Horse owners Joycelyn Writer, left, and Rachel Granger, pet donkeys that have found temporary shelter at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)2025-01-11T05:13:41Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Arianna Buturovic kept a wary eye on distant smoke from the rescue shelter she runs outside Los Angeles for dogs at risk of being euthanized. Within hours, nearby mountains were ablaze and fire began encircling her.I stuffed 15 dogs in a black Prius and two cats, Buturovic said. But she still had nine more dogs and a pig to evacuate, so flagged down some 18-year-olds with a truck who agreed to take them to a shelter. She couldnt bring two ponies with her, but she left the corral open so they could escape if needed. Thats how we evacuated almost 30 animals, she said. It was crazy.Buturovic is one of many animal owners in Los Angeles who scrambled to get themselves and their beloved companions out of the way of fast-moving wildfires that killed 11 people and burned more than 12,000 homes and other structures this week. It has overwhelmed shelters, whose leaders have implored people, if theyre able, to find friends or family to foster their pets. Wendy Winter and her husband decided Tuesday evening that they should buy some cat carriers so they could evacuate their Altadena home with their felines Purry Mason and Jerry. Less than two hours later, it was clear they needed to leave. The next morning, they learned the house they lived in for more than seven years was gone along with the rest of their street. Theres fear and loss and you just dont even know, she said. Youre in shock. Theyre hoping to find friends to foster their cats for two months while they figure out what theyre going to do next. Winter said she and her husband are disoriented, and they arent sure they can provide their cats an environment where they will feel safe and comfortable right now.Some people took their pets to shelters because they couldnt evacuate with them.The Pasadena Humane Society took in 250 pets in the first day after the fires started. Los Angeles County Animal Care was looking after 97 pets mostly cats and dogs but also pigs, a turtle, a bird, and a snake, said Christopher Valles, a department spokesperson. Veterinarian Dr. Annie Harvilicz had been moving out of an old Animal Wellness Centers office in Marina del Rey, but inspired by her brothers need to find a place for his pets, she turned the exam, X-ray and surgery rooms into an impromptu shelter. She quickly took in 41 dogs, cats and a bunny and soon found foster homes for all but two. She told people on Facebook to contact her if they needed a place for their animals. She expected an onslaught of pets needing refuge but instead has been inundated with people wanting to volunteer.Im very proud of the people of Los Angeles and how I really feel like theyve stepped up to the plate when it comes to helping out each other, she said. Some people wanted Harvilicz to take their donkeys but she wasnt able to get a trailer to them before they had to evacuate. Difficulties transporting larger animals puts them at greater risk from wildfires, she said.Julia Bagan, who is part of a Facebook group called Southern California Equine Emergency Evacuation, found five horses locked in their stalls in Altadena one day after the fire. The horses huddled in a small exterior pen attached to the stalls but couldnt entirely escape the flames. By the time a neighbor called for help and firefighters used bolt cutters to free them, one of the horses was badly hurt, Bagan said.She drove through the remnants of the fire Wednesday night to rescue them as damaged power lines sparked overhead. She described it as the most crazy, dangerous evacuation shes had yet. Almost all the houses in the area had burned when she pulled up.The injured horse, a 3-year-old black mare she decided to name after the movie Flicka, had leg burns. Her halter burned off, along with her tail and mane. The embers gave her eyes ulcers.A veterinarian at an emergency equine hospital gave the horse 50-50 odds of surviving.She just had no chance, getting left locked in a stall and her owners evacuating and just leaving them all there, Bagan said. But some horse owners were ready.When Meredith McKenzie got a notice days before of the heightened fire risk, she asked people at her barn to help evacuate her horse so she could focus on caring for her sister who has Alzheimers.Horse people are not stupid about if theres fire coming. Were out before it starts because once that smoke happens, the horses go nuts and go crazy, McKenzie said. Its very hard to corral them because they just want to run.The ranch where she kept her horses, the historic Bob Williams Ranch on Cheney Trail, burned, she said. McKenzie lost her equipment but another ranch has said theyll give her a saddle and bridle.Suzanne Cassel evacuated Tuesday from Topanga with her two horses, a donkey named Oscar Nelson, four dogs and two cats. They rushed to nab a spot at a large animal emergency shelter at Pierce College, a community college in Woodlands Hills. Her horses are together in the shelter, while the dogs and cats are staying in the horse trailer. Her donkey, though, was feeling down in a stall by himself. Hes lonely, so I just went inside and sat in the stall with him for half an hour, and he liked that because nobody likes to be alone when youre a herd animal, she said.Buturovic, who runs the dog rescue shelter, took some of her canines to Harviliczs old hospital and others to a friends home in Venice.By the time she returned to the Topanga ranch Wednesday morning, it had burned. The cement building that withstood two or three other fires since the 1950s was covered in soot, its roof gone and windows blown out. Her ponies disappeared, along with two semi-feral dogs she fed. Shes hoping to raise money to support Philozoia, her non-profit organization that rescues animals from high-kill shelters.I dont know where were going to go from here, she said. ___Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas, and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed.

Burned-out cars sit amongst debris at a residence on Altadena Drive destroyed by the Eaton Fire, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)2025-01-11T00:06:42Z The extent of the damage from wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area is horrific however its tallied: Neighborhoods have been erased, landmarks destroyed and lives lost. But officials have prompted some confusion by suggesting their count of structures damaged more than 12,000 includes not just homes, apartments and businesses, but also vehicles.Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone is among the leaders who have said the estimate includes vehicles a caveat not typically made when authorities estimate fire damage. As Californias wildfire agency quickly listed the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires among the states most destructive, that led to questions about whether the count was comparing apples and oranges.Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades fire, said Friday that the initial estimate is based on infrared imaging taken during overhead flight, and its not always easy to tell from that altitude whether a burned-out shape was a pickup truck, say, or a shed. Officials examined the images and excluded any that appeared to be vehicles, Thomas said for example, if it was clearly in a driveway, or along the side of a road where there were no homes. Sixteen teams are examining the damage from the ground and will conclusively determine how many structures were destroyed before reaching a final count, which will not include vehicles.We have a lot of things in it that arent really structures, Thomas said. If theres any question, they err on the side of caution by including it. Thus, the final tally of destroyed structures could be lower than the 12,000 estimate officials have given.Were trying to be transparent and say, This is what were doing, but then we have to go back and explain, Well, heres why cars might be counted, Thomas said. Structures that can be counted include freestanding outbuildings, such as a garage, shed or pool house.

President-elect Donald Trump talks to reporters after a meeting with Republican leadership at the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2025-01-11T07:03:26Z PARIS (AP) President-elect Donald Trump has tossed expansionist rhetoric at U.S. allies and potential adversaries with arguments that the frontiers of American power need to be extended into Canada and the Danish territory of Greenland, and southward to include the Panama Canal. Trumps suggestions that international borders can be redrawn by force if necessary are particularly inflammatory in Europe. His words run contrary to the argument European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are trying to impress on Russian President Vladimir Putin. But many European leaders whove learned to expect the unexpected from Trump and have seen that actions dont always follow his words have been guarded in their response, with some taking a nothing-to-see-here view rather than vigorously defend European Union member Denmark. Analysts, though, say that even words can damage U.S.-European relations ahead of Trumps second presidency. A diplomatic response in Europe Several officials in Europe where governments depend on U.S. trade, energy, investment, technology, and defense cooperation for security emphasized their belief that Trump has no intention of marching troops into Greenland.I think we can exclude that the United States in the coming years will try to use force to annex territory that interests it, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pushed back but carefully, saying borders must not be moved by force and not mentioning Trump by name.This week, as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy pressed Trumps incoming administration to continue supporting Ukraine, he said: No matter whats going on in the world, everyone wants to feel sure that their country will not just be erased off the map.Since Putin marched troops across Ukrainian borders in 2022, Zelenskyy and allies have been fighting at great cost to defend the principle that has underpinned the international order since World War II: that powerful nations cant simply gobble up others. The British and French foreign ministers have said they cant foresee a U.S. invasion of Greenland. Still, French Foreign Minister Jean-Nol Barrot portrayed Trumps remarks as a wake-up call.Do we think were entering into a period that sees the return of the law of the strongest? the French minister said. Yes.On Friday, the prime minister of Greenland a semiautonomous Arctic territory that isnt part of the EU but whose 56,000 residents are EU citizens, as part of Denmark said its people dont want to be Americans but that hes open to greater cooperation with the U.S. Cooperation is about dialogue, leader Mte B. Egede said. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the U.S. our closest ally and said: We have to stand together. Analysts find Trumps words troublingEuropean security analysts agreed theres no real likelihood of Trump using the military against NATO ally Denmark, but nevertheless expressed profound disquiet. Analysts warned of turbulence ahead for trans-Atlantic ties, international norms and the NATO military alliance not least because of the growing row with member Canada over Trumps repeated suggestions that it become a U.S. state. There is a possibility, of course, that this is just ... a new sheriff in town, said Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, who specializes in foreign policy, Russia and Greenland at the Danish Institute for International Studies. I take some comfort from the fact that he is now insisting that Canada should be included in the U.S., which suggests that it is just sort of political bravado. But damage has already been done. And I really cannot remember a previous incident like this where an important ally in this case the most important ally would threaten Denmark or another NATO member state. Hansen said he fears NATO may be falling apart even before Trumps inauguration. I worry about our understanding of a collective West, he said. What does this even mean now? What may this mean just, say, one year from now, two years from now, or at least by the end of this second Trump presidency? What will be left? Security concerns as possible motivationSome diplomats and analysts see a common thread in Trumps eyeing of Canada, the Panama Canal and Greenland: securing resources and waterways to strengthen the U.S. against potential adversaries. Paris-based analyst Alix Frangeul-Alves said Trumps language is all part of his Make America Great Again mode. In Greenlands soils, she noted, are rare earths critical for advanced and green technologies. China dominates global supplies of the valuable minerals, which the U.S., Europe and other nations view as a security risk.Any policy made in Washington is made through the lens of the competition with China, said Frangeul-Alves, who focuses on U.S. politics for the German Marshall Fund.Some observers said Trumps suggested methods are fraught with peril. Security analyst Alexander Khara said Trumps claim that we need Greenland for national security purposes reminded him of Putins comments on Crimea when Russia seized the strategic Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.Suggesting that borders might be flexible is a completely dangerous precedent, said Khara, director of the Centre for Defense Strategies in Kyiv. Were in a time of transition from the old system based on norms and principles, he said, and heading to more conflicts, more chaos and more uncertainty. ___AP journalists Jill Lawless in London; Raf Casert in Brussels; Daria Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia; Geir Moulson and David Keyton in Berlin; and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed.

A copy of the Ten Commandments is posted along with other historical documents in a hallway of the Georgia Capitol, June 20, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)2025-01-11T05:09:25Z WASHINGTON (AP) Conservative lawmakers across the U.S. are pushing to introduce more Christianity to public school classrooms, testing the separation of church and state by inserting Bible references into reading lessons and requiring teachers to post the Ten Commandments.The efforts come as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office pledging to champion the First Amendment right to pray and read the Bible in school, practices that are already allowed as long as they are not government-sponsored. While the federal government is explicitly barred from directing states on what to teach, Trump can indirectly influence what is taught in public schools and his election may embolden state-level activists.Trump and his fellow Republicans support school choice, hoping to expand the practice of using taxpayer-funded vouchers to help parents send their children to religious schools. But there is a parallel push to incorporate more Christianity into the mainstream public schools that serve the overwhelming majority of students, including those of other faiths. And with the help of judicial appointees from Trumps first presidential term, courts have begun to bless the notion of more religion in the public sphere, including in schools. The effect of even Trump being the president-elect, let alone the president again, is Christian nationalists are emboldened like never before, said Rachel Laser, the president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Large numbers of Americans believe the founders intended the U.S. to be a Christian nation. A smaller group, part of a movement widely called Christian nationalism, champions a fusion of American and Christian identity and believes the U.S. has a mandate to build an explicitly Christian society.Many historians argue the opposite, claiming the framers created the United States as an alternative to European monarchies with official state churches and oppression of religious minorities. Efforts to introduce more Christianity into classrooms have taken hold in several states. In Louisiana, Republicans passed a law requiring every public school classroom to post the Ten Commandments, which begin with I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Families have sued. In Texas, officials in November approved a curriculum intertwining language arts with biblical lessons. And in Oklahoma, the state superintendent of education has called for lessons to incorporate the Bible from grades 5 through 12, a requirement schools have declined to follow. Utah state lawmakers designated the Ten Commandments as a historic document, in the same category as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, so teachers could post it in their classrooms. Many other states have seen legislation that would put them in more classrooms. And attorneys general from 17 GOP-led states recently filed a brief supporting Louisianas Ten Commandments mandate. Schools are permitted and even encouraged to teach about religion and to expose students to religious texts. But some say the new measures are indoctrinating students, not educating them. Critics have raised concerns also about proliferating lesson plans. Some states have allowed teachers to use videos from Prager U, a nonprofit founded by a conservative talk show host, despite criticism that the videos positively highlight the spread of Christianity and include Christian nationalist talking points. During his first administration, Trump commissioned the 1776 Project, a report that attempted to promote a more patriotic version of American history. It was panned by historians and scholars who said it credited Christianity for many of the positive turns in U.S. history without mentioning the religions role in perpetuating slavery, for example. The project was developed into a curriculum by the conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan and is now taught in a network of publicly funded charter schools supported by the college. It also has influenced state standards in South Dakota. Challenges to some state measures are now working their way through the courts, which have grown friendlier to religious interests thanks to Trumps judicial appointments.In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a football coach in Washington state who was fired for praying with players at midfield after a game, saying the school district infringed on his rights to religious expression. Dissenting justices noted some players felt pressure to join the coach. But the high court said a public school cant restrict an employees religious activity just because it could be construed as an endorsement of religion, reversing a five-decade precedent.The ruling could pave the way for conservatives to introduce more Christianity in public schools, said Derek Black, a law professor at the University of South Carolina. Donald Trumps judicial appointees have emboldened states to test the separation of church and state, he said. In the wake of the football coachs case, courts now analyze church-state separation through the lens of history, said Joseph Davis of Becket, a public interest law firm focused on religious freedom that is defending Louisiana over its Ten Commandments mandate. The Supreme Court has endorsed the idea that its OK to have religious expression in the public spaces, Davis said, and that we should sort of expect that ... if its a big part of our history. Critics say some measures to introduce more historical references to Christianity in classrooms have taken things too far, inserting biblical references gratuitously, while erasing the role Christianity played in justifying atrocities perpetuated by Americans, like genocide of Native people. These are among the criticisms facing the new reading curriculum in Texas. Created by the state, districts arent required to use it, but they receive financial incentives for adopting it.The authors appear to go out of their way to work detailed Bible lessons into the curriculum even when they are both unnecessary and unwarranted, religious studies scholar David R. Brockman wrote in a report on the material. Though religious freedom is vital to American democracy, the curriculum distorts its role in the nations founding while underplaying the importance of other fundamental liberties cherished by Americans.Texas Values, a conservative think tank that backed the new reading curriculum, said in a statement that the courts pivot toward permitting more Christianity in schools, and allowing more taxpayer money to flow to religious institutions, is corrective.The football coach case has rightfully returned protections for religion and free speech in public school, said Jonathan Saenz, the Texas Values president.Voters and lawmakers (are) getting tired of the attacks on God and our heritage of being One Nation Under God, he said.___Associated Press writers Sara Cline, Kimberlee Kruesi and Peter Smith contributed.___The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. MORIAH BALINGIT Balingit is an Associated Press national reporter focused on child care, preschool and the early grades. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A priest blesses Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado during a rally against President Nicolas Maduro the day before his inauguration for a third term, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)2025-01-11T05:05:57Z CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) The inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro left his opponents to grapple with with conflicting feelings of hope and disappointment on Saturday, pondering why the self-described socialist leader could not be stopped despite credible evidence that he had lost the election last year.Some described their mood after Fridays ceremony at the legislative palace in Caracas, Venezuelas capital, like an emotional hangover while others said they feel abandoned. Many expressed cautious optimism, finding a measure of comfort in the social media videos released by two opposition leaders popular former lawmaker Mara Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzlez, the oppositions candidate in the vote who had promised to topple Maduro.In the end, it feels as if the soup got cold, college professor Nelson Perez said. Weve been on the subject of not losing hope for a while. ... But then you realize its more of the same. That realization is hard to process for millions of Venezuelans who, like Perez, had imagined a different Jan. 10 one with Gonzlez receiving the presidential sash and Machado giving one of her signature fiery speeches before the National Assembly. Instead, Gonzlez and Machado sent messages on social media while Maduro placed his hand on Venezuelas constitution and took the oath of office, defying overwhelming evidence contradicting his victory claim in the July presidential election. Maduro compared himself to a biblical David fighting Goliath and accused his opponents and their supporters in the United States of trying to turn his inauguration into a world war. He said his enemies failure to block his inauguration to a third six-year term was a great victory for Venezuelas peace and national sovereignty.I have not been made president by the government of the United States, nor by the pro-imperialist governments of Latin America, he said after being draped with a sash in the red, yellow and blue of Venezuelas flag. I come from the people, I am of the people, and my power emanates from history and from the people. Venezuelas National Electoral Council, stacked with government loyalists, had declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 election. But unlike in previous contests, electoral authorities did not provide detailed vote counts to back the announced result. The opposition, however, collected tally sheets from 85% of electronic voting machines and posted them online showing its candidate, Gonzlez, had won by a more than a two-to-one margin. U.N. experts and the U.S.-based Carter Center, both invited by Maduros government to observe the election, said the tally sheets published by the opposition are legitimate.Machado, in a message on social media Friday, said Maduro was guilty of a coup by not leaving office by Jan. 10, when by law, Venezuelas presidential term begins. She also said she was confident that the countrys freedom is near but stopped short of saying anything about future steps the opposition could take to end Maduros presidency. Today, Maduro didnt put the sash on his chest. He put a shackle on his ankle, which will tighten every day, she said.A day earlier, Machado who was banned from running for office but remains the driving force behind Venezuelas beleaguered opposition had emerged from months of hiding to join an anti-Maduro protest in Caracas. She said security forces had briefly detained her after leaving the rally, an allegation the government promptly denied. Thursdays rally drew far smaller crowds than the massive demonstrations Machado and Gonzlez had led during the election campaign, primarily because of fears over the governments brutal crackdown on dissent. More than 2,000 people were arrested during and after the civil unrest that followed the election.You see people, and they look like they have a hangover, bricklayer Luis Carlos Moreno, 55, said of the mood among those who had stayed away from the inauguration ceremony. We have to wait until next week to see how things go and if everyone goes to work and the kids go to school. In contrast, Maduros supporters near the legislative palace were jubilant, some unable to hold back tears of joy.State TV said 10 heads of state attended the ceremony. But far more governments around the world have rejected Maduros victory claims, pointing to credible evidence validated by election observers.Underscoring Maduros growing isolation, the U.S., Canada, Britain and the European Union announced new sanctions Friday on more than 20 Venezuelan officials, accusing them of gutting the countrys democracy. Those sanctioned included Supreme Court justices, electoral authorities, the head of Venezuelas state oil company and Cabinet ministers.Meanwhile, Gonzlez, who left for Spain in September to avoid arrest, was in the Dominican Republic, which was supposed to the last stop on his tour of the Americas before attempting to return to Venezuela to be sworn in. In his video message, he told supporters that Maduros government will end soon, very soon and reiterated his promise to return to Venezuela. I am ready for safe entry at the right time, he said. Those struggling with the idea of Maduros rule for six more years included poll workers many of them were harassed or arrested following the election. Im very disappointed, said Caracas resident and poll worker Marlyn Ruiz. Reality is not as we were led to believe. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Police stand outside an immigration detention center of the Immigration Bureau where Uyghur detainees are held in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. The detainees say they are facing deportation back to China, where they fear persecution. (AP Photo/Haruka Nuga)2025-01-11T05:48:06Z BANGKOK (AP) A group of Uyghur men who were detained in Thailand over a decade ago say that the Thai government is preparing to deport them to China, alarming activists and family members who say the men are at risk of abuse and torture if they are sent back.In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, 43 Uyghur men held in Bangkok made a public appeal to halt what they called an imminent threat of deportation.We could be imprisoned, and we might even lose our lives, the letter said. We urgently appeal to all international organizations and countries concerned with human rights to intervene immediately to save us from this tragic fate before it is too late.The Uyghurs are a Turkic, majority Muslim ethnicity native to Chinas far west Xinjiang region. After decades of conflict with Beijing over discrimination and suppression of their cultural identity, the Chinese government launched a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs that someWesterngovernments deem a genocide. Hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs, possibly a million or more, were swept into camps and prisons, with former detainees reporting abuse, disease, and in some cases, death. Over 300 Uyghurs fleeing China were detained in 2014 by Thai authorities near the Malaysian border. In 2015, Thailand deported 109 detainees to China against their will, prompting international outcry. Another group of 173 Uyghurs, mostly women and children, were sent to Turkey, leaving 53 Uyghurs stuck in Thai immigration detention and seeking asylum. Since then, five have died in detention, including two children. Of the 48 still detained by Thai authorities, five are serving prison terms after a failed escape attempt. It is unclear whether they face the same fate as those in immigration detention. Advocates and relatives describe harsh conditions in immigration detention. They say the men are fed poorly, kept in overcrowded concrete cells with few toilets, denied sanitary goods like toothbrushes or razors, and are forbidden contact with relatives, lawyers, and international organizations. The Thai governments treatment of the detainees may constitute a violation of international law, according to a February 2024 letter sent to the Thai government by United Nations human rights experts. The immigration police has said they have been trying to take care of the detainees as best as they could.Recordings and chat records obtained exclusively by the AP show that on Jan. 8, the Uyghur detainees were asked to sign voluntary deportation papers by Thai immigration officials.The move panicked detainees, as similar documents were presented to the Uyghurs deported to China in 2015. The detainees refused to sign.Three people, including a Thai lawmaker and two others in touch with Thai authorities, told the AP there have been recent discussions within the government about deporting the Uyghurs to China, though the people had not yet seen or heard of any formal directive to do so.Two of the people said that Thai officials pushing for the deportations are choosing to do so now because this year is the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, and because of the perception that backlash from Washington will be muted as the U.S. prepares for a presidential transition in less than two weeks. The people declined to be identified in order to discuss sensitive internal discussions. The Thai and Chinese foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Beijing says the Uyghurs are jihadists, but has not presented evidence. Uyghur activists and rights groups say the men are innocent and expressed alarm over their possible deportation, saying they face persecution, imprisonment, and possible death back in China.Theres no evidence that the 43 Uyghurs have committed any crime, said Peter Irwin, Associate Director for Research and Advocacy at the Uyghur Human Rights Project. The group has a clear right not to be deported and theyre acting within international law by fleeing China. On Saturday morning, the detention center where the Uyghurs are being held was quiet. A guard told a visiting AP journalist the center was closed until Monday.Two people with direct knowledge of the matter told the AP that all of the Uyghurs detained in Thailand submitted asylum applications to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which the AP verified by reviewing copies of the letters. The U.N. agency acknowledged receipt of the applications but has been barred from visiting the Uyghurs by the Thai government to this day, the people said.The UNHCR did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Relatives of three of the Uyghurs detained told the AP that they were worried about the safety of their loved ones.We are all in the same situation constant worry and fear, said Bilal Ablet, whose elder brother is detained in Thailand. World governments all know about this, but I think theyre pretending not to see or hear anything because theyre afraid of Chinese pressure. Ablet added that Thai officials told his brother no other government was willing to accept the Uyghurs, though an April 2023 letter authored by the chairwoman of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand first leaked to the New York Times Magazine and independently seen by the AP said there are countries that are ready to take these detainees to settle down.Abdullah Muhammad, a Uyghur living in Turkey, said his father Muhammad Ahun is one of the men detained in Thailand. Muhammad says though his father crossed into Thailand illegally, he was innocent of any other crime and had already paid fines and spent over a decade in detention.I dont understand what this is for. Why? Muhammad said. We have nothing to do with terrorism and we have not committed any terrorism.___Kang reported from New York. Associated Press writers Jintamas Saksornchai and Haruka Nuga contributed to this report. DAKE KANG Kang covers Chinese politics, technology and society from Beijing for The Associated Press. Hes reported across Central, South, and East Asia, and was a Pulitzer finalist for investigative reporting in China. twitter mailto HUIZHONG WU Wu covers Chinese culture, society, and politics for The Associated Press, as well as the countrys growing overseas influence from Bangkok. She was previously based in Taiwan and China. twitter

