government until late Tuesday night, which was after Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim ONeill posted about the freeze on X. All 50 states will have to provide additional levels of verification and administrative data before they receive more funding from the Child Care and Development Fund, which is designed to make child care affordable for low-income families. Minnesota is a targetThe U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing Wednesday to discuss the allegations of fraudulent use of federal funds in Minnesota. An HHS spokesperson said that the child care fraud hotline put up by the federal agency earlier this week has received more than 200 tips.Minnesota has drawn ire from Republicans and the Trump administration over other fraud accusations. Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary Alex Adams told Fox News on Friday that his agency sent Minnesota a letter last month asking for information on the child care program and other welfare programs by Dec. 26, but didnt get a response. The state did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler posted Thursday on X that the agency suspended 6,900 Minnesota borrowers of COVID-19 era loans because of suspected fraud. Trump has also targeted the states large Somali community with immigration enforcement actions and called them garbage.Minnesota Democrats say the Trump administration is playing politics and hurting families and children as a result. Minnesotas Department of Children, Youth and Families said in a press release Friday that inspectors conduct regular oversight activities for the child care program, noting that there are 55 related open investigations involving providers It is unclear how recipients will be impactedMaria Snider, director of a child care center in St. Paul and vice president of advocacy group Minnesota Child Care Association, said providers currently get paid at least three weeks after services are provided. Some 23,000 children and 12,000 families receive funding from the targeted child care program each month on average, according to the state.For a lot of centers, were already running on a thin margin, she said. Even centers where 10 to 15% of their kids are on childcare assistance, thats a dip in your income.Any child who attends a child care center with attendees who receive federal funding could be impacted, Snider said.According to the Friday email from Minnesotas Department of Children, Youth, and Families, HHS sent a letter to Minnesota asking for data from 2022 to 2025, including identifying information of all recipients of the child care funds, a list of all providers who receive the funds, how much they receive and information related to alleged fraud networks and oversight failures. Its unclear whether Minnesota already has the data the administration is asking for. HHS said five child care centers that receive funds from the child care program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families would have to provide specific documentation such as attendance, inspections and assessments, according to the email.HHS said it would provide Minnesota with more information by Jan. 5, but the state agency wrote that its unclear what kinds of funding restrictions it faces.Our teams are working hard to analyze the legal, fiscal, and other aspects of this federal action, the email says. We do not know the full impact. CHARLOTTE KRAMON Kramon covers government and politics from Atlanta. She is a Report for America corps member. twitter mailto

The haul highlights how the presidents team has continued aggressive fund-raising from donors with interests before the administration.

The Washington National Opera said the Wicked composer was scheduled to host its annual event at the center this spring.

Some state-issued identification cards issued to legal immigrants could be valid longer than the people holding them are allowed to remain in the United States, state officials said.

