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Law enforcement officers head into the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, campus after reports of an active shooter, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP, File)2025-12-14T01:19:32Z A shooting Saturday at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, left two people dead and at least eight other critically injured. Authorities were still searching for a suspect in the hours afterward.The shooting occurred on a Saturday afternoon in a campus building with final exams underway. The suspect was dressed in black and left the building on foot, officials said.The violence prompted a shelter-in-place order for the larger university area. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said we have all available resources to find the suspect.Sadly, today is a day that the city of Providence and the state of Rhode Island prayed would never come, the mayor said. Weve heard about horrific acts of gun violence and active shooter situations in other places, but not here.Brown is a private institution with roughly 7,300 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students. Here is a look at other deadly shootings on U.S. college campuses in recent decades:KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY: December 2025, 1 deadA shooting at a residence hall at the public historically Black university left one student dead and another critically injured. The suspect, who is a parent of a student, faces murder and assault charges. UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY: September 2025, 1 dead Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking on campus during one of his political events, sending hundreds of people running. A 22-year-old suspect faces aggravated murder in connection with Kirks death. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY: April 2025, 2 dead Two died and six were wounded in a shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee. A 21-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting.UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS: December 2023, 3 dead A 67-year-old former business professor, whose applications to teach at UNLV had been rejected, opened fire in the building housing the universitys business school, killing three professors and badly wounding a fourth. The gunman was killed in a shootout with police outside the building.MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: February 2023, 3 deadA 43-year-old gunman fired inside an academic building and the student union, killing three students and injuring five others. He later killed himself miles away from the campus in East Lansing while being confronted by police.UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: November 2022, 3 deadA student and former member of the schools football team fatally shot three current players aboard a charter bus as they returned from a field trip, setting off panic and a 12-hour lockdown of the campus until the suspect was captured. Two other students were also wounded on the campus. The shooter has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and other charges and is awaiting sentencing.NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY: October 2015, 1 deadJust weeks into his freshman year, a student walked onto the campus in Flagstaff and opened fire. One student was killed and three others were wounded in the first deadly shooting since the university was founded in 1899. The shooter later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault and was sentenced to six years in prison. UMPQUA COMMUNITY COLLEGE: October 2015, 9 deadA 26-year-old man opened fire on his writing class, killing his instructor and eight other people at the school in rural Roseburg, Oregon. Nine more people were also wounded. The shooter then killed himself.UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA: May 2014, 6 deadA 22-year-old college student frustrated over sexual rejections fatally stabbed or shot six students near the school in Isla Vista, California, and injured several others before he killed himself.SANTA MONICA COLLEGE: June 2013, 6 deadA deadly act of domestic violence at home turned public when a 23-year-old man left after killing his father and older brother, carjacked a woman and shot at other vehicles. He then entered the campus where he had previously been enrolled as a student and opened fire, killing four more people before he was fatally shot by police in the schools library. OIKOS UNIVERSITY: April 2012, 7 deadA former nursing student fatally shot seven people at the small private college in East Oakland, California. He was given seven consecutive life sentences and died in prison in 2019.NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY: February 2008, 5 deadA 27-year-old former student shot and killed five people and wounded more than 20 others at the school in DeKalb, Illinois, before killing himself.VIRGINIA TECH: April 2007, 32 deadIn the deadliest shooting at a U.S. college, a 23-year-old student killed 32 people on the campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. More than two dozen others were wounded. The gunman then killed himself. UNIVERSITY OF IOWA: November 1991, 5 deadA former graduate student upset that his doctoral dissertation wasnt nominated for an academic award fatally shot himself after killing five people and injuring one other person in a shooting spree on the campus in Iowa City.UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS: August 1966, 13 deadA Marine-trained sniper opened fire from atop the 27-story clock tower in the heart of the universitys flagship Austin campus in one of the nations first mass shootings. He killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others before authorities shot and killed him. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

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An emotional Lindsay Gottlieb said, "It doesn't need to be this way" in response to a deadly shooting at her alma mater, Brown University.

On and around Browns campus in Providence, terrified students rushed to safety as word of a gunman on campus spread.

Fired Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore appears via video in court on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/ Ryan Sun, Pool)2025-12-14T00:53:49Z ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) The law firm hired by the University of Michigan to investigate former football coach Sherrone Moores relationship with a staffer will continue its probe of the program and is prepared to expand its inquiry throughout the athletic department, according to two people familiar with the situation.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details.Michigan fired Moore on Wednesday, when the school said an investigation uncovered his inappropriate relationship with a staffer. He is married with three daughters.The 39-year-old Moore was charged with three crimes after prosecutors said on Friday he barged his way into the apartment of a woman hed been having an affair with and threatened to kill himself.Athletic director Warde Manuel told the schools board during the season that he asked Moore and the woman if they were in a relationship and both denied it, according to the people familiar with the situation. They said Manuel told the board that he reviewed hundreds of text messages and emails between Moore and the woman on their school-issued cellphones and computers and did not discover anything inappropriate. The school later hired a law firm to investigate the matter further and it began working on campus on Monday, when the woman did not show up to work, according to the two people. They said her attorney met with the firm on Tuesday and she provided evidence of her relationship with Moore on Wednesday, when Manuel fired Moore without human resources or campus police present. Well before Manuels inquiry and the law firms investigation, a social media influencer outside the state contacted the school to express concerns about Moores behavior, two people familiar with the situation said. Moore faces charges including felony home invasion and stalking. He and the woman had been having an affair for a number of years before she ended the relationship Monday, said Kati Rezmierski, a Washtenaw County prosecutor. Moore repeatedly called the woman and texted her, but she refused to respond, Rezmierski said.Shortly after losing his job, Moore stormed into the womans apartment, then proceeded to a kitchen drawer, grabbed several butter knives and a pair of kitchen scissors. And began to threaten his own life, Rezmierski said.The prosecutor quoted Moore as telling the woman: Im going to kill myself. Im going to make you watch. My blood is on your hands. Youve ruined my life.A plea of not guilty was entered on Moores behalf and he was released from jail after meeting the $25,000 bond. Moore said very little in court besides acknowledging that he must have no contact with the woman, among other conditions.Defense attorney Joe Simon said Moore would absolutely comply with the judges order for an additional evaluation. Moore must wear a GPS tracking device, stay in Michigan and abstain from alcohol. The next court hearing was set for Jan. 22.Moore signed a five-year contract with a base annual salary of $5.5 million last year. According to the terms of his deal, the university will not have to buy out the remaining years of his contract because he was fired for cause. No. 18 Michigan is set to play No. 14 Texas on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Biff Poggi, who filled in for Moore when he was suspended earlier this season in relation to a Jim Harbaugh-era sign-stealing scandal, will serve as interim coach.The school is searching for a coach and hopes to make a hire this month to help it retain recruits and give players enough confidence in the program to stay out of the transfer portal next month.___EDITORS NOTE This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org___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 LARRY LAGE Lage has been the Michigan Associated Press Sports Editor since 2000, serving as a beat writer for eight pro and college teams. He has covered the Winter Olympics four times. twitter instagram mailto

