This combination of images shows candidates for mayor of Miami, from left, Republican Emilio Gonzalez and Democrat Eileen Higgins. (AP Photo/File)2025-12-09T05:05:43Z MIAMI (AP) Democrat Eileen Higgins won the Miami mayors race on Tuesday, defeating a Republican endorsed by President Donald Trump to end her partys nearly three-decade losing streak and give Democrats a boost in one of the last electoral battles ahead of the 2026 midterms.Tonight, the people of Miami made history, Higgins said in a statement after the results were announced. Higgins, 61, campaigned as a Democrat despite the race being officially nonpartisan. She spoke frequently in the Hispanic-majority city about Trumps immigration crackdown, saying she has heard of many people in Miami who were worried about family members being detained. She beat Trump-backed candidate Emilio Gonzalez, a former city manager, who said he called Higgins to congratulate her.Ive never been prouder to be a Democrat, Higgins told The Associated Press before her victory. Were living in the state of Florida, where we have people that are building cages for our residents rather than affordable housing for them. The local race is not predictive of what may happen at the polls next year. But it drew attention from the two major national political parties and their leaders. The victory provides Democrats with some momentum heading into a high-stakes midterm election when the GOP is looking to keep its grip in Florida, including in a Hispanic-majority district in Miami-Dade County. The area has shifted increasingly rightward politically in recent years, and the city may become the home of Trumps presidential library. Some nationally recognized Democrats supported Higgins, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel traveled to Miami on Sunday and Monday to rally voters for the Democrat who served as a Miami-Dade county commissioner for seven years. Higgins, who speaks Spanish, represented a district that leans conservative and includes the Cuban neighborhood of Little Havana. When she first entered politics in 2018, she chose to present herself to voters as La Gringa, a term Spanish speakers use for white Americans, because many people did not known how to pronounce her name. It just helps people understand who I am, and you know what? I am a gringa, so, what am I going to do, deny it? she told the AP. Republicans anxiety growsRepublicans in Florida have found strong support from voters with heritage from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, because they likened some members of the Democratic partys progressive wing with politicians from the governments they fled. Trump and other GOP members have tapped into those sentiments over the past eight years.However, some local Republicans are growing increasingly frustrated since Novembers elections when Democrats scored wins in New Jersey and Virginia, where both winning gubernatorial candidates performed strongly with nonwhite voters. The results from those races were perceived as a reflection of concerns over rising prices and the Trump administrations aggressive immigration policies. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican whose district is being targeted by Democrats and includes the city of Miami, called the elections elsewhere a wake-up call. She said Hispanics also want a secure border and a healthy economy but some relief for those who have been here for years and do not have a criminal record.The Hispanic vote is not guaranteed, Salazar said in a video posted on X. Hispanics married President Trump, but they are only dating the GOP.Miami mayor-elect gains national platformHiggins will also be the first woman to lead the city of Miami, a position that is more ceremonial, but which she promised to execute like a full-time job.The city is part of Miami-Dade County, which Trump flipped last year, a dramatic improvement from his 30 percentage point loss to Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016.As Floridas second-largest city, Miami is considered the gateway to Latin America and attracts millions of tourists. Its global prominence gives Higgins a significant stage as mayor.Her pitch to voters included finding city-owned land that could be turned into affordable housing and cutting unnecessary spending. ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Gomez Licon writes about national politics for The Associated Press. She is based in Florida. twitter mailto