Supporters of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a coalition of separatist groups seeking to restore the state of South Yemen, hold South Yemen flags during a rally, in Aden, Yemen, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo)2026-01-02T11:35:54Z ADEN, Yemen (AP) Yemen s separatist movement on Friday announced a constitution for an independent nation in the south and demanded other factions in the war-torn country accept the move in an escalation of a confrontation that has pitted Gulf powerhouses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against each other.The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council depicted the announcement as a declaration of independence for the south. But it was not immediately clear if the move could be implemented or was largely symbolic. Last month, STC-linked fighters seized control of two southern provinces from Saudi-backed forces and took over the Presidential Palace in the souths main city, Aden. Members of the internationally recognized government which had been based in Aden fled to the Saudi-capital Riyadh.On Friday, Saudi warplanes bombed camps and military positions held by the STC in Hadramout province as Saudi-backed fighters tried to seize the facilities, a separatist official said. It was the latest direct intervention by Saudi Arabia, which in recent weeks has bombed STC forces and struck what is said was a shipment of Emirati weapons destined for the separatists. Meanwhile, the UAE announced early Saturday it had completely withdrawn all its troops from Yemen, something it pledged to do after the confrontation. Ostensibly, Saudi Arabia and the UAE and their allies on the ground in Yemen have all been part of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who control the north in the countrys decade-long civil war. The coalitions professed goal has long been to restore the internationally recognized government, which was driven out of the north by the Houthis. But tensions between the factions and the two Gulf nations appear to be unraveling the coalition, threatening to throw them into outright conflict and further tear apart the Arab worlds poorest country. Southern separatists declarationThe head of the STC, Aidarous al-Zubaid, issued a video statement Friday saying that the constitution his group issued would be in effect for two years, after which a referendum would be held on exercising the right to self-determination for the people of the South. During those two years, he said, the relevant parties in north and south Yemen should hold a dialogue on a path and mechanisms that guarantee the right of the people of the South.He said that if the other factions dont agree to his call or if they take military action, all options remain open.The 30-article constitution proclaimed the creation of the State of South Arabia, covering the same territory of the former Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen, the independent southern state that existed from 1967-1990.It seemed to be the most overt move yet by the STC toward its long-proclaimed goal of independence. In the confusion that has reigned in the south in recent weeks, it was not clear what practical impact it would have. But the declaration could set back efforts to avert an outright conflict between the separatists and the rest of the Saudi-led coalition. The UAEs Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that the country was dealing with the situation with restraint, coordination, and a deliberate commitment to de-escalation, guided by a foreign policy that consistently prioritizes regional stability over impulsive action.The UAE Defense Ministry early Saturday said its withdrawal of troops from Yemen was complete. It provided no details on the number of soldiers and equipment moved, but there had been multiple Emirati military cargo flights heading in and out of Yemen in the last few days. The UAE forces follows the implementation of a previously announced decision to conclude the remaining missions of counterterrorism units, a Defense Ministry statement said. The process has been conducted in a manner that ensured the safety of all personnel and carried out in coordination with all relevant partners.Saudi warplanes strike as fighting continues in the southThe Saudi-led coalition in Yemen demands the withdrawal of the STC-linked Southern Shield forces from the two governorates they seized, Hadramout and Mahra, as part of de-escalation efforts. The STC has so far refused to hand over its weapons and camps.Saudi-backed fighters, known as the National Shield Forces, advanced on two STC-camps in Hadramout, said a senior STC official, Ahmed bin Breik, a former governor of the province. The separatist forces refused to withdraw and in response, Saudi planes struck the camps, he said.Mohamed al-Nakib, spokesperson for the STC-backed forces, said the strikes caused fatalities, without providing details. The Associated Press couldnt independently verify that claim.He told the AP later Friday that intense clashes erupted between his forces and the National Shield forces across several areas of Hadramout.It was not clear if the Saudi-backed forces succeeded in retaking the camps. Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout who was chosen Friday by Yemens internationally recognized government to command the Saudi-led forces in the governorate, said the move to reclaim the camps was not a declaration of war and is not seeking an escalation. He said it was a pre-emptive measure to remove weapons. Escalating tensions In a post on X, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, said the kingdom had tried all efforts with STC for weeks to stop the escalation and to urge the separatists to leave Hadramout and Mahra, only to be faced with continued intransigence and rejection from Aidarous al-Zubaidi. Al-Jaber said the STC had not permitted a Saudi delegations jet to land in Aden, despite having agreed on its arrival with some STC leaders to find a solution that serves everyone and the public interest.Yemens Transportation Ministry, aligned with STC, said Saudi Arabia on Thursday imposed requirements mandating that flights to and from Aden International Airport undergo inspection in Jeddah. The ministry denounced the decision. There was no confirmation from Saudi authorities.A spokesperson with the transport ministry told the AP late Thursday that all flights from and to the UAE were suspended until Saudi Arabia reverses these reported measures.___Khaled reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. FATMA KHALED Khaled is based in the Middle East region. She covers humanitarian crises, conflict, among other news beats for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York said he hoped to reach communities that had been left out of the process.

A Ninth Circuit panel said the ban ran afoul of a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that required courts to evaluate gun laws based on the countrys historical tradition of firearm regulation.

Federal prosecutors say two female service members are facing fraud charges after having accepted thousands of dollars for the marriages.

The gray-market drugs flooding Silicon Valley reveal a community that believes it can move faster than the F.D.A.

