Adorable, fun ... and tasty? CFB bowl game mascots are sometimes as memorable as the game itself.

Justice Department officials have been considering whether to bring new charges against James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, after a different judge dismissed the original case against him.

Blackhawks star Connor Bedard grasped his right shoulder as he left the ice after Friday night's 3-2 loss to the Blues, and the team has ruled him out for Saturday's game against Detroit.

Jets from the Myanmar military dropped two bombs on the facility in Mrauk-U, in what rebels and witnesses called a deliberate attack on civilians.

Kim Jong-un hugged the returning troops and awarded the countrys highest medal to nine soldiers killed in action.

Village security volunteers and resident run into shelter while the blasts sounded too close in Buriram province, Thailand, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, following renewed border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)2025-12-13T07:35:01Z SURIN, Thailand (AP) Fighting continued to rage Saturday morning along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, even after U.S. President Donald Trump, acting as a mediator, declared that he had won agreement from both countries for a ceasefire.Thai officials have said they did not agree to a ceasefire, and Cambodia has not commented on Trumps claim. Its defense ministry instead said Thai jets carried out airstrikes Saturday morning. Cambodian media reported Trumps claim without elaborating.The latest large-scale fighting was set off by a skirmish on Dec. 7 that wounded two Thai soldiers and derailed a ceasefire promoted by Trump that ended five days of earlier combat in July over longstanding territorial disputes.The July ceasefire was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended. About two dozen people have officially been reported killed in this past weeks fighting, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border. The Thai military acknowledges 11 of its troops have been killed, while estimating there have been 165 fatalities among Cambodian soldiers. Cambodia has not announced military casualties, but has said at least 11 civilians have been killed and 76 wounded. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Trump on Friday, after speaking to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, had announced an agreement to restart the ceasefire. They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me, and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, Trump said in his Truth Social post.Trumps claim came after midnight in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Anutin had after his call with Trump said he had explained Thailands reasons for fighting and said peace would depend on Cambodia ceasing its attacks first. The Thai foreign ministry later explicitly disputed Trumps claim that a ceasefire had been reached. Anutins busy day on Friday including dissolving Parliament so new elections could be held early next year. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, in comments posted early Saturday morning, also made no mention of a ceasefire.He said he held phone conversations on Friday night with Trump, and a night earlier with Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and thanked both for their continuous efforts to achieve a long-lasting peace between Cambodia and Thailand.Cambodia is ready to cooperate in any way that is needed, Hun Manet wrote.Thailand has been carrying out airstrikes on what it says are strictly military targets, while Cambodia has been firing thousands of medium-range BM-21 rockets that have caused havoc but relatively few casualties. BM-21 rocket launchers can fire up to 40 rockets at a time with a range of 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). These rockets cannot be precisely targeted and have landed largely in areas from where most people have already been evacuated. However, the Thai army announced Saturday that BM-21 rockets had hit a civilian area in Sisaket province, seriously injuring two civilians who had heard warning sirens and had been running toward a bunker for safety.Peck reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang in Serei Saophoan, Cambodia, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

This article is a partnership between Reveal and 404 Media.Jesus Gutirrez, 23, was walking home one morning from a Chicago gym when he noticed a gray Cadillac SUV with no license plates. He kept walking, shrugging it off. Then the car pulled over and two men got out.The federal immigration officials told him not to run. They then peppered Gutirrez with questions: Where are you going? Where are you coming from? Do you have your ID on you?Gutirrez is a U.S. citizen. He told the officials this. He didnt have any identification on him, but, panicking, he tried to find a copy on his phone. The agents put him into the car, where another two agents were waiting, and handcuffed him. Just sit there and be quiet, they said.Without Gutirrezs ID, the agents resorted to another approach. They took a photo of his face. A short while later, the agents got their answer: Oh yeah, hes right. Hes saying the right thing. He does got papers, Gutirrez recalled the agents saying.Has this happened to you or someone you know? Do you have any videos of ICE or CBP scanning people's faces? Do you work for either agency? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at joseph.404 or send me an email at joseph@404media.co.Gutirrezs experience, which he recounted to Reveal, is one snapshot of something that federal authorities have acknowledged to 404 Media that they are doing across the country: scanning peoples faces with a facial recognition app that brings up their name, date of birth, alien number if theyre an immigrant, and whether they have an order of deportation. 404 Media previously obtained internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) emails revealing the agencys facial recognition app, called Mobile Fortify, and catalogued social media videos showing agents scanning peoples faces to verify their citizenship.Now, Reveal has spoken to a person who appears to have had that technology used against them. Gutirrez sent Reveal a copy of his passport to verify his citizenship.You just grabbing, like, random people, dude, Gutirrez said he told the agents after they scanned his face. The officials eventually dropped off Gutirrez after driving for around an hour. For several days, he didnt go anywhere, not even to the gym. Gutirrez told his father at the time that he got kidnapped.This is a flagrant violation of rights and incompatible with a free society, said Nathan Freed Wessler, deputy project director for the American Civil Liberties Unions (ACLU) Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. Immigration agents have no business scanning our faces with this glitchy, privacy-destroying technologyespecially after often stopping people based on nothing more than the color of their skin or the neighborhood they live in.A screenshot of an internal DHS document obtained by 404 Media. Available here.Mobile Fortify is available to ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials on their work-issued phones. After an agent scans someones face, the app queries an unprecedented collection of U.S. government databases, including one run by the FBI and another that checks for outstanding state warrants, according to user manuals seen by 404 Media. The app runs the persons face against a database of 200 million images, according to internal ICE material 404 Media viewed.The photograph shown [in the apps results] is the photograph that was taken during the individuals most recent encounter with CBP, however the matching will be against all pictures CBP may maintain on the individual, said an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document 404 Media obtained. The app turns the system usually used for verifying travelers at the border inward against people on U.S. streets.The need for Mobile Fortify, according to that internal document, is for immigration authorities to identify people who can be removed from the country. But it acknowledges that it may be used against U.S. citizens, like in Gutirrezs case.It is conceivable that a photo taken by an agent using the Mobile Fortify mobile application could be that of someone other than an alien, including U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, the document reads.PRX Play - Embeddable PlayerEmbeddable PlayerRep. Bennie G. Thompson, ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, previously told 404 Media that ICE will prioritize the results of the app over birth certificates. ICE officials have told us that an apparent biometric match by Mobile Fortify is a definitive determination of a persons status and that an ICE officer may ignore evidence of American citizenshipincluding a birth certificateif the app says the person is an alien, he said. ICE using a mobile biometrics app in ways its developers at CBP never intended or tested is a frightening, repugnant, and unconstitutional attack on Americans rights and freedoms.404 Media has found other instances in which ICE and CBP agents have used a facial recognition app to verify someones identity and citizenship. In one that appeared to take place in Chicago, a Border Patrol officer stopped two young men on bicycles before asking his colleague, Can you do facial? The other official then scanned one of the boys faces, according to a video posted on social media. In another, a group of ICE officers surrounded a man driving a car. He said he was an American citizen. Alright, we just got to verify that, one of them said. A second then pointed their phones camera at the man and asked him to remove his hat. If you could take your hat off, it would be a lot quicker, the officer said. Im going to run your information.In Gutirrezs case, there is little indication that he was stopped for any reason beyond the color of his skin. He is of Mexican descent, he said. Stops of people based on their race, use of Spanish, or location (such as a car wash or bus stop) have become known among critics as Kavanaugh stops, after Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh justified the method in a September opinion.ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples Faces on the Street To Verify CitizenshipVideos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as pure dystopian creep.404 MediaJoseph CoxThe Government sometimes makes brief investigative stops to check the immigration status of those who gather in locations where people are hired for day jobs; who work or appear to work in jobs such as construction, landscaping, agriculture, or car washes that often do not require paperwork and are therefore attractive to illegal immigrants; and who do not speak much if any English, the opinion says. (Gutirrez speaks Spanish but conducted his interview with Reveal in English.) If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, they promptly let the individual go. If the individual is illegally in the United States, the officers may arrest the individual and initiate the process for removal.The ACLUs Wessler added: In the United States, we should be free to go about our business without government agents scanning our faces, accessing our personal information, saving our photos for years, and putting us at risk of misidentifications and wrongful detentions. ICE and CBPs use of Mobile Fortify on the streets of America should end immediately.DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, DHS is not going to confirm or deny law enforcement capabilities or methods. CBP said that the agency built the app to support ICE operations and that it has been used by ICE around the country.A CBP spokesperson added in a statement, Mobile Fortify is a law enforcement app developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for ICE agents and officers. It helps field personnel gather information during immigration inspections, but agents must consider all circumstances before deciding on someone's immigration status. CBP personnel working with ICE teams can access the app after completing required training. Further details cannot be shared due to law enforcement sensitivities.Gutirrez said that at the end of his encounter, while he was still in the car, the agents were laughing.

Despite a brilliant 39-point performance from Stephen Curry, who returned from a quad injury, the Warriors lost 127-120 to the Wolves after allowing 39 fourth-quarter points.