This image taken from video released by Pennsylvania State Police shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pa., on Dec. 9, 2024. (Pennsylvania State Police via AP)2025-12-09T23:29:49Z NEW YORK (AP) Pluck eyebrows. Buy less conspicuous shoes. Take a bus or a train west toward Cincinnati and St. Louis. Move around late at night. Stay away from surveillance cameras.A to-do list and travel plans found during Luigi Mangiones arrest and revealed in court this week shed new light on the steps he may have taken or planned to take to avoid capture after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompsons killing last year.Keep momentum, FBI slower overnight, said one note. Change hat, shoes, pluck eyebrows, said another.The notes, including a hand-drawn map and tactics for surviving on the lam, were shown on Monday at a pretrial hearing as Mangiones bid to prevent prosecutors from using evidence seized during his Dec. 9, 2024, arrest at a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania.Excerpts of body-worn camera footage of the arrest, previously unseen by the press or the public, were released on Tuesday. Police said they discovered the notes in Mangiones backpack, along with a 9 mm handgun that prosecutors said matches the one used to kill Thompson five days earlier; a loaded gun magazine and silencer; and a notebook in similar handwriting which he purportedly described his intent to wack a health insurance executive. Mangiones lawyers havent disputed the authenticity of the notes or the provenance of the gun, pocket knife, fake ID, drivers license, passport, credit cards, AirPods, protein bar, travel toothpaste, flash drives and other items seized from him and his backpack. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on But they argue that anything found in the bag should be barred because police didnt have a search warrant and lacked the grounds to justify a warrantless search. Prosecutors contend the search was legal officers said they were checking for a bomb and that police eventually obtained a warrant. The notes, along with other evidence highlighted at the pretrial hearing, underscore that Mangiones stop in Altoona, a city of about 44,000 people about 230 miles (370 kilometers) west of Manhattan, was only meant to be temporary. One note said to check for red eyes from Pittsburgh to Columbus, Ohio or part way to Cincinnati (get off early, it reads). The map drawn below shows lines linking those cities, as well as other possible destinations, including Detroit, Indianapolis and St. Louis.Thompson, 50, was killed as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for his companys investor conference on Dec. 4, 2024. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind and then fleeing the area. Over the next hours and days, police released photos of a suspect first showing him in a mask and hooded coat and then his face and thick eyebrows.Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges. The pretrial hearing, which resumes for a sixth day on Thursday, applies only to the state case. His lawyers are making a similar push to exclude the evidence from his federal case, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.Among the notes revealed this week was one with a heading 12/5 and a starred entry that said: buy black shoes (white stripes too distinctive). Another, also written in to-do list style, suggested spending more than three hours away from surveillance cameras and using different modes of transportation to Break CAM continuity and avoid tracking. Below that, it said: check reports for current situation, a possible reference to news reports about the search for Thompsons killer.According to prosecutors, Mangione fled to Newark, New Jersey, immediately after the shooting and took a train to Philadelphia. Among the evidence shown at the pretrial hearing was a Philadelphia transit pass purchased at 1:06 p.m. a little more than six hours after the shooting and a ticket for a Greyhound bus, booked under the name Sam Dawson, leaving Philadelphia at 6:30 p.m. and arriving in Pittsburgh at 11:55 p.m.A note with the heading 12/8 lists a number of tasks, including an apparent trip to Best Buy to purchase a digital camera and accessories, hot meal + water bottles, and trash bag(s). Under 12/9, the day of Mangiones arrest, the note lists tasks including Sheetz, an Altoona-based convenience store chain, masks and AAA bats. Under Future TO DO, it listed intel checkin and survival kit. Mangione had a Sheetz hoagie in his backpack when he was arrested, along with a loaf of Italian bread from a local deli, according to police officers testifying Monday and Tuesday. It had been raining, and the bag and items inside it were wet, the officers said. They were heard on body-worn camera footage played in court theorizing that Mangione had gotten soaked walking from the citys bus station.Police responded to the McDonalds after a manager called 911 to relay concerns from customers who thought that Mangione, eating breakfast in a back corner, resembled the man wanted for killing Thompson. On the call, played in court, the manager could be heard saying that because Mangione was wearing a medical mask, she could only see his eyebrows and that she searched online for a photo of the suspect for comparison. Altoona Police Officer Stephen Fox testified on Tuesday that Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, expressed concern for the 911 callers wellbeing. Fox said Mangione asked if police had planned on releasing her name, which they didnt. The officer recalled him saying: It would be bad for her and there would be a lot of people that would be upset.At another point, Fox said, a shackled Mangione stumbled while trying to keep up with the brisk-moving officer. Fox said he apologized and said, I forgot you were shackled.He said Mangione responded: Its OK, Im going to have to get used to it. MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement, courts and prisons. He is based in New York. twitter mailto