She was the first professional female jockey to compete at a track in the United States where betting was legal, and notched up 228 career victories.

People mourn behind flowers and letters near the sealed off Le Constellation bar, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)2026-01-03T04:55:15Z CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) Sixteen-year-old Arthur Brodard went to the Le Constellation bar with friends to celebrate the New Year. Nearly 48 hours after a devastating fire, his mother still held out hope he might be one of the six injured people who remained unidentified after one of Switzerlands worst tragedies.Those half-dozen people gave a glimmer of hope for families whose loved ones were missing in the aftermath of the fire at the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana that killed 40 people and injured 119 others, 113 of whom have been formally identified.Im looking everywhere. The body of my son is somewhere, Laetitia Brodard, from Lausanne, Switzerland, told reporters. I want to know, where is my child, and be by his side. Wherever that may be, be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue.The severity of the burns has made it difficult to identify both the injured and deceased, requiring families to supply authorities with DNA samples. In some cases, wallets and any identification documents inside turned to ash in the flames. An Instagram account has filled up with photos of people who were unaccounted for, and friends and relatives begged for tips about their whereabouts. Officials in the Valais regional government acknowledged the prolonged heartache. You will understand that the priority today is truly placed on identification, in order to allow the families to begin their mourning, Beatrice Pilloud, the Valais regions attorney general, told reporters Friday during a news conference.Mathias Reynard, head of the regional government, added: We are aware of the particularly difficult hours, of the unbearable side of every minute that passes without answers. You cant imagine the pain I sawInvestigators said Friday that they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the bar crowded with New Years Eve revelers, two hours after midnight Thursday.We were bringing people out, people were collapsing. We were doing everything we could to save them, we helped as many as we could, we saw people screaming, running, Marc-Antoine Chavanon, 14, told The Associated Press in Crans-Montana on Friday, recounting how he rushed to the bar to help the injured. There was one of our friends: She was struggling to get out, she was all burned. You cant imagine the pain I saw.Many of the injured were in their teens to mid-20s, police said. Authorities planned to look into whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.Officials said they would also look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes. The regions top prosecutor warned of possible prosecutions if any criminal liability is found. Injured hailed from across EuropeThe injured included 71 Swiss nationals, 14 French and 11 Italians, along with citizens of Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal and Poland, according to Frdric Gisler, police commander of the Valais region. The nationalities of 14 people were still unclear.Emanuele Galeppini, a promising teenage Italian golfer who competed internationally, was officially listed as one of Italys missing nationals. His uncle, Sebastiano Galeppini, told Italian news agency ANSA that their family is awaiting the DNA checks, though the Italian Golf Federation on its website announced that he had died.___Dazio reported from Berlin. Associated Press journalists Geir Moulson in Berlin, Graham Dunbar in Geneva, and Nicole Winfield and Giada Zampano in Rome contributed to this report. JAMEY KEATEN Keaten is the chief Associated Press reporter in Geneva. He previously was posted in Paris and has reported from Afghanistan, the Middle East, North Africa and across Europe. twitter STEFANIE DAZIO Dazio covers Northern Europe from Berlin for The Associated Press. She previously covered crime and criminal justice from Los Angeles.

The Pennsylvania police did not say what charges would be filed against the former baseball star. His lawyer said the drugs were not Mr. Dykstras.