Emergency crews, including National Guard soldiers, wort in a neighborhood flooded by the Skagit River on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Burlington, Wash. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)2025-12-13T05:03:57Z BURLINGTON, Wash. (AP) When Eddie Wicks and his wife went to bed in their house next to the Snoqualmie River on a Washington state farm known for its sunflower mazes and Christmas trees, they werent too worried about the flooding heading their way.After 30 years living in the city of Duvall northeast of Seattle, their family had plenty of experience with floods and always made it through largely unscathed. But as they moved their two donkeys to higher ground and their eight goats to their outdoor kitchen, the water began to rise much quicker than anything theyd experienced before.It was hours, not days, he said. In four hours it had to come up 4 feet.As the water engulfed their home Thursday afternoon, deputies from the King County Sheriffs Office marine rescue dive unit were able to rescue them and their dog, taking them on a boat the half mile (800 meters) across their field, which had been transformed into a lake. They were among the thousands forced to evacuate as an unusually strong atmospheric river dumped a foot (30 centimeters) or more of rain in parts of western and central Washington over several days this week and swelled rivers, inundating communities and prompting dramatic rescues from rooftops and vehicles. The record floodwaters were expected to continue to slowly recede Saturday, but authorities warn that waters will remain high for days, and that there is still danger from potential levee failures or mudslides. There is also the threat of more rain forecast for Sunday. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Still, no deaths have been reported. Authorities have yet to estimate the costs, but photos and videos show widespread damage, with entire communities or neighborhoods flooded around western and central Washington. Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues, debris and mudslides have closed highways, and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges. President Donald Trump has signed the states request for an emergency declaration, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said.Officials issued go now orders Wednesday to tens of thousands of residents in the Skagit River flood plain north of Seattle, including the farming city of Burlington, home to nearly 10,000 people. By Friday morning, muddy water overflowed a slough and rushed into homes, prompting more urgent warnings for Burlington.The rain arriving Sunday will cause rivers to rise again, said Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Departments emergency management division.National Guard fans out to help with evacuationsNational Guard members knocked on hundreds of doors in Burlington early Friday to tell residents about the evacuation notice and help transport them to a shelter. By late morning the evacuation order was lifted for part of the city and waters were slowly receding. The Skagit River drains a wide swath of the rugged Cascade Range before winding west across broad, low-lying farmlands and tulip fields on its way to Puget Sound. Cities like Burlington sit on that delta, leaving them especially vulnerable to floods.The river crested overnight Thursday into Friday at 37 feet (11.2 meters) in the valleys biggest city, Mount Vernon, surpassing the previous record by a few inches. A flood wall held fast and protected the downtown area. About 1,000 Burlington residents had to evacuate in the middle of the night, Ferguson said. The water was reportedly 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 centimeters) deep in certain areas as it flooded homes, police department spokesperson Michael Lumpkin said.Mario Rincn had been staying at a hotel with his family, including a week-old infant. They returned to their Burlington property Friday but couldnt get inside, as murky floodwaters reached part-way up the first floor. Its going to be a few days before the water recedes, he said. Near the U.S.-Canada border, Sumas, Nooksack and Everson which together have about 6,500 residents were inundated. The border crossing at Sumas was closed.In a social media message, Sumas Mayor Bruce Bosch acknowledged community members were anxious to return to their homes. Hang in there, he wrote.In King County, crews worked through the night to fill a sinkhole on a levee along the Green River in the Seattle suburb of Tukwila, County Executive Girmay Zahilay said Friday. Crews reach people by boat and by helicopterAuthorities across the state in recent days have rescued people from cars and homes.Helicopters rescued two families on Thursday from the roofs of homes in Sumas that had been flooded, according Frank Cain Jr., battalion chief for Whatcom County Fire District 14.Near Deming, two homes collapsed into the Nooksack River as erosion undercut them. No one was inside at the time.Climate change has been linked to some intense rainfall. Scientists say that without specific study they cannot directly link a single weather event to climate change, but in general its responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme storms, droughts, floods and wildfires.___Rush reported from Portland, Oregon, and Golden from Seattle. Associated Press writers Gene Johnson in Seattle and Corey Williams in Detroit contributed to this report. CEDAR ATTANASIO Attanasio covers the state of Washington for The Associated Press with a focus on immigration and the environment. He uses remote sensing to support the APs global coverage. twitter instagram facebook mailto CLAIRE RUSH Rush is an Associated Press reporter covering Oregon state government and general news in the Pacific Northwest more broadly. twitter mailto

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., prepares to speak to reporters following a strategy session with House Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)2025-12-12T22:03:16Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate failed to get anywhere on the health care issue this week. Now its the Houses turn to show what it can do. Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a Republican alternative late Friday, a last-minute sprint as his party refuses to extend the enhanced tax subsidies for those who buy policies through the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare, which are expiring at the end of the year. Those subsidies help lower the cost of coverage. Johnson, R-La., huddled behind closed doors in the morning as he did days earlier this week working to assemble the package for consideration as the House focuses the final days of its 2025 work on health care. House Republicans are tackling the real drivers of health care costs to provide affordable care, Johnson said in a statement announcing the package. He said it would be voted on next week. Later Friday, though, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said: House Republicans have introduced toxic legislation that is completely unserious, hurts hardworking America taxpayers and is not designed to secure bipartisan support. If the bill reaches the House floor, I will strongly oppose it. Time is running out for Congress to act. Democrats engineered the longest federal government shutdown ever this fall in a failed effort to force Republicans to the negotiating table on health care. But after promising votes, the Senate failed this week to advance both a Republican health care plan and the Democratic-offered bill to extend the tax credits for three years.Now, with just days to go, Congress is about to wrap up its work with no consensus solution in sight. What Republicans are proposingThe House Republicans offered a 100-plus-page package that focuses on long-sought GOP proposals to enhance access to employer-sponsored health insurance plans and clamp down on so-called pharmacy benefit managers.Republicans propose expanding access to whats referred to as association health plans, which would allow more small businesses and self-employed individuals to band together and purchase health coverage. Proponents say such plans increase the leverage businesses have to negotiate a lower rate. But critics say the plans provide skimpier coverage than what is required under the Affordable Care Act.The Republicans proposal would also require more data from pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, as a way to help control drug costs. Critics say PBMs have padded their bottom line and made it more difficult for independent pharmacists to survive.Additionally, the GOP plan includes mention of cost-sharing reductions for some lower-income people who rely on Obamacare, but those do not take effect until January 2027. The emerging package from the House Republicans does not include an extension of an enhanced tax credit for millions of Americans who get insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Put in place during the COVID-19 crisis, that enhanced subsidy expires Dec. 31, leaving most families in the program facing more than double their current out-of-pocket premiums, and in some cases, much more. What Trump wantsPresident Donald Trump has said he believes Republicans are going to figure out a better plan than Obamacare something he has promised for years but offered few details beyond his idea for providing Americans with stipends to help buy insurance. I want to see the billions of dollars go to people, not to the insurance companies, Trump said late Friday during an event at the White House. And I want to see the people go out and buy themselves great healthcare.The president did not comment directly on the Houses new plan. He has repeatedly touted his idea of sending money directly to Americans to help offset the costs of health care policies, rather than extending the tax credits for those buying policies through Obamacare. Its unclear how much money Trump envisions. The Senate GOP proposal that failed to advance would have provided payments to new health savings accounts of $1,000 a year for adult enrollees, or $1,500 for those ages 50 to 64.It appeared there were no such health savings accounts in the new House GOP plan. Political pressure is building for manyGoing Johnsons route has left vulnerable House Republicans representing key battleground districts in a tough spot. Frustrated with the delays, a group of more centrist GOP lawmakers is aligning with Democrats to push their own proposals for continuing the tax credits, for now, so that Americans dont face rising health care costs.They are pursuing several paths for passing a temporary ACA subsidy extension, co-sponsoring a handful of bills. They are also signing onto so-called discharge petitions that could force a floor vote if a majority of the House signs on. Such petitions are designed to get around the majoritys control and are rarely successful, but this year has proven to be an exception. Lawmakers, for example, were able to use a discharge petition to force a vote on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files held by the Department of Justice. One petition, filed by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., had signatures from 12 Republicans and 12 Democrats as of Friday afternoon. It would force a vote on a bill that includes a two-year subsidy extension and contains provisions designed to combat fraud in the ACA marketplace. There are also restrictions for PBMs, among other things.Another petition from Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., has 39 signatures and is broadly bipartisan. Its a simpler proposal that would force a vote on a one-year ACA enhanced subsidy extension and would include new income caps limiting who qualifies for the enhanced credit.Both discharge petitions have enough Republicans support that they would likely succeed if Jeffries encouraged his caucus to jump on board. So far, hes not tipping his hand. Were actively reviewing those two discharge petitions and well have more to say about it early next week, Jeffries said.Meanwhile, Jeffries is pushing Democrats own discharge petition, which has 214 signatures and would provide for a clean three-year subsidy extension. No Republicans have signed onto that one. And as Republicans made clear in the Senate this week, a three-year extension without changes to the program has no chance of passing their chamber. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Yassin Marouf, 23, who lost his left foot and suffered a severe injury to his right leg after being hit by Israeli shelling in May, lies in a tent surrounded by his family in Zawaida, central Gaza, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-12-13T05:13:09Z NUSEIRAT, Gaza Strip (AP) Sitting in her wheelchair, Haneen al-Mabhouh dreams of rebuilding her family, of cradling a new baby. She dreams of walking again. But with her leg gone, her life in Gaza is on hold, she says, as she waits to go abroad for further treatment.An Israeli airstrike in July 2024 smashed her home in central Gaza as she and her family slept. All four of her daughters were killed, including her 5-month-old baby. Her husband was severely burned. Al-Mabhouhs legs were crushed under the rubble, and doctors had to amputate her right leg above the knee.For the past year and a half, I have been unable to move around, to live like others. For the past year and a half, I have been without children, she said, speaking at her parents home.The 2-month-old ceasefire in Gaza has been slow to bring help for thousands of Palestinians who suffered amputations from Israeli bombardment over the past two years. The World Health Organization estimates there are some 5,000 to 6,000 amputees from the war, 25% of them children. Those who lost limbs are struggling to adapt, faced with a shortage of prosthetic limbs and long delays in medical evacuations out of Gaza. The WHO said a shipment of essential prosthetic supplies recently made it into Gaza. That appears to be the first significant shipment for the past two years. Previously, Israel had let in almost no ready-made prosthetic limbs or material to manufacture limbs since the war began, according to Loay Abu Saif, the head of the disability program at Medical Aid for Palestinians, or MAP, and Nevin Al Ghussein, acting director of the Artificial Limbs and Polio Center in Gaza City. The Israeli military body in charge of coordinating aid, known as COGAT, did not respond when asked how many prosthetic supplies had entered during the war or about its policies on such supplies. My future is paralyzedAl-Mabhouh was asleep with her baby girl in her arms when the strike hit their home in Nuseirat, she said. For several weeks while recovering in the hospital, al-Mabhouh had no idea her children had been killed. She underwent multiple surgeries. Her hand still has difficulty moving. Her remaining leg remains shattered, held together with rods. She needs a bone graft and other treatments that are only available outside of Gaza. She was put on the list for medical evacuation 10 months ago but still hasnt gotten permission to leave Gaza.Waiting for her chance to go, she lives at her parents house. She needs help changing clothes and cant even hold a pen, and remains crushed by grief over her daughters. I never got to hear her say mama, see her first tooth or watch her take her first steps, she said of her baby. She dreams of having a new child but cant until she gets treatment. Its my right to live, to have another child, to regain what I lost, to walk, just to walk again, she said. Now my future is paralyzed. They destroyed my dreams. Medical evacuations remain slow The ceasefire has hardly brought any increase in medical evacuations for the 16,500 Palestinians the U.N. says are waiting to get vital treatment abroad not just amputees, but patients suffering many kinds of chronic conditions or wounds. As of Dec. 1, 235 patients have been evacuated since the ceasefire began in October, just under five a day. In the months before that, the average was about three a day.Israel last week said it was ready to allow patients and other Palestinians to leave Gaza via the Israeli-held Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. But its unsure that will happen because Egypt, which controls the crossings other side, demands Rafah also be opened for Palestinians to enter Gaza as called for under the ceasefire deal.Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, the WHOs representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, told The Associated Press that the backlog is caused by the lack of countries to host the evacuated patients. He said new medevac routes need to be opened, especially to the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, where hospitals are ready to receive patients. For those waiting, life grinds to a standstillYassin Marouf lies in a tent in central Gaza, his left foot amputated, his right leg barely held together with rods.The 23-year-old and his brother were hit by Israeli shelling in May as they returned from visiting their home in northern Gaza that their family had been forced to flee. His brother was killed. Marouf lay bleeding on the ground, as a stray dog attacked his mangled left leg.Doctors say his right leg will also need to be amputated, unless he can travel abroad for operations that might save it. Marouf said he cant afford painkillers and cant go to the hospital regularly to have his bandages changed as theyre supposed to.If I want to go to the bathroom, I need two or three people to carry me, he said.Mohamed al-Naggar had been pursuing an IT degree at the University of Palestine before the war. Seven months ago, shrapnel pierced his left leg during strikes on the house where his family was sheltering. Doctors amputated his leg above the knee. His right leg was also badly injured and shrapnel remains in parts of his body.Despite four surgeries and physical therapy, the 21-year-old al-Naggar cant move around.Id like to travel abroad and put on a prosthetic and graduate from college and be normal like young people outside Gaza, he said.Gaza faces prosthetic limb shortageSome 42,000 Palestinians have suffered life-changing injuries in the war, including amputations, brain trauma, spinal cord injuries and major burns, the WHO said in an October report.The situation has improved slightly for those with assistance needs but there is still a huge overall shortage of assistive products, such as wheelchairs, walkers and crutches. Gaza has only eight prosthetists able to manufacture and fit artificial limbs, the WHO said in a statement to the AP.The Artificial Limbs and Polio Center in Gaza City, one of two prosthetics centers still operating in the territory, received a shipment of material to manufacture limbs just before the war began in 2023, said its director, Al Ghussein. Another small shipment entered in December 2024, but nothing since.The center has been able to provide artificial limbs for 250 cases over the course of the war, but supplies are running out, Al Ghussein said. No pre-made prosthetic legs or arms have entered, according to Abu Saif of MAP, who said Israel does not ban them, but its procedures cause delays and in the end they ignore it.Ibrahim Khalif wants a prosthetic right leg so he can get a job doing manual labor or cleaning houses to support his pregnant wife and children.In January, he lost his leg when an Israeli airstrike hit Gaza City while he was out getting food. I used to be the provider for my kids, but now Im sitting here, Khalif said. I think of how I was and what Ive become. FATMA KHALED Khaled is based in the Middle East region. She covers humanitarian crises, conflict, among other news beats for The Associated Press. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

