President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-12-05T15:15:23Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Federal Reserves preferred measure of inflation slowed a bit in September, likely easing the way to a widely expected interest rate cut by the central bank next week.Prices rose 0.3% in September from August, the Commerce Department said Friday, the same as the previous month. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2% in September from August, the same as the previous month and a pace that if it continued for a year would bring inflation closer to the Feds 2% target.Compared with a year ago, overall prices rose 2.8%, up slightly from 2.7% in August. Core prices also rose 2.8% from a year earlier, a small decline from the previous months figure of 2.9%.The data, which was delayed for five weeks by the government shutdown, show that inflation was muted in September and will bolster the case for a cut to the Feds key interest rate at its next meeting Dec. 9-10. Inflation remains above the central banks 2% target, partly because of President Donald Trumps tariffs, but many Fed officials argue that weak hiring, modest economic growth, and slowing wage gains will steadily reduce price gains in the coming months.The Fed is facing a tricky decision next week: It would typically keep rates high to fight inflation. At the same time, it is worried about weak hiring and a slowly rising unemployment rate. It hopes that reducing rates will spur more borrowing and boost the economy. CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Rugaber has covered the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for the AP for 16 years. He is a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb award for business reporting. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-12-05T14:16:24Z NEW YORK (AP) President Donald Trumps White House is taking on the role of media critic and asking for help from everyday Americans.Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the White House launched a web portal it says will spotlight bias on the part of news outlets, targeting the Boston Globe, CBS News and The Independent as its inaugural media offender of the week.Its the latest wrinkle in the fight against what Trump, back in his first term, labeled fake news. The Republican president has taken outlets like CBS News and The Wall Street Journal to court over their coverage, is fighting The Associated Press in court over media access and has moved to dismantle government-run outlets like Voice of America.Trump has also engaged in personal attacks, last month alone saying quiet, piggy, to a female reporter who was questioning him on Air Force One, calling a reporter from The New York Times ugly, both inside and out and publicly telling an ABC News journalist she was a terrible reporter. Its honestly overwhelming to keep up with it all and to constantly have to defend against this fake news and these attacks, said press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who called the new web portal an attempt to hold journalists accountable.After its debut, the White House asked for volunteers to submit their own examples of media bias. So-called journalists have made it impossible to identify every false or misleading story, which is why help from the American people is essential, Trumps press office said. Devouring the media like hot french friesDespite the attacks, Axios wrote this week that the mainstream media is ending the year as dominant as ever in capturing the presidents attention and setting Washingtons agenda, citing as one example The Washington Posts reporting on military strikes against boats with alleged drug smugglers.The irony is that Trump engages with reporters at a level he hasnt seen with any other president in his lifetime, said Axios CEO Jim VandeHei, co-author of the report with Mike Allen.Hes always bitched about the media and the press, VandeHei told The Associated Press. He gobbles this stuff up like hot McDonalds french fries. Hes a mass consumer of this. He watches it, he calls reporters, he takes calls from reporters. ... Thats always been the contradiction with him.The first media honorees were criticized for stories about Trumps reaction to Democratic lawmakers who recorded a video reminding military members they were not required to follow unlawful orders. Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition punishable by death.The White House said it was a misrepresentation to say Trump had called for their executions. The portal also said news outlets subversively implied that the president had issued illegal orders. The news articles they cited did not specifically say whether Trump had or had not ordered illegal activities.The new portal also contains an Offender Hall of Shame of articles it deems unfair and a leaderboard ranking outlets with the most pieces they object to. Twenty-one outlets are represented, led by The Washington Posts five stories. CBS News and MS NOW, the network formerly known as MSNBC, had four apiece. No news outlets that appeal to conservatives were cited for bias.Responded a Post spokeswoman: The Washington Post is proud of its accurate, rigorous journalism. Media watchdog welcomes the companyThe conservative media watchdog Media Research Center, which has accused news outlets of having a liberal bias since 1987, welcomes the company.Were pleased, said Tim Graham, MRCs director of media analysis. Its a stronger effort than Republican presidents have done before. I think all Republicans realize today that the media is on the other side and need to be identified as on the other side.VandeHei said about the portal, I cant think of anything I care less about. If they want to set up a site and point out bias, great. Its called free speech. Do it. I dont think it makes a damned bit of difference.What is damaging is a constant drumbeat of claims that what people read in the media is false. It makes people suspicious of the truth and the country suffers when were not operating from some semblance of a common truth, VandeHei said.___David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social. DAVID BAUDER Bauder is the APs national media writer, covering the intersection of news, politics and entertainment. He is based in New York. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Committee member Vicky Pebsworth, speaks during a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the CDC, Sept. 18, 2025, in Chamblee, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)2025-12-05T15:34:29Z NEW YORK (AP) A federal vaccine advisory committee voted on Friday to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day theyre born.A loud chorus of medical and public health leaders decried the actions of the panel, whose current members were all appointed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a leading anti-vaccine activist before this year becoming the nations top health official.This is the group that cant shoot straight, said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert who for decades has been involved with ACIP and its workgroups.For decades, the government has advised that all babies be vaccinated against the liver infection right after birth. The shots are widely considered to be a public health success for preventing thousands of illnesses. But Kennedys Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices decided to recommend the birth dose only for babies whose mothers test positive, and in cases where the mom wasnt tested.For other babies, it will be up to the parents and their doctors to decide if a birth dose is appropriate. The committee voted to suggest that when a family decides not to get a birth dose, then the vaccination series should begin when the child is 2 months old. The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jim ONeill, is expected to decide later whether to accept the committees recommendation. The decision marks a return to a public health strategy that was abandoned more than three decades ago. Asked why the newly-appointed committee moved quickly to reexamine the recommendation, committee member Vicky Pebsworth on Thursday cited pressure from stakeholder groups wanting the policy to be revisited. She did not say who was pressuring the committee, and a spokesman for Kennedy did not respond to a question about it. Committee members said the risk of infection for most babies is very low and that earlier research that found the shots were safe for infants was inadequate.They also worried that in many cases, doctors and nurses dont have full conversations with parents about the pros and cons of the birth-dose vaccination. The committee members voiced interest in hearing the input from public health and medical professionals, but chose to ignore the experts repeated pleas to leave the recommendations alone.Dr. Peter Hotez of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development in Houston declined to present before the group because ACIP appears to have shifted its mission away from science and evidence-based medicine, he said in an email to The Associated Press.The committee gives advice to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how approved vaccines should be used. CDC directors almost always adopted the committees recommendations, which were widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs. But the agency currently has no director, leaving acting director ONeill to decide.In June, Kennedy fired the entire 17-member panel earlier this year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices. Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that, for most people, lasts less than six months. But for some, especially infants and children, it can become a long-lasting problem that can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and scarring called cirrhosis.In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during injection drug use. But it can also be passed from an infected mother to a baby. In 1991, the committee recommended an initial dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Experts say quick immunization is crucial to prevent infection from taking root. And, indeed, cases in children have plummeted.Still, several members of Kennedys committee voiced discomfort with vaccinating all newborns. They argued that past safety studies of the vaccine in newborns was limited and its possible that larger, long-term studies could uncover a problem with the birth dose. But two members said they saw no documented evidence of harm from the birth doses and suggested concern was based on speculation.The panel was to vote Thursday, but voted to postpone after some members said they had just received the densely-worded vote proposals and wanted clarification and more time to consider it.Three panel members asked about the scientific basis for saying that the first dose should be delayed for two months for many babies.This is unconscionable, said committee member Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, who repeatedly voiced opposition to the proposal during the sometimes-heated two-day meeting.The committees chair, Dr. Kirk Milhoan, said two months was chosen as a point where infants had matured beyond the neonatal stage. Hibbeln countered that there was no data presented that two months is an appropriate cut-off. Some observers criticized the meeting, noting recent changes in how they are conducted. CDC scientists no longer present vaccine safety and effectiveness data to the committee. Instead, people who have been prominent voices in anti-vaccine circles were given those slots.The committee is no longer a legitimate scientific body, said Elizabeth Jacobs, a member of Defend Public Health, an advocacy group of researchers and others that has opposed Trump administration health policies.In a statement, she described the meeting this week as an epidemiological crime scene a slaughter of how disease control professionals usually examine and act on evidence.___AP writer Laura Ungar in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. MIKE STOBBE Stobbe mainly covers public health for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seated left and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, seated left. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)2025-12-05T13:59:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trumps administration set forth a new national security strategy that paints European allies as weak and aims to reassert Americas dominance in the Western Hemisphere. The document released Friday by the White House is sure to roil long-standing U.S. allies in Europe for its scathing critiques of their migration and free speech policies, suggesting they face the prospect of civilizational erasure and raising doubts about their long-term reliability as American partners.It reinforces, in sometimes chilly and bellicose terms, Trumps America First philosophy, which favors nonintervention overseas, questions decades of strategic relationships and prioritizes U.S. interests above all. The U.S. strategy is motivated above all by what works for America or, in two words, America First, the document said. This is the first national security strategy, a document the administration is required by law to release, since the Republican presidents return to office in January. It is a stark break from the course set by Democratic President Joe Bidens administration, which sought to reinvigorate alliances after many were rattled in Trumps first term and to check a more assertive Russia. The United States is seeking to broker an end Russias nearly 4-year war in Ukraine, a goal that the national security strategy says is in Americas vital interests. But the document makes clear the U.S. wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending that war is a core U.S. interest in order to reestablish strategic stability with Russia. The document also is critical of Americas European allies. They have found themselves sometimes at odds this year with Trumps shifting approaches to the Russia-Ukraine war, and are facing domestic economic challenges as well an existential crisis, according to the U.S. Economic stagnation in Europe is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure, the strategy document said. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/monroe-doctrineThe U.S. suggests that Europe is being enfeebled by its immigration policies, declining birthrates, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition and a loss of national identities and self-confidence. Should present trends continue, the continent will be unrecognizable in 20 years or less. As such, it is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies, the document said. Many of these nations are currently doubling down on their present path. We want Europe to remain European, to regain its civilizational self-confidence.Despite Trumps America First maxim, his administration has carried out a series of military strikes on alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean while weighing possible military action in Venezuela to pressure President Nicols Maduro. The moves are part of what the national security strategy lays out as a Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The 1823 Monroe Doctrine, formulated by President James Monroe, was originally aimed at opposing any European meddling in the Western Hemisphere and was used to justify U.S. military interventions in Latin America.Trumps strategy document says the U.S. is reimagining its military footprint in the region even after building up the largest military presence there in generations.That means, for instance, targeted deployments to secure the border and defeat cartels, including where necessary the use of lethal force to replace the failed law enforcement-only strategy of the last several decades, it says. MICHELLE L. PRICE Price covers the White House. She previously covered the 2024 presidential campaign and politics, government and other news in New York, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. She is based in Washington. twitter mailto

Options trader Joseph D'Arrigo works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)2025-12-05T05:38:03Z NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. stock market is ticking toward the edge of its all-time high on Friday as Wall Street drifts toward the finish of a quiet week.The S&P 500 rose 0.3% and is just 0.2% below its record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 46 points, or 0.1%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.4% higher. The Russell 2000 index of small stocks edged back 0.2% from its record set the day before. Netflix offered some splash and fell 2.1% after the streaming company said it would buy Warner Bros. following its split from Discovery Global. Netflix will pay $72 billion in cash and stock for the company behind HBO Max, Casablanca and Harry Potter, and Warner Bros. Discovery rose 2.6%.Ulta Beauty jumped 11% after the retailer reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Kecia Steelman said its customers are broadly feeling pressure, but Ulta saw growth across its categories, particularly in e-commerce. It raised its forecast for revenue over the full year. Another encouraging signal for the crucial holiday shopping season came from Victorias Secret & Co. It reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected, and it likewise raised its forecast for sales over the full year. Its stock jumped 14.4%. They worked against a 3.9% drop for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which reported weaker revenue for the latest quarter than analysts forecast, though its profit topped expectations. The U.S. stock market broadly has been much quieter this week. Its a respite following earlier weeks of sharp and scary swings driven by worries that too many dollars may be flowing into artificial-intelligence technology, along with concerns about what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates.After some back and forth, the widespread expectation among traders is that the Fed will cut its main interest rate next week in hopes of shoring up the slowing U.S. job market. If it does, that would be the third cut of the year. Investors love lower interest rates because they boost prices for investments and can juice the economy. The downside is that they can worsen inflation, which is stubbornly remaining above the Feds 2% target. The S&P 500 has run back toward its all-time high, which was set in late October, in large part because of expectations for a coming cut to interest rates. That leaves the question of what Fed officials will do next year on rates, with traders waiting for any clues that may come out of next weeks Fed meeting.In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady amid the wait. The yield on the 10-year Treasury held at 4.11%, where it was late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do, edged up to 3.54% from 3.52%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Germanys DAX returned 0.9%, and South Koreas Kospi jumped 1.8% for two of the worlds bigger gains.Tokyos Nikkei 225 fell 1.1% after data showed household spending in Japan fell 3.0% in October from a year earlier. It was the sharpest drop since January 2024. Japanese markets have been shaky recently after the Bank of Japan hinted that hikes to interest rates may be coming. ___AP Writer Teresa Cerojano contributed.