Sam Moore arrives at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the 18th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in Washington, Oct. 18, 2015. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP, File)2025-01-11T05:24:57Z CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) Sam Moore, the surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave that was known for such definitive hits of the era as Soul Man and Hold On, Im Comin, has died. He was 89. Publicist Jeremy Westby said Moore died Friday morning in Coral Gables, Florida, due to complications while recovering from surgery. No additional details were immediately available.Moore, who influenced musicians including Michael Jackson, Al Green and Bruce Springsteen, was inducted with Dave Prater into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.At the Memphis, Tennessee-based Stax Records, Moore and Prater were second only to Otis Redding. They transformed the call and response of gospel music into a frenzied stage show and recorded some of soul musics most enduring hits, which also included You Dont Know Like I Know, When Something is Wrong With My Baby and I Thank You. Most of their hits were written and produced by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter and featured the Stax house band Booker T. & the MGs, whose guitarist Steve Cropper received one of musics most famous shoutouts when Sam & Dave called Play it, Steve midway through Soul Man.Like many 60s soul acts, Sam & Dave faded after the 1960s. But Soul Man hit the charts again in the late 1970s when the Blues Brothers, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd recorded it with many of the same musicians. Moore had mixed feelings about the hit becoming associated with the Saturday Night Live stars, remembering how young people believed it originated with the Blues Brothers. In 2008, the movie Soul Men depicted a pair of aging, estranged singers who bore more than a little resemblance to Sam & Dave. Moore lost a lawsuit claiming the resemblance was too close.He also spent years suing Prater after Prater hired a substitute and toured as the New Sam & Dave. Prater died in a 1988 car crash in Georgia. Moore also pressed legal claims that the record industry had cheated him out of retirement benefits. Moore and other artists sued multiple record companies and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 1993.Moore told The Associated Press in 1994 that he joined the legal effort after learning, despite his million-selling records, his pension amounted to just $2,285, which he could take as a lump sum or in payments of $73 monthly.Two thousand dollars for my lifetime? Moore said then. If youre making a profit off of me, give me some too. Dont give me cornbread and tell me its biscuits.Moore wrote the song Dole Man, modeled on Soul Man, for Republican Bob Doles presidential campaign in 1996. In 2017, he was among the few entertainers who performed for Republican President Donald Trumps inaugural festivities. Eight years earlier, Moore had objected when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obamas campaign used the song Hold On, Im Comin.Moore was born Oct. 12, 1935, in Miami and got his start singing in church.He and Prater performed in soul and R&B clubs in the 1950s, but didnt meet until 1961 in Miami. Moore helped coach Prater on the lyrics of a song and they quickly became a popular local duo. In 1965, after signing with Atlantic Records, producer Jerry Wexler sent them to the labels Stax subsidiary in Memphis. Moore and Prater argued often and Moore told the AP in 2006 that a drug habit, which he kicked in 1981, played a part in the bands troubles and later made entertainment executives leery of giving him a fresh start. The duo broke up in 1970 and neither had another major hit.He married his wife, Joyce, in 1982, and she helped him get treatment for his addiction that he credited with saving his life.I did a lot of cruise ships, I did a lot of oldies shows, during those struggles, he said, adding that he once opened for a group of Elvis impersonators.Thats funny to think back to it now. And I did a lot of shows where if I did a show with an oldie show, I had to actually audition, he said. But you know what? You keep your mouth shut and you get up there and you sing as hard and perform as hard as you can, and get the little money and go on about your business and try and pay those bills. Im laughing about it now, but at that time, man, it was really serious.Moore kept recording and singing. He was a frequent performer at the Kennedy Center Honors and performed for presidents, including Obama.Moore is survive by his wife, Joyce, daughter, Michell, and two grandchildren. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A couple walk on a sidewalk in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday on May 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, File)2025-01-11T05:11:30Z Taking a shower. Grocery shopping. Moving around the kitchen. Getting dressed. The underappreciated link between these mundane activities is good balance, which geriatricians say is key to maintaining an independent lifestyle as we age.Lacking balance can be dangerous. In the U.S., 3 million older people seek medical care for fall-related injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But falls are not inevitable, said Roopa Anmolsingh, a geriatrician who created the Cleveland Clinics balance classes.Some people have a misconception that part of getting old is, youre going to fall. Thats not true, Anmolsingh said. You can control how you fall, or if you fall.To prevent falls, geriatricians say people should start asking themselves questions about their balance as early as 50 years old. Do I ever feel unsteady?Besides muscles and bones, other systems in the body can affect balance, so its important to have a doctor check you if you ever feel unsteady, even if only occasionally. The cause could be related to blood pressure, a medication, inner-ear function, a nervous system issue or countless other potential problems.Even if unsteadiness is not an issue, you can determine whether you still might need an intervention with an easy at-home assessment. Standing next to a wall or something that can lend support if needed, raise one leg. If you can balance on each leg for 10 seconds, you should be fine, said Greg W. Hartley, a University of Miami professor of physical therapy specializing in geriatrics. This article is part of APs Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well. If you cant do that, then you should probably go see a physical therapist, he said. Another assessment, which Hartley recommended doing supervised, is called TUG, for timed up and go. Sit in a chair and start a timer when you stand. Walk 10 feet (3 meters), come back and stop the timer upon sitting back down. If it takes longer than 15 seconds, the risk for a fall is very high. Twelve seconds or less, the likelihood of a fall is almost zero.The National Council on Aging offers an online resource to assess the risk of a fall with questions about medications, whether you worry about falling and if you have trouble stepping over a curb, among others. What can I do to improve balance?Because muscle mass begins to decline in most people during their 30s, geriatricians say the best way to preserve good balance is to stay physically active throughout life. But its never too late to start prioritizing it, Anmolsingh said.Tai chi and yoga are particularly good for older adults because they involve controlled movements while shifting body weight. There also are individual exercises people can work into their everyday lives.Anmolsingh recommended standing on one foot while waiting in line at the grocery store. At home, try sitting up and down from a chair several times without using arm rests. While holding onto a chair or the wall, do three-way leg lifts on each side, lifting a leg to the front, side and then back. At the kitchen counter, take a few steps to the side in each direction.How often should I do the exercises? For general physical activity, which will improve balance as well as mood and overall health, the National Institute of Aging recommends at least 150 minutes per week. That should include a mixture of stretching to improve flexibility, an aerobic activity increasing the heart rate and strength training with weights or resistance bands.For balance-specific exercises, its particularly important to do them regularly because it takes at least 50 hours of training to have a measurable impact, Hartley said. Besides strengthening the associated muscles, doing exercises repetitively for extended periods trains the brain to react properly when you slip or trip.Just like an athlete needs to do repetition to train for a sport, youre doing repetition to train for everyday balance activities, he said.___Albert Stumm writes about wellness, food and travel. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A child washes her hands at a day care center in Connecticut on Thursday Aug. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)2025-01-11T12:00:39Z In the winter months, it seems few are safe from some kind of illness flu, COVID-19, norovirus, colds. While many of the germs that cause this misery can circulate throughout the year, scientists think that the winter surge of flu and cold activity may be because we spend more time indoors and the cold, dry air may weaken our defenses. But knowing what these bugs are and how they spread can help. While it may be difficult to make it through the season totally unscathed, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from these respiratory and stomach viruses. How do I know whether I have the cold, the flu, COVID-19 or something else? Some symptoms are hard to distinguish among illnesses, especially with respiratory viruses. Others are unmistakable. Norovirus is a foodborne illness that can spread through water and contaminated surfaces and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain for about one to three days. The common cold can be caused by several different types of viruses and can cause a runny nose, congestion, cough, sneezing, sore throat, headaches, body aches or low fever for less than a week. The flu, caused by influenza viruses that are always changing, leads to fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches and feeling tired. Flu symptoms tend to hit more quickly than cold symptoms, and can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks. COVID-19 can cause fever, chills, cough, short of breath, sore throat, congestion, loss of smell or taste, fatigue, aches, headache, nausea, or vomiting for several days. RSV can cause a runny nose, congestion, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, fever and a loss of appetite for a week or two. One way to protect yourself from all viruses: Wash your handsSeriously. Rigorous and frequent handwashing with soap! is crucial to reduce the spread of norovirus, colds, flu and COVID-19. This is especially true after using the bathroom and eating or preparing food, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.Dont speed through it, either. Count to 20, slowly, while you scrub away. If you dont have access to soap and water, try a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol though that isnt enough to wipe out norovirus. Cleaning surfaces can wipe out virusesIf norovirus has found you, youll want to immediately clean surfaces that came in contact with contaminated food or bodily fluids. The CDC recommends disinfecting things with a chlorine bleach solution or one of the products listed on this Environmental Protection Agency website. Dont forget to wash any clothing that came in contact with vomit or feces use hot water and detergent. Then, wash your hands. Again.With colds and flu, its best to regularly clean surfaces that you come into a lot of contact with. Think doorknobs, light switches, countertops, beloved toys, cellphones. Use household cleaning products that contain soap or detergent, and follow it up with a sanitizer. The CDC has more tips on how to clean.COVID-19 generally spreads through the air from droplets and particles, and the CDC says the risk of getting the virus from a contaminated surface is low. Keeping your hands off your face can keep viruses outViruses can spread through talking, coughing and sneezing, so cover your mouth with a tissue if you feel a tickle in your throat or your nose. Then, wash your hands. Again.Also, even if youre not sick, consider masking in crowded areas with an N95 or medical-grade mask to protect yourself from respiratory viruses.Dont touch your face: If you have a germ or virus on your unwashed hands respiratory or norovirus and touch your face, eyes or nose, it can get into your mucus membranes and, voila!, youre sick!Consider a vaccine (if there is one)Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available, as well as annual flu shots for people 6 months and older. For those 60 and older or for people who are pregnant, you may want to get the RSV vaccine. But there is no vaccine for norovirus or the common cold.Another way to keep your defenses against viruses up: RestYour immune system may not work as well if youre sleep-deprived, stressed out or dehydrated. So dont grind yourself into the ground if you can help it. Rest. Sleep. Drink water. If you are sick, stay at homeIf you do get sick, prompt testing can help determine whether you have COVID-19 or influenza. Thats important to see if you need one of the medicines that can help prevent severe illness: Paxlovid for COVID-19 and Tamiflu for flu.Above all, if youre symptomatic, stay at home to keep from getting others sick.To treat a cold, flu or COVID-19, rest and drink fluids. You can take pain relievers to lower a fever or help with an achy body. Humidifiers can help with symptoms, too.Theres no medication for norovirus. Instead, youll need to rehydrate as much as possible with water and other liquids. Seek help if you are dehydrated and notice you have a dry mouth and throat, arent urinating as much or feel dizzy when youre standing up. ___AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson contributed to this report.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Part of a 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return form is shown July 24, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)2025-01-10T20:00:32Z The IRS on Friday announced Jan. 27 as the official start date of the 2025 tax season, and expects more than 140 million tax returns to be filed by the April 15 tax deadline. The announcement comes with agency in the midst of a massive overhaul, attempting to improve its technology and customer service processes with tens of billions of dollars allocated to the agency through Democrats Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August 2022. The IRS said it is expanding its program that allows people to file their taxes directly with the agency for free. The federal tax collectors Direct File program, which allows taxpayers to calculate and submit their returns to the government directly without using commercial tax preparation software, will be available to taxpayers in 25 states starting Jan. 27, up from 12 states that were part of last years pilot program. The pilot program in 2024 allowed people in certain states with very simple W-2s to calculate and submit their returns directly to the IRS. Those using the program claimed more than $90 million in refunds, the IRS said in October. The IRS expects most refunds to be issued in less than 21 days. The agency says taxpayers can use Wheres My Refund? to check the status of their 2024 income tax refund within 24 hours of e-filing. Refund information is normally available after four weeks for taxpayers who filed a paper return. The agency also said it expects to maintain levels of service achieved in the past, including wait times of less than 5 minutes for assistance.Two goals for the upcoming tax filing season are to offer 10,000 extended office hours and to expand the IRS rural outreach program by 20%, increasing the number of returns prepared. The agency said it also continues to simplify notifications to make language simpler to understand.IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel also said the IRS is working to improve public awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit, stating that nearly 1 in 5 eligible taxpayers dont claim it because they dont know about it or realize they qualify. As in past years, the IRS also urges filers to guard against tax scams, stating that bad actors proliferate during filing season, making false promises of tax help or fake threats to get people to pay penalties they dont owe. Filers can visit IRS.gov and search scams for the latest information.Multiyear supplemental funding provided by Congress allows the IRS to maintain its current staffing levels, the commissioner said on the call, adding that the IRSs technology and tools will stagnate if the funding is eliminated.This has been a historic period of improvement for the IRS, Commissioner Werfel said. More can be done with continued investment in the nations tax system.___The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. CORA LEWIS Lewis is an Associated Press business reporter based in New York. twitter mailto

Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment of former President Donald Trump, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)2025-01-11T13:27:16Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department has asked a federal appeals court to move swiftly in reversing a judges order that had blocked the agency from releasing any part of special counsel Jack Smiths investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump.The emergency motion late Friday is the latest back and forth in a court dispute over whether any portion of Smiths report can be made public before Trump takes office Jan. 20. The push to release it before Trumps inauguration reflects concerns that the Justice Department under the Trump administration, which will include members of his personal legal team in key leadership roles, would be in position to prevent the report from coming to light.The department is hoping to release in the coming days one part of its two-volume report focused on Trumps efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election that he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The department has said it will not publicly disclose a separate volume about Trumps hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after he left the White House in January 2021 as long as criminal proceedings against two of Trumps co-defendants remain pending. Both investigations resulted in indictments of Trump, though Smiths team abandoned both cases in November after Trumps election win. Smith cited Justice Department policy that bars the federal prosecution of a sitting president. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied an emergency defense bid Thursday to block the release of the election interference report, which covers Trumps efforts before Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, to undo the results of the 2020 election. The appeals court left in place an injunction from a Trump-appointed lower court judge, Aileen Cannon, that said none of the findings could be released until three days after the matter was resolved by the appeals court. Lawyers for Trumps co-defendants in the classified documents case, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, then asked Cannon to extend her injunction and to hold a hearing on the merits of their request to halt the release of the report. The Justice Department responded late Friday by asking the appeals court to immediately lift Cannons injunction altogether. The filing noted that in addition to temporarily blocking the release of the election interference report, Cannons action also prevents officials from sharing the classified documents report privately with the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees.Cannons order is plainly erroneous, according to the departments motion.The Attorney General is the Senate-confirmed head of the Department of Justice and is vested with the authority to supervise all officers and employees of the Department, the Justice Department said. The Attorney General thus has authority to decide whether to release an investigative report prepared by his subordinates.Justice Department regulations call for special counsels to produce reports at the conclusion of their work, and its customary for such documents to be made public no matter the subject. William Barr, attorney general during Trumps first term, released a special counsel report examining Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and potential ties to the Trump campaign.Bidens attorney general, Merrick Garland, has also released special counsel reports, including about Bidens handling of classified information before Biden became president. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Rescue team members work at the site of a plane crash at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea on Dec. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)2025-01-11T13:58:04Z SEOUL, South Korea (AP) The black boxes of a Boeing jetliner that crashed in South Korea last month stopped recording about four minutes before the accident, South Korean officials said Saturday, possibly complicating investigations into the cause of the disaster that killed 179 people.After analyzing the devices, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board concluded that both the flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped working about four minutes before the crash, the South Korean Transportation Ministry said.The Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air skidded off a runway in the South Korean town of Muan on Dec. 29 after its landing gear failed to deploy, slamming into a concrete structure and bursting into flames, killing all but two of the 181 people on board.After initially analyzing the black boxes, South Korean officials sent the devices to the NTSB for closer examination after discovering that some of the data was missing. The transportation ministry said it wasnt immediately clear why the devices failed to record data in the last four minutes. Data from the CVR ( cockpit voice recorder) and FDR (flight data recorder) are crucial in investigating accidents, but such investigations are conducted through the examination and analysis of various sources of information, and we plan to do our utmost to determine the cause of the accident, the ministry said in a statement. South Korean investigators have said that air traffic controllers warned the pilot about possible bird strikes two minutes before the aircraft issued a distress signal confirming that a bird strike had occurred, after which the pilot attempted an emergency landing. South Korean officials have also pledged to improve airport safety after experts linked the high death toll to Muan airports localizer system, the structure hit by the aircraft as it crashed. The localizer, a set of antennas designed to guide aircraft during landings, was housed in a concrete structure covered with dirt on an elevated embankment. This has raised questions about whether the structure should have been built with lighter materials that would break more easily upon impact. KIM TONG-HYUNG Kim has been covering the Koreas for the AP since 2014. He has published widely read stories on North Koreas nuclear ambitions, the dark side of South Koreas economic rise and international adoptions of Korean children. twitter mailto