People walk past a second hand market for luxury cars in Beijing, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)2025-12-14T02:05:04Z HONG KONG (AP) Chinese demand for foreign luxury cars is waning as customers opt for more affordable Chinese brand models, often sold at big discounts, catering to their taste for fancy electronics and comfort.That is bad news for European carmakers like Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long dominated the upper reaches of the worlds largest auto market. A slowing economy hits the luxury marketA prolonged property downturn in China has left many consumers with little appetite for big purchases. Meanwhile, the well-to-do are becoming increasingly shy about publicly displaying their wealth, said Paul Gong, UBS head of China Automotive Industry Research.Many car buyers have been swayed by a 20,000 yuan ($2,830) trade-in subsidy offered by the Chinese government for purchasing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. People tended to purchase cheaper, entry-level cars where the discount will count more and those cars are mostly Chinese made, Gong said.Slowing economic growth is one key driver behind weaker demand for premium cars, said Claire Yuan, director of corporate ratings for China autos at S&P Global Ratings, referring to a segment that typically counts car brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The market share of premium car sales in China, usually priced above 300,000 yuan ($42,400), more than doubled between 2017 and 2023 to about 15% of total sales, S&P said.That trend is now reversing. The share of premium cars sales fell to 14% in 2024 and to 13% in the first nine months of 2025, S&P said. Chinese automakers take a bigger biteWhile luxury auto sales have slowed, Chinese manufacturers, including electric vehicle maker BYD, have become more aggressive than many Western brands in technological innovation, frequently rolling out new electric vehicles and hybrids at cheaper prices, including premium vehicles, analysts said.Their (Chinese carmakers) products are more competitive and more affordable even in the premium segment, Yuan said. Thats why these foreign brands are gradually losing momentum.The Chinese brands share of passenger car sales climbed to almost 70% in the first 11 months of this year, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. It reported Thursday that German brands held a 12% share, Japanese brands around 10% and U.S. brands nearly 6%.BYD already has overtaken Volkswagen as the biggest car seller in China in recent years. BYD is so far the best selling car brand this year in China for new energy vehicles, which include electric vehicles and hybrids, according to the China Passenger Car Association. BYD had cut prices of its electric and plug-in hybrid models by up to 34%, putting pressure on major rivals like Geely and Leapmotor. Mercedes-Benzs sales by units in China fell 27% from a year earlier in the July-September quarter, according to its latest earning report. The number of BMWs and its subsidiary-brand Minis sold in China dropped 11.2% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025. Porsche and Aston Martin also cited pressure from weaker demand in China. Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari reported a 13% year-on-year drop in car shipments to mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in January-September. It was the only region where sales declined during that time.Ola Kllenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, told investors in late October that hyper-competition in China is not going away anytime soon. The market situation in the premium and luxury segment in China remained tense, the carmaker said. Used luxury cars going for cheaperThe downturn in interest in luxury vehicles is hitting dealerships hard.Li Yi, a salesperson in charge of second-hand cars at a Beijing Porsche center, said a 2024 Panamera 2.9T with a mileage of about 20,000 kilometers (12,400 miles) was priced at 950,000 yuan ($134,300). The previous owner bought it for about 1.4 million yuan ($198,454).Its mainly due to the sluggish economic situation, Li said. (Its) not only Porsche. Benz, BMW, Bentley and Rolls-Royce all face the same situation. Porsche and Bentley are part of the Volkswagen group.At a used-car market in Beijing, four other car dealership representatives who spoke to The Associated Press described a similarly grim situation, with premium cars selling at significantly lower prices over the past year. Chinas monthly auto production in November surpassed a record of 3.5 million units for the first time, the CAAM reported Thursday, but domestic auto sales dropped 4% year-on-year under fading demand as some trade-in subsidies were halted in some regions.Who still has money these days? Peoples pockets are cleaner than their faces, joked one used car salesperson who identified herself as Hao. Prices have been sliding for two years and she offers bigger discounts, said the salesperson, who did not give her full name as she was not authorized by her company to speak to the media. Now they think hard before they spend, she said.___Associated Press researchers Yu Bing and Shihuan Chen in Beijing contributed to this report. CHAN HO-HIM Chan covers China business, economy and finance for The Associated Press, reporting on key sectors from technology to trade. He is based in Hong Kong. mailto

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New York Knocks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (1) tangle near the net during the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)2025-12-14T01:22:09Z LAS VEGAS (AP) Jalen Brunson scored at least 30 points for the fourth consecutive game, his season-high 40 leading the Knicks past the Orlando Magic 132-120 on Saturday and putting New York in the NBA Cup final.The Knicks, who have won five in a row and nine of 10, will play San Antonio on Tuesday night for the championship.Brunson also had eight assists and made 16 of 27 shots, including a 3-pointer in the third quarter after Orlandos Anthony Black fell backward onto the floor. Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points and OG Anunoby scored 24 for the Knicks.Jalen Suggs scored 25 of his 26 points in the first half for the Magic before leaving in the fourth quarter because of a sore left hip. Paolo Banchero added 25 points and Desmond Bane scored 18.This game had a playoff feel with both teams playing physically and taking seemingly every opportunity to push the pace. The Knicks shot 60.7% and outscored the Magic 70-62 in the lane. The game was back and forth with 11 lead changes and 10 ties before the Knicks went on a 10-point run late in the third quarter to take a 102-92 lead.It appeared a little NBA history could be made when at halftime Brunson and Suggs each scored 25 points. No regular-season game has produced a 50-point scorer from each team since 2000. But Suggs scored just a point in the second half, and he clearly was hobbled. He went to the locker room early in the fourth quarter.The Magic played without Franz Wagner, who is out several weeks with a high ankle sprain.Up nextKnicks: Play the Spurs on Tuesday night in the NBA Cup final.Magic: Visit Denver on Thursday.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A law enforcement official walks past articles of clothing on a sidewalk near an entrance to Brown University, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Providence, R.I., during the investigation of a shooting. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)2025-12-14T06:08:32Z PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Hundreds of police officers were scouring the Brown University campus along with nearby neighborhoods and poring over video in the hunt for a shooter who opened fire in a classroom, killing two people and wounding nine others. The search stretched late into the night, well after the shooting erupted Saturday afternoon in the engineering building of the Ivy League school in Providence, Rhode Island, during final exams.Surveillance video released by police shows the suspect, dressed in black, calmly walking away from the scene. His face is not visible and investigators said it wasnt clear whether the suspect is a student. The suspect was last seen leaving the engineering building and some witnesses told police the suspect, who could be in his 30s, may have been wearing a camouflage mask, Providence Police Deputy Chief Timothy OHara said. University President Christina Paxson said she was told 10 people who were shot were students. Another person was injured by fragments from the shooting but it was not clear if the victim was a student, she said.The search for the shooter paralyzed the campus, the nearby neighborhoods filled with stately brick homes and the downtown in Rhode Islands capital city. Streets normally bustling with activity on weekends were eerily quiet.Students sheltered in place for hours into the night. Officers in tactical gear led students out of some campus buildings and into a fitness center where they waited. Others arrived at the shelter on buses without jackets or any belongings. Mayor advised people to stay home Investigators were not immediately sure how the shooter got inside the first-floor classroom. Outer doors of the building were unlocked but rooms being used for final exams required badge access, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said.He encouraged people living near the campus to stay inside or not return home until a shelter-in-place order was lifted. The Brown communitys heart is breaking and Providences heart is breaking along with it, Smiley said.Authorities believe the shooter used a handgun, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.Democratic Gov. Dan McKee vowed that all resources were being deployed to catch the suspect. Rhode Island has some of the strictest gun laws in the U.S. Nine people with gunshot wounds were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where one was in critical condition. Six required intensive care but were not getting worse and two were stable, hospital spokesperson Kelly Brennan said. Exams were underway during shootingEngineering design exams were underway when the shooting occurred in the Barus & Holley building, a seven-story complex that houses the School of Engineering and physics department. The building includes more than 100 laboratories, dozens of classrooms and offices, according to the universitys website.Emma Ferraro, a chemical engineering student, was in the buildings lobby working on a final project when she heard loud pops coming from the east side. Once she realized they were gunshots, she darted for the door and ran to a nearby building where she sheltered for several hours. Former Survivor contestant just left the buildingEva Erickson, a doctoral candidate who was the runner-up earlier this year on the CBS reality competition show Survivor, said she left her lab in the engineering building 15 minutes before shots rang out.The engineering and thermal science student shared candid moments on Survivor as the shows first openly autistic contestant. She was locked down in the campus gym following the shooting and shared on social media that the only other member of her lab who was present was safely evacuated.Brown senior biochemistry student Alex Bruce was working on a final research project in his dorm directly across the street from the building when he heard sirens outside.Im just in here shaking, he said, watching through the window as armed officers surrounded his dorm. Students hid under desks Students in a nearby lab turned off the lights and hid under desks after receiving an alert about the shooting, said Chiangheng Chien, a doctoral student in engineering who was about a block away from the scene.Mari Camara, 20, a junior from New York City, was coming out of the library and rushed inside a taqueria to seek shelter. She spent more than three hours there, texting friends while police searched the campus.Everyone is the same as me, shocked and terrified that something like this happened, she said.Brown, the seventh oldest higher education institution in the U.S., is one of the nations most prestigious colleges with roughly 7,300 undergraduates and more than 3,000 graduate students. Tuition, housing and other fees run to nearly $100,000 per year, according to the university.___Associated Press journalists Alanna Durkin Richer, Mike Balsamo and Seung Min Kim in Washington, Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City, Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota, Martha Bellisle in Seattle and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed. JENNIFER McDERMOTT McDermott is a reporter on the Associated Press Climate and Environment team. She focuses on the transition to clean energy. twitter mailto