Pope Francis leaves at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, May 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)2025-12-05T12:02:38Z The death of Pope Francis brought change to the Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion adherents and is now led for the first time by an American pope. The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he spoke before a crowd horrified many and prompted somber conversations about political violence.And when trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre died by suicide, it brought additional scrutiny to the investigations of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They were among the noteworthy and influential people who died in 2025 where the deaths themselves had a widespread impact.The deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife became a source of both sadness and mystery after their bodies were found in their home in February. Authorities ultimately determined that Hackman, who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimers, died of heart disease, likely unaware that Betsy Arakawa had died from hantavirus a week earlier. Meanwhile, the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, which came just weeks after his farewell concert, marked the end of an era in music. The year also saw the death of boxing great George Foreman, who memorably lost a much-watched match to Muhammad Ali but whose career had inspiring second and third acts as a world champion and successful business owner. And the world said goodbye this year to Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative whose long career in public service included becoming one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history under President George W. Bush. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Here is a roll call of some influential figures who have died this year (cause of death cited, if available): ___JANUARY___Wayne Osmond, 73. The singer and guitarist was a founding member of The Osmonds, a million-album-selling family act known for such 1970s teen hits as One Bad Apple, Yo-Yo and Down By the Lazy River. Jan. 1. Rosita Missoni, 93. She was the matriarch of the iconic Italian fashion house that made colorful zigzag-patterned knitwear high fashion and helped launch Italian ready-to-wear. Jan. 1.James Arthur Ray, 67. A self-help guru, his multimillion-dollar business toppled after his sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona left three people dead. Jan. 3.Costas Simitis, 88. As prime minister, the socialist leader was the architect of Greeces joining the common European currency, the euro. Jan. 5.Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96. The founder of Frances far-right National Front was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism, earning him staunch support and widespread condemnation. Jan. 7.Peter Yarrow, 86. The singer-songwriter was best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war. Jan. 7.Nancy Leftenant-Colon, 104. The first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s retired as a major and was remembered by relatives and friends for quietly breaking down racial barriers during her long military career. Jan. 8. Sam Moore, 89. He was the higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave, known for such definitive hits of the era as Soul Man and Hold On, Im Comin. Jan. 10.David Lynch, 78. The filmmaker was celebrated for his uniquely dark and dreamlike vision in such movies as Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, and the TV series Twin Peaks. Jan. 16.Bob Uecker, 90. He parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as Mr. Baseball and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure. Jan. 16.Joan Plowright, 95. She was an award-winning British actor who, with her late husband Laurence Olivier, did much to revitalize the U.K.s theatrical scene after World War II. Jan. 16.Cecile Richards, 67. A national advocate for abortion access and womens rights, she led Planned Parenthood for 12 tumultuous years. Jan. 20.Mauricio Funes, 65. After serving as president of El Salvador, he spent the final years of his life in Nicaragua to avoid various criminal sentences. Jan. 21. Valrie Andr, 102. An aviator and parachutist with a medical degree, she was the first woman to become a general officer in France. Jan. 21.Garth Hudson, 87. The Bands virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as Up on Cripple Creek, The Weight and Rag Mama Rag. Jan. 21.Richard Williamson, 84. An ultratraditionalist Catholic bishop, his denial of the Holocaust created a scandal in 2009 when Pope Benedict XVI rehabilitated him and other members of his breakaway society. Jan. 29.Dick Button, 95. He was one of the most accomplished mens figure skaters in history, and one of his sports great innovators and promoters. Jan. 30. Marianne Faithfull, 78. The British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones greatest songs and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied. Jan. 30.___FEBRUARY___Horst Khler, 81. A managing director of the International Monetary Fund, he became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about its military. Feb. 1.Barbie Hsu, 48. A Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama Meteor Garden that swept Asia, she died of pneumonia triggered by the flu. Feb. 2.The Aga Khan, 88. He became the spiritual leader of the worlds millions of Ismaili Muslims at age 20 as a Harvard undergraduate and poured billions of dollars in tithes into building homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries. Feb. 4.Kultida Woods, 80. Tiger Woods credited his Thai-born mother with instilling his dominant spirit and encouraging him to wear red shirts on Sundays as his power color. Feb. 4.Irv Gotti, 54. A music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records, he was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists such as Ashanti and Ja Rule. Feb. 5.Tony Roberts, 85. The versatile, Tony Award-nominated performer in plays and musicals appeared in several Woody Allen movies often as Allens best friend. Feb. 7.Sam Nujoma, 95. Known as the father of Namibia, the fiery, white-bearded freedom fighter led his nations independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 and served as its first president for 15 years. Feb. 8.Anne Marie Hochhalter, 43. She lived in pain for 25 years after being partially paralyzed in the Columbine High School shooting and her death of sepsis, related to her injuries, was ruled a homicide. Feb. 16.Gene Hackman, 95. The Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains and made him one of the industrys most respected and honored performers. Feb. 18. Found dead with his wife Betsy Arakawa.Paquita la del Barrio, 77. The Mexican musical legend was known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women. Feb. 17.James Harrison, 88. He was credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades in Australia. Feb. 17.Souleymane Ciss, 84. The Malian filmmaker was a pioneer of African cinema with a career spanning 50 years. Feb. 19.Mabel Staton, 92. The Black track and field standout broke through barriers as the only woman to compete for the United States in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Feb. 20.Clint Hill, 93. The Secret Service agent leaped onto the back of President John F. Kennedys limousine after the president was shot, then was forced to retire early because he remained haunted by memories of the assassination. Feb. 21.Joe Fusco, 87. A College Football Hall of Fame coach, he won four NAIA Division II national championships in 19 years at Westminster College. Feb. 22.Roberta Flack, 88. The Grammy-winning singer and pianists intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after that. Feb. 24.Michelle Trachtenberg, 39. A former child star in the hit 1996 movie Harriet the Spy, she went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl. The cause and manner of her death were officially listed as undetermined. Feb. 26.Boris Spassky, 88. A Soviet-era world chess champion, he lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries. Feb. 27.___MARCH___Angie Stone, 63. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence who was known for the hit song Wish I Didnt Miss You, died when her van crashed. March 1.Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 70. He was a Cuban American who opposed his uncle Fidel Castro and spent 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of a politically powerful South Florida family. March 3.Carl Dean, 82. Dolly Partons devoted husband of nearly 60 years avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit Jolene. March 3.Oleg Gordievsky, 86. The Soviet KGB officer helped change the course of the Cold War by covertly passing secrets to Britain. March 4.Roy Ayers, 84. The jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist was known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit Everybody Loves the Sunshine, sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube. March 4.Robert G. Clark, 95. He was elected in 1967 as Mississippis first Black lawmaker of the 20th century and rose to the second-highest leadership role in the state House of Representatives. March 4.DWayne Wiggins, 64. He co-founded the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Tone! behind the classic songs Anniversary, It Never Rains (In Southern California) and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow. March 7.Junior Bridgeman, 71. A basketball standout who led Louisville to a Final Four, he starred for the NBAs Milwaukee Bucks and then launched an even more successful career as a business owner with stakes in restaurants, publishing and the Bucks franchise. March 11.Alan Simpson, 93. The former U.S. senator was a political legend whose quick wit bridged partisan gaps in the years before todays political acrimony. March 14.Nita Lowey, 87. The former congresswoman was a long-serving New York Democrat and the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. March 15.milie Dequenne, 43. The Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in Rosetta died of a rare form of cancer. March 16.Eddie Jordan, 76. He was a Formula 1 team owner and media personality whose humor, strong opinions and often extravagant dress sense made him a popular TV pundit after selling the team. March 20.George Foreman, 76. The fearsome heavyweight boxer lost the Rumble in the Jungle to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second and third acts as a 45-year-old world champion and a successful business owner. March 21.Kitty Dukakis, 88. The wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction. March 21.Mia Love, 49. A daughter of Haitian immigrants, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress died of brain cancer. March 23.David Childs, 83. He was the lead architect of the One World Trade Center skyscraper that rose from the site where the twin towers collapsed in New York City during the 9/11 attacks. March 26.Richard Chamberlain, 90. The handsome hero of the 1960s television series Dr. Kildare came out as gay four decades later and was known as the king of the miniseries for his roles in The Thorn Birds and Shogun. March 29.___APRIL___Val Kilmer, 65. The brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in Top Gun, donned a voluminous cape as Batman in Batman Forever and portrayed Jim Morrison in The Doors, died of pneumonia. April 1.Theodore McCarrick, 94. The formerly powerful Catholic cardinal was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children. April 3.Jay North, 73. He starred as the towheaded mischief-maker on TVs Dennis the Menace for four seasons starting in 1959. April 6.Clem Burke, 70. His versatile drumming propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades performing everything from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes. April 6.Rubby Prez, 69. Known for songs such as Volver, El Africano and Tu Vas a Volar during a career devoted to merengue, the signature musical style of the Dominican Republic, he died after a nightclub roof collapsed. April 8.Octavio Dotel, 51. He pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, and died in the same roof collapse in the Dominican Republic. April 8.Kim Shin-jo, 82. He was a North Korean commando who resettled in South Korea as a pastor after the failure of his mission to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1968. April 9.Mario Vargas Llosa, 89. The Peruvian author was a Nobel literature laureate and a giant of Latin American letters. April 13.Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 85. The former Malaysian prime minister was a moderate who extended the countrys political freedoms but was criticized for lackluster leadership. April 14.Wink Martindale, 91. The genial host of such hit game shows as Gambit and Tic-Tac-Dough also did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley. April 15.Nora Aunor, 71. She became one of the biggest stars of Philippine cinema during a career that spanned seven decades. April 16.Bob Filner, 82. A 10-term U.S. congressman, his political career ended abruptly after he was elected mayor of San Diego and driven from office amid sexual misconduct allegations. April 20.Pope Francis, 88. Historys first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for poor people but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. April 21.Steve McMichael, 67. A star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears 1985 Super Bowl championship team whose larger-than-life personality later made him a natural for professional wrestling as Ming the Merciless, he died after battling ALS. April 23.Virginia Giuffre, 41. She accused Britains Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein. An advocate for sex trafficking survivors after emerging as a central figure in Epsteins downfall, she died by suicide according to her publicist. April 25.Dick Barnett, 88. A basketball Hall of Famer, he played on both New York Knicks NBA championship teams after being part of a historic college powerhouse at Tennessee A&I. April 27.___MAY___Ruth Buzzi, 88. She rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series Rowan & Martins Laugh-In and made more than 200 television appearances during a 45-year career. May 1.Jill Sobule, 66. The award-winning singer-songwriter whose witty and poignant writing attracted widespread attention with the gay-themed song I Kissed a Girl, died in a house fire. May 1.George Ryan, 91. A tough-on-crime Republican who as Illinois governor cleared the states death row, he was disgraced by a corruption scandal that landed him in prison. May 2.David H. Souter, 85. The retired Supreme Court justice was an ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during nearly 20 years on the bench. May 8.Johnny Rodriguez, 73. The country music star was a popular Mexican American singer whose 1970s hits included I Just Cant Get Her Out of My Mind, Ridin My Thumb to Mexico and Thats the Way Love Goes. May 9.Robert Benton, 92. The Oscar-winning filmmaker co-created Bonnie and Clyde, and received mainstream validation as the writer-director of Kramer vs. Kramer and Places in the Heart. May 11.Christopher Kit Bond, 86. The Republican was Missouris youngest governor and later brought billions of dollars in federal funding to the state as a four-term U.S. senator. May 13.Jos Mujica, 89. The former Uruguayan president and Marxist guerrillas radical brand of democracy, plainspoken philosophy and simple lifestyle as a flower farmer fascinated people around the world. May 13.George Wendt, 76. An actor with an everyman charm, he played the affable barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy Cheers and performed on Broadway in Art, Hairspray and Elf. May 20.Susan Brownmiller, 90. A feminist whose landmark 1975 book Against Our Will was an intensely debated bestseller about sexual assault. May 24.Phil Robertson, 79. The Duck Dynasty patriarch turned his small duck-calling interest in the sportsmans paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon. May 25.Charles Rangel, 94. The former New York congressman was an outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. May 26.Presley Chweneyagae, 40. The South African actor gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 film Tsotsi, which won South Africas first-ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. May 27.Ngg wa Thiongo, 87. The revered Kenyan man of letters was a voice of dissent who, in dozens of fiction and nonfiction books, traced his countrys history from British imperialism to home-ruled tyranny. May 28.Bernard Kerik, 69. He served as New York Citys police commissioner on 9/11 and later pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned. May 29.Loretta Swit, 87. She won two Emmy Awards playing Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a Korean War surgical unit on the pioneering hit TV series M.A.S.H. May 30.Etienne-Emile Baulieu, 98. The French scientist was best known as the inventor of the abortion pill. May 30.___JUNE___Shigeo Nagashima, 89. He was known in Japan as Mr. Pro Baseball, one of the most famous people in the country during his playing days. June 3.Jim Marshall, 87. The former Minnesota Vikings defensive end was one of four members of the famed Purple People Eaters, the backbone of four Super Bowl teams. June 3.Nide Guidon, 92. The Brazilian archaeologist discovered hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings in northeastern Brazil, and her research challenged theories of ancient human presence in the Americas. June 4.Edgar Lungu, 68. The former Zambian president led the southern African nation from 2015 to 2021. June 5.Nina Kuscsik, 86. She campaigned for womens inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year women were officially allowed to run. June 8.Sly Stone, 82. The revolutionary musician and dynamic showman led Sly and the Family Stone, transforming popular music in the 1960s and 70s and beyond with such hits as Everyday People, Stand! and Family Affair. June 9.Frederick Forsyth, 86. The British author wrote The Day of the Jackal and other bestselling thrillers. June 9.Brian Wilson, 82. The Beach Boys visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired Good Vibrations, California Girls and other summertime anthems, becoming one of the worlds most influential recording artists. June 11.Ananda Lewis, 52. The former MTV and BET host who became a beloved television personality in the 1990s with her warmth and authenticity died of breast cancer. June 11. Anne Burrell, 55. The TV chef coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of Worst Cooks in America. June 17.Mick Ralphs, 81. The guitarist, singer and songwriter was a founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople. June 23.Bobby Sherman, 81. His winsome smile and shaggy mop top helped make him into a teen idol in the 1960s and 70s with bubblegum pop hits like Little Woman and Julie, Do Ya Love Me. June 24.Carolyn McCarthy, 81. She served nine terms in Congress after being elected in 1996 as a crusader for gun control following a mass shooting on a New York commuter train that left her husband dead and her son severely wounded. June 26.D. Wayne Lukas, 89. The Hall of Famer became one of horse racings most accomplished trainers and a face of the sport for decades. June 28.