2025-12-13T07:57:25Z At least two people were killed in a drone attack in Russias southwestern Saratov region and parts of Ukraine went without power following targeted assaults on energy infrastructure, local authorities said Saturday, as U.S.-led peace talks on ending the war press on.The drone attack damaged a residential building and several windows were also blown out at a kindergarten and clinic, said Saratov regional Gov. Roman Busargin. Russias defense ministry said it had shot down 41 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight.In Ukraine, Russia launched overnight drone and missile strikes on five Ukrainian regions, targeting energy and port infrastructure.An attack on the Black Sea city of Odesa caused grain silos to catch fire at the port, according to Ukrainian deputy prime minister and reconstruction minister, Oleksiy Kuleba. The strikes also damaged energy infrastructure in settlements across the region, he said. Energy facilities in the Chernihiv, Kirovohrad and Mykolaiv regions also sustained damage, Kuleba said.Similar Russian strikes left parts of the Kherson region, including the regional capital, also called Kherson, without power Saturday, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said. Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call weaponizing the cold. The latest round of attacks came after Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said Friday that Russian police and National Guard will stay on in eastern Ukraines Donbas and oversee the industry-rich region, even if a peace settlement ends Russias nearly four-year war in Ukraine. This underscores Moscows ambition to maintain its presence in Donbas post-war. Ukraine is likely to reject such a stance as U.S.-led negotiations drag on. Moscow will give its blessing to a ceasefire only after Ukraines forces have withdrawn from the front line, Ushakov said in comments published in Russian business daily Kommersant. Meanwhile, Germany is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday for talks as peace efforts gain momentum and European leaders seek to steer negotiations.For months, American negotiators have tried to navigate the demands of each side as U.S. President Donald Trump presses for a swift end to Russias war while growing increasingly exasperated by delays. The search for possible compromises has run into a major obstacle over who keeps Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russian forces.

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A woman fills her car at a gas station in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)2025-12-13T03:22:54Z TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran introduced a new pricing tier Saturday for its nationally subsidized gasoline, attempting to rein in spiraling costs for the first time since a price hike in 2019 that sparked nationwide protests and a crackdown that reportedly killed over 300 people.Cheap gasoline has been viewed for generations as a birthright in Iran, sparking mass demonstrations as far back as 1964 when a price increase forced the shah to put military vehicles on the streets to replace those of striking taxi drivers. But Irans theocracy faces a growing squeeze from the countrys rapidly depreciating rial currency and economic sanctions imposed due to Tehrans nuclear program. That has made the cost of having some of the worlds cheapest gasoline at a few pennies per gallon that much more expensive. However, the governments hesitant move toward increasing prices likely signals it wants to avoid any confrontation with the nations exhausted public after Israel launched a 12-day war on the country in June. Our discontent has no result, fumed Saeed Mohammadi, a teacher who works as a taxi driver in his spare time to make ends meet. The government does whatever it likes. They dont ask people if they agree or not. New rate is still pennies per gallonAt four gas stations in northern Tehran on Saturday morning, drivers seemed relaxed as they refueled in clear, cold weather. Single police vehicles were stationed nearby at times, but there were no long lines at the pumps or other visible problems.The new pricing system implemented Saturday adds a third pricing level to the countrys long-running subsidy system. The revised structure allows motorists to continue receiving 60 liters (15 gallons) per month at the subsidized rate of 15,000 rials per liter, or 1.25 U.S. cents, and the next 100 liters (26 gallons) will remain at 30,000 rials a liter, or 2.5 cents.Anything purchased beyond that falls under the new pricing scheme of 50,000 rials per liter, or about 4 cents. Iran introduced fuel rationing back in 2007, but that has yet to ease demand for the ultracheap gasoline. Even at that new rate, Iranian gasoline prices remain among the lowest in the world. The difference between the cost of production and delivering the fuel and the price at the pump is the subsidy paid by Irans government. The Paris-based International Energy Agency ranked Iran as paying the worlds second-highest energy subsidy costs in 2022, behind only Russia. The IEA put Irans oil subsidies at $52 billion that year, with Iranian officials acknowledging tens of billions of dollars a year go toward artificially keeping energy prices low. Tehran-based economist Hossein Raghfar said that since 2009, the price of gasoline has grown 15-fold, offering a pessimistic view of the governments subsidies.Not only did it fail in lessening the budget deficit, but it also trapped the countrys economy in a negative loop of inflation and budget deficit, he said. Hamid Rezapour, a 35-year-old bank teller, said he believed Irans government had no choice except to increase the price to manage the countrys economy.It needs more money to pay for public needs. he said. To me, it is an indirect tax though in a messy economy it barely works. First hike since 2019 protests The move is the most significant change to Irans fuel-subsidy system since 2019, when a sudden 50% jump in subsidized prices and a 300% increase in the rate for purchases beyond quota sparked nationwide protests.Security forces cracked down on demonstrations across 100 cities and towns, with some protesters burning down gas stations and banks. The crackdown that followed killed at least 321 people, according to Amnesty International. Thousands were detained.Critics say every single 10,000-rial increase in gasoline prices will lead to as much as a 5% increase in inflation. Currently, the nation is struggling with an annual inflation rate of some 40%.But cheap gas provides an opportunity for employment for the country. There are 25 million vehicles, including 3 million public and government-affiliated cars, as well as 6 million motorbikes in the Islamic Republic. Reportedly, more than 8 million Iranians work as taxi drivers through online platforms, nearly 10% of the population. Uber, meanwhile, has 8.8 million drivers and couriers worldwide. It is a start for amending the trend of fuel consumption, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad earlier told journalists. Officials comments suggest Iran may seek steeper price increases in the future, as the government reviews prices every three months. Mohammad Reza Assadi, a 60-year-old taxi driver, offered skepticism that any further protest would make a change. People have poured into the streets over hikes in the gasoline price in the past, he said, but they returned home tired and hopeless later at dusk.___Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. NASSER KARIMI Karimi reports and writes from Tehran, Iran, on various topics for The Associated Press. He began working for AP in 2003. twitter instagram mailto JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The next steps for the presidents 20-point Gaza peace plan have been mired in uncertainty and a lack of detail, but that may be set to change. Heres what to know.

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The presidents stated intention to pardon Tina Peters, jailed for tampering with election machines in 2020, has set off a legal fight over the extent of Mr. Trumps pardon powers.

His library foundation has told the I.R.S. that by the end of 2027 it expects to bring in just $11.3 million not nearly enough for a traditional presidential library.

Beijing is pouring vast resources into fusion research, while the U.S. wants private industry to lead the way. The winner could reshape civilization.