Pedestrians run after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)2026-01-03T06:33:30Z CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) At least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 a.m. local time Saturday in Venezuelas capital, Caracas.It was not immediately clear what was behind the explosions. Venezuelas government, the Pentagon and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.People in various neighborhoods rushed to the streets. Some could be seen in the distance from various areas of Caracas.The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance, said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, her voice trembling. She was walking briskly with two relatives, returning from a birthday party. We felt like the air was hitting us.Venezuelan state television did not interrupt its programming and aired a report on Venezuelan music and art.The blasts come as the U.S. military has been targeting, in recent days, alleged drug-smuggling boats. On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking. The South American countrys President Nicols Maduro also said in a pretaped interview aired Thursday that the U.S. wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves through the monthslong pressure campaign that began with a massive military deployment to the Caribbean Sea in August. Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism in the U.S. The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels in what was the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began strikes on boats in September. U.S. President Donald Trump for months had threatened that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. The U.S. has also seized sanctioned oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela, and Trump ordered a blockade of others in a move that seemed designed to put a tighter chokehold on the South American countrys economy. The U.S. military has been attacking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. As of Friday, the number of known boat strikes is 35 and the number of people killed is at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.They followed a major buildup of American forces in the waters off South America, including the arrival in November of the nations most advanced aircraft carrier, which added thousands more troops to what was already the largest military presence in the region in generations.Trump has justified the boat strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the U.S. and asserted that the U.S. is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels.Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported on the explosions in Caracas on Saturday, showing images of the Venezuelan capital. Iran has been close to Venezuela for years, in part due to their shared enmity of the U.S.

People light candles near the sealed off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)2026-01-03T08:09:23Z CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) In the aftermath of a fire inside a Swiss Alpine bar that killed 40 people celebrating the new year, survivors, friends and family members, the regions top authorities and even Pope Leo have spoken to the public in remarks in French, Italian, German and English, reflecting the tradition of Swiss multilingualism.Another 119 people were injured in the blaze early Thursday as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said. It was one of the deadliest tragedies in Switzerlands history.Investigators said Friday that they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.Heres a look at what people said in the wake of the disaster: Im looking everywhere. The body of my son is somewhere, Laetitia Brodard told reporters Friday in Crans-Montana as she searched for her son, 16-year-old Arthur. I want to know, where is my child, and be by his side. Wherever that may be, be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue. We were bringing people out, people were collapsing. We were doing everything we could to save them, we helped as many as we could. We saw people screaming, running, Marc-Antoine Chavanon, 14, told The Associated Press in Crans-Montana on Friday, recounting how he rushed to the bar to help the injured. There was one of our friends: She was struggling to get out, she was all burned. You cant imagine the pain I saw. It was hard to live through for everyone. Also probably because everyone was asking themselves, Was my child, my cousin, someone from the region at this party? Eric Bonvin, general director of the regional hospital in Sion that took in dozens of injured people, told AP on Friday. This place was very well known as somewhere to celebrate the new year, Bonvin said. Also, seeing young people arrive thats always traumatic. I have seen horror, and I dont know what else would be worse than this, Gianni Campolo, a Swiss 19-year-old who was in Crans-Montana on vacation and rushed to the bar to help first responders, told Frances TF1 television. You will understand that the priority today is truly placed on identification, in order to allow the families to begin their mourning, Beatrice Pilloud, the Valais regions attorney general, told reporters Friday during a news conference in Sion.Pope Leo said in a telegram Friday to the bishop of Sion that he " wishes to express his compassion and concern to the relatives of the victims. He prays that the Lord will welcome the deceased into His abode of peace and light, and will sustain the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies. We have numerous accounts of heroic actions, one could say of very strong solidarity in the moment, Cantonal head of government Mathias Reynard told RTS radio Friday. In the first minutes it was citizens and in large part young people who saved lives with their courage. Switzerland is a strong country not because it is sheltered from drama, but because it knows how to face them with courage and a spirit of mutual help, Swiss President Guy Parmelin, speaking on his first day in the position that changes hands annually, told reporters Thursday.

This is a locator map for Iran with its capital, Tehran. (AP Photo)2026-01-03T07:59:59Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Violence surrounding protests in Iran sparked by the Islamic Republics ailing economy killed two other people, authorities said Saturday, raising the death toll in the demonstrations to at least 10 as they showed no signs of stopping. The new deaths follow U.S. President Donald Trump warning Iran on Friday that if Tehran violently kills peaceful protesters, the United States will come to their rescue. While it remains unclear how and if Trump will intervene, his comments sparked an immediate, angry response from officials within the theocracy threatening to target American troops in the Mideast. The weeklong protests, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the protests have yet to be as widespread and intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. The deaths overnight into Saturday involved a new level of violence. In Qom, home to the countrys major Shiite seminaries, a grenade exploded, killing a man there, the state-owned IRAN newspaper reported. It quoted security officials alleging the man carried the grenade to attack people in the city, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. Online videos from Qom purportedly showed fires in the street overnight. The second death happened in the town of Harsin, some 370 kilometers (230 miles) southwest of Tehran. There, the newspaper said a member of the Basij, the all-volunteer arm of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, died in a gun and knife attack in the town in Kermanshah province. Demonstrations have reached over 100 locations in 22 of Irans 31 provinces, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. Irans civilian government under reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has acknowledged there is not much he can do as Irans rial has rapidly depreciated, with $1 now costing some 1.4 million rials. That sparked the initial protests.The protests, taking root in economic issues, have heard demonstrators chant against Irans theocracy as well. Tehran has had little luck in propping up its economy in the months since its June war with Israel in which the U.S. also bombed Iranian nuclear sites in Iran.Iran recently said it was no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program to ease sanctions. However, those talks have yet to happen as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned Tehran against reconstituting its atomic program. JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto

The United States militarys Southern Command said in December that about 15,000 troops were in the Caribbean region.

In a call with The New York Times, President Trump called the U.S. operation in Venezuela brilliant" but did not address whether he had consulted Congress.

While Kyiv has reported progress in negotiations, and is accelerating talks in the coming days, major questions remain unresolved about which countries will provide what kind of security for how long.

Steep import taxes have raised prices and affected U.S. businesses, but not quite as much as expected. A new report offers some reasons.

Looking for a new fitness routine this January? Start here.

Since the arrest of Bryan Kohberger in the murder of four college students, a case that captivated the nation, his family has stayed silent. His sister now describes their pain and confusion.

Anthony Joshua, right, punches Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)2026-01-03T11:25:14Z PANAMA CITY (AP) Jake Paul has slipped out of the WBA cruiserweight rankings after the YouTuber-turned-boxer was soundly beaten by former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua last month.Pauls jaw was broken in two places and the American needed surgery to repair the damage after Joshuas sixth-round knockout victory in a heavyweight bout in Miami.Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBAs cruiserweight rankings at No. 14 in July shortly after he beat 39-year-old Julio Csar Chvez Jr. by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California.He was at No. 15 entering the bout against Joshua.___AP boxing: https://www.apnews.com/boxing

With Trumps health care cuts, I traveled to Ohio, Mississippi and Alabama and encountered devastated families bracing for even more difficult challenges.

President Trump announced that U.S. forces had captured Venezuelas president, Nicols Maduro, following a large-scale attack.

Peoples ability to make new friends reflects the strength of the friendship market they are in.

Karen Budd-Falen, the No. 3 at the Interior Department, didnt disclose a $3.5 million water-rights contract between her husband and the developers of a Nevada mine, records show.

Angie Katsanevas has carved her own path through life, and her deadly quips on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City have made her a breakout star.