Hugo Winwood-Smith, right, Hardy Macpherson and Edan Abou, left, all 11-years-old, use their phones while sitting outside a school in Sydney, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)2025-12-09T10:39:47Z MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Riley Allen, a 15-year-old schoolboy living on an Outback sheep ranch, doesnt know how hell keep in touch with his circle of far-flung friends once Australias world-first social media ban takes effect on Wednesday.Rileys family lives 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Wudinna, a community of just over 1,000 in South Australia state. But some of his school friends live as far as 70 kilometers (43 miles) away.I dont think the impact will be very positive for us. We dont have a lot out here to get in contact with each other, Riley said.Im not sure how were going to keep in touch over the holidays with each other, he said, referring to the Southern Hemisphere summer break that starts on Thursday.Riley and others younger than 16 will be banned by law from holding accounts with Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch from Wednesday. The platforms face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, was the first tech giant to react, beginning to exclude suspected young children from last week.Riley holds accounts with most of the age-restricted platforms and had been asked by some to verify that he is at least 16. But by Monday, he had not been ousted by any. Mom wont help 15-year-old son bypass social media banRileys schoolteacher mother, Sonia Allen, said she wouldnt help her son get around the ban, but suspects other parents will.I wouldnt. I do know there are other people that would. If the rule is there, the rule is there. But I know what kids are like, and Ive been a kid before, and theyre going to get around it if they can, she said.While the law allows parents no discretion to allow their children to hold social media accounts, Allen said there was a role for parents in regulating their childrens social media use. A year ago, she banned Riley from social media for several weeks.In the past with Riley, weve had to take measures to limit his usage because we found him on social media at midnight and he wasnt getting his homework done and things like that. We ended up taking it off him for a couple of months, Allen said. From that, hes learned to use it a more responsibly. Riley, who turns 16 in April, said he understood the bans objectives, but there are other ways to achieve them. He suggested a 10 p.m. enforced social media curfew for young children to prevent them losing sleep.Teens challenge the ban in Australias highest court Riley has an ally in Australias largest city, Sydney: schoolboy Noah Jones, who turns 16 in August.Noah is one of two 15-year-old plaintiffs in a constitutional challenge to the law in the High Court. The other in the case brought by the Sydney-based rights group Digital Freedom Project is schoolgirl Macy Neyland.They claim the law improperly robs 2.6 million young Australians of a right to freedom of political communication implied in Australias constitution.The Australian government is committed to defeating the challenge on behalf of what they say is an overwhelming majority of parents who demand government action against social media harms. Many restricted children have told media they welcome their exclusion from platforms with design features that encourage them to spend more time on screens while also serving up content that can harm their health and well-being.The parents group Heaps Up Alliance, which lobbied for the social media age restriction, backs the theory behind the blanket ban that when everybody misses out, nobody misses out.Before Parliament passed the ban last year, more than 140 Australian and international academics with expertise in fields related to technology and child welfare signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese opposing a social media age limit as too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.Noah said the ban would lead to young Australians swapping from age-restricted platforms to more dangerous, less regulated options.Im against this social media ban because as young Australians, well be completely silenced and cut off from our country and the rest of the world, Noah said. Weve just grown up with this our entire lives, and now its just being taken away from us all of a sudden. We wouldnt even know what else we could do. His mother, Renee Jones, is also involved in the court case as her sons litigation guardian, because as a child he cant make legal decisions himself.She considers herself a relatively strict parent on social media, and never allowed Noah or his two older brothers to take devices into their bedrooms. But she supports Noahs stance.My parents would never have dreamed that my children could be so fortunate to have this library of knowledge, Jones said.But I really credit Noah as a young person who recognizes the dangers of social media. Its not all sunshine and lollypops, she added. A plaintiff says tech giants money would be welcome Digital Freedom Project president John Ruddick, who is also a state lawmaker for the minor Libertarian Party, said he had initially intended to apply for a court injunction in a bid to prevent the ban taking effect on Wednesday. But his lawyers advised against it.A directions hearing will be held in late February to set a hearing date for the constitutional challenge that will be heard by the full bench of seven judges.Ruddick said the case wasnt funded by any tech giant, but they would be extremely welcome to make a financial contribution.Ruddick expected children would get around the ban by means including using virtual private networks to make them appear to be offshore.Theyre going to get around it so theyre then going to be on an underground social media and, to make it worse, without parental supervision, Ruddick said. Its much better for it to be out in the open and for parents to play a very, very active role in monitoring what theyre doing on social media, he added. ROD MCGUIRK McGuirk covers Australian and South Pacific news for The Associated Press. He is based in Melbourne. mailto

Australia's game against the United States won't be the biggest World Cup match that the Socceroos have ever played -- but it might be the most hyped.

In a week dominated by the fallout created by Mo Salah's comments, Arne Slot and Liverpool showed plenty of resolve in beating Inter 1-0 in the Champions League.

A filing in a lawsuit against Mat Ishbia includes new financial details that two Suns minority owners say could threaten Ishbia's majority ownership.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark took issue Tuesday with Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua's criticism this week of the ACC, calling his behavior "egregious."

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot questioned whether Mohamed Salah should be the one to initiate a conversation with him following his explosive interview at the weekend.

Eileen Higgins, a former Miami-Dade County commissioner, will also be the citys first female mayor and the first non-Hispanic mayor since the 1990s.

The Ukrainian president told reporters that a vote could be held in 60 to 90 days if the country received security protections from the United States.

The two countries, which criminalize homosexuality and impose severe punishments for it, were picked to play on a day celebrating L.G.B.T.Q. communities.

Michael and Susan Dell are donating $6.25 billion to American children via the accounts, but the details matter.

President Trumps decision to allow Nvidia to sell its chips to China has raised questions about whether he is prioritizing short-term economic gain over long-term American security interests.