___JULY___Jimmy Swaggart, 90. The televangelist amassed an enormous following and multimillion-dollar ministry, only to be undone by his penchant for prostitutes. July 1.Alex Delvecchio, 93. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup three times in the 1950s. July 1.Michael Madsen, 67. The actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino, including Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill: Vol. 2. July 3.Muhammadu Buhari, 82. He led Nigeria twice, as a military head of state and a democratic president. July 13.Fauja Singh, 114. An Indian-born runner nicknamed the Turbaned Torpedo, believed to be the worlds oldest marathoner, died after being hit by a car. July 14.Bradley John Murdoch, 67. Known as the Outback Killer, he was convicted of murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio, who vanished in arid central Australia in 2001. July 15.Connie Francis, 87. The wholesome pop stars 1950s and 60s hits included Pretty Little Baby and Whos Sorry Now? the latter serving as an ironic title for a personal life filled with heartbreak and tragedy. July 16.Felix Baumgartner, 56. The extreme athlete stunned the world in 2012 by skydiving faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile (39-kilometer) leap from the stratosphere. He died in a paragliding crash. July 17.Alan Bergman, 99. The Oscar-winning lyricist teamed with his wife, Marilyn, in a loving partnership that produced How Do You Keep the Music Playing?, It Might Be You and the classic The Way We Were. July 17.Rex White, 95. He was NASCARs oldest living champion and a 2015 inductee into its Hall of Fame. July 18.Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54. His 40-year career as an actor and director began as teenage son Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s. He drowned in the Caribbean Sea. July 20.Thomas Anthony Durkin, 78. The criminal defense attorney was a fixture for five decades in Chicagos courthouses, known for his relentless advocacy for a roster of notorious clients. July 21.Ozzy Osbourne, 76. The gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath became the godfather of heavy metal and then a doddering dad on reality TV. July 22.Chuck Mangione, 84. The two-time Grammy Award-winning musician achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-flavored single Feels So Good and later became a voice actor on the animated TV comedy King of the Hill. July 22.Joey Jones, 70. The Welsh soccer hero won two European Cups with Liverpool and was dubbed Mr. Wrexham. July 22.Hulk Hogan, 71. The mustachioed, headscarf-wearing, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his influence into TV, pop culture and conservative politics during a long and scandal-plagued second act. July 24.Cleo Laine, 97. Her husky contralto was one of the most distinctive voices in jazz, and she was regarded by many as Britains greatest contribution to the quintessentially American genre. July 24.Dwight Muhammad Qawi, 72. The Hall of Fame fighter took up boxing in prison and became a two-weight world champion. July 25.Ryne Sandberg, 65. The Hall of Fame second baseman became one of baseballs best all-around players while starring for the Chicago Cubs. July 28.Flaco Jimenez, 86. The legendary accordionist from San Antonio won multiple Grammys as he expanded the popularity of conjunto, Tejano and Tex-Mex music. July 31.___AUGUST___Jeannie Seely, 85. She was the soulful country music singer behind such standards as Dont Touch Me. Aug. 1.Stella Rimington, 90. Dame Stella was the first female chief of Britains MI5 intelligence agency and later a successful thriller writer. Aug. 3.Loni Anderson, 79. She played a struggling radio stations empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy WKRP in Cincinnati. Aug. 3.Ion Iliescu, 95. Romanias first freely elected president after the fall of communism in 1989 later faced charges of crimes against humanity for his role in the bloody revolution. Aug. 5.James Lovell, 97. The commander of Apollo 13 helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering. Aug. 7.Myint Swe, 74. He became Myanmars acting president under controversial circumstances after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Aug. 7.William H. Webster, 101. His troubleshooting skills and integrity helped restore public confidence as director of the FBI from 1978 to 1987 and the CIA from 1987 to 1991. Aug. 8.Genshitsu Sen, 102. He promoted peace as a grand master of the Japanese tea ceremony after being trained to be a Kamikaze pilot during World War II. Aug. 14.Mike Castle, 86. The Republican moderate and former Delaware governor served 18 years in Congress, championing the popular 50 State Quarters Program. Aug. 14.Tristan Rogers, 79. He played super spy Robert Scorpio on ABCs General Hospital. Aug. 15.Terence Stamp, 87. The British actor often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films. Aug. 17.Humpy Wheeler, 86. He was a pioneering motorsports promoter as president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. Aug. 20.Frank Caprio, 88. A retired municipal judge in Rhode Island, he found online fame as a caring jurist and host of Caught in Providence. Aug. 20.James Dobson, 89. Founder of the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family, the child psychologist was a politically influential campaigner against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Aug. 21.Ron Turcotte, 84. The Hall of Fame jockey rode Secretariat to the Triple Crown in 1973. Aug. 22.Angela Mortimer Barrett, 93. She overcame partial deafness and an intestinal infection to win three Grand Slam singles titles, including the 1961 Wimbledon. Aug. 25.Randy Duke Cunningham, 83. His feats as a U.S. Navy flying ace during the Vietnam War catapulted him to Congress, where the Republican served eight House terms before pleading guilty to accepting $2.4 million in bribes. Aug. 27.___SEPTEMBER___Graham Greene, 73. A trailblazing Indigenous actor, his long career included an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in Dances with Wolves. Sept. 1.Giorgio Armani, 91. The iconic Italian designer turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire. Sept. 4.Joseph McNeil, 83. He was one of four North Carolina college students whose refusal to leave a racially segregated Woolworths lunch counter 65 years ago helped spark nonviolent civil rights sit-ins across the South. Sept. 4.The Duchess of Kent, 92. Born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, she famously broke royal protocol to hug a Wimbledon runner-up and stepped away from family duties to teach music in a public school. Sept. 4.Polly Holliday, 88. The Tony Award-nominated screen and stage actor turned the catchphrase Kiss my grits! into a national retort as the gum-chewing, beehive-wearing server on the long-running CBS sitcom Alice. Sept. 9.Charlie Kirk, 31. Rising from a teenage conservative campus activist to a top podcaster and ally of President Donald Trump, he was fatally shot during an appearance at a college in Utah. Sept. 10. Bobby Hart, 86. The songwriter was a key part of the Monkees multimedia empire, teaming with Tommy Boyce on such hits as Last Train to Clarksville and Im Not Your Steppin Stone. Sept. 10.Kim Seong-Min, 63. The defector who founded Seoul-based Free North Korea Radio used USB sticks and a network of sources in the secretive country to inform the North Korean public about their authoritarian government. Sept. 12.Ricky Hatton, 46. The former boxing world champion who rose to become one of the most popular fighters in the sport had mental health struggles and was found dead due to hanging. Sept. 14.Robert Redford, 89. The Hollywood golden boy became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters. Sept. 16.Brett James, 57. The Grammy award-winning country songwriter whose top hits included Jesus, Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood and When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney died in a plane crash. Sept. 18.Sonny Curtis, 88. A vintage rock n roller, he wrote the raw classic I Fought the Law and posed the enduring question Who can turn the world on with her smile? as the writer-crooner of the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Sept. 19.Bernie Parent, 80. Considered one of the greatest hockey goalies, the Hall of Famer anchored the net for the Philadelphia Flyers two Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s. Sept. 21.Bobby Cain, 85. As one of the so-called Clinton 12 in 1956, he endured racist violence to become the first Black student in Tennessee to graduate from an integrated state-run school. Sept. 22.Claudia Cardinale, 87. The acclaimed Italian actor starred in some of the most celebrated European films of the 1960s and 1970s. Sept. 23.Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, in his 80s. Saudi Arabias grand mufti served as the kingdoms top religious figure for a quarter of a century as the ultraconservative Muslim nation socially liberalized. Sept. 23.Sara Jane Moore, 95. She was imprisoned for more than 30 years after she made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975. Sept. 24.Assata Shakur, 78. The Black liberation activist was given political asylum in Cuba after her 1979 escape from a U.S. prison where she had been serving a life sentence for killing a law enforcement officer. Sept. 25.Russell M. Nelson, 101. He was the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sept. 27.