The Falcons fired Raheem Morris despite a four-game winning streak to end the regular season. Here's what to know about the latest firings.

The final week of the 2025 NFL regular season didn't stop teams from being petty, including one coming off a big win.

A summary of the best fantasy performances, biggest storylines, surprises and disappointments, along with the usual dose of historical perspective.

The Raiders, Jets and Cardinals hold the top three picks in the 2026 NFL draft. See the rest of the order -- plus each team's top need -- after the regular season.

Frankenstein took several early trophies, including best supporting actor for Jacob Elordi. In TV, Adolescence and The Pitt were top winners.

Former Iowa State standout Rocco Becht, one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the NCAA transfer portal, committed to Penn State, he told ESPN in a phone interview Sunday, a program that will allow him to continue to play for coach Matt Campbell.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni stood by the decision to rest most of his starters in a Week 18 loss to the Commanders despite it costing them a chance for the No. 2 seed.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said following the team's 14-12 season-ending loss to the Raiders on Sunday that he is undecided on his future and when he will make a decision.

Bears coach Ben Johnson wasn't happy with his team's offense in a 19-16 loss to the Lions while QB Caleb Williams admitted Chicago came out "flat."

Former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the top player in the NCAA transfer portal, is committing to Texas Tech, he told ESPN.

Even a four-game win streak to end the season couldn't stop the firings, so where do the Falcons turn now?

With the playoff field solidified, Week 18 gave fans highlight plays and headline-worthy quotes.

The Steelers won the AFC North title and secured last NFL playoff spot with a dramatic 26-24 win over Ravens on Sunday night.

Here are games we are eyeing for bets going into wild-card weekend.

In a rock fight that morphed into a fourth-quarter track meet, Pittsburgh edges Baltimore to advance.

A look at the top quarterbacks who are on the move this offseason.

A small town set amid a smattering of baobab trees is grappling with the aftermath of a bombing ordered by President Trump.

President Miguel Daz-Canel said the casualties were from Cubas armed forces or interior ministry. The country is a longstanding ally of Venezuela.

As the war grinds on, sophisticated Russian defenses have pushed Ukraine to develop a frightening new weapon: semiautonomous killing machines.

In what is likely to be the final game at Highmark Stadium, the Buffalo Bills on Sunday handled the New York Jets, 35-8, much to the delight of their loyal fans, who often braved wet and frigid elements in the Orchard Park, New York facility for 53 years.

Suns star Devin Booker drained a step-back 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to hand the Thunder their sixth loss this season.

Acting President Delcy Rodrguez struck a more diplomatic tone than she had on Saturday, inviting the United States to work together on a cooperative agenda.