Donald Trump is confronting a backlash of the reasonable.

Interviewed as he prepares to leave office, Mayor Eric Adams said that he hadnt gotten the credit he deserved and that certain forces had always been arrayed against him.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia waits to enter the building for a mandatory check at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Baltimore, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, after he was released from detention on Thursday under a judge's order. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)2025-12-13T05:02:42Z BALTIMORE (AP) Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose mistaken deportation helped galvanize opposition to President Donald Trumps immigration policies, was released from immigration detention on Thursday, and a judge has temporarily blocked any further efforts to detain him. Abrego Garcia currently cant be deported to his home country of El Salvador thanks to a 2019 immigration court order that found he had a well founded fear of danger there. However, the Trump administration has said he cannot stay in the U.S. Over the past few months, government officials have said they would deport him to Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and, most recently, Liberia.Abrego Garcia is fighting his deportation in federal court in Maryland, where his attorneys claim the administration is manipulating the immigration system to punish him for successfully challenging his earlier deportation.Heres what to know about the latest developments in the case: Who is Kilmar Abrego Garcia?Abrego Garcia is a Salvadoran citizen with an American wife and child who has lived in Maryland for years. He immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager to join his brother, who had become a U.S. citizen. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from being deported back to his home country.While he was allowed to live and work in the U.S. under Immigration and Customs Enforcement supervision, he was not given residency status. Earlier this year, he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, despite the earlier court ruling. In custody since MarchWhen Abrego Garcia was deported in March, he was held in a notoriously brutal Salvadoran prison despite having no criminal record.The Trump administration initially fought efforts to bring him back to the U.S. but eventually complied after the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in. He returned to the U.S. in June, only to face an arrest warrant on human smuggling charges in Tennessee. Abrego Garcia was held in a Tennessee jail for more than two months before he was released on Friday, Aug. 22, to await trial in Maryland under home detention. His freedom lasted a weekend. On the following Monday, he reported to the Baltimore immigration office for a check-in and was immediately taken into immigration custody. Officials announced plans to deport him to a series of African countries, but they were blocked by an order from U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland.No deportation orderOn Thursday, after months of legal filings and hearings, Xinis ruled that Abrego Garcia should be released immediately. Her ruling hinged on what was likely a procedural error by the immigration judge who heard his case in 2019.Normally, in a case like this, an immigration judge will first issue an order of removal. Then the judge will essentially freeze that order by issuing a withholding of removal order, according to Memphis immigration attorney Andrew Rankin.In Abrego Garcias case, the judge granted withholding of removal to El Salvador because he found Abrego Garcias life could be in danger there. However, the judge never took the first step of issuing the order of removal. The government argued in Xinis court that the order of removal could be inferred, but the judge disagreed.Without a final order of removal, Abrego Garcia cant be deported, Xinis ruled. Possible next stepsThe only way to get an order of removal is to go back to immigration court and ask for one, Rankin said. But reopening the immigration case is a gamble because Abrego Garcias attorneys would likely seek protection from deportation in the form of asylum or some other type of relief.One wrinkle is that immigration courts are officially part of the executive branch, and the judges there are not generally viewed as being as independent as federal judges.There might be independence in some areas, but if the administration wants a certain result, by all accounts it seems theyre going to exert the pressure on the individuals to get that result, Rankin said. I hope he gets a fair shake, and two lawyers make arguments somebody wins, somebody loses instead of giving it to an immigration judge with a 95% denial rate, where everybody in the world knows how its gonna go down.Alternatively, the government could appeal Xinis order to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and try to get her ruling overturned, Rankin said. If the appeals court agreed with the government that the final order of removal was implied, there could be no need to reopen the immigration case. Free for nowIn compliance with Xinis order, Abrego Garcia was released from immigration detention in Pennsylvania on Thursday evening and allowed to return home for the first time in months. However, he was also told to report to an immigration officer in Baltimore early the next morning.Fearing that he would be detained again, his attorneys asked Xinis for a temporary restraining order. Xinis filed that order early Friday morning. It prohibits immigration officials from taking Abrego Garcia back into custody, at least for the time being. A hearing on the issue could happen as early as next week. The criminal case continuesMeanwhile, in Tennessee, Abrego Garcia has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case where he is charged with human smuggling and conspiracy to commit human smuggling. Prosecutors claim he accepted money to transport, within the United States, people who were in the country illegally. The charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee for speeding. Body camera footage from a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer shows a calm exchange with Abrego Garcia. There were nine passengers in the car, and the officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling. However, Abrego Garcia was eventually allowed to continue driving with only a warning.Abrego Garcia has asked U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw to dismiss the smuggling charges on the grounds of selective or vindictive prosecution.Crenshaw earlier found some evidence that the prosecution against him may be vindictive and said many statements by Trump administration officials raise cause for concern. Crenshaw specifically cited a statement by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on a Fox News Channel program that seemed to suggest the Justice Department charged Abrego Garcia because he won his wrongful-deportation case.The two sides have been sparring over whether senior Justice Department officials, including Blanche, can be required to testify in the case. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Britain's King Charles III attends an Advent Service at Westminster Abbey, in London, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Chris Jackson/Pool Photo via AP)2025-12-13T11:53:44Z LONDON (AP) Medics and health charities on Saturday praised King Charles III for giving a public update on his cancer treatment, saying his call for people to get tested for the disease could save lives.In a strikingly personal video statement, the British monarch acknowledged that a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but said catching the disease early brings the precious gift of hope.Heres what to know about the kings condition and his message.A royal health updateThe 77-year-old king said in a statement broadcast Friday that his treatment schedule will be reduced in the new year, thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to doctors orders.He encouraged others to take advantage of screening programs such as those for breast, bowel and cervical cancer offered by Britains public health service.Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives, the king said in the statement aired during a Stand Up to Cancer telethon on TV station Channel 4. He said catching the disease early had allowed him to continue leading a full and active life even while undergoing treatment.Charles has received outpatient treatment for almost two years. Buckingham Palace did not say the king is in remission, but that his treatment is moving to a precautionary phase and his condition will be monitored to ensure his continued recovery. Diagnosed in 2024Charles announced in February 2024 that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and, in a break from centuries of secrecy about royal health, he has since spoken about the illness, using his story to promote cancer awareness and treatment.The openness has limits, though. The king has not disclosed what type of cancer he has or what kind of treatment he is receiving. The palace said it was an intentional decision designed to ensure his message reaches the widest possible audience.The kings cancer was discovered after treatment for an enlarged prostate. While doctors ruled out prostate cancer, tests revealed a separate issue of concern, palace officials said last year.Charles suspended his public appearances for about two months after his diagnosis. Since returning to the public eye, he has visited cancer treatment centers across the country and shared stories with fellow patients. Setting an exampleBritish cancer charities said the number of people seeking information about cancer jumped after the king revealed he was undergoing treatment.I know from my own experience that a cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, he said in his video statement. Yet I also know that early detection is the key that can transform treatment journeys, giving invaluable time to medical teams and, to their patients, the precious gift of hope.Gemma Peters, chief executive at the charity Macmillan Cancer Support, said: We are incredibly grateful to His Majesty the King for continuing to share his experience of cancer with such openness and honesty.Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the charity Cancer Research UK, wished the king well and said that when public figures speak openly about their cancer diagnosis, it can prompt others to check in on their health. Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, the kings authorized biographer, said the statement was a remarkable thing for a monarch to do.It takes guts, and the fact that he came out and did that will save lives, Dimbleby said.The Princess of Wales, who announced her own cancer diagnosis six weeks after her father-in-law, has also given updates on her treatment. Kate, 43, announced in January that her cancer is in remission.____Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/royalty JILL LAWLESS Lawless is an Associated Press reporter covering U.K. politics and more. She is based in London. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

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Pages from the U.S. Affordable Care Act health insurance website healthcare.gov are seen on a computer screen in New York, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)2025-12-13T13:34:28Z NEW YORK (AP) For one Wisconsin couple, the loss of government-sponsored health subsidies next year means choosing a lower-quality insurance plan with a higher deductible. For a Michigan family, it means going without insurance altogether.For a single mom in Nevada, the spiking costs mean fewer Christmas gifts this year. She is stretching her budget already while she waits to see if Congress will act.Less than three weeks remain until the expiration of COVID-era enhanced tax credits that have helped millions of Americans pay their monthly fees for Affordable Care Act coverage for the past four years.The Senate on Thursday rejected two proposals to address the problem and an emerging health care package from House Republicans does not include an extension, all but guaranteeing that many Americans will see much higher insurance costs in 2026.Here are a few of their stories. From a gold plan to a bronze plan, a couple spends more on less Chad Bruns comes from a family of savers. That came in handy when the 58-year-old military veteran had to leave his firefighting career early because of arm and back injuries he incurred on the job. He and his wife, Kelley, 60, both retirees, cut their own firewood to reduce their electricity costs in their home in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. They rarely eat out and hardly ever buy groceries unless they are on sale.But to the extent that they have always been frugal, they will be forced to be even more so now, Bruns said. That is because their coverage under the health law enacted under former President Barack Obama is getting more expensive - and for worse coverage. This year, the Brunses were paying $2 per month for a top-tier gold-level plan with less than a $4,000 deductible. Their income was low enough to help them qualify for a lot of financial assistance.But in 2026, that same plan is rising to an unattainable $1,600 per month, forcing them to downgrade to a bronze plan with a $15,000 deductible. Kelley Bruns said she is concerned that if something happens to their health in the next year, they could go bankrupt. While their monthly fees are low at about $25, their new out-of-pocket maximum at $21,000 amounts to nearly half their joint income.We have to pray that we dont have to have surgery or dont have to have some medical procedure done that were not aware of, she said. It would be very devastating.Family facing higher costs prepares to go without insuranceDave Roofs family of four has been on ACA insurance since the program started in 2014. Back then, the accessibility of insurance on the marketplace helped him feel comfortable taking the leap to start a small music production and performance company in his hometown of Grand Blanc, Michigan. His wife, Kristin, is also self-employed as a top seller on Etsy.The coverage has worked for them so far, even when emergencies come up, such as an ATV accident their 21-year-old daughter had last year.But now, with the expiration of subsidies that kept their premiums down, the 53-year-old Roof said their $500 per month insurance plan is jumping to at least $700 a month, along with spiking deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. With their joint income of about $75,000 a year, that increase is not manageable, he said. So, they are planning to go without health insurance next year, paying cash for prescriptions, checkups and anything else that arises.Roof said his family is already living cheaply and has not taken a vacation together since 2021. As it is, they do not save money or add it to their retirement accounts. So even though forgoing insurance is stressful, it is what they must do.The fear and anxiety that its going to put on my wife and I is really hard to measure, Roof said. But we cant pay for what we cant pay for. Single mom strains her January budget in hopes Congress acts soonIf you ask Katelin Provost, the American middle class has gone from experiencing a squeeze to a full suffocation.The 37-year-old social worker in Henderson, Nevada, counts herself in that category. As a single mom, she already keeps a tight budget to cover housing, groceries and day care for her 4-year-old daughter.Next year, that is going to be even tougher. The monthly fee on her plan is going up from $85 to nearly $750. She decided she is going to pay that higher cost for January and reevaluate afterward, depending on whether lawmakers extends the subsidies, which as of now appears unlikely. She hopes they will.If Congress does not act, she will drop herself off the health insurance and keep it only for her daughter because she cannot afford the higher fee for the two of them over the long term.The strain of one month alone is enough to have an impact.Im going to have to reprioritize the next couple of months to rebalance that budget, Provost said. Christmas will be much smaller. ALI SWENSON Swenson covers politics and the information landscape for The Associated Press. She is based in New York. twitter