___OCTOBER___Jane Goodall, 91. The conservationist was renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy. Oct. 1.Jilly Cooper, 88. The bestselling British author chronicled class and sex in risqu novels, including Rivals and Riders. Oct. 5.Joan B. Kennedy, 89. The former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy endured family tragedies, her husbands infidelities and decades-long struggles with alcoholism and mental health. Oct. 8.Diane Keaton, 79. The Oscar-winning stars quirky manner and emotional depth enthralled fans in movies including Annie Hall, The Godfather films and Father of the Bride. Oct. 11.DAngelo, 51. The Grammy-winning R&B singer recognized by his raspy yet smooth voice and for garnering mainstream attention with the shirtless Untitled (How Does It Feel) music video died of cancer. Oct. 14.Raila Odinga, 80. The populist campaigns of the former prime minister and perennial presidential candidate challenged one-party rule, rattled authorities and gave him outsized influence in Kenya. Oct. 15.Ace Frehley, 74. The original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam-rock band Kiss captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar. Oct. 16.Susan Stamberg, 87. The founding mother of National Public Radio was the first female broadcaster to host a national news program. Oct. 16.Kanchha Sherpa, 92. The Nepalese mountain guide was last surviving member of the expedition team that first conquered Mount Everest. Oct. 16.Tomiichi Murayama, 101. Japans former prime minister was known for his 1995 Murayama statement apologizing to Asian victims of his countrys aggression. Oct. 17.Chen Ning Yang, 103. The Chinese Nobel Prize-winning physicist was one of the most influential scientists in modern physics. Oct. 18.Daniel Naroditsky, 29. The chess grandmaster who started as a child prodigy quickly became one of the most influential American voices in the sport. His cause of death was not made public. Oct. 20.June Lockhart, 100. She became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers, whether at home in Lassie or Lost in Space. Oct. 23.Queen Mother Sirikit, 93. She supervised royal projects in Thailand to help the rural poor, preserve traditional craft-making and protect the environment. Oct. 24.Nick Mangold, 41. As a New York Jets center he was one of the franchises greatest players, twice helping lead the team to the AFC championship game. He died of complications of kidney disease. Oct. 25.Prunella Scales, 93. A versatile actor, she was best known as acid-tongued Sybil Fawlty in the classic British sitcom Fawlty Towers. Oct. 27.___NOVEMBER___Martha Layne Collins, 88. She was the first and only woman elected governor of Kentucky. Nov. 1.Stanley Chesley, 89. A class-action lawsuit pioneer who took on cigarette companies and the makers of faulty breast implants, his legal career ended amid accusations of unethical conduct. Nov. 2.George Banks, 83. He became one of the most notorious mass murderers in the U.S. by shooting 14 people, and killing 13, including his own children, during a 1982 rampage in Pennsylvania. Nov. 2.Dick Cheney, 84. The hard-charging conservative was a leading advocate for invading Iraq as one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history. Years later, he became a critic and target of President Donald Trump. Nov. 3.Diane Ladd, 89. The actor was nominated three times for Academy Awards, as the brash waitress in Alice Doesnt Live Here Anymore, the scheming parent in Wild at Heart and her role with daughter Laura Dern in Rambling Rose. Nov. 3.Kim Yong Nam, 97. North Koreas longtime ceremonial head of state was best known for his deep, booming voice in propaganda-filled speeches supporting the ruling Kim dynasty. Nov. 3.James D. Watson, 97. His co-discovery of the twisted-ladder structure of DNA in 1953 helped light the long fuse on a revolution in medicine, crimefighting, genealogy and ethics. Nov. 6.Paul Tagliabue, 84. He helped bring labor peace and riches to the NFL during his 17 years as commissioner but was criticized for not taking stronger action on concussions. Nov. 9.Sally Kirkland, 84. The stage, film and TV actor was best known for sharing the screen with Paul Newman and Robert Redford in The Sting and her Oscar-nominated title role in the 1987 movie Anna. Nov. 11.Juan Ponce Enrile, 101. He was the Philippines defense chief during the martial-law era notorious for human rights atrocities, democratic setbacks and plunder, then broke from Ferdinand Marcos, leading to the dictators overthrow in a 1986 people power uprising. Nov. 13.Todd Snider, 59. The singers thoughtfully freewheeling tunes and cosmic-stoner songwriting made him a beloved figure in American roots music. Nov. 14.H. Rap Brown, 82. One of the most vocal leaders of the Black Power movement, he died serving a life sentence for the killing in 2000 of a Georgia sheriffs deputy. Nov. 23.Dharmendra, 89. A defining screen presence of 1970s and 1980s Bollywood films, he was one of Indian cinemas most popular stars. Nov. 24.Jimmy Cliff, 81. The charismatic reggae pioneer and actor starred in the landmark movie The Harder They Come and preached joy, defiance and resilience in such classics as Many Rivers to Cross, You Can Get it If You Really Want and Vietnam. Nov. 24.Viola Ford Fletcher, 111. As one of the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in Oklahoma, she spent her later years seeking justice for the deadly attack by a white mob on the thriving Black community where she lived as a child. Nov. 24.Fuzzy Zoeller, 74. One of golfs most gregarious characters, the two-time major champions career was tainted by a racially insensitive joke about Tiger Woods. Nov. 27.Tom Stoppard, 88. The British playwright was a playful, probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for 1998s Shakespeare In Love. Nov. 29.___DECEMBER___Charles Shay, 101. The decorated Native American veteran was a 19-year-old U.S. Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and helped save lives. Dec. 3.Steve Cropper, 84. A lean, soulful guitarist and songwriter, he helped anchor the celebrated Memphis backing band Booker T. and the M.G.s at Stax Records and co-wrote the classics Green Onions, (Sittin on) the Dock of the Bay and In the Midnight Hour. Dec. 3. BERNARD MCGHEE McGhee is a U.S. Desk editor for The Associated Press based in Atlanta. Hes been with the AP for more than 25 years including time spent in bureaus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Des Moines, Iowa; and Seattle. twitter mailto

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives before the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, near the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)2025-12-05T00:52:08Z WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Southern Command announced that it had conducted another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, following a pause of almost three weeks.It is the 22nd strike the U.S. military has carried out against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that the Trump administration claimed were trafficking drugs. There were four casualties in Thursdays strike, according to the social media post, bringing the death toll of the campaign to at least 87 people.In a video that accompanied the announcement, a small boat can be seen moving across the water before it is suddenly consumed by a large explosion. The video then zooms out to show the boat covered in flames and billowing smoke. The strike was conducted the same day Adm. Frank Mitch Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers began an investigation into the very first strike carried out by the military on Sept. 2. The sessions came after a report that Bradley ordered a follow-on attack that killed the survivors to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths demands. Bradley told lawmakers there was no kill them all order from Hegseth, but a stark video of the entire series of attacks left some lawmakers with serious questions. Legal experts have said killing survivors of a strike at sea could be a violation of the laws of military warfare. Bradley spoke to lawmakers alongside the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, in a classified session. His testimony provided fresh information at a crucial moment as Hegseths leadership comes under scrutiny, but it did little to resolve growing questions about the legal basis for President Donald Trumps extraordinary campaign to use war powers against suspected drug smugglers. Lawmakers offered differing accounts of what they saw on the video. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said he saw the survivors trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for United States back over so they could stay in the fight.Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said, What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things Ive seen in my time in public service.You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, he said, adding they were killed by the United States.Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the survivors were basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water until the missiles come and kill them.

