Associated Press stories, Page 5
Vatican unveils Nativity scene, lights Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican unveiled its Nativity scene Monday and lit the 82-foot Christmas tree that towers above it in St. Peter’s Square as a band, chorus and dancers in traditional costumes from Italy’s northernmost South Tyrol province performed. The spruce tree hailed from Italy’s German-speaking majority autonomous province...
Scottie Scheffler joins Tiger Woods by winning PGA Tour player of the year for 4th straight year
Scottie Scheffler earned another comparison with Tiger Woods on Monday, joining him as the only players to win PGA Tour player of the year at least four times in a row. Scheffler made an easy case to pick up another Jack Nicklaus Award. His tour-leading six victories were twice as...
Trump levels political attack on Rob Reiner in inflammatory post after his killing
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday blamed Rob Reiner’s outspoken opposition to the president for the actor-director’s killing, delivering the unsubstantiated claim in a shocking post that seemed intent on decrying his opponents even in the face of a tragedy. The statement, even for Trump, was a shocking comment...
Trial begins for Wisconsin judge accused of helping immigrant evade federal authorities
MADISON, Wis. — Prosecutors played audio recordings Monday as they tried to show jurors that a Wisconsin judge knew what was at stake last spring when she directed an immigrant to a private door while federal agents were in the courthouse to arrest the man. “I’ll get the heat,” Milwaukee...
Brian Walshe found guilty of murdering his wife, who disappeared nearly 3 years ago
BOSTON — Brian Walshe was found guilty Monday of killing his wife, whose body has never been found after she disappeared from their Massachusetts home on New Year’s Day nearly three years ago. Ana Walshe, an immigrant from Serbia, was last seen early Jan. 1, 2023, after a New Year’s...
Russia indicates it’s open to Ukraine joining EU as part of peace deal to end war, U.S. officials say
BERLIN — Russia has indicated it’s open to Ukraine joining the European Union as part of a potential peace deal to end the war, U.S. officials said Monday. The U.S. officials who briefed reporters after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well...
Punk protest group Pussy Riot declared ‘extremist organization’ by a Russian court
Punk group Pussy Riot was declared an “extremist organization” by a Russian court on Monday. The ruling, which was made by Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court, effectively outlaws the group from operating in Russia and puts anyone linked with the group at risk of criminal prosecution. The feminist protest group first...
Rob Reiner’s son Nick arrested after the director and his wife were found dead at their home
LOS ANGELES — The 32-year-old son of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner was arrested on suspicion of murder and held without bail Monday in the stabbing deaths of his parents in their Los Angeles home, authorities said. The case will be given to prosecutors on Tuesday as they consider formal charges...
U.S. tariffs are having an uneven effect on holiday prices and purchases
NEW YORK — The Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo, California, turns into a winter wonderland every holiday season. Green garlands, giant nutcrackers, baubles and bows go up in early November on the historic downtown building that houses the gift shop. Inside, customers can choose from over 500 different...
Interstellar comet keeps its distance as it makes its closest approach to Earth
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A stray comet from another star swings past Earth this week in one last hurrah before racing back toward interstellar space. Discovered over the summer, the comet known as 3I/Atlas will pass within 167 million miles of our planet on Friday, the closest it gets on...
Spain fines Airbnb $75 million for unlicensed tourist rentals
MADRID — Spain’s government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros ($75 million) for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals, officials said Monday. The rentals didn’t include license numbers — a requirement in many regions in Spain — or included license numbers that didn’t match what authorities had, the consumer rights ministry said....
Rob Reiner, ‘When Harry Met Sally’ director, ‘All in the Family’ actor and political activist, dead at 78
Rob Reiner, the son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were...
Search for the Brown University shooter resumes as questions swirl about campus security
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Authorities knocked on doors Monday searching for any video there might be of the Brown University gunman, who could be seen in grainy footage walking away from the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others. During a Monday afternoon news conference that got testy...
IUP trustees approve doctorate for proposed medical school
INDIANA, Pa. — Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine has received a new boost from the school’s council of trustees. The governing board acted Thursday to approve a new doctorate in osteopathic medicine program, which would be offered through the future medical school. “This step is a...
Iran’s rial currency plummets to new low, sparking fears of higher food prices
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s rial slid further Monday to a new record low of more than 1.3 million to the U.S. dollar, deepening the currency’s collapse less than two weeks after it first breached the 1.2-million mark amid sanctions pressure and regional tensions. Currency traders in Tehran quoted the dollar...
The Bondi Beach shooting as seen from the beach, the boardwalk and a hotel
SYDNEY — As the sounds of bullets rang out and the bodies fell, the young mother threw herself on top of her 5-year-old son and prayed. “Please don’t let us die,” 33-year-old Rebecca begged God from her hiding place under a table in a park overlooking Bondi, Australia’s most iconic...
Serbia organized crime prosecutors charge minister, others in connection with Kushner-linked project
BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime on Monday charged a government minister and three others with abuse of office and falsifying of documents to help pave the way for a real estate project linked to Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Proposed criminal charges were announced against...
Rob Reiner and his wife found dead in Los Angeles home in apparent homicide, source says
LOS ANGELES — Director-actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were the two people found dead Sunday at a Los Angeles home owned by Reiner, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. The official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated...
Kyle Shanahan discusses 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan called the decision to put missing receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a season-ending reserve list an easy one, and it won’t change what the team plans to do the rest of the season. The 49ers officially placed their former No. 1...
Philip Rivers emotional after nearly leading Colts to win in return: ‘There is doubt, and it’s real’
SEATTLE — Philip Rivers fought back tears as he considered what message it would send to his sons — or the young men he has coached — that he nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to victory at age 44. “There is doubt, and it’s real,” Rivers said, choking up briefly....
Titans’ Jeffery Simmons records sack, forced fumble and TD catch
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Jeffery Simmons took over the game for the Tennessee Titans in one three-play stretch in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. What went on in the other 59 minutes of San Francisco’s 37-24 win over Tennessee on Sunday made that impressive period a footnote to...
Former Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai convicted in landmark national security trial
HONG KONG — Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing, was convicted in a landmark national security trial in the city’s court on Monday, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Three government-vetted judges found Lai, 78, guilty...
Patrick Mahomes suffers a torn ACL and Chiefs say he’s considering surgical optionsVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes tore the ACL in his left knee while trying to keep the Kansas City Chiefs’ postseason hopes alive in the waning seconds of a 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, and the team said the star quarterback was considering surgical options....
Packers pass rushing standout Micah Parsons hurts left knee against BroncosVideo
DENVER — Green Bay Packers pass rushing standout Micah Parsons was helped off the field after injuring his left knee on a non-contact play late in the third quarter Sunday against Denver. The Penn State product was chasing after Broncos quarterback Bo Nix when he suddenly pulled up and fell...
A Brown University student survived being shot in high school. Then came the active shooter alerts
When Brown University junior Mia Tretta’s phone began buzzing with an emergency alert during finals week, she tried to convince herself it couldn’t be happening again. In 2019, Tretta had been shot in the abdomen during a mass shooting at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Two students were...