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, walks from the Senate chamber as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump's request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., File)2025-12-13T13:03:57Z WASHINGTON (AP) As President Donald Trumps top law enforcement officials were firing and forcing out waves of Justice Department veterans, Sen. Chuck Grassley denounced a political infection that had poisoned FBI leadership.The Iowa Republican was not criticizing FBI Director Kash Patel or Attorney General Pam Bondi. In a July statement, he directed his ire at the FBIs extreme lack of effort in investigating Democrat Hillary Clintons use of a private email server as secretary of state a decade ago.Trump loyalists have roiled the Justice Department, shattering norms and leading to a mass exodus of veteran officials, but the 92-year-old chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has remained focused on the past.Critics say Grassleys reluctance to challenge the Trump administration has even extended to a defining issue: His support for whistleblowers making claims of fraud, waste and abuse. In an interview, Grassley insisted he has not abandoned his oversight role. He said he has felt compelled to investigate issues under earlier presidents to avoid a repeat of what he described as politically motivated prosecutions carried out against Trump and his allies. Political weaponization is being brought to the surface and being made more transparent because this administration is the most cooperative of any administration Republican or Democrat, Grassley said. Grassley has acknowledged that Congress has ceded a great deal of power to the current administration, a concession he says makes his own oversight more crucial.Its going to enhance the necessity for it, he said. Grassley is known for his focus on oversightGrassley, upon entering Congress in 1975, quickly developed a reputation for exposing corruption and waste. He once drove to the Pentagon in his orange Chevy Chevette to demand answers from officials about their purchase of $450 hammers and $7,600 coffee pots.He was among the chief proponents in Congress of laws to shield employees who revealed such waste and sponsored the landmark 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act. He also has played a key role in empowering inspectors general, internal watchdogs tasked with rooting out misconduct.He has been the conscience of the Senate on whistleblower protection rights for decades, said Tom Devine, legal director for the Government Accountability Project. In the current Congress, he has co-sponsored legislation boosting protections for whistleblowers in the FBI and CIA.No one is close to having his impact, Devine said. That hardly means that we always agree with his judgment calls about policy.Criticized for not taking on Trump administrationTrump and Grassley are not always in alignment. This past week, for example, they tussled over the pace of confirmation of administration nominees.Even so, Democrats and good government advocates say Grassley has been conspicuously silent as the administration has investigated Trumps perceived enemies, fired agents who worked on politically sensitive cases and upended the Justice Departments longstanding post-Watergate independence.Some whistleblowers have been loath to trust him with revelations that might harm the administration, according to interviews with more than a dozen current and former U.S. officials, or their attorneys, several of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation. There are a lot of people concerned hes not the same old Chuck Grassley, said Eric Woolson, author of a 1995 biography of Grassley who once served as a Grassley campaign spokesman. Have a news tip?Contact APs global investigative team at [emailprotected]. For secure and confidential communications, use the free Signal app +1 (202) 281-8604. Grassley rejected that criticism, saying whistleblowers call him regardless of who is in the White House. His offices online portal has received more than 5,300 complaints in 2025, about the same level as past years, staffers reported.His entire career, hes the guy people will trust, said Jason Foster, a former chief investigative counsel to Grassley who founded Empower Oversight, a group that has advocated on behalf of FBI agents disciplined under the Biden administration. Staunch Trump allyMany of Grassleys recent actions, however, suggest he has evolved from being a fiercely independent moderate eager to sniff out fraud to being a stalwart Trump ally, according to Democrats and whistleblower advocates.Some were particularly alarmed at Grassleys dismissal of witnesses who raised concerns about the June nomination of Emil Bove, a high-ranking Justice Department official and former Trump lawyer, to a lifetime federal appeals court seat.Among several officials who came forward was Justice Department lawyer Erez Reuveni, who said he was fired for refusing to go along with Boves plans to defy court orders and withhold information from judges to advance the administrations aggressive deportation goals.Grassley said his staff tried to investigate some of the claims but that lawyers for one whistleblower would not give his staff all the materials they requested in time. Instead of delaying the hearing to dig further, Grassley circled the wagons behind Trumps nominee. The vicious rhetoric, unfair accusations and abuse directed at Mr. Bove, Grassley said in a speech, have crossed the line.Stacey Young, a former Justice Department lawyer who founded Justice Connection, a network of department alumni mobilized to uphold the departments traditionally apolitical workforce, said she was disappointed Grassley has not used his influence to condemn firings at the department. How is the congressional majority not screaming bloody murder? We are watching the near decimation of DOJ in real-time, and Congress is sitting by doing nothing, she said. Does Sen. Grassley think its OK that people get fired for doing their jobs?At a September oversight hearing, Grassley passed up a chance to grill Patel on a series of terminations of line agents and high-level supervisors, including five whose abrupt and still-unexplained dismissals had generated headlines weeks earlier.When Democrats pressed Patel about his use of the bureaus plane for personal reasons, Grassley chided Senate colleagues for their disinterest in the travel practices of previous directors.Grassley has also been an eager conduit for an FBI leadership seeking to expose what it insists was misconduct and overreach in an investigation during the Biden administration into Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election.He has released batches of sensitive documents from that investigation, known as Arctic Frost, that he says have been furnished by FBI whistleblowers or that have been labeled as Produced by FBI Director Kash Patel. The records are not the type of documents federal law enforcement would typically make public on its own.Advocates dismayed over Grassley response to IG firingsWhistleblower advocates said they were dismayed when Grassley failed to take a robust stance when Trump, within days of taking office, fired without cause some inspectors general.Even some Republican-appointed inspectors general accused Trump of violating a law requiring the White House to provide 30-day notice and rationale to Congress. If any Republican were going to stand up for them, some of the fired inspectors general said, they expected it to be Grassley.He has been uncharacteristically silent, said Mark Greenblatt, a Trump appointee at the Interior Department who was among those fired. It is unimaginable that the Grassley of a few years ago, the man who held nominees and fired off blistering threats at the smallest provocation to protect inspectors general, would be so silent in the face of these assaults.Grassley responded to the purge by sending Trump a letter requesting officials immediately spell out their case-by-case specific reasons for the dismissals.It took the White House eight months to respond. In a two-page letter, it reasserted presidential authority to fire inspectors general at will and made no attempt to explain its rationale other than to cite changed priorities.___Associated Press writer Ryan J. Foley in Iowa City, Iowa, contributed to this report. JOSHUA GOODMAN Goodman is a Miami-based investigative reporter who writes about the intersection of crime, corruption, drug trafficking and politics in Latin America. He previously spent two decades reporting from South America. twitter mailto JIM MUSTIAN Mustian is an Associated Press investigative reporter for breaking news. twitter mailto ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department. twitter mailto