Robby Hoffman is thriving!In an episode of Good Guys podcast, Hoffman delivered something rare: a comedian honestly admitting life is great. She reflected on how unexpected it feels to be this fulfilled, both creatively and personally.I happen to be living one of the greatest lives Ive heard about in recent history. And it happens to be mine, she said. I never would have guessed that I would say such a thing, but Im like, I cant believe it, Rob. I look at little me and Im like, Look what we did.That joy isnt just coming from career momentum its also coming from her relationship.The Reality of Her First Year MarriedThe Hacks star is married to Gabby Windey, the Bachelor alum who later dominated TikTok and won fans on The Traitors Season 3. While most people warn newlyweds about a rocky first year, Hoffman says theirs has been shockingly smooth.People say the first year is the hardest. We cant believe it every day, she shared. Im so thrilled.She added that their timeline feels flipped they did the emotional heavy lifting early, so the marriage has been restful, grounding, and fun.Maybe the first year of marriage is the real dating, Hoffman explained. So were just now like, Lets go. We are home.She also laughed that Windey would marry her every chance she gets, saying, Now, Gabby wants to get married every year, she loves to get married.Theyre Certain About Kids Or Rather, Not Having ThemAnd when it comes to expanding their family, the couple have made up their minds. No, no, no, no, no, no kids.She pointed out that building a family as a queer couple requires intention and effort, and neither of them feels compelled to take that path.For us, its kind of like because wed have to go very out of our way its not something we want to go out of our way for.Their life is already full, and were happy for them. A Comedy Career Peaking At the Right TimeHoffmans personal stability is syncing up with her strongest professional momentum yet. Her stand-up special Wake Up arrives on Netflix December 14, directed by John Mulaney and filmed at Hollywood Forevers Masonic Lodge.But this isnt a sudden arrival its the payoff of steady work.Ive been very slow and steady, wins the race, she said. Ive been working a long time, but steadily chipping and enjoying.She knew from early on that comedy would be her path and Windey understood that from the start, too. Meeting Gabby, I think she knew no matter what, whether shes there or not, this is what I do.The Backstory of Robby & GabbyWindey first crossed paths with Hoffman in 2023. What began as a connection rooted in humor became something undeniably real, and their relationship grew fast but intentionally.It wasnt long before they made things official. The pair had a surprise wedding in Vegas in January and later sealed things legally in April something Windey announced on Instagram with pure joy.Their marriage feels less like an obligation and more like a safe landing. Hoffman put it beautifully:Were in a refinement stage. And meeting your other half helps the refinement because they love you for you. And they also want to take some of the load off.The comedian once defined by grit now gets to soften and shes grateful every day.I look at little me and Im like, Look what we did.And honestly, the rest of us are thinking the same thing.Source

Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama has been ruled out for Wednesday night's NBA Cup quarterfinal game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Biden-era move to the sans serif typeface wasteful, casting the return to Times New Roman as part of a push to stamp out diversity efforts.

The move comes as the Supreme Court also appears poised to put antitrust enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission under his control.

The agency claimed that 10 childrens deaths were linked to the shots, although it did not release evidence to support the assertions.

Mr. Miller, one of President Trumps top advisers, sold shares in the mining company MP Materials following a lucrative deal between the company and the government.

The philanthropist known for donating to historically Black colleges and nonprofits working on climate change offered the news by updating an October blog post.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth briefed congressional leaders on Tuesday about the monthslong military campaign targeting people suspected of being drug traffickers at sea.

Officials initially weighed sending survivors of U.S. attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling to a notorious prison in El Salvador, to keep them away from American courts.

Mara Corina Machado is being honored for her push for democracy even as she backs President Trumps military buildup and aggressive campaign against Venezuela.

President Trump vacillated between demonizing immigrants and assuring a crowd of his supporters that life was better than ever under his administration.

The abrupt decision to revise the plan added new uncertainty and possible delays into the governments distribution of $3.9 billion in homelessness relief.

Nicole Sperling, a Times reporter who covers Hollywood and the streaming revolution, breaks down the competing bids from Netflix and Paramount to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.

Behind the largest second-half comeback in program history, one fueled by AJ Dybantsa and capped by Robert Wright III, BYU took down Clemson, 67-64, in the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday night.

Kyle Finnegan, 34, and the Tigers are in agreement on a two-year, $19 million contract, pending a physical, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan Tuesday, confirming a report, as Detroit kept a key bullpen piece as it seeks a third straight playoff appearance.

An executive left TSMC for Intel. Taiwans government says that could threaten its national security.

The former chief executive of Nexperia, a Dutch chipmaker, said Dutch officials had known for years that the companys Chinese owner sought to move its technology to China.

He was both the first Black person and the first educator to hold the cabinet position, but resigned amid discord over George W. Bushs No Child Left Behind.

If the Trump administration allows Nicols Maduro to endure, it would signal that a criminal dictatorship masquerading as a state can stare down the United States and win.

President Trumps speech in Pennsylvania was meant to alleviate concerns about affordability. But he kept wandering off script and dwelling on his favorite targets, like immigration.

The Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas with a convincing 117-101 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday night, their eighth victory in nine games.

Ronny Chieng dissed new fitness plans from the Trump administration for travelers in American airports: We cant even walk to the gate. They had to invent floors that walk for us.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot questioned whether Mohamed Salah should be the one to initiate a conversation with him following his explosive interview at the weekend.

The head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute told the state broadcaster that Mara Corina Machado would not attend Wednesdays event in Oslo.

Hugo Winwood-Smith, right, Hardy Macpherson and Edan Abou, left, all 11-years-old, use their phones while sitting outside a school in Sydney, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)2025-12-10T05:02:42Z MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed a world-first social media ban for children younger than 16 that took effect Wednesday as families taking back power from tech giants but warned the implementation would be difficult.Many children posted farewell messages, while parents reported distraught children discovering theyd been shut out of platforms as the landmark law took effect. Some young children reported fooling the platforms age estimation technology by drawing on facial hair. Parents and older siblings are also expected to help some children circumvent the restrictions. This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and theyre asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind, Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts as he cooks on a barbecue at an event to mark the beginning of the social media ban for children under 16 years of age, at Kirribilli House, in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts as he cooks on a barbecue at an event to mark the beginning of the social media ban for children under 16 years of age, at Kirribilli House, in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More This reform will change lives. For Australian kids ... allowing them to just have their childhood. For Australian parents, enabling them to have greater peace of mind. But also for the global community, who are looking at Australia and saying: well, if Australia can do it, why cant we? Albanese later told a gathering of reform supporters at his official Sydney residence, including parents who blame social media for a childs suicide.Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) from Wednesday if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16. Australia to report by Christmas if social media ban is working The ban will be enforced by Australias eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. She said the platforms already had the technology and personal data about their users to enforce the age restriction with precision.She would send the 10 targeted platforms on Thursday notices demanding information on how the age restriction was being implemented and how many accounts had been closed.We will provide information to the public before Christmas on how these age restrictions are being implemented and whether preliminarily we see them working, Inman Grant said.The responses to these notices will form the baseline against which we will measure compliance, she added. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the age-restricted platforms may not agree with the law and thats their right we dont expect 100% universal support, but that all had undertaken to comply with the Australian law. She said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had already been deactivated by Wednesday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese watches as Minister for Communications Anika Wells speaks at an event to mark the beginning of the social media ban for children under 16 years of age, at Kirribilli House in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese watches as Minister for Communications Anika Wells speaks at an event to mark the beginning of the social media ban for children under 16 years of age, at Kirribilli House in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Wells also warned young children who had so far evaded detection that they would eventually be caught. A child who used a virtual private network to appear to be in Norway would be caught out if they were routinely posting images of Australian beaches, Wells said.Just because they might have avoided it (detection) today doesnt mean they will be able to avoid it in a weeks time or a months time because social media platforms have to go back and routinely check under-16 accounts, Wells said.These social media platforms have so much data on us because we choose to give it to them because we like social media and because youve had your older brother scan their face for you today, which has bought you a bit of time, doesnt mean that these accounts arent going to see you talking to other 14-year-olds tonight about the under-16 soccer carnival on weekend, about your upcoming school holidays and what your Year 10 teacher is next year, she added.Albanese said the implementation would be difficult and wont be perfect. This is about, importantly, pushing back against big tech, saying that social media companies have a social responsibility, he said. Father of sextortion scam victim says social media ban is a start Wayne Holdsworth, who became an age restriction advocate because his son Mac took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the new law as a start. Children must now be educated about online dangers before they turn 16.Our kids that weve lost havent died in vain because today theyll be looking down very proud of the work that weve all done, Holdsworth told the Sydney gathering.Flossie Brodribb, a 12-year-old advocate for a social media ban for young children, told the gathering she hoped other countries would follow Australias lead.This ban is bold and brave and I believe it will help kids like me to grow up healthier, safer, kinder and more connected to the real world, Flossie said.Simone Clements said the social media ban would come at a financial cost to her 15-year-old twins Carlee and Hayden Clements. Carlee is an actor, model, dancer, singer and influencer. Her brother is an actor and model.I know that our situation is unique to our family because the kids are in the entertainment industry and social media goes hand-in-hand with the entertainment industry. We have used social media in the most positive way. And its a platform for them to basically show their portfolio, and this is an income stream for the children, the mother said. Privacy commissioner unclear how social media will verify ages Australias Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said the platforms could potentially ask all account holders across the country to prove they were 16 or older.The platforms age verification options were to ask for copies of identification documents, use a third party to apply age estimation technology to analyze an account holders face, or make inferences from data already available such has how long an account has been held, Kind said.Theres quite strong privacy protections in the legislation. They require social media platforms to delete any data they collect for the purpose of age assurance under this scheme and to not use it for secondary purposes unless they have individuals consent. And thats a really strong and important safeguard, Kind said.The government has said requesting all account holders verify their ages would not be a reasonable step, given the platforms already held sufficient personal data of most people to perform that task.The platforms also cannot compel users to provide government-issued identification. ROD MCGUIRK McGuirk covers Australian and South Pacific news for The Associated Press. He is based in Melbourne. mailto