On Air Force One, President Trump threatened Colombia and its president, described Cuba as ready to fall and reasserted his desire to acquire Greenland.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro places his hand over his hear while talking to high-ranking officers during a military ceremony on his inauguration day for a third term, in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)2026-01-05T07:59:39Z NEW YORK (AP) Deposed Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro is set to make his first appearance Monday in an American courtroom on the narco-terrorism charges the Trump administration used to justify capturing him and bringing him to New York.Maduro and his wife are expected to appear at noon before a judge for a brief, but required, legal proceeding that will likely kick off a prolonged legal fight over whether he can be put on trial in the U.S. The couple will be brought from a Brooklyn jail to a Manhattan courthouse just around the corner from the one where President Donald Trump was convicted in 2024 of falsifying business records.As a criminal defendant in the U.S. legal system, Maduro will have the same rights as any other person accused of a crime including the right to a trial by a jury of regular New Yorkers. But hell also be nearly but not quite unique. Maduros lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of state.Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriegaunsuccessfully tried the same defense after the U.S. captured him in a similar military invasion in 1990. But the U.S. doesnt recognize Maduro as Venezuelas legitimate head of state particularly after a much-disputed 2024 reelection. Venezuelas new interim president, Delcy Rodrguez, has demanded that the U.S. return Maduro, who long denied any involvement in drug trafficking although late Sunday she also struck a more conciliatory tone in a social media post, inviting collaboration with Trump and respectful relations with the U.S. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Before his capture, Maduro and his allies claimed U.S. hostility was motivated by lust for Venezuelas rich oil and mineral resources. The U.S. seized Maduro and his wife in a military operation Saturday, capturing them in their home on a military base. Trump said the U.S. would run Venezuela temporarily, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that it would not govern the country day-to-day other than enforcing an existing " oil quarantine. Trump suggested Sunday that he wants to extend American power further in the western hemisphere. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he called Colombias president, Gustavo Petro, a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States. And hes not going to be doing it very long.He called on Venezuelas Rodriguez to provide total access to her country, or else face consequences.A 25-page indictment made public Saturday accuses Maduro and others of working with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. They could face life in prison if convicted. It wasnt clear as of Sunday whether Maduro had hired a U.S. lawyer yet.He and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been under U.S. sanctions for years, making it illegal for any American to take money from them without first securing a license from the Treasury Department.While the indictment against Maduro says Venezuelan officials worked directly with the Tren de Aragua gang, a U.S. intelligence assessment published in April, drawing on input from the intelligence communitys 18 agencies, found no coordination between Tren de Aragua and the Venezuelan government. Maduro, his wife and his son who remains free are charged along with Venezuelas interior and justice minister, a former interior and justice minister and Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, an alleged Tren de Aragua leader who has been criminally charged in another case and remains at large. Among other things, the indictment accuses Maduro and his wife of ordering kidnappings, beatings and murders of those who owed them drug money or undermined their drug trafficking operation. That included a local drug boss killing in Caracas, the indictment said. Maduros wife is also accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between a large-scale drug trafficker and the director of Venezuelas National Anti-Drug Office, resulting in additional monthly bribes, with some of the money going to Maduros wife, according to the indictment.___Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One and Joshua Goodman in Miami contributed to this report. MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement, courts and prisons. He is based in New York. twitter mailto JOHN HANNA Hanna covers politics and state government in Kansas for The Associated Press. Hes worked for the AP in Topeka since 1986. twitter mailto

