-
Ukraine sends special forces to embattled eastern city
KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) -- Ukraine has deployed special forces to the eastern city of Pokrovsk, where it is under pressure from an intense Russian assault involving thousands of troops, Kyiv's top commander said Saturday. Pokrovsk, in Ukraine's Donetsk region, lies on a major supply route for the Ukrainian army and has been in Moscow's sights for over a year. Hundreds of Russian soldiers have infiltrated the logistics hub, Kyiv said earlier last week. Others are closing in on its outskirts in a pinc
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Trump to host al-Sharaa in first-ever visit by a Syrian president to White House, official says
PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) — US President Donald Trump will host Ahmad al-Sharaa for talks, a first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House, an administration official said Saturday. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the yet to be formally announced engagement, said that the meeting is expected to take place Nov. 10. Trump met with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May in what was the first encounter between the two nations’ leaders in 25 years. Syria continues
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Trump threatens Nigeria with potential military action, escalates claim of Christian persecution
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he's ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria as he stepped up his allegations that the government is failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the West African country. The president also warned that he “will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria.” “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assi
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Obama rallies Virginia and New Jersey in weekend campaign push before Election Day
Former US President Barack Obama is encouraging voters to elect Democrats as governor in Virginia and New Jersey in races this Tuesday that could signal the national mood 10 months into Donald Trump’s second presidency and a year ahead of midterm elections that could reshape it. Obama's appearances on Saturday for Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill contrast with Trump spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, leaving Republicans Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia and Jack Ciattar
Nov. 2, 2025 -
More than $2m in weapons seized in deadly Rio anti-drug raid: government
RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) -- Authorities confiscated more than $2 million worth of weapons during a recent anti-drug raid in Rio de Janeiro, the deadliest in Brazil's history, the state government said Saturday. On Tuesday, the massive police operation in two favela complexes left at least 117 suspected criminals and four police officers dead, according to the latest official tally. The Rio de Janeiro state government announced "one of the largest seizures" of military weapons in a single day from th
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Aid efforts struggle to bring relief to parts of hurricane-stricken Jamaica
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Rescuers and aid workers fanned out across Jamaica on Saturday to distribute food and water and reach communities still isolated four days after Hurricane Melissa hit the island. Essential relief supplies are now rolling into hurricane-stricken St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, most of which had been cut off by fallen concrete posts and trees strewn across roads. But in some parts, people were forced to dip buckets into rivers, collecting the muddy water for everyday use,
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Andrew's royal exit is the latest crisis for Britain's monarchy
LONDON (AP) -- Holding prestige but not power, Britain's monarchy is finely tuned to public sentiment. That's been evident with the disgrace of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who was stripped of his princely title and his spacious home by his brother King Charles on Thursday, a banishment that has left the disgraced royal increasingly exposed to scrutiny both in the UK and the US over his friendship with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Following years of scandals related to Andrew, Charl
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Trump sets 7,500 annual limit for refugees entering US
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is restricting the number of refugees admitted annually to the United States to 7,500 and they will mostly be white South Africans, a dramatic drop announced Thursday that effectively suspends America's traditional role as a haven for those fleeing war and persecution. The move cements a major shift in policy toward refugees that aligns with the Republican administration’s broader goals of keeping out foreigners whom it deems a risk to the nation’s secu
Oct. 31, 2025 -
King Charles III strips Prince Andrew of titles and evicts him from royal residence
LAWLESS LONDON (AP) — King Charles III on Thursday stripped his disgraced brother Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence after weeks of pressure to act over his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Buckingham Palace said. After the king’s rare move, which follows years of shameful scandals, he will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince, and he will have to vacate his Royal Lodge mansion near Windsor Castle. Demand had been g
Oct. 31, 2025 -
World shares, oil prices fall back following Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi
World shares mostly retreated Thursday in choppy trading after President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While Trump said the meeting was “amazing” and had resolved many issues, investors appeared skeptical. US futures were nearly flat. In early European trading, Germany's Dax rose 0.1 percent to 24,155.02. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.5 percent to 9,705.49. In Paris, the CAC 40 slid 0.2 percent to 8,183.55. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index bounced lower and then inched up less than
Oct. 30, 2025 -
Russia blasts Ukraine's power grid again, causing outages across the country
The latest in a sustained Russian campaign of massive drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure brought power outages and restrictions in all the country’s regions Thursday, officials said, with the Ukrainian prime minister describing Moscow’s tactic as “systematic energy terror.” The strikes, which were the latest in Russia’s almost daily attacks on the Ukrainian power grid as bitter winter temperatures approach, killed at least two people and injured 17, including children b
Oct. 30, 2025 -
US strikes another alleged drug-carrying boat in the Pacific and kills all 4 aboard, Hegseth says
WASHINGTON (AP) — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that the US military carried out another strike on a boat he said was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing all four people aboard, as the Trump administration pursues its divisive campaign against drug cartels in the waters off South America. Hegseth, who's been traveling in Japan and Malaysia, said in a social media post that intelligence determined the craft was “transiting along a known narco-trafficking r
Oct. 30, 2025 -
WHO condemns reported 'horrific' mass killing in Sudan hospital
GENEVA (AFP) -- The World Health Organization said Wednesday it was appalled by reports that more than 460 patients and their companions were shot dead at the last partially-functional hospital in Sudan's El-Fasher. The capture of El-Fasher on Sunday after an 18-month siege has solidified the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces' control over Darfur, sparking fears of ethnically motivated violence reminiscent of the western region's darkest days. "WHO is appalled and deeply shocked by reports of th
Oct. 30, 2025 -
Protests erupt after police raid in Brazil leaves 119 dead and draws accusations of excessive force
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A massive police raid on a drug gang embedded in low-income neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro that left at least 119 people dead drew protests for excessive force Wednesday and calls for the Rio’s governor to resign. Dozens of favelas residents gathered in front of the state’s government headquarters shouting “assassins!” and waving Brazilian flags stained with red paint, a day after Rio's deadliest raid and hours after families and residents laid dozens of dead bodies on a s
Oct. 30, 2025 -
Israel's military says ceasefire is back on as death toll from Gaza strikes rises
Israel’s military said Wednesday that the ceasefire was back on in Gaza after it carried out heavy airstrikes overnight across the Palestinian territory that killed 104 people, including 66 women and children, according to local health officials. The strikes, the deadliest since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, marked the most serious challenge to the tenuous truce to date. The bombardment pointed to Israel’s readiness to strike hard at what it says are Hamas violations of the ceasefire deal. Mea
Oct. 30, 2025