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado greets supporters during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro the day before his inauguration for a third term in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, file)2025-12-10T07:27:36Z OSLO, Norway (AP) Venezuelan opposition leader Mara Corina Machado will miss the ceremony to award her the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Wednesday, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Institute said.Machado last appeared in public 11 months ago. Nobel Institute director Kristian Berg Harpviken told public broadcaster NRK the Venezuelan opposition leader was not in the Norwegian capital on the day of the ceremony and her daughter will accept the prize on Machados behalf.The institute did not immediately respond to emails or calls from The Associated Press seeking comment. On Tuesday, a news conference that Machado was expected to attend was canceled after being delayed for several hours.Prominent Latin American figures planned to attend Wednesdays ceremony in a signal of solidarity with Machado, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Ecuadors President Daniel Noboa, Panamas President Jos Ral Mulino and Paraguayan President Santiago Pea. Machado has been living in hiding and has not been seen in public since Jan. 9, when she was briefly detained after joining supporters in a protest in Caracas, Venezuelas capital. The 58-year-olds win for her struggle to achieve a democratic transition in her South American nation was announced on Oct. 10, and she was described as a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.Machado won an opposition primary election and intended to challenge President Nicols Maduro in last years presidential election, but the government barred her from running for office. Retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzlez took her place. The lead-up to the July 28, 2024 election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations. That increased after the countrys National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared the incumbent the winner. Gonzlez sought asylum in Spain last year after a Venezuelan court issued a warrant for his arrest. U.N. human rights officials and many independent rights groups have expressed concerns about the situation in Venezuela, and called for Maduro to be held accountable for the crackdown on dissent.Five past Nobel Peace Prize laureates were detained or imprisoned at the time of the award, according to the prizes official website, most recently Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi in 2023 and Belarusian human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski in 2022. The others were Liu Xiaobo of China in 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar in 1991 and Carl von Ossietzky of Germany in 1935.There is a long tradition that when a Peace Prize laureate cannot be present, close family members represent them, Harpviken said. That happened with Narges Mohammadi, and with Ales Bialiatski; both were imprisoned at the time. And the same will happen with Maria Corina Machado today. The daughter will deliver the statement her mother has written.

An wounded Thai soldier is carried to be transferred to a hospital, in Surin province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)2025-12-10T09:01:39Z SURIN, Thailand (AP) Renewed border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia showed no signs of abating Wednesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced people in both countries living in strained conditions as more flooded into temporary shelters.Associated Press reporters on the Thai side of the border heard sounds of outgoing, indirect fire Wednesday.About 400,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas in Thailand and around 700 schools closed while fighting was ongoing in four border provinces, Thai military spokesperson Rear Adm. Surasant Kongsiri said Wednesday.Cambodia evacuated more than 127,000 villagers and hundreds of schools closed, the defense ministry said.Thailands military announced that casualties this week include five soldiers killed and dozens wounded. Cambodia said seven civilians died and 20 others were wounded, though it did not update those figures on Wednesday. There is not yet a clear path to peace as Thailands Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed to continue to fight and Cambodias powerful Senate President Hun Sen promised a fierce response. A knock-on effect of the fighting and bad blood between the nations was Cambodias withdrawal of its entire team from the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, which began Tuesday in Thailand. A Wednesday announcement from the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia said it regretted the action but the families of competitors were concerned about their safety. Trump says he will return sides to peaceThe new, widespread fighting followed a skirmish Sunday that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump that ended armed combat in July. The five days of fighting over territorial disputes left dozens dead on both sides and forced the evacuation of thousands of civilians. The ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges from the two nations unless they agreed. Late Tuesday at a Pennsylvania political event, Trump said he would use his sway to end the renewed combat.Tomorrow Ill have to make a phone call, Trump said. Who else could say, Im going to make a phone call and stop a war between two very powerful countries, Thailand and Cambodia?U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier called on the two sides to live up to the commitments made at an October meeting in Malaysia that reaffirmed the July ceasefire and called for removing heavy weapons from the border, coordinating removal of land mines and other steps.Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said Wednesday that there had not yet been any contact with the United States on the matter. He added that Thailand will not likely accept if another third party proposes to mediate since the line has been crossed.The ceasefire was fragile from the start as both nations carried on a bitter propaganda war and minor incidents of cross-border violence continued.Thailand deployed jet fighters to carry out airstrikes on what it says are military targets, while Cambodias most fearsome weapons are BM-21 rocket launchers with a range of roughly 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). They are capable of firing salvos of 40 rockets at a time and mounted on trucks, making them less vulnerable to attack.A Thai army statement said Cambodia on Tuesday launched approximately 125 salvos from BM-21 launchers totaling about 5,000 rockets and that some had hit civilian areas, though no casualties were reported. Shelters provide safe haven but concerns remainAway from the battlefronts, anxious evacuees are the most visible sign of the crisis. In a gymnasium in the northeastern Thai city of Surin, around 550 people are waiting out the combat, many having hurriedly fled after the first shots were fired Sunday.Officials have provided food and diversions for children. The cooler, winter temperatures have kept the situation in the shelter bearable, but there is inevitable boredom and concern about what they left behind including homes, valuables and animals.Thidarat Homhual, a 37-year-old farmer in the shelter with her family, said her mind is on cows, ducks, four dogs and nine cats left to fend for themselves. We are behind the front line. We can live like this. Its OK, she said. But I want it to be over. I miss my pets. I really miss my pets, all the animals at home. I cant really put it into words.___Sopheng Cheang in Srei Snam, Cambodia, Wasamon Audjarint in Bangkok and Matthew Lee and Lou Kesten in Washington contributed to this report.