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)2025-12-13T13:10:07Z Get the AP Top 25 college football poll delivered straight to your inbox every week with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. NEW YORK (AP) Three quarterbacks Indianas Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilts Diego Pavia and Julian Sayin of Ohio State joined Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in New York on Saturday for the awarding of the Heisman Trophy given to the top player in college football.Quarterbacks have won the Heisman three of last four years, with two-way player Travis Hunter of Colorado ending the run last season. The award presentation Saturday night comes after a number of accolades awarded already. Mendoza was named The Associated Press player of the year earlier this week and picked up the Maxwell and Davey OBrien awards Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award. Hoosier starMendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.Mendoza, the Hoosiers first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last seasons surprise run to the CFP.A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting and it marks another first in program history having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year. Confident CommodorePavia threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket annoucement. He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.Generously listed as 6 feet tall, Pavia led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season along with six wins against Southeastern Conference foes. That includes four wins over ranked programs as Vandy reached No. 9, its highest ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 since 1937.Pavia went from being unrecruited out of high school to junior college, New Mexico State and finally Vanderbilt in 2024 through the transfer portal. Brash and confident, the graduate student from Albuquerque, New Mexico, calls himself a chip on the shoulder guy and he was feisty off the field, too: He played his fourth Division I season under a preliminary injunction as he challenges NCAA eligibility rules; he contends his junior college years should not count against his eligibility, citing the potential losses in earnings from name, image and likeness deals as an illegal restraint on free trade. Vandy next plays in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Iowa on Dec. 31.Buckeyes leaderSayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 TD passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.The sophomore from Carlsbad, California, arrived at Ohio State after initially committing to Alabama and entering the transfer portal following a coaching change. He played four games last season before winning the starting job. He led the Buckeyes to a 14-7 win in the opener against preseason No. 1 Texas and kept the team atop the AP Top 25 for 13 straight weeks, tying its second-longest run. Sayin was only the second Bowl Subdivision quarterback in the last 40 years to have three games in a season with at least 300 yards passing, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a completion rate of at least 80%. West Virginias Geno Smith was the other in 2012.Sayin follows a strong lineage of Ohio State quarterbacks since coach Ryan Day arrived in 2017. Dwayne Haskins (2018), Justin Fields (2019), C.J. Stroud (2021), and Kyle McCord (2023) averaged 3,927 passing yards, 40 TDs, and six interceptions, along with a 68.9% completion rate during their first seasons. Irish LoveThe last running back to win the Heisman was Alabamas Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame.The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.He was the first player in Notre Dames storied history to produce multiple TD runs of 90 or more yards, a 98-yarder against Indiana in the first round of last years playoffs and a 94-yarder against Boston College earlier this season.He padded his Heisman resume with a series of highlights displaying an uncanny ability to maintain his balance while hurdling defenders, spinning out of tackles or rolling off opponents. He teamed with Jadarian Price to create one of the seasons top running back duos, a combination that helped first-time starter CJ Carr emerge as one of the nations best young quarterbacks.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Welcome back to the Abstract! These are the studies this week that got hosed with star spray, mounted a failed invasion, declined to comment, and achieved previously unknown levels of adorability.First, a study about how the solar system wasnt destroyed 4.5 billion years ago (phew!). Then: a human touch on an ancient boat, the duality of posters and lurkers, and an important update on toadlets.As always, for more of my work, check out my book First Contact: The Story of Our Obsession with Aliens or subscribe to my personal newsletter the BeX Files.Sink into a warm cosmic-ray bathSawada, Ryo et al. Cosmic-ray bath in a past supernova gives birth to Earth-like planets. Science Advances.Earth was cosmically conceived in part by a massive shockwave from a nearby supernova, which seeded our home world and neighboring rocky planets with telltale radioactive signatures, according to a new study.The solar systems rocky planets contain short-lived radionuclides (SLRs), which are ancient elements that were likely barfed out from exploding stars. For this reason, scientists have long suspected that stars mustve detonated next to the gassy disk that gave rise to the solar system. The heat generated from these radioactive elements helped the building blocks of the rocky planetsMercury, Venus, Earth, and Marsmelt together so they could become whole worlds, which means we owe our existence to these ancient supernovas.Now, a team has developed a new model to explain how the primordial pyrotechnics didnt just blow up the nascent solar system. The results suggest that rocky Earth-like worlds may be common in the universe, with potential implications for the search for extraterrestrial life.A key question in astronomy is how ubiquitous Earth-like rocky planets are, said researchers led by Ryo Sawada of the University of Tokyo. The formation of terrestrial planets in our Solar System was strongly influenced by the radioactive decay heat of SLRs, particularly aluminum-26, likely delivered from nearby supernovae.However, the supernova injection scenario faces an unresolved problem in that existing supernova models could not reproduce both the relative and absolute abundances of SLRs without disrupting the protosolar disk, an event that would likely prevent the Solar System formation altogether, the team added.In other words, its hard to explain how the solar system got its high abundance of SLRs without killing it in the cradle. Sawada and his colleagues propose a solution that involves at least one star exploding about three light years of the disk, sparking a shockwave that created a cosmic-ray bath.Schematic picture of the system assumed in this study. Image: Sawada et al., Sci. Adv. 11, eadx7892In this immersion mechanism, energetic cosmic rays trapped in the bath triggered SLR-producing reactions directly within the disk. This contrasts with the hypothesis that the SLRs were largely injected and then mixed up in the disk through some unknown process. This new solution can account both for the high abundance of certain SLRs, like aluminum-26, and the fact that the solar system was not destroyed, as evidenced by its apparent continued existence.Our results suggest that Earth-like, water-poor rocky planets may be more prevalent in theGalaxy than previously thought, the team said, noting that many disks are rocked by similar supernova-shockwaves. This challenges previous interpretations that classified the Solar System as an outlier with a particularly high [aluminum-26] abundance.In addition to offering a new hypothesis for an old astronomical problem, the study gets bonus points for its extremely poetic title: Cosmic-ray bath in a past supernova gives birth to Earth-like planets. If you say this enchanted phrase three times, somewhere an Earth-like world will be born.In other newsThe biometrics of a Baltic boatsmanFauvelle, Mikael et al. New investigations of the Hjortspring boat: Dating and analysis of the cordage and caulking materials used in a pre-Roman iron age plank boat. PLOS OneStars arent the only things leaving their dirty fingerprints in unexpected places this week. Archeologists working on the mysterious Hjortspring boat, a 2,400-year-old Scandinavian vessel, discovered a tantalizing partial human fingerprint in its caulking, providing a direct link to the ancient seafarers who used this boat, according to the study.Photo of caulking fragment showing fingerprint on the left and high-resolution x-ray tomography scan of fingerprint region on the right. Image: Photography by Erik Johansson, 3D model by Sahel GanjiThe ridges of the fingerprint fall within average distributions for both adult male and females as well as for juvenile adults, making it difficult to say much about the individual who produced the print, said researchers led by Mikael Fauvelle of Lund University. The most likely interpretation, however, is that it was made during repairs by one of the crew members on the boat itself, providing a direct link to the seafarers of the ancient vessel.Regardless of this persons identity, their voyage didnt end well. Researchers think the crew of the Hjortspring boat probably sailed from the eastern Baltic Sea to attack the Danish island of Als, where they were defeated. The victors [deposited] the weapons of their vanquished foes together with one of their boats into the bog, where they remained for millennia until they were rediscovered in the 1880s, the team said.Its a timeless reminder for would-be invaders: Dont get caulky.Long-time lurker, first-time posterOswald, Lisa et al. Disentangling participation in online political discussions with a collective field experiment. Science Advances.At last, scientists have investigated the most elusive online demographic: the humble lurker. A team recruited 520 Redditors in the U.S. to participate in small subreddits focused on a variety of political topics during the summer of 2024. The aim was to probe why some people became prolific power-users that post with voluminous confidence, while others remained wallflowers.Online political discussions are often dominated by a small group of active users, while most remain silent, said researchers led by Lisa Oswalt of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. This visibility gap can distort perceptions of public opinion and fuel polarization.The team found that lurking (posting nothing) was most common among users who perceived discussions as toxic, disrespectful, or unconstructive. Lurkers were offered small payments to post in the experiment, which succeeded in motivating some to contribute to discussions. As a result, the study concluded that future interventions may be able to make online political discussions more representative by offering more positive social rewards for lurkers to post.At last, an opportunity to unionize the lurkers of the world. Solidarity (in silence) forever.Its the great pumpkin toadlet, Charlie BrownBornschein, Marcos R. et al. A new species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from Serra do Quiriri, northeastern Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil, with a review of the diagnosis among species of the B. pernix group and proposed conservation measures. PLOS One.We will close, as we have before, with an impossibly cute toadlet. Scientists have discovered this new species of pumpkin toadlet in the cloud forests of Brazil, a sentence so twee that its practically its own fairy tale. The tiny toad Brachycephalus lulai, pictured below on a pencil tip, belongs to a family of flea toads that are among the smallest vertebrates on Earth.Basically it is very smol: Brachycephalus lulai is a tiny pumpkin toadlet measuring less than 14 mm in length. Photo: Luiz Fernando Ribeiro. Image credit 1: Luiz Fernando Ribeiro, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Our team sought to better document the individual variation of all Brachycephalus species in southern Brazil, looking for them in the field over the past seven years, said researchers led by Marcos R. Bornschein of So Paulo State University. As a result of this work, we discovered and herein described a population collected on the eastern slope of Serra do Quiriri as a new species.The team also reported that the toads are actively colonizing newly formed cloud forests, which are high-altitude woods shrouded in mist. The researchers propose making these unique habitats into refuges for the adorable anurans.Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. By: Suzanne GraydonSubscribe nowMy name is Suzanne Graydon. Im 47 years old and I was born and raised in the Bible Belt. I live at home with both my parents and just down the road from many of my siblings and amazing nieces and nephews.I love FaceTiming with my friends, drinking coffee in the morning and sweet cocktails at night, and spending time with my family in rural North Carolina, whether that be at church or just lounging around at my sister Karen and her husband Seths big castle.Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. A lot of people try to put labels on me. But to me, I just tell people I think very deep and outside the box.I also have two people inside of me: Suzanne, who is the regular old me, and Queen Suzie, who some may think is more of a fantasy, but trust meshes real! Sometimes, I guess I just want to be a royal, where I feel like Im at a castle and people are bowing down to me.Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. But dont worry, I share the crown with a lot of my friends, including Seths brother Sean, who is my best friend.Actually, hes more than a friendhe is my brother because he is family to me.I met Sean when I was 23 and he was 16, and we hit it off right away. I remember eating popcorn together after Bible Study, dancing at balls, praying together and always having the best time.Suzanne Graydon and Sean Robinson. Courtesy of Graydon.So when Sean moved to New York City at 17, I knew I had to keep in touch. We would talk on the phone and exchange juicy gossip over email.One day, shortly after Sean turned 18, I got an email to my AOL account: IM GAY. What do you think? it read.Oh My Word! I thought to myself. But I wasnt surprised. I actually kind of knew all along. Queen Suzie is like an FBI agent. Please dont underestimate me.Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. To answer Seans question, I did have to think. I had been raised to believe by everyone around me that the Bible teaches that being gay and acting on it is unnatural andin the Lords eyessinful. You might even go to hell for something like that.Subscribe nowBut I loved Sean and I had already made up my mind that I was gonna love him no matter what. I didnt care what the cost could be and I wasnt afraid to tell people, even if that meant commenting on Facebook to family members who disagreed with me.Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. As time passed, I thought about other parts of the Bible. In John 15:13, Jesus says that the greatest form of love is to lay down ones life. That means the greatest act of love is to die for someone (I know scripture like the back of my hand). And I would die for Sean, thats how much I care about him.But guess what? Fortunately, thats not gonna happen. I just dont believe that Im gonna have to die because I accept Sean and dont believe who he is or what he does is sinful.Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. So over the next 20 years, while many other people in Seans family distanced themselves, including his parents, I became even closer to him. We hung out in Miami and went to fun dinners with our family, to the movies and even to the beach. Ive gone to visit him in New York City and hes come here a few times, including right now with his boyfriend, Spencer, who actually runs this very publication.Subscribe nowSuzanne Graydon and Sean Robinson. Courtesy of Graydon. The last few decades of friendship with Sean have been amazing. And guess what? Im still a Christian.Its always a tricky question for me when it comes to how I feel about my Christianity. And at 47, I still ask myself questions and I admit that I havent figured it all out.But I do believe that Christianity is at its most beautiful when there is no strife. I like it when its chill and relaxing and loving. And as it relates to Sean, if what he does is healthy and not harming anybody, whats the problem?Queen Suzie has been the underdog her entire life and Sean has always been there for me, and hes never wavered. Hes actually been my ally, like when he helped me make my resume so I could apply for a job at Dunkin Donuts. And guess what? I got the job.Photo by Rachel Jessen for Uncloseted Media. To me, being an ally to Sean means being there for him no matter what. I want him to know that this is a friendship worth sticking with and I am never going to leave him. God says that I will never leave or forsake you, and that is how I feel about my allyship with Sean.I am here until the fat lady comes out and says its time to die. And even in heaven, I hope to have Sean and Spencer sit next to my throne and we can all rejoice and feast.I love you Sean!Suzanne (Queen Suzie)Spencer Macnaughton assisted with the writing and reporting in this story.From now until the end of 2026, Catliotti Law P.C. and other generous Uncloseted Media supporter are matching gifts up to $15,000. Support independent LGBTQ journalism today and double your impact:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.This weeks Good News Roundup packs a political punch! And in case you missed it, you should check out our monthly edition entitled,Whos Afraid of Queer Books?It features great articles onthe queer author encouraging others to fight back against book bans, thesurprising things asexual and aromantic people have to teach us about relationships, andhow to restore the rainbow by showing up for our most marginalized queer siblings. Related Pastor comes out as trans in amazing sermon Lets start with a good ol fashioned Texas Pride parade View this post on Instagram A post shared by TX Archive of the Moving Image (@texasarchive) Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today YouTube phenom Ms. Rachel says LGBTQ+ inclusion is part of her Christian faithOne commenter called her a perfect example of what Christianity should be. Trans man wins an important victory for queer inmatesTrans people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect in every setting, including when theyre in custody.He won marriage rights for same-sex couples in Utah. Now hes running for Congress.Derek Kitchen sued his state to win marriage rights a decade ago. Now hes running for Congress to challenge MAGA. Dont forget to go holiday shopping for the bad girls in your life View this post on Instagram A post shared by Night Flight (@nightflightofficial) Real impact: Nations largest LGBTQ+ political org awards Joe Biden for his inclusive presidencyHundreds of queer political players recently descended on Washington D.C.Looks like Kazakhs new anti-LGBTQ+ bill has been put on iceThe president wanted to ban LGBTQ+ free speech. But some unexpected luck occurred Trans pastor whose coming out speech went viral says shes been flooded with love in the aftermathShe hopes her courage contributed to making her church a safer space. Are you as ready for winter as these ladies are? No, you are not. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rewind Beer Co. (@rewindbeer)Pete Buttigieg sums up the importance of what just happened in Indiana in just 3 wordsLooks like our so-called president isnt as almighty as he thinks! This simple action can improve trans youths lives, a new study findsAs young trans and nonbinary people face the holidays, a new study shows a little respect could be life-saving. Intention, creativity, & hope: LGBTQ+ family-building trends to watch in 2026LGBTQ+ people are building families in record numbers, and were doing so with a growing insistence on equitable, affirming care.Have you considered taking a spin around New York? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Giuseppe Savoni (@disco_bambino) From our sibling sites:QUEERTY: The 12 most anticipated LGBTQ+ movies of Sundance 2026: Gregg Arakis return, queer cowboys & moreINTO: What a drag queen can teach you about self-confidenceOUTSPORTS: Gay NCAA womens basketball players in love thriving on the courtGAYCITIES: Check out the photos from Chicagos Santo Speedo Run 2025