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, left, smiles at Venezuelan Defense Minister Padrino Lopez, as they take the route that the body of late President Hugo Chavez was transported to his final resting place, during the activities marking the 10th anniversary of Chavez's death, in Caracas, Venezuela, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)2026-01-04T23:37:12Z MEXICO CITY (AP) As uncertainty simmers in Venezuela, interim President Delcy Rodrguez has taken the place of her ally President Nicols Maduro, captured by the United States in a nighttime military operation, and offered to collaborate with the Trump administration in what could be a seismic shift in relations between the adversary governments.Rodrguez served as Maduros vice president since 2018, overseeing much of Venezuelas oil-dependent economy and its feared intelligence service, and was next in the presidential line of succession.Shes part of a band of senior officials in Maduros administration that now appears to control Venezuela, even as U.S. President Donald Trump and other officials say they will pressure the government to fall in line with its vision for the oil-rich nation.On Saturday, Venezuelas high court ordered her to assume the role of interim president, and the leader was backed by Venezuelas military. Ally or adversary Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks to supporters during a rally in defense of a proposed bill titled, Law against fascism, neofascism and similar expressions, in discussion by lawmakers, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File) Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks to supporters during a rally in defense of a proposed bill titled, Law against fascism, neofascism and similar expressions, in discussion by lawmakers, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File) 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 Rodrguez, a 56-year-old lawyer and politician has had a lengthy career representing the revolution started by the late Hugo Chvez on the world stage. Its been unclear if the leader would warm up to the Trump administration or follow the same adversarial line as her predecessor. Her rise to become interim leader of the South American country came as a surprise on Saturday morning, when Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in communication with Rodrguez and that the Venezuelan leader was gracious and would work with the American government. Rubio said Rodrguez was someone the administration could work with, unlike Maduro. But in a televised address, Rodrguez gave no indication that she would cooperate with Trump, referring to his government as extremists and maintaining that Maduro was Venezuelas rightful leader.What is being done to Venezuela is an atrocity that violates international law, Rodrguez said, surrounded by high-ranking civilian officials and military leaders. Trump warned on Sunday, if Rodrguez didnt fall in line, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro. He added that he wanted her to provide total access, from oil facilities to basic infrastructure like roads, so they can be rebuilt. Trumps comments also followed Rubio having asserted in TV interviews on Sunday that he didnt see Rodrguez and her government as legitimate because he said the country never held free and fair elections. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks about the presidential election results with foreign ambassadors and accredited diplomatic corps at the Foreign Ministry in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks about the presidential election results with foreign ambassadors and accredited diplomatic corps at the Foreign Ministry in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) 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 President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) 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 On Sunday, in statements posted to her Instagram, she took a major shift in tone in a conciliatory message where she said she hoped to build respectful relations with Trump.We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence, she wrote.Rise to interim presidentA lawyer educated in Britain and France, the interim president and her brother, Jorge Rodrguez, head of the Maduro-controlled National Assembly, have sterling leftist credentials born from tragedy. Their father was a socialist leader who was arrested for his involvement in the kidnapping of American business owner William Niehous in 1976, and later died in police custody. Unlike many in Maduros inner circle, the Rodrguez siblings have avoided criminal indictment in the U.S., though the interim president did face U.S. sanctions during Trumps first term for her role in undermining Venezuelan democracy. Rodrguez held a number of lower-level positions under Chvezs government, but gained prominence working under Maduro to the point of being seen as his successor. She served the economic minister, foreign affairs minister, petroleum minister and others help stabilize Venezuelas endemically crisis-stricken economy after years of rampant inflation and turmoil. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right, talks with Vice President Delcy Rodriguez during a meeting with international observers in Caracas, Venezuela, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right, talks with Vice President Delcy Rodriguez during a meeting with international observers in Caracas, Venezuela, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) 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 Rodrguez developed strong ties with Republicans in the oil industry and on Wall Street who balked at the notion of U.S.-led regime change. The interim president also presided over an assembly promoted by Maduro in response to street protests in 2017 meant to neutralize the opposition-majority legislature.She enjoys a close relationship with the military, which has long acted as the arbiter of political disputes in Venezuela, said Ronal Rodrguez, a spokesperson for the Venezuela Observatory of Rosario University in Bogota, Colombia.She has a very particular relationship with power, he said. She has developed very strong ties with elements of the armed forces and has managed to establish lines of dialogue with them, largely on a transactional basis.Future in powerIts unclear how long Rodrguez will hold power, or how closely she will work with the Trump administration.Geoff Ramsey, a senior nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington research institute, said Rodrguezs initially firm tone with the Trump administration may have been an attempt to save face. Others have noted that Maduros capture required some level of collaboration within the Venezuelan government. She cant exactly expect to score points with her revolutionary peers if she presents herself as a patsy for U.S. interests, Ramsey said. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez attends a meeting with Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro at the Humboldt Hotel at El Avila mountain in La Guaira, Venezuela, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez attends a meeting with Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro at the Humboldt Hotel at El Avila mountain in La Guaira, Venezuela, Sept. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) 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 Venezuelas constitution requires an election within 30 days whenever the president becomes permanently unavailable to serve. Reasons listed include death, resignation, removal from office or abandonment of duties as declared by the National Assembly.That electoral timeline was rigorously followed when Maduros predecessor, Chavez, died of cancer in 2013. However, the loyalist Supreme Court, in its decision Saturday, cited another provision of the charter in declaring Maduros absence a temporary one. In such a scenario, there is no election requirement. Instead, the vice president, an unelected position, takes over for up to 90 days a period that can be extended to six months with a vote of the National Assembly.In handing temporary power to Rodrguez, the Supreme Court made no mention of the 180-day time limit, leading some to speculate she could try to remain in power even longer as she seeks to unite the disparate factions of the ruling socialist party while shielding it from what would certainly be a stiff electoral challenge. Janetsky reported from Mexico City and Debre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Associated Press writers Joshua Goodman in Miami, Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One and Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report. MEGAN JANETSKY Megan Janetsky covers migration, conflict, human rights and politics in Mexico and Central America for The AP based in Mexico City. Previously, she covered Cuba and the Caribbean for The AP and worked as freelance journalist in Colombia, reporting across South America. twitter instagram facebook mailto 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

The ships are using deceptive tactics as part of a seemingly coordinated attempt to bypass American naval forces in the region.