Protesters wave a Union Flag during a demonstration in Orpington near London, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025 as the dilemma of how to house asylum-seekers in Britain got more challenging for the government after a landmark court ruling this week motivated opponents to fight hotels used as accommodation. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, File)2025-12-14T05:17:17Z LONDON (AP) In the past year, tens of thousands hostile to immigrants marched through London chanting send them home! A British lawmaker complained of seeing too many non-white faces on TV. And senior politicians advocated the deportation of longtime U.K. residents born abroad.The overt demonization of immigrants and those with immigrant roots is intensifying in the U.K. and across Europe as migration shoots up the political agenda and right-wing parties gain popularity.In several European countries, political parties that favor mass deportations and depict immigration as a threat to national identity come at or near the top of opinion polls: Reform U.K., the Alliance for Germany and Frances National Rally.President Donald Trump, who recently called Somali immigrants in the U.S. garbage and whose national security strategy depicts European countries as threatened by immigration, appears to be endorsing and emboldening Europes coarse, anti-immigrant sentiments. Amid the rising tensions, Europes mainstream parties are taking a harder line on migration and at times using divisive language about race.What were once dismissed as being at the far extreme end of far-right politics has now become a central part of the political debate, said Kieran Connell, a lecturer in British history at Queens University Belfast. Europe experiencing a growing sense of divisionImmigration has risen dramatically over the past decade in some European countries, driven in part by millions of asylum-seekers who have come to Europe fleeing conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Ukraine.Asylum-seekers account for a small percentage of total immigration, however, and experts say antipathy toward diversity and migration stems from a mix of factors. Economic stagnation in the years since the 2008 global financial crisis, the rise of charismatic nationalist politicians and the polarizing influence of social media all play a role, experts say. In Britain, there is a frightening increase in the sense of national division and decline and that tends to push people toward political extremes, said Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Unit at Kings College London. It took root after the financial crisis, was reinforced by Britains debate about Brexit and deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic, Duffy said.Social media has exacerbated the mood, notably on X, whose algorithm promotes divisive content and whose owner, Elon Musk, approvingly retweets far-right posts.Across Europe, ethnonationalism has been promoted by right-wing parties such as Alliance for Germany, Frances National Rally and the Fidesz party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn.Now it appears to have the stamp of approval from the Trump administration, whose new national security strategy depicts Europe as a collection of countries facing economic decline and civilizational erasure because of immigration and loss of national identities. The hostile language alarmed many European politicians, but also echoed what they hear from their countries far-right parties.National Rally leader Jordan Bardella told the BBC he largely agreed with the Trump administrations concern that mass immigration was shaking the balance of European countries. Racist rhetoric and hate crimes on the risePolicies once considered extreme are now firmly on the political agenda. Reform UK, the hard-right party that consistently leads opinion polls, says if it wins power it will strip immigrants of permanent-resident status even if they have lived in the U.K. for decades. The center-right opposition Conservatives say they will deport British citizens with dual nationality who commit crimes.A Reform UK lawmaker complained in October that advertisements were full of Black people, full of Asian people. Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick remarked with concern that he didnt see another white face in an area of Birmingham, Britains second-largest city Neither politician had to resign.Many proponents of reduced immigration say they are concerned about integration and community cohesion, not race. But thats not how it feels to those on the receiving end of racial abuse. There is no doubt it has worsened, said Dawn Butler, a Black British lawmaker who says the vitriol she receives on social media is increasing drastically, and has escalated into death threats.U.K. government statistics show police in England and Wales recorded more than 115,000 hate crimes in the year to March 2025, a 2% increase over the previous 12 months.In July 2024, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim violence erupted on Britains streets after three girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Authorities said online misinformation wrongly identifying the U.K.-born teenage attacker as a Muslim migrant played a part.In Ireland and in the Netherlands, protesters often demonstrate outside municipal meetings in communities where a new asylum center is proposed. Some protests have turned violent, with opponents of asylum-seekers throwing fireworks at riot police. Across Europe, the main focus of protests has been hotels and other housing for asylum-seekers, which some say become magnets for crime and bad behavior. But the agenda of protest organizers is often much wider.In September, more than 100,000 people chanting We want our country back marched through London in a protest organized by a far-right activist and convicted fraudster Tommy Robinson. Among the speakers was French far-right politician Eric Zemmour, who told the crowd that France and the U.K. both faced the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture.Outflanking the rightMainstream European politicians condemn the great replacement conspiracy theory. Britains center-left Labour Party government has denounced racism and says migration is an important part of Britains national story.At the same time, it is taking a tougher line on immigration, announcing policies to make it harder for migrants to settle permanently. The government says it is inspired by Denmark, which has seen asylum applications plummet since it started giving refugees only short-term residence.Denmark and Britain are among a group of European countries pushing to weaken legal protections for migrants and make deportations easier.Human rights advocates argue that attempts to appease the right just lead to ever-more-extreme policies.For every inch yielded, theres going to be another inch demanded, Council of Europe human rights commissioner Michael OFlaherty told The Guardian. Where does it stop? For example, the focus right now is on migrants, in large part. But who is it going to be about next time around?Calls for calmer rhetoricPoliticians of the political center also have been criticized for adopting the language of the far right. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in May that Britain risked becoming an island of strangers, a phrase that echoed a notorious 1968 anti-immigration speech by the politician Enoch Powell. Starmer later said he had been unaware of the echo and regretted using the phrase.Germanys center-right Chancellor Friedrich Merz has hardened his language on migrants as the Alternative for Germany has grown more powerful. Merz caused an uproar in October by saying Germany had a problem with its Stadtbild, a word that translates as city image or cityscape. Critics felt Merz was implying that people who dont look German dont truly belong.Merz later stressed that we need immigration, without which certain sectors of the economy, including health care, would cease to function.Duffy said politicians should be responsible and consider how their rhetoric shapes public attitudes though he added thats quite a forlorn hope.The perception that this divisiveness works has taken hold, he said.___Associated Press writers Mike Corder in The Hague, John Leicester in Paris, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Sam McNeil in Brussels and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this story. JILL LAWLESS Lawless is an Associated Press reporter covering U.K. politics and more. She is based in London. twitter mailto