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In this photo released by Belarusian presidential press service, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, right, and U.S. Presidential envoy John Coale shake hands during their meeting in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. (Belarusian Presidential Press Service via AP)2025-12-13T11:46:58Z VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) Belarusian authorities on Saturday freed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and key opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova from prison, a human rights advocate confirmed to The Associated Press. Their release comes as authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko seeks to improve relations with Washington. In exchange for sanctions relief, Lukashenko pardoned 123 prisoners, the Belta state news agency reported. The U.S. earlier on Saturday announced lifting sanctions on the countrys potash sector.A close ally of Russia, Minsk has faced Western isolation and sanctions for years. Lukashenko has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, and the country has been repeatedly sanctioned by Western countries both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Belarus has released hundreds of prisoners since July 2024. John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, announced the lifting of sanctions on potash after meeting Lukashenko in Minsk on Friday and Saturday. Speaking with journalists, Coale described the two-day talks as very productive, Belarus state news agency Belta reported Saturday. He said that normalizing relations between Washington and Minsk was our goal. Were lifting sanctions, releasing prisoners. Were constantly talking to each other, he said, according to Belta. He also said that the relationship between the countries was moving from baby steps to more confident steps as they increased dialogue. Bialiatski and Kolesnikova among those releasedLater Saturday, Bialiatski and Kolesnikova were released from prison, according to Pavel Sapelka, human rights advocate with the Viasna rights group. Human rights advocate Bialiatski won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, along with the prominent Russian rights group Memorial and Ukraines Center for Civil Liberties.Bialiatski, awarded the prize while in jail awaiting trial, was later convicted of smuggling as well as financing actions that violate public order charges widely denounced as politically motivated and sentenced to 10 years in 2023.Authorities said Bialiatski, who founded Viasna, Belarus oldest and most prominent human rights group, was seen as especially dangerous because of what the authorities alleged were his extremist tendencies. The 63-year-old has been imprisoned at a penal colony in Gorki in a facility that is notorious for beatings and hard labor. Bialiatskis wife said his health was deteriorating and he has multiple chronic illnesses.A U.N. panel of human rights experts has called on Belarus to release him.Kolesnikova was a key figure in the mass protests that rocked Belarus in 2020, and is a close ally of an opposition leader in exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Kolesnikova, known for her close-cropped hair and trademark gesture of forming a heart with her hands, became an even greater symbol of resistance when Belarusian authorities tried to deport her in September 2020. Driven to the Ukrainian border, she briefly broke away from security forces at the frontier, tore up her passport and walked back into Belarus.The 43-year-old professional flautist was convicted in 2021 on charges including conspiracy to seize power and sentenced to 11 years in prison. She fell seriously ill behind bars and underwent surgery. The release of prisoners is part of a deal The last time U.S. officials met with Lukashenko in September 2025, Washington announced easing some of the sanctions against Belarus while Mink released more than 50 political prisoners into Lithuania. Overall, Belarus freed more than 430 political prisoners since July 2024, in what was widely seen as an effort at a rapprochement with the West.The freeing of political prisoners means that Lukashenko understands the pain of Western sanctions and is seeking to ease them, Tsikhanouskaya told the AP on Saturday. She added: But lets not be naive: Lukashenko hasnt changed his policies, his crackdown continues and he keeps on supporting Russias war against Ukraine. Thats why we need to be extremely cautious with any talk of sanctions relief, so that we dont reinforce Russias war machine and encourage continued repressions. Tsikhnouskaya also described European Union sanctions against Belarusian potash fertilizers as far more painful for Minsk that those imposed by the U.S, saying that while easing U.S. sanctions could lead to the release of political prisoners, European sanctions should push for longterm, systemic changes in Belarus and the end of Russias war in Ukraine. The latest round discussions also touched on Venezuela, as well as Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Belta said. Coale told reporters that Lukashenko had given good advice on how to address the conflict, saying that Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin were longtime friends with the necessary level of relationship to discuss such issues.Naturally, President Putin may accept some advice and not others, Coale said. YURAS KARMANAU Karmanau is an Associated Press journalist covering Belarus and the CIS countries. He has worked in Belarus and Ukraine, as well as other countries in the region, for more than 20 years. He is part of the team that covers the Russia-Ukraine war. mailto