In this photo taken from video distributed by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, a Russian sniper fires towards Ukrainian forces from an undisclosed location. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)2025-01-11T12:52:04Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukraines forces have captured two North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops in Russias Kursk border region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday. He made the comments days after Ukraine began pressing new attacks in Kursk to retain ground captured in a lightning incursion in August that resulted in the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II. Moscows counterattack has left Ukrainian forces outstretched and demoralized, killing and wounding thousands and retaking more than 40% of the 984 square kilometers (380 square miles) of Kursk Ukraine had seized.Our soldiers have captured North Korean soldiers in Kursk. These are two soldiers who, although wounded, survived, were taken to Kyiv, and are communicating with Ukrainian security services, Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. He shared photos of two men resting on cots in a room with bars over the windows. Both wore bandages, one around his jaw and the other around both hands and wrists. Zelenskyy said capturing the soldiers alive was not easy. He asserted that Russian and North Korean forces fighting in Kursk have tried to conceal the presence of North Korean soldiers, including by killing wounded comrades on the battlefield to avoid their capture and interrogation by Kyiv. Ukraines security service SBU on Saturday provided more information on the two soldiers. In a statement, it said one had no documents at all, while the other had been carrying a Russian military ID card in the name of a man from Tuva, a Russian region bordering Mongolia. The prisoners do not speak Ukrainian, English or Russian, so communication with them takes place through Korean translators in cooperation with South Korean intelligence, the statement said. According to the SBU, one of the soldiers claimed he had been told he was going to Russia for training, rather than to fight against Ukraine. The agency said both men were provided with medical care in line with the Geneva Conventions, and are being investigated in cooperation with South Korean intelligence.A senior Ukrainian military official said last month that a couple hundred North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk have been killed or wounded in battle.The official was providing the first significant estimate of North Korean casualties, which came several weeks after Ukraine announced that Pyongyang had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in its almost 3-year war against its much smaller neighbor.The White House and Pentagon last month confirmed that the North Korean forces have been battling on the front lines in largely infantry positions. They have been fighting with Russian units and, in some cases, independently around Kursk.____Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

A truck is jackknifed as another spins its wheels on a slushy offramp off Interstate 285 northeast of downtown in Atlanta on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)2025-01-11T15:25:21Z ATLANTA (AP) The game between the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks scheduled for Saturday has been postponed because of a winter storm.The NBA said the decision was made to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area.The league said a date for a rescheduled game will be announced at a later time. The Rockets team flight arrived in Atlanta before the postponement was announced.A winter storm dumped snow and ice on the Atlanta area Friday and roads were expected to refreeze Saturday night.Power outage numbers around Atlanta crept up Friday night as falling trees on power lines became a widespread issue. More than 110,000 customers were without electricity, mostly in the Atlanta area.On Friday, four passengers were injured after a Delta Air Lines jet bound for Minneapolis aborted its takeoff. Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said the plane experienced an engine problem. While the issue happened during the snowstorm that caused widespread cancellations and delays in Atlanta the worlds busiest airport officials couldnt say if the problem was related to the weather.The 201 passengers, two pilots and five flight attendants aboard evacuated the Boeing 757-300 using inflatable slides and were bused back to a concourse. One of the injured passengers was taken to a hospital, while three were treated at the airport for minor injuries. ___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Palisades Fire burns vehicles and structures in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)2025-01-11T14:30:08Z It was a week of fire and ice.It began with millions of people across the U.S. shivering amid blizzard conditions and frigid air that lasted for days, thanks to a jet stream that slips out of its usual path more often these days. Then, catastrophe in California, with wind-whipped flames taking off in a landscape parched by months of drought to become Los Angeles worst-ever wildfires.To cap it off, major weather monitoring agencies confirmed 2024 as the hottest year in global history. Even more dire, four of the six agencies said it was the first full year Earth went beyond a warming threshold seen as critical to limiting the worst effects of climate change.Welcome to one wild week of the climate crisis, scientists say. There will be more. Cosimos Cendo, of Washington, D.C., skis down Main Street in Annapolis, Md., Jan. 6, 2025, during a snow storm. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Cosimos Cendo, of Washington, D.C., skis down Main Street in Annapolis, Md., Jan. 6, 2025, during a snow storm. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More For the average person, this means the changes youre experiencing more extreme weather, rising costs due to climate impacts, threats to food and water security arent anomalies, said Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University. Theyre the new normal unless we take action. The last week of weird weather has been alarming, said Natalie Mahowald, chair of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University. I hope its not a sign of things to come, because weve barely seen any climate change compared to what we are going to get unless we radically cut CO2 emissions.Heres how the week unfolded. MondayThe cold came first. The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world, which means the difference between temperatures up north and down south are shrinking along with sea ice that releases more heat into atmosphere. That means more energy bouncing off and warping or moving the polar vortex, scientists say. And climate change is also messing with the jet stream, the air currents that circle the globe.The result? More frequent blasts of intense cold in winter even as global temperatures heat up overall. The blizzard dumped more snow in some parts of Kansas than they usually get in a year, one Kansas State University meteorologist said. Ice-coated trees downed power lines in eastern Kentucky, and a U.S. Olympian skied on the National Mall in Washington. Farmers rushed to move cows to keep them from freezing to death and to feed and water them as rural roads became impassable. Travel stalled as multiple states warned motorists not to chance the treacherous snow and ice.About 200 people, many homeless, sheltered at a roller rink in Cincinnati. The alternative was frostbite or worse in exposure to temperatures that were expected to slip from freezing to sub-freezing overnight. Residents of a senior center are evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches Jan. 7, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File) Residents of a senior center are evacuated as the Eaton Fire approaches Jan. 7, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More TuesdayOut West, wildfire took hold.The Palisades Fire erupted in the Santa Monica mountains and moved quickly on Santa Ana winds gusting to 100 mph much faster than normal. The winds were so strong they grounded airplanes normally used to drop water on the flames.The blaze reached near the Getty Museum and by the end of the day, several celebrities, including Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Jhen Aiko, had lost homes. Less than 72 hours before, many stars had convened to walk the Golden Globes red carpet. The Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, killing 2 people and closing about 10 school districts.Climate change laid the groundwork for Californias megafires. Atmospheric rivers dumped huge amounts of water on the region that caused plenty of plant growth. Then, a fast onset of drought dried them out, providing plenty of fodder for the flames. Firefighters work a hydrant in front of the burning Bunny Museum, Jan. 8, 2025, in the Altadena section of Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) Firefighters work a hydrant in front of the burning Bunny Museum, Jan. 8, 2025, in the Altadena section of Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More WednesdayThe water system used to fight the Palisades fire in Los Angeles buckled in the morning, as some hydrants ran dry as they were overstressed without assistance from firefighting aircraft.The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was pumping from aqueducts and groundwater into the system, but demand was so high that it wasnt enough to refill three 1-million gallon tanks in hilly Pacific Palisades. At least 1,000 buildings were engulfed in flames.The Sunset Fire started, too, threatening the Hollywood Hills and forcing mandatory evacuations in Hollywood. President-elect Donald Trump criticized state and local officials water management policies. But experts said critics were connecting unrelated issues and spreading false information during a crisis. Fire crews battle the Eaton Fire as it impacts a structure Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File) Fire crews battle the Eaton Fire as it impacts a structure Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More ThursdayBy the afternoon, calmer winds aided firefighters in making some headway, though by that point at least five fires were still active and some burned out of control in the L.A. area.Scenes of the destruction started to emerge. Recovery crews pulled a body from the rubble of a beachfront residence in Malibu. AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, estimated the overall wildfire damage could reach $57 billion, though much of the destruction remains to be surveyed.At the same time, another winter storm bore down on the South, with warnings and advisories for at least 20 states. Many had gone through the same thing just days earlier. Jesse Thompson rides his bicycle in the snow, Jan 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, FIle) Jesse Thompson rides his bicycle in the snow, Jan 10, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, FIle) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More FridayMajor weather monitoring agencies said 2024 was the hottest since record-keeping began, easily passing 2023.Even more significant: 2024 was the first year with a global average that broke the long-term warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since the late 1800s that was set as a goal by the 2015 Paris climate agreement.Extreme weather like this weeks is affecting so many more people all at one time, said Barbara Hofer, a professor emerita of psychology at Middlebury College. Increasingly, the scale is changing. The loss is mounting.Hofer said the growing impact may make some people deny climate change, ignore it or become numb to it as a way to avoid whats psychologically uncomfortable. Such a week can also energize positive change, she said. But Hofer said she thinks that will be harder, at least in the U.S., as Trump takes office. Hes promised to halt federal climate action and repeal existing legislation aimed at the problem.I worry about the denial, the misinformation, and the forces that are feeding that denial, she said. Thats what we have to address.___Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @melinawalling.bsky.social.___The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. MELINA WALLING Walling covers the intersections of climate change and agriculture in the Midwest and beyond for The Associated Press. She is based in Chicago. twitter instagram facebook mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Actor James Woods attends the premiere of the film "Bleed for This" in Beverly Hills, Calif., Nov. 2, 2016. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)2025-01-11T15:14:24Z Actor James Woods says his house in Pacific Palisades has survived the Los Angeles wildfire s that had devastated much of his neighborhood.A miracle has happened, Woods posted Friday on X. We managed to get to our property and our home, that we were told is gone forever, is still standing.Woods added: In this hellish landscape standing is relative, but smoke and other damage is not like the utter destruction around us.Earlier this week, Woods was among hundreds of thousands around Los Angeles who were forced to evacuate as the fires spread and intensified. He has posted regular updates on X, showing charred ruins of homes near his, and had been convinced his house would fare no better. So many beautiful messages from all of you, he posted later Friday. Im so happy and grateful, but honestly the entire area looks like the dark side of the moon.Numerous celebrities, from Paris Hilton to Billy Crystal, have confirmed their homes were lost or sustained damage in blazes burning in and around Los Angeles. At least 10 people have died, and thousands of structures and vehicles have been destroyed.

Supporters look on as Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a concession speech for the 2024 presidential election, Nov. 6, 2024, on the campus of Howard University in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)2025-01-11T13:37:33Z NEW YORK (AP) Democrats are harboring strong feelings of stress and gloom as the new year begins. And many are questioning whether their partys commitment to diverse candidates especially women may lead to further political struggles in the Donald Trump era. A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that a significant number of Democrats believe that it may be decades before the United States will get its first female president.Specifically, about 4 in 10 Democrats said its not very likely or not at all likely that a woman will be elected to the nations highest office in their lifetime, according to a December AP-NORC poll. Thats compared with about one-quarter of Republicans who feel the same. While despondency is hardly unique for a political party after a high-profile loss, that finding reflects the deep depression that has set in among Democrats about the country and their party after Trump soundly defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Such concerns may already be shaping the Democratic National Committees search for a new leader. For the first time in more than a decade, the top candidates for the job are all white men. And looking further ahead, the partys pessimism is influencing early conversations about the contest for the 2028 presidential nomination.We knew men hated women. The last election showed, for some of us, that we underestimated the extent to which some women hate other women, said Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a Democratic state representative from South Carolina and former president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. America is as racist and misogynist as it has always been. Democrats have nominated a woman to run against Trump in two of the past three presidential elections. In both cases, Trump won decisively, over Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Harris in 2024. The Democrat who unseated Trump Joe Biden in 2020 was a white man. Adding insult to injury for many Democrats was the long list of allegations brought by women against Trump. He was found liable in civil court for sexual abuse and convicted for a hush money case involving an adult film star. He was once caught on tape bragging that he could grab womens genitals without consent because he was a celebrity.Still, Trump narrowly carried every key swing state in November. Harris had the advantage among women, winning 53% to Trumps 46%, but that margin was somewhat narrower than Bidens. Trumps support held steady among white women, with slightly more than half supporting him, similar to 2020.Most Democrats about 7 in 10 believe 2025 will be a worse year for the U.S. than 2024, the AP-NORC poll found. Thats compared with about 4 in 10 U.S. adults who feel that way.The poll also found that Democrats were less likely to be feeling happy or hopeful about 2025 for them personally. Instead, about 4 in 10 Democrats said stressed described their feelings extremely or very well, while roughly one-third of Democrats said this about the word gloomy. Meanwhile, majorities of Republicans and conservatives said happy described how they feel about 2025 at least very well. A similar share said the same about hopeful. Its so dark out there right now, said poll respondent Rachel Wineman, a 41-year-old Democrat from Murrieta, California. My family and I are circling the wagons, trying to keep our heads down and survive. There are early signs that this loss has triggered questions about a core commitment of the modern-day Democratic Party to support minority groups, including women, while pushing diverse candidates into positions of power.Some Democratic leaders fear that Trumps strong success with working-class white voters and his modest gains among Blacks and Latinos in the election may signal a political realignment that could transform the political landscape for years to come unless the party changes its approach. The vote for a DNC chair offers the first clue as to the direction of the party during the second Trump administration. The election is three weeks away, and the leading candidates are Ben Wikler, the Wisconsin state chair, and Ken Martin, the Minnesota state party chair. Either would be the first white man in the job since Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine left the position in 2011. Martin and Wikler are considered the strong front-runners in a field of eight candidates who qualified for a DNC candidate forum Saturday, the first of four such gatherings before the Feb. 1 election at the committees winter meeting in suburban Washington. Two candidates are women: former presidential contender Marianne Williamson and Quintessa Hathaway, a former congressional candidate, educator and civil rights activist. The outgoing chair, Jaime Harrison, who is Black, said in a statement that the committee will be well-positioned to compete in future elections and push back against Trumps policies. Democrats stand ready to hold him accountable, Harrison said. We will continue to invest in all 50 states to build power from the local level on up and elect Democrats across the country.Meanwhile, some rank-and-file Democrats in early primary states are openly wondering whether the partys next White House nominee would be at a disadvantage if that person is not a straight white man who is Christian. Barack Obama is the only Black man to have been elected president in American history. New Hampshire Democrat Thalia Flores said Harris loss has made her rethink the political viability of rising stars such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the most prominent woman expected to weigh a 2028 presidential bid.Kamalas loss can impact those kind of candidates, too, because anybody whos not a mainstream white guy is maybe not a good bet, Flores said, indicating that such concerns would not affect her personal vote in the next presidential primary. Its a shame that were even having the conversation.She added, The American people cant seem to support a woman.Overall, the AP-NORC poll found that about one-quarter of Americans said it was extremely or very likely that the country will elect a woman as president in their lifetime. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults thought it was somewhat likely and about one-third said it was not very likely or not at all likely.Such feelings are consistent among Americans regardless of age or gender, although Black Americans are more likely than white or Hispanic adults to say its not very likely or not likely at all to happen in their lifetime.Sarah Burnett, a 49-year-old small business owner from Edgerton, Missouri, said shes feeling dread about the direction of the country in 2025. All of us are not looking forward to the next four years, she said. As for whether she thinks the U.S. will elect a woman in her lifetime, she said shes trying to be optimistic. Yes, theres going to be sexism involved, misogyny, the patriarchy and all of that. But we did have a Black president, Burnett said. So yes, I would expect a woman to be elected. Do I have high expectations? No. ___Sanders reported from Washington.___The AP-NORC poll of 1,251 adults was conducted Dec. 5-9, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. LINLEY SANDERS Sanders is a polls and surveys reporter for The Associated Press. She develops and writes about polls conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, and works on AP VoteCast. twitter

The body of Dima Eid, 5, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, is brought to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-01-11T17:02:42Z NAHARIYA, Israel (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved sending the director of the Mossad foreign intelligence agency to ceasefire negotiations in Qatar in a sign of progress in talks on the war in Gaza.Netanyahus office announced the decision Saturday. It was not immediately clear when David Barnea would travel to Qatars capital, Doha, site of the latest round of indirect talks between Israel and the Hamas militant group. His presence means high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved.Just one brief ceasefire has been achieved in 15 months of war, and that occurred in the earliest weeks of fighting. The talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar have repeatedly stalled since then.Netanyahu has insisted on destroying Hamas ability to fight in Gaza. Hamas has insisted on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the largely devastated territory. On Thursday, Gazas Health Ministry said over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war. Also being sent to Qatar are the head of Israels Shin Bet internal security agency and military and political advisers. Netanyahus office said the decision followed a meeting with his defense minister, security chiefs and negotiators on behalf of the outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations. The office also released a photo showing Netanyahu with President-elect Donald Trumps incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who was in Qatar this week. Families of the roughly 100 hostages still held in Gaza after being seized in the Oct. 7, 2023 militant attack that sparked the war are pressing Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home. The recovery of two hostages bodies in the past week renewed fears that time is running out. Hamas has said that after months of heavy fighting, it isnt sure who is alive or dead. Israel and Hamas are under pressure from outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and Trump to reach a deal before the Jan. 20 inauguration.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week a deal is very close and he hoped to complete it before handing over diplomacy to the incoming Trump administration. But U.S. officials have expressed similar optimism on several occasions over the past year.Issues in the talks have included which hostages would be released in the first part of a phased ceasefire deal, which Palestinian prisoners would be released and the extent of any Israeli troop withdrawal from population centers in Gaza.Hamas and other groups killed some 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages into Gaza in the attack that started the war. A truce in November 2023 freed more than 100 hostages, while others have been rescued or their remains have been recovered over the past year. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

People crowd Bourbon Street near the intersection of Canal Street in New Orleans, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, as they memorialize the victims of the New Year's Day deadly truck attack and shooting. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)2025-01-11T13:53:32Z NEW ORLEANS (AP) The second-guessing began before the bodies had been cleared from the debris of the deadly Bourbon Street truck attack. A law firm signed up survivors of what it called a predictable and preventable tragedy. Politicians parried blame for the latest mass-casualty event in New Orleans infamous adult playground. And investigations targeted the ill-fated removal of the streets bollards, steel columns designed to restrict vehicle access. But as the city seeks to recover and beefs up security ahead of next months Super Bowl and Carnival season, law enforcement and community leaders are confronting an existential question as old as the entertainment district: Can Bourbon Street be protected in a way that preserves its unique, round-the-clock revelry?Once we start to hear what its actually going to take to secure the French Quarter and the Mardi Gras parade routes, I dont know if this city is going to have an appetite for all that, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission watchdog group. If we try to make New Orleans as secure as an airport, people arent going to like it, he said. This isnt Disney World. Shock and grief have given way to finger-pointing over whether additional security could have stopped or mitigated the Islamic State group-inspired attack, which killed 14 people when Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup through a New Years crowd. In the difficult days since, proposals for new safety measures have ranged from banning vehicular traffic in the French Quarter to turning the historic neighborhood into a state park. Many locals who depend on tourism agree that something has to give. Its just too wide open. Its too trustworthy down here, said Bryan Casey, 53, a native New Orleanian who has worked on Bourbon Street since the late 1990s and waits tables at Galatoires, an upscale restaurant that opened in 1905. Casey and his colleagues wiped blood off the wall after the attack as bodies lay mangled in front of the establishment. Bourbon Street should have been made into a pedestrian mall long ago, Casey said: Theres people watching and theyre going to get you, so you got to be careful.Much of the immediate focus has centered on the absence of the bollards, which had stopped working reliably and were being replaced ahead of the Super Bowl. City leaders have been criticized for the timing of that project and failing to implement a suitable replacement during their repair. A lawsuit filed Thursday on behalf of victims alleged the city had years of opportunities to patch up vulnerabilities. But a half dozen current and former law enforcement officials in Louisiana described the bollard issue as a red herring, saying that even if they had been functioning they may not have prevented the attack given how hell-bent Jabbar appeared on creating carnage. The broader safety conundrum is more complex, they said, given the quarters dense, alcohol-fueled crowds and structural challenges inherent to an early 18th-century neighborhood built for horse-drawn buggies. Policing here is even more complicated in a city with notoriously high crime, a chronic shortage of officers and a new state law allowing permit-less concealed carry of firearms. I dont know of another place that has the same challenges for protecting people, said Ronnie Jones, a public safety consultant who served in the Louisiana State Police for 32 years, including as deputy superintendent. A lot of people in public safety dont want to talk about it, but we just cant guarantee that everybody going to the French Quarter is going to be safe, Jones said. Theres a tradeoff here, and weve never, ever, found that balance.The citys newly hired security consultant, William J. Bratton, a former New York City police commissioner, said he recognizes the importance of maintaining a festive atmosphere during carnival even as he works with city police to bolster security over the next few months. One of the things I talked about is developing security provisions that dont change Mardi Gras, dont change the flavor of it, the excitement of it and the nature of it, Bratton said at a news conference this week. To develop security protocols that dont become so intrusive, so disruptive.The New Years attack was far from the first deadly vehicle incident on Bourbon Street. In 1972, one person died and 18 were injured when a teenager fleeing police in a stolen car crashed through metal barricades and sped down the thoroughfare at 70 mph (about 113 kph). Ten years later a man smashed through steel barricades and careened down nearly seven blocks, injuring at least 11. And in 1995, an intoxicated 63-year-old man drove a beer van through a crowd attending a St. Patricks Day parade, killing one and injuring 38. More recent Bourbon Street tragedies have involved gun violence, including multiple fatal shootings last year. In 2014, a mass shooting killed a 21-year-old woman and wounded nine others, including a bystander shot through her cheek. Two years later a person was killed and nine others were wounded in a shooting. Many of those incidents prompted similar calls for change and accountability, raising questions about civil liberties and what, if anything, the city is willing to sacrifice in the name of public safety. City, state and federal law enforcement officials have offered varying solutions that critics have said were mere stopgaps, likening them to putting Band-Aids on a wound that has never quite healed. I was part of those conversations when we were looking to create a very robust security package, including metal detectors and infrared technology that could alert if something metal was in someones clothing none of that ever materialized, said Michael Harrison, a former head of New Orleans police who later became commissioner in Baltimore. There are ways to prevent ramming attacks. Theres not yet a way to prevent people from walking on Bourbon Street and doing bad things.Pedicab driver Jody Cajun Queen Boudreaux, 65, said Bourbon Street has always embodied New Orleans laissez-faire charm and she is not sure whether the city has the will to shore up its lax security. Were a target, clearly. They know we have holes, they know we are all scrambling and they also know that our vibe is Laissez les bons temps rouler she said, invoking the famous Cajun French saying that means, Let the good times roll. I think it can be balanced, I truly do. Andrew Monteverde, co-vice president of the New Orleans Firefighters Association, said first responders and law enforcement deal with a raft of emergencies, from extinguishing fires to saving people in cardiac arrest. The more that limited resources are dedicated to one part of the city, he added, the less is available to deal for elsewhere. Could you possibly make the French Quarter so secure that you couldnt even spit on the sidewalk? he said. Maybe, but then what would you trade off? At The Beach on Bourbon Street, where workers screen clubgoers at every entrance with handheld metal detectors, general manager Woody Ryder has become inured to the frequent shootings after working there for seven years. Theres crazy people out there, he said. But the recent attack has made him uneasy. Ryder and his staff are still recovering from witnessing what he and others likened to a war zone. The city has already failed us, he said. Im hesitant as soon as I turn on Bourbon Street.___ Mustian reported from New York, and Cline from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press reporter Michael Kunzelman in Washington contributed. JACK BROOK Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member. twitter mailto JIM MUSTIAN Mustian is an Associated Press investigative reporter for breaking news. twitter mailto