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What happened: Judge Jennifer Green, who oversees the Maricopa Superior Courts criminal department, has quietly rolled out a program to facilitate quicker resolutions to death penalty cases in Arizonas most-populous county.The court has begun issuing orders for the prosecution and defense to participate in settlement conferences two years after a notice to seek the death penalty is filed, according to a statement from the court. The orders are meant to encourage settlement talks in capital cases, which often drag on for many years only to end with prosecutors reducing the charges.Court officials said current and retired judges will conduct the hearings.Why its happening: An investigation by ProPublica and ABC15 Arizona in June found that prosecutors in the Maricopa County Attorneys Office have frequently pursued the death penalty but rarely secured death sentences.In nearly 350 such cases over 20 years, just 13% ended in a death sentence. The outcomes raised questions about the offices judgment in pursuing the death penalty, said former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, who called for a review of capital charging decisions after the news organizations shared their findings with him.Once you allege death, the whole game changes, Romley told ProPublica and ABC15 at the time. So many more resources go into that particular case.Capital cases can be litigated across the terms of multiple county attorneys and cost more than a million dollars each to prosecute. In the hundreds of Maricopa County death penalty cases pursued since 2007, the cost of furnishing the accused with an adequate defense alone has totaled $289 million. That figure did not include the costs of the prosecution, which the county attorneys office said are not recorded in a way that can be tracked separately.Romley applauded the court for implementing the settlement conferences. The courts have recognized this isnt the right way to be doing this, he said, adding that the orders could speed up other aspects of the cases, such as discovery. Victims could also benefit from quicker resolution, he said. If I was county attorney, I would be embracing it, he said.Arizona resumed executions in 2025 after a two-year pause. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, in 2022 ordered a review of the states lethal injection process, but she dismissed the retired federal magistrate judge she had appointed to conduct the analysis after he determined that lethal injection is not humane, he said.There are 107 people on Arizonas death row.What people are saying: Rosemarie Pea-Lynch, director of public defense services for Maricopa County, said in a statement that public defenders are committed to a process that offers an opportunity to explore potential case resolutions while safeguarding the constitutional rights of our clients.Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, a Republican, said at a news conference in November that she is for anything that would speed up this process. But, she added, prosecutors seek death in cases where we think the death penalty is warranted.Asked about holding settlement conferences two years into such cases, she said: Its not typically a situation where the death penalty is dropped on a whim of a plea agreement. Its dropped because maybe evidence changes, or, for example, witnesses die, or something like that. Whether it will help or not, I dont know, but if it does thats great.Whats next: Last month, Green issued an order in a death penalty case to schedule a settlement hearing within two years. Greens order, in a case against two men accused of murdering a Tempe woman, cites a criminal procedure rule mandating capital cases be resolved within 24 months of the states notice to seek death.On Dec. 3, Mitchell announced that her office would seek the death penalty againstCudjoe Young and Sencere Hayes, who were previously charged with the April 17, 2023, murder of 22-year-old Mercedes Vega. Young and Hayes have pleaded not guilty.An autopsy report showed Vega, who was still alive when she was left in a burning Chevrolet Malibu, died of blunt force injuries and had been shot in the arm. A medical examiner also found bleach in her throat, according to ABC15.We will continue to pursue justice for Mercedes Vega and her family, Mitchell said in a statement.Read the InvestigationArizonas Largest County Frequently Pursues the Death Penalty. It Rarely Secures That Sentence.The post Arizona Judges Launch Effort Seeking Quicker Resolutions to Death Penalty Cases appeared first on ProPublica.

The high cost of forgetting what world war is really like.

One year later, we havent really begun to reckon with the real meaning of the Los Angeles fires.