A man rides past the Tencent headquarters in Beijing, China on Aug. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)2025-12-10T07:22:01Z BANGKOK (AP) Chinese gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings has withdrawn from Paramount Skydance Corp.s bid to buy Warner Bros Discovery, according to a revised filing of its takeover bid by Paramount with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.The filing seen Wednesday shows the Chinese company dropped its $1 billion financing commitment for the takeover bid. Paramount said the Chinese companys participation in the bid had raised concern, since it would be a non-U.S. equity financing source, that its bid might be subject to a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, known as CFIUS. That was even though approval by CFIUS or by the Federal Communications Commission was not a condition of the bid.The SEC filing, dated Monday, said that foreign sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, which are providing $24 billion for Paramounts bid, had agreed to give up a right to participate in Warner Bros management to avoid the additional scrutiny. On Monday, Paramount launched a hostile $77.9 billion takeover offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, competing with rival bidder Netflix to buy the company behind HBO, CNN and a famed movie studio.Big deals that involve foreign companies are sometimes subject to national security reviews by CFIUS, a U.S. government group chaired by the Treasury Secretary that studies mergers for national-security reasons. It has the power to force companies to change ownership structures or divest completely from the U.S. Under former President Joe Biden as well as President Donald Trump, the Treasury Department has sought to strengthen its powers as national security concerns related to foreign investment have increased.Tencent is among dozens of Chinese companies that the U.S. Defense Department has included in a list of companies it said have ties to Chinas military. Tencent, whose shares are listed in Hong Kong, denies that. Based in the southern technology and financial hub of Shenzhen, Tencent owns the League of Legends developer Riot Games and has ties with other big U.S. entertainment brands. It also has a streaming deal with the National Basketball Association.It is the worlds largest equity investor in online games and a major entertainment and social media company, operating the WeChat messaging and payments service in popular China and with Chinese emigrants abroad. Tencent has a market capitalization of over $700 billion, according to Hong Kongs stock exchange. There was no immediate comment from Tencent. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the APs business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto

It was a chilly afternoon in January, just a week after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, when I met Yineska, a Venezuelan mother who had been living in the United States for nearly two years. Trumps election, she told me, had put her in a bind. On his first day back in office, Trump announced that he planned to end the humanitarian parole program that had allowed her, her children and more than 100,000 other Venezuelans to come to the United States in recent years. She feared that the new life she had worked so hard to build was about to unravel.I went to her home and we talked for hours in the small kitchen. She told me about her two boys, Sebastin and Gabriel, and about Eduard, her partner, who worked as a cook in a restaurant nearby in Doral, Florida, a city beside Miami. She described how difficult it had been to leave her family and small business behind in a once-thriving part of Venezuela, now hollowed out by years of economic decline. The journey to the U.S. was grueling. It took almost seven months for Yineska, her boys and a nephew to cross the dangerous Darin Gap and then Mexico before reuniting with Eduard in Miami.They managed to rent a safe space to live on the edge of Doral, found work and enrolled the boys in school. Yineskas oldest was excited about getting an American high school diploma. And then, with the swipe of his pen, the president threatened to take away the stable lives they had finally begun to build. I could hear the fear in her voice as we spoke.I introduced myself to Yineska because I knew she wasnt alone. Im a journalist and filmmaker at ProPublica, and I moved to the U.S. from Venezuela nearly a decade ago. I was fortunate to arrive with a visa that allowed me to work legally.As I watched Trumps second presidential campaign, I sensed what might be coming. His return to office would thrust so many Venezuelans who had recently settled in the U.S. between two storm clouds: an American government turning against them and a repressive regime back home that offered no future. Many of my Venezuelan friends saw something entirely different. They believed his return would be a blessing for our community, that he would cast out only those who had brought trouble and shield the rest.When I left Yineskas house that first night, I wrote in my notebook: This is a good family. A working family. They represent so many Venezuelans who came here seeking safety and opportunity and, in many ways, they represent me, too. In her story, I saw the chance to highlight the quiet anxiety growing in some corners of Doral that the sense of safety we had found in America could disappear overnight.Doral is the heart of the Venezuelan diaspora in the U.S. About 40% of those who live there emigrated from my country to escape the deep economic, political and social collapse that has unfolded in the nearly 12 years President Nicols Maduro has been in power. His authoritarian grip and the countrys unraveling economy caused nearly 8 million people to flee, mostly to other Latin American countries and the Caribbean. Its the largest mass displacement in the Western Hemispheres recent history.When I came to the U.S., most Latinos were facing the first waves of Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric. At the time, Trump called Mexican people bad hombres. Venezuelans, by contrast, were not viewed negatively. Trump took a hard line against Maduro, imposing heavy economic sanctions meant to weaken his autocratic hold on power. The stance earned Trump broad support among Venezuelan exiles in the U.S., especially in South Florida and in Doral. In the final days of his first term, Trump recognized the danger Venezuelans faced if they were forced to return and issued a memorandum that temporarily shielded those already in the U.S. from deportation.In the following years, President Joe Biden opened several temporary pathways that allowed more than 700,000 Venezuelans to live legally in the U.S. His administration granted humanitarian parole to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, like Yineska and her sons, allowing them to reside and work in the U.S. for up to two years if they passed background checks and secured financial sponsors. He also expanded Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans already living here, which prevented them from being sent back to an unstable Venezuela and granted them work permits.After securing humanitarian parole and entering the U.S. in April 2023, Yineska and her two sons made their way to Florida to reunite with Eduard. He was in Miami and had applied for TPS. Traveling with Yineska was a nephew who applied for asylum. All of them entered the U.S. legally.Even as some in the community benefitted from Bidens policies, many Venezuelans counted themselves among the Latinos who argued that the Biden administration was giving asylum-seekers preferential treatment and not carefully vetting those entering the country. They said that lax oversight had allowed criminals, including members of the Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua, to cross into the U.S. They also wanted Biden to take a stronger stance against Maduro. In 2024, the Venezuelan American vote helped Trump win handily in Miami-Dade County.Since Trump returned to the White House, that loyalty has been shaken. His administration has targeted Venezuelans in some of its most dramatic and punitive operations. In February, the federal government flew more than 230 Venezuelans to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador where men described being beaten and berated. The administration branded them the worst of the worst.My colleagues found that the U.S. government knew the vast majority had not been convicted of any crime here. Its own data indicated that of the 32 men with convictions, only six were for violent crimes. In response to that reporting, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin insisted, without providing evidence, that the deportees were terrorists, human rights abusers, gang members and more they just dont have a rap sheet in the U.S.At the same time, the Trump administration has sought to end legal protections for families like Yineskas. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in April that Temporary Protected Status was only supposed to be used in times of war or storm or destruction in the home countries of these migrants. It was completely abused.Its as if youre standing on a rug thats pulled from under you, Yineska told me during one of our many conversations in her kitchen. For Venezuelan families like hers, the idea of temporary relief feels detached from reality. They have followed the rules and envisioned a future for their children. To tell them that their safety has an expiration date while their home country remains mired in the same crisis they fled and is now in the crosshairs of the U.S. military is a painful contradiction.Venezuelans I spoke with, including Yineska and Eduard, said migrants who break the law should face consequences, but those who follow the rules should have an opportunity to stay. And even as they confront the administrations crackdown, many still cheer Trumps hard-line stance against Maduro because they see a glimmer of hope that Venezuela might finally move toward a brighter future, something Venezuelans everywhere myself included dream of. But the future is dimming for those in Doral with temporary status. I see the impact every day. Restaurants are quieter. More apartments are listed for rent. The energy that once defined this community isnt the same.I am now a U.S. citizen, but this milestone feels bittersweet as I watch friends pack their belongings to seek opportunities abroad. Few plan to return to Venezuela.As the hostility of the administration pressed down on people like Yineska and her family, they worried they, too, would be forced to pack their bags. My new film, Status: Venezuelan, follows them as they weigh fear against hope, struggling to decide whether to fight for the life they have built or leave everything behind.The post They Came to the U.S. Legally. Then Trump Stripped Their Status Away. appeared first on ProPublica.

How the California governor became the 2028 Democratic front-runner.