A young Malian woman is treated for her dangerously high fever and infection by doctors at the Douankaran health clinic in the Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly)2025-12-14T05:18:45Z DOUANKARA, Mauritania (AP) The girl lay in a makeshift health clinic, her eyes glazed over and her mouth open, flies resting on her lips. Her chest barely moved. Drops of fevered sweat trickled down her forehead as medical workers hurried around her, attaching an IV drip.It was the last moment to save her life, said Bethsabee Djoman Elidje, the womens health manager, who led the clinics effort as the heart monitor beeped rapidly. The girl had an infection after a sexual assault, Elidje said, and had been in shock, untreated, for days.Her family said the 14-year-old had been raped by Russian fighters who burst into their tent in Mali two weeks earlier. The Russians were members of Africa Corps, a new military unit under Russias defense ministry that replaced the Wagner mercenary group six months ago. Men, women and children have been sexually assaulted by all sides during Malis decade-long conflict, the U.N. and aid workers say, with reports of gang rape and sexual slavery. But the real toll is hidden by a veil of shame that makes it difficult for women from conservative, patriarchal societies to seek help. Malian refugees fleeing violence in Mali, sit in a makeshift camp where they found refuge in Douankara, Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 9 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Malian refugees fleeing violence in Mali, sit in a makeshift camp where they found refuge in Douankara, Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 9 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The silence that nearly killed the 14-year-old also hurts efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.The AP learned of the alleged rape and four other alleged cases of sexual violence blamed on Africa Corps fighters, commonly described by Malians as the white men, while interviewing dozens of refugees at the border about other abuses such as beheadings and abductions. Other combatants in Mali have been blamed for sexual assaults. The head of a womens health clinic in the Mopti area told the AP it had treated 28 women in the last six months who said they had been assaulted by militants with the al-Qaida affiliated JNIM, the most powerful armed group in Mali.The silence among Malian refugees has been striking.In eastern Congo, which for decades has faced violence from dozens of armed groups, we didnt have to look for people, said Mirjam Molenaar, the medical team leader in the border area for Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, who was stationed there last year. The women came in huge numbers.Its different here, she said: People undergo these things and they live with it, and it shows in post-traumatic stress.Speechless after an assaultThe aunt of the 14-year-old girl said the Africa Corps fighters marched everyone outside at gunpoint. The family couldnt understand what they wanted. The men made them watch as they tied up the girls uncle and cut off his head.Then two of the men took the 14-year-old into the tent as she tried to defend herself, and raped her. The family waited outside, unable to move.We were so scared that we were not even able to scream anymore, the aunt recalled, as her mother sobbed quietly next to her. She, like other women, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, and the AP does not name victims of rape unless they agree to be named. A Malian woman, whose 14-year-old niece was abused by Africa Corps Russian mercenaries in Mali, waits outside the Bassikounou hospital where her niece is being treated in the Hodh El Chargui Region, where they found refuge, in Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) A Malian woman, whose 14-year-old niece was abused by Africa Corps Russian mercenaries in Mali, waits outside the Bassikounou hospital where her niece is being treated in the Hodh El Chargui Region, where they found refuge, in Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The girl emerged over a half-hour later, looking terrified. Then she saw her uncles body and screamed. She fainted. When she woke up, she had the eyes of someone who was no longer there, the aunt said.The next morning, JNIM militants came and ordered the family to leave. They piled onto a donkey cart and set off toward the border. At any sound, they hid in the bushes, holding their breath.The girls condition deteriorated during the three-day journey. When they arrived in Mauritania, she collapsed. The AP came across her lying on the ground in the courtyard of a local family. Her family said they had not taken her to a clinic because they had no money.If you have nothing, how can you bring someone to a doctor? the girls grandmother said between sobs. The AP took the family to a free clinic run by MSF. A doctor said the girl had signs of being raped.The clinic had been functioning for barely a month and had seen three survivors of sexual violence, manager Elidje said.We are convinced that there are many cases like this, she said. But so far, very few patients come forward to seek treatment because its still a taboo subject here. It really takes time and patience for these women to open up and confide in someone so they can receive care. They only come when things have already become complicated, like the case we saw today.As Elidje tried to save the girls life, she asked the family to describe the incident. She did not speak Arabic and asked the local nurse to find out how many men carried out the assault. But the nurse was too ashamed to ask. Scratch marks are part of story she could not tellThousands of new refugees from Mali, mostly women and children, have settled just inside Mauritania in recent weeks, in shelters made of fabric and branches. The nearest refugee camp is full, complicating efforts to treat and report sexual assaults.Two recently arrived women discreetly pulled AP journalists aside, adjusting scarves over their faces. They said they had arrived a week ago after armed white men came to their village. They took everything from us. They burned our houses. They killed our husbands, one said. But thats not all they did. They tried to rape us. Relatives of a young Malian woman being treated for her dangerously high fever and infection by doctors at the Douankaran health clinic leave the hospital in the Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Relatives of a young Malian woman being treated for her dangerously high fever and infection by doctors at the Douankaran health clinic leave the hospital in the Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Doctors pick up medicine in the pharmacy of the Douankaran health clinic in the Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Doctors pick up medicine in the pharmacy of the Douankaran health clinic in the Hodh El Chargui Region, Mauritania, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Caitlin Kelly) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The men entered the house where she was by herself and undressed her, she said, adding that she defended herself by the grace of Allah.As she spoke, the second woman started crying and trembling. She had scratch marks on her neck. She was not capable of telling her story.We are still terrified by what we went through, she said.Separately, a third woman said that what the white men did to her in Mali last month when she was alone at home stays between God and me.A fourth said she watched several armed white men drag her 18-year-old daughter into their house. She fled and has not seen her daughter again.The women declined the suggestion to speak with aid workers, some of whom are locals. They said they were not ready to talk about it with anyone else.Russias Defense Ministry did not respond to questions, but an information agency that the U.S. State Department has called part of the Kremlins disinformation campaign called the APs investigation into Africa Corps fake news. Wagner has a legacy of sexual abuseAllegations of rapes and other sexual assaults were already occurring before Wagner transformed into Africa Corps. One refugee told the AP she witnessed a mass rape in her village in March 2024.The Wagner group burned seven men alive in front of us with gasoline. she said. Then they gathered the women and raped them, she said, including her 70-year-old mother.After my mother was raped, she couldnt bear to live, she said. Her mother died a month later.In the worst-known case of sexual assault involving Russian fighters in Africa, the U.N. in a 2023 report said at least 58 women and girls had been raped or sexually assaulted in an attack on Moura village by Malian troops and others that witnesses described as armed white men.In response, Malis government expelled the U.N. peacekeeping mission. Since then, gathering accurate data on the ground about conflict-related sexual violence has become nearly impossible.The AP interviewed five of the women from Moura, who now stay in a displacement camp. They said they had been blindfolded and raped for hours by several men.Three of the women said they hadnt spoken about it to anyone apart from aid workers. The other two dared to tell their husbands, months later.I kept silent with my family for fear of being rejected or looked at differently. Its shameful, one said.The 14-year-old whose family fled to Mauritania is recovering. She said she cannot remember anything since the attack. Her family and MSF said she is speaking to a psychiatrist one of just six working in the country.Aid workers are worried about others who never say a thing.It seems that conflict over the years gets worse and worse and worse. There is less regard for human life, whether its men, women or children, said MSFs Molenaar, and broke into tears. Its a battle.___For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse___The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. MONIKA PRONCZUK Pronczuk covers 22 countries across Central and West Africa for The Associated Press. She is based in Dakar, Senegal. twitter mailto

Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai speaks in his Hong Kong office at the Apple Daily newspaper, Nov. 28, 2000. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)2025-12-14T04:00:26Z HONG KONG (AP) A Hong Kong court will deliver its verdict on Monday in the trial of former pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, whos charged with conspiracies to commit sedition and collusion with foreign forces in a case that marks how much the semi-autonomous Chinese city has changed since Beijing began a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent five years ago.Lai, 78, was arrested in 2020 under a national security law imposed by Chinese authorities to quell the massive anti-government protests that rocked the city in 2019. Lais 156-day trial is being closely watched by foreign governments and political observers as a test of the judicial independence and media freedom in the former British colony, which was promised it could maintain its Western-style civil liberties for 50 years after returning to Chinese rule in 1997.Heres what to know about the landmark trial: Lai was arrested as China tightened its grip on Hong KongHong Kong was long known for its vibrant press scene and protest culture in Asia. But following months of anti-government protests that brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets, Beijing began a sweeping crackdown that has chilled most open dissent in the city.Lai was one of the first prominent figures charged under the National Security Law, which has also been used to prosecute other leading activists and opposition politicians. Beijing deemed the law crucial for the citys stability. Dozens of civil society groups have closed, as tens of thousands of young professionals and middle-class families emigrated to destinations like Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Australia and the United States. Lais newspaper was known for its fierce pro-democracy standLai, a rags-to-riches tycoon who formerly owned clothing chain Giordano, entered the media world after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.He described himself as driven by the belief that delivering information is equal to delivering freedom. His newspaper drew a strong following with tabloid-style coverage of politics and celebrities, as well as a strong pro-democracy stance. It often urged its readers to join protests. Lai took to the streets himself, too, including in the 2019 protests. Lai was arrested under the security law in August 2020 as about 200 police officers raided Apple Dailys building. He has been in custody since December 2020. Within a year, authorities used the same law to arrest senior executives of Apple Daily, raided its offices again and froze $2.3 million of its assets, effectively forcing the newspaper to shut down. The papers final edition sold out in hours, with readers scooping up all 1 million copies.Authorities accused Lai of seeking to get sanctions imposed on ChinaThe most serious accusation against Lai was that he and other people had invited the U.S. and other foreign powers to act against China with sanctions or other measures under the guise of fighting for freedom and democracy. One major issue was whether Lai made such calls after the security law went into effect. Lai did not deny that hed called for sanctions earlier, but insisted that he stopped once the law came in. Prosecutors argued that even though Lai didnt make direct requests for sanctions after the law took effect, he had tried to create a false impression of China to justify foreign countries to impose punishment, pointing to articles and his comments in online broadcasts critical of Hong Kong and China. Lais lawyer Robert Pang said his remarks were just armchair punditry, akin to chatter over the dim sum table. Lai said he wrote without any sense of hostility or intention to be seditious. Pang also pressed the court to consider freedom of expression and accused the prosecution of treating human rights as a foreign concept, leading to testy exchanges. Its not wrong to support freedom of expression. Its not wrong to support human rights, he said. Nor is it wrong not to love a particular administration or even the country. Judge Esther Toh responded that Its not wrong not to love the government, but if you do that by certain nefarious means, then its wrong. Lais foreign contacts came under attackProsecutors also dwelled on Lais foreign contacts, including meetings he had with former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and then-Vice President Mike Pence at the height of the 2019 protests. Prosecutor Anthony Chau said Lais foreign connections showed his unwavering intent to solicit sanctions, blockades or other hostile activities against China and Hong Kong.The prosecution also alleged Lai had conspired with fellow Apple Daily senior executives, members of an advocacy group called Fight for Freedom Stand with Hong Kong and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China to call for foreign actions. Six Apple Daily senior executives involved in the case pleaded guilty in 2022 and some of them served as prosecution witnesses. Two other alleged co-conspirators linked to Stand with Hong Kong group also testified against Lai, but legal team called one of them a serial liar and argued that even if accepted his testimony didnt show that Lai had agreed to work with them as alleged.Outside the courtroom, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, an international political group critical of China, said in a statement that it rejected false claims regarding Lais involvement with its network. Foreign governments are watching the caseLai, a British citizen, has drawn concerns from foreign governments, including the U.S. and the U.K. both have called for his release. U.S. President Donald Trump said he has raised the case with China, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said his government has made it a priority to secure the release of Lai.But Beijing has called Lai an agent and pawn of anti-China foreign forces, describing him as the main planner behind disruptive activities in the city. Controversy arose even before his trial started. Lais trial, originally scheduled to start in December 2022, was postponed to 2023 as authorities barred a British lawyer from representing Lai, citing that it would likely pose national security risks.Lai says his health is deteriorating, but he could face life in prisonIn August, Pang said Lai had experienced heart palpitations and was given a heart monitor. His children raised concerns over his deteriorating health. The government said a medical examination of Lai found no abnormalities following his heart problems and that the medical care he received in custody was adequate.The security law authorizes a range of sentences depending on the seriousness of the offense and the defendants role in it, from three years for the less serious to 10 years to life for people convicted of grave offenses.If Lai is convicted, sentencing is expected on a later day. He can appeal the outcome. KANIS LEUNG Leung covers Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong. twitter