French President's wife Brigitte Macron arrives ahead of the ceremony outside "La Belle Equipe" bar, Thursday Nov. 13, 2025 in Paris as part of ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of terrorist attacks. (Ludovic Marin, Pool photo via AP, File)2026-01-05T06:07:43Z PARIS (AP) A Paris court found Monday 10 people guilty of cyberbullying Frances first lady Brigitte Macron by spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations she was born a man.The court convicted all defendants to sentences ranging from a cyberbullying awareness training to 8-month suspended prison sentences.The court pointed to particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious comments referring to false claims regarding alleged trans identity and alleged pedo criminality targeting Brigitte Macron.The defendants, eight men and two women aged 41 to 65, are accused of having posted numerous malicious comments falsely claiming that President Emmanuel Macron s wife was born a man and linking their 24-year age gap to pedophilia. Some of the posts were viewed tens of thousands of times.Brigitte Macron did not attend the two-day trial in October. Speaking on TF1 national television Sunday, she said she launched legal proceedings to set an example in the fight against harassment. Her daughter, Tiphaine Auzire, testified about what she described as the deterioration of her mothers life since the online harassment intensified. She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her, Auzire told the court. She said the impact has extended to the entire family, including Macrons grandchildren. Defendant Delphine Jegousse, 51, who is known as Amandine Roy and describes herself as a medium and an author, is considered to have played a major role in spreading the rumor after she released a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021. She was given a 6-month prison sentence. The X account of Aurlien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known as Zo Sagan on social media, was suspended in 2024 after his name was cited in several judicial investigations. Poirson-Atlan was given an 8-month prison sentence. Other defendants include an elected official, a teacher and a computer scientist. Several told the court their comments were intended as humor or satire and said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted. The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely alleging that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually the name of her brother. The Macrons have also filed a defamation suit in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens.The Macrons, who have been married since 2007, first met at the high school where he was a student and she was a teacher. Brigitte Macron, 24 years her husbands senior, was then called Brigitte Auzire, a married mother of three.Emmanuel Macron, 48, has been Frances president since 2017. SYLVIE CORBET Corbet is an Associated Press reporter based in Paris. She covers French politics, diplomacy and defense as well as gender issues and breaking news. twitter

Guinea's President, Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, arrives with his wife, Lauriane Doumbouya, to cast their votes in the presidential election in Conakry, Guinea, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Fode Toure)2026-01-05T05:53:04Z CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) The Supreme Court in Guinea on Sunday upheld the election victory of Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, cementing the junta leaders transition to a democratically elected president four years after staging a coup in the West African nation.Doumbouya won the countrys first election since the 2021 coup after polling 86.7% of the votes, according to the General Directorate of Elections. His victory, which had been predicted by analysts, was confirmed by the Supreme Court in the capital Conakry.Today, there are neither winners nor losers. There is only one Guinea, united and indivisible, Doumbouya said in a broadcast late Sunday, calling on citizens to build a new Guinea, a Guinea of peace, justice, shared prosperity, and fully assumed political and economic sovereignty.Yero Bald, the runner-up who won 6.59% of the vote, had filed a petition accusing the electoral body of manipulating the results in Doumbouyas favor. But authorities said he withdrew the petition a day before the Supreme Court verdict. The Dec. 28 election was held under a new constitution that revoked a ban on military leaders running for office and extended the presidential mandate from five years to seven years. Critics say Doumbouya has clamped down on political opponents and dissent since the 2021 coup, leaving him with no major opposition among the eight other candidates in the race. The weakened opposition focused attention on Mamadi Doumbouya as the only key figure capable of ensuring the continuity of the state, said NFaly Guilavogui, a Guinean political analyst. Guineans are waiting to see what efforts he will make to ensure political stability and reconciliation, Guilavogui added.Despite the countrys rich mineral resources including the worlds biggest exporter of bauxite, which is used to make aluminum, more than half of its 15 million people are experiencing record levels of poverty and food insecurity, according to the World Food Program.The juntas most important initiative has been a mega-mining project at Simandou, the worlds largest iron ore deposit. The 75% Chinese-owned project began production in December after decades of delays. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Plus, data centers in space?

President Trumps comments about Greenland, Colombia and Cuba offered a glimpse of how emboldened he feels after the quick capture of Nicols Maduro.

A new study found that the courts Republican appointees voted for the wealthier side in cases 70 percent of the time in 2022, up from 45 percent in 1953.

Families of the victims and survivors of the 2022 elementary school shooting in Texas are expected to testify.

The Trump administration is lifting regulations, and deal making is heating up. For Jamie Dimon, being JPMorgan Chases chief executive was more lucrative in 2025 than ever.

