Associated Press stories, Page 31
Pope criticizes prison overcrowding during special Mass for inmates, guards and families
ROME — Pope Leo XIV criticized prison overcrowding and insufficient inmate rehabilitation programs on Sunday as he celebrated a special Mass for detainees, guards and their families in the final event of the Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year. The Vatican said an estimated 6,000 people signed up to participate in the...
Attacker who killed U.S. troops in Syria was a recent recruit to security forces, official says
BEIRUT — A man who carried out an attack in Syria that killed three U.S. citizens had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months earlier and was recently reassigned amid suspicions that he might be affiliated with the Islamic State group, a Syrian official told...
Hong Kong’s biggest pro-democracy party votes to disband after more than 30 years of activism
HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s biggest pro-democracy party voted Sunday to dissolve after more than 30 years of activism, marking the end of an era of the Chinese semiautonomous city ‘s once-diverse political landscape. Democratic Party chairperson Lo Kin-hei said the political environment was “one important point” among the factors...
Hamas confirms the death of a top commander in Gaza after Israeli strike
JERUSALEM — Hamas on Sunday confirmed the death of a top commander in Gaza, a day after Israel said it had killed Raed Saad in a strike outside Gaza City. The Hamas statement described Saad as the commander of its military manufacturing unit. Israel had described him as an architect...
Iraq’s election result ratified by Supreme Federal Court as premiership remains up for grabs
BAGHDAD — The result of last month’s parliamentary elections in Iraq was ratified by the Supreme Federal Court on Sunday, confirming that the party of caretaker prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani won the largest number of seats — but not enough to assure him a second term. The court confirmed...
Zelenskyy offers to drop NATO bid for security guarantees but rejects U.S. push to cede territory
BERLIN — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday voiced readiness to drop his country’s bid to join NATO in exchange for Western security guarantees, but rejected the U.S. push for ceding territory to Russia as he held talks with U.S. envoys on ending the war. Zelenskyy sat down with President...
Demond Williams throws 4 TD passes, Washington has 5 INTs in rout of Boise State in LA Bowl
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Demond Williams Jr. threw three of his four touchdown passes in the second quarter, and Washington had five interceptions as the Huskies kicked off bowl season with a 38-10 victory over Boise State in the LA Bowl on Saturday night. Denzel Boston made a 78-yard TD catch...
Bruce Thornton scores 19 points after halftime, Ohio State beats West Virginia in double overtime
CLEVELAND — Bruce Thornton scored 19 of his 21 points after halftime — which included the go-ahead jumper with 3.6 seconds left — and Ohio State rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to beat West Virginia, 89-88, in double overtime on Saturday night at the Cleveland Hoops Showdown. Freshman Amare...
Father and son gunmen kill at least 15 people in attack on Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi BeachVideo
SYDNEY — Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi beach, killing 15 people, including a child, officials said Monday, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation. The shooters were father and son, authorities...
Authorities release person of interest detained in Brown University shooting
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A person of interest detained after a Brown University shooting that killed two students and injured nine has been released after an investigation took law enforcement authorities in a “different direction,” officials said Sunday night. The disclosure, made at a hastily convened late night news conference, represents...
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza wins Heisman Trophy
NEW YORK — Fernando Mendoza, the mercurial quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935. Mendoza claimed 2,362 first place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre...
Navy overcomes deficit, mistakes to beat Army on 4th-and-goal
BALTIMORE — Blake Horvath threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Eli Heidenreich with 6 minutes, 32 seconds remaining — on fourth-and-goal — and No. 22 Navy rallied to beat Army, 17-16, on Saturday. Horvath turned the ball over twice, and his fumble near the goal line nearly spoiled Navy’s key...
South Carolina State wins Celebration Bowl in 4th OT
ATLANTA — Ryan Stubblefield found Jordan Smith on a 2-point pass in the fourth overtime, and South Carolina State defeated Prairie View A&M, 40-38, on Saturday in the 10th Celebration Bowl, the matchup between the champions of the MEAC and SWAC. After both teams kicked field goals in the first...
Alabama vows to address Oklahoma’s ‘disrespect’ in CFP
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama players haven’t forgotten their last game — last two, really — against Oklahoma. The Sooners won 23-21 in Tuscaloosa a month ago and then celebrated by taking photos at midfield after ending the Crimson Tide’s 17-game home-winning streak. Alabama staffers ushered the Sooners off the logo,...
Multiple victims reported in shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Multiple people were shot Saturday in the area of Brown University, police said, as the Ivy League school issued an active shooter alert and urged students and staff to take shelter during the second day of final exams. Police did not immediately release details about the number...
UN chief says 6 peacekeepers killed in drone strike on a UN facility in Sudan
CAIRO — A drone strike hit a United Nations facility in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, killing six peacekeepers, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. The strike hit the peacekeeping logistics base in the city of Kadugli, in the central region of Kordofan, Guterres said in a statement. Eight other peacekeepers were...
Penn State men can’t complete upset bid against No. 9 Michigan StateVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — Divine Ugochukwu scored a career-high 23 points, and No. 9 Michigan State overcame a sloppy performance to beat Penn State, 76-72, on Saturday. Jaxon Kohler posted his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds, and Carson Cooper added 10 points for the Spartans...
Mets reach 2-year deal with infielder Jorge Polanco after losing Pete Alonso, AP source says
The New York Mets have agreed to a two-year deal with veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced....
Colts activate 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers, making him eligible to play Sunday against Seahawks
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts promoted 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers to the active roster Saturday, making him eligible to play — and perhaps start — in Sunday’s crucial game at Seattle. Indy (8-5) brought the Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist out of retirement Tuesday when it signed him to...
Amy Schumer says she and her husband have decided to end their marriage
Comedian Amy Schumer says she and her husband, chef Chris Fischer, have decided to end their marriage. Schumer, an actress, author and writer, announced the planned split in a social media post on Friday. “Blah blah blah Chris and I have made the difficult decision to end our marriage after...
Ukrainian drone attack kills 2 in Russia as millions in Ukraine lose power
A Ukrainian drone attack in southwestern Russia killed two people and parts of Ukraine went without power following Russian assaults on energy infrastructure, authorities said Saturday, as U.S.-led peace talks were about to restart on Sunday. Foreign policy advisers from the U.S., Ukraine and Germany, among others, will meet in...
Trump pledges retaliation after 3 Americans killed in Syria attack that U.S. blames on IS
DAMASCUS, Syria — President Donald Trump said Saturday that “there will be very serious retaliation” after two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed in an attack in Syria that the United States blames on the Islamic State group. “This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and...
Belarus frees Nobel Prize laureate Bialiatski, opposition figure Kolesnikova as U.S. lifts sanctions
VILNIUS, Lithuania — Belarusian authorities on Saturday freed Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, key opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova and other prominent political prisoners, a human rights group confirmed. Their release comes as authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko seeks to improve relations with Washington. The U.S. earlier on Saturday announced lifting...
Expert tips to ease financial pressure and avoid holiday overspending
NEW YORK — Are you feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to spend money on gifts, parties and travel this holiday season? The job market is tough, student loan and credit card debt are rising, and prices for many items remain high due to inflation. If you’re feeling financially strained, know...
Speaker Johnson unveils health care plan as divided Republicans scramble for alternative
WASHINGTON — The Senate failed to get anywhere on the health care issue this week. Now it’s the House’s turn to show what it can do. Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a Republican alternative late Friday, a last-minute sprint as his party refuses to extend the enhanced tax subsidies for those...