Presidential candidates Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party and Jeannette Jara of the Unity for Chile coalition shake hands during a debate ahead of runoff elections in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)2025-12-14T05:15:48Z SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) As Chileans head to vote on Sunday, even detractors of ultra-conservative former lawmaker Jos Antonio Kast say the candidate whose radical ideas lost him the past two elections is now almost certain to become Chiles next leader.Kasts meaningful lead in the polls over his rival in the presidential runoff, communist Jeannette Jara, shows how the hard-liner agitating for mass deportations of immigrants has seized the mantle of the traditional right in a country that once defined its post-dictatorship democratic revival with a vow to contain such political forces. Many voters are frustrated with the options But much is also up for grabs about Chiles political direction. Kasts claim to a popular mandate depends on his margin of victory on Sunday over Jara, the center-left governing party candidate who narrowly beat him in the first round of elections last month.Although various right-wing parties won around 70% of the vote in that election, substantial support for a populist center-right candidate who described himself as an alternative to Kasts fascism revealed that, between the contrasting ideologies of the front-runners, sit hundreds of thousands of centrist voters with no real representation. Both are too extreme for me, said Juan Carlos Pileo, 44, who plans to cast a blank ballot Sunday, as voting is now mandatory in Chiles elections. I cant trust someone who says shes a communist to be moderate. And I cant trust someone who exaggerates the amount of crime we have in this country and blames immigrants to be fair and respectful. Kast raises expectations but reality is a different storyIt remains a question whether Kast, an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, can implement his more grandiose promises. They include slashing $6 billion in public spending over just 18 months without eliminating social benefits, deporting over 300,000 immigrants in Chile with no legal status and expanding the powers of the army to fight organized crime in a country still haunted by Gen. Augusto Pinochetsbloody military dictatorship from 1973 to 1990. For one, Kasts far-right Republican Party lacks a majority in Congress, meaning that hell need to negotiate with moderate right-wing forces that could bristle at those proposals, significantly shaping policy and his own legacy.Political compromises could temper Kasts radicalism, but also jeopardize his position with voters who expect him to deliver quickly on his law-and-order campaign promises. At each campaign event, Kast has taken to ticking off the number of days remaining until Chiles March 11 presidential inauguration, warning they should get out before theyll have to leave with just the clothes on their backs. Jorge Rubio, 63, a Chilean banker in downtown Santiago, the capital, said hes also counting down the days. Thats why were voting for Kast, he said.Borics left-wing government is under fire As the pandemic shuttered borders, transnational criminal organizations like Tren de Aragua seized illegal migration routes to gain a foothold in Chile, long considered among Latin Americas safest countries. Homicides hit a record high in 2022, the first year of President Gabriel Borics tenure.Kast insists that Borics government is too soft on immigration and crime, which the far-right leader argues are connected although the data does not necessarily support his narrative. Borics approval rating has plummeted, standing now at just 30%.Yet many say the firebrand former student protester who came to power in 2021 pledging to transform Chiles market-led economy, has risen to the occasion. Boric went from criticizing the use of police force on the campaign trial to pouring money into the security forces. He sent the military to reinforce Chiles northern border, stiffened penalties for organized crime and created the countrys first public security ministry.Chiles homicide rate is now falling, about on par with the rate in the United States. That has done nothing to change Chileans feelings of profound insecurity. In Libya, where fractious militias jostle for political power, over 70% of people feel safe walking alone at night, according to a recent Gallup survey of 144 countries. In Chile, just 39% of people do, around the same as in Ecuador, which is now in the midst of a violent, drug-driven crime wave. Crime and migration overshadow all other concernsAs Borics former minister of labor, Jara became popular for passing some of the administrations most important welfare measures. That matters little now. Voters concerns have forced her to switch gears. She has vowed to toughen border security, register undocumented migrants, tackle money laundering and step up police raids. But promises to restore law and order are more persuasive coming from an insurgent outsider who has made security a key part of his agenda for years. Kast has been smart and strategic in focusing on migration and security, said Luca Dammert, a sociologist and Borics first chief of staff. It has been very difficult for the Jara campaign to move him away from those issues. Learning from his previous two failed presidential runs, Kast has avoided topics that fire up his critics such as his German-born fathers Nazi past, his nostalgia for Pinochets dictatorship and his opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. When asked, Kast says only that his values remain the same. His supporters, including voters who previously spurned him over his social conservatism, now say that abstract human rights concerns come after their need for safety on the streets.Its not very nice to hear that hes going to separate immigrant children from their parents, its sad, thats going to be a problem for me, said Natacha Feliz, a 27-year-old immigrant from the Dominican Republic referring to a recent interview in which Kast said immigrant parents without legal status who didnt self-deport would be obliged to hand their kids over to the state. But this is happening everywhere, not just in Chile. Lets just hope that our security situation improves. ___Associated Press writer Nayara Batschke in Santiago, Chile, contributed to this report. ISABEL DEBRE DeBre writes about Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay for The Associated Press, based in Buenos Aires. Before moving to South America in 2024, she covered the Middle East reporting from Jerusalem, Cairo and Dubai. twitter mailto

San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) sets to play the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)2025-12-14T05:13:13Z LAS VEGAS (AP) Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence with 22 points and nine rebounds, giving San Antonio a surge and the Oklahoma City Thunder just its second loss with the 111-109 victory Saturday night putting the Spurs in the NBA Cup final.The Spurs play the New York Knicks in Tuesday nights final.Oklahoma Citys last defeat was Nov. 5 at Portland, and the Thunder carried a 16-game winning streak into this game. They now are 24-2, the second-best start behind only the 25-1 record by Golden State in 2015-16.This is the Thunders second loss in a row in Las Vegas. They also lost last years final to Milwaukee 97-81.Wembanyama, who received M-V-P chants from the pro-Spurs crowd, had a plus-21 rating in 21 minutes. Teammate Devin Vassell scored 23 points and DeAaron Fox and Stephon Castle each scored 22.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each totaled 17. Wembanyama had been out because of a strained left calf, though the Spurs went 9-3 in his absence. He was placed on a minutes restriction against the Thunder, but that didnt limit his impact. Wembanyama, who entered the game averaging 26.2 points and 12.9 rebounds, gave the Spurs an immediate boost and sent a surge into the crowd. Fans began to roar when he removed his sweatpants before the second quarter, and Wembanyama had a plus-20 rating in just seven minutes even with his team trailing by three points at halftime.But San Antonio ended the first half with a 13-point run to make it a contest. The Spurs used a 10-point run in the third quarter to go up 62-56 and set the stage for a tense fourth period. Up nextSpurs: Play the Knicks on Tuesday night in the NBA Cup final.Thunder: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Far from despondent, the Thunder said Saturday's 111-109 loss to the Spurs was an "exciting" test and a chance for the team to grow from its mistakes.

Real Madrid are interested in a deal for Manchester United full back Diogo Dalot. Transfer Talk has the latest news and rumors.

The first rule of dark money is to quit blabbing about it. Did they think people would thank them for it?

The attacks further complicate President Ahmed al-Sharaas efforts to unify the country and rebuild relationships with the international community, analysts say.

The rainstorm that battered the enclave this week has left many shivering in tent camps. Despite a cease-fire, rebuilding is still a long way off.

The Treasury Department unveiled new coins celebrating Americas 250th anniversary. They failed to include planned designs featuring abolition, womens suffrage and the civil rights movement.

Jeannette Jara and Jos Antonio Kast are facing off on Sunday in a deeply polarized election marked by concerns over security and immigration.