The Netflix logo is shown in this photo from the company's website on Feb. 2, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)2025-12-05T12:35:46Z NEW YORK (AP) Netflix has struck a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to buy the legacy Hollywood giants studio and streaming business for $72 billion.The acquisition, announced Friday, would bring two of the industrys biggest players in film and TV under one roof. Beyond its namesake television and motion picture division, Warner owns HBO Max and DC Studios. And Netflix has rose to dominance as a household name ubiquitous to on-demand content, while building of its own production arm to release popular titles like Stranger Things and Squid Game.The cash and stock deal is valued at $27.75 per Warner share, giving it a total enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion. The transaction is expected to close after Warner separates its Discovery Global cable operations into a new publicly-traded company in the third quarter of 2026.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photo prior to their talks in New Delhi, India, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Mikhail Tereshchenko, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)2025-12-05T05:11:33Z NEW DELHI (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday at an annual summit and agreed to diversify mutual economic ties, as the United States presses India to revise its decades-old partnership with Russia.The 23rd Russia-India Summit comes at a pivotal moment as the U.S. pushes for a Ukraine peace deal while seeking global cooperation. It will test New Delhis efforts to balance relations with Moscow and Washington as the nearly four-year war in Ukraine grinds on. Putin was received by Modi at an airport in New Delhi on Thursday. The Indian leader gave Putin a bear hug and a tight handshake with the gusto of an old friend. Leaders outline Russia-India expanding tiesAfter the talks, Putin and Modi announced that India and Russia have finalized an economic cooperation program until 2030, which will help diversify mutual businesses to boost annual trade to $100 billion by 2030. They also emphasized strong energy ties.Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $68.7 billion in the last fiscal year ended March. The trade is heavily skewed in favor of Russia with deep deficits for India, which it is looking to bridge by pushing exports.To achieve this significant goal, a program for the development of Russian-Indian economic cooperation until 2030 has been agreed upon, Putin said. He said work is underway on an agreement for India to establish a free trade zone with the Eurasian Economic Union, a Moscow-dominated economic grouping of several ex-Soviet nations, adding that it could help increase trade. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on Russia is a reliable supplier of energy resources and everything necessary for the development of Indias energy sector, Putin said. We are ready to continue ensuring the uninterrupted supply of fuel for the rapidly growing Indian economy. Before the summit talks, the Russian leader said the two countries have a very trusting relationship when it comes to military-technical cooperation. Modi, for his part, said after the talks that the two countries will work toward early conclusion of a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. He also announced that India will soon start issuing free electronic visas for Russian tourists and groups visiting the country.The Indian leader said energy security has long anchored India-Russia ties, with civil nuclear cooperation spanning decades. He added that such cooperation will continue, alongside collaboration in clean energy, shipbuilding, fertilizers and labor mobility.US seeks to push India away from RussiaWhile India has historically maintained deep ties with Russia, critics say Putins visit could strain relations with the European Union and the United States and might jeopardize negotiations for major trade agreements with both that are seen as critical for Indias exports.U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in August, citing New Delhis discounted Russian oil. India has been the second biggest importer of Russian crude after China.The U.S. says purchases of Russian oil help finance Moscows war machine. In October, the U.S. sanctioned two of Moscows biggest oil producers to force countries like India to cut down on imports. Indian officials have said New Delhi has always abided by international sanctions and would do so in the case of Russia oil purchases as well. India and the U.S. set a target for the first tranche of a trade deal by the fall, but the deal hasnt come through yet amid strains in relations. India is also in the final stages of talks on a trade agreement with the EU, which sees Russias war in Ukraine as a major threat.Putins India visit, given the timing and geopolitical context, underscores New Delhis strategic tightrope walk between the West and the rest, chiefly Russia, said Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.Donthi said Indias tilt toward Russia dates back to the Cold War and persists despite its official nonaligned position. The significant change now is its desire to be a strategic partner with the U.S. at the same time, which will be a diplomatic challenge, he added. Defense and trade expansion on cardsIndian officials earlier said that Modi in the meeting with Putin would push for faster delivery of two further Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. It has already received three under a 2018 deal worth about $5.4 billion. The delay has been tied to supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine.The two sides signed a pact in February to improve military cooperation, exercises, port calls, disaster relief assistance and logistics support. Moscows State Duma ratified the same ahead of Putins India visit.India is also expecting to upgrade its Russian-made Su-30MKI fighter jets and accelerate deliveries of critical military hardware.India is keen to increase exports of pharmaceuticals, agriculture and textiles to Russia and is seeking the removal of non-tariff barriers. New Delhi is also seeking long-term supplies of fertilizers from Moscow. Another key area where the two countries hope to finalize an agreement is the safety and regulation of migration of Indian skilled workers to Russia.Putin last visited India in 2021. Modi was in Moscow last year, and the two leaders briefly met in September in China during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.___Hussain reported from Srinagar, India. RAJESH ROY Roy brings over two decades of journalistic experience in covering a spectrum of big stories spanned across defense, geopolitics, business and local politics. Mostly found in the corridors of power: talking, scooping and writing. twitter mailto AIJAZ HUSSAIN Hussain is a senior reporter for The Associated Press covering the Kashmir conflict, Indian politics and strategic affairs, and climate. He has worked for the AP for nearly two decades. twitter mailto

Syrian refugee Hayat Fatah, 65, cleans dishes at her home in Irbil, Iraq, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Farid Abdulwahed)2025-12-05T12:17:56Z When President Donald Trump suspended the refugee program on day one of his current administration, thousands of people around the world who had been so close to a new life in America found themselves abandoned.Many had already sold possessions or ended leases in preparation for travel. They had submitted reams of documents supporting their cases, been interviewed by U.S. officials and in many cases already had tickets to fly to America.As part of Trumps crackdown on both legal and illegal migration, the Republican president has upended the decades-old refugee program that has served as a beacon for those fleeing war and persecution. In October, he resumed the program but set a historic low of refugee admissions at just 7,500 mostly white South Africans. A litany of new restrictions was announced after an Afghan national became the suspect in the shooting of two National Guard members last week. The Trump administration also plans a review of refugees let in during the Democratic Biden administration. Trumps administration has cited economic and national security concerns for its policy changes. About 600,000 people were being processed to come to the U.S. as refugees around the world when the program was halted, according to the administration. Dozens of white South Africans have been let in this year. But only about 100 others have been admitted as a result of a lawsuit by advocates seeking to restart the refugee program, said Mevlde Akay Alp, a lawyer arguing the case. Its important that we dont abandon those families and that we dont abandon the thousands of people who were relying on the promise of coming here as refugees, said Akay Alp, with the International Refugee Assistance Project. The Associated Press spoke to three families whose lives have been thrown into disarray because of the changing policies. Syrian refugee Mohammed Dawood, 30, left, poses for a photo with his parents, Hayat Fatah, 65, center, and Abdulilah Amin Dawoud, 73, at their home in Irbil, Iraq, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Farid Abdulwahed) Syrian refugee Mohammed Dawood, 30, left, poses for a photo with his parents, Hayat Fatah, 65, center, and Abdulilah Amin Dawoud, 73, at their home in Irbil, Iraq, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Farid Abdulwahed) 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 A family separated by tightened restrictionsThe Dawoods had waited years for the opportunity to come to the U.S. After fleeing civil war in Syria, they settled in northern Iraq. They hoped to find a home that could provide better medical care for a daughter who had fallen from the fourth floor of the familys apartment building.After they were accepted as refugees to the U.S., son Ibrahim and his sister Ava relocated to New Haven, Connecticut, in November 2024. His parents and one of his brothers were scheduled to fly in January. But just two days before they were to board their flight, mother Hayat Fatah fainted at a medical check and her departure was postponed. Mohammed, another sibling, didnt want to leave his parents behind.I said: This is it. The chance is gone. But I had to stay with my father and mother, Mohammed said.Nearly a year later, he and his parents are still waiting. Without a residency card, Mohammed cant work or travel outside of their home in the city of Irbil. The family gets by on money sent from relatives abroad.Mohammed had dreams for his hoped-for new life in America: starting a business or finishing his studies to become a petroleum engineer; getting married and building a family. Whether it was now, a year from now, two years later or four years, I will wait and hope that I will go, he said.In America, Ibrahim often wakes up early to tutor people online before going to his job as a math teacher at a private school, and then he takes care of his sister when he gets home. He said his mother often cries when they talk because she wishes she were in America to help care for her daughter. Ibrahim said one solace has been the welcome hes received in the U.S. Volunteers have stepped in to take him and his sister to frequent doctor appointments and helped them adjust to their new lives. I really appreciate the kindness of the people here, he said. Lu Taizhi, a Chinese Christian who is waiting to be resettled in the United States, points to the webpage of the International Rescue Committee, which is under maintenance and not operational in Ban Wawee village, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/ Tian Macleod Ji) Lu Taizhi, a Chinese Christian who is waiting to be resettled in the United States, points to the webpage of the International Rescue Committee, which is under maintenance and not operational in Ban Wawee village, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/ Tian Macleod Ji) 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 After a decade in limbo, a Chinese pastor wonders when his turn will comeChinese Christian Lu Taizhi fled to Thailand more than a decade ago, fearing persecution for his beliefs. Hes lived in legal limbo since, waiting to be resettled in the United States.Lu said he has long admired the U.S. for what he calls its Christian character a place where he feels he and his family can seek freedom. He said he was disappointed that people like him and his family who applied for refugee status legally face so many difficulties in going to the U.S.I oppose illegal immigration. Many are fake refugees, or illegal immigrants, theyve never faced oppression. Im opposed to this, Lu said. But I hope America can accept people like us, real refugees who faced real oppression. Its really disappointing.Lu comes from a long lineage of dissent: He was born into a family branded as hostile elements by the Chinese Communist Party for its land ownership and ties to a competing political party. A teacher and poet, Lu grew interested in history banned by the Chinese state, penning tributes to the bloody 1989 Tiananmen crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing. In 2004, Lu was arrested after police found poems and essays he secretly published criticizing Chinese politics and the education system. After his release, Lu became a Christian and began preaching, drawing scrutiny from local authorities. Year after year, officers knocked on his door, warning him not to organize protests or publish commentary criticizing the Party.With Chinese leader Xi Jinpings rise to power, controls tightened. When Beijing arrested hundreds of rights lawyers in 2015, Lu took his family and fled, worried police would come for him. After traveling across Southeast Asia, Lu and his family settled in Thailand, where they applied for refugee status with the United Nations.Eight years later, the U.N. notified Lu the U.S. had accepted his application. But their first flight, in April 2024, was postponed because Lus sons passports had expired. A second, scheduled for Jan. 22, 2025, was canceled without explanation, and the most recent one, scheduled for Feb. 26, was canceled shortly after Trumps inauguration. His application has been put on hold indefinitely, Lu said. Today, Lu is scraping a meager living as a teacher and pastor in Northern Thailand. Hes separated from his wife and children in Bangkok, Thailands capital, but says he has no choice if he wants to earn money and support his family.I am very supportive of all of Trumps policies because I think only President Trump can dismantle the CCP, Lu said, using an acronym referring to the Chinese Communist Party. So I dont have any complaints. I just wait silently. Louis, a Congolese refugee, stands for an anonymous portrait at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) office, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) Louis, a Congolese refugee, stands for an anonymous portrait at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) office, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry) 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 I dont want to lose herLouis arrived in the United States as a refugee in September 2024. He left his wife and two children in East Africa, hoping they could soon be reunited in the U.S. But that dream faded a few months later with Trumps return to the presidency.Louis, who insisted on being identified only by his first name out of concern that speaking publicly could complicate his case, was told in January that a request he had made to bring his family to the U.S. had been frozen due to changes in refugee policies.Now, the family members live thousands of miles apart without knowing when they will be reunited. His wife, Apolina, and the children, 2 and 3 years old, are in a refugee camp in Uganda. Louis is in Kentucky.I dont want to lose her, and she does not want to lose me, said Louis, who resettled in Kentucky with the help of the International Rescue Committee. The hope that I had went slowly down. I thought that we would never meet again, he said referring to the moment when he received the notice.Louis and Apolinas families applied for refugee status after fleeing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Louis application, initiated by his parents, was approved, Apolinas, made separately by her parents, was not. They hoped if Louis applied for family reunification in the U.S., that would ease the way to bring over Apolina and the two children.Apolina thought that, as the wife of a refugee, it would take her no more than one year to reunite with her husband, who now works in an appliance factory and has already applied for permanent residency. The separation hasnt been easy for her and the children, who live in a tent in the refugee camp. The younger one, who was 7 months old when Louis left, cries every time he sees his father in a video call. The older one keeps asking where Louis is and when he will see him.Apolina fears that as time drags on, the children will forget their father.I feel terrible because I miss my husband very much, said Apolina in a phone interview from Uganda. I pray for him that God enables him to be patient until we meet again.___Santana reported from Washington, Kang from Beijing and Salomon from Miami. Associated Press writers Evelyne Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya, and Salar Salim in Irbil, Iraq, contributed to this report. REBECCA SANTANA Santana covers the Department of Homeland Security for The Associated Press. She has extensive experience reporting in such places as Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. twitter mailto DAKE KANG Kang covers Chinese politics, technology and society from Beijing for The Associated Press. Hes reported across Central, South, and East Asia, and was a Pulitzer finalist for investigative reporting in China. twitter mailto GISELA SALOMON Salomon is a Miami-based reporter who covers Latin America and immigration affairs for The Associated Press.Salomon es una periodista que desde Miami cubre asuntos latinoamericanos y de inmigracion. twitter mailto