Israeli soldiers cross the security fence moving towards the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)2026-01-05T11:39:21Z BEIRUT (AP) Syrian and Israeli officials are set to resume U.S.-mediated talks in Paris in hopes of reaching a security agreement to defuse tensions between the two countries, a Syrian official said Monday.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press that the delegation on the Syrian side will be headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and the head of the General Intelligence Directorate, Hussein Salameh.The official said Syrias main aim in the talks is to reactivate a 1974 disengagement agreement that established a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria and to secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, who seized control of that buffer zone more than a year ago.In December 2024, insurgents led by Syrias now-interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa ousted the countrys longtime autocratic leader, Bashar Assad, in a lightning offensive. Al-Sharaa said he has no desire for a conflict with Israel. But Israel was suspicious of the new Islamist-led leadership and quickly moved to take control of the buffer zone. It has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian military facilities and periodic incursions into villages outside the buffer zone, which have sometimes led to violent confrontations with residents. Israel has said its presence is temporary to clear out pro-Assad remnants and militants in order to protect Israel from attacks. But it has given no indication its forces would leave anytime soon. Talks between the two countries to reach a security agreement had stalled last year. In the new round of discussions, the Syrian official said, Damascus will seek the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the lines prior to Dec. 8, 2024, within the framework of a reciprocal security agreement that prioritizes full Syrian sovereignty and guarantees the prevention of any form of interference in the countrys internal affairs.Israeli officials did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack declined to comment.-Associated Press writer Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed to this report. ABBY SEWELL Sewell is the Associated Press news director for Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. She joined the AP in 2022 but has been based in the region since 2016, reporting and guiding coverage on some of its most significant news stories. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump waves as he arrives on Air Force One, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2026-01-05T05:29:07Z MEXICO CITY (AP) In his celebratory news conference on the U.S. capture of Venezuelan strongman leader Nicols Maduro, President Donald Trump set out an extraordinarily forthright view of the use of U.S. power in Latin America that exposed political divisions from Mexico to Argentina as Trump-friendly leaders rise across the region.American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again, Trump proclaimed just hours before Maduro was perp-walked through the offices of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New York.The scene marked a stunning culmination of months of escalation in Washingtons confrontation with Caracas that has reawakened memories of a past era of blatant U.S. interventionism in the region.Since assuming office less than a year ago and promptly renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America Trump has launched boat strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean, ordered a naval blockade on Venezuelan oil exports and meddled in elections in Honduras and Argentina. Through a combination of tariffs, sanctions and military force, he has pressured Latin American leaders to advance his administrations goals of combating drug trafficking, halting immigration, securing strategic natural resources and countering the influence of Russia and China. The new, aggressive foreign policy which Trump now calls the Donroe Doctrine, in reference to 19th-century President James Monroes belief that the U.S. should dominate its sphere of influence has carved the hemisphere into allies and foes. The Trump administration in multiple different ways has been trying to reshape Latin American politics, said Gimena Sanchez, Andes director for the Washington Office on Latin America, a think tank. Theyre showing their teeth in the whole region. Reactions to US raid put regional divisions on displaySaturdays dramatic events including Trumps vow that Washington would run Venezuela and seize control of its oil sector galvanized opposite sides of the polarized continent.Argentine President Javier Milei, Trumps ideological soulmate, characterized one side as supporting democracy, the defense of life, freedom and property. On the other side, he added, are those accomplices of a narco-terrorist and bloody dictatorship that has been a cancer for our region.Other right-wing leaders in South America similarly seized on Maduros ouster to declare their ideological affinity with Trump. In Ecuador, conservative President Daniel Noboa issued a stern warning for all followers of Hugo Chvez, Maduros mentor and the founder of the Bolivarian revolution: Your structure will completely collapse across the entire continent.In Chile, where a presidential election last month marked by fears over Venezuelan immigration brought down the leftist government, far-right President-elect Jos Antonio Kast hailed the U.S. raid as great news for the region. But left-wing presidents in Latin America including Brazils Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, Mexicos Claudia Sheinbaum, Chiles Gabriel Boric and Colombias Gustavo Petro expressed grave concerns over what they saw as U.S. bullying. Lula said the raid set an extremely dangerous precedent. Sheinbaum warned it jeopardizes regional stability. Boric said it violated an essential pillar of international law. Petro called it aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America. Trump has previously punished or threatened all four leaders for failing to fall in line with his demands, while boosting and bailing out allies who show loyalty.The attack recalls a painful history of US interventionFor Lula among the last surviving icons of the so-called pink tide, the leftist leaders who dominated Latin American politics from the turn of the 21st century Trumps military action in Venezuela recalls the worst moments of interference in the politics of Latin America.Those moments range from American troops occupying Central American and Caribbean nations to promote the interests of U.S. companies like Chiquita in the early 1900s to Washington supporting repressive military dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay to fend off Soviet influence in the 1970s. The historical echoes in Maduros downfall fueled not only harsh condemnations and street protests among Trumps left-wing opponents but also uneasy responses from some of his close allies.Usually effusive in his support for Trump, President Nayib Bukele was oddly quiet in El Salvador, a nation still scarred by a brutal civil war between a repressive U.S.-allied government and leftist guerillas. He posted a meme mocking Maduro after his capture Saturday, but expressed none of the jubilation seen from regional counterparts. In Bolivia, where old anti-American dogmas die hard due to memories of the bloody U.S.-backed war on drugs, new conservative President Rodrigo Paz praised Maduros removal insomuch as it fulfilled the true popular will of Venezuelans who tried to vote the autocrat out of office in a 2024 election widely seen as fraudulent. Bolivia reaffirms that the way out for Venezuela is to respect the vote, Paz said.His message didnt age well. Hours later, Trump announced he would work with Maduros loyalist vice president, Delcy Rodrguez, rather than the opposition that prevailed in the 2024 election.The Trump administration, it appears at this point, is making decisions about the democratic future of Venezuela without referring back to the democratic result, said Kevin Whitaker, former deputy chief of mission for the State Department in Caracas.When asked Sunday about when Venezuela will hold democratic elections, Trump responded: I think were looking more at getting it fixed.As the right rises, Trump puts enemies on noticeThe Trump administrations attack on Venezuela extends its broader crusade to assemble a column of allied or at least acquiescent governments in Latin America, sailing with the political winds blowing in much of the region. Recent presidential elections from Chile to Honduras have elevated tough, Trump-like leaders who oppose immigration, prioritize security and promise a return to better, bygone eras free of globalization and wokeness. The president is going to be looking for allied and partner nations in the hemisphere who share his kind of broader ideological affinity, said Alexander Gray, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington research institute.Those who dont share that ideology were put on notice this weekend. Trump said Cubas Communist government looks like its ready to fall. He slammed Sheinbaums failure to root out Mexican cartels, saying that somethings going to have to be done with Mexico. He repeated allegations that Petro likes making cocaine and warned that hes not going to be doing it very long. Were in the business of having countries around us that are viable and successful, where the oil is allowed to really come out, he told reporters Sunday on Air Force One. Its our hemisphere.___DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Associated Press writers Maria Verza in Mexico City and Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One 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 MEGAN JANETSKY Megan Janetsky covers migration, conflict, human rights and politics in Mexico and Central America for The AP based in Mexico City. Previously, she covered Cuba and the Caribbean for The AP and worked as freelance journalist in Colombia, reporting across South America. twitter instagram facebook mailto