This Feb. 2, 2015 photo shows rocking chairs in front of the massive stone fireplace in the lobby of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz, File)2025-12-14T11:02:06Z The warm spices in gingerbread, the woodsy aroma of pine and fir trees, and the fruity tang of mulled wine are smells synonymous with the holiday season. Many people enjoy lighting candles, incense and fireplaces in their homes to evoke the moods associated with these festive fragrances.Burning scented products may create a cozy ambiance, and in the case of fireplaces, provide light and heat, but some experts want people to consider how doing so contributes to the quality of the air indoors. All flames release chemicals that may cause allergy-like symptoms or contribute to long-term respiratory problems if they are inhaled in sufficient quantities.However, people dont have to stop sitting by the hearth or get rid of products like perfumed candles and essential oil diffusers, said Dr. Meredith McCormack, director of the pulmonary and critical care medicine division at John Hopkins Universitys medical school. Instead, she recommends taking precautions to control the pollutants in their homes.Clean air is fragrance free, said McCormack, who has studied air quality and lung health for more than 20 years. If having seasonal scents is part of your tradition or evokes feelings of nostalgia, maybe think about it in moderation. This article is part of APs Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well. What to know about indoor air qualityPeople in the Northern Hemisphere tend to spend more time indoors during the end-of-year holidays, when temperatures are colder. Indoor air can be significantly more polluted than outdoor air because pollutants get trapped inside and concentrated without proper ventilation or filtration, according to the American Lung Association.For example, active fireplaces and gas appliances release tiny airborne particles that can get into the lungs and chemicals like nitrogen dioxide, a major component of smog, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cleaning products, air fresheners and candles also emit air pollutants at varying concentrations. The risk fragrances and other air pollutants may pose to respiratory health depends on the source, the length and intensity of a persons exposure, and individual health, McCormack said.It is also important to note that some pollutants have no smell, so unscented products still can affect indoor air quality, experts say. Some people are more vulnerablePolluted air affects everyone but not equally. Children, older adults, minority populations and people of low socioeconomic status are more likely to be affected by poor air quality because of either physiological vulnerabilities or higher exposure, according to the environmental agency.Children are more susceptible to air pollution because of their lung size, which means they get a greater dose of exposure relative to their body size, McCormack said. Pollutants inside the home also post a greater hazard to people with heart or lung conditions, including asthma, she said.Signs of respiratory irritation include coughing, shortness of breath, headaches, a runny nose and sneezing. Experts advise stopping use of pollutant-releasing products or immediately ventilating rooms if symptoms occur.The more risk factors you have, the more harmful air pollution or poor air quality indoors can be, McCormack said. Practical precautions to take Ellen Wilkowe burns candles with scents like vanilla and cinnamon when she does yoga, writes or when she is showering at her home in New Jersey. Her teenage daughter, on the other hand, likes more seasonally scented candles like gingerbread.The candle has a calming presence. They are also very symbolic and used in rituals and many religions, she said.Wilkowe said she leans toward candles made with soy-based waxes instead of petroleum-based paraffin. Experts note that all lit candles give off air pollutants regardless of what they are made of.Buying products with fewer ingredients, opening windows if the temperatures allow, and using air purifiers with HEPA filters are ways to reduce exposure to any pollutants from indoor fireplaces, appliances and candle displays, McCormack said. She also recommends switching on kitchen exhaust fans before starting a gas-powered stovetop and using the back burners so the vent can more easily suck up pollutants. Setting polite boundaries with guests who smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products is also a good idea, she said.Small improvements in air quality can have measurable health benefits, McCormack said. Similarly to if we exercise and eat a little better, we can be healthier.Rachael Lewis-Abbott, a member of the Indoor Air Quality Association, an organization for professionals who identify and address air quality problems, said people dont usually notice what they are breathing in until problems like gas leaks or mold develop.It is out of sight, out of mind, she said. CHEYANNE MUMPHREY Mumphrey reports on wellness trends and topics for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Switzerland's Loic Meillard speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom event, in Val d'Isere, France, Sunday Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)2025-12-14T09:26:12Z VAL DISERE, France (AP) Swiss skier Loic Meillard led the opening run of a World Cup slalom on Sunday and was in position to claim his second victory of the Olympic season in two days.Meillard, the world champion in slalom, led a Swiss sweep of the podium in a giant slalom on Saturday.Norwegians stood second, third and fourth: Timon Haugan was a slim 0.05 seconds behind in second, Atle Lie McGrath was 0.14 behind in third, and Henrik Kristoffersen was 0.43 behind in fourth.Brazils Lucas Pinheiro Braathen stood fifth, 0.51 behind.British skier Laurie Taylor raced into seventh with the No. 27 bib.Paco Rassat, the French racer who won a slalom in Gurgle, Austria, last month, straddled a gate midway down.The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will be held Feb. 6-22, with mens Alpine skiing to be held in Bormio.___AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Steve Witkoff, special envoy of the United States, arrives for talks between representatives of the U.S. and Ukraine, at the Hotel Adlon, in Berlin, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)2025-12-14T09:38:34Z BERLIN (AP) U.S. envoys arrived in Berlin Sunday morning for another round of talks intended to secure a deal to end the war in Ukraine.U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner were spotted in downtown Berlin by a photographer for German news agency dpa.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian, U.S. and European officials will hold a series of meetings in Berlin in the coming days.Most importantly, I will be meeting with envoys of President Trump, and there will also be meetings with our European partners, with many leaders, concerning the foundation of peace a political agreement to end the war, Zelenskyy said in an address to the nation late Saturday.Washington has tried for months to navigate the demands of each side as Trump presses for a swift end to Russias war and grows increasingly exasperated by delays. The search for possible compromises has run into major obstacles, including control of Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, which is mostly occupied by Russian forces, and security guarantees for Ukraine. The chance is considerable at this moment, and it matters for our every city, for our every Ukrainian community, Zelenskyy said. We are working to ensure that peace for Ukraine is dignified, and to secure a guarantee a guarantee, above all that Russia will not return to Ukraine for a third invasion. Tough obstacles remain Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from the part of the Donetsk region still under its control and abandon its bid to join NATO among the key conditions for peace demands Kyiv has rejected.Putins foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told the business daily Kommersant that Russian police and national guard troops would stay in parts of eastern Ukraines Donbas even if they become a demilitarized zone under a prospective peace plan a demand likely to be rejected by Ukraine as U.S.-led negotiations drag on. Ushakov warned that a search for compromise could take a long time, noting that the U.S. proposals that took into account Russian demands had been worsened by alterations proposed by Ukraine and its European allies.Speaking to Russian state TV in remarks broadcast Sunday, Ushakov said that the contribution of Ukrainians and Europeans to these documents is unlikely to be constructive, warning that Moscow will have very strong objections.Ushakov added that the territorial issue was actively discussed in Moscow when Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin earlier this month. The Americans know and understand our position, he said.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has spearheaded European efforts to support Ukraine alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said Saturday that the decades of the Pax Americana are largely over for us in Europe and for us in Germany as well.He warned that Putins aim is a fundamental change to the borders in Europe, the restoration of the old Soviet Union within its borders. If Ukraine falls, he wont stop, Merz warned on Saturday during a party conference in Munich.Putin has denied plans to restore the Soviet Union or attack any European allies. Russia and Ukraine exchange aerial attacksAs peace efforts continued, Russia and Ukraine exchanged another round of aerial attacks.Ukraines air force said overnight Russia launched ballistic missiles and 138 attack drones at Ukraine. In its daily report, the air force said 110 had been intercepted or downed but missile and drone hits were recorded at six locations.Zelenskyy said Sunday that hundreds of thousands of families were still without power in the south, east and north-east regions and work was continuing to restore electricity, heat and water to multiple regions following a large-scale attack the previous night.The Ukrainian president said that in the past week, Russia had launched over 1,500 strike drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs and 46 missiles of various types at Ukraine.Ukraine needs peace on decent terms, and we are ready to work as constructively as possible. These days will be filled with diplomacy. Its very important that it brings results, Zelenskyy said. Russias Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 235 Ukrainian drones late Saturday and early Sunday.In the Belgorod region, a drone injured a man and set his house ablaze in the village of Yasnye Zori, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.Ukrainian drones struck an oil depot in Uryupinsk in the Volgograd region, triggering a fire, according to the regional governor, Andrei Bocharov.In the Krasnodar region, the Ukrainian drones attacked the town of Afipsky, where an oil refinery is located. The authorities said that explosions shattered windows in residential buildings but didnt report any damage to the refinery.__Ciobanu reported from Warsaw, Poland. STEFANIE DAZIO Dazio covers Northern Europe from Berlin for The Associated Press. She previously covered crime and criminal justice from Los Angeles.