Stephen Miller, a prominent political advisor who serves as President Donald Trumps White House deputy chief of staff for policy and U.S. Homeland Security advisor, has long been a controversial figure in American politics. Known for his hardline conservative views, Miller has used his right-wing advocacy group America First Legal (AFL) to spearhead numerous legal challenges aimed at rolling back protections and rights for LGBTQ+ individuals.Miller actively campaigns against what he perceives as woke agendas from schools and businesses, generally opposing any expansion of LGBTQ+ rights as illegal and harmful to women and children. As such, his presence in the White House has echoed Trumps anti-LGBTQ+ worldviews. Below is an overview of Millers positions on key LGBTQ+ issues. Related Trump advisor gives bizarre dating tips to alpha men after Fox host calls him a sexual matador Stephen Miller at a glance Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Location: Washington, D.C.Party affiliation: RepublicanRace/ethnicity: WhiteGender identity: MaleSexual orientation: StraightPronouns: He/HimLGBTQ+ ally: No Social mediaX: @StephenMInstagram: @StephenMWebsite: AFLegal.orgBiographyStephen Miller, born in Santa Monica, California, on August 23, 1985, is a prominent American political advisor known for his far-right and anti-immigration views. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Duke University in 2007. Millers political career began as a press secretary for U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and John Shadegg (R-AZ), followed by his role as communications director for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL). In 2016, he joined Trumps presidential campaign as a senior policy advisor and speechwriter, contributing to key addresses, including Trumps inaugural speech. During Trumps first term, Miller served as Senior Advisor to the President, where he was instrumental in formulating and implementing stringent immigration policies, such as the travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries and the family separation policy at the U.S.-Mexico border. After Trumps initial tenure, Miller founded America First Legal (AFL), a conservative legal organization aimed at opposing progressive policies. In November 2024, President-elect Trump appointed Miller as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor for his upcoming administration, signaling a continuation of hardline immigration stances. Millers stance on LGBTQ+ issuesAs the founder of America First Legal (AFL), Miller has been at the forefront of legal battles that often target LGBTQ+ rights and protections.Millers approach to LGBTQ+ issues is part of a larger strategy to combat what he calls radical progressive legal organizations. He views AFL as the long-awaited answer to the ACLU and promises relentless litigation and oversight to promote an America First agenda. Same-sex marriageWhile Stephen Miller hasnt been as vocal about same-sex marriage as he is about other LGBTQ+ issues, his overall approach to LGBTQ+ rights suggests he likely opposes it. Millers organization, AFL, has consistently taken legal actions against what they term woke policies, which often include initiatives to acknowledge LGBTQ+ people and their rights. Trans children in sportsMiller has been particularly outspoken against transgender participation in sports. He supported the passage of the so-called Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,legislation that would ban trans students from playing sports at any federally funded schools and education programs. Miller said the law is necessary to block men from competing in womens sports.He hasaccused peoplewho support trans athletes of want[ing] men in their daughters sports leagues, locker rooms, and restrooms, heralding the end of womens sports and womens spaces and [supporting] the radical trans agenda and the erasure of women. Miller has also said that he believes that campaigning on this cross-cutting issue will help Republicans win elections.All but 2 Democrats vote to let men compete in womens sports. https://t.co/Mv3hnkUOGf Stephen Miller (@StephenM) January 14, 2025 Transgender access to public bathroomsThe AFL has repeatedly opposed policies that allow trans people to use restrooms and other facilities matching their gender identity. The AFL has said such policies are part of an outrageous assault on Americas women and girls that threatens their physical safety; essentially demonizing trans people as bathroom predators. Gender-affirming care for trans youthEven though almost all major American medical and psychological associations consider gender-affirming care to be safe, effective, and essential to trans childrens well-being, Millers organization has repeatedly referred to gender-affirming care as experimental chemical castration and genital mutilation and supported attempts by Republican attorneys general to obtain the private medical records of people seeking gender-affirming care.The AFL claims that gender-affirming care consists of horrific, life-altering procedures being pushed on children by a radical few all to advance an ideological agenda and so that unscrupulous doctors and others in the medical industry can make more money. In reality, many types of gender-affirming care are reversible and have been safely administered to trans and cisgender children for decades. Furthermore, the for-profit medical industry makes far more money off of all Americans from unethical and unregulated drug pricing, the Center for American Progress reports. Dont say gay/LGBTQ+ discussions in schoolsMiller and AFL have been supportive of legislation like Floridas Dont Say Gay law. In an April 2022 letter, Miller accused the Walt Disney Corporation of violating the law by opposing the states Dont Say Gay law, claiming the company supports the introduction of age-inappropriate sexual material in kindergarten classrooms, including radical gender ideology.Miller and the AFL have said that such laws are necessary for parents to protect their children from woke indoctrination. Miller has said of schools with LGBTQ+ inclusive policies, The extreme social gender experiments being forced onto small children are nothing short of government-directed child abuse and child sexual exploitation. He has also previously said that Republican officials and law enforcement should arrest people for abusing children with trans ideology.The AFL filed lawsuits against school districts and corporations that implement LGBTQ+-inclusive policies or curricula. Miller supports laws and policies that would force teachers to out trans and nonbinary students to their potentially unsupportive parents. Miller and AFL also support laws banning minors from seeing drag performers, though such laws have been struck down as free-speech violations. The Harris campaign has decided they want to fight a culture war this summer with the GOP. Their cultural priorities are:Sex changes for minorsDrag shows for kidsPornography in schoolsMen in womens sportsMen in girls restrooms and locker roomsrace-based everything Stephen Miller (@StephenM) July 30, 2024Discrimination protectionsMillers AFL has said that pro-trans policies seek to erase biological sex. The AFL has opposed interpreting laws against sex discrimination as being inclusive of trans people and gender identity. The AFL has also accused pro-LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations of being woke, left-wing, and anti-family institution[s] that [push] the lgbtq agenda and the transgender lie. The Democrat Party has declared war on women.Open borders.Crime.Men in womens sports, locker rooms, restrooms.Giving opportunities for women away to men in dresses.Forcing women to call men she.Ending legal protections for women by awarding them to confused men. Stephen Miller (@StephenM) October 2, 2024Other LGBTQ+ issuesMillers AFL has taken a broad stance against LGBTQ+ rights in general. Theyve filednumerous lawsuits targeting woke corporations like Mattel,Target,andBen & Jerrys that acknowledge LGBTQ+ existence or push for LGBTQ+ rights, includingcompanies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.Miller and the AFL have also opposed guidelines issued by the Department of Human and Health Services (HHS) under President Joe Biden that advise foster care organizations on how to handle LGBTQ+ youth. AFL has also called for an investigation into Navy Drag Queen Joshua Kelley for allegedly engaging in partisan politics, acting disrespectfully towards his superiors in public forums, bringing discredit upon the military through obscene social media posts, and wearing the uniform under circumstances that imply Navy endorsement of personal views and activity. Stephen Millers careerGraduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 2007Served as a press secretary for Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Senator Jeff Sessions early in his careerDeveloped a reputation for anti-immigration policies while serving as communications director for Jeff SessionsBecame a senior policy advisor for Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, helping shape hardline stances on immigration, including opposition to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), a plan to delay the deportations of children who immigrated to the U.S. as childrenAppointed as Senior Advisor to the President in January 2017, playing a key role in drafting executive orders, including the controversial Muslim BanServed as the architect behind the zero tolerance family separation policy at the U.S.-Mexico border, leading to the separation of thousands of families in 2018Founded America First Legal in 2021, a conservative legal group described as a right-wing answer to the ACLUBecame a vocal critic of immigration reform and diversity initiatives in media appearances, frequently aligning with Trumpian and nationalist rhetoric The impact of Stephen Millers advocacy on LGBTQ+ rightsIn conclusion, Stephen Millers stance on LGBTQ+ issues is consistently oppositional. Through his work with America First Legal and his influence in conservative politics, Miller has positioned himself as a key figure in efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights and protections across various domains of American life.Stephen Millers approach to LGBTQ+ issues is emblematic of a broader conservative strategy to challenge progressive social policies. By focusing on high-profile legal battles and leveraging political influence, Miller aims to galvanize conservative support while simultaneously stoking cultural divisions. Related stories: Related Stephen Miller epically roasted for calling Donald Trump a style icon Conservatives accuse Kelloggs of sexualizing its products by selling RuPaul Cheez-Its Stephen Miller whines transgender ideology tells kids they can be whatever they want to be Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Injuries were reported in an attack that the Syrian governments news agency said happened near the ancient city of Palmyra.

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Dick Van Dyke accepts the award for outstanding guest performance in a daytime drama series for "Days of our Lives" during the 51st Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)2025-12-13T15:10:49Z Comedy icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins and starred in his self-titled sitcom.The funniest thing is, its not enough, Van Dyke said in an interview with ABC News at his Malibu, California home. A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to.Van Dyke became one of the biggest actors of his era with The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran from 1961-66 on CBS; appeared with Andrews as a chimney sweep with a Cockney accent in the 1964 Disney classic Mary Poppins and, in his 70s, played a physician-sleuth on Diagnosis: Murder.Also a Broadway star, Van Dyke won a Tony Award for Bye Bye Birdie to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. In 1963, he starred in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie. Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap Days of Our Lives.In the 1970s, he found sobriety after battling alcoholism, and spoke out about it at a time when that was uncommon to do.Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said hes gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters. You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous, he told ABC News. Its not really that way. I dont know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself. He recently imparted wisdom about reaching the century mark in his book, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimists Guide to a Happy Life. He credited his wife, 54-year-old makeup artist and producer Arlene Silver, with keeping him young.She gives me energy. She gives me humor, and all kinds of support, he told ABC News.Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, and grew up the class clown in Danville, Illinois, while admiring and imitating the silent film comedians. He told ABC News he started acting when he was about 4 or 5 years old in a Christmas pageant. He said he was the baby Jesus.I made some kind of crack, I dont know what I said, but it broke the congregation up, he said. And I liked the sound of that laughter.And whats hard about being 100?I miss movement, he told ABC News. Ive got one game leg from I dont know what. I still try to dance, he said with a laugh.

Indefatigable drag queen and national park-loving treasure Pattie Gonia is back in San Francisco after a 100-mile trek in drag that netted over $1.1 million for eight inclusive outdoor nonprofits.We did it, she declared on Instagram. Related Drag activist & trans allies fly largest trans flag ever displayed in national park The drag do-gooders journey began on December 1 at the tip of scenic Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco. She wound 100 miles through rustic western Marin County to the Golden Gate Bridge and ended with an appearance in the city to celebrate the end of her dragpacking charity adventure.Im insane! she admitted in her kick-off video, the first of several tracking her trek. Hiking through windswept Pacific vistas by day, Pattie Gonia tucked into a pup tent by night, sharing the all-natural experience with supporters online. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pattie Gonia (@pattiegonia)Follow along to watch my drag slowly decompose in front of your eyes, and help us raise $1 million for outdoor nonprofits that absolutely deserve it, she told followers.Tens of thousands did. She earned $1,167,000 for eight environmental non-profits that promote diversity. The average donation was just $30, testifying to the causes grassroots support and totaling nearly $150,000 each for the outdoor groups.That is game-changing money to them, especially during a time when most every outdoor brand and our government is pulling funding,Pattie Gonia detailed in a post praising her supporters.She said the hike was a journey years in the making.When I started being pattie everyone told me i was crazy, she said in her valedictory message. when i told people i wanted to do this fundraiser people laughed in my face. 7 years later & i hope i can be a little bit of proof to you that combining who you are and what youre good at to fight for the change you want to see in the world works. and if people laugh in your face or doubt your crazy idea, youre likely on the right path.Literally.The end-of-trek post has earned more than a quarter-million likes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pattie Gonia (@pattiegonia)This wasnt the queens first nature-inspired call to action.In May, she and trans activists flew the largest trans flag ever displayed at a national park when they scaled El Capitan in Yosemite Valley to hang a 50-foot-plus trans standard from the iconic rock face.Trans people are natural and Trans people are loved, she said in a statement at the time. We are done being polite about trans peoples existence.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is nearing a deal to return to the school for 2026, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Bears are optimistic wide receiver Rome Odunze will play against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Gaza has turned California classrooms into political battlegrounds.