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama rings the bell during a ceremony marking the start of trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)2026-01-05T02:02:52Z BANGKOK (AP) Oil prices fell back Monday while the prices of precious metals surged as markets reacted calmly to the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a weekend raid. Asian shares rallied on heavy buying of tech-related stocks after modest gains Friday on Wall Street. The future for the S&P 500 was up 0.2% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was virtually unchanged. In early European trading, Germanys DAX was up 0.8% at 24,728.94, while the CAC 40 in Paris picked up 0.3% to 8,216.98. Britains FTSE 100 edged 0.2% higher, to 9,968.71. While the capture of Venezuelan president Maduro by American forces has dominated headlines, financial markets seem unperturbed, Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics said in a report. We agree with the implicit view that the near-term economic and financial implications are minor. Shortly after trading began Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose slightly. But it later was trading 36 cents lower at $56.96 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up 34 cents to $60.41 per barrel. After years of neglect and international sanctions, Venezuelas oil industry is in disrepair. It could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically. But some analysts expect its current output of about 1.1 million barrels a day could double or triple fairly quickly. With oil levels already plentiful, crude already was trading near its lowest level in about six months. In any case, the U.S. move rippled through financial markets as traders maneuvered to account for the uncertainty brought on President Donald Trumps unusual military operation and his insistence that the U.S. will be running Venezuela following its Maduros ouster.The price of gold rose 2.7% and silver jumped 6.6%. Such assets are often considered safe havens in times of geopolitical turmoil. Investors are happy to own risk, but they want insurance in the drawer. This is confidence with a hedge, not euphoria, Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.Share prices in Asia shot sharply higher.In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 jumped 3% to 51,832.80, its highest close since it hit a record of 52,411.34 on Oct. 31. The index closed at a year end high for 2025 and only resumed trading on Monday.Looking at the environment surrounding the markets, continuously, there are various risk factors. We must keep an eye on geopolitical risks in Ukraine, the Middle East and East Asia, the U.S.-China trade war, monetary policies in other countries and their development, and corporate performance trends in Japan, Hiromi Yamaji, CEO of the Japan Exchange Group, said in the markets traditional New Year opening ceremony.South Koreas Kospi surged 3.4% to 4,457.52, a record. It also ended Friday with a record high close.Australias S&P/ASX 200 closed flat at 8,728.60, while Taiwans benchmark climbed 2.6%.In other trading early Monday, the dollar rose to 156.88 Japanese yen from 156.82 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1680 from $1.1726. This week is the first full week of the new year. It will bring several closely watched U.S. economic updates, some of the last big updates the Fed will see before its next meeting at the end of January.On the agenda are private reports on the status of the services sector, which is the largest part of the U.S. economy, along with consumer sentiment. Government reports on the job market will also be released. The hope is theyll help paint a clearer picture of how various parts of the U.S. economy closed out 2025 and where it might be headed in 2026.On Friday, U.S. stocks eked out small gains to kick off the new year.The S&P 500 rose 0.2% and the Dow rose 0.7%. The Nasdaq composite fell less than 0.1%, was weighed down by a 2.2% loss for Microsoft and a 2.6% decline for Tesla, after it reported falling sales for a second year in a row.Nvidia, Microsoft and Tesla are among the most valuable companies in the world and their outsized valuations give them more influence on the stock markets direction. That includes sometimes pushing the market up and down from hour to hour.___Associated Press video journalist Mayuko Ono contributed from Tokyo. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the APs business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto

Members of the press take photographs of a bluefin tuna that won the highest bid at the annual New Year auction displayed at Sushi Zanmai restaurant in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)2026-01-05T02:26:56Z TOKYO (AP) A massive 243-kilogram (535-pound) bluefin tuna sold for a record 510 million yen ($3.2 million) at the first auction of 2026 at Tokyos Toyosu fish market. The top bidder for the prized tuna at the predawn auction on Monday was Kiyomura Corp., whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura, who has won the annual action many times in the past, broke the previous record of 334 million yen ($2.1 million) he set in 2019. Wholesalers and buyers take part in the New Years tuna auction at Toyosu fish market in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) Wholesalers and buyers take part in the New Years tuna auction at Toyosu fish market in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) 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 Kimura later told reporters he was hoping to pay a bit less for it, but the price shot up before you knew it.The auction started when the bell rang, and the floor was filled with torpedo-shaped fish with their tails cut off so bidders could examine meat details such as color, texture and fattiness while walking around the rows of tuna.The pricey fish was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, a region widely regarded for producing some of the countrys finest tuna, and costs 2.1 million yen ($13,360) per kilogram ($6,060 per pound).Its in part for good luck, Kimura said. But when I see a good looking tuna, I cannot resist ... I havent sampled it yet, but its got to be delicious. Hundreds of tuna are sold daily at the early morning auction, but prices are significantly higher than usual for the Oma tuna, especially at the celebratory New Year auction. Due to the popularity of tuna for sushi and sashimi, Pacific bluefin tuna was previously a threatened species due to climate change and overfishing, but its stock is recovering following conservation efforts. Wholesalers inspect bluefin tuna at the New Years tuna auction at Toyosu fish market in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) Wholesalers inspect bluefin tuna at the New Years tuna auction at Toyosu fish market in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) 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 RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Nature, Published online: 05 January 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-04151-9An astute book redresses our collective perception of a field that became known as boys physics.

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