Emergency workers standby at Bondi Beach after a reported shooting in Sydney, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)2025-12-14T09:32:01Z SYDNEY (AP) Two gunmen shot dead at least 11 people on Sunday at a Jewish event being held at Sydneys Bondi Beach, Australian authorities said. One gunman was fatally shot by police and the second arrested.The suspect was in critical condition, authorities said. A massive emergency response was underway, with injured people loaded into ambulances. At least 29 people were confirmed wounded, said Mal Lanyon, the police commissioner for New South Wales state, where Sydney is located. Two of those hurt were police officers. This attack was designed to target Sydneys Jewish community, the states Premier Chris Minns said. The massacre was declared a terrorist attack by officials due to the event targeted and weapons used, Lanyon said.Hundreds had gathered for an event at Bondi Beach called Chanukah by the Sea, which was celebrating the start of the Hanukkah Jewish festival. Dramatic footage apparently filmed by a member of the public and broadcast on Australian television channels showed someone appearing to tackle and disarm one of the gunmen, before pointing the mans weapon at him. Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, was waiting for his family nearby when he heard shots, he told The Associated Press. He dropped the beer he was carrying for his brother and ran. You heard a few pops, and I freaked out and ran away. ... I started sprinting. I just had that intuition. I sprinted as quickly as I could, Moran said. He said he heard shooting off and on for about five minutes. Everyone just dropped all their possessions and everything and were running and people were crying and it was just horrible, Moran said. Police said their operation was ongoing and that a number of suspicious items located in the vicinity were being examined by specialist officers, including an improvised explosive device found in one of the suspects cars. Emergency services were called to Campbell Parade about 6.45 p.m. responding to reports of shots being fired. Local news outlets spoke to distressed and bloody bystanders. Lanyon said the death toll from the shooting was fluid and that injured people were still arriving at hospitals. Our heart bleeds for Australias Jewish community tonight, Minns told reporters in Sydney. I can only imagine the pain that theyre feeling right now to see their loved ones killed as they celebrate this ancient holiday.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement that his thoughts were with all those affected.The scenes in Bondi are shocking and distressing, he said. Police and emergency responders are on the ground working to save lives.Mass shooting deaths in Australia are extremely rare. A 1996 massacre in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur, where a lone gunman killed 35 people, prompted the government to drastically tighten gun laws and made it much more difficult for Australians to acquire firearms.Significant mass shootings this century included two murder-suicides with death tolls of five people in 2014, and seven in 2018, in which gunmen killed their own families and themselves. In 2022, two police officers were shot and killed by Christian extremists at a rural property in Queensland state. The three shooters in that incident, conspiracy theorists who hated the police, were also shot and killed by officers after a six-hour siege in the region of Wieambilla, along with one of their neighbors.___ McGuirk reported from Melbourne, Australia, and Graham-McLay from Wellington, New Zealand. KRISTEN GELINEAU Gelineau is a global investigative reporter for The Associated Press, based in Sydney. She covers human rights issues across the Asia-Pacific. twitter mailto CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-MCLAY Graham-McLay is an Associated Press reporter covering regional and national stories about New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands by putting them in a global context. She is based in Wellington. twitter mailto ROD MCGUIRK McGuirk covers Australian and South Pacific news for The Associated Press. He is based in Melbourne. mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A house is seen damaged following a Thai soldier said was a Cambodian artillery strike in Sisaket province, Thailand, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)2025-12-14T09:10:20Z KANTHARALAK, Thailand (AP) Thailands government said a rocket attack from Cambodia on Sunday killed a 63-year-old villager, its first civilian death reported as a direct result of combat over the past week along the border of the two Southeast Asian nations.Both countries confirmed that large-scale fighting, which was set off by a skirmish on Dec. 7 that wounded two Thai soldiers, continued Sunday. The two sides are battling over longstanding competing claims to patches of frontier land, some of which contain centuries-old temple ruins.More than two dozen people on both sides of the border have officially been reported killed in the past weeks fighting, while more than half a million have been displaced.Reporters from The Associated Press arrived at the scene of Sundays rocket impact in Sisaket provinces Kantharalak District about 10 minutes after it hit. They witnessed the body of a man totally wrapped in bandages being put on a stretcher that was taken to an ambulance. A house a couple of hundred meters (yards) away was in flames, with village volunteers attempting to put out the fire with buckets of water. A piece of shrapnel believed to be from the same rocket was embedded nearby in the road. The victim, identified as Don Patchapan, was killed in the heart of a residential area near a school, according to a Thai Army statement. Thai Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat condemned Cambodia for deliberately firing into civilian areas, saying that such an action was cruel and inhumane. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Thailand earlier reported civilian deaths during the renewed conflict, but most of them already had underlying health issues and died during an evacuation. Cambodia has deployed truck-mounted BM-21 rocket launchers with a range of 30-40 kilometers (19-25 miles). Each can fire up to 40 rockets at a time but cannot be precisely targeted. They have landed largely in areas from where most people have already been evacuated. Thai authorities say Cambodia has launched thousands of the rockets on virtually a daily basis. Thailand, meanwhile, has been carrying out airstrikes with its fighter planes, with Cambodia saying the bombing continued on Sunday. Both sides have employed drones for surveillance and delivering bombs.Residents in another village in Kantharalak said several houses there were damaged by a rocket attack Saturday. Kanbancha Charoensri, who was in the village during the attack, said several rockets landed nearby and injured a few people.Houses that were hit directly were totally destroyed, he said. The ground was shaking so much. It was so scary.The Thai military has acknowledged 16 of its troops have died during the fighting, and estimated Sunday that there have been at least 221 fatalities among Cambodian soldiers. Cambodia denounced the Thai count of its dead as disinformation but has not yet acknowledged any military casualties. It has said at least 11 civilians have been killed and more than six dozen wounded.Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet delivered a morale-boosting message to his countrymen on Sunday, writing on social media that he is proud to see this nations strength in this situation where our country is facing difficulties due to aggression from neighboring countries. The new fighting derailed a ceasefire promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump that ended five days of earlier combat in July. It had been 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.Trump announced this past Friday that the two countries had agreed at his urging to renew the ceasefire, but Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied making any commitment and Cambodia announced it was continuing to fight in what it said is self-defense.A Thai Navy warship in the Gulf of Thailand joined the fighting on Saturday morning, trading fire with guns based in Cambodias southwestern province of Koh Kong. Each side blamed the other for initiating the exchange on a new front.Jintamas reported from Surin, Thailand. Sopheng Cheang contributed from Preah Netr Preah, Cambodia.

Gunshots ripped through a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, killing at least 12 people.

After heavy rains swelled rivers and flooded neighborhoods in northern Washington, residents returned to soggy homes caked in mud. Many tried to salvage what they could.

The New York Times set out to understand and quantify just how much things had changed within the agency after President Trump resumed office.

An investigation by The Times found the administrations change in enforcement benefited the industry, including companies that had ties to the president.

Eve was one of dozens of Thai women who traveled 4,000 miles to become surrogates, on the promise of generous fees. It turned into a nightmare.