Flowers and candles are placed around crosses to honor the victims killed in a school shooting, May 28, 2022, outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)2026-01-03T05:03:44Z Families who lost loved ones in the 2022 attack on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, have sought for nearly four years to hold accountable the police who waited more than an hour to confront the shooter while children and teachers lay dead or wounded in classrooms.Now one of the first officers on the scene is about to stand trial on multiple charges of child abandonment and endangerment. Former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales is accused of ignoring his training in a crisis with deadly consequences. His attorney insists he was focused on helping children escape from the building.The trial that starts Monday offers potentially one of the last chances to see police answer for the long delay. The families have pinned their hopes on the jury after their gun-control efforts were rejected by lawmakers, and their lawsuits remain unresolved. A few parents ran for political office to seek change, with mixed results. The proceedings will provide a rare example of an officer being criminally charged with not doing more to stop a crime and protect lives.Jesse Rizos niece was one of 19 children and two teachers killed by the teenage gunman in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Nine-year-old Jackie Cazares still had a pulse when rescuers finally reached her, Rizo said. It really bothers us a lot that maybe she could have lived, he said. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Only two of the 376 officers from local, state and federal agencies on the scene have been charged a fact that haunts Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister, Irma Garcia, was one of the teachers gunned down. What about the other 374? Duran asked through tears. They all waited and allowed children and teachers to die.The charges reflect the dead and wounded children, but not her sisters death or that of the other teacher who was killed.Where is the justice in that? Duran asked. Did she not exist? Prosecutors will likely face a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018.Sheriffs deputy Scot Peterson was charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack. It was the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting, and Peterson was acquitted by a jury in 2023.The attack, the delay and the indictmentsPolice and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initially said swift law enforcement action killed Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos and saved lives. But that version quickly unraveled as families described begging police to go into the building and 911 calls emerged from students pleading for help.The reality was that 77 minutes passed from the time officers first arrived until a tactical team breached the classroom and killed Ramos.Multiple reports from state and federal officials cataloged cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and they questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of the children and teachers.Gonzales was charged two years later in an indictment that alleged he placed children in imminent danger of injury or death by failing to engage, distract or delay the gunman and by not following his active shooter training. The indictment said he did not advance toward the gunfire despite hearing shots and being told where the shooter was.The only other officer to be charged is former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo. His trial on similar charges has not yet been set.Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell did not respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment on the indictments or whether a grand jury considered charging other officers.According to a report by state lawmakers, Gonzales was among the first officers in the building. They heard gunfire and retreated without firing a shot after Ramos shot at them.Gonzales told investigators he later helped break windows to remove students from other classrooms.He was focused on getting children out of that building, said Gonzales attorney, Nico LaHood, a former district attorney and prosecutor in San Antonio. He knows where his heart was and what he tried to do for those children.The trial was moved from Uvalde to Corpus Christi, 200 miles away, after defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed a change of venue would be the best way to find an impartial jury. A divided community In Uvalde, a city of about 15,000 people, the Robb Elementary building is still standing, but its empty. A memorial of 21 white crosses and flowers sits in front of the school sign. Another memorial is displayed at a downtown water fountain plaza. Murals of the victims cover walls on buildings around town.Craig Garnett, owner and publisher of the Uvalde Leader-News newspaper, said people who were not directly affected by the attack have found it pretty easy to move forward.Garnett also believes getting the trial out of Uvalde was a good move for the city.The community was terribly divided in the aftermath, he said. If the trial were held there, you would have so many opportunities to inflame things.Some victims parents sought political office but with little success.Javier Cazares, Jackies father, ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for the Uvalde County Commission as a write-in candidate on a platform that called for more rigorous police training. Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed, made a bid for mayor in her memory in 2023 but lost.Rizo, who won a seat on the school board in 2024, agreed that many Uvalde residents have moved on from May 24, 2022. He finds that maddening.I hear, They tried the best they could and Do you blame them? Would you have taken a bullet? Rizo said. It angers me and frustrates me.Uvalde has a strong tradition of supporting law enforcement. Two of the people killed came from law enforcement families.Mata-Rubios husband was a sheriffs deputy who went to the school after the attack started. The other teacher killed, Eva Mireles, was married to one of the first officers to enter the building. Families pursued multiple paths for justiceThe families have sought justice through multiple legal paths. Federal and state lawsuits have been filed against law enforcement, a gun manufacturer, a video game company and the Meta social media company over the shooting. Those cases are still pending.The families reached a $2 million settlement with the city that promised higher standards and better training for police.Relatives also lobbied state and federal lawmakers for stricter gun control laws that never advanced. But earlier this year, Texas lawmakers passed the Uvalde Strong Act, which sets new requirements for active shooter training and shooting response plans for police and schools.Duran wants accountability not just for her sister but also for a beloved brother-in-law who died two days after the shooting.Irmas husband, Joe, was watching a television report on the shooting when he heard that authorities missed their chance to end the attack quickly. He immediately fell to the floor with an apparent heart attack, Duran said.The conviction of a single officer out of almost 400 would bring little in the way of justice, Duran said.The only justice is going to be when they take their final breath, she said. And then God will judge them. JIM VERTUNO Vertuno has been covering news, sports and politics from Texas for The AP since 1998. He won a National Headliner Award for sports writing in 2013. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site