A home destroyed by the Palisades Fire is seen during sunset in Pacific Palisades, Calif., Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)2025-01-11T18:30:28Z LOS ANGELES (AP) The wildfires that erupted this week across Los Angeles County are still raging, but already are projected to be among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.The devastating blazes have killed at least 11 people and incinerated more than 12,000 structures since Tuesday, laying waste to entire neighborhoods once home to multimillion-dollar properties.While its still too early for an accurate tally of the financial toll, the losses so far likely make the wildfires the costliest ever in the U.S., according to various estimates.A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion. By comparison, AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic losses caused by Hurricane Helene, which tore across six southeastern states last fall, at $225 billion to $250 billion. This will be the costliest wildfire in California modern history and also very likely the costliest wildfire in U.S. modern history, because of the fires occurring in the densely populated areas around Los Angeles with some of the highest-valued real estate in the country, said Jonathan Porter, the private firms chief meteorologist. AccuWeather factors in a multitude of variables in its estimates, including damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure and vehicles, as well as immediate and long-term health care costs, lost wages and supply chain interruptions. The insurance broker Aon PLC also said Friday that the L.A. County wildfires will likely end up being the costliest in U.S. history, although it did not issue an estimate. Aon ranks a wildfire known as the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, in 2018 as the costliest in U.S. history up to now at $12.5 billion, adjusted for inflation. The Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed about 11,000 homes.The L.A. County wildfires, which were fueled by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds and an extreme drought, remained largely uncontained Saturday. That means the final tally of losses from the blazes is likely to increase, perhaps substantially. To put this into perspective, the total damage and economic loss from this wildfire disaster could reach nearly 4% of the annual GDP of the state of California, AccuWeathers Porter said.In a report Friday, Moodys also concluded that the wildfires would prove to be the costliest in U.S. history, specifically because they have ripped through densely populated areas with higher-end properties.While the state is no stranger to major wildfires, they have generally been concentrated in inland areas that are not densely populated. Thats led to less destruction per acre, and in damage to less expensive homes, Moodys noted.Thats far from the case this time, with one of the largest conflagrations destroying thousands of properties across the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, home to many Hollywood stars and executives with multimillion-dollar properties. Already, numerous celebrities have lost homes to the fires.The scale and intensity of the blazes, combined with their geographic footprint, suggest a staggering price tag, both in terms of the human cost and the economic toll, Moodys analysts wrote. The report did not include a preliminary cost estimate of the wildfire damage.It could be several months before a concrete tally of the financial losses from the wildfires will be possible. Were in the very early stages of this disaster, Porter said. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Rudy Giuliani speaks after leaving federal court in Washington, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2025-01-11T20:12:30Z NEW YORK (AP) After he was found in contempt twice in one week, Rudy Giuliani faces another potentially treacherous week ahead at a trial to determine whether his Florida condominium and three World Series rings must be turned over to two Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation award against him.The former New York City mayor was found in contempt on Friday by a Washington judge for repeating false claims that the workers corruptly counted votes in the 2020 presidential election. Last Monday, a New York judge found him in contempt for failing to adequately turn over evidence about his assets.On Thursday, Giuliani, 80, faces trial in New York over whether he can keep his Palm Beach, Florida, condominium, which he asserts he established as his permanent residence a year ago, and whether he must turn over three World Series rings that he says he gave to his son in 2018. Judge Lewis J. Liman, who will preside over the juryless trial in Manhattan federal court, is the same jurist who found Giuliani in contempt last Monday.With his contempt order, Liman made rulings setting Giuliani back in the upcoming trial. He said Giuliani cannot offer testimony about texts or emails to show that he moved his residence to Florida since he failed to turn over any texts or emails as part of the pretrial exchange of evidence between lawyers. Liman said he can also make adverse inferences about gaps in evidence resulting from Giulianis failure to turn over materials, including by rejecting any claims that Giuliani changed his professional services, such as doctors and lawyers, to individuals practicing in Florida after Jan. 1, 2024. Giuliani has conceded that he sometimes did not turn over everything requested in the case because he believed what was being sought was overly broad, inappropriate or even a trap set by lawyers for the plaintiffs. A request for comment Saturday was sent to a spokesperson for the former private attorney to President-elect Donald Trump.At a November hearing, Giuliani said he was not impoverished, but his assets were tied up because of multiple legal proceedings he faces in several states.Liman also issued an order several days ago asking all sides to describe whether the World Series rings Giuliani purchased from the New York Yankees should be stored with the court for safekeeping until it can be decided who will get them.Lawyers for Andrew Giuliani said the rings are safely located in the bedroom closet of his New York City residence in a doorman building.The judge raised the possibility of the court keeping the rings after Giuliani testified last Monday that he doesnt know what happened to a valuable signed Joe DiMaggio baseball jersey after he last saw it at his Manhattan apartment about four months ago.Following the testimony, lawyers for the election workers submitted written arguments to refute the claims that Giuliani gave the rings to his son in 2018. They noted, for instance, that Giulianis bankruptcy submission in 2023 listed the rings among his property. The Florida property and World Series rings are the primary assets still in dispute from a portfolio of Giuliani assets that was estimated to exceed $10 million. The Palm Beach condominium is believed to be worth more than $3 million.He has already given up assets including a New York City apartment worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall and numerous luxury watches and other belongings.The Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss, won the defamation judgment against Giuliani after saying his lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives.

President Joe Biden, left, meets with Pope Francis in Savelletri, Puglia, Italy, June 14, 2024. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP, File)2025-01-11T20:20:37Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Saturday honored Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the highest civilian award given by the president, saying the pontiff was a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.Biden had been scheduled to present the medal to the pope in person on Saturday in Rome on what was to be the final overseas trip of his presidency, but Biden canceled his travel plans so he could monitor the wildfires in California. The White House said Biden bestowed the award to the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.Its the only time Biden has presented the honor with distinction during his presidency. Biden himself is a recipient of the award with distinction, recognized when he was vice president by then-President Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago. That was the only time in Obamas two terms when he awarded that version of the medal. The citation for the pope says his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers childrens questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths.Biden is preparing to leave office Jan. 20 and has doled out honors to prominent individuals, including supporters and allies, in recent weeks. ZEKE MILLER Zeke is APs chief White House correspondent twitter mailto

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley talks during a news conference at HarborUCLA Medical Center in the West Carson area of Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)2025-01-11T21:00:12Z Kristin Crowley was elevated to Los Angeles fire chief in 2022 at a time of turmoil in a department consumed by complaints of rampant hazing, harassment and discrimination among its 3,400-member ranks. As a career firefighter, she was portrayed by the then-mayor as a stabilizing force.Three years later, the mood between Crowley and City Hall has changed. The wildfire in Pacific Palisades that has burned more than 5,000 structures to become the most destructive in city history has put leaders on the defensive and led Crowley to engage in a public spat with Mayor Karen Bass over resources even as the battle against flames continues across the Los Angeles area.Crowley publicly criticized the city Friday for budget cuts that she said have made it harder for firefighters to do their jobs at a time when they are seeing more calls. She also cast blame on the city for water running out Tuesday when about 20% of the hydrants tapped to fight the Palisades fire went dry. Im not a politician, Im a public servant. Its my job as the fire chief for Los Angeles city fire dept to make sure our firefighters have exactly what they need to do their jobs, she told CNN. Her comments and perceived falling-out with Bass prompted so much speculation about her job security that the union issued a statement Friday assuring rank-and-file members that she had not been fired. The following day the mayor sought to tamp down the tension.Let me be clear about something: The fire chief and I are focused on fighting these fires and saving lives, and any differences that we might have will be worked out in private, Bass said at a news conference. But right now our first and most important obligation to Angelenos is to get through this crisis.This followed several days of Crowley getting swept into the national political fray over diversity, equity and inclusion policies that conservatives believe have gone too far in American institutions. Crowley, who is openly gay and the citys first female fire chief, has made diversifying the overwhelmingly male department a priority. What we are seeing (was) largely preventable, talk show host Megyn Kelly said on her show. LAs fire chief has made not filling the fire hydrants top priority, but diversity.Theres no evidence that Crowleys efforts to diversify the department have hampered the fight. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is in charge of providing water for the hydrants, and its leaders have said they were overwhelmed by the intense demand on a municipal system not designed to fight wildfires, particularly as firefighting aircraft was grounded. Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation into what happened, and Crowley herself added to the criticism. When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect theres going to be water, she said during a local news interview. Philadelphia Managing Director Adam K. Thiel, who previously served as that citys fire commissioner, suggested that people reserve judgment until the fires can be investigated. He noted that firefighters cannot control the weather, a key factor in battling wildfires. Firefighting, to a regular person, probably appears to be a relatively simple process of putting water on a fire, said Thiel, who knows Crowley and praised her experience. In reality every firefighting operation, in any environment, is inherently volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Crowley to the job amid complaints about a frat house culture in the department that was sometimes hostile to women and minorities. Several lawsuits alleged hazing and harassment, and federal investigators found evidence of discrimination.At the time Crowley was sworn in, women accounted for just 3.5 percent of the uniformed membership, a figure thats not unusual for a department. A survey found that half the uniformed women in the department along with 40% of Blacks, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders felt harassment was a problem. Crowley, whose wife is a retired firefighter, told the Los Angeles Times in 2022 that she planned to ensure all of employees come to work and feel safe and feel heard.Two years later, she was facing budget cuts that she warned could hamper the departments ability to respond to emergencies, including wildfires. She highlighted the elimination of civilian positions and $7 million in overtime pay. The reduction in overtime has limited the departments ability to prepare and train for large scale emergencies, such as wildfires and earthquakes, Crowley said, and programs like air operations. The department has also lost mechanics, leading to delays in repairing the vehicle fleet, she said.Other city officials say the departments budget was later boosted, but its unclear how much of that went to firefighting resources. Bass has said the department has the resources needed to do its job and she will address specifics once the crisis subsides. Crowley, who grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, came to firefighting after what she called a really unique journey. A high school and college athlete, she studied biology at Saint Marys College in Notre Dame, Indiana, with plans to become an orthopedic surgeon. Two weeks after graduation, she moved to California. A stint as a paramedic changed her career path. She did an internship with the fire department and was hooked. That was it, she told WBAY-TV in Green Bay in March 2022. Within a few seconds of me entering into the fire station, it was just such a wonderful connection to what I had being a student-athlete for the majority of my life, and I tell you, it was a perfect fit.Crowley has now been with the department for a quarter century, serving in nearly every role, including fire marshal, engineer and battalion chief. Garcetti had described Crowley as not only a trailblazer but the most qualified person.The protection of our city first and foremost has to go to the human being who is best prepared to lead. But let me be clear, that is Kristin Crowley, he said.___Associated Press reporter Zeke Miller in Washington contributed. MARYCLAIRE DALE Dale covers national legal issues for The Associated Press, often focusing on the federal judiciary, gender law, #MeToo and NFL player concussions. Her work unsealing Bill Cosbys testimony in a decade-old deposition led to his arrest and sexual assault trials. twitter mailto

Police officers remove a protestor from the street during a demonstration ahead of the AfD's national party conference, in Riesa, Germany, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Daniel Wagner/dpa via AP)2025-01-11T09:40:44Z RIESA, Germany (AP) Thousands of people demonstrated against a convention of the far-right Alternative for Germany on Saturday, blocking some roads and delaying the meetings start as parties launched their campaigns for the countrys election next month.A heavy police presence was in place in Riesa in the eastern state of Saxony, a stronghold of Alternative for Germany, or AfD and officers cleared some protesters from the streets. However, the two-day convention started a little over two hours late as many delegates trips to the venue were slowed by blockades.AfD formally nominated co-leader Alice Weidel as its candidate for chancellor by acclamation. Weidel, who was among those held up, thanked delegates for defying the left-wing mob and getting here.Polls show AfD in second place ahead of the Feb. 23 election, with about 20% support. However, Weidel who this week held a live chat with tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has endorsed the party, on his X platform has no realistic chance of becoming Germanys leader as other parties refuse to work with AfD. It is the mainstream conservative opposition Union bloc that leads polls with around 30% and its candidate, Friedrich Merz, is the favorite to become the next chancellor. The Union is focusing on boosting Germanys stagnant economy in particular and on reducing irregular migration. Weidel assailed it as a party of fraudsters Saturday, urging people to vote for the original and strengthen her party. Over 50 countries go to the polls in 2024The year will test even the most robust democracies. Read more on whats to come here.Take a look at the 25 places where a change in leadership could resonate around the world.Keep track of the latest AP elections coverage from around the world here. She called for closing Germanys borders to undocumented migration and large-scale deportations of asylum-seekers, making clear that she has no problem with the politically charged term remigration. She pledged to return to service the Nord Stream gas pipeline that was damaged in 2022 explosions shortly after Russia cut off gas supplies to Germany, and won loud applause for saying that AfD would tear down all wind turbines which she described as windmills of shame if it came to power. At a news conference in Hamburg, Merz concentrated on his own partys offer of fundamental change after the unpopular and notoriously rancorous coalition of center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed.He said he aims to lead a government that stops arguing; a government that draws up reliable laws that also endure in the longer term, producing a reliable environment for domestic and foreign investors. Then we will have higher potential growth, and then we will have higher actual growth again.Scholz is hoping for a come-from-behind victory, but there has been little sign of significant movement so far in polls that show support for his Social Democrats at 14-17%. His coalition government collapsed in November when he fired his finance minister in a dispute over how to revitalize the economy, leading to an early election.Scholz conceded Saturday that mistakes were made and said that maybe I should also have ended the coalition earlier. But he said that its time to look to the future. Lets fight, he told delegates at a party convention in Berlin, which formally confirmed his nomination as its candidate in a show of hands. He accused Merzs Union of having no serious plans to tackle Germanys problems and said it is making expensive promises for the absolute top earners that would rip a gigantic crater in our budget.Scholz, who has made Germany one of the leading weapons suppliers to Ukraine in its war with Russia but refused to send it Taurus long-range cruise missiles, again pledged to maintain his steadfast and prudent approach. And he reiterated his pushback against President-elect Donald Trumps recently expressed designs on Greenland and other territories, declaring without naming Trump that the principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country, whether it lies to the east of us or the west; every state must keep to this principle, whether it is a small state or a very big and powerful one.Merz said that public finger-pointing from Germany has never made an impression in America, and as a rule has achieved the opposite.___Moulson reported from Berlin. Pietro De Cristofaro contributed to this report from Riesa.

FILE.- Syrians sing and wave post-Assad flags during a concert by the recently returned "revolutionary" singer Wasfi Maasrani in Damascus Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025..(AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed,File)2025-01-11T10:57:40Z DAMASCUS (AP) A packed concert hall in Damascus came alive this week with cheers as Wasfi Maasarani, a renowned singer and symbol of the Syrian uprising, performed in celebration of Syrias victory.The concert Wednesday marked Maasaranis return to Syria after 13 years of exile. While living in Los Angeles, Maasarani had continued to support Syrias uprising through his music, touring the U.S. and Europe.The concert organized by the Molham Volunteering Team, a humanitarian organization founded by Syrian students, also marked a month since a lightning insurgency toppled former President Bashar Assad. Revolutionary songs like those by Maasarani and Abdelbasset Sarout a Syrian singer and activist who died in 2019 played a key role in rallying Syrians during the nearly 14-year uprising-turned civil war starting in 2011.Many opponents of Assads rule, like Maasarani, had fled the country and were unsure if they would ever be able to come back. In the dimly lit concert hall, the crowds phone lights flickered like stars, swaying in unison with the music as the audience sang along, some wiping away tears. The crowd cheered and whistled and many waved the new Syrian flag, the revolutionary flag marked by three stars. A banner held up in the hall read, It is Syria the Great, not Syria the Assad. One of Maasaranis best known songs is Jabeenak Ali w Ma Bintal, which he first sang in 2012, addressing the Free Syrian Army. It was a coalition of defected Syrian military personnel and civilian fighters formed in 2011 to oppose Assad during the civil war. You free soldier, the Syrian eminence appears in his eyes, he refused to fire at his people, he refused the shame of the traitor army, long live you free army, protect my people and the revolutionaries, the lyrics read.Another banner in the audience read, It is the revolution of the people and the people never fail. Between performances, Raed Saleh, the head of the civil defense organization known as the White Helmets, addressed the crowd, saying, With this victory, we should not forget the families who never found their children in the prisons and detention centers.Thousands were tortured or disappeared under Assads government. After the fall of Assad, the White Helmets helped in the search for the missing.After the concert, Maasarani told The Associated Press, Its like a dream to return to Syria and perform his revolutionary songs.We were always singing them outside of Syria, experiencing the happy and sad moments from afar, he said, adding that his role was to capture the atrocities on the ground through song, ensuring they would be remembered in history. He reflected on his years in exile and recalled surviving two assassination attempts before leaving Syria.We have not seen this state without Assad since I was born, said Alaa Maham, a concert attendee who recently returned from the United Arab Emirates. I cannot describe my feelings, I hope our happiness lasts.The future of Syria is still unclear, as the Islamist former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, now the de facto ruling party, begins to form a new government and rebuild the countrys institutions.Whatever comes next, Maham said, We got rid of the oppression and corruption with the fall of Assad and his familys rule.___AlJoud reported from Beirut.

President Donald Trump, center, reaches out to Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as they prepare to sign a new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that is replacing the NAFTA trade deal during a ceremony at a hotel before the start of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nov. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia, File)2025-01-12T01:08:27Z VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) President-elect Donald Trumps remarks that Canada should become the 51st state drew condemnation and a patriotic outburst on Saturday from a former Canadian prime minister who offered blunt advice to the incoming U.S. leader: Give your head a shake!Jean Chrtien, who was Canadas prime minister from 1993 to 2003, joined a chorus of officials from the northern U.S. neighbor who say Trumps remarks are no longer a joke and may undermine Americas closest ally. Canada would never agree to become part of the United States, Chrtien wrote in an article published in The Globe and Mail newspaper, celebrating his 91st birthday. He extolled his nations love of independence and said Trumps remarks amounted to totally unacceptable insults and unprecedented threats to Canadian sovereignty.To Donald Trump, from one old guy to another, give your head a shake! Chrtien said. What could make you think that Canadians would ever give up the best country in the world and make no mistake that is what we are to join the United States? Trump has tossed expansionist rhetoric not just at Canada but also at other U.S. allies, with arguments that the frontiers of American power need to be extended to the Danish territory of Greenland, and southward to include the Panama Canal. And while many European leaders have been measured in their response, Canadians have not held back. If you think that threatening and insulting us is going to win us over, you really dont know a thing about us, Chrtien wrote in the article. We may look easy-going, mild-mannered. But make no mistake, we have spine and toughness.The U.S. imports approximately 60% of its crude oil from Canada, which is also the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canadian officials have been talking to incoming Trump administration officials about increasing border security in an effort to avoid a sweeping 25% tariff that Trump has threatened to impose on all Canadian products.When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum.

A girl walks amidst destruction in Mbouyougou, Mayotte, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrienne Surprenant)2025-01-11T23:14:39Z CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) The French territory of Mayotte was put on red alert Saturday as another cyclone headed toward the islands off Africa that were devastated by their worst storm in nearly a century last month.The Prefecture of Mayotte said the red alert warning was issued at 10 p.m. local time in preparation for the arrival of Cyclone Dikeledi, which made landfall in northern Madagascar earlier Saturday and was moving west toward Mayotte.Dikeledi was expected to reach Mayotte early Sunday. Emergency personnel and law enforcement were on high alert and everything is being put in place to protect the population, the French Interior Ministry said. It said Dikeledi would likely weaken to a strong tropical storm as it neared Mayotte.The French meteorological department, Meteo, said Dikeledi would still bring strong winds and heavy rain, although it was expected to pass approximately 75 kilometers (46 miles) to the south of Mayotte. Wind gusts could reach up to 110 kph (68 mph), Meteo said. Mayotte has not yet recovered from the impact of Cyclone Chido, which ripped through the archipelago a month ago, causing extensive damage to Frances poorest department. Authorities say at least 39 people were killed in Mayotte and more than 2,000 were injured by Chido, but French Prime Minister Franois Bayrou warned on a visit to the islands two weeks ago that the final death toll could be several hundred. It was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years, officials said, leaving a trail of destruction and flattening entire neighborhoods as it passed. Mayotte, a densely populated archipelago of over 320,000 people off the east coast of Africa, is also home to an estimated 100,000 migrants. Many people live in precarious shantytowns, which were the worst hit by Chido. More than 100 others died in Mozambique and Malawi as Chido moved on after smashing Mayotte and made landfall on mainland Africa. While Dikeledi was not expected to be as strong as Chido which brought winds of more than 200 kph (124 mph) authorities were expecting more rain and mudslides were a major risk, said Mayotte Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville, the French governments top official on the islands.November to April is cyclone season in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and the region has been pummeled by a series of strong ones in recent years. The worst was Cyclone Idai in 2019, which killed more than 1,500 people in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe and affected more than 3 million people.___AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Rescue workers use a bulldozer to remove rubble of destroyed buildings at the site of an Israeli airstrike that hit several branches of the Hezbollah-run Qard al-Hassan Association in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)2025-01-12T05:03:25Z BEIRUT (AP) Six weeks into a ceasefire that halted the war between Israel and Hezbollah, many displaced Lebanese whose homes were destroyed in the fighting want to rebuild but reconstruction and compensation are slow in coming.Large swaths of southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as Beiruts southern suburbs, lie in ruins, tens of thousands of houses reduced to rubble in Israeli airstrikes. The World Bank estimated in a report in November before the ceasefire later that month that losses to Lebanons infrastructure amount to some $3.4 billion.In the south, residents of dozens of villages along the Lebanon-Israel border cant go back because Israeli soldiers are still there. Under the U.S.-negotiated ceasefire deal, Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw by Jan. 26 but there are doubts they will. Other terms of the deal are also uncertain after Hezbollahs withdrawal, the Lebanese army is to step in and dismantle the militants combat positions in the south. Israeli officials have complained the Lebanese troops are not moving in fast enough to which they say the Israeli troops need to get out first. Reconstruction prospects and who will foot the bill remain unclear. In 2006, after the monthlong Israel-Hezbollah war, Hezbollah financed much of the $2.8 billion reconstruction with ally Irans support. The Lebanese militant group has said it would do so again and has begun making some payments. But Hezbollah, which is also a powerful political party, has suffered significant losses in this latest war and for its part, Iran is now mired in a crippling economic crisis. The cash-strapped and long paralyzed Lebanese government is in little position to help and international donors may be stretched by the post-war needs in the Gaza Strip and neighboring Syria.Many Lebanese say they are waiting for Hezbollahs promised compensation. Others say they received some money from the group much less than the cost of the damage to their homes. Manal, a 53-year-old mother of four from the southern village of Marjayoun has been displaced with her family for over a year, since Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, in support of its ally Hamas in Gaza. Israel responded with shelling and airstrikes in southern Lebanon. In July, Manals family heard that their home was destroyed. The family has now sought compensation from Hezbollah. We havent received any money yet, said Manal, giving only her first name for fear of reprisals. Maybe our turn hasnt arrived.On a recent day in southern Beirut, where airstrikes had hit just 100 meters (yards) away from his home, Mohammad watched as an excavator cleared debris, dust swirling in the air. He said his father went to Hezbollah officials and got $2,500 not enough to cover $4,000 worth of damage to their home. Dad took the money and left, thinking it was pointless to argue, said Mohammad, who also gave only his first name for fear of repercussions. He said his uncle was offered only $194 for a similarly damaged home. When the uncle complained, Mohammad said, Hezbollah asked him, We sacrificed our blood, what did you do in the war?Others, however, say Hezbollah has compensated them fairly. Abdallah Skaiki, whose home also in southern Beirut was completely destroyed, said he received $14,000 from Qard Al-Hasan, a Hezbollah-linked microfinance institution.Hussein Khaireddine, director of Jihad Binaa, the construction arm of Hezbollah, said the group is doing as much as it can. Its teams have surveyed over 80% of damaged houses across Lebanon, he said. We have begun compensating families, he said. We have also started providing payments for a years rent and compensations for furniture.Khaireddin said their payments include $8,000 for furniture and $6,000 for a years rent for those living in Beirut. Those who are staying elsewhere get $4,000 in money for rent. Blueprints for each house are being prepared, he said, declining to elaborate on reconstruction plans.We are not waiting for the government, he added. But of course, we urge the state to act. There is little the government can do. The World Banks report from mid-November said Lebanons infrastructure and economic losses from the war amount to $8.5 billion. And that estimate doesnt take into account the last month of the war, Deputy Prime Minister Saadi Chami told The Associated Press.The government does not have the financial resources for reconstruction, he said bluntly. The World Bank said 99,209 housing units were damaged and 18% of them were completely destroyed. In southern Beirut suburbs alone, satellite analysis by Lebanons National Center for Natural Hazards and Early Warning identified 353 buildings completely destroyed and over 6,000 homes damaged.Lebanese officials have appealed to the international community for funding. The government is working with the World Bank to get an updated damage assessment and hopes to set up a multi-donor trust fund. The World Bank is also exploring an emergency project for Lebanon, focused on targeted assistance for areas most in need, Chami said, though no concrete plan has yet emerged.If the World Bank gets involved, it will hopefully encourage the international community to donate money, Chami said.Ali Daamoush, a Hezbollah official, said earlier this month that the group has mobilized 145 reconstruction teams, which include 1,250 engineers, 300 data analysts and hundreds of auditors many apparently volunteers.The compensations paid so far have come from the Iranian people, Daamoush said, without specifying if the money was from Irans government or private donors.Jana, a 29-year-old architect, is volunteering with Hezbollah teams to survey the damage to her hometown of Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon. Much of the city is destroyed, including an Ottoman-era market. Her fathers warehouse was hit by airstrikes, and all the medical supplies stored there were consumed by a fire. Hezbollah officials told us not to promise people or discuss reconstruction because there is no clear plan or funding for it yet, she told the AP. She did not give her last name because she wasnt authorized to talk about Hezbollahs actions. They advised us to offer support and show the people that someone genuinely cares about their situation, she added.

Soldiers wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus rally to welcome the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Oct. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin, File)2025-01-12T05:00:59Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) For weeks, Ukrainian troops braced for an unfamiliar enemy: North Korean soldiers sent to bolster Moscows forces after Ukraine launched a lightning-fast incursion and seized territory in Russias Kursk region over the summer. Their arrival marked a new and alarming phase in the war. And while initially inexperienced on the battlefield, North Korean troops have adapted quickly a development that could have far-reaching consequences as they gain combat knowledge in the war against Ukraine.Unlike the Russian troops Ukraine has been battling for nearly three years, Kyivs forces were uncertain about what to expect from this new adversary, drawn into the war after Moscow and Pyongyang signed an agreement pledging military assistance using all means if either were attacked.One Ukrainian soldier who has witnessed North Koreans in battle described them as disciplined and highly methodical, saying they were more professional than their Russian counterparts. The soldier spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the sensitive military issue. However, other soldiers, including Ukrainian special forces, have shared battlefield drone footage on the Telegram messaging app mocking their tactics as outdated. Nevertheless, there is consensus among Ukrainian soldiers, military intelligence and others monitoring developments on the ground: While Pyongyangs troops lacked battlefield experience when they arrived, that has been changing quickly. With 1.2 million troops, North Koreas military ranks among the largest standing armies globally. But its post-Korean War foreign engagements have been limited, leaving them inexperienced with modern warfare technologies like drones. For the first time in decades, the North Korean army is gaining real military experience, said Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraines military intelligence agency. This is a global challenge not just for Ukraine and Europe, but for the entire world. Identifying the presence of North Korean troops Despite Ukrainian, U.S. and South Korean assertions that Pyongyang has sent 10,000-12,000 troops to fight alongside Russia in the Kursk border region, Moscow has never publicly acknowledged the North Korean forces. While reports of their presence first emerged in October, Ukrainian troops only confirmed engagement on the ground in December.Analysts say that without the influx of North Korean troops, Russia would have struggled to pursue its strategy of overwhelming Ukraine by throwing large numbers of soldiers into the battle for Kursk.While Moscows counterattack in Kursk has inflicted thousands of Ukrainian casualties, Kyivs overstretched forces have managed to hold on to about half of the 984 square kilometers (380 square miles) seized in August, though the situation remains dynamic. Besides the symbolic impact of Ukraines success capturing Russian territory, control of Kursk could also be a bargaining chip in any ceasefire negotiations.According to Ukraines intelligence agency, the North Korean soldiers are operating alongside Russian units, with the latter providing reconnaissance and electronic warfare support. The North Koreans wear Russian military uniforms with fake military IDs in their pockets, according to a report by a Ukrainian military unit that has observed them on the battlefield, and they could easily be mistaken for Russian soldiers.The subterfuge means Moscow and its representatives at the U.N. can deny the facts, said Yusov, the Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson.Among the things proving their presence is that they have been heard speaking Korean with North Korean accents in intercepted communications, Yusov said.He said the North Korean troops are using their own weapons and equipment and have learned to cope with the improvised explosives-laden drones that have become emblematic of the war, first-hand experience even some NATO-member countries dont have. This is a new level of threat, Yusov said. Regional countries must prepare for what this means in the future. North Koreans gain invaluable experience on the battlefield The North Koreans early missteps were largely caused by inexperience, such as moving in large groups in open terrain, making them easy targets for drones and artillery strikes.According to the Ukrainian military units report, the North Korean soldiers were spotted easily as they moved in single-file columns through forest in groups of three, with 3 to 5 meters (yards) between soldiers. On open terrain, they moved in dispersed formations of five to 15 soldiers, making them vulnerable and leading to heavy losses.However, during night operations, their movements were swift and units oriented themselves using red flashlights along routes, the report said. Theyre fast, physically well-prepared, and act strictly according to their algorithms, said the Ukrainian soldier who spoke to the AP. If you drill the same routines for years, to the point where they can be executed blindfolded, it will yield results. Despite their discipline, their lack of combat experience hindered their effectiveness. The Ukrainian military reported that North Korean troops often sustained heavy losses, with many killed by drones. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 4,000, though U.S. estimates are lower, at around 1,200.Much of their military doctrine and training is based on strategies and experiences from over half a century ago, said Glib Voloskyi, a military analyst with the Ukrainian think tank CBA Initiatives Center.The large-group formations date to when artillery accuracy was significantly lower, and observing troop movements much more difficult. Today, reconnaissance and so-called first-person view drones, or FPVs, that transmit video allowing soldiers to strike targets in real time have made the battlefield highly transparent, and anyone stepping onto it without cover, let alone moving in groups, is immediately spotted.But it is only a matter of time before they acquire the necessary skills to improve their combat effectiveness, which, combined with their discipline and training, could make them a significant military force, Voloskyi said. No surrender policy means few North Korean POWsAfter weeks of fighting, Ukrainian soldiers have taken only two prisoners of war. In announcing the capture Saturday, Zelenskyy said taking them alive was not easy because of efforts to conceal the North Koreans presence and avoid their interrogation by Ukraine.North Korean soldiers avoid surrendering at all costs, Zelenskyy said. This may stem from North Korean internal propaganda that portrays capture as the ultimate disgrace, analysts said. To be captured alive is considered a betrayal of the country, the leader and everything they stand for, said Seongmin Lee of the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, who defected from North Korea in 2009. This belief is instilled from a young age and reinforced throughout military training, he said. Because of the disgrace associated with the capitulation, heroic soldiers are supposed to save the last of their bullets to kill themselves, Lee said. Lee said he shared photos of dead North Korean soldiers with contacts back home. Most North Koreans dont even know what is going on, he said. Dorothy Camille Shea, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., warned of the dangers posed by the rapidly improving battlefield skills the North Korean troops are gaining fighting in Kursk.North Korea is significantly benefiting from receiving Russian military equipment, technology and experience, rendering it more capable of waging war against its neighbors, Shea told the 15-member U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.As an added potential benefit, she said, North Korea will likely be eager to leverage these improvements to promote weapons sales and military training contracts globally.___Associated Press reporters Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Michael Weissenstein at the United Nations contributed. HANNA ARHIROVA Arhirova is an Associated Press reporter covering Ukraine. She is based in Kyiv. twitter instagram mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

This photo provided by Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation shows wildfire damage at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 Pasadena, Calif. (Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation via AP)2025-01-12T05:24:18Z For Irina Contreras, a program manager for Los Angeles Countys Department of Arts and Culture, outdoor education was a refuge for both her and her daughter during the pandemic.Now, much of that refuge has been burned in the raging wildfires around Los Angeles.Her 7-year-old daughter, Ceiba, hikes with a kids adventure group called Hawks and attended Matilija, a bilingual forest school for preschool and kindergarten. Rain or shine, she and her friends would spend their days climbing, jumping, hiking, and swimming in places like Eaton Canyon Nature Area, a 190-acre (77-hectare) preserve near Altadena, now destroyed by fire.Ceiba learned to ask plants for permission before taking samples to glue into her nature journal. Once, her group discovered a hidden path that led behind a waterfall. Ceiba couldnt stop talking about it for days. For parents like Contreras, the wildfires have been devastating not just because of the loss of life and thousands of homes. They are mourning natural and educational areas that served as sanctuaries and learning spaces for local families, especially in the years since the pandemic. The fires have torn through natural areas that served every type of educational setting: public and private schools, nature-based preschools, homeschool groups, summer camps and more. They have burned school buildings, too, including Odyssey Charter School in Altadena, which Miguel Ordeanas children attend. The community has been devastated by the fire, said Ordeana, senior manager of community science at the Natural History Museum. Its been a challenge to carefully share that news with my children and help them work through their emotions. A lot of their friends lost their homes. And we dont know the impact to school staff, like their teachers, but a lot of them live in that area as well and have lost their homes. Some areas untouched by fire were inaccessible because of poor air quality. Griffith Park, home of the Hollywood sign, had not been affected by the end of the week but its not clear when the air quality there will be good enough to resume outdoor programs, said Ordeana, who was the first to capture on camera a late puma in the nearby area that gained fame under the name P-22.Ordeana said his family was able to connect with some other families from Odyssey Charter School for pizza and an indoor playdate, but he is uncertain what the days will look like for them with school closures already extending through next week.All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second largest, were closed Friday because of heavy smoke and ash over the city. Classes will not resume until conditions improve, officials said. Pasadena Unified School District also closed schools and several of its campuses sustained damage, including Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School.The California Department of Education released a statement Wednesday saying 335 schools from Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and San Diego counties were closed. It was unclear how many would be closed Monday. During the pandemic, Contreras felt like she was stuck on a screen. She devoted much of her energy to working, writing and organizing, but her daughters outdoor education helped her better understand the value of stepping away from the grind.Contreras feels confident the outdoor programs will return, although its unclear when it will be safe for people to hike around areas like Eaton Canyon.The nature center is gone, Richard Smart, superintendent of the Eaton Canyon Natural Area in Pasadena, said Thursday. The wildflowers, the shrubs are gone. The park hosted dozens of school field trips a year and Smart estimates more than a thousand students visited yearly.Teachers liked it because it was also free, it was local, it was nearby. And it was a place to see nature wild nature but also in a friendly, safe environment, he said.Only a few exterior walls of the Eaton Canyon Nature Center were left standing, he said. For many of the local school districts, we truly were in their backyard, and now they wont be able to use it for the foreseeable future, he said. The park is such a touchstone for people in the community, and so to lose that is just, devastating is not even the right word. It feels indescribable.Many parents and teachers are likely wondering what to do and where to take their children as fires continue to burn across Los Angeles, said Lila Higgins, a senior manager for community science at the Natural History Museum and author of Wild L.A, a field trip and nature guidebook. A certified forest therapy guide, Higgins says time in nature lowers heart rates, lowers blood pressure and helps children with attention deficit disorder feel more calm and relaxed. For childrens cognitive development, time in nature and time spent connecting with nature is so important, she said. Outdoor spaces also can help children learn how to develop relationships through connections with animals, understand orientation through space by following trails and map-reading and understand human impact on wildlife. A lot of the places that were talking about are really popular with homeschoolers, but they also are a destination for some field trips, certainly places like Eaton Canyon, said Greg Pauly, co-author of Wild L.A. and director of the Urban Nature Research Center at the museum. I do think its safe to say that people are going to continue to be interacting with those landscapes and it will hopefully still be a field trip destination in the future. But its certainly going to be a while before that happens.This is the reality of modern Southern California, he said. Fire changes the landscape and peoples lives shockingly often.___Mumphrey reported from Phoenix and Lurye reported from New Orleans.___The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. CHEYANNE MUMPHREY Mumphrey is a national writer who covers K-12 education. twitter mailto SHARON LURYE Lurye is the data reporter for The Associated Press Education Reporting Network. She is based in New Orleans. twitter facebook mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

President-elect Donald Trump talks to reporters after a meeting with Republican leadership at the Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)2025-01-10T22:03:54Z WASHINGTON (AP) President-elect Donald Trump is preparing more than 100 executive orders starting Day One of the new White House, in what amounts to a shock-and-awe campaign on border security, deportations and a rush of other policy priorities.Trump told Republican senators about the onslaught ahead during a private meeting on Capitol Hill. Many of the actions are expected to launch on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, when he takes office. Trump top adviser Stephen Miller outlined for the GOP senators the border security and immigration enforcement measures that are likely to launch soonest. Axios first reported on Trump and his teams presentation. There will be a substantial number, said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D.Allies of the president-elect have been preparing a stack of executive orders that Trump could sign quickly on a wide range of topics from the U.S.-Mexico border clampdown to energy development to federal Schedule F workforce rules, school gender policies and vaccine mandates, among other day-one promises made during his campaign. While executive actions are common on the first day of a new White House, as a new president puts a stamp on certain priorities, what Trump and his team are planning is an executive punch unseen in modern times as he prepares to wield power in untested ways, bypassing the legislative machinery of Congress. Some could be significant, others could be more symbolic messages of the new presidents direction. Senators briefed by Trump and his team during a lengthy session at the Capitol this week are expecting the new administration to rollback many of the Biden administration executive orders while putting his own proposals in place.Finishing the U.S-Mexico border wall, setting up immigration detention facilities where migrants could be housed until they are expelled are all part of the mix some $100 billion in proposals, senators said, that incoming Trump administration and the GOP Congress are working to fund as part of their big budget reconciliation legislation. Senators expect Trump to revert back to many of the same U.S-Mexico border measures in place during his first term including those that require migrants to apply in other countries or remain in Mexico, rather than enter the U.S., while their claims are being processed as well as massive enforcement actions to deport those currently in the U.S. without legal authority.Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who led negotiations on border security and immigration during the last Congress, said he expects the Trump team to focus initially on an estimated 1 million migrants who he said most recently entered the country, have been convicted of crimes or who courts have otherwise determined are otherwise ineligible to stay in the U.S.Thats the low-hanging fruit, Lankford said. People that recently crossed, people that were legally present and committed other crimes, people that the court has ordered them removed thats well over a million people. Start working through that process. Trump himself once mused during the presidential campaign about having a tiny desk at the Capitol on Inauguration Day, where he would sit and quickly sign his executive orders. While there are no public signs he is considering that, the Republican senators are planning to welcome Trump inside the building after he takes the oath of office. The new president would typically sign the paperwork needed for the formal nominations of his Cabinet and administrative picks. Many of Trumps choices for top administration jobs are going through Senate confirmation hearings this upcoming week. Traditionally, the Senate begins holding votes on a presidents nominees as soon as he takes office, with some even being confirmed on Inauguration Day.That would be nice, said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who said senators are still awaiting background checks and other paperwork for many of Trumps picks. Well see. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Croatian Presidential candidate Dragan Primorac, right, shakes hands with President incumbent Zoran Milanovic before a TV debate, ahead of the run-off of the Croatian presidential election, in Zagreb, Croatia, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Damir Sencar/Pool Photo via AP)2025-01-12T05:01:47Z ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) Croatias incumbent President Zoran Milanovi will be the overwhelming favorite to win reelection when he faces a ruling conservative party candidate in a runoff presidential vote on Sunday.The left-leaning Milanovi comfortably won the first round of voting on Dec. 29, leaving his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a forensic scientist who had unsuccessfully run for presidency previously, and six other candidates far behind.The runoff between the top two contenders was necessary because Milanovi won 49% of the vote, falling short of securing outright victory by merely 5,000 votes, while Primorac trailed far behind with 19%. The election comes as the European Union and NATO member country of 3.8 million people struggles with biting inflation, corruption scandals and a labor shortage.Milanovi, 58, is an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. He is the most popular politician in Croatia, and is sometimes compared to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for his combative style of communication with political opponents. Milanovi has served as prime minister in the past with a mixed record. He has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovi and the pair have long sparred with each other. Milanovi regularly accuses Plenkovi and his conservative Croatian Democratic Union party of systemic corruption, calling the premier a serious threat to Croatias democracy. Over 50 countries go to the polls in 2024The year will test even the most robust democracies. Read more on whats to come here.Take a look at the 25 places where a change in leadership could resonate around the world.Keep track of the latest AP elections coverage from around the world here. Plenkovi has sought to portray Sundays vote as one about Croatias future in the EU and NATO. He has labelled Milanovi pro-Russian and a threat to Croatias international standing. Political analyst Viseslav Raos said the increasingly outspoken Milanovi has no motive to try to please someone or try to control himself.If there was no cooperation with the prime minister for the first five years (of his presidency), why would it be now, he added. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial in Croatia, an elected president holds political authority and acts as the supreme military commander.Despite limited powers, many believe the presidential position is key for the political balance of power in a country mainly governed by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) since gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.During a TV debate ahead of the Sunday vote, Milanovi and Primorac exchanged barbs while exposing deep political differences.Primorac, 59, entered politics in the early 2000s, when he was science and education minister in the HDZ-led government. He unsuccessfully ran for the presidency in 2009, and after that mainly focused on his academic career including lecturing at universities in the United States, China and in Croatia.Milanovi denied he is pro-Russian but last year blocked the dispatch of five Croatian officers to NATOs mission in Germany called Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine. He also pledged he would never approve sending Croatian soldiers as part of any NATO mission to Ukraine. Plenkovic and his government say there is no such proposal. Milanovi accused Primorac of associating with mass murderers, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus associates and the war in Gaza. He also claimed that Plenkovi was Primoracs sponsor, and dubbed Primorac the last communist a reference to his membership of the former ruling Communist Party of Yugoslavia in the late 1980s.Primorac meanwhile claimed that Milanovis only political allies were Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik, Russias President Vladimir Putin and Hungarys populist leader Viktor Orban.___Associated Press writer Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed to this report.

Main entrance of Tatu city, a startup city that tries to tackle Africa's problem of urbanizing, is seen in Nairobi, Kenya, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)2025-01-12T06:54:16Z KIAMBU, Kenya (AP) Turn into Tatu City on the outskirts of Kenyas capital, Nairobi, and it feels like entering a different world.Even the countrys most reckless drivers are transformed, slowing to a crawl and not tossing trash out the window thanks to surveillance cameras and rigorously enforced penalties for speeding and littering.For the 5,000 people who have moved into Tatu, a startup city that welcomed its first residents four years ago, the ruthless upholding of such rules makes the place appealing.Tatu has more law and order than other places, said Valerie Akoko, a digital content creator who moved in two years ago. Ive never seen Tatu City dirty.Situated on 5,000 acres, Tatu City aspires to be what its name suggests: a city, privately owned, that its designers hope will eventually have a population of 250,000. It is already home to 88 businesses employing 15,000 people. They include CCI Global, which operates a 5,000-seat call center, and Zhende Medical, a Chinese medical supply manufacturer. There are similar projects around the world. But in sub-Saharan Africa, champions of the idea hope that new-city developments can address the continents urbanization conundrum: While the growth of cities has rolled back poverty elsewhere, the region has largely been an exception. History suggests that as people move into cities, productivity increases, wages rise, exports grow and a country gets richer. But in Africa, urbanization has rarely unleashed such economic transformation. In theory, Africa should be prospering. The continents urban population is set to grow by 900 million by 2050, according to the United Nations, more than the present urban population of Europe and North America combined.But sub-Saharan Africa is urbanizing while still poor.Towns and cities in Africa today simply lack the tax base needed to invest in the urban infrastructure needed to accommodate the tsunami of people being added to their ranks in a short period of time, said Kurtis Lockhart, director of the Africa Urban Lab, a research center at the African School of Economics in Zanzibar. Weak property rights and political tensions can make the problem worse.Even Tatu City has battled Kenyan politicians and politically connected businessmen. In 2018, the London Court of International Arbitration ruled in favor of the developments multinational owner, Rendeavour, in a dispute with its Kenyan former partners, including a former governor of the central bank. The dispute delayed project development by several years.Last year, Tatu Citys Kenya head, Preston Mendenhall, took the unusual step of accusing the governor of the county where the development is based of extortion, saying he had demanded land worth $33 million in exchange for approving its updated master plan. The governor denied it and is suing Tatu City and Mendenhall for defamation. No ruling has been made.Still, the case for building new cities, complete with new infrastructure, is compelling to some. The Charter Cities Institute, a Washington-based nonprofit, argues that, done properly, such projects could drive growth, create jobs and lift tens of millions of people out of poverty. The institute sees Tatu City as a model. Yet building new cities is hard. Africa is littered with failed projects.A handful have shown promise. Angolas Quilamba city, whose construction began in 2002, is arguably the most successful, with a population of more than 130,000. It was built by CITIC, a state-owned Chinese company, but is owned by the Angolan government.Perhaps a dozen new city projects from Zanzibar to Zambia are underway in Africa that stand a chance of emulating Quilamba, experts reckon. Of these, Tatu is the farthest along, with 26,400 people already living, working or studying there.Experts agree that the private sector must play a role in African urbanization, saying African states are too fiscally constrained to fill the investment gap themselves. Rendeavour, a private company with a multibillion-dollar balance sheet, has deep enough pockets to make a difference. But leaving city-building to the private sector alone can cause problems, for instance by worsening inequality. The average price of a property at Eko Atlantic, a new-city development on the outskirts of Lagos, is $415,000, far beyond the means of most Nigerians.Startup cities can serve as hubs for innovation and alleviate pressure on overcrowded urban centers, said Anacludia Rossbach, executive director of the UNs Human Settlements Program, or UN-Habitat. However, to be impactful, they must prioritize inclusivity, affordability and integration with existing urban areas, ensuring they serve all socioeconomic groups rather than becoming isolated enclaves for elites.A one-bedroom apartment in Tatu City sells for $45,500, still beyond the means of most Kenyans, but within reach of some in the emerging middle class. Kenyas per capita GDP was $1,961 in 2023, according to the World Bank. The development collaborates with Kenyas government, which has designated Tatu City a special economic zone. That means companies setting up there are eligible for tax benefits and other incentives, making it a model of private-public partnership, experts say.Tatu City also appeals to businesses and residents with its transparent governance structure and services that are often lacking elsewhere in Kenya, including its own water supply and energy grid. It falls under national law but can set its own rules on matters like traffic and what kind of houses can be built, with all plans requiring approval from Tatus management.If you look at the infrastructure, if you look at the utilities, if you look at the controls, if you look at the security, it is one of the best, said Sylvester Njuguna, who lives and owns a restaurant there.Unlike many startup cities built far from urban centers, Tatu City is 12 miles (19 kilometers) north of Nairobi, close enough to plug into its labor markets.According to Lockhart with the Africa Urban Lab, new city projects usually succeed if they are close enough to a major urban center and house both a high-quality anchor tenant CCI Global in Tatu Citys case and good schools. They should operate under effective management and respond to market demand.Tatu meets these criteria and, unlike many grandiosely conceived African city projects, it has grown organically like Rendeavours other city projects in Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and the Congo, according to Mendenhall.We are building what the market needs, he said. We are not putting all the infrastructure on day one.___The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)2025-01-12T07:45:49Z LOS ANGELES (AP) The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the citys most famous landmarks.Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County coroners office said in a statement Saturday evening. Toyopa Drive, Pacific Palisades, CA The previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing. There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge. By Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires accounted for 59 square miles (nearly 153 square kilometers). Smoke from the Palisades Fire rises over a ridge as seen from the Encino section of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Smoke from the Palisades Fire rises over a ridge as seen from the Encino section of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More In this photo provide by Maxar Technologies, the Palisades Fire burns south of the Encino Reservoir, upper left, in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP) In this photo provide by Maxar Technologies, the Palisades Fire burns south of the Encino Reservoir, upper left, in Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More In a briefing posted online Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters. Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said. With Cal Fire reporting containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night, the fight is set to continue.Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday, Traum said. Fighting to save public and private areasA fierce battle occurred Saturday in Mandeville Canyon, home to Arnold Schwarzenegger and other celebrities not far from the Pacific coast, where swooping helicopters dumped water as the blaze charged downhill. Firefighters on the ground used hoses in an attempt to beat back leaping flames as thick smoke blanketed the chaparral-covered hillside.CalFire Operations Chief Christian Litz said Saturday that a main focus was the Palisades Fire burning in the canyon area, not far from the UCLA campus. Ella Venne, front, holds a cup she found in the remains of her family's home destroyed by the Eaton Fire as she searches with Glendale Fire Department captain Chris Jernegan, left, and his wife Alison in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Ella Venne, front, holds a cup she found in the remains of her family's home destroyed by the Eaton Fire as she searches with Glendale Fire Department captain Chris Jernegan, left, and his wife Alison in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A medical examiner and sheriff's deputies check on a home destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) A medical examiner and sheriff's deputies check on a home destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More New evacuations were ordered Friday evening after a flare up on the eastern side of the Palisades Fire.The National Weather Service warned that strong Santa Ana winds could soon return. Those winds have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around to city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.The fire also threatened to jump over Interstate 405 and into densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley. Historical costThe fires that began Tuesday just north of downtown LA have burned more than 12,000 structures. Firefighters for the first time made progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has burned more than 7,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. Most evacuation orders for the area were lifted, officials said. Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More No cause has been determined for the largest fires and early estimates indicate the wildfires could be the nations costliest ever. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion.Overflowing kindness Crowds of volunteers gathered at donations centers across California as people rallied to help those devastated by the continuing wildfires. (AP video shot by: Rick Taber) Volunteers overflowed donation centers and some had to be turned away at locations including the Santa Anita Park horse racing track, where people who lost their homes sifted through stacks of donated shirts, blankets and other household goods. A bowl of cat food and water, placed by Kevin Marshall, sits near his mother's property, which was destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. Marshall placed the bowls for Simba, a cat his mother took care of. (AP Photo/John Locher) A bowl of cat food and water, placed by Kevin Marshall, sits near his mother's property, which was destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. Marshall placed the bowls for Simba, a cat his mother took care of. (AP Photo/John Locher) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Statues stand amidst debris after the Eaton Fire destroyed a property in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Statues stand amidst debris after the Eaton Fire destroyed a property in Altadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Altadena resident Jose Luis Godinez said three homes occupied by more than a dozen of his family members were destroyed.Everything is gone, he said, speaking in Spanish. All my family lived in those three houses and now we have nothing. Officials warn against returningLos Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents against venturing back to destroyed homes to sift through rubble for keepsakes. We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away, Luna said, urging people to abide by curfews.Officials on Saturday warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials. If youre kicking that stuff up, youre breathing it in, said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades Fire who warned the material was toxic. Residents will be allowed to return with protective gear after damage teams evaluate their properties, Thomas said. A firefighter rests as crews battle the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) A firefighter rests as crews battle the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Leadership accused of skimping Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, shared updates on fire containment as firefighters raced to cut off spreading wildfires before potentially strong winds return. (AP video by Eugene Garcia) LA Mayor Karen Bass faces a critical test of her leadership during the citys greatest crisis in decades, but allegations of leadership failures, political blame and investigations have begun. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants had run dry. Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said city leadership failed her department by not providing enough money for firefighting. She also criticized the lack of water.When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect theres going to be water, Crowley said.The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that regularly confronts massive wildfires. Traum of the state Office of Emergency Services said those impacted by the fires can apply online for immediate government assistance.___Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writers Gene Johnson in Seattle, Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles and videographer Manuel Valdes in Arcadia, California, contributed.

Members of the California National Guard listne during a news conference near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry along the border with Mexico, Dec. 5, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)2025-01-12T05:06:38Z Do you live in a red state, a blue state, or one where Republicans and Democrats share power?Your answer might provide the best indicator of what to expect from your governor and state lawmakers as President-elect Donald Trump takes office and legislatures convene.In many cases, political party identification has come to define public policy, percolating from the nations capital down to the 50 statehouses. Many Republican state officials are aligning with Trumps policies by pledging to help him crack down on illegal immigration, for example. Some Democratic state officials are mounting a resistance movement, looking for ways to shield their states from potential federal policies restricting abortion and transgender rights, among other things. Some prominent Democratic governors, meanwhile, have taken a more conciliatory approach in an effort to forge a working relationship with the new administration.Heres a look at what to expect in some policy areas: ImmigrationGovernors and lawmakers in red states are lining up behind Trumps pledge to crack down on illegal immigration and deport many who are living in the U.S. illegally. A joint statement from 26 Republican governors said they stand ready to utilize every tool at our disposal whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard to support President Trump in this vital mission. Republican lawmakers in a growing number of states are proposing to give local law officers the power to arrest people who entered the country illegally, mirroring a recent Texas law that has been placed on hold while courts consider whether it unconstitutionally usurps federal authority. One bill in Missouri would offer a $1,000 reward to informants who tip off authorities about people in the country illegally and allow private bounty hunters to find and detain them. Governors in some blue states are taking a wait-and-see approach to Trumps immigration plans, willing to cooperate on deporting people who commit crimes but not in using the National Guard for widespread roundups of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. Other Democratic-led jurisdictions are bracing for a showdown. The California Legislature has convened a special session to erect shields against Trumps policies on immigration and other issues. AbortionMost U.S. abortions are carried out using drugs rather than through surgical procedures, and that is where the current abortion fight is focused.At least four states Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire and Tennessee have bills introduced aimed at banning pills. None take the same approach as Louisiana, which last year classified the drugs as controlled dangerous substances.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a New York doctor, claiming she wrongly prescribed via telehealth and sent pills to a Texas woman, even though a New York law aims to protect such prescriptions.And the Republican attorneys general of Idaho, Kansas and Missouri are in court trying to roll back federal approvals of one of the pills usually used in abortion. EducationSeveral efforts to expand the use of public money to pay for kids to attend private school suffered high-profile defeats in the November elections, including in Nebraska, Kentucky and Colorado.But Trumps victory is seen as a boon for such efforts, which in recent years have exploded in popularity. A dozen states, almost all red, have programs allowing any student to apply for government funding for private education, including at religious schools. With Trump in office, states could see more incentives such as block grants or tax benefits to adopt or expand models like vouchers, which subsidize private school tuition for families. Texas, for example, is expected to see momentum on the school choice front, with a number of voucher proponents winning seats in the Legislature. Many conservative states also are pushing to bring Christianity into public K-12 education through moves such as requiring schools to teach the Bible and post the Ten Commandments. Trump has promised to promote prayer and Bible reading in schools, with current courts more amenable to religion in the public sphere, including schools. In Texas, officials in November approved a curriculum that intertwines language arts with biblical lessons and the state education superintendent in Oklahoma has sought to require Bible-related lessons. DiversityEfforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives are expected to expand in Republican-led states under Trump, who has vowed to get rid of perceived wokeness in education. More higher education institutions may join the ranks of those already dismantling diversity offices in states such as Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas. Attorneys general and legislatures in red states also are likely to put pressure on the private sector to pare back DEI initiatives. A Tennessee law provides one model, forbidding financial institutions from considering a customers participation in diversity, equity and inclusion training. Transgender issuesRepublican lawmakers are expected to keep pushing for restrictions on the rights of transgender people, particularly transgender minors.More than 30 such bills have been proposed in Texas. Although Texas and other states have bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, there are calls to go further, such as barring Medicaid and other state-funded government programs from spending on gender-affirming care for people of any age.In his campaign last year, Trump leaned into attacks on transgender rights, suggesting a looming shift in federal policy.The future of some of the measures could rest on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected this year on whether Tennessee had the right to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors.Most Republican-controlled states already have laws banning or limiting gender-affirming care for minors and participation in womens and girls sports for transgender women and girls. Several also dictate which school restrooms transgender people may use.Public healthWith an incoming presidential administration that has indicated fluoride and vaccines might be in its crosshairs, lawmakers in a few states have filed bills that would end fluoridation programs and further restrict COVID-19 mandates. Health and Human Services Secretary-nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a lawyer with no medical or public health degrees, has called fluoride an industrial waste and said in a Nov. 2 post on X that the Trump administration would advise all U.S. water systems to stop putting fluoride in the water. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century because it prevents tooth decay.Arkansas lawmakers have filed bills to repeal a statewide fluoridation program and allow local public water systems to hold elections so residents can decide whether to put fluoride in the water. Montana also has a proposed bill to ban the use of fluoride, though the full text of the bill isnt available yet.Vaccination laws and mandates are still in play in state governments, too. Alabama may consider changing its vaccination laws to require parental consent for any vaccine to be given to a minor age 14 or older; currently, children that age can decide whether they want medical services. Wyoming has a bill that would impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 on a business or entity that gets state or federal money if found to discriminate based on whether someone is wearing a mask, has had a COVID-19 vaccination or has been tested for COVID-19. Its not clear whether these or other bills will get consideration.___Associated Press writers Jesse Bedayn, Erica Hunzinger, Andrew DeMillo and Alia Wong contributed to this report. GEOFF MULVIHILL Covering state government issues nationally twitter mailto

In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syria's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, right, meets with German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, left, and French foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, center, in Damascus, Syria, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (SANA via AP)2025-01-12T10:50:11Z RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Germanys foreign minister said Sunday that sanctions against Syrian officials responsible for war crimes must remain in place but called for a smart approach to provide relief to the Syrian population after last months overthrow of President Bashar Assad.Annalena Baerbock spoke to reporters after arriving in Saudi Arabia for a conference on Syrias future attended by top European and Middle Eastern diplomats.Germany is one of several countries that imposed sanctions on the Assad government over its brutal crackdown on dissent. Those penalties could hinder Syrias recovery from nearly 14 years of civil war that killed an estimated 500,000 people and displaced half the prewar population of 23 million.Sanctions against Assads henchmen who committed serious crimes during the civil war must remain in place, Baerbock said. But Germany proposes to take a smart approach to sanctions, providing rapid relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power. Baerbock announced an additional 50 million euros ($51.2 million) in German aid for food, emergency shelters and medical care, highlighting the ongoing struggles of millions of Syrians displaced by the war. Last week, the United States eased some of its restrictions on Syria, with the U.S. Treasury issuing a general license, lasting six months, that authorizes certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions. The U.S. has also dropped a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian rebel leader formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, whose forces led the ouster of Assad last month. Al-Sharaa was a former senior al-Qaida militant who broke with the group years ago and has pledged an inclusive Syria that respects the rights of religious minorities. The rebels led a lightning insurgency that ousted Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his familys decades-long rule.Much of the world severed ties with Assad and imposed sanctions on his government and its Russian and Iranian allies over alleged war crimes and the manufacturing of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon, which reportedly generated billions of dollars as packages of the little white pills were smuggled across Syrias porous borders.With Assad out of the picture, Syrias new authorities hope that the international community will pour money into the country to rebuild its battered infrastructure and make its economy viable again.__Follow APs Syria coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/syria BARAA ANWER Anwer is a video journalist for The Associated Press, specializing in news coverage across the Gulf region. twitter instagram mailto

President Joe Biden pauses during a photo opportunity with Medal of Valor recipients in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)2025-01-12T12:39:28Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden is about to have a lot more free time. He need look no further than past presidents for ideas on what to put on his retirement to-do list.At age 82, Biden is the oldest U.S. president. In a recent interview with USA Today, he acknowledged uncertainty about his future stamina, saying, Who knows what Im going to be when Im 86 years old? But his age isnt remarkable for former presidents, nine of whom lived past 90. They include George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, John Adams, Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter, who recently died at 100. A look at some traditional as well as a few decidedly less conventional ways Biden might spend his upcoming years: Try to bolster his place in history Unlike his presidential predecessor-turned-successor, Donald Trump, Biden almost certainly wont try a political comeback. The Democrat has said little publicly about his post-Oval Office plans. Those who have long known him say its not something hes discussed much beyond a tight circle of close aides.Some modern former presidents have collected large fees for post-White House speaking engagements. Biden, who was plagued most of his term by low approval ratings, could use such appearances to try to bolster his legacy and future popularity. He told USA Today that he wanted his legacy to be having worked to restore the economy and reestablish Americas leadership in the world. The good news for Biden is that presidents often see their popularity improve after leaving office. Republican George W. Bush was unpopular at the end of his term amid the Iraq War and the financial crisis. But he became more favorably viewed in subsequent years, despite keeping a low public profile while taking up painting. Trump was similarly dogged by low approval ratings throughout his first term, but won back the White House in November. Fundraise and plan for a presidential libraryA priority for Biden is likely to be fundraising and beginning work on plans for his presidential library. It probably would be in Bidens home state of Delaware, where he was a senator for 36 years and spent many weekends while president. Officials have already enlisted at least one Biden administration ambassador to help with fundraising. A model can be the Barack Obama Presidential Center, a 19.3-acre (0.08-square-kilometer) library and museum in Chicago. Work began three years ago, with completion expected in 2026. Sort through keepsakes carefully Biden can be something of a pack rat, aides say, and may want to hang on to memorabilia from his White House years. He needs to proceed with caution. Federal elected officials are required to relinquish official documents and classified materials when they leave office. Bidens personal lawyers have been working on careful document management since even before classified material from Bidens time in the Senate and as vice president was found at the Penn Biden Center in Washington and in Bidens Delaware garage. Those discoveries followed an FBI search in 2022 on Trumps Florida club, part of a documents case that was scrapped after he won back the White House. In Bidens case, special counsel Robert Hur later released a report impugning the presidents age and mental competence but didnt seek criminal charges over mishandled documents. We are going to do our best, certainly, to be careful to follow the rules, to do this the right way, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about document retention on Friday. Write another memoir also carefullyBiden hasnt expressed much interest, those close to him say, in writing another book. Hes written two memoirs, Promises to Keep published in 2007, and Promise Me, Dad, released in 2017. He might eventually opt to work on a third, though, to help cement his aforementioned legacy. Again, he would need to proceed with caution.Hur accused Biden of being sloppy about sharing classified information with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer, who worked on Bidens first two books. The special counsel considered charging Zwonitzer with obstruction of justice because the ghostwriter destroyed recordings of interviews he conducted with Biden while they worked on his second memoir. Ultimately, Hurs report said Zwonitzer offered plausible, innocent reasons for having done so and subsequently cooperated with investigators. Revel in the ex-presidents club A longtime enthusiast of political tradition, Biden could well embrace membership in the ex-presidents club. The former commanders in chief from time to time pose for pictures and pat one another on the back while milling around at historic events and sit together at VIP funerals.Former presidents also sometimes take on special projects together such as promoting vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic or raising money after natural disasters. They rarely criticize one another and tend to offer even fewer harsh words about current White House occupants.This will be a chance for Biden to again differentiate himself from Trump, who showed little interest in spending time with former presidents after losing his 2020 reelection bid. That was similar to how he shunned typical post-presidency endeavors like working on building a presidential library, instead concentrating on his 2024 campaign. Biden already convened his own former presidents club of sorts while still in office: He prepared for his State of the Union address last March by holding a video call with actors who had previously played presidents. Morgan Freeman, Tony Goldwyn, Geena Davis and Michael Douglas offered advice and encouragement, as did Bill Pullman, who played President Thomas J. Whitmore in Independence Day. Pullman seized on Bidens ever-present optimism in his public comments to predict, People, when they look at all that youve managed to do, theyre gonna remember. Time will remember, always, your words. Try his hand at show business?Speaking of celebrities, Biden has floated the idea of more glitzy post-presidential pursuits. In August, about a month after he scrapped his reelection campaign, Biden joked at an event for online content creators: Thats why I invited you to the White House because Im looking for a job.When Jessica Alba helped celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the White House a few weeks later, Biden joked that he might soon need the stars business connections to help find work, saying, Jessica, if Im really good, maybe you can get me a job?He offered a similar joke at a December event for Kennedy Center honorees, telling Robert De Niro, If I get in trouble, Im coming to you, pal. Im looking for work in February, Biden said to laughter. Maybe youve got something for me? A Biden-De Niro combination? I cant sing, I cant act, I cant dance, do a damn thing but I could help ya. WILL WEISSERT Weissert covers national politics and the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto

This is a locator map for Yemen with its capital, Sanaa. (AP Photo)2025-01-12T10:16:15Z CAIRO (AP) An explosion at a gas station triggered a massive fire in central Yemen, killing at least 15 people, health officials said Sunday.The explosion occurred Saturday at the Zaher district in the province of Bayda, the Houthi rebel-run Health Ministry said in a statement. At least 67 others were injured, including 40 in critical condition. The ministry said rescue teams were searching for those reported missing. It wasnt immediately clear what caused the explosion.Footage circulated online showing a massive fire that sent columns of smoke into the sky and left vehicles charred and burning. Bayda is controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have been at war with Yemens internationally recognized government for more than a decade.Yemens civil war began in 2014, when the rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the countrys north, forcing the government to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed at the time by the U.S., in an effort to restore the internationally recognized government.The war has killed more than 150,000 people including civilians and combatants, and in recent years deteriorated largely into a stalemate and caused one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises.

A woman looks at a destroyed home in Mamoudzou, Mayotte, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrienne Surprenant)2025-01-12T13:42:13Z CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) The French territory of Mayotte was battered by a new tropical storm Sunday, just weeks after the worst cyclone to hit the islands in nearly a century laid waste to entire neighborhoods and villages and forced a huge recovery effort by authorities.Mayottes people were ordered to stay indoors or find a solid shelter if they didnt have one, and store food and water, as Tropical Storm Dikeledi brought heavy rains and strong winds to once again pound Frances poorest department.Mayotte, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, had only just begun the process of rebuilding after the devastation of Cyclone Chido last month, which killed at least 39 people, left more than 200 still missing, and injured more than 5,000 when in struck on Dec. 14.Dikeledi passed over nearby Madagascar as a cyclone on Saturday but had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it reached Mayotte on Sunday, French meteorological service Meteo-France said. The center of the storm would pass about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Mayotte, Meteo said. Chido had hit Mayotte head-on. Meteo-France warned Dikeledi could strengthen into a cyclone again, while authorities in Mayotte said there was a high danger of flooding and landslides and issued a red alert for the islands on Saturday night. That alert would remain in place for Sunday and civilians were forbidden from being outside until the alert was lifted, said the Mayotte Prefecture, the French government department that runs the territory. The danger to the population persists, the prefecture said in a series of alerts on its official Facebook page. It said the weather would be calm at one point on Sunday but would become violent again later in the day. Mayotte was also again opening cyclone shelters at schools and community centers for those in need, the prefecture said. The international airport, which was heavily damaged by Chido, was closed again until further notice, the prefecture said. Officials said they were taking no chances after the devastation of Chido, which also prompted an angry reaction by Mayotte residents who vented their frustration at French President Emmanuel Macron when he visited days after the disaster. Mayottes people have previously accused the French government of neglecting them and the territory, which is the poorest in the European Union.The French Interior Ministry said more than 4,000 emergency personnel and security forces had been mobilized for Dikeledis arrival, with much of the focus on the precarious shantytowns around the capital, Mamoudzou, and other areas, which were largely destroyed by Chido.National TV station Mayotte la 1re said that the southern village of Mbouini, one of the few in Mayotte spared by Chido, had been flooded and almost totally destroyed by Dikeledi. Mayotte la 1re broadcast video of the residents of Mbouini escaping in wooden canoes as their homes were submerged under flood water.Mayotte is a densely populated territory of around 320,000 people. Another 100,000 undocumented migrants from nearby Comoros and elsewhere are also believed to live on the islands, which are a draw for people from poorer countries because of the French welfare system. Chido was the worst cyclone to hit Mayotte in 90 years, authorities said. While 39 deaths have been confirmed, French Prime Minister Franois Bayrou warned on a visit to the islands two weeks ago that the final death toll could be several hundred. Authorities have faced challenges in recording the deaths and injuries from Chido because many of those affected were undocumented migrants, and also because of the Muslim practice of burying people within 24 hours of them dying.After smashing Mayotte, Chido made landfall on mainland Africa, killing more than 100 others in Mozambique and Malawi. Meteorologists expect Dikeledi to turn south and then east, tracking back toward Madagascar and out to sea after passing Mayotte.November to April is cyclone season in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and the region has been pummeled by a series of strong ones in recent years. The worst was Cyclone Idai in 2019, which killed more than 1,500 people in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe and affected more than 3 million people.___AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

This photo provided by Joseph Journell of San Bernardino, Calif. shows two of his cats, Alexander, background, and Tuxsie, right, who died from bird flu after they drank raw cow's milk. Cleo, center, did not drink the milk and remained healthy. (Joseph Journell via AP)2025-01-12T13:00:06Z A California man whose two cats died after drinking raw milk recalled for bird flu risk says he meant to keep his beloved pets healthy, but his efforts tragically backfired.Its horrible when you realize that youre the one that actually gave them the milk that killed them, said Joseph Journell, 56, of San Bernardino.Journell lost his 14-year-old tabby, Alexander, and Tuxsie, a 4-year-old tuxedo cat, in late November. A third cat, 4-year-old Big Boy, was hospitalized for a week before tests showed the animal was infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.The cats drank unpasteurized milk from lots recalled by Raw Farm, of Fresno, whose dairy products were pulled from California store shelves in December after health officials found the virus in milk for sale, he said. The animals deaths were confirmed by state and county health officials. The cats were kept indoors, with no access to potentially infected birds, and ate conventional, not raw, pet food, the owner said. Journell said he had been drinking Raw Farm milk himself for several months because he heard it had better immunity and healing properties than pasteurized milk. He thought it might be able to help Alexander, who had been losing weight. I was trying to make him healthier and make him live longer, Journell said. Instead, Alexander died on Thanksgiving Day. Tuxsie followed two days later. Big Boy was hospitalized and treated with antiviral medications, Journell said. The veterinary team collected urine samples from the cat, which were confirmed positive for H5N1 at labs run by the U.S. Agriculture Department and Cornell University, records show. Big Boy returned home blind and without the use of his back legs, though he is recovering, Journell said. A fourth cat, Cleo, didnt drink the milk and remained healthy. Journell has demanded that Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee compensate him for the more than $12,000 he spent treating the cats, according Seattle food safety lawyer Ilana Korchia, who is representing him. In an interview, McAfee disputed that the virus was capable of sickening the animals days after it was bottled and sold, citing preliminary research. But Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, said flu virus survival likely varies widely in different lots of milk. Experts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously confirmed that cats that drank raw milk from infected cows developed neurological disease and died.I think the poor cats are the best indicator! Webby wrote in an email. Nearly a dozen cats in California have died since early December after consuming raw milk or raw pet food contaminated with bird flu, health officials have said.The infections have followed a massive outbreak of the bird flu virus in dairy cows, which has affected in more than 900 U.S. dairy herds in 16 states. About 80% of those herds are in California.Federal and state health officials have warned people not to drink raw milk because of the potential for infection with bird flu and a host of other germs. Officials also have cautioned pet owners to avoid feeding unpasteurized milk and raw meat diets to their animals. Cats should not be fed any products from affected farms if those products have not been thoroughly cooked or pasteurized to kill the virus, the FDA warned last month.After the cats got sick, Journell said he fell ill himself and sought care at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Fontana, Calif. He said he wasnt checked for bird flu, despite his known exposure to the virus, because medical staff didnt have tests available to detect it. A Kaiser spokesperson declined to comment on Journells case specifically, but said the hospital system is following CDC guidelines for screening for bird flu.Journell has recovered physically but said hes still suffering from the mental anguish of losing his pets. Despite the ordeal, he said he still thinks raw milk offers some health benefits. Nevertheless, he wont be drinking it any time soon. Not right now, he said. And not in the foreseeable future. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. JONEL ALECCIA JoNel is a national reporter covering food and nutrition. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A resident sprays their property with a garden hose as the Eaton Fire engulfs structures across the street, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)2025-01-12T14:28:14Z ALTADENA, Calif. (AP) The sight of celebrity mansions and movie landmarks reduced to ashes can make it seem like the wildfires roaring through the Los Angeles area affected a constellation of movie stars.But a drive through the charred neighborhoods around Altadena shows that the fires also burned through a remarkable haven for generations of Black families avoiding discriminatory housing practices elsewhere. They have been communities of racial and economic diversity, where many people own their own homes.Some now fear the most destructive fires in Californias history have altered that for good. Recovery and rebuilding may be out of reach for many, and pressures of gentrification could be renewed.Samantha Santoro, 22, a first-generation college student at Cal Poly Pomona, remembered being annoyed when the initial news coverage of the wildfires focused more on celebrities. She and her sister, who attends UC Berkeley, worry how their Mexican immigrant parents and working-class neighbors who lost their homes in Altadena will move forward. We dont have like, Oh, Ill just go to my second home and stay there, Santoro said. The landlord of their familys two-bedroom house with a pool had never increased the $1,650 rent, making it possible for the Santoros to affordably raise their daughters. Now, theyre temporarily staying with a relative in Pasadena. The family has renters insurance but not much else. I think its hard to believe that you have nothing, Santoro said, through tears, thinking of her parents. Everything that they ever worked for was in that house.Altadena had been a mix of tiny bungalows and magnificent mansions. The community of 42,000 includes blue-collar families, artists, entertainment industry workers and white-collar ones. About 58% of residents are non-white, with one-fourth of them Hispanic and nearly a fifth Black, according to Census data. During the Civil Rights era, Altadena became a rare land of opportunity for Black Americans to reach middle class without the discriminatory practices of denying them access to credit. They kept homes within the family and helped others to flourish. Today, the Black home ownership rate there is at 81.5%, almost double the national rate.Thats impressive considering 92% of the 15,000 residences in Altadena are single-family homes, according to the 2023 Census American Community Survey. The median income is over $129,000. Just over 7% of residents live in poverty. Victoria Knapp, chair of the Altadena Town Council, worries that the fires have irreparably changed the landscape for these families.Someone is going to buy it and develop who knows what on it. And that is going to change the character of Altadena, Knapp said, adding that those with fewer resources will be disproportionately hurt.The family of Kenneth Snowden, 57, was one of the Black families able to purchase a home in 1962. That house, as well as the one Snowden bought almost 20 years ago, are both gone.He is challenging state and federal officials to help all fire-affected communities fairly because your $40 million home is no different than my $2 million home. Snowden wants the ability to acquire home loans with 0% interest. Give us the ability to rebuild, restart our lives, he said. If you can spend billions of dollars fighting a war, you can spend a billion dollars to help us get back where we were at.Shawn Brown lost not only her home but also the public charter school she founded in Altadena. She had a message for fellow Black homeowners who might be tempted with offers for their property: I would tell them to stand strong, rebuild, continue the generational progress of African-Americans.She and other staff at Pasadena Rosebud Academy are trying to raise money to rebuild while looking at temporary sites in churches.But even some churches have burned. At Altadena Baptist Church, the bell tower is pretty much the only thing still standing.The Rev. George Van Alstine and others are trying to help more than 10 church members who lost homes with needs like navigating insurance and federal aid. The pastor is worried the fires will lead to gentrification, with Black parishioners, who make up half the congregation, paying the price. Were seeing a number of families who are probably going to have to move out of the area because rebuilding in Altadena will be too expensive for them, he said.The 32-year-old photographer Daniela Dawson, who had been working two jobs to meet the $2,200 rent for her studio apartment, fled the wildfires with her Hyundai SUV and her cat, Lola. She lost almost everything else, including thousands of dollars of photography gear.She did not have renters insurance. Obviously now Im thinking about it. Wish I had it, she said.Dawson plans to return to Arizona, where she lived previously, and regroup. But she likely wont be returning to Altadena.___ Tang reported from Sunnyvale, California. Kelleher reported from Honolulu. Associated Press deputy director Kim Johnson in Chicago and data reporter Angeliki Kastanis in Los Angeles contributed to this report. TERRY TANG Tang reports on race and ethnicity issues, including Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, for The Associated Press. She is based in Phoenix and previously covered breaking news in the Southwest. twitter mailto

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel argues a call during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)2025-01-12T16:01:56Z The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel as their next head coach.The team announced the hiring Sunday morning. It comes a week after Patriots owner Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo after the teams season finale victory over the Buffalo Bills to finish 4-13 in his lone season as coach.Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson also interviewed for the job.But Vrabel, a fan favorite during eight seasons as a player in New England where he was a member of its first three Super Bowl winners and an inductee into the teams Hall of Fame in 2023, was the preferred candidate because of his long association with the franchise and coaching success during his six seasons in Tennessee.In hiring the 49-year-old Vrabel, Kraft is turning to another former Patriots defensive standout who, like Mayo, built a reputation as a coach for his ability to relate to players. But Mayo, who served as assistant under former longtime Patriots coach Bill Belichick, was a first-time head coach and struggled to get results from a young roster led by rookie quarterback Drake Maye. In explaining Mayos dismissal Kraft said while he thought hed identified the successor to Belichick, that in hindsight he now believes Mayo wasnt quite ready to be an NFL head coach. In Vrabels case, however, he arrives with a head coaching resume burnished by a 56-48 overall record in Tennessee from 2018 to 2023. That includes a 2-3 record in the playoffs and AFC championship game appearance in 2019 as part of a run of three straight postseason berths. Vrabel served in a consultant role with Cleveland this season, but his contract expired, allowing him to speak with other teams. He also was interviewed by the New York Jets.The lure of New England won out and now he will look to rebuild the franchise hes been associated with most during his NFL career.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL KYLE HIGHTOWER Hightower covers Boston sports for The Associated Press and also contributes on coverage of sports gambling and Olympic basketball. twitter mailto

Rioters appear at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)2025-01-12T16:35:57Z WASHINGTON (AP) Vice President-elect JD Vance says people responsible for the violence during the Capitol riot obviously should not be pardoned, as President-elect Donald Trump is promising to use his clemency power on behalf of many of those who tried on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the results of the election that Trump lost.Vance insisted in an interview on Fox News Sunday that the pardon question is very simple, saying those who protested peacefully should be pardoned and if you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned. He later said there was a bit of a gray area in some cases.More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the siege that left more than 100 police officers injured and sent lawmakers running into hiding as they met to certify Democrat Joe Bidens 2020 victory. Hundreds of people who did not engage in destruction or violence were charged only with misdemeanor offenses for illegally entering the Capitol. Others were charged with felony offenses, including assault for beating police officers. Leaders of the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys extremist groups were convicted of seditious conspiracy for what prosecutors described as plots to use violence to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump, the Republican incumbent, to Biden. In a post on X, Vance responded to criticism from supporters of the Capitol rioters that his position did not go far enough to free all convicted. Ive been defending these guys for years, he said.The president saying hell look at each case (and me saying the same) is not some walkback, Vance said. I assure you, we care about people unjustly locked up. Yes, that includes people provoked and it includes people who got a garbage trial. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Joe Huff, left, and Kenny Braden with "The Yard Barber" work to clear snow from the driveway of a home in The Summit neighborhood, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Owensboro, Ky. (Greg Eans/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP)2025-01-12T17:59:23Z After a freezing winter storm shut schools, cut power and cancelled or delayed flights, the South was slowly thawing Sunday as warmer weather melted snow and ice. Crews worked furiously and by Sunday morning power had been restored to parts of North Carolina and South Carolina where tens of thousands of customers lost electricity over the last few days, according to Duke Energy. In Atlanta, around 1,000 flights were cancelled or delayed Saturday. Airport officials said Sunday morning that all roadways and parking lots had been cleared of snow and all runways were operational. Crews have not slowed down, in fact, we have brought in additional resources to help us get across the finish line, read a press release on The City of Atlanta Governments Facebook page. According to the post, power had been restored to 97% of Georgia Power customers by Sunday. Much of the winter weather has moved out of the area, said Dylan Lusk, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Peachtree, Georgia. For the most part, we are slowly warming up and finally thawing a little bit after snow fall and a coating of freezing rain, Lusk said. Earlier this week the storm brought heavy snow as much as 7 inches (about 18 centimeters) in some spots and made roads slick across much of Texas and Oklahoma before moving east. In some cities, the storm piled up more than a years worth of snowfall. As much as a foot (about 31 centimeters) fell in parts of Arkansas. In Memphis, a city that usually sees 2.7 inches (6.9 centimeters) a year, the Memphis International Airport recording more than 7 inches (about 18 centimeters). Atlanta was hit with more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The agency said it was the first time the city had over an inch of snowfall since 2018. While the National Weather Service says that Gulf Coast residents can expect showers Sunday and Monday, other parts of the country may see snow and brace for a mass of cold, dry air from the Arctic region including in the Great Lakes region. Although conditions are expected to improve, some places including churches announced closures for Sunday. School was canceled on Friday for millions of children from Texas to Georgia and as far east as South Carolina, giving them a rare snow day. On Saturday, officials in northern Alabama said schools could remain closed Monday if ice doesnt melt off secondary roads.- Cline reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Finley from Norfolk, Virginia. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Vanessa Prata and her father, Aluizio Prata, pose for a self-portrait in Altadena, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, with damage from the Eaton fire behind them. (Vanessa Prata via AP)2025-01-12T19:03:34Z As the fire roared down a hillside toward their Altadena home, Vanessa Prata and her parents hurried to pack their car. They focused on saving irreplaceable items, like family photographs and a baby doll from Vanessas childhood.But they didnt leave.Instead, the Pratas have remained in their family home of 27 years, which is somehow still standing amid widespread devastation from the Los Angeles wildfires, even as homes just over a block away burned. And as residents who did flee are kept away by police or military barricades, Prata and her dad have taken it upon themselves to check on their neighbors homes.Theyre sitting in these shelters. Theyre not sure whether their house survived or didnt survive, Prata said. Once you know what the situation is, you have an ability to regroup and see what youre going to do moving forward. The fires raging around Los Angeles have consumed an area larger than San Francisco. Tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders. Since the fires first began Tuesday, they have burned more than 12,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and some vehicles, and killed at least 16 people. The White House said Saturday that the Department of Defense is making its nearby bases available for emergency shelter, including more than 1,000 available beds. Prata, a 25-year-old nursing student, had stopped at a hardware store on her way home from dinner Tuesday night when she saw the flames approaching the home she shares with her parents, two cats and a dog. She called her dad, then rushed home as many other people headed the other direction to evacuate. At the house, the Pratas frantically packed, in the dark once the power went out. But Vanessas father, Aluizio Prata, who teaches electrical and computer engineering at the University of Southern California, didnt want to go. He didnt think the fire would reach them, but if it did, he wanted to stay and help fight it. They spent much of the night at a home up the street, carrying buckets of water, spraying the yard with a hose and stomping out embers before they spread in the powerful wind gusts.As the toll from the wildfires became clear, Vanessa Prata saw many people doing what they could to help those who lost their homes. They were donating food, clothing, household goods and pet supplies. Taco trucks from Los Angeles were offering free meals.Prata remained home, with her family occasionally running a borrowed generator to check the news and keep the freezer cold. She wanted to help, too. But there was little she could do from behind the barricade. If she left her neighborhood, she wouldnt be allowed back. So on Friday morning, Prata posted to an Altadena community group on Facebook, offering the one thing she could think of that would help.We are more than happy to drive around and take a picture for any person who would like to see their home or, God forbid, what is left of their home, she wrote.The requests came pouring in as many as 45 by Saturday morning. She and her dad set out on Friday, checking addresses written in a small notebook. They slowly make their way past fallen trees, downed wires and the husks of burned out cars. Of more than two dozen homes they visited Friday and Saturday, fewer than half were still standing. At the end of a cul-de-sac, reached only after getting out of the car and walking past fallen trees and utility poles; the ruins of one home were still smoldering. One person whose house burned sent her a photo of what it had looked like before the fire.Those are devastating, when you get to the persons house and its gone and you know that youre the one whos going to break the news, she said. Youre looking at the burnt ashes and then they send (a photo of) the house, how beautiful it was prior. And its, theres no, theres no words. You just say, you know, Im sorry. I wish there was more that I could do for you.But her training as a nurse made her a good candidate for that work, she said. Im not new to people crying, people passing away in front of me, she said. I have an ability to be able to handle it.And she is gratified to be part of the community effort. So many volunteers showed up to help at nearby donation centers Saturday that some were being turned away.Everyone is pitching in and doing what they can, Prata said. Its overwhelmingly beautiful to see.

Gali the mother of the Israeli soldier Sergeant Yahav Maayan who was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip, reacts next to his son's grave during his funeral at a military cemetery in Modiin, Israel, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)2025-01-12T19:59:03Z DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Sunday about efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war, a sign of the intensifying push to reach a deal before Donald Trumps inauguration next week.Talks mediated over the past year by the United States, Egypt and Qatar have repeatedly stalled at moments when they seemed close to a deal. Still, in recent days, U.S. officials have expressed hope of sealing an agreement. Sundays call between Biden and Netanyahu came as the head of Israels Mossad foreign intelligence agency, David Barnea, and Bidens top Mideast adviser, Brett McGurk, were both in the Qatari capital Doha. Barneas presence, confirmed by Netanyahus office, meant high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved in talks. McGurk has been working on final details of a text to be presented to both sides, Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told CNNs State of the Union. But he said he would not predict whether a deal can be reached by Jan. 20, the day of the inauguration. We are very, very close, he said. Yet being very close still means were far because until you actually get across the finish line, were not there.The White House and Netanyahus office both confirmed the phone call between the two leaders without providing details. Just one brief ceasefire has been achieved in 15 months of war, and that was in the earliest weeks of fighting. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week a deal is very close and he hoped to complete it before handing over diplomacy to the incoming Trump administration.Under discussion now is a phased ceasefire, with Netanyahu signaling he is committed only to the first phase, a partial hostage release in exchange for a weekslong halt in fighting. Hamas has insisted on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the largely devastated territory, but Netanyahu has insisted on destroying Hamas ability to fight in Gaza.Issues in the talks have included which hostages would be released in the first part of a phased ceasefire deal, which Palestinian prisoners would be released and the extent of any Israeli troop withdrawal from population centers in Gaza.Israels campaign in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children, according to the territorys Health Ministry, whose count does not give a breakdown between fighters and civilians. Israels campaign was triggered by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others.Families of the roughly 100 hostages still held in Gaza are pressing Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home. Israelis rallied again Saturday night in the city of Tel Aviv, with photos of hostages on display.In Gaza, Palestinians were tempering their hopes for a stop to Israels campaign, which has devastated much of the territory and driven more than 80% of its 2.3 million people from their homes. We hear that there are negotiations every day, but we see nothing, said Mazen Hammad, a resident of the southern city of Khan Younis. When we see it on the ground, then we believe that there is a truce. ___Melzer reported from Nahariya, Israel.___Follow coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pose for a photo as Trudeau arrives at the White House in Washington, on Oct. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)2025-01-12T20:42:28Z VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Canadas outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday suggested that President-elect Donald Trumps remarks about Canada becoming Americas 51st state has distracted attention from the harm that steep tariffs would inflict on U.S. consumers.Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports.The 51st state, thats not going to happen, Trudeau said in an interview with MSNBC. But people are talking about that, as opposed to talking about what impact 25% tariffs (has) on steel and aluminum coming into the United States. Trudeau told MSNBC: No American wants to pay 25% more for electricity or oil and gas coming in from Canada. Thats something I think people need to pay a little more attention to.Trump has also said that if Canada merged with the U.S., taxes would decrease and there would be no tariffs. I know that as a successful negotiator he likes to keep people off balance, Trudeau said of Trumps threats to use economic force to turn Canada into the 51st state. Trump has also erroneously cast the U.S. trade deficit with Canada a natural resource-rich nation that provides the U.S. with commodities like oil as a subsidy. Canadian officials say that if Trump follows through with his threat of punishing tariffs, Canada would consider slapping retaliatory tariffs on American orange juice, toilets and some steel products. Already during Trumps first term in the White House, Canada responded to Trumps tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum with its own on American products like bourbon, Harley Davidson motorcycles and playing cards. He got elected to try and make life easier for all Americans, to support American workers, Trudeau said of Trump. These (tariffs) are things that are going to hurt them.Trump said last week that the U.S doesnt need oil, or anything else, from Canada. But almost a quarter of the oil that the U.S. consumes each day comes from Canada. The energy-rich western province of Alberta exports 4.3 million barrels of oil a day to the U.S. Data from the United States Energy Information Administration shows that the U.S. consumes 20 million barrels a day, and produces about 13.2 million barrels a day. Canada, a founding partner of NATO and home to more than 40 million people, is also the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $2.7 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Trump has said that he would reconsider his tariff threat if Canada made improvements in managing security at the Canada-U.S. border, which he and his advisers see as a potential entry point for undocumented migrants. Trudeau has said that less than 1% of illegal immigrants and fentanyl cross into the U.S. from Canada.But after a meeting last November with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, the president-elects private club and residence in Florida, Trudeau announced an increase in spending on border security, expressing willingness to address Trumps concerns in hopes that he would reconsider his tariff threat. With the challenge of Trumps second administration looming and Trudeaus party trailing badly in the polls, the beleaguered Canadian prime minister announced his resignation last Monday. He will be replaced on March 9, when his Liberal party is set to pick a new leader.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) makes a pass around Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne-Kamin-Oncea)2025-01-12T22:13:26Z INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) NBA games are scheduled to return to wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles on Monday night, with the Clippers planning to resume their schedule when they host the Miami Heat and the Lakers set to host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.The Clippers said at practice Sunday that the NBA had given the go-ahead for the game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, south of the sprawling Palisades fire. The Spurs were told that, barring changes, they will play the Lakers on Monday as well at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.I pray this nightmare ends soon! Lakers star LeBron James posted on social media.Itll be the Clippers first game in five days after having their home game against Charlotte on Saturday postponed because of the deadly wildfires across Los Angeles. The Lakers had two home games pushed back, one against the Hornets on Thursday and the other being the first in a planned two-game series against the Spurs on Saturday. When people are losing their homes, kids are losing schools, losing lives, its very difficult to approach the game of basketball because life is bigger than basketball, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. Hopefully we can bring some kind of joy with the game coming back tomorrow and some togetherness and try to put some smiles on peoples faces in tough times. Instead of spending the day before a game resting, the Clippers Terance Mann planned to leave practice and scour a storage unit he keeps for useful items. I just want to give a lot of clothes, some money, shoes, whatever I can, he said. Im going to go help people out and donate and drive around and do what I can do to help.The Lakers announced plans for a donation drive for their upcoming games, starting Monday, asking fans to bring new, in-the-package items to support the Los Angeles Regional Food Banks relief efforts. The Lakers UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo will begin serving as a drive-thru donation center on Tuesday, the team said. The Lakers said non-food items such as deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, lotion, waterless shampoo, battery-pack phone chargers, socks, mittens and gloves, hand warmers, beanies and blankets are priorities.For food items, the Lakers said donations of peanut and other nut butters, protein-based snacks, crackers, peanut butter crackers, trail mix, fruit snacks, energy bars, pop top tuna, pop top chicken, 100% juice boxes, raisins and other dried fruit, UHT milk, individual cereal boxes, water and non-carbonated drinks are welcomed.The Spurs had to change hotels because of fire concerns after arriving in Los Angeles, and the Heat arrived on Saturday night as scheduled after playing in Portland.Obviously, we just want to see the community come back together, Spurs forward Harrison Barnes said.Checking apps and watching and listening to 24/7 news about the fires has become a habit since the disaster began Tuesday, with multiple fires burning around Los Angeles County.Ive watched the news more than I ever have in my life over the past three days, Mann said, smiling. I was just on YouTube TV watching the news in the locker room trying to get an update on whats going on. The Clippers were on the road when the fires began. Kawhi Leonard left the team in Denver to return to his family and home in Pacific Palisades, one of the two biggest fires in the area.It was good to see that him and his family are doing good, Mann said.Some members of the Clippers organization had to evacuate their homes and others know people who lost theirs. Lakers coach JJ Redick said last week that the house he and his family are renting this season along with most of their possessions was completely destroyed by fire.People are still barely getting sleep, Mann said. Some guys lost power, some guys got family stuff to figure out, some peoples kids school burned down. Theres a lot going on. Its way bigger than basketball.In Denver, Nicolas Batum said he checked his phone at halftime something he never does to see where the fires were burning. He got back to LA and rushed to pack boxes when he thought his family would have to flee. Now, the Clippers are eager to return to their jobs and give their fans a break.Weve been through the crazy stuff for the last five days, Batum said. I think maybe people need that to get their mind off of it for two, three hours.The Clippers and Lakers both have home games scheduled for Wednesday as well, with the Clippers taking on the Brooklyn Nets and the Lakers playing host to the Heat. ESPN was planning to broadcast the Lakers-Heat game; the network changed those plans on Sunday and put a game with Golden State visiting Minnesota on the national TV schedule in its place.___AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Protesters walk holding Romanian flags during a rally organized by the right wing Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), calling for free elections after Romania' s Constitutional Court annulled the first round of presidential elections last December, in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)2025-01-12T15:40:52Z BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Tens of thousands protested in Romanias capital on Sunday against a top courts decision last month to annul the presidential election after an outsider candidate unexpectedly emerged as the frontrunner.Many of the demonstrators in Bucharest honked horns and waved Romanias blue, yellow, and red flags, while others brandished placards bearing slogans such as Democracy is not optional and We want free elections. Many also demanded the resumption of the presidential race from the second round.The protest comes a month after the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the election just two days before a Dec. 8 runoff. The far-right populist Calin Georgescu shocked many when he won the first round on Nov. 24, after which allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, said at the protest on Sunday, We are protesting against the coup dtat that took place on Dec. 6.We are sorry to discover so late that we were living in a lie and that we were led by people who claimed to be democrats, but are not at all, Simion, whose party organized the protest on Sunday, told reporters. We demand a return to democracy through the resumption of elections, starting with the second round. The canceled presidential race last month plunged the European Union and NATO member country into turmoil and followed other controversies including a recount of first-round votes. New dates have been set to rerun the vote with the first round scheduled for May 4. If no candidate obtains more than 50% of the ballot, a runoff would be held two weeks later on May 18. It is not yet clear whether Georgescu will be able to participate in the new election.Georgescu has since challenged the courts decision at a local appeals court and lodged a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights. The Constitutional Courts published decision to annul the elections cited the illegal use of digital technologies including artificial intelligence, as well as the use of undeclared sources of funding. Georgescu had declared zero campaign spending.Many observers attributed Georgescus success to his TikTok account, which now has 7.2 million likes and 646,000 followers. Some experts suspected Georgescus online following was artificially inflated while Romanias top security body alleged he was given preferential treatment by TikTok over other candidates.On Friday, another protest in Bucharest was attended by thousands who also expressed anger over the canceled presidential race.___Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath reported from Targu Mures, Romania.

A devotee garlands a senior Hindu holy man walking in a procession, a day before the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh festival, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)2025-01-13T02:06:09Z PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the worlds largest religious gathering.Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims with gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati where they will take part in elaborate rituals, hoping to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophys ultimate goal: the release from the cycle of rebirth.Heres what to know about the festival: A religious gathering at the confluence of three sacred riversHindus venerate rivers, and none more so than the Ganges and the Yamuna. The faithful believe that a dip in their waters will cleanse them of their past sins and end their process of reincarnation, particularly on auspicious days. The most propitious of these days occur in cycles of 12 years during a festival called the Maha Kumbh Mela, or pitcher festival.The festival is a series of ritual baths by Hindu sadhus, or holy men, and other pilgrims at the confluence of three sacred rivers that dates to at least medieval times. Hindus believe that the mythical Saraswati river once flowed from the Himalayas through Prayagraj, meeting there with the Ganges and the Yamuna. Bathing takes place every day, but on the most auspicious dates, naked, ash-smeared monks charge toward the holy rivers at dawn. Many pilgrims stay for the entire festival, observing austerity, giving alms and bathing at sunrise every day. We feel peaceful here and attain salvation from the cycles of life and death, said Bhagwat Prasad Tiwari, a pilgrim.The festival has its roots in a Hindu tradition that says the god Vishnu wrested a golden pitcher containing the nectar of immortality from demons. Hindus believe that a few drops fell in the cities of Prayagraj, Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar the four places where the Kumbh festival has been held for centuries. The Kumbh rotates among these four pilgrimage sites about every three years on a date prescribed by astrology. This years festival is the biggest and grandest of them all. A smaller version of the festival, called Ardh Kumbh, or Half Kumbh, was organized in 2019, when 240 million visitors were recorded, with about 50 million taking a ritual bath on the busiest day.Maha Kumb is the worlds largest such gatheringAt least 400 million people more than the population of the United States are expected in Prayagraj over the next 45 days, according to officials. That is around 200 times the 2 million pilgrims that arrived in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage last year.The festival is a big test for Indian authorities to showcase the Hindu religion, tourism and crowd management. A vast ground along the banks of the rivers has been converted into a sprawling tent city equipped with more 3,000 kitchens and 150,000 restrooms. Divided into 25 sections and spreading over 40 square kilometers (15 square miles), the tent city also has housing, roads, electricity and water, communication towers and 11 hospitals. Murals depicting stories from Hindu scriptures are painted on the city walls. Indian Railways has also introduced more than 90 special trains that will make nearly 3,300 trips during the festival to transport devotees, beside regular trains.About 50,000 security personnel a 50% increase from 2019 are also stationed in the city to maintain law and order and crowd management. More than 2,500 cameras, some powered by AI, will send crowd movement and density information to four central control rooms, where officials can quickly deploy personnel to avoid stampedes. The festival will boost Modis support baseIndias past leaders have capitalized on the festival to strengthen their relationship with the countrys Hindus, who make up nearly 80% of Indias more than 1.4 billion people. But under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the festival has become an integral part of its advocacy of Hindu nationalism. For Modi and his party, Indian civilization is inseparable from Hinduism, although critics say the partys philosophy is rooted in Hindu supremacy.The Uttar Pradesh state, headed by Adityanath a powerful Hindu monk and a popular hard-line Hindu politician in Modis party has allocated more than $765 million for this years event. It has also used the festival to boost his and the prime ministers image, with giant billboards and posters all over the city showing them both, alongside slogans touting their government welfare policies.The festival is expected to boost the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Partys past record of promoting Hindu cultural symbols for its support base. But recent Kumbh gatherings have also been caught in controversies.Modis government changed the citys Mughal-era name from Allahabad to Prayagraj as part of its Muslim-to-Hindu name-changing effort nationwide ahead of the 2019 festival and the national election that his party won. In 2021, his government refused to call off the festival in Haridwar despite a surge in coronavirus cases, fearing a backlash from religious leaders in the Hindu-majority country. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. SHEIKH SAALIQ Saaliq covers news across India and the South Asia region for The Associated Press, often focusing on politics, democracy, conflict and religion. He is based in New Delhi. twitter mailto