This combination photo shows Brian Jack, left, speaking at a campaign rally, March 9, 2024, in Rome, Ga. and Lauren Underwood speaking with reporters, Aug. 9, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, Nathan Howard)2025-12-14T12:33:40Z ATLANTA (AP) Even though Republican Brian Jack is only a first-term congressman, he has become a regular in the Oval Office these days. As the top recruiter for his partys House campaign team, the Georgia native is often reviewing polling and biographies of potential candidates with President Donald Trump. Lauren Underwood, an Illinois congresswoman who does similar work for Democrats, has no such West Wing invitation. She is at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue working the phones to identify and counsel candidates she hopes can erase Republicans slim House majority in Novembers midterm elections.Although they have little in common, both lawmakers were forged by the lessons of 2018, when Democrats flipped dozens of Republican-held seats to turn the rest of Trumps first term into a political crucible. Underwood won her race that year, and Jack became responsible for dealing with the fallout when he became White House political director a few months later. Underwood wants a repeat in 2026, and Jack is trying to stand in her way. For Republicans, that means going all-in on Trump and his Make American Great Again agenda, gambling that durable enthusiasm from his base will overcome broader dissatisfaction with his leadership. Youre seeing a lot of people very inspired by President Trump, Jack said about his partys House candidates. Theyre excited to serve in this body alongside him and the White House. Thats been a tool and a motivating factor for so many people who want to run. Underwood said she is looking for candidates with community involvement and public service beyond Washington politics. A registered nurse, she was a health care advocate before she ran in 2018, joining a cadre of Democratic newcomers that included military veterans, educators, activists and business owners. Its about having ordinary Americans step up in a way that draws a sharp contrast with the actions of these MAGA extremists, she said. Trumps involvement is more direct than in 2018Its routine for a presidents party to lose ground in Congress during the first midterms after winning the White House. Trump, however, is in the rare position to test that historical trend with a second, nonconsecutive presidency. Neither party has released its list of favored candidates in targeted seats. But Jack said Oval Office discussions with Trump focus on who can align with the White House in a way that can win.Jack highlighted former Maine Gov. Paul LePage as an example. LePage is running in a GOP-leaning district where Democrats face the challenge of replacing Rep. Jared Golden, another member of the partys 2018 class who recently announced he would not seek reelection. Trumps involvement contrasts with 2017, when he was not as tied to House leadership, including then-Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on details of the midterm campaign as he is now. Jack, who got his start with Trump by managing delegate outreach before the 2016 convention, was White House deputy political director during that span. He was promoted to political director after the 2018 losses. Jack continued advising the president, especially on his endorsements, between Trumps 2021 departure for the White House and Jacks own congressional campaign in 2024. He described Trump as intimately involved in recruitment decisions and open to advice on his endorsements since those 2018 defeats.Trump loyalty will not always be easy to measure, especially in first-time candidates. But Jack said Republicans have quality options. He pointed to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Republicans could have a competitive primary that includes Jose Orozco, a former Drug Enforcement Administration contractor, and Greg Cunningham, a former Marine and police officer.They both have very inspirational stories, Jack said.Orozco has asked voters to give President Trump an ally in Congress. Cunningham did not focus on Trump in his campaign launch.Democrats describe a district-by-district approach Underwood said Democrats are replicating a district-by-district approach of 2018. Recruiting in the Trump era, she said, is more often about talking with prospective candidates who raised their hands to run than about coaxing them into politics.The notable numbers of women and combat veterans in her first-term class, Underwood said, was not a top-down strategy but the result of candidates who saw Trump and Republicans as threats to functional government and democracy. Underwood, who at age 32 became the youngest Black woman ever to serve in Congress after her 2018 election, recalled that Republicans efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act spurred her to run because of her training as a nurse. She shares those experiences with recruits, sharpening how they can connect their ideas and background to the job of a congressperson.Underwood said she also regularly fields questions about serving in an era of political violence and about the day-to-day balance of being a candidate or congressperson, especially from recruits who have children. National security is again a draw for Democrat. Former Marine JoAnna Mendoza is running in a largely rural southern Arizona seat and former Rep. Elaine Luria, another Underwood classmate and former naval officer, is running again in Virginia after losing her seat in 2022. Luria was among the lead House investigators of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.Underwood said there are clear parallels to 2018, when successful congressional candidates included Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot who is now New Jersey governor-elect; Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who is one of her recruiting co-chairs; and Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA case officer.Democrats also noted the need to find candidates who reflect a districts cultural sensibilities, meaning a candidate who can withstand Republican accusations that national Democrats are out of touch with many voters. For instance, in a South Texas district, the top potential Democratic challenger is Tejano music star Bobby Pulido. The five-time Latin Grammy nominee has criticized progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York for using the term Latinx rather than Latino or Latina.Trumps gerrymandering fight causes uncertaintyMid-decade gerrymandering, mostly in Republican-led states at Trumps behest, leaves the state of the 435 House districts in flux. Even with the changes, Democrats identify more than three dozen Republican-held seats they believe will be competitive. Republicans counter with about two dozen Democratic-held seats they think can flip.In the Southwest, Democrats are targeting all three Republican seats in Arizona. The GOP is aiming at three Democratic seats in Nevada. From the Midwest across to the Philadelphia suburbs, Democrats want to flip two Iowa seats, two in Wisconsin three in Michigan, three in Ohio and four in Pennsylvania. Republicans are targeting four Democratic seats in New York.Nearly all Democratic targets were within a 15-percentage point margin in 2024, many of them much closer than that. Democratic candidates in 2025 special elections typically managed double-digit gains compared with Trumps margins in 2024, including a recent special House election in Tennessee, when Democrats came within 9 points in a district Trump won by 22 points.Its the same kind of shifts that we saw in 2017 before the 2018 wins, said Meredith Kelly, a top official at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during Trumps first presidency. So, it becomes a mix of that national environment and finding the right candidates who fit a district and can take advantage. BILL BARROW Barrow covers U.S. politics for The Associated Press. He is based in Atlanta. twitter mailto

Signage is displayed at the office of Hong Kong's Democratic Party in Hong Kong on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei, File)2025-12-14T09:57:40Z HONG KONG (AP) Hong Kongs biggest pro-democracy party voted Sunday to dissolve after more than 30 years of activism, marking the end of an era of the Chinese semiautonomous city s once-diverse political landscape. Democratic Party chairperson Lo Kin-hei said the political environment was one important point among the factors they considered, and about 97% of members ballots were in support of its liquidation. He said it is the best way forward for its members. Yet as the times have shifted, we now, with deep regret, must bring this chapter to a close, he said. Party veterans had earlier told The Associated Press that some members were warned of consequences if the party didnt shut down. Its demise reflects the dwindling freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinas rule in 1997. Arrests and shutdowns during Beijings crackdown China imposed a national security law in June 2020, following massive anti-government protests the year before, saying it was necessary for the citys stability. Under the law, many leading activists, including the Democratic Partys former chairs Albert Ho and Wu Chi-wai and other former lawmakers, were arrested.Jimmy Lai, founder of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was also charged under the law. Lai will hear his verdict on Monday. Apple Daily was one of the vocal independent outlets shut down over the past five years. Dozens of civil society groups have also closed, including the second-largest pro-democracy party, Civic Party and a group that organized annual vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. In June, the League of Social Democrats, which had remained active in holding tiny street protests in recent years, announced its closure, citing immense political pressure. A moderate opposition party filled with political starsThe Democratic Party, founded in 1994, was a moderate opposition party that pushed for universal suffrage in electing the citys leader for decades. Prominent party members include Martin Lee, nicknamed the citys father of democracy, Ho, former leader of the group that organized Tiananmen vigils, and journalist-turned-activist Emily Lau. It once held multiple legislative seats and amassed dozens of directly elected district councillors who helped residents with issues in their households and municipal matters. Some of its former members joined the government as senior officials. Its willingness to negotiate with Beijing led to its proposal being included in a 2010 political reform package a move that drew harsh criticism from some members and other democracy advocates who wanted more sweeping changes. As new pro-democracy groups grew, the partys influence declined. But when the 2019 protests swept Hong Kong, the partys activism won widespread support again. During Beijings crackdown, the Democratic Party has turned into more like a pressure group. Electoral overhauls that were designed to ensure only patriots administer the city effectively shut out all pro-democracy politicians in the legislature and district councils. The party pressed on by holding news conferences on livelihood issues. It even submitted opinions on a homegrown national security legislation before it was enacted in March 2024.Earlier this year, the party decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures involved in dissolving itself, and its leadership secured members mandate to move closer to this goal. Regression of freedomsFormer chairperson Yeung Sum in Sundays news conference said the partys disbandment indicated the regression of Hong Kong from being a free and liberal society. He said the route to implementing democracy after the 1997 handover wasnt a total failure, saying the city had just gone halfway through that path.Yeung said if one day, there could be a review of the one country, two systems principle, which Beijing uses to govern Hong Kong, and it could move back toward being more open, the city would have a better future. Now, its a low point, but we havent lost all hope, he said. On whether Hong Kong will still have a democracy movement, Lo said it depends on every Hong Konger, highlighting that universal suffrage is promised under the citys mini-constitution. If Hong Kong people believe that democracy is the way to go, I believe that they will keep on striving for democracy. KANIS LEUNG Leung covers Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong. twitter

New Zealand's Alice Robinson speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup super-G event, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Sunday Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)2025-12-14T11:11:42Z ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) New Zealands Alice Robinson was already leading the Olympic seasons giant slalom standings. Now shes a threat in super-G, too.Robinson was leading a World Cup super-G on Sunday and in position for her first career victory in the discipline.Robinson stood 0.08 seconds ahead of Romane Miradoli of France and 0.19 ahead of Sofia Goggia of Italy.The 41-year-old American standout Lindsey Vonn was fourth, 0.27 behind. In a downhill on Friday, Vonn became the oldest winner in the circuits history. Vonn then finished second in another downhill on Saturday.Mikaela Shiffrin, the holder of a record 104 World Cup victories, missed the final gate of her first speed race in nearly two years.Emma Aicher, the German skier who won Saturdays downhill, lost control coming over a jump early in her run and fell. But she got right back up and appeared uninjured. Lower-ranked skiers were still coming down the course.Robinson has won two of the four giant slaloms this season but had never finished better than fourth in a super-G.Now shes shaping up as a two-discipline threat for the Milan Cortina Olympics. Womens Alpine skiing at the Feb. 6-22 Winter Games will be held in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy.All six of Robinsons World Cup victories have come in giant slalom.The circuit now shifts to Val dIsere, France, for more speed racing next weekend.___AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

The Tigers have agreed to a 1-year contract with veteran closer Kenley Jansen, sources told ESPN.

Updated inactives and analysis based on the latest reports and official announcements leading up to kickoff.

Two gunman opened fire at dozens of people who were at a Jewish holiday event. At least 11 people were killed in the attack, and so was one of the